[AlmightyArceus]

Since this has been here for a while and been worked and reworked many times, I believe I am ready to submit this. I like the version that I currently have, and so I am going to go forth. Any final opinions before submission?

[Level 99]

Yes, I will be listening to this today to give you my opinion on it. I got your message, sorry about the delay.

[AlmightyArceus]

Originally Posted by Level 99

Yes, I will be listening to this today to give you my opinion on it. I got your message, sorry about the delay.

Oh really now? Ahaha don't worry bro, it's okay, take your time.

[AlmightyArceus]

I've been working on this for quite some time now and have had this thread on the Finished status, adding lots of touches etc. However, my original attempt was flat out rejected; my second submission was rejected by a single vote, primarily due to soloing and the original solo piano section. Now, I have substantially altered that and am seeking Mod Review as in my mind, this track is nearly complete. Please take some time to listen to this track; opinions are much appreciated:
https://www.box.com/s/568dc2e14417192536b6

[Gario]

MOD REVIEW

Alright, so this one has some nice production values to it. The arrangement has the source in it (though it still sounds like Zelda: ALTTP Light world dungeon music, to me... :P), and it has a pretty solid structure to it.

It's feeling a bit long to me, though, and the square melody that rings throughout the track feels like it meanders around a lot. All of the change-ups help it out, but the melody still just feels like random wankery when you decide to wank on it. Don't read into that sentence any more than you need to. With good wank, the wank lines move from one point to another - without that it sounds like the wank is just there to wank, and that's not really a good sound.

The length does feel completely needless, though - I feel an entire song up to 4:52, with an ending little drop, there... then the song continues. I'd suggest cutting off the ending entirely, and closing the song at that point.

The background pad is pretty vanilla. Not much that I can suggest otherwise - maybe a pad with some muted upper partials? - but it did stand out as being under par to the rest of the track. I think you can leave it safely, for the sake of the OCR panel, but I thought I should point it out.

Otherwise, it's pretty good. Cut the length of the track and perhaps mess around with the square wank so it sounds less like wank and you'll be in good shape. Good luck!

[AlmightyArceus]

Originally Posted by Gario

MOD REVIEW


It's feeling a bit long to me, though, and the square melody that rings throughout the track feels. With good wank, the wank lines move from one point to another - without that it sounds like the wank is just there to wank, and that's not really a good sound.

There are a few lead lines that indeed upon second listening do need a bit of melodic improvement; purpose has always been behind them, but some just don't turn out as well as others. I'm sure you know the feel.

Originally Posted by Gario

The length does feel completely needless, though - I feel an entire song up to 4:52, with an ending little drop, there... then the song continues. I'd suggest cutting off the ending entirely, and closing the song at that point.

That's really funny you say that, because that's the ending I've had every other single version. No joke. I've just had it fade out and I thought it was a good little ending on a G major chord, but one of the judges thought of it as a cop out so I went ahead and changed it up for this one. Glad to see I have some similar thoughts going on that ending.

Originally Posted by Gario

The background pad is pretty vanilla. Not much that I can suggest otherwise - maybe a pad with some muted upper partials? - but it did stand out as being under par to the rest of the track. I think you can leave it safely, for the sake of the OCR panel, but I thought I should point it out.

I feel like this version I kind of pulled back more on the pads; I can definitely bring it more up to par there. Gonna add in some sine harmonies or something along those lines

Originally Posted by Gario

Otherwise, it's pretty good. Cut the length of the track and perhaps mess around with the square wank so it sounds less like wank and you'll be in good shape. Good luck!

Thank you so much for reviewing this!

[AlmightyArceus]

Originally Posted by Gario

MOD REVIEW

It's feeling a bit long to me, though, and the square melody that rings throughout the track feels like it meanders around a lot. All of the change-ups help it out, but the melody still just feels like random wankery when you decide to wank on it. Don't read into that sentence any more than you need to. With good wank, the wank lines move from one point to another - without that it sounds like the wank is just there to wank, and that's not really a good sound.

Could you give me a few examples (exact times in the music) when the wankery is too much? I want to know what you hear that is displeasing.

[Gario]

Too much wank tends to cause a premature eargasm.

Hmm, y'know, listening to it again it doesn't seem to affect me as much. I'll give you the specifics, though. The 1:37 wank is a little bit on the directionless side, like it's just doing a bunch of circles or something. The synth that fades in at 3:40 seems to also be wanking just because it can. The other spots are not quite as bad, and I don't suggest removing the wank, necessarily. Just make them more like decorations of more interesting lines rather than decorations of really boring lines (where the only decoration available is doing busywork circles with the wank).

Hopefully that helps you a bit.