[Damashii!!]

EDIT 7.17.12: https://www.box.com/s/1bc69db9a78c6e77c3f9

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EDIT 6.21.12 quickfix ending: https://www.box.com/s/9c96e0a27f97eeab5f2b


k, this is [technically] my 5th or 6th resub (some of the judges will get it). i think i've finally got it sounding like how it is in my head.
sorry if it sounds too repetitive in some parts. i'd like to also submit this to Dj Cutman's GameChops as well, so i'm trying to get it to come across as something a live electrohouse dj/band would do. specifically/obviously ratatat, tim exile, and mord fustang.

judges suggestions: http://ocremix.org/forums/showthread...ight=chameleon
6.20.12 DL link: http://www.mediafire.com/?iu6ybj6exm3ubab
*note, i've added the old version in the zip as well for reference to the judges' comments, and so you can barf at how much sloppier it was before.

source breakdown:
Devil's Marsh II AKA Devil's Marsh alternate/unused version (main theme)
Fantasy (bridge/breakdown)
Cave Area (outro counter-melody)
Title Screen (outro counter-melody)

stopwatch:
0:00-0:32 original buildup (besides the obvious nod to mj)
0:33-1:06 "Devil's MArsh" melody broken up
1:07-1:40 "Devil's MArsh" changed some chords and phrasings a bit here
1:41-1:58 "Devil's Marsh" main theme
1:59-2:13 "Devil's Marsh" bass line continues, random solo on top
02:14-3:54 "Fantasy" starts with just variations on the chords, then the melody theme builds up
3:55-4:27 original buildup, siren part mimics the drill/blaster thingy from "Devil's Marsh"
4:28-5:34 "Devil's Marsh" in the foreground, "Cave" and "Main theme" in the background as the counter-melody
5:35-6:08 "Cave" and "Main" melodies combined

please give as much critiques as possible, it won't hurt mah feelingzes.
already on my to-do list:
-lower the bass freq a bit
-fix the snare glitch at the end
i think these got f'ed up when i ran it through real converter because it's fine in my DAW and i worked on that ending long enough to cut it off in tempo.

[DrumJ8]

woo hooo, I got excited when I saw this.

The former remix was awesome, but those drums .. They just felt weird; I think the judges felt the remix would be THAT much better if the drums were tightened up (and I'd agree).

I can't be unbiased because of my love for the game and the music.. I love the new improved version as well. There are some parts that still feel off beat, but stylistically it feels like that's what you're going for and I hope it doesn't hurt in the judges' eyes too much.. After all, a funky weird offbeat remix is bound to be off beat sometimes, ya? (get it?)

I can't comment too much on the production yet because I'm still learning... but I like it a lot! I love the use of sound effects too...

If they don't think it's up to par yet, I think it's definitely on its way. I really hope that the judges give this the Victory Fanfare and that this submission doesn't !DIE! (kid chameleon style).

[Damashii!!]

alright, fixed the ending snare thing. it was the converter.
added an immediate, updated preview link in the OP.

Originally Posted by DrumJ8

woo hooo, I got excited when I saw this.

The former remix was awesome, but those drums .. They just felt weird; I think the judges felt the remix would be THAT much better if the drums were tightened up (and I'd agree).

I can't be unbiased because of my love for the game and the music.. I love the new improved version as well. There are some parts that still feel off beat, but stylistically it feels like that's what you're going for and I hope it doesn't hurt in the judges' eyes too much.. After all, a funky weird offbeat remix is bound to be off beat sometimes, ya? (get it?)

I can't comment too much on the production yet because I'm still learning... but I like it a lot! I love the use of sound effects too...

If they don't think it's up to par yet, I think it's definitely on its way. I really hope that the judges give this the Victory Fanfare and that this submission doesn't !DIE! (kid chameleon style).

if you mean "offbeat" as in not on the "on/downbeat," then thanks that's exactly what i was going for! Mord Fustang does that a lot and i tried to emulate that spastic sound so i hope it came out right.
but if you mean "offbeat" as in reality-television-popstar-singing-competition offbeat then... back to the lab again.

[DrumJ8]

Originally Posted by Sir Jordanius

alright, fixed the ending snare thing. it was the converter.
added an immediate, updated preview link in the OP.

if you mean "offbeat" as in not on the "on/downbeat," then thanks that's exactly what i was going for! Mord Fustang does that a lot and i tried to emulate that spastic sound so i hope it came out right.
but if you mean "offbeat" as in reality-television-popstar-singing-competition offbeat then... back to the lab again.

First off, call me crazy but is that snare glitch still at the end..? I still hear it right at the end at 6:07 .. bizarre..

Yep I meant "offbeat" as in "not on the downbeat," in a good way. It still sounds a little jarring but I know it's a stylistic choice and it works for me, I just hope the judges see it that way too; I have no idea where they draw the line between "this sounds funky spastic cool" and "hmm resub" It's obvious that it's purposely and purposefully placed in there. I haven't listened to a LOT of remixes on this site yet but I still vote for this remix as "feel good remix of the year."

Nice work thinking out of the box (not to mention on Random Encounter as well). Creativity Level Up.

[Damashii!!]

Originally Posted by DrumJ8

First off, call me crazy but is that snare glitch still at the end..? I still hear it right at the end at 6:07 .. bizarre..

as long as it's just 2 solid hits, then it's intended. but if it's still spazzing out with 3+ delayed hits then i'll have to check what's going on between rendering and converting. if you download it it's supposed to be that the hit jumps rhythmically back into the song, directly on beat.

dude, thanks so much for the kind, positive comments but you're stroking my ego too much dawg! trust me, it's a sad planet to live on whenever i go kanye mode.
so, if nobody else is going to chime in with critiques i'm going to have to assume that i've either made something really really good, or i've made something really really crappy.

[SuperiorX]

oh hey man, I didn't see you had a song up here in the WIP forums. This is my first time hearing it so I'm not familiar with all these old versions of previous panel submissions or whatnot that seem to have happened... I'm also not familiar with the sources at all so can't comment there either... so yeah I guess this post is really kinda pointless. I just wanted to tell you that I'm diggin this, it's one crazy funky arrangement, which I'm a big fan of. There are some really delicious sounds and textures here, and some awesome synth work and effects throughout. It's kinda hard to critique any production aspects because there is a lot going on and I suppose a lot of the critiques could be stylistic choices. You've kept me interested through the whole 6 minutes tho. Hopefully this thing will pass on your 298215152198629 resub!

[Rozovian]

As the judges seem to find the arrangement kosher, I'm gonna focus on the concerns they had. Those concerns, as codified by zircon:

PRODUCTION
[X] Low-quality samples
[X] Overcompressed (pumping/no dynamics)
[X] Cluttered/off-time sequencing
[X] Mixing is muddy - many sounds do not gel together, too much reverb, panning, compression etc

STRUCTURE
[X] Lacks coherence overall (doesn't "flow" enough)

So... my impressions... Didn't really care before, but at 1:07 it turned into an overcompressed mess. Really.

2:26, some kind of distortion. Not sure if it's clipping from actual overflow or if it's a sound design thing, but when it's this loud, it doesn't sound intentional. Doesn't help that it sounds like it's supposed to be a smooth instrument. I can get LP noise and radio filtering and all that jazz, but this doesn't sound right.

Up until this point, it's flowed all right for me... and keeps flowing. It works, imo. Some really groovy shit right here. :D There's some weird mixing choices, but I'm willing to tolerate them in a track as weird as this.

Really, my only problem with this is how loud it is and how the sound suffers as a result. Ease up on the compression, give it a little more room to breathe, and I'd pass this.

Well, there's also whatever that thing at the end is...

[Damashii!!]

update: https://www.box.com/s/1bc69db9a78c6e77c3f9
alright, i think i've got it this time, for realious.

@DrumJ8, naw dawg. no need to be modest, you were right on point about my timing. i want to keep the spastic groove but there are parts where it was too chaotic and offbeat, so i took away some of the sprinkles and added more unified rhythmic thingies.

@SuperiorX, similar to DrumJ8, listening back through it i think some parts were too busy (even for a listener like me who knows the source well), so hopefully this version gets the idea out there much better.

@Rozovian, gaaawd dangit mane, i love those MacGyver-punch-you-in-the-face-with-tubberwear types of compression, especially on snare drums. but i guess i'll have to do without this fetish for once.
i revamped a bunch of the samples and re-recorded the bass. also, i've got about 3 dozen more scenarios for the "ending" so let me know if this one is still yucky.

[DrumJ8]

Originally Posted by Rozovian

Well, there's also whatever that thing at the end is...

I think he was talking about the snare glitch which was still there even at the end of the 6.21 edit .. but it's nowhere to be found in the 7.17 edit so yer all good

[Rozovian]

Yeah, I'd sign off on this one. Still pretty compressed, dropping a dB or two from before one of your main compressors is the only suggestion I still have, but if this is the sound you're going for, sub it.

Really groovy shit here. :D