ReMix:Ultima Online "Create Deconstruct" 3:00

By Suzumebachi

Arranging the music of one song...

"Creation"

Primary Game: Ultima Online (Electronic Arts , 1997, WIN), music by Hal Milton, Joe Basquez, Kirk Winterrowd

Posted 2002-12-03, evaluated by the judges panel


I enjoyed reading the Judges' comments on this Ultima Online ReMix from newcomer Suzumebachi. Honestly, I'm not sure if there are 100% consistent answers to some of the questions it raised to them regarding simplicity and the usage of preset elements. So much is subjective, and it's almost always safer and wiser to apply only a very few, concrete rules on a wholistic basis and handle other criteria case-by-case. In this case, Suz's usage of very stock drum loops was noticed. The percussion, somewhat ironically however, is not the strength of the arrangement anyway. A strong acoustic guitar and staccato ensemble strings work well with a heavy, distorted analog synth lead and lower synth bass. There's some interesting sonic textures brought in towards the end, mixing is solid though it could perhaps have used more space, and overall the ReMix is spartan but competent and has a determined feel about it. Again, a good first ReMix with room to grow, and an enjoyable reconstruction of the original theme.

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 13 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
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WesternZypher
on 2011-03-15 11:33:43

I've always like MIDI tunes, though I understand they're not up to par when it comes to the site's quality standards. I heard this for the first time today on rainwave, and here I thought I'd heard everything from the site's early days! I like it.

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Monobrow
on 2010-12-05 00:11:32

Hi Ty,

Here is my review # 2:

I am very familiar with this source. This is your first posted remix? It's pretty hip.

I used to play UO actually, and got really used to the old midi version of this song... I actually have a fondness for this.

The song starts out nice, the guitar, while old, is very clear. The strings are pretty clear too. You have it pretty basic here, but it works. When the drums come in, there's a clear and definitive groove. It's a bit basic, but hey this was your first posted remix.

When that synth comes in, it's a bit grating, and that grooooooooooowl bass synth is kinda funny, but it also adds a tension and atmopshere to the song, and when you bring those strings back in the song, with the guitar doing those eighth notes of the melody, it adds a somberness that the original conveyed. Good solid job.

The quarter note stabs by the strings build nicely later on, but I think they are also pretty repetitive and get on your nerves after a while... Some variation here would have been nice... A typical build to a climax, but in the end, even with that cool loop in there, it ends on an anticlimatic note. This is kinda basically a problem I have today, not knowing how to end a song without losing my vibe and also kind of trying too hard for the epic sound... But again, really good first posted song.

AAAAAAAND you get BIG kudos for remixing an Ultima song... Which is a subdued and under-appreciated OST.

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Bahamut
on 2009-10-02 04:08:04

Man, this is a mix by Ty? The samples sound like they could use some upgrading, but I know this is from quite a while back.

So one thing I liked was that the arrangement didn't get too predictable...but I would've liked to see some parts developed more - it seemed to have a mini case of medleyitis. There's some nice potential here!

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DragonAvenger
on 2008-10-30 21:10:34

I really liked the intro of the piece a lot. I do think that it unfortunately didn't get much more interesting from there. However, it didn't get that much less interesting, so it's not necessarily a bad thing. There wasn't much of a build-up, which created a feel of absence by the end of the piece. For a first submission, and for being decently old, the mix holds up well, drum loops and all.

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OA
on 2007-02-12 14:39:35

The strings are nice, but the midi guitar is not. :/

I found this to be a little boring, honestly. There wasn't really anything that caught my ear, except for the synth that came in about a quarter of the way through, and it caught my ear because as cool as it sounded, it didn't fit with the rest of the mix.

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Dionyseus
on 2005-10-26 02:14:23
I've got the strangest feeling of dejavu listening to this.

like Rob D - Clubbed to Death (Kurayamino Mix) esque like :D

Yes, definitely one of the segments in this song sounds similar to one of the segments in Rob D's CtD. I think it's the segment that starts at the 1:28 minute mark of this remix, the background chorus sounds like the one in CtD that starts at the 1:58 minute mark, although the chorus in this remix is a bit faster paced.

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neminem
on 2004-06-05 19:32:07

Wow, this is actually quite good. I don't care if it used standard drumloops, this song isn't about the drums. It just has a nice vibe to it - not quite as good as Rob Dougan, but has a similar style that I like.

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rshinra
on 2002-12-16 14:23:06

Ultima is My favorite RPG series, though I have yet to try Ultima Online.

However, as some may know, this song actually was in Ultima 6. It was great to get sucha blast from the past, taking me back about 10 years to when I first played U6 and was completely mesmerised by the music.

Yay to Suzumebachi for an Excellent remix

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Ramaniscence
on 2002-12-05 00:59:54

Yay for Suzu!

Looks like SOMETHIGN good came out of that week and a half we all spent remixing this song. If you people think this is good, you should hear Ghetto Lee Lewis's, and Dragonlord's, and Carkby's preview. All solid gold my friends. Mine, on the other hand, was mediocre.

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Nordamerikanischegestreif
on 2002-12-04 16:12:05

Good lord, listening to this mix almost puts me in limbo. I can vividly remember playing the game about two years ago, and this just about knocks me back into that time, not just in the fact that it is from the game but also because of just how, I don't know how to put it, interesting maybe?

Must... resist urge.. to... reminisce.....

Anyways, definetly a solid mix. The one nitpick I have with it is that the guitar is likely taken directly from the song (It sounds exactly as it did in the original song), but I've gotta wonder if thats a bad thing. After all, that IS a great guitar.

Oh, and the drums are really minimalist. Personally, I either prefer minimalist drums or absolutely great drums, so I'm not complaining. (I don't care much for in-the-middle drum tracks)

I do particularly like how he managed to make the techno portions quite in-your-face and intense. It really adds another element to this otherwise peaceful song.

All in all, I'd have to give it a 9.5/10. Music was one of two things that Origin got dead-on right in Uo, and this really brings that out. (The other being the way they handled skills)

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grisser
on 2002-12-04 04:28:55

I've got the strangest feeling of dejavu listening to this.

like Rob D - Clubbed to Death (Kurayamino Mix) esque like :D

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TheWired
on 2002-12-04 04:14:30

It surprises me on how simplistic yet fulfilling the drumwork on this song is.

Proudly a top download, everything is so harmonic it makes me quiver inside, i love it.

This gets a nice 9 out of 10 in my list.

Highly recommended ;)

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DarkCecil13
on 2002-12-04 00:29:59

Ultima Online 'Create Deconstruct'

Well, it's about time we hear something from the Ultima series (and Suzumebachi for that matter). This mix is really quite relaxing on the outside, but once you get into it, it's pretty intense. Great string usage, as with guitar usage is shown here. Definitely something to listen to if you're into orchestral or anything different than the usual for that matter. This ReMix really isn't quite orchestral, but it's definitely worth the listen regardless.

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
Ultima Online (Electronic Arts , 1997, WIN)
Music by Hal Milton,Joe Basquez,Kirk Winterrowd
Songs:
"Creation"

Tags (6)


Genre:
Mood:
Dark,Solemn
Instrumentation:
Acoustic Guitar,Strings,Synth
Additional:
Time > 4/4 Time Signature

File Information


Name:
Ultima_Online_Create_Deconstruct_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
3,688,974 bytes
MD5:
065d9adc4931d8fd2544ec2ce2f83803
Bitrate:
160Kbps
Duration:
3:00

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