Leaderboard

Hey there! This is really good production of a track that is lacking enough content to pass the bar. I try to never read other judges' opinions before I start, so it's even more poignant that everyone above points out what I'm about to say below, which is that we have 4 bar phrases repeated throughout the piece that just lack content. Track feels underdeveloped, with a lot of repeats; the first 1:20 of the song is actually only two different 4 bar phrases that are repeated. Once we get into the meat there at 1:20, I'm enjoying the groove....but we immediately fall back into another 4 bar phrase that's just repeated 4 times until 2:00, at which point we get another 4 bar phrase repeated 4 times. My satisfaction with each change you make doesn't last, because I'm quickly put back into the rinse and repeat. Lead that came in at 2:44 was fun! That's what I've been waiting for the whole track! Yes! More of this! Give me content, tell me a story with your music, my man. Paint me a picture. What we've got here is just the canvas. But then shortly after that wonderful display of raw potential, we're out. And we're out by just sort of stopping a repeated 4 bar phrase at the end of it. Overall this feels like the skeleton of a song (that could be really good) and I really want to encourage you to keep going and develop this further. NO (resubmit)

Super Castlevania IV - The Submerged City Remix

Chimpsignaled! Alrighty then. I love the Lavender Town theme so much. This is a very unique and cool idea for a remix, I agree with proph on that. This mix is full of fun ideas and effects. Unfortunately I agree with proph about the issues with the arrangement. Each section is repetitive within itself, as each section is precisely 16 bars, with the occasional element being added at the 8-bar point. That makes this arrangement feel very formulaic and predictable, and it's a lost opportunity for development of the arrangement and adding interest. Elements are added or dropped right at the 8- or 16-bar point, making the whole thing feel very plodding and gridlocked. The bass in this arrangement is the "bassline" in the source, but it repeats throughout the entire arrangement, the same way and in the same bland synth patch. The drums in each of the three drum sections are just the same loop over and over. Also, I agree with proph that it's a shame that the melody of the original is never used. There is an arp playing in the drumless sections that alludes to the source arp but without the creepy charm. But the entire arrangement up until 2:33 has no lead melody at all. I think adding that lead motif in, using varied instruments and doing variations on it throughout, would bring this arrangement some much needed life. At 2:33 there is a synth solo which is great. That is the only time in the arrangement when there's an actual lead melody playing. But the writing is only 4 bars long, and these 4 bars of melody/solo writing repeat 4 times for a total of 16 very repetitive bars. Overall, this is a very cool direction to take this track, but as it stands currently the arrangement is much too formulaic and repetitive. It needs more variation within the 16 bar sections, and not everything needs to start right at either 8 or 16 bars. I agree that our workshop Discord channel will be helpful in getting this arrangement where it needs to be. NO (resubmit)

opens with a kick-heavy beat and pads. there's a lot going on in the bottom 100hz and it doesn't have a ton of punch like i'd expect, and is somewhat dull. a synth bass comes in (in the same octave as the pad), and this progresses towards a break at 0:39 that adds some arps. there's some nice automation on the autopanned arp that works towards the front, although the panning is so wide it's a little confusing on headphones. this section drags a touch as it goes on as not a lot is going on during it, and there's not a lot to bring it back to the original outside that descending bassline (which isn't super unique). the remixer puts the screws in at 1:16 and we get a lot more going on and a big beat right there. again there's not a lot used from the original outside that initial descending lick (no arp, none of the actual melody line). there's another break with some guitar at 1:55 - that was pretty fast getting back to the build - and again this section feels like it drags a bit as it kind of just is a repeated pattern over and over, and there's no crescendo or anything to build energy, just adding new instruments after a few bars. i'd love to hear some more automation like what you had the first time around, adding in additional elements and building energy towards your big payoff chorus at 2:33. 2:33 hits and we get the solo that was called out in the writeup. there's some fun licks in here but overall i'd want to hear more movement and leaning into the chords themselves some more. there's some repetition in here too which is a bummer - this is your time to shine creatively! there's not really an ending, it just hits a note and it's done. there's a loud blap at the end that i think is the result of your volume automation not going to the end of the track. this is a neat idea! i like the synth-rock vibe - so many people just make lavender town creepy (or totally blasted-out EDM), so the darkwave/synth rock feel is a neat one that definitely has legs. and i like a lot of your choices for instrumentation. i feel like right now this is a great framework, and what's needed next is some more glam. i'd love to hear more from the actual lavender town original (there's only really one synth line used throughout the track - i think there's room to use more!), and i'd love to hear a lot more ear candy in each section - especially the transitions. lastly i think that the track sounds a bit dull throughout, and finding a way to keep the kick meaty without having it walk all over some of your other synth elements would really help the mix pop. i'm sure @Chimpazilla can give some suggestions about the mix. this isn't there yet! but it's a great start. the workshop discord can definitely help this get moving. NO