Jillian Aversa

Haha, I see what you did thar... Cute! I've always been fond of the Goron music, and this is a very creative interpretation. I think the arrangement is basically flawless; my only suggestion would be to bring in the main melody sooner, or at least hint at it. I was surprised that it took until 1:03 to get there, because you can't really definitively tell what the source is until that point. As for production, this could still use a little polish. The sax sample (I think that's what it is?) is particularly cringe-worthy, and overall many of the instruments could use more humanization. It sounds like each one is playing at the same velocity on every note, and at the exact same length - a common mistake. Balance wise, it sounds okay to me, but I would also like to hear a clearer bass sound. It's great that you two buddies teamed up on this. You clearly work well together! Definitely hope to hear an update on this! NO (please resubmit!)

Also coming into this fresh. The intro dragged for me somewhat, partially because I wasn't digging the lo-fi, fakey sounds... but then everything got all badass. Looking back, the cheesy samples don't bother me as much because I have the greater context now, but I still would have done it differently. I also noticed a sudden jump in volume for the lead guitar at 1:02. Just a minor gripe. Arrangement is great! I was sort of suprised and amused when the prominent strings came in at 2:28; the progression is very baroque, so that was a cool touch. I'm not sure why the lead guitar is panned to the right at 3:00, since there's nothing in the left until 3:20. (I would have just centered it until the second guitar came in.) The ending with just the synths and drumkit also sounds a bit overcompressed to me. So the production is a little rough around the edges, but not enough for me to want to put you through another resub. I'll take it as is! YES

The hi-hats and fills are a little too bright for my taste; they make my ears hoiyt! ;_; And I think this mix could use a little more low end overall. Cool use of the voice samples, though. The arrangement really feels like an actual expansion of the source (which is breathtaking!), because you kept with the original key and vibe. I definitely like it. But I agree that it could be tightened up; it does start to drag after a while. And aside from the brightness of the percussion, it would definitely benefit from more variation, too. I think that would help maintain interest all around. This is close as is. I think with a little more work, it'll be a solid pass! NO (please resubmit)

Ouch, the brass sample earlier on (french horn?) is a little painful. Luckily, it's only briefly used. As everyone else has pointed out, the drums feel out of place, and the orchestra doesn't sound full enough - probably due in part to the type of reverb you're using. I also feel like the middle section, while interesting, doesn't quite gel with the rest of the arrangement. There's got to be a way to integrate that a little more. Right now, it feels kind of like a separate movement in the middle of the piece, like you've condensed all the movements into a couple minutes. You're off to a great start here, though! I'd definitely like to hear an update on this. NO (Resubmit)

I like the idea of dropping the piano down an octave, too. The playing sounds a little mechanical, yeah, but I bet we wouldn't notice that so much if it weren't SO bright. It just sticks out like a sore thumb. Otherwise, production sounds great. The arrangement is on the shorter side, but it's solid. I like that you've lifted the mood of the source tune with your interpretation - and your explanation is hilarious. I agree... that song would have driven me crazy if I were already frustrated working on the puzzle. (And it looks like a lot of YouTubers agree!) YES

This soundscape is really quite interesting. The distorted drums took a little getting used to... very crunchy, but they've grown on me. Mixing up the harp and glock samples with both forward and reverse motion lends a very ethereal, haunting quality to the track. Throw in some strings and male choir, and it sounds like something Yoko Kanno could have written. I love it! I think the questions raised on production here have been a little too picky. There's really nothing majorly wrong with your mixing; the drums are the only thing that made me think twice, but I can tell that it was a stylistic choice. Like Vinnie said, the changes you've made are more significant than it may seem at first. I can see why the repetitive nature of the arrangement would be of concern - and I definitely respect that point of view - but for me, it works. I find myself in a sort of trance... Some songs are more ambient than others, and it can be tricky to weigh that according to our standards here, but in cases like these I usually lean towards a YES because it's fitting of the genre. I think you've really done the source tune some justice here. YES

Piano is somewhat improved, and the balance sounds a lot better. Good enough for me! YES

^ That's more than enough source for me - not that I ever doubted it... YES

Aw, glad you like the track!

I'm with Shariq and Vinnie on this one. The source track is very ambient to begin with; there's not really that much going on in terms of a main melody, so I don't feel like the arrangement is missing that per se. What you've come up with stays true to the original mood - and although that is not a requirement by any means, it does help maintain a connection in this case with a fairly liberal arrangement. Honestly, I love this mix. It never feels forced, and it's ever evolving. The live sax was a great touch. I just wish you had come back to the source after your totally original section, and turned that into a real ending. The fadeout was a little disappointing because you could have pretty easily concluded the song by slowly peeling away the layers until you're left with just the bells or something. Ah well. Solid work, nevertheless! YES

You picked a fantastic source tune! I was a little worried at the very beginning of this mix because it was already in the same key and tempo, but thankfully the level of variation and personalization was enough to assuage my fears. I'm really digging the arrangement, and despite your using all sampled instruments they sound quite organic. When the bass came in the first time, I felt warm and fuzzy inside; it really fills in the frequency range, and sounds pretty badass to boot. The percussion (fourth ass-pat incoming...) is extremely well done. You have quite an ear - possibly even two?! - for detail. Why, oh why, did you choose to do a fadeout though? ;_; I don't think it would have been hard to come up with a short, snappy little ending. Build up the dynamics over a few measures, and go out with a "pa-POW!" You know? Oh well, I wouldn't turn this away for that reason because it's really my only qualm. Great work. Hope to hear more from you, Manu! YES

Wow, great work guys! The original lyrics and chorus harmonies are excellent. It sounds like the key is pushing Marcus' voice a bit out of his comfort zone, but he still pulls it off very well. You're all very talented at your respective instruments, and the production sounds slick. I think a certain smiley is in order... NICE WORK

Oh no! This arrangement is brilliant (albeit a bit on the liberal side), but the recording quality isn't up to snuff. Do you have any other sort of music software that you could import your MIDI into and substitute a better piano sample? If not, you should definitely team up with someone who can take on the production end of things. I personally would love to see this mix on the site! I like the little Sun's Song quote at 2:02, by the way. That was a clever usage. ^_~ The piano gets a little too loud for a few measures after that point (particularly around 2:11), though, to the point where it sounds like it might be clipping. Anyway, definitely work on this! If you think you need some help, don't be afraid to ask. NO Resubmit!

I agree completely with Bardic. Pseudonyms are okay to use in certain situations, but on a resume you at least need to include your real name as well. As far as "The Otaku" goes, it could be worse... But yeah, it's pretty iffy. I'd change it if I were you.

Mmmm, love it! I love all your work, Michael!

Da na na na na na, na na. You say it's your birthday! Da na na na na na, na na... Have a good one, Andrew!

Woo! See you soon!

It's cool that you went with all presets for the challenge, but now that that's over, I don't think it'd kill you do put some more original sounds in there. Up to you. I assume that the dissonances in the synth pattern at 0:25-0:32, 1:00-1:08, 1:32-1:40, 1:50-1:58, and again at 2:08-2:16 were intentional? I dunno if they quite work... :/ Just sounds off to me, especially when the pattern is repeated so many times. Production is fine overall, but the arrangement needs some serious love. So far, the structure never really changes; we just hear slight variations on the same idea over and over again. Gotta let your mind wander and think of where to take it! I'd also think about layering in some more instruments, even if just subtle pads and touches, because the soundscape is a little sparse. But hey, it's all a learning experience, and this could be the beginning of a fun journey for you. Just try to use the WIP forums for now, because you'll get feedback much quicker that way! NO

Okay, I'd like to add some fresh perspective here, so I chose not to listen to your first iteration of this mix: I feel like the intro drags a bit, and then the meaty stuff doesn't last long enough. The arrangement is totally sweet (!) otherwise, I just wish it were better proportioned. But where is that dynamic contrast? I can tell exactly where the swoops and swells are supposed to be, and not even comparing to your first sub, I still think they don't get loud enough. Bass should be more prominent, the bass drums more booming, and everything just crescendoing to epic proportions. More, more, more! Pleeeeaaaase! I really do wanna hear it. NO (Resubmit!)

Ditto OA. The mechanical piano is the only instrument that really bothers me. I don't think the production is that bad here, otherwise. I disagree with Deia about the bass being too loud - sounds good to me. The backing guitars could be mixed lower, though. You did play it pretty safe with the arrangement, so I'm a bit on the fence, but I think it's passable. It's certainly enjoyable! Conditional YES since I think the main fixes are pretty easy. But if this doesn't pass right away, I wouldn't be sorry to see you expand the arrangement some more. Good luck either way!

Yes, the track seems to drag on longer than necessary. There are some parts where it feels like there's nothing new happening, and it starts to lose my attention. Your arrangement is pretty strong otherwise - just condense it so that every moment feels fresh and exciting. As for production, I think this is clearly below the bar. I know you could find some better samples, even free ones. The piano in particular sounds fake - and as OA stated, the whole song comes across as very mechanical because all the velocities are the same. Huminization: I'm echoing that 200%! Funk is all about feeling loose and cool , so you haven't quite achieved that effect yet. I'm also not sure I like the high-hat panned all the way to one side, and it's a bit too loud. Anyhow, this mix has great potential! Just keep at it. If you need help finding better samples, you can always post on the Workshop forums here for tips. Have fun! NO (resubmit)

Arrangement is spot on - I have no issues there. I guess I could live with fewer glitches as well... But nice job! The production needs some more substantial work, though. I'm surprised Vinnie was the only one to touch on the overcompression. What's weird is that despite that, this song actually sounds pretty quiet overall compared to other things I listen to. I had to turn up the volume 4 or 5 notches higher than my usual setting on the compy. (I'd prefer not to have to do that, and I think most people would generally agree.) The sax sample you have is pretty caustic - which works for the style, for the most part... but starting at 3:04 as the line rises higher, it gets a little too ear piercing in my opinion. I think you could tone that down a lot. The high frequencies in the mix from 3:20-3:42 are just too much as well. It might be a particular synth you're using, but hard to tell? I would go into more depth about the mixing, but like Palp said: once you change the compression settings, many of our detailed comments could be moot. I'd like to give this a conditional YES like Andy did, but I'm afraid that there is just too much to change mixing wise for you to do it in a timely manner. That combined with some of the other suggestions you've received, I think it would better warrant a resubmit. NO (but resubmit, or else!)

Just sent you a PM, but just so everyone (and Amy specifically) knows, we won't be able to make it. :[ Have fun, though!

Created the Facebook event to help spread the word; feel free to invite people. I'm sure there will be a forum announcement soon... hopefully?

If aliens from a planet with a much faster rotation came to visit earth, this could be what they hear. Think Star Trek: Voyager episode "Blink of an Eye." ^_~