Liontamer

First thing's first, the source tune information given was incomplete and/or inaccurate. Not sure where "Exercise Mode" came from as the listed source tune, unless that was a copy-pasta mistake from a past Mean Bean Machine sub. (EDIT: Yep, that was it.) Arrangement-wise, Sonic 2's "Mystic Cave Zone" was also used from :44-1:26, but was never named in the sub letter; not sure if it was used in Sonic Heroes, but noting that additional source here. I could just be mixing up things, but it seems like another different source tune's also being invoked at 1:36-2:36 over the top of the same backing writing as the first "Hang Castle" section before closing it out with "Hang Castle" again. Kind of sounded like Secret of Mana's "Into the Thick of It". (EDIT: "Mystic Mansion" - Thanks, Rexy!) The energy is good, but the string lead should have cut through to the foreground more. The bassline is well performed. The mixing choices make the brass presense sound so barren; same with the piano sprinkled in at 1:16. Why is the brass so upfront and dry (worst offender was 2:14-onward for the final section)? I've never heard something so energetic somehow have some parts sound so dry and exposed as such. The fadeout also seems messed up in that the track fades but the instrumentation ALSO abruptly stops cold in the middle of the volume dropping, but it didn't go to 0. That's all pretty sloppy; if you're going to fade out, the instruments still need to be playing, and the track needs to fully go to 0. I'm going to sound like I'm making the perfect the enemy of the good, and there's a lot of good here; the arrangement & performances are fun, Philemon, and I'm digging the potential here; the structure doesn't need any changes. The energy of the arrangement's solid, so I see the case for YES votes. I think the production should be tightened up so that this sounds cohesive, namely with the treatment of the brass and piano, and perhaps the string placement. It could be that me listening on headphones is making certain issues stand out more, but I'd love to hear one more mixing pass at this one. NO (resubmit)

Lovely source tune choice; enjoyed that immediately. Opens with a warm synth; not the most sophisticated, but a solid sound. Changes to a pumping electronic dance line at :31, going for a gradual buildup; cool sound design there for that line during this buildup. Definitely odd for the kick at 1:03 to come in so loud, but we'll see where the texture goes as the timing doubles and re-doubles starting at 1:17. Ooh, yep, what I was worried about happened after the track got going at 1:32; the kick stays WAY too loud, including louder than the leads. I was hoping this would get pulled back; right now, it's too much in the foreground compared to the melody and countermelody. The timing of everything isn't uniform; I could be wrong, but it seems like the beats don't properly drive this forward, because they're slightly behind the beat (most apparent when the beats are finally ever-present at 3:34). Even when the beats are a constant presense, they don't lend any movement to the track. You can hear some of the backing chords with the keyboard & orch stabs are dissonant (e.g. 1:46, 1:59). 2:49 was a barren section, and IMO doesn't work; some sort of padding there would allow the texture to thin out yet not sound empty. The keyboards at 3:04 are a staple sound in EDM, but I thought the tone was thin and mechanical-sounding. This is a creative and interpretive presentation. I dig the arrangement approach, which is giving me Mega Man X series vibes (or even the Mighty No. 9 main theme), and the attempt to vary up the sections was apparent. Unfortunately, the presentation isn't cohesive enough; the timing, texture, and dissonance issues all hold this back. MindWanderer's right about the textures feeling basic and barren, and the lack of sophisticated percussion/beat writing makes everything feel very static/plodding. It's not close to passing at your current experience level, Othello, but this definitely shows off your potential if you keep producing arrangements and refining your skills. Please keep at it! NO

The track was 3:07-long, so I needed to identify the source tune referenced for at least 93.5 seconds of the track for the source material to be dominant in the arrangement: :36-1:13, 1:48.75-2:04, 2:08.75-2:46 = 89.5 seconds or 47.86% overt source usage Based on Je's own notes on what he said was original writing vs. arrangement, I don't believe I'm missing anything here. I agreed with some of the production critiques, but it was nothing that would hold this back from being approved on that level. I didn't mind the ending; it was still a proper resolution. If someone else can identify more source usage that I somehow overlooked, I'd change my vote, but to me, this is a solid track, just a little source-light based on what I can make out, so that's an arrangement dealbreaker in all cases. If I'm correct, it shouldn't be difficult to slide in some more references to the source tune to bump this up to using the source tune for more than 50% of the track. NO (resubmit) EDIT (6/8): Re: MW's comments ("his count also skipped a 4-second break in the middle. Heck, there's even 3 seconds of silence at the end that could be trimmed out and doesn't need to count against it."), there was no silence in the middle to take into account, as I didn't count the pulsing line from 1:26-1:30 as somehow not being music, and I always take track silence at the beginning & end into account, though I can be forgetful, so I appreciate the nudge to be sure. I did listen again before reaching out to Je again and should have credited another 2 seconds for a trailing note that actually ends at 2:46, so I did account for that in the timestamping now

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The instrumentation, the SFX, the energy, the constantly evolving soundscape, it's a tremendous journey. You made my night with this. You definitely have a lot to be proud of with it. I'm just one of the judges, but I loved it. Honored that you submitted this. Very nice work, Hunter! YES

Good evening, I am submitting a remix for approval: Remixer Name: PrismaticBlack Real Name: Hunter Johnson Email Address: Website: none, www.soundcloud.com/prismaticblack , https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUBOajjeZ7M5MAEpNFQybdg User ID: 38390 Name of Game: Goemon’s Great Adventure (Nintendo 64) Name of Arrangement: “The Heart Beats with the Rhythm of the Rain” Name of Song Arranged: Mokeke Forest Site Address to Game: https://ocremix.org/game/548/goemons-great-adventure-n64 Comments: I didn’t own this game for years. I would always rent it from Blockbuster time after time, until I eventually beat it. There was something alluring about this game during my childhood years. It was humorous. It had epic robot battles. It had a colorful cast of playable characters and a wicked soundtrack. It all stuck with me. I absolutely cherish this game for it’s influence on me musically. From my years perusing the internet, I have found a commonality amongst those who appreciate this game: The Mokeke Forest music has the ability to put a millennial at ease. I can’t recall how many times I’ve seen a comment on the reuploads of the OST that say “This song relaxes me when I feel overwhelmed”, or “This is nostalgia in it’s purest form”. The truth is that there is something magical about this song. The N64 Goemon games blend Japanese fold music with funk, jazz and rock and simply cannot go unrecognized. The nostalgic elements of the gameplay certainly add to it’s appeal. In this particular level, you can take the clear and apparent path to reach the Entry Pass, or you can wade through the waters and wait at a bus stop hidden deep within the forest and be transported to the mystical Tengu Village. It was one of the first experiences I had with a game involving a lore-enhancing “secret”, and for that reason it really sticks with me. I wanted to preserve the traditional Eastern vibe of this song, while creating a new listening experience. I let the melody lead me into new directions and eventually I ended up with what I can only call a “journey”. I mean this sincerely. The track starts of sedated and calm, but builds into a grandiose modernized interpretation of the source material. It just happened organically, and I can’t effectively explain it. I think that’s why I am so proud of it. I just let little old me from 1999 lead the way. I imagined myself deep in the forest, and searching for a way out. Did I take to clear path or the road less traveled? The answer is “yes”, as cliché as that sounds. Please enjoy our adventure through Mokeke Forest. --- Download can be obtained here: Youtube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICKZTmv7rCk

Intro still sounds strong, with the bass having nice presence. The warbly lead brought in from 1:26-1:45 still comes off piercing and overly loud to me. Then the guitar from 1:45-2:09 came in even louder and over the top, and seemed to steamroll the backing guitars and drums. Then more of the warbling lead from 2:09-2:28. Although the panning issues have been fixed, I still feel the mixing of the leads for a third of the track isn't ideal. However, the arrangement remains strong, and my issues with the mixing would be nice-to-have fixes rather than dealbreaker stuff, even though I'll definitely share my feedback with Kevin if this passes. I'm there, but I wish it wasn't a borderline YES due to EQing issues that could still be improved on rather than the full boat. EDIT (1/23/23): I sent over the votes, and Kevin was kind enough to knock out another pass at this. Odd note at 1:16 was mitigated, and the mixing was better than ever, with the piercing areas meaningfully dialed back. Able to revise my vote into the full YES!

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Original Decision Hello! I would like to resubmit "Treasure Beyond Dreams". Your panel's advice and criticisms were very useful, so I implemented as many of your suggestions to the best of my current capabilities. I had made a bad mistake and didn't mix with headphones, but the panning issues were very clear when I put them on. I agree that the 2nd lead that comes in around 1:25 was quite harsh sounding in some parts, so I toned it down with eq, but there was actually also a lead guitar part that was layered with it in the "chorus" that I completely re-recorded and brought forward. I must admit I originally used that synth to kind of hide my guitar playing, but this time around I decided to practice it a bunch and go for a better take with a different tone. I re-recorded the other electric guitar parts as well with a softer tone so hopefully that is also an improvement. The file: Thanks again for your time! Kevin

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The structure's essentially untouched from the previous version, so it's mostly the mixing that's been tweaked to not have huge volume jumps. Extremely awkward transition at 1:25 where everything before it cut off instantaneously, which didn't make sense. The mixing also didn't sound right, as the drums have almost no presense. The guitar soloing/noodling still lacked body, but was mixed in a way to mitigate the realism issues. Shaky choir vox from 2:21-3:09 (2:25-2:26 being the most exposed) that didn't sound right either; sometimes the sustains stuck out or the timing seemed slightly out of step. I will say the articulations don't sound as jerky this time around, so there's that going for it, though the strings from 2:21 until the end are still exposed. 3:00-3:26 stuck out the most, particularly the longer sustains from 3:16-3:26. Agreed with prophetik that, despite the various realism and mixing issues, the instrumentation was nice and engaging to listen to; the sequenced guitar's and the drums work the least, but the textures are fine now and there's less volatility with the volume. I still feel that the number of smaller issues is adding up to what's now a NO (borderline) call for me. Arrangement's come in all shapes and sizes, so the layout of this remains fine. The instrumentation also remains pleasant and engaging. Smoothing out the vox & bowed strings sequencing further would make the execution of this not seem jerky in too many places. It's definitely worthy of support, Harlem, and I'm definitely in favor of not making the perfect the enemy of the good. That said, I'm not quite there, but gradually coming around to it.

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The 4:03-4:10 section was the only area where I felt things got too cramped, but it was brief. I actually thought the use of the failure jingle for the end at 4:28 was too abrupt; synth was generic-sounding despite the processing, and just didn't feel thematically connected to the rest of the track, if that makes sense. At the end of the day, that's more nitpick stuff. Once the update was made to the leads to not be so liberal as to be unrecognizeable, I was on board, and the production cleanup was a nice bonus. Great revision; now you're playing with power! Thanks so much for your openness to revisiting this, Tab, and I'm so glad to have you officially in the rotation here. Looking forward to your next submission too! YES

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OC ReMix presents Mode Seven: A Jazz Tribute to the SNES! November 7, 2022 Contact: press@ocremix.org FAIRFAX, VA... OverClocked ReMix today released its 77th arrangement album, Mode Seven: A Jazz Tribute to the SNES. The album honors several soundtracks from the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, the 16-bit platform originally released by Nintendo in 1990. Featuring 10 spirited arrangements performed by The OC Jazz Collective, Mode Seven is directed by OC ReMixer, multi-instrumentalist, and arranger Dylan "Wiesty" Wiest, and is available for free download at https://mode7.ocremix.org. Mode Seven includes an experienced roster of jazz musicians paying homage to the '90s most influential gaming system, arranging several themes from 10 SNES titles for big band and improvisational jazz, and follows up on the OC Jazz Collective's first album, Chronology: A Jazz Tribute to Chrono Trigger. Mode Seven was made by fans, for fans, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Nintendo or any game companies; all original compositions are copyright their respective owners. "After the OC Jazz Collective's in-depth exploration of Chrono Trigger in 2016, I knew that the console which provided us with one of the most memorable gaming experiences of all time deserved its own treatment by the collective", shared director Dylan Wiest. Explaining the legacy of SNES while touching on Mode Seven's scope, Wiest elaborted, "After all, many series of equal stature to Chrono Trigger, such as The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, Mario, and Metroid, all released some of their most popular titles on this console which would go on to define their respective genres." Mode Seven's selection of Super Nintendo titles includes: Dragon Ball Z Super Butouden 2 Final Fantasy VI F-Zero Killer Instinct The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Live A Live Mario Paint Mega Man X Super Mario World; and Super Metroid. Beyond the album's extensive gaming influences, the OC Jazz Collective's arrangers were also stylistically inspired by musicians including Robert Glasper, Neal Hefti, The Jazz Crusaders, Hank Levy, Oliver Nelson, and Nate Smith. "The 'dream team' assembled for Chronology has grown in size, and new arrangers, musicians, and a representation of SNES titles both beloved and overlooked have all come together to create a fitting follow up to our first release", Wiest proclaimed. The album's cover artwork was also designed by Wiest, and includes lighthearted character designs by Sean "RurouniZel" Lozier that combine the OC Jazz Collective's members with 16-bit protagonists from the Super Nintendo era. "I think that the OCJC has upped their game to a whole new level for Mode Seven", Wiest affirmed. "With the level of musicality and meticulous attention to detail this ensemble brings, I hope that Mode Seven: A Jazz Tribute to the SNES will be as memorable as the console which inspired it." ### Preview it: https://youtu.be/pjzpj7be7gA Download it: https://mode7.ocremix.org Torrent: https://bt.ocremix.org/torrents/Mode_Seven_-_A_Jazz_Tribute_to_the_SNES.torrent Comments/Reviews: https://ocremix.org/community/topic/51803

Preview Mode Seven: A Jazz Tribute to the SNES: https://youtu.be/pjzpj7be7gA Download Mode Seven: A Jazz Tribute to the SNES: https://mode7.ocremix.org Torrent: https://bt.ocremix.org/torrents/Mode_Seven_-_A_Jazz_Tribute_to_the_SNES.torrent For many gamers, the SNES marked a golden age of video games and the soundtracks that accompanied them. For the first time, technology was available that was capable of producing games with vivid art, complex and captivating storylines, and music that could truly establish the atmosphere required to complete a fully engaging experience for gamers. Game developers were finally able to produce epic masterpieces on Game Paks that truly represented their artistic vision, as opposed to relying on the imagination of gamers to fill in the gaps left by the technology of previous generation consoles. Though the SNES served as a launching pad for the level of immersiveness video games would go on to provide over the next 30 years, it was also the pinnacle of the 16-bit era, providing gamers with one last glimpse of how far technology had come before game developers would go back to the drawing board to start from scratch in the 3D era of graphics. The SNES's relatively minimal, sprite-heavy graphics showed how vivid and imaginative artists could be with fairly primitive technology, and it has always amazed me how well SNES-era graphics have aged when compared with their 3D successors. Likewise, the SNES's SPC700 audio engine, which could only handle 8 distinct voices at any given time and up to 64kb of audio data, required composers to be extremely thoughtful in the choices they made. The phrase "limitation breeds creativity", is profoundly apt when it comes to the artists who brought us the masterpieces of the 16-bit era, which have gone on to inspire a sort of renaissance in recent years with the explosive popularity of 16-bit style games such as Shovel Knight or Octopath Traveler, as well as the world of chiptunes and music trackers. After the OC Jazz Collective's in-depth exploration of Chrono Trigger in 2016, I knew that the console which provided us with one of the most memorable gaming experiences of all time deserved its own treatment by the collective. After all, many series of equal stature to Chrono Trigger such as The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, Mario, and Metroid, all released some of their most popular titles on this console which would go on to define their respective genres. While the initial groundwork for Mode Seven: A Jazz Tribute to the SNES began way back in late 2016, multiple circumstances including relocating across the country, personnel changes, the loss of my father (who bought me my SNES in 1996!), and a global pandemic delayed the release until 2022. While Chronology will always hold a special place in my heart, I think that the OCJC has upped their game to a whole new level for Mode Seven. The "dream team" assembled for Chronology has grown in size, and new arrangers, musicians, and a representation of SNES titles both beloved and overlooked have all come together to create a fitting follow up to our first release in 2016. Capturing a style of music such as jazz that requires such close interaction between musicians is no easy task when the musicians are seperated by multiple continents, recording their parts one at a time. However, with the level of musicality and meticulous attention to detail this ensemble brings, I hope that Mode Seven: A Jazz Tribute to the SNES will be as memorable as the console which inspired it. - Dylan Wiest (Wiesty)