anosou

Many many thanks! It's truly an amazing honor to have my soundtrack both graced by Dave's musical genius (no really, his track is better than mine) and published by OCR.

I'd be honored!

Let me just say that it's an honor to have composed the first soundtrack OCR releases this way and an equally big honor to have djpretzel do a track for our game! I hope you enjoy the soundtrack, I look at it as a gift to the VGM community for everything you've given me. Lots of love!

That's a dumb argument. FLAC is lossless and very easily burnable/convertable. It's just smaller in filesize. Also on an idealistic note it's open source, cross-platform and the more sites supporting it - the better the format will get as a whole. The sound quality between a wav and FLAC is not noticeable, they're both lossless. Both are the same audio quality. FLAC is just smaller. Quick note: MP3 is LOSSY and FLAC is LOSSLESS. Don't confuse the terms.

So, uh, remember it started as a joke. Don't treat it like it's gonna happen.

• Who is responsible for the overall sound of the Mass Effect-series? • How is it working on music for a sequel to a game the team has already scored? Is it easier because you've established a certain "sound" or pose more of a challenge because you need to re-invent the wheel so to speak? Does changes in members of the team help or make it harder? • For the character themes, could you explain a bit how you went about associating certain motifs with certain characters? Did the team have access to the character "profiles" for this? • Where did the team draw inspiration for the music? • Are any themes from Mass Effect re-used or are motifs from Mass Effect 2 used in several different pieces? How did you approach these "arrangements"? Did one composer arrange another composer's work? • The soundtrack for Mass Effect is less orchestral than western RPG scores in general, do you think there is a place for hybrid or entirely synthesizer-based soundtracks like this even outside a sci-fi setting? • Can you tell us a little bit of the process from idea to implementation in game? • Seriously now, did the team use ANY real analogue synths or are they all virtualizations? • Finally, when will we know if you guys are scoring Mass Effect 3? Are there any plans for a soundtrack box set, maybe with some of the music that didn't make the soundtracks already out? I know I'd buy that in a heartbeat.

Big Giant Jimmy, quite the man.

This has been said before and I mean no offense but the thought was to have prolific posted remixers representing OCR on this, right?

Yeah, I agree with Vinnie the production isn't the best. The guitar is really up in your face and while it's nice and warm, it's drowning out the other instruments a bit. Nothing major but could be better balanced. Overall though it's a potent arrangement that keeps close to the source while still having a personal approach to it. Very emotive track and you took that one step further. I think this is a great overall package and I'm glad to give it the pass. YES

Also, betting on Varren fights? No? OK.

I still don't see what actual issues the potential overlap will cause. At all.

Let's train them to shoot terrorists or well, anyone who's not a white male in the meantime. Also the relationships in ME2 are at times well done too, highlighting more than just sex. For example you can choose to sleep with Jack right away but then it'll just be shallow and she'll feel bad. If you actually talk to her, get to know her and develop a proper relationship.. well, then you get an ACHIEVEMENT Now here's the good stuff. Can't blame Fox for being too dense to understand any of this though. Other notable things are the constant racism against different aliens (and humans) during the game, genetic modification for both beauty and other purposes, tons and tons of drugs, threatening to kill people to get what you want and so on and so on and so on... Also uh, killing people in general. Though sex is obviously worse than that.

I really don't get where you're coming from. Like, at all. Marginalization of one group? We're just artists looking to cover VGM. I mean I wouldn't even see it as an issue if someone wanted to start a second OCR FFVII project, the more the merrier. Also, and I know I will come off as a douche here, the people doing BadAss has been trying to get it together for a long time and many of them are relatively unexperienced remixers. This project has 1. a different scope, 2. a different mission (BadDudes VS. OCR is a great idea), 3. more experienced remixers. But above and beyond I don't think this project in any way sabotages for BadAss. If we were to make this not an OCR project it's more like BadAss sabotages this project. Also re: the hasty posting they DID talk to both Dave and Larry. Correct me if I'm wrong but if Dave says it's OK it kinda feels it's OK. Live in harmony anyone? No?

There's hardly any "overlap", if it is it doesn't matter. The concept will be different, the approach taken and music resulting in it will probably be different. I think this is a rather dumb discussion. Get on with the show please (and, no offense, I think this project will end up sounding much better than BadAss so I wouldn't want this to be non-OCR or for some tracks to be pulled)

Who are these 'we' you keep referring too?

Can't add much here. You need to develop the arrangement, be interpretive with the source and make it your own. It has been said but I'll say it again, this sound more like a sound upgrade. The production is overall thin, the drums especially lack any low frequencies and sound VERY clicky. There's an overall lack of meat in the track, the synths all sound thin and a bit plodding. This needs needs to be expanded a lot, you show some promise though so I'm looking forward to any remixes in the future. NO

OA's basically nailed this down. The source is very difficult to work with and your approach doesn't leave the most varied arrangement. While the subtle variation in the main string instrument's melody is nice, the arrangement lacks direction and could afford to develop the source differently or in another direction. Right now it's just somehow dragging with little to no changes in the soundscape. Production was decent but you limit yourself to just a few instruments and these instruments could be a lot more upfront and work better together. The rumbling bass is a nice touch but it doesn't add much to the track except.. well, rumbling, and the issue is that the track is a bit too sparse. Sorry man, can't sign off to this. NO

Source breakdown: :00 - :34 - Arranged version of the main chordal structure :35 - :51 - Arranged version of the main melody :52 - 1:19 - Heavily arranged version of the main chords/melody 1:20 - 1:47 - Main melody 1:48 - 2:11 - Non-source 2:12 - 2:33 - Very liberal take on the melody, not counting 2:34 - 3:12 - Arrangement built on the first phrase of the main chords, quite liberal 3:13 - 3:25 - non-source 3:26 - end - Main melody That brings us to (roughly, I'm not nitpicky) 2:56 of source in a 3:56 mix, passes with flying colors. If you don't count the quite liberal section at 2:34-3:12 it's still A-OK. So, to the actual vote then. Arrangement was expressive and while it didn't re-invent the source tune it held true to what it set out to achieve. Very royal, knightly feel, quite bombastic. The original middle section makes the arrangement very dynamic, nice work there. Production was overall good but the brass playing the main melody was a bit too far back in the soundscape in my opinion, it also sounded slightly fake so I guess it was a good thing it was held back. Overall, solid work. YES

Silly amounts of slick, I want Posu's man-babies. Took a few listens and I ultimately think the source is upfront and featured enough. Stopwatch checks out and even though that middle section could use some more overt source usage, the good production, groovy take on the theme and execution weighs it up. Very many nice works. YES

Production definitely needs some polish. The balance of the sounds are off and they're all fighting over the same frequencies. The sounds chosen might've sounded better if they weren't so loud and reverbed but overall they feel a bit flimsy and generic. Arrangement sticks rather close to the source but beyond that it's really rough around the edges. The ending is very abrupt, some stuff sounds off-key and/or detuned and the arrangement lacks a proper shape. Sorry man, can't sign off to this. NO

I can basically copy OA's vote but I'll just summarize my thoughts. Samples are used very mechanically, attack is especially awkward. Sequencing is just stiff. Arrangement is too conservative with almost no real personalization except the chords. Sorry man, this is a no go. NO

That's because even school kids with bad grammar can handle proper capitalization.

Obama's always fun, especially when he's talking about pie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVtE6_cjsLo

Way to rock that source! A textbook example of good arrangement and variation for OCR, two thumbs way up! Production is not quite on the same level as the arrangement but it's overall good. Guitars feel a bit too upfront at times and there's a bit of a dull character to the solo guitar but it's no big deal. Way to submit your first arrangement guys, level way the fuck up! YES

That's always nice I guess?