DragonAvenger

I'm kind of on the fence on this one. I think the playing is great, but there is a lack of original arrangement that puts me on the edge. It's more like these two pieces were transcribed for piano than arranged, if that makes sense. However, it is handled very well, and the quality of playing is really good. The transition between the pieces worked out very well, as you stated, and without knowing beforehand I wouldn't have guessed that they were two different sources put together. There is a nice use of dynamics throughout the piece, and it adds a lot to the soundscape. The mix as a whole feels pretty quiet, especially at the start, and takes a while for the volume to really kick in. It would be nice to have this a bit louder overall. I think the playing itself and how well the piece was put together brings this one over the bar for me, although it is very close. This will be interesting to see what the other judges think of this. I enjoyed listening to it, and would like to hear more in the way of original material/arrangement from you in the future. YES

New update: Transformice is now thinking with portals...

I almost fell out of my chair because of how loud this is compared to almost everything else in my playlist. First off, this needs to be turned down. Next, the balance is WAY off here. I pretty much can't hear anything over the bass and drums right now. They are overpowering everything quite a bit, so much so that it's hard to comment on the arrangement itself. I'm hearing some source usage, but as far as I can tell it's a little loose on that aspect as well. I'm going to recommend that you make sure of our WIP forum to get some good feedback on production aspects as well as arrangement. There are a lot of good people who can help you out to improve your mixing skills. NO

DragonAvenger - Deiah It's really fun to watch how people react to things, especially in the case where they purposely do something that they know will kill them. All in the sake of CHHEEEEEEEESE.

I liked your idea of having a sort of travel between each of the games and their overworld themes. It's an ambitious project, and to try to add your own flair to each track is another level in this. That being said, I feel like there are some areas where this mix falls short. There were a few times where I felt the background you came up with just wasn't fitting the melody, or vice-versa. Nothing stuck out as particularly wrong, but at the same time I felt like it wasn't locking into place like it should. I'm also fairly underwhelmed by the drums. The loops are pretty generic, and at times are working with the arrangement, and at other times are just on auto-pilot. The transitions were also a bit rough at times. There were some sections that changed pretty suddenly. I think arrangement-wise you need to take a look into each section to make sure all the parts are working together. A lot of the sequencing is stiff, which is killing the flow of the tracks. Adding some humanization to a lot of this will help things a lot. Best example of this is the FFVII section. The notes are super short and aren't carrying any emotion to them. Similarly, the sound choices weren't really keeping my interest. The lead synth especially needs to be changed around a lot more, and I'm not really feeling the synth that was used at all. There is a lot of music here, and honestly I'd much rather have you work on really making one of these themes sound good rather than throwing them together. Or, make 9 (or more) pieces and put them together in a compilation. As it stands this isn't working for me. NO

EDIT: I reworked this vote after reading the other's comments. I've been looking forward to judging this, so lets see what you guys have cooked up. This is a very dramatic mix that holds a lot of emotion. There are quite a few aspects that give the mix its feel. First off, slowing down the tempo adds a more reflective feel, along with the backing strings. The instrument combinations are nice, and the guitar and drums add a bit of a raw edge that really works overall. The melody and chord changes are actually fairly subtle, but nice. I personally do like how you've incorporated the source into this, but overall it is very sparse. There isn't enough in here, and the lack of the B section is kind of a shame. There is a lack of bass that makes this a little top heavy, and the drums have some nice patterns, although overall they are sounding a bit strange with the effects on them. I personally do like the track for what it is, but it's not enough for a pass here. NO (resubmit)

That music is awesome.

I can think of at least one.

Nothing else I can add to this; once you get things started it's on autopilot for the rest of the track. It's nice to listen to for a while, but I had to fight to not space out after a bit. Use this as a base to really expand on the arrangement, please! NO

I also think those sound effects should go. They don't seem to relate to the track in any way, and honestly aren't needed. There are a few things that are dragging this track down. The first is that the samples on their own really aren't cutting it. The bass is immediately noticeable as fake along with the snare, especially since it is so exposed. As each instrument comes in the overall soundscape sounds better, but they don't cut it on their own. Of course, not everyone has access to great samples, but there are plenty of good samples you can find for free. It's also a lot in how you produce them. A lot of this sounds very mechanical, which isn't helping the overall feel and sound. I think the arrangement is pretty decent, although there isn't anything that's really wowing me here. I think that improving your sounds and cleaning up the production will help a great deal, though. NO (resubmit)

I say this all the time; unfortunately it's the people who are loudest who are the ones heard. So, all the normal furries, gamers, gay people, etc (list pretty much any group) are not noticed, and the ones who do the weird shit get all the attention.

There isn't much I can add that Larry and Andrew haven't already said. Drums need some work to really bring up the excitement. I'm mostly disappointed in the treatment of the melody. Even if it's supposed to be rigid, it's just way too stiff for me. Something to loosen the track up would help a lot, even if it's a section where you really let loose. I was impressed with the sound effects, which I normally dislike in tracks. They are employed very well, and really add some atmosphere. Andrew mentions that the lack of bass at the beginning makes the textures a little sparse, I'm going to have to agree with him. Having more of a bass presence will help fill things out. This is a good start, but needs some work to really bring things out. NO

Going to have to weigh in on the NO side on this. Aside from the cool stuff on the piano at the beginning and the heartbeat drums, I don't think there is anything of this that I have not heard before in some way. I don't even think the counter-melodies are original. I can say that this is a lush cover, and it is really nice to listen to, but I'm not hearing enough personalization in this to make it a remix. NO

I don't think there's anything I can add to what Andrew already said. The vocal performance is strong, and definitely is the center of the track. I like how the track was made a little more melancholy, and the second verse fits in very well with the rest of the lyrics. It feels like the backing is left a little empty, and the drums are definitely the weakest point of the track. Nothing to really bring the track down, but some things to work on. Very much improved over your KH mix, and I'll look forward to even more improvement on the next submission. YES

Not much that I can add to Andrew's vote here. This one sticks really close melodically to the original, and the only real difference is the dance beats/synths. There's a lot of room for expansion into some sort of original section, which would hep vary things up. Also, there's a lot of rigidity in the entire piece, which kind of drags it down, especially in the opening. It feels almost opposite of a "dance" track at times. I'd like to hear things a little more fluid all around. OA mentions that he wants more menace, and I think it stems from the treatment of the bassline. Definitely a trade-off, although I don't mind the lack of menace as much as him. Maybe adding in some nice low tones can bring some more of that feeling back though. I think the biggest problem right now is how close this is to the source, but the rigid feel is another issue that needs to be addressed. Please take some time to work out these parts, and I'd like to hear it again. NO (resubmit)

Agreed completely with OA. This is one trippy mix. Fix that kick please. YES (conditional) EDIT: I'll talk to him, I'm on the Poke-project. New version. I think it's good to go. YES

The arrangement is a lot of fun, and there is plenty of detail on that end. I have to agree with Andrew, though, that this is just LOUD. There really needs to be some work put in to lower the overall volume on things, balance them out, and turn down some levels so that things aren't so piercing. Hit up that stuff, and I think this one will be good to go. NO (resubmit)

Very bubbly and fun. This track has some definite charm by using the sfx, and as the gentlemen above mentioned, the arrangement is nicely done. Some newer textures could have helped fill out and vary the soundscape a little more, but even as it is it's a cute mix. I was impressed with the accelerando, because of how subtle it is. This definitely sounds like an older piece of yours, but it still shows some quality work. YES

Happy Birthday!

I could probably directly quote OA on this one. I'm really enjoying this arrangement, and I think all of the elements are put together really well to add that dramatic flair. There are times where things get a little muddled, especially in the lower end, but it's only in certain sections. I can also agree about the mechanical sequencing at times, but to me the arrangement and the larger bombastic sections more than make up for it. I'm also a sucker for (well done) epic orchestral stuff, which this does nicely. YES

There's not much that I can add that Andrew hasn't already mentioned. I think where this succeeds as a medley is that it has smooth transitions that do a good job of connecting and merging each source rather than just tacking one on after another. Also, as OA mentioned, each theme feels like it is a part of the overall song rather than a standalone piece. The bass drum really drives the track, which adds a lot of energy that's needed. Again, as Andrew mentioned, the snare doesn't have that power and drive, which is a bit of a set back, though it's not a deal breaker. I also think there were a couple of moments that the bass could have had a little more meat (2:28 comes up first). Overall, though, the balance is pretty good throughout the track. Tastefully done as a melody, very reminiscent of Fire Cross. YES

I dunno, there are some furries that can do pretty awesome stuff. Like this girl. Look at her Mana Beast costume. It's amazing, in my opinion.

I'm a little torn on this one. As far as I can tell, there is little to no original material in this. However, the two sources are melded together very well, with certain elements from each playing on top of one another. I'm leaning yes on this due to how the two sources were arranged together, as well as they key change for both and the small style change to a more ambient atmosphere. Production is decent, although everything feels pretty mechanical, which draws back a little on the ambiance. I'm also not a fan of the drum sounds, especially the snare, which doesn't have much power to it, but it does fit the soundscape decently. There's nothing that is glaringly bad to me, but I'm not really wowed by the production, either. Overall, I think the arrangement of the two sources is what makes it for me, because of the creativity in putting the two together and how they are meshed. YES

You are forgiven

No, THIS is a TMNT ripoff. Also with sharks.