PrototypeRaptor

This was an orchestration project of mine that wasn't going to see the light of day until I went back recently and realized that it had potential. So I touched it up, added some extra parts, and ignored the ending. (It still needs one) Long winded intro aside, this is my vision of the final fight with Bowser in Mario 64 as if it were the backing to an epic/action movie. Tell me what you think! (also, something keeps messing up with my samplers; there is a strange hiss that shows up in recordings. it only shows up twice - I'm aware of it and am trying to work it out. so ignore those) link: UPDATED http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=866156&songID=7420156

+1 FL's piano roll is pretty much the best reason to choose FL over another DAW. It's just so..damn...awesome... Although, I wish Image-line would jump on the bandwagon and add a score editor/sync'd video playback. Then it'd be a real competitor in the market of "pro's," IMO. So if you're primarily a midi guy, like you said, I'd say FL all the way. Just keep in mind you'll use it as a sequencer for all the vst toys you'll get since most of the synths it comes with are NOT at, say, Reason's level...to put it least offensively. (I also have kontakt and experienced none of the crashing problems with multis you mentioned with cubase. Just FYI)

I think live horns would make this so much better *coughcough* If you want a real bone... I've been dying to play some jazz again... /shameless endorsement

You could always check out izotope's Trash plugin - it's my goto for crackly sounds and skips. http://www.izotope.com/products/audio/Trash/ Also, the Ferox tape simulator is really nice sounding for that tape saturation/compression that people tend to like. http://www.jeroenbreebaart.com/audio_vst.htm

You...YOU...!!!!! brb listening to "Rise"

Hey everybody, thanks for all the comments. It's good to know that there were other MM fans back in the day...haha In the new version I've tweaked some sounds, added another synth line, and finished an ending. (bawww sad end...you'll have to listen to see what I mean) The song is now up for download, as I don't think I'm going to change it much. If there are no major problems I'm going to send it off to the judges soon. Enjoy! http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=866156&songID=7326829

[edit: you upped the youtube video while I was typing this, haha] Don't know the source, so I can't comment on arrangement for the most part. But this is...interesting. First, the bad: -Your low 909 drum blast is way too loud and is clipping on this end - the whole mix seems a bit empty too. Some delay/eq work would fix that, if you don't want to add instruments. -The arrangement needs some beefing up too; it's just boring, IMO. -Your synths are for the most part lo fi and cool but I'd change a few here and there just for texture variety. -The leads grate on the ears - especially when they play high, isolated lines by themselves. -Fadeout? Noooooooooooooooo write an ending The Good: -Cool groove, just needs more cohesion and change ups. The beginning is awesome, but it kinda coasts for the rest of the song. -Production isn't too shabby either This is a good start, keep it up! [edit: having heard the source, you don't really stray too far from the original. You need to personalize/arrange your mix more]

before you go, quick piece of advice I learned the hard way: YOU CAN'T MAKE A SONG LOL-MAINSTREAM LOUD ON THE MASTER BUSS ALONE. Limiters, compression, eq, might be fine and well on individual instruments, but on the master track they start to F*** things up. Not just dynamics, but instrument balance, the low end, sound quality, pretty much anything and everything will be compromised if you start limiting like a madman. Get your tracks loud through the individual mixer busses, not the final one. Then you can use some magic to make it a few db louder. Mastering really should add cohesiveness, not loudness, to a mix. That's why it's so important - it helps put all of the instruments into the same room, so to speak. Keep at it - it takes time to develop the ears you need.

Alright, I've been a writers block for a bit so I finally bit the bullet and forced myself to remix one of my most favorite tunes of all time - Kirby 64's neglected, semi-final boss, Miracle Matter's theme. With this mix I'm trying to add something I don't see on OC enough - a hard-hitting, DnB/Breakbeat tune in the vein of Prodigy, Noisia, etc. Consider that your warning. This song is loud, glitchy, and drum-heavy. And unrepentant for its sins. UPDATED! It has an ending! Poor kirby just couldn't win...man, I remember this boss being BRUTAL. link: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=866156&songID=7326829 have at ye

So I heard this chrono trigger mix and I... JIZZED IN MY PANTS All SNL references aside, this kicks some serious ass. Your mixing is spot on, your orchestra samples are the right blend of synthetic and real, and your drums are dope. So dope. Holy hell I haven't heard drums like that since I first listened to Marc Star's Metroid Remix... One thing, there is a LOT of reverb going around - I know you need to fill up the soundscape with your samples, but try using a delay on some instruments instead of reverb to fill it up. It adds the depth, but not the mud. Regardless; seal of approval, right here. FINISH THIS!

IT'S FUN! Music is not some mystical thing that you make it out to be - it's an engaging activity that most people find very entertaining. If it wasn't, no one would have anything to do with it! Art for art's sake is uppity BS - hence why I can't stomach most of today's "modern" works. People enjoy performing; if they didn't, they wouldn't.

TO THE OP: The answer to your question is easy - you are seriously thinking too much. (and I mean that in a totally non offensive way) Music is simple - some people write, some people listen, some people play. It's not something you have to force out of hiding like some stray dog; it doesn't even have to be "artistic" at all. I think in the realm of things like art, poetry, music, etc, we often get so caught up in the production and planning and practicing of music that we forget the joys of even playing a simple note, something most other creatures cannot even come close to doing on purpose. Don't get so caught up in the little things that you forget to actually enjoy music for what it is - an unquantifiable experience. If you honestly care that much about whether or not a performer individualizes a piece because it's not what the composer wrote down, or that playing other people's music is intrinsically worthless because there is no "higher" purpose involved, then I truly feel sorry for you. You are missing out on so much, OP.

wow. thanks for the link...I had no idea there were threads of preset links buried in the developer's forums (since I just normally browse the effects/instruments panel) these are all great. +1 to you, kind sir

So, zircon, we're all still waiting anxiously for the name of that soundbank... Would you kindly...

Best EQ analogy ever. Wish I had thought of it like that way back when I first started - I didn't start to "get" eq until a little while ago... Back to OP, you really can't learn this stuff through a book. Or quickly. Sure, you can learn compressor settings/eq ranges - but the best/only way is to just experiment. Music is the only art form that you can't really quantify into words/pictures; you have to train your ears to hear what the effects do. Because the effects will do different things to different sources EVERY TIME. It really sucks when you're first starting out. You need to ask yourself if it's worth it to you to spend so much time not writing music and just fiddling with effects - otherwise bring in a professional who has messed around enough to know what does sound good.

This might be the most frustrating game I've ever played. There's 10 different possibilities for each button! ARRRGHHHHH However, it was all worth it for the most awesome arrangement of harder, better, faster, stronger in the history of awesome. I'll be coming back to this.

The things I would do for a vst "hardware-free" access synth would make the klondike bar go cry in a corner... I'd even be ok with it if it didn't come with a puppy. A demo, yes. But a small furry mammal is optional.

I've only used the z3ta virus mod, so I can't speak for the zebra presets, but, at least for me, it failed to impress. (and zircon, if you could link me to said zebra bank I'd be really grateful - all I found through google was a bunch of arguments on kvr over pretty much this same topic. XD) Anyway, just going to suggest another synth I totally forgot - GForce's Minimonsta. It can do unisons until your cpu explodes into firey chunks. It's awesome. Their ImpOscar is most likely just as good, but I haven't had any experience with it yet. Someone else can probably chime in here on it. Another thing I learned from a friend for getting even fatter sounds for - use a preamp. He had some synths running out of the computer into a preamp then back into the box, and, wow, did it make a world of difference. I don't know if you can recreate that same effect digitally, but it might be worth to invest in some decent preamps/converters so you can get that "analog" (oh no I said "it") sound. I don't want to start a virus war, and I'm sure that plenty of dance producers do use soft synths (or maybe that's what they tell you so you won't sound like them? haha), but it's a pricey, wonderful synth. And for people like me who absolutely suck at synth programming, it's relatively easy to dial in sounds on. /my 2c

IMO, the only softsynths out there that that sound even remotely close to the virus is the fantastic Sylenth1. Albino, nexus, vanguard, etc etc all have nifty patches and cool sounds - but they can't do the 412 voice on one note craziness that the virus can. They just sound thin when a/b'd. (and I'm not just talking out my ass, I have a friend who has a polar and we've tried it) Although I totally forgot about omnisphere. now THAT is a nice piece of softsynth - although I can't say I've had the pleasure of messing with it. Isn't it crazy on CPU usage though? I was under the impression that you couldn't use it on more than 3 or 4 tracks simultaneously. Or maybe that's just my rationalization for not having it yet..

Mcafee sucks. I use a combo of AVAST, spybot, and a funnily named, less than legit looking piece of software called SUPERantispyware It seems like it would do more harm than good, but it actually has detected and removed some malware that nothing else would. It saved me from a reformat, so take it for what you will.

I am confused by the talk of brass...*puts on matrix shades* there is no brass. It's just a synth line. And the strings are supposed to sound like that because...vintage samplers? The mellotron didn't need no fancy articulations or 500 gb storage - in fact it is quite a small patch on my keyboard haha

I don't know much about hardware, but I'm pretty sure that the Virus is pretty much the GO TO synth for any dance music, period. Those superwaves are killer... (albeit, overused) You could always get the polar, as well as a midi controller. Then you'd have the hardware sound + any vst's you want to pick up along the way to supplement the virus. (although it's pricey, I'm pretty sure it'd be worth it in the end - the virus is so crazy warm its ridiculous)

Yeah, the flute is flutter tonguing. It was a technique (ab)used by jazz/fusion flutes in the 70's and 80's. (if you don't know what fusion is then SHAME ON YOU go listen to this right now:) I was going to submit this, that's why there's no download link. Just wanted to see if you liked it/if there was enough source in here for the judges.

Disclaimer: This is very different from my previous mixes. It's a kool and the gang inspired, james brown riddled, funkalicious disco groove straight from the 70's. It's got the funky drummer, the strings, the synths, and even a flute solo. I'm not sure if it would pass the panel for interpretation reasons, but it's definitely the underground theme at heart. (and a few of the others sneak their way in as well) So what are you waiting for? Check it! Comments are welcomed. link: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=866156&songID=7047863 NOW GO DANCE

Haha, this is awesome. I don't like the main lead, but other than that, there's plenty of variation and enough UNTZ UNTZ for everybody. And I really liked the chiptune sounds throughout However, like it has been said, and you know, arrangement kills this. With more arrangement and some more original ideas, this could make it, IMO. I like it. Saved.