Rozovian

Weird wind sfx at 0:42, but it doesn't have room to add any atmosphere, it just sounds like noise. Overall, the track looks a little too compressed, you could probably relax the compression a bit. 1:35 part seems to have lost bass, weirdly, the sound just suddenly seems like a completely separate mix. Not a concern while it's a wip, but make sure not to leave two seconds of silence at the beginning of the track when you sub it. Arrangement sounds ok to me. Hard to not recognize Magus' theme. Genre adaptations and almost-covers can make it on ocr if they're interpretive enough. Don't remember all of CT's music, can't say definitely how well you've used the sources, but I'd guess the arrangement is above the bar, sound probably will be too considering how quick a learner you seem to be - when it's done, I mean. You're definitely doing well for a newcomer, "just got into it some months back" you say? Very impressive.

You could just have right-clicked the link and chosen "save linked file as" or whatever it says. But hey, whatever works.

There's also Reaper, free unlimited trial, $60 for a convenient license. It's not Cubase, tho. Then again, until you actually need the features of the full version you should do just fine with what you've got. I used GarageBand for a few years before needing to upgrade to Logic Express. Haven't yet needed to get Logic Studio or Pro or whatever it's called now.

Yeah, but I thought it was best to show the posts so I don't set a precedent where ppl can arbitrarily report each other as spambots. All it takes is for an admin to have a bad day and forget to check. Just wanted you to see the proof.

Reviving this thread cuz I can't go on irc and might as well make a spambot report thread out of this one. http://www.ocremix.org/forums/showthread.php?p=596072#post596072 http://www.ocremix.org/forums/showthread.php?p=596006#post596006 They're getting smarter, quoting the site and members... but they can't resist advertising tattoo removal in their sigs.

Yeah, let's say it's an official claim. Are there deadlines or anything?

7 sticky threads. Seriously.

Quick listen cuz my wip run is technically over. Some timing issues, the minimalist makes the rhythm hard to get a grip of. Piano+soundscaping is a cool idea, but you'll have to make both the piano and the soundscaping more interesting. Your backing synth has a pretty annoying sound, and it tends to play the same as your lead. Replacing the sound and playing chords instead of in unison with the lead might make for a more interesting backing. Gario already said what I usually say: listen. Listen, imagine, imitate, experiment, practice... they all help. Especially the listening, if you know how to listen in a way that you actually learn and not just enjoy.

I'd say it's a bit of both. And realism comes from other things than just velocity, there's a timing thing, there's how the volume changes over time (with brass, doesn't quite apply to piano the same way), there are changes to the character of the sound of brass that come with how it's played... realistic brass with samples... not easy. You could reduce the problems by changing up the instrumentation and not relying on the brass so much. Less brass means less of the brass-related problems, or at least for less time.

This is gonna be a terrible feedback post, but I'm at the end of a wip run and my ears aren't cooperating. This isn't a bad end to it, tho. Doesn't sound real, but doesn't sound terrible. Repetitive, perhaps. But bad? Nope. Keep at it.

Just gonna give you a quick feedback post since you're gonna update it soon anyway. Ominous indeed, but noisy and thin. Add width, depth to the sound (ie change/add sounds). Lead melody just sounds annoying, partly because of the sound, partly because of the speed. It could sue a replacement, or maybe being turned into a backing for another melody.

Drums sound clunky, especially kick and snare. Snare rolls are terrible. Considering the tempo of the track (as implied by the snare) a more rnb/hiphop style drum writing might work better, tho just make sure to keep it interesting and not put the drums on loop for the entire track. You can do a lot by taking cues from rnb and hiphop's often simple rhythms but then making them so much more advanced and interesting. You should listen to DrumUltimA's Moon Rhapsody. It's pretty good without the drums, but the drums add so much to it. Fills, breaks, varied rhythms... Actually, you should listen to it just because it's awesome. Your lead synth is a little uninteresting. Partly the sound, partly the slow melody. Hard to give any concrete suggestions on how to improve it, but experiment. The melody shouldn't need much changing (except subtle things like changing timing of some notes, doubling things, counterpoint...). You have a great organ-like backing sound around 2:00, it works gerat together with the lead in their current states. Perhaps elaborating on that backing melody and using the backing voice more would do it. You nailed the space sound with the background synths, tho they could use a little more work. For example, if you give them a delay you give the illusion of vast space. That way you also make them sound more processed (well, they ARE more processed) and fill out the soundscape a little more. Can't give you much else. Drums are the weakest part of it, but even in its current state it's cool.

Tarnish already gave you some pointers, but let me add some. I'm less familiar with the source, so I'll comment on the production instead. If you listen to some of the recent works on the site, you'll hear they have a richer sound. Some of it is due to the samples and synths they use, some of it is in the effects they use. A little bit of reverb, some EQ, and the right volumes can go a long way in shaping the sound of of a track. Read up on mixing, google is your friend and there are some nice mixing guides on the site. Also keep an eye out for free samples and synths. For example, KORE Player is a free version of Native Instruments' KORE, and comes with a nice set of free sounds (or the set is a separate but also a free download). Same goes for free effects, keep an eye out, there's lots of free stuff out there. Okay, wasn't much of a comment on your track directly. Hope my suggestions help tho. Good luck remixing, it'll take time to become good enough to get on ocr, so come up with some shorter-term goals while still aiming higher than ocr.

Not familiar with the source, but it's a sweet track. Sounds mixed really loud tho, you could probably bring down the compression a little, especially on the vocals and the bells/vibes/thingies. Nice voice processing, sweet lyrics, overall good. Can't comment on source use, but if you think it's arranged enough for ocr you should definitely sub it when it's done. You're btw missing an S at the end tho.

Most of it sounds ok to me, but that long noise background sound is way too loud, way too long, and mostly just clutters the track. I like synth stuff like this, but it would be cool if it would change more. The rhythm is about the same throughout, and many of the melodies kind'a go on and go on...

ARGHLOUD! chocobo sfx. ARHGLOUD! means it's too loud. You'll at least need some processing on the drums, most sound completely dry and exposed. The arrangement is nice and groovy. If that's not all straight from source, you've done a great job with it. Actually, many of your instruments sound thrown together. Read up on EQ and other effects, listen to similar, well-mixed music, and experiment with filling out the soundscape a little more, it's kind'a thin. Not sure how the original Chocobo source goes (or whichever you used) so can't comment much on source usage. The Chocobo theme is undoubtedly there, along with some cool percussion stuff and a sweet groove. Take a backup, start mixing. It's worth it.

Indeed, those metallic sweeps really set the tone well. Reverbed pianos, works well, tho I wouldn't pan them as much. Transition to electronic was a little sudden but it works. Mixing sounds good. Tempo change doesn't work as well as the stuff leading up to it imo. Nice dynamics, familiar melodies, and you brought back the pianos. Guitar sounds mixed weird, as if you cut a large portion of its mids or something while boosting the bass. It also sounds fake, which doesn't bother me as much as the EQ on it does. Interesting hihat rhythms, a bit distracting even. Ends nicely. I'd say you're about ready for the judges with this. it's not perfect, you might want to check with a judge on irc or IM before subbing, but it's definitely above a straight NO.

I like the idea of there being a competition for the main theme, or even for several key themes in the game, but a critical project director could keep things both cohesive and at a high quality. Unless arias wants a dozen main theme candidates and nothing else a competition would work great, but since any game would need more than that I suggest the project approach. Doing it as a project benefits both us remixers and the developers. Also, it is frustrating for the remixer to put hours into a mix that won't be used. Educating in more ways than one, yeah, but easily disheartening. Would be great if someone could have told you earlier in the process that it's the wrong style or too bipolar or not dynamic enough or for any reason doesn't work and isn't easily salvaged for the soundtrack. A competition doesn't typically do that.

You forgot the first half of a bold tag in the tracklist, dude. Also, I can do the Opening Theme. It's a short source, should be easy to work with. I think I can squeeze it in amongst all my other projects. Besides, I finished a track today, I can take on a new one. Shouldn't, but can. Oh and pu, blind is on just about every project, including you-know-which-one-I'm-reminding-you-of.

He might be using a demo. But if not, I agree with these guys. Learn what you have. It looks complicated, but you learn the stuff you use and start to overlook the stuff you don't (until you decide to learn those too). I'm pretty sure most interfaces are cluttered and confusing to someone who isn't used to DAWs, or even to ppl who are used to other DAWs. Stick with it, toy with it, learn it. Making music is so much more than just writing the notes, so expect it to be difficult and try to learn something new every time you use it.

Meteo brings up some good points about competition. Might work better as something not unlike our album projects. But am I interested? Definitely.

Dunno when I started coming here, but I've been here since I joined. I remember grabbing a set of Zelda and Metroid remixes before I joined, but I'm not sure when that was but the site was white. I also have a vague memory of visiting, maybe before that, looking at how to submit and deciding it was too much trouble and was gonna wait for vgmix to come back (lol) so I could sub my stuff there instead. OCR was white then too.

I first thought this looked cool, especially as I have S20, but after a quick google for free drum samples it just felt redundant. The midi stuff might be useful, but I'm having more trouble getting side chaining and overall mixing to sound powerful enough without sounding overcompressed than with finding good sounds or writing decent midi for them.

Just posting to remind everybody that we're not going away. I've been doing some guesswork and I think we're at about 50% now. Many track done, many tracks almost... and then there's tracks I want your wips for. Hard to say exactly where we're at tho, as so many tracks are close but not quite there yet, and then there's the matter of remixers who have been incommunicado for a while now. If you're supposed to do a track for a project, do it asap. Especially if you're supposed to do tracks for more than one. Especially if this project is one of them.

I have to disagree with atmuh on SoM, I recently started playing it and enjoyed it a lot. Until the mana fortress rose and I got stuck needing to grind up some more levels, at least. I need to get back and finish it. It's grind, but it's a jrpg, the newer ones are no less grindy. Still haven't beaten the girly man in the mountains in FFX. Anyway, the PS1/N64 era games looked terrible then, and look terrible now. For me anyway. Yeah, I played the Zeldas and Mario and GoldenEye and whatever else we had, but the graphics usually bothered me. Not so much on the PS2/GC era, but the 3d of the day... I wasn't impressed.