Gario

How'd you get 182s for the track length? It's a 3:30 song (210s), with a few seconds of silence at the end, there. I can understand filling in the gaps from place to place and slicing a few seconds from the end (which I did, in fact), but starting the clock a few seconds prior to each section and decreasing the length of the arrangement by almost thirty seconds doesn't seem justified to me, and that makes all the difference as far as stop-watching is concerned.

Wow, I can see what you're talking about with this being pretty liberal. When the source is there I can definitely hear it, but when the more original thread is present it certainly dominates. All of the themes present blend well together, so overall it's still well composed, but a stopwatch does seem to be in order: 0:37 - 0:51 0:53 - 1:07 1:25 - 1:56 2:12 - 2:25 2:26 - 2:32 2:35 - 2:39 2:44 - 2:47 2:52 - 2:57 90s / 206s ~44% Source Hmm, this is a bit lacking in the source department. Even if I fill in the gaps a bit and cut off a few seconds off the end of the track (since it's silence anyway) this will very clearly fall short of the 50% threshhold that Larry tends to stick to. I'm not one to stick hard to that rule if the overall sense of the arrangement sounds like the source, but in casual listening I do have some difficulty connecting it to the source save for some choice moments (like at 0:37 - 1:07, for example). Seeing that it's legit one of my favorite songs from Mana, that's a bit of an issue. The production is pretty solid, and the orchestration and handling of the samples is pretty spot-on, so it's safe to say that the arrangement being too liberal is my only real concern, but it's a significant one. Not to say the track is bad, of course - it's still a really cool track, and has some really cool ways to expand on the source (slowing down the theme at 1:25 was quite clever). I just can't justify passing this based on source usage overall. If the introductory material were cut shorter, or if some textures from the source (like the open arpeggio that's in the source at 0:26 in the Youtube link, for example) were incorporated into the original material (opening, closing and/or bridging material) I could see this being a pretty easy pass, but I think I'm going to have to turn this down for now. If anyone can ID more material than I and get this above the 50% mark I'd be happy to flip my vote, but it doesn't seem to be the case for now. NO

This is an interesting track. It's a really slow-burning build-up with a solid payoff, build with some simple sounding samples (I hear you, artificial choir). It's repetitive, but it's repetition done right; areas that sound like they're going to repeat material take unexpected turns. The ending peiters out in a bit of an unsatisfying way, but it's not that big of an issue. Considering the overarching presence of the kick in this, it could've used some more body. It's got the low end covered, but if you're going to be sidechaining for space with it some more lower mids to give it more presence would've made them stand out better, and just sound more satisfying overall. What's here isn't bad, but in my humble opinion it could've been better. I'm going to note that the overall instruments used in this are pretty vanilla, but I really like how they're handled overall - they all have some nice presence, and they're sprinkled throughout the track, utilized in different ways and combinations throughout. The instruments are vanilla, sure, but they're handled in such a way that they don't ever feel distracting or boring. Kudos for that. Overall, I think my issues are nit-picky and minor - overall this is a smart arrangement and blending of sources that really grows on you. Good stuff, I like it. YES

This has a pretty interesting method of expanding and varying the source that I think you're either going to love or hate: it syncopates the timing so that the main theme is about a half measure off the beat. As far as I can tell this is definitely intentional, and I'll admit that it works better than I thought it would. It's hard to dissociate how the song is SUPPOSED to go and how it's presented here, but when you do it works well for most of the track that it's utilized. It does take some getting used to, though. The use of the theme at 0:54 - 1:08 is an exception to this, though - the harmonization clashes hard against the theme, making it sound dissonant, unresolved and ugly. A clean fix would be to remove the source in the background and let the music build into the meat of the material without it, but if the artist would rather keep the source there he'll have to more carefully alter either the source material or the harmonies so that they harmonize together better. The production on this is solid, and the mixing is just where it should be, so kudos for the high production values on this. Some of the instruments sound rather low quality, though (primarily the slow strings used to carry the theme in the opening and closing section). They're just not suited to carrying a faster moving melody - the slow attack makes it sound like the instrument is just missing and (unintentionally) off the beat most of the time. The idea is generally fine, but it's not the right type of instrument for that kind of job. Either altering the attack envelop on the existing instrument or using a different instrument with a tighter attack would fix this issue entirely - you can still have an ethereal instrument without having such a swelling attack on the instrument. One final criticism I have is the extreme nature of the lead pitch bending. While for the meat of the track it causes no issue, at 3:06 - 3:10 the bending clashes hard against the rest of the track when the delay carries it past where it should've been. Decreasing the size of the bends, decreasing the delay or a combination of both of these things would alleviate this issue considerably. To be honest, this is a lot closer to passing than not, in my book. The weak string instrument that carries the theme does hold this back considerably in my book, though, as well as the highly dissonant section at 0:54. Fixing these issues as laid out above (as well as the pitch bending) would pretty much secure a vote from me upon resubmission, but right now I do have to send this back. I think the idea is great, though, and the production is really good, so here's hoping you fix this up and send it back this way. -- EDIT (2/16): Listening again, two of my three concerns, while they're still concerns that I would appreciate a fix on really don't affect the track so badly that I'd reject it on those grounds. The pitch bending is the most significant issue, and just lowering the pitch bend range would probably give it my stamp of approval. That's a really easy fix, so I'll be changing this to a conditional vote, here. YES (Conditional)

Comparing the two, there does seem to hold more variety in the lead portion, with some more animated lead work to help alleviate some of the static elements that were present in the previous version, along with a greatly improved drum part (with all of them fills to keep things interesting). I still think the EQ range is constricted, but there was a clear effort to improve the mixing to make it easier to hear the important elements, at least, and the lead bitcrushed square has had it's upper EQ ceiling lifted notably. I was pretty borderline in my vote before, so I think I'm okay swinging this in the track's favor this time around considering the improvements made. It's a unique track I think OCR would be better off with rather than without. As far as the overly bitcrushed style goes (as it was a complaint that arose in the prior decision) I stated my piece before and I'll reiterate: it's a stylistic choice from the artist that we shouldn't fault him for. The mix is certainly easy to hear everything even with the dirty instruments, so it shouldn't be seen as an objectively bad element in the track, even if it's not for everyone. Just sayin'. YES

Is that a Galaxy Quest quote? I think it is - HA! Also, she CAN be tough, but if you want past the spider girl just use some spider products that you purchase in the beginning of the game and she'll leave you alone. Just sayin'! Er... Yeah, for the music I think this is a solid and enjoyable arrangement of a really cool source. Go check it out.

Looks like you got a nice, warm welcome on here already, but I'll say it again: Welcome to OCR's WIP board! Seeing that people already gave an accurate assessment of how this would fare upon submission (it would indeed be rejected due to the cover aspect and the fact that it's a MIDI arrangement), I'll look at this from a different perspective. First and foremost, this is definitely a pure, unabashed MIDI arrangement. Definitely nothing wrong with that if that's what you're all about - I was a hardcore MIDI arranger back in the day - but nowadays there's little reason in this day and age to ardently stick to GM MIDIs when there are plenty of samples and soundfonts out there that just sound objectively better. General MIDI soundfont has had it's run waaay back due to it's extremely efficient filesize (we're talking kilobytes rather than megabytes in filesizes), but it's been virtually phased out due to how fast computers and the internet processes things today. That being said, looking at this strictly from a MIDI arrangement point of view, this is really quite good. The instruments are accurate and representative, and the overall presentation is nice and clean. If you haven't already, I recommend submitting this to vgmusic.com, since they're a site dedicated to posting MIDI arrangements. This isn't at all bad for the type and style of arrangement that this is, so in it's proper place it'll shine brightly enough (I have my share of MIDI arrangements on there too - mainly MM3 MIDIs - if you're ever checking MIDIs out ). In fact, if your other tracks are at this quality and are also MIDI arrangements I suggest posting all of them up at once on there, if you're looking for somewhere to showcase your MIDIs. What kind of tools are you using to arrange these? With some luck you might be able to transition easily into sample-based arrangements, where many of the lessons of MIDI arrangement apply (correct notation, effects envelopes, mixing balance, etc.). You've got a promising start on things, here, so I'm hoping you can apply what you learned so far to some great arrangements in the future that break past MIDI arrangements.

I might as well sub this to the site as well. Part of the almost released by now Secret of Mana album. Comments about the remix can be found on the album. Files, v13, mp3 and wav: "Under Cover of Night" source: #12 In the Dead of Night

Just giving a heads up, for something to be ripe for a mod review the track should be considered finished, with all the trimmings completed. If you're missing backing vocals then this is a WIP, not a finished mod review track. Just a heads up and a slap on the wrist on that front. That being said, I think this sounds great so far. You've got some nice vocal chops, and your performances are tight as hell. Paired up with some good production values that makes this quite a solid listen, overall. The sources that I'm familiar with in this are well integrated. I'm not at all familiar with Mario Odyssey's OST, so perhaps a link to the primary source would help me compare what you've arranged, but from all that I recognize I think this would be a great track to submit once it's finished.

You've got some lovely commentary on here, but I'll add my two cents and cap this off with an official mod review. EVAL You've gotten quite a bit of energy put into this track - the instrumentation sounds far better than the source while losing nothing in the original source's energy and intent. Of course, when handling the track in a way that's similar to the source you run the risk of being TOO close to the source for OCR's purposes, which unfortunately would be the case here. The notes, the style, the instrumentation, etc., is all very close to the source material, to the point of sounding like a sound upgrade rather than a re-arrangement of the material. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but it wouldn't be something OCR could post. On a related note, the arrangement does a direct loop with no difference between the loops (other than the automated highpass location). It's a bit of a side effect of following a source too closely, but it's still an issue in it's own right worth addressing: if the repeat is nothing more than filler for length then it's not worth having in a stand alone track. In this case it's a method of achieving an almost three minute runtime rather than a meaningful expansion of the track. Give the listener something new to grab hold of if you use such repetition in the future - some new textures, variation in the theme, a variation in the drums, etc.. As far as the production values go, this isn't bad - the overall loudness of the track is about where it should be, and save for the moments where the highpass overtakes the track there's little notable overcompression or limiting artifacts. Those automated highpasses, though, really cause production problems (clipping/limiting artifacts), and they make little musical sense to boot. Techniques like automating the highpass should be used with some purpose in mind, not simply in the middle of an otherwise straightforward arrangement just for the sake of having an automated highpass. It really tars an otherwise enjoyable track. It's not bad, but it would be stopped right at the gate due to how conservative the arrangement it. Furthermore, the strange use of automated highpass would cause it some problems, as well. While not a bad arrangement, it's not something OCR would be looking for.

Man, this track feels like a blast from OCR's past - the style, the instruments, etc. - it sounds like something from pre-2010 OCR, in the best possible way. Straightforward, the arrangement doesn't add too much trimming to the source, but simultaneously it takes enough liberty with the tone and instrumentation to be considered interpretive enough. The synths are pretty 'nilla, but they're definitely used in such a way to keep them sounding meaty and interesting. I love all of the percussion used in this, but they do go into autopilot quite a bit in this track. 0:39 - 1:38 & 1:49 - 2:38 are both long stretches where the drums are unchanging. This contributes to a static feel in the track, though it's fortunately broken up at key points so that it doesn't sink the track entirely. Still, for the future some more drum fills, variations in drum patterns, etc., would help keep the track feeling fresh throughout. Static percussion aside, I think this is a well rounded piece. It's a conservative arrangement with some cool instrumentation, slick style and a hefty beat to keep it all together. YES

MkVaff Michael Vafeas 6 Final Fantasy VII 'Cosmo" Valley of the Fallen Star This remix is the last song I completed as part of my first EP, which contains a combination of remixes as well as original songs. The album is called 'Loopy', and the concept was to try and create songs exclusively using various loops from all different sources. While the majority of the original songs from the project primarily use only loops, for the remixes I of course had to track the various parts of the songs and loop them within the software. There's a lot of the FF7 soundtrack that I have trouble remembering, but I always loved the Cosmo Canyon theme. It has a wonderful, propulsive rhythm, and uses the simplistic tribal sounds to great effect. It's one of those instantly hummable themes, and I wanted to retain all of the best elements of the original while also incorporating a bunch of loops and sounds that I discovered while putting together my bigger project.

Ah, MkVaff, one of the true OG's of OCR lore; he's pretty much up there with Disco Dan and IAmEvil as far as prestige goes. I'm glad we were able to post this track - it's an entertaining as hell arrangement of an under-represented soundtrack - and I'm excited to hear what you got in store for us in the future.

I was very curious how one could make FF7's battle music into an elevator style song, and this did not at all disappoint. The switch to major was a smooth move, and the bouncy, overly active accompaniment really gives this that elevator music feel. That poppy organ was probably my favorite instrument in there. As far as places where you could expand, improvements, etc., I suggest building in a bit of an introduction. It sounds like it just pops into existence; with a small bit of introductory material it it'd prepare the listener a bit better for what you've got, here. It might also help generate some ideas you can use later in the track, too, as an added bonus. Obviously my opinion more than anything, but if you're looking for ideas that's a thought. The mix is a bit busy in this. The production is otherwise great, but if someone isn't familiar with the FF7 battle theme the overall track would be difficult to follow since every instrument is mixed more or less in the same place in the mix. Bringing out the instruments that are playing a theme the listener can grasp helps make the track sound more focused and goal oriented. Granted, this IS elevator music, so this meandering aesthetic might actually work to your advantage in this case, but it's an idea of an alternative direction to take the track. Great little spur-of-the-moment track you've got here, though - I got a real kick out of it.

Wow, I think this acoustic-only version is a really rich, self-contained arrangement in it's own right. The additional elements of the arrangement compliment the core, most certainly, but you've really got a great base to work with here. I'mma gonna hold on to this other version for my own listening purposes, too, since there really is a different tone to it than the posted ReMix. Not better, not worse, just... different. It's definitely difficult to hear some of the more subtle guitar textures in the posted version than it is in this unplugged version, which in some ways is a shame. Oh yeah, I like the remix, too - the overall atmosphere is almost heavenly, as the sound design compliments the lightness of the guitar work under it. The sounds are relatively basic, relying on what seem like preset pads and such, but I'd be damned if I said they weren't effective for the overall arrangement. Great stuff, here.

Haa, I can't believe I never commented on this one after all of these years. Nine years later, why not; it's great to look at something I held as one of my favorite tracks of the day, and it's interesting to think of how it would be evaluated today in comparison to back in early 2008. Firstly, looking at it today with fresh ears and a relatively new appreciation for the whole judging process, I think this is still a solid ReMix and would probably still pass. The arrangement has a good sense of how to build into an arrangement, layering instruments and textures slowly over the course of a minute and a half. It's static, but it manages to stave off that issue by making distinct enough changes in the build-up to keep the textures fresh - a good lesson on how to be both repetitive and yet keep things fresh. The instrumentation is good... for the time. Today I'm sure this would've gotten some flak for the plain instruments and rather horrible sounding fake guitar (I would've counted it against him in a submission, at least). That's less a statement against the track and more a statement on where music making is today - so many tools out there to create amazing instruments that the instrumentation back then really does sound dated. Even still, I think the handling of the instruments in this solidly hybrid style would've made it a safe submission today. Larry's contribution to this track is gold, I don't care what kind of controversy it may have caused back in the day - those haters were just wrong. In all seriousness, though, it's really built into the track in such a way that you can't go without it. It creates a much needed pause in the energy level of the track, and it's used as a vehicle to introduce new subtle textures that would've been much less noticed had they been introduced otherwise. The vocoding is clean as hell, too, and the lyrics are amazing and rather profound. This track would've been boring and uninteresting without that section, and likely wouldn't hold up nine years later. Not going to lie, Larry be willing I'd love to have something like this in one of my remixes one day. The production is passable, but it seems to get hot in the second half of the track (after the vocoded part). I do hear some limiting artifacts popping up in sections like that fake guitar and such. The mix is good, though, and the majority of the production is clean, so I doubt that would've sank the entire track, but it's not perfect. Would it pass today? Probably, though it's impossible to say a definite "YES" on it, strangely enough. I love this track thoroughly even today, but I don't think it'd be an easy or certain pass if it were submit today. The tools people have nowadays make it easier to produce clean, solid arrangements - the fact that in comparison to many submissions today this has a few underpar instruments and production choices shows just how far the community has gotten in nearly a decade. Speaking of the past, I love the write-up, here. Reading things like "Jimmy's been busy working at GC [Guitar Center] lately, catchin' some mad deals and learning the ropes; seems like that's working well." is really hilarious in hindsight considering where our boy Jimmy has been since (composing music for games like Mass Effect 2 and having decent success otherwise selling his brand). It's subtle, but there's a lot of site growth that can be infered by quotes from OCR like this one. Good track, definitely one of my favorites from yesteryear (yesterdecade?), and a decent place to see just how much not only OCR, but amateur arrangements have grown over this time. Good stuff all around.

I do like this, even past my academic curiosity: it's clean, it's clear and it's super interesting. I'll argue the issues that Mind Wanderer bring up in the arrangement are not 'problems', per se; it sounds like something Varese would put on a tape, or something Crumb would make with the different tuning style. I'd rather not fault the artist for something that's not only clearly intentional, but even getting the sound pretty spot on. There aren't any production issues to speak of that I can tell, so if the arrangement had enough source I'd say this was an easy pass. That being said, the concern that there's not enough source in this is perfectly valid. Here's where I can find the source, given a pretty liberal interpretation of the term: 1:12 - 1:28 - VERY liberal interpretation of a background texture turned into an elongated chord 1:54 - 1:58 2:02 - 2:06 2:28 - 2:31 2:40 - 2:43 ~30s / 197s ~15% Source ... Yeah, I think it was a mistake for me to post this up, considering the severe lack of source - it's such a strange source to begin with I thought it might've been a lack of familiarity that I was missing, but it's really just not to be found. The fact that it's 38% silence and single held notes should've clue'd me in on this, however - with that much quiet the track would've needed to be almost 100% source with what was left. Sorry, this one's a pretty clear NO due solely to source usage, but I do hope you try something in this style again with more clear references to the source since it's a really cool piece. NO OVERRIDE

RebeccaETripp Rebecca Tripp http://www.crystalechosound.com/ ID: 48262 Game(s): Chrono Cross Song Title: The Fairy and the Water Dragon Songs Remixed: Garden of the Gods Comments: It’s got choir, strings, opera solo, english horn and flute, harp, celesta and some Chinese temple bells Link to the track:

Your ReMixer name: Cyril the Wolf Your real name: Connor Pelkey Your email address: Your website: http://youtube.com/user/cyrilrufus Your userid: 14729 Name of game(s) arranged: Megaman Zero 2 Name of arrangement: You Don't Define Me Name of individual song(s) arranged: Cannon Ball Link to ReMix: Lyrics: Everyday I feel like my past is haunting me All the time I see their eyes saying "you're guilty" Endless fights though I think I know what's right Just to spite all the scars I hold deep inside Chorus: Don't write me off like I'm someone's copy You're not the one who gets to define me I am my own Original All of my heart and my soul... are mine I've Heard it said you're not defined by how you were born (fake) Destiny is just an excuse of the battle worn (fake) I've Made my choice to bring the dark into light Hear my voice as I shout to resist madness Chorus I feel rushing in my ears I feel pounding in my chest I feel my grip tightening Cracking through the sins I kept repressed You say you're the messiah to change us But you're just a puppet with unseen strings You say that I'm a fake but I've my own mind and I'll Prove to them that I'm more than just my- Body cries out for relief As we strike each other down our laboured breaths pierce through this scene Silence comes as you fall to the ground So in the end light shown through I'm more than just my Past more than him More than them I'm my soul I'm me Chorus I'll be honest I never know what to say for these things. I love Mega Man's music, throughout all the series (except *maybe* Legends) and I like to sing and layer my voice into thicc choir type sounds. Combine that all together and I can tell the story of the game in as grandiose a manner as possible - but without having to resort to lavish instrumentation. All that's in this is Guitars, Basses, Organs and Vocals. Sure there's a lot of each but I think it communicates the feeling of searching for one's self-identity well. Since submitting tunes to this site finding that sort of idea compelling and while the story telling of Mega Man games has never been it's strongest point in terms of depth and maturity, I tried to draw as much out of it as I could.

By chance I came across this thread while makin' the panel thread (did a search for the previous decision, found this thread), so I took the liberty of changing your tag. Hope you don't mind~! On the version you submit, I have to say the mixing and mastering was WAY better than the older version, which speaks well for your chances on there. I won't speak for the other judges, but I personally thought it's a really cool submission that now has the production to back up the arrangement. Good luck on the panel, by the way.

Ooooh, I remember this one - it's the track with that weird detuned guitar in the beginning. Comparing against the old version this is so much better in terms of mixing and production: the bass is nice and healthy, the drums are mixed great, and nothing gets washed out. I give Sixto & John Stacy 100% props for giving you some solid advice, since this really rose to the challenge we presented some time ago. The performances are a little on the loose side of things, with the lead guitar sometimes not landing on the beat when it's supposed to, but it's not something that'll prevent this from being posted, either - just be aware of the issue and improve your performance technique for next time around. I notice the time difference between the two - this version being about 40 seconds shorter than the other one. I can't say I noticed what was cut too much, so it must not've been significant - nice job on trimming the fat a bit. Yeah, I liked the idea before, and I think the execution is great this time around. Thanks for giving it another go - here's hoping to see you on the front page soon! YES

Previous decision Contact Information Remixer Username: Furorezu Real Name: Daniel Florez Preferred E-mail: User ID: 33297 Name of games arranged: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Name of arrangement: Awakening of the Forest Sage Name of individual songs: Saria's Song Source materials: Saria's Song Hi, I worked on this based on the feedback and made changes to the structure of the song in order to make it less stale and at the same time, make it build up over time. Most instruments were rerecorded and I completely reworked the mix to address the production problems mentioned in feedback. I'd like to give a huge shoutout to Juan Medrano (Sixto Sounds) and Corno Porno DiGiorno (John Stacy) for helping me out with learning how to actually produce something.

Oh, this sampler? Cool; might be able to do better with it than I thought. Looking at that page, it looks like you can tweak every item/sample that comes out of it using the filter modifier. "REL" looks like the release modifer, toning it down (not all the way - that makes it flat and awful sounding) will let you adjust how long the choir is allowed to hold after you change chords.

Well, glad you're getting some music off the ground nonetheless, even with free samples. If it helps, often samplers have a knob on them called "Release" that you can adjust to decrease how long the sample remains after you let the note go. Tweaking that may help make the music less "wet" - give it a shot. You'd be surprised what you can do even with free tools, sometimes.

The song is weird and definitely a thing involving bad tape. I like the instrument choices (even without a wurlitzer), and I like different/unexpected, so this seems to be up my alley. The reharmonizations are a really nice change of pace - jazzy and smooth. It's not as easy to hear the source behind it just because of how much these harmony changes affect the source, but it's certainly there more than enough for OCR. The addition of Mario 64's Dire Dire Docks at the end was... strange, but it worked well enough. The performances are pretty good in this. The way the organ holds back at 0:24 sounds like it's mistakenly off-beat (even if it was intentional), but otherwise the performances are quite good (especially at 2:20 - I hear what you did there, you sneak). At the end of the track it sounds like the audio cuts off rather than letting the instruments ring out for a short time. A minor issue, but if that could be fixed that would be ideal. Otherwise the production is what it's supposed to be - crunchy and stylistically lo-fi. It works well enough for me. Otherwise, yeah, it's clever and different - definitely something that would be good on this site. YES