Gario

Ooo, we're going with a more classic approach - straight up, unabashed four-to-the-floor trance, even with those layered saws toward the end. The sound design works, but I do feel many of the instruments are pretty vanilla (especially the layered saw that starts at 3:51). The production works well enough, though I do hear some overcompression that occurs when everything comes together. To be honest, this sounds like a classic OCR track from ~2008 rather than something that is normally produced here today. It's a close call, since the crowding that happens in the track is certainly an issue, but I think it edges past our bar with the nice pacing, the expansions on the theme present and the overall phat beats. I suspect this'll be a close call overall, though, so if this doesn't pass pay attention to the crowding that happens in busy sections, and don't be afraid to use less trodden sounds for the sound design. YES

Personally, I thought the source was handled absolutely wonderfully - rather than having it be obvious every moment, it instead takes the source's shapes and textures and transforms them into something else (while still being distinctly 'Zelda' and 'Overworld'). The timestamps MindWanderer uses are great for the obvious moments, but I'm hearing source at, for example, 0:28 - 0:35, with that arpeggio reharmonized in the horns, and at 1:05 - 1:35 using the strings to play the Overworld theme completely reharmonized and slowed down. Stopwatching the really subtle stuff is tricky since I'd have to go into a high degree of detail on each part, but this isn't a case where it's even a close case of source usage. It's not only good on that front, that's an area that I've seen few arrangements on OCR match in terms of execution. However, the concerns on humanization of the instruments are absolutely valid. While the dynamics are well handled and the sample quality is solid, the accents are often mechanical, using the same levels of swell for each note. It's not as noteable when the brass and woodwinds take control of the arrangement, but for the strings it's painfully obvious it's sequenced. As far as dynamic variety, I think this track hits a sweet spot on it. Orchestral music naturally has these loud and quiet moments, so that really helps drive the realism home on this. This is how you correctly write orchestral music; I don't get to this day people's suggestions to 'correct' this whenever it comes up. Overall, the humanization is my largest concern, and while that's not a small issue I don't think it drowns the absolutely high quality this arrangement has at every other level: the arrangement, the orchestration, the production, etc., are all superb. I'd much rather see this posted than not - while not perfect, I don't think this is below the bar. YES

I wanted to highlight the level in Donkey Kong Country in which the lights (and presumably power) to the factory are switched on and off. So this remix goes back and forth between high energy and darkness. The beginning of the track is more like walking in and the whole place is asleep, then someone hits a power switch somewhere and everything springs to life, with even the firey oil drums having their own rhythm. But that soon fails, only to come back on briefly and then sputter out again. Anyway, it was one of the levels I think of when I think DKC. When I was about eight years old, this level (and the cave level with the elevators after it) was the bane of my existence. I spent hours making blind jumps into pits. I got to the point where I’d just get the song stuck in my head for hours on end. One of the major musical themes of my childhood. I hope I did it justice. - Ben Original theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v18pEFQb3EM Link to mix: Remixer name: 744 Real name: Ben Brownlee e-mail: site: sevenfortyfour.bandcamp.com forum userid: 34405

Name: CrimzonWolf777 Title of Arrangement: Terror Plant Name of Game(s) Arranged: Donkey Kong Country Name of Song(s) Arranged: Fear Factory Comments: I really couldn't think of a clever title for this, so I went with Terror Plant because power plants and I imagined what Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong would feel like being two monkeys in a factory (haha). As far as inspiration, I really like trance music. Hearing the original song, I really felt like it screamed of a trancey (is that a word? lol) type feel. So this came to be. This is actually my 3rd take at making this song. My last take was back in 2009.

Crisp recording, interesting interpretation, great relatively unknown source. It definitely went in a completely different direction than the source, and it's something very different from our normal fare here (almost sounds like a religious Japanese ceremony), but I like it all the same. It reminds me of the classic Zelda Heineken arrangement on here that was done with all blown bottles. It's pretty darn good, and the limitations you set for yourself worked well, this time. Nice work, and good luck with the rest of the vote. YES

This one took me by surprise; the beginning sounds pretty conservative, even mimicking the source instruments, but then things start taking shape and developing into something more interpretive. At 0:46 I let out a small 'Whoa.', and if you get that outta me you know you have something pretty cool on your hands. The arrangement is conservative, but the pacing and additional textures help it shine, and some subtractive arranging in the middle help keep it distinct enough as the track goes on. The reliance on similar sounding synths used throughout is both a blessing and a curse; they draw the track closer to 'too conservative' territory, but at the same time when things break away the impact is far greater. The approach has it's flaws, but the impact it had on me definitely justifies their use, for me. The pacing in this is a bit slow, with long subtractive sections dragging a bit too long. I like those sections (like at 1:44 & 3:40), but they do drag after some time. Not a big deal overall, but something to pay attention to next time around, since it makes the track sound pretty static as the sections grow with little change. Overall I think this is great, though, with the positives largely outweighing the negatives, and some of those negatives even growing into some positives. Nice work, and dream on, littler Squitter. YES

Name: CrimzonWolf777 Name of Game(s) Arranged: Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest Name of Arrangement: Squitter's Dream Name of Song(s) Arranged: Forest Interlude Comments: This is definitely one of my favorite songs from DKC2. I really loved the way the melody just sounded. So I tried my own take on it, and gave it a bit of an R&Bish sound to it. As far as the title: Take Squitter, doing what he loves the most, in a place where it seems like a dream, and BAM! Squitter's Dream. haha

Rebecca's been getting better with the humanization overall, and her arrangements are getting better every submission, but I'm less impressed with the offering this time around in terms of humanization. The strings all have the same articulation/swell in the attack, and they're very often the centerpiece of the arrangement (particularly in the first minute and a half of the track), but even the woodwinds have this mechanical articulation throughout at various points. The arrangement is still really cool, though, with that choral part past 2:04 and some interesting harmonizations to boot. The orchestration really makes it sound much more majestic than the source. It's a tough call, but I know you can improve the articulations significantly, if any of the other submissions you've sent lately are any indication. It's close, and honestly I could still see this passing, but those articulations really throw me off, especially toward the beginning. Humanize your string and woodwind articulations better and this would be a musical force to be reckoned with. NO

RebeccaETripp Rebecca Tripp http://www.crystalechosound.com/ ID: 48262 Game(s): Final Fantasy 9 Song Title: Garnet’s Love Songs Remixed: Garnet’s Theme/Dagger’s Theme Comments: Here's a link to the track:

Haha... What is this, and why haven't I heard a version of this source like this before? It's perfect. You nail the style of this one, and the production is solid to boot. The performances are good, too. The drums are pretty clearly sequenced, which is easy to hear against the excellent recordings, but it doesn't take much away from the performance at all. The arrangement is a hair conservative, but the style is juicy, and the solo elements toward the end more than make up the 'personal interpretation' element for OCR. Love it, let's get this out the door quickly, it's just too good. YES

ReMixer name: Mighty Bear 7 Real name: David Bergeron email address: website: https://dbergeron1992.wixsite.com/creative user id: 33274 Submission Information Name of game: Super Castlevania IV Name of arrangement: Tema de Simón Name of original piece: Simon's Theme (Dance of the Holy Man) Additional information regarding the original piece Composer: Masanori Adachi; Taro Kudo System: SNES Release Date: October 31, 1991 Link to original soundtrack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWMN91gMD_4&list=PL79DA330B8AE4C836&index=4 Comments about the mix: The idea for this remix came from an arrangement I made for an ensemble that I play in (The Greedy Echoes). The original version combines edgy rock organ and busy drums with hot funky rhythms. The way the composers create momentum by frequently pushing the beat is the same as the style of Songo and can also be heard in other latin styles. I attempted to make an arrangement that brought the feel of the piece back to it's possible origin, and what may have inspired the original composers. Arranged/Mixed/Produced by David Bergeron (Mighty Bear 7) Trumpet by Austin DiPietro Saxophone by Theodore Hogan Violin by Stu Kennedy Bass by Martin Schiller

Hello! I’d like to submit a compositions for acceptance to OCRemix. I am a current remixer with two tracks already accepted. Remixer Name: LindsayAnne Pepper Real Name: LindsayAnne Pepper website: https://soundcloud.com/lindsayanne-pepper Submission #1: Destined- a Legend of Zelda arrangement While I understand this is on the long end of many submissions, I hope that you will please consider it. Throughout the Legend of Zelda series history, the main story line is “princess Zelda gets captured, Link goes on a quest to defeat the evil and save her.” Many times throughout the games, a romantic connection is hinted at but never determined. In Skyward Sword, this was especially noteworthy. This symphonic composition was written as a romantic expression of what could be if the story continued after the credits roll. Their two themes are explored in various ways, sometimes apart, sometimes together, as well as hidden throughout. Flute solo parts are performed by myself, and I was lucky to have Brooke Ferdinandsen perform for the oboe parts. I thought she added beautiful depth and emotion to the piece. I hope you enjoy! ~LindsayAnne Pepper

Hello! I’d like to submit a compositions for acceptance to OCRemix. I am a current remixer with two tracks already accepted. Remixer Name: LindsayAnne Pepper Real Name: LindsayAnne Pepper email: linnypepper@gmail.com website: https://soundcloud.com/lindsayanne-pepper Submission: Zelda’s Legend This symphonic piece is primarily an arrangement of Zelda’s Lullaby, found in the Ocarina of Time. Her theme is presented throughout in many ways, sometimes prominently featured, other times hidden beneath the melody of the main series theme. Reflective, sweepingly romantic, delicate, and somber at times, this piece is a journey on what made Zelda’s character into a legend. Enjoy!! ~LindsayAnne Pepper

Your ReMixer name: JohnStacy Your real name: John Stacy Your email address: Your userid: 33075 Name of game(s) arranged: Super Mario Bros. 3 Name of arrangement: The Journey Never Ends Name of individual song(s) arranged: Ending Your own comments about the mix, for example the inspiration behind it, how it was made, etc. This was originally started for the Smash the Record EP, but that lined up perfectly for the Insaneintherain Jazz Challenge this year, so I produced it for both (with a youtube video for the challenge). I've done a lot of performances of this source tune before, but they were all fairly close to the original style (as Latin, or a beguine for instance). This time I went in a different direction, trying to do it in the style of something Jerry Hey would appear on. I've recently discovered the magic that is Jerry Hey and his horn section. I used 2 trumpets, 2 french horns, and 2 trombones, which is similar, but replacing the tenor saxes with horns and adding a bass trombone on the bottom. I experimented with mic placement and saturation attempting to capture a similar sound to theirs in the 80s and 90s. Although I missed the mark, I did produce something I am very proud of. I've learned that a lot of music is playing to your strengths and making the best of what you have. I would have liked to have done a vocal track, but because of the time constraint I couldn't find a vocalist fluent in the style, so I just did it as a french horn solo because that was my best bet. So I present my arrangement, The Journey Never Ends.

ReMix: Multi-Track Drifting () ReMixer name: Hylian Lemon Game arranged: The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Song arranged: The Final Exam (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY9ta4i_h-4) Comments: When I was deciding which track to arrange from this game, I was initially considering the on-foot overworld theme. That train of thought was derailed when I played Kirby: Planet Robobot. The robobot armor theme got my gears turning, and I had an idea to couple the melody of Spirit Tracks’ train tutorial with a kind of F-Zero rhythm. It can be hard to gauge how well a track will hold up when you engineer such a dramatic change like that. Not to toot my own whistle, but I think the style ended up being a pretty good fit. I temporarily ran out of steam when Breath of the Wild came out, but I just told myself “I think I can” and kept on chugging. I’m sorry for everything you just read. I’ll have to conduct myself better in the future.

RebeccaETripp Rebecca Tripp http://www.crystalechosound.com/ ID: 48262 Game(s): Final Fantasy 6 Song Title: Snowy Pines Songs Remixed: Main Theme Comments: Here's a link to the track:

Damn, it really helps to have played through the game when it comes to evaluating FFX music - I'm almost done with my very first run of the game (y'know, sixteen years after release), and it turns out it's pretty good, with some solid music to boot. Anyway, I wasn't privy to the last decision on this, but this sounds about as human as I can tell - the dynamics are excellent (which the prior decision acknowledged), and the push and pull with the variations in the tempo helped give it that slight 'Chopin' feel. If the concern before was that it wasn't human enough, I think this will satisfy that requirement. There are a few moments (1:45-1:46 & 1:58-1:59) that sound blocky and uncoordinated, and a few moments toward the end where the bass sounds like it causes some overcompression, but overall the issues I hold don't overshadow the general quality of the arrangement and performance. I'm glad you came back to this one - you tend to take our resub requests seriously, which is something that I appreciate from you. Good luck with the rest of the vote, and thanks again for sending this back to us! YES

Previous Decision Remixer name: Bluelighter Real Name: Guillaume SAUMANDE Mail: ID forum: 21840 Game & Songs: ff10 & The Daughter of the Summoner - Someday the Dream Will End Interpreter: Guillaume SAUMANDE (piano) Composer: Nobuo UEMATSU; Masashi HAMAUZU Hey, Here is a new version of my piano arrangement! There are more rubato than in the last on. I feel the result more emotional Enjoy ! Breakdown : Daughter of the Summoner 0'00: intro 0'12: Melodic Line 1 1'20: ML2 Someday the dream will end 0'00: ML3 0'24: ML4 1'05: ML5 (similar to ML1) Arrangement 0'00: from intro of daughter of the summoner: repeated high notes imitating the xylo. Arpeggio by left hand start a little after 0'31: ML1 with arpeggio 1'12: ML2 soft 1'23: ML3 Ternary rhythm for left hand. Hesitating tempo 1'40: ML4 Still in ternary. Louder, more animated. The culminating point of the arrangement! 2'10: ML5/ML1 soft part, to contrast with the precedent one. High arpeggio 2'26: ML2 with rhythm well marked, louder 2'58: outro. Similar to intro, but softer.

Gaius Christianus Canorus https://gaiuschristianuscanorus.com/ Front Mission: Gun Hazard Festal Procession Approach to a Shrine Masashi Hamauzu, SNES http://vgmdb.net/album/2681 Track on Yotube I don't usually like writing notes about works, but for the sake of interest in arrangement: The original piece is characterized by an ostinato figure built on fourths, over which there are some choral sections and bells. In my opinion, the part of greatest importance to the track is the ostinato itself; the rest is more or less added on as texture. Keeping this in mind, the arrangement is more focused on the ostinato, developing it through variation, hocketing, canon, inversion, and harmonization so that no part of the arrangement sounds like the original aside from the base notes. I used bells and bowls exclusively, if only because they're the only instruments I have of any worth; much more sonorous than plucked strings and keyboards. The choral section does appear, to tie it closer to the original, though I use a cluster of struck bowls to simulate a large bell's slightly off intonation and harmonics. As for the cymbals, the intent was using patterns similar to Coptic chant, though the samples I required don't exist and I had to settle for Chinese cymbals. A triangle was also intended, but lack of well recorded playing in the Coptic style reduced it to cymbals alone. The resemblance to gamelan was not intended.

RebeccaETripp Rebecca Tripp http://www.crystalechosound.com/ ID: 48262 Game: Legend of Zelda Oracle of Seasons Song's Remixed: Temple Ruins Song Title: Seeds in the Frost Here’s a link to a video with the track:

An update: due to the status of the album (basically it's on indefinite hold due to it being rejected) Argle requested that we release this outside of the album. To quote him: I'm removing the 'Projects' tag from this, so we can release this any time.

EVAL Well, this is certainly a different approach to the arrangement - it's almost calm with it's 80's flair when most really push the pumping industrial aspect of the source. You almost forget that there are pretty catchy themes behind the more mechanical elements, which this does a nice job bringing out. I love the style, and I like the arrangement. The production is okay, as well, though it could still use some fixes to the mixing; while it's not an extreme issue throughout, there is still little sense of what should be in the background, what should be in the middle and what should be at the front of the mix. In this case, the pads are mixed in a way where they sound like they're in the middle of the mix when they'd better serve in the background. The lead that comes in at 1:16 sits in the middle of the mix when it would serve us better closer to the front. Little things like this help keep the listener focused on the important things while allowing the structural portions to do the necessary work. The pacing in the middle (1:47 - 2:53) is pretty slow. Slow isn't inherently bad, and you'll get different opinions on it from different judges, but stacking two or three distinctive yet slow sections in a shorter arrangement like this makes the piece drag. 2:18-2:20 sounded like it really wanted to bump the pace at an appropriate time, but it cuts short like an incomplete thought. To be honest, the style and overall quality might still land you a pass on this, but the vote would be close. I personally would send this back to you on the panel due to the mixing concerns and some pacing issues. It's a pretty borderline track as it is, so with a little spitshine on the mixing you'll likely have a good pass on your hands.

Hit about 40%. I didn't have glasses when I first looked, so I squinted through the cloud cover; you could see it well enough that way. My eyes hurt afterward, though. But yeah, with someone else's glasses I got to see it clearly, and it was pretty cool.

Oh, a piano arrangement? That's pretty boss. It blends with some synth accompaniment? That's pretty darn cool, too; I actually really think this is an effective style. It kind of reminds me of older music from Narada Decade. The synths are super vanilla, but honestly the piano blending with them actually justifies them well enough in my book. There are a few things that throw me off in this. The production, while not having any glaring errors, sounds dull and quiet. The dullness is due to a lack of upper & upper mid's. You've got enough instruments that could cover this space; the piano, the snare, the backing pads, etc., but they all sound like they've been lowpassed pretty hard. The levels are generally very quiet, with them getting to an acceptable level only when everything is together. I'm not against dynamic variety, and that's not a dealbreaker or anything, but consider using a compressor to get 2-3 dBs of sound of this without too much loss. The mixing in this is acceptable (with a moment or two of being too crowded, like at 1:57), but those drums really sound like an afterthought. If you want them to be effective they need to come through the mix. The kick sounds completely non-existent, and the snare + crash have no presence at all. To be honest you'd likely get a similar effect without them (using the louder keyboard and faster pace to change the mood), but if you intend on using them you'll need to make them more noticeable in the arrangment. The arrangement is really interesting, and the themes blend well. Like the others said, it's super obvious where the themes are to the point where the stopwatch isn't necessary, but it's certainly appreciated. There didn't seem to be much structure to it, though - it seems to drag quite a bit while sounding like it's meandering most of the time. The complete stop in the middle doesn't help this aspect, though whether or not that's a 'mistake' is more due to personal taste than anything. Structure is important to a long track like this; without direction it just sounds like you're messing around on the piano and trying out a few ideas rather than presenting a coherent track. I like the style, and where it shines I really enjoy this piece. However, the lack of structure, the mixing and dull EQ levels puts me squarely on the other side of my peers. Hopefully you could take a look at least at the mixing and EQ aspects, if you don't want to go back and tweak the arrangement at all (though that would be ideal - cutting unnecessary parts to help keep the track more focused and structured). Good luck with the rest of the vote. NO

This is some really solid stuff, here! The production is crisp, and the performances are quite good. Nitpicking the performance a little, the acoustic portion in the beginning has some slightly wavering timing issues, but they're not a big deal. The arrangement on this one is pretty conservative. The change in style is good, and there is a neat change-up in the middle there, but it does stick really close to the source, if not too close. The copy/pasta repeat of 0:45 - 1:33 at 1:45 - 2:32 drives this home, being a deal-breaking issue in it's own right. The resulting ending just cutting out is also a problem, which branches from that section just being a repeat of an earlier portion. Y'all got some serious chops, though. Give the 1:45 - 2:32 some more attention and variation, give this a proper ending and this would be a pretty easy pass. As it stands, though, I don't think we can ignore the heavy copy/pasta in this. Best of luck, and thanks for sending it our way! NO