Gario

Well, definitely an interesting take on this one. Preaching to the choir when I say this, but this is pretty out there. I'm not sure I agree that this all comes together quite as well as Deia or Mike - the shift from slow to fast that happens a few times in the beginning would've benefited from smoother transitions. Not only modulating tempo, but also changing instrumentation and style at the same time makes it harder to mentally transition. However, when things kick up the parts work well together, so it's a fairly minor gripe. The mixing has its ups and downs. The instruments all stick out well, even when things get crazy, save for the aforementioned organ (such as at 2:06, when it's behind the string melody). There's a little bit too much reverb on everything in general, which makes a few parts sound washed out (such as at 1:58). As mentioned earlier, the strings used at 2:06 and 3:48 have very slow attacks, which makes them sound like they're missing the timing. Adjusting the attack of the sample so the strings strike right away would fix that right up. The source break-down helps a good deal in identifying the source. Listening to the source and the remix side by side, it's easy to confirm that this has enough source usage. It has some really rich dissonance going throughout, which I loved. The instrument combination was very neat and well integrated (Tuba is amazing). I do feel the reverb and string sample take this down a bit, but it's not quite enough to drag this out of a YES vote from me. YES

This is some real classic playing from Nostalvania, jazzy and full of rich sounding chords. The piano work is great, and the guitar part was very well done. The shifting meters are especially effective - never an easy thing to do, for sure. As far as jazz goes, this is a top notch performance. The arrangement is neat, and I give you full credit for doing a lot of neat things with the source (expanding the ascent with an extra beat using 5/4 sounds really cool, for example). However, the part of the source that you arrange most heavily is the second half of the source, which is basically ascending steps for a solid portion of it. For an arrangement that takes as many liberties with the source as this one does (when it's there), that presents the problem that the source isn't uniquely "Wily" anymore. A lot of songs use a rising step pattern, with only harmonies, tempo, rhythm and meter to distinguish it from everything else, so when you take away the harmonies, tempo, rhythm and meter, it leaves us with little to identify it as uniquely "Wily" anymore. Mind you, this wouldn't be a big deal if there was more of the source in there to distinctly make this Wily (changing the source around this much is actually pretty clever), but a breakdown shows this isn't the case. 0:00 - 0:12 - Piano plays a variation of the first two strikes of the first section of the source (difficult to make this connection, though - again, stepping down is a common motion) 0:13 - 0:37 - Guitar plays the second half of the source (the ascent is difficult to hear as Wily, the latter half is less ambiguous) 0:38 - 0:47 - Filler/no source 0:48 - 1:12 - Similar to guitar part earlier, same concerns 1:13 - 1:25 - Filler/no source 1:26 - 1:42 - Piano playing a variation of main theme 1:43 - 2:57 - Solos playing over harmonies established throughout the song, little to no reference to the source (NOTE: I hear the raising source where you mentioned in the piano, here, but there is virtually no way to tell that's specifically what you're referring to without being told so - contour without notes/chords/rhythm/meter simply distorts it beyond recognition) 2:58 - 3:14 - Piano playing a variation of main theme 3:15 - 3:20 - Filler/no source 3:21 - 3:40 - Guitar playing a truncated form of the climax (just playing the rising notes, could be mistaken as texture) 3:41 - 4:01 - Ending filler (no reference to source) Total source: 1:52 (out of 4:01 - ~46%) Again, this is the best case scenario, source-wise - almost half of that could be mistaken for a myriad of other tunes that use the same stepping-up motion. I love this song, but as it stands I'm going to have to say NO, for now. There is plenty of opportunity to expand source usage throughout, though - the soloing could have more references to the more distinct first half of the source in the piano or solo, and the fills could actually imply portions of the source, as well, instead of relying on the original harmonies and beats you've established. It's a great song, and I hear what you were doing, but there isn't quite enough source as it stands now. I hope to hear a resub of this, though. NO (RESUB)

Thanks, your submission was the closest I've ever been in a compo, so high props for that. I've had issues before on voting for myself, so not being sure about who did what I was playing it safe (and hoping for literally any other voting outcome than a tie, where that would be relevant, lol). For the future, everyone should vote for themselves, in order to avoid this little snag. Great round!

Mmm, my entry isn't unusual, I just (at the time) only had individual cool sounding parts written out, and I needed to figure out a way to piece them together cohesively (trickier than it sounds). Believe it or not, that's just my music making process, lately - come up with cool riffs, figure out what would make sense, as far as assembly goes, build bridging material based on the riffs, then mix/master. I think people will find I went all out, this round, it's pretty fuckin' good.

Aaaaand that's my submission, folks. It'll be an intense battle - good luck to both Aleix and Hoboka!

Mmm, so when you say "Analog", are you talking a straight-up modular analog system? I'm assuming so, considering you're using a drum machine, which is pretty darn cool.

Interesting, almost old-school sound to the whole thing. Not like NES-chiptune old-school, but more like old-school electronic music in general. There's a lot to like about it. The repeating portions of the track do grate after a short period, though - just too many stabbing notes going for too long, there. The NES (kind of) pulled it off since the notes were not as pronounced, though it was still kind of bad in the source. Some variation in the note velocities and/or volumes would add some much needed variety in this. Overall it overwhelms you with a wall of sound, which doesn't leave much room for varying the sound space. You do good with what you got by dropping instruments and such, but I think you'll find it much easier to create an interesting track if you vary the volumes to a greater degree. Not a bad track, though. I hope to hear more from you

I've talked to Dave about this very thing, and from what I understand the lack of labeling is an artifact of the site switch to v6. When he's able to get to it he'll implement the tagging system again. Other things have taken priority though, unfortunately (Magfest, album releases, music releases, etc.), so it may be a little while. They are nice, though, and they make the whole eval process a lot easier, as well as making it easy to find WIPs, finished products, etc.

Hmm... Well, whatever comes of this, it'll be VERY interesting. I hope I can bring it together cohesively by Wednesday, though.

I had to work on some project stuff first, so until yesterday I wasn't able to work on this one. My track will be really fun, though. So far all I have is a riff and the instruments set, but let's be real - once those things are set up, all you gotta do then is let the music FLOW, maaaan. Got two days left, which is better than my average time spent on a compo track, so let's do this! Edit: Also, "This Wicked Heart of Mine" sounds like "This Sweet Guitar of Mine"... Which totally works. You will hear nothing else once you hear this, I promise.

Mmm... I like this revision. It's smooth and clean as hell, here. As presented here it would most likely be a pass on the panel. I will say that the bass end is a little low throughout, but overall that's not too big of a deal considering how clear everything else is. Pass or resub, you should certainly give the judges this version of the track. I don't think you can switch out a track when it's already been submit, so you'll likely need to give the judges this version once your older version gets through... Unless you use something like Box.net to host, in which you sneakily switch the source before they download it, mwahaha... Er, don't tell them my sneaky secrets... Great work on it, I think it sounds great.

Sick playing, man. Once you get the bass in there it should be a damn solid arrangement. Welcome to the WIP boards, by the way, here's hoping to hear more from you! Moar Shovel Knight would be perfect

YESSSSS yes yes yes yes No amounts of likes can go out to this that would ever do it justice. OH by the way if anyone needs any chiptunage for a track they're doing I will be very happy to contribute. I mean, Sam won't need it, of course, but if anyone else needs some chippin' for their studio, my chops are killer.

Something is very wrong with this post, here... Y'know, Liberi Fatali is a very crucial track for the album. I think making it into a super collab centerpiece for the album would be a very good idea (something like Black Metamorphosis for the FFVII album years back). I may regret it later, but I'd be super on board with helping on a collaboration of that nature for that track, Heaven permitting.

I'm making a claim for Man with the Machine Gun. FFVIII arguably has the best soundtrack in the series, so if I finish this one in a timely manner I may do more. Let's do this.

Yeah, same issue for me, too. I kind of like the system, though, so if it's not fixed by next week I suggest people who are participants for that week to vote for their own track. It balances out as long as both people vote, and as an unexpected bonus it punishes a few people who don't vote (participants who don't vote miss that point they give themselves), pushing out at least a few votes. That's good for compos like this. My two cents.

The end of Hoboka's track actually incorporated both sources quite well, so here's to giving credit where it's due. The first few minutes did just sound like butting two sources together, though, which isn't a good thing. A shame, since it is produced quite well, overall, and that last minute does some really cool things with both sources. Edit: Mindwanderer ninja edited, catching what I said here on his own, lol.

Nope. Write a song in 980bpm if you want, as long as it sounds good.

Haha, I'm 99.99% sure you can submit a mix that used any medium you like - sequenced DAW is just the most accessible for a lot of us.

Mine will be incoming soon, couldn't (er, more like DIDN'T, lol) work on it on either weekend, spent two solid weeknights on it. Like a Vampire. It's thematic, goddamnit. EDIT: Aaaaand, sub'd. SURPRISE!

I imagine so - I don't think he wants to have people starting their songs before the competition officially begins. Also: Hope I get paired against you, Hoboka, your source is spectacular.

There was some movement trying to get a vgmix site back up a year or so ago... I don't think those responsible for it have finished, but they do have some mixes up there to check out, as well. https://vgremix.com

Shnabubula makes his own chiptunes (and is quite the chiptune maestro, to boot), and is an amazing pianist. This track absolutely showcases both of his amazing talents at once, and creates something amazing and unique. There isn't a person on the planet who's life wouldn't be enriched by listening to this track. What I'm trying to say it, it's pretty good.

I'm most certain there is one! @MindWanderer I would be careful with a "Losers Bracket". While it CAN work, it's better to keep it simple. If I recall correctly, Darke's first Mega Megaman compo some time ago had a loser's Bracket, and it pretty much fell to pieces by the end. Good music still came out of all of it, but the compo became quite muddled. Honestly, save for the first round, people who lose midway into the compo are mostly experiencing fatigue, so having an elimination style tourney keeps the quality relatively high (mostly allowing remixers who are pumped to keep going to move forward vs those that are out of steam). Elimination has its perks.

Too late, I switched mine to it. Mwahahahaha... I was actually thinking about switching today, but now that Mind Wanderer actually pointed it out I knew I had to move it from bottom to top (always did love the track, myself). @orlouge82 You can also pick a track you like that you KNOW would be crazy hard to remix for one reason or another, then watch others cry when they get paired up with you. Kind of a dick move, actually, but it always gave me a chuckle whenever I did it... Waitin' for someone to get down on Discolored Wall and watch everyone else suffer, lol.