Evahn

Recently I've been using the WIP forums here to get feedback on some of my VG-related tracks, but I'd never thought of posting any of my original music. Until now, obviously. RADCLIFFE MUSE It's a concept album about ... video games, to an extent. It is largely influenced by video game music (and Pink Floyd, but that's another story), and makes references to these influences often. It includes 1 cover, from SM64. The album was my first attempt at electronic as well conceptual music. I started it in late '08 but didn't finish it until last January. I wouldn't say it's incredibly break-through, but most of the people that have heard it tell me it's good. I myself enjoy listening to it every now and then (I'm trying to speak objectively, here). I think its strong point is that it keeps itself varied, track-to-track, but also within each song itself. My favorite bit about it is that it uses literary elements (foreshadowing, mood, conflict, symbolism and whatnot) within the music. I'm quite proud of that. Download it so the track transitions sound right. Bandcamp let's you choose any format, including lossless, if you're like me and are into that. It comes with a spiffy "digital booklet," too, which has photography, lyrics, stuff to read, and explains the concept a bit more. Also, the band is fictitious. A few friends of mine play on certain tracks, but in the liner notes the band is attributed to fictional characters, like Gorillaz I guess. Tyler and Ralph are versions of myself from parallel time lines. I've been selling this to most people for $5. Consider yourselves special! Download it and tell me what you think!

well I definitely jumped the gun on posting that version last night ... but I didn't think I'd also spend most of today working on it, so oh well. Spakku, I'm one step ahead of you as I've already entirely cut out the "da" and "oooah" section. I think overkill was an understatement to the redundancy of keeping that part in there. I also cut out part of the Dark World section, knocking her down to about 7 minutes. I re-recorded a few of the instruments for this version, as well as added some others here and there. And I actually learned (imagine that!) the right parts for the close-to-the-end banjo part. The very end I added more synths to, too, as well as changed the chords up even more from before. Still have a lot of work to do with mixing and certain performances, but she's getting there, and faster than I expected, which is good, I suppose. The length may be an issue when I submit it, but I'm not too concerned about that, yet.

I don't know the source but I really like how this sounds. Make it longer!

hmmm ... the intro needs something to keep it more interesting, and I'm definitely going to agree with Cyril, it needs some BASS. Or rather, I wish it had some bass. PHAT bass. I didn't listen to it all ... it's a little repetitive ... BUT I'd be down to check out the final product, that's for sure. I like what you've got going on.

I don't think think this needs to be said again, but the solos are sooo badass ... Personally I'd pump up the bass a bit, but that's just me. You don't really need to, however, because the real focus is on your awesome rhythms and percussion, which totally carry the track. I don't think the melodies are that great the way you play them, but the pretend-improvisation off of them is excellent.

I like this, quite a bit. Liz is right, although I do like your beat, you could do more to enhance it. What I really like is that your beat is in 4, while the source is in 3 (or 6 or whatever). Unfortunately, you leave the source bits exactly as they are; they're still in 3. This sounds cool for a little while, but it's obvious you didn't change the source at all, as if it were lifted directly from a midi (hmmm ...). Plus as Liz mentions, even the instruments sound the same. At the beginning you do some actual arrangement; it was cool because I didn't realize you were doing Kraid until that first breakdown. After that though, it's pretty much just the source played over your beat. Do more stuff like what you've got going in the beginning I say. Not necessarily the same, but in the same vein.

OKAY so I finally got around to working on this, and now ... it's quite lengthy! It kind of became an epic overnight. I've been listening to a lot of Floyd lately ... anyway, I've never done a medley before, but lately with my own compositions I've been experimenting with lots of chord progressions and pieces with several different sections so I figured I may as well do that with this mix, except this changes dramatically and drastically several times, as you'll certainly hear. so, pretty much all the guitars (lead and bass mostly) are rough, especially the solo, but I've been working on it all day just to get it down to something similar to how I want it to sound. It still needs a lot of editing, because it's just too damn long ... I'll probably cut out a lot of it, I was just having fun, okay? also the vocals aren't great right now so don't kill me ... don't worry I will re-record them, haha ... The whole thing almost ten minutes long. Listen to it all, if you dare. See the first post for themes included and instruments used. also, if anybody thinks they could do a cool guit solo, let me know. I can get it recorded myself eventually, but I know somebody else could do it way more badass. I usually do solos that are slow and sexy, and that is not what this piece calls for. it needs something with BALLS, you know? I don't know when I'll be able to get around to working on this again, but give me some advice/suggestions/comments/whatever to stew on for a couple weeks. -evan

haha, well, I do love Gipsy Kings (as well as that movie). I was thinking about medley-ing it, but I wasn't sure about which song to go to. I don't know how I didn't think of Gerudo Valley. I've done something similar in style to that theme before, let me see if I can't tie it in here somehow. As for the experimentation, that's exactly why I decided to try it, because I mean ... what else can you really do with this theme that hasn't already been done, right?

oh damn that's groovy. Gario, I like that your version has a faster tempo, and I really like the sound of your instruments.

just posted my own version of this song so I figured I'd check yours out there's a lot the same thing ... for a long time. like it just repeats for a while and changes the instruments occassionally. like, the music itself basically is just looping. the bridge was excellent, have that happen sooner and do another something like that and it'll be better. OH SHIT I listened to the old version first ... sorry. V.3 is kinda goofy and ridiculous, but at the same time badass. at least, definitely an improvement. and a medley now? cool! musically, this is quite good now. However, your instruments still sound silly.

I'm not familiar with the source but for some reason I randomly listened to this. I dig.

NEWER DRAFT (v 3): EARLY WORKING DRAFT (v 2): THEMES INCLUDED: NES dungeon NES title screen SNES dark world N64 gerudo valley (this alternates with the NES overworld theme once introduced)

which guitars on the Koopa song are you guys referring to? because the rhythm guitars that play that main riff are actually distorted bass guitars, so that might be why they sound weird. I kind of did want them to sound "unreal," or at least, really low and growl-y. but the album is released now, so I don't really feel like going back to fix anything. here's the final version that's on the CD: I'm thinking about submitting this (resubmitting, technically) to OCR. you think this is submittable?

I got an update sooner than I thought I would. I had a random idea, decided to change the section with the guitar solo ... but I don't want to give away the surprise! messed with the melody leads too, still pretty lame, I'll change that later. just listen to the solo part. the whole thing still needs some mix and master work. I'm hoping to have the CD done by the end of this weekend, and this is pretty much the only track holding me up. one step closer, though ...

thanks guys. a lot! I needed some criticism, because it's hard for me to criticize myself on something I've been working on for so long! Definitely Koopa has been the hardest track to mix on that album. You both are right about the sounds of the instruments; I recorded and programmed almost all the instruments (besides the drums) more than a year ago, on old equipment and with bad techniques. Your comments are the motivation I needed to re-record those guitars (especially that shitty solo ... ugh) and find a better instrument for the synth leads. The drums have been really hard to mix, but I'll have to play with the EQs on the reverb so the cymbals are less abrasive. I'm not sure what to do about Thoughts While Drowning. It definitely does need something more. I thought about lengthening it, but I intended for it to be a short track to end the album. The track it follows is about 8 minutes long, and is about a man that decides to commit suicide by jumping from a boat during a storm. The Dire Docks cover is supposed to be a short, random thought of peace he has as he sinks into the depths. It does need something else though ... I'm glad you liked Kakariko, Invader Quirk. Before, I wasn't too sure about it myself. And don't worry, the ocarina would only be during that chorus part. If you listen to the source off Ocarina of Time, I'm trying to duplicate all the instruments live, with the additional banjo, so there wouldn't be too much ocarina, it'd just add to the chorus. I might add some village or farm ambient sounds too, but only if I can find some good ones and they aren't distracting. Thanks again guys. I think I know what to fix now, 'specially on Koopa. I might post updates. Later.

Koopa's Theme: Definitely Koopa Dire, Dire Docks: Thoughts While Drowning Kakariko Village: Kakariko (no title yet) http://ocrwip.fireslash.net/?a=evahn KOOPA V. 2 KOOPA FINAL sources: Koopa - Dire - Kakariko - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkFhCZL6qp4 I haven't been on here in a long time ... I don't really intend on submitting these. I don't think there's a whole lot of re-arrangement going on. Both are from two separate concept albums I've been working on. Both albums include only originals, except for these covers. I thought they sounded pretty good so I figured I'd put 'em up here to see what other people thought. Well, I did submit Def Koopa, about a year ago. That version sucked. No wonder it got NO'd. I don't know what I was thinking. Someone (I think Liontamer) mentioned the lame drum loop on that old version of Def Koopa. The first thing I did after that was record live drums. Recorded the drums in a small theater, using four room mics for lots of natural reverb. I had the drummer from my old band come track the drums. I used the second take, which was only the second time he'd heard the song. I'd say he did pretty well. My friend's little brother played my cheap keyboard for Dire Docks. I added some slide guitar and watery vocals in three or four part harmonies. Both cut in and out, because on the albums, they flow from the previous track and into the next. Except Dire Docks doesn't cut out, because it's the last track on that CD. So uh ... anybody care to listen? EDIT: Decided that, while I'm at it, I might as well put up everything I have. So I added an acoustic Kakariko cover too. it's got banjo and harmonica, and when I get around to recording it, it will also have ocarina. haha obviously I'm a big fan of the Koji

I too wish there was more to it; I pretty much just hit record as soon as I figured it out, instead of giving myself time to add more to it. I have tried to re-record it though, and it never comes out sounding quite as good as this one. I might try it again, with some more instrumentation maybe.

My thanks to everyone that liked this. I'm totally going to record my new version. You guys have inspired me.

I almost wish this hadn't been accepted, so I could record a better version of it, especially now that I've got better equipment (and a better ear for good tone). I also have a version that incorporates the final Bowser fight theme from the same game. Can't use it now, though ... I was not expecting all the drug mentions in reference to my recording. It hadn't even occurred to me that it sounded that way until I saw the judges' decisions. I'll have to show it to my stoner friends and see what they think of it.

Wow, this mix really is great, really ... but as soon as the melody kicked in, I had to turn it off. And I was absolutely loving it before that. The fourth note of the melody in this mix correlates to that of the main theme (in a major key), not of the castle theme (in a minor key). Because of the different chord progression, the original fourth note had to be changed to what it is in this mix. Unfortunately, every time I hear it, it sounds like the melody is leaving the minor key and jumping into major, even though, technically, that note does fit in with the chord it is played over. So, despite the overall greatness of this mix, I really can't listen to it at all, because no matter what, that fourth note is going to sound wrong to me. Crap.