glasfen
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Posts posted by glasfen
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I'll be honest, I started off very skeptical, having lived in Africa for several years and still listening to some of the music I got while there.
However, I was pleased that this wasn't just a caricature of African music. It reminded me of Dragon Roost Island from the Wind Waker or how a Zelda game in the Serengeti would sound. Very true to GC/Wii/3DS Zelda music styles.
I agree with @Uffe von Lauterbach that the choir is weak. If you haven't already, I recommend familiarizing yourself with Ladysmith Black Mambazo (at least their work with Paul Simon on Graceland) or Johnny Clegg for something a bit more... Western? Either way, the voices should sound more guttural or sweeping, and should carry more emphasis, in my opinion.
I like the percussion a lot. There's something in there that sounds like a thumb piano (a.k.a., kalimba), and I wonder if you could find a more convincing sample for it. The guitar around 1:58 is very authentic in its tone, though Africa has some peculiar styles practiced in the music I've heard (mostly South African), which I couldn't even describe. Also, you could probably find a more authentic African woodwind, but don't be afraid to use a penny whistle!
Sorry to dump so much on you at once. Clearly a topic where I think I have something to offer. Just my two cents' worth though.
Finally, what gives with the salsa-fied Mario theme that starts at 3:00? Catchy!
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Right you are, @The Nikanoru!
That's some head-bangin' Hyrule goodness right there. Nice work!
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The first four notes immediately grabbed my attention. Love, love, love the tone.
However, I would probably forget about this mix by tomorrow because it's hasn't differentiated itself enough from the source. You've made a great start, but you need to get me to think of it as its own ReMix, not just a play on the original or a reminder of The Place We Knew (featuring the hard-to-forget Jillian Aversa).
I would suggest changing things up a bit by taking the phase-in and drums you have at 2:30, moving them to 0:53, and adding some hard-hitting, phat percussive beats around 2:30. Something like the epic beats in Solitude at 2:05 would be awesome. A drop, solo, or wistful bridge at about the 3/4 mark would be good too, then jumping back into heavy percussion, and dropping percussion altogether for the end, maybe reduced to a musicbox, winding down to the finish.
Not sure if any of this fits with your vision for the track. Just my two cents' worth.
Great job capturing the essence of the original. Looking forward to any updates.
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Hmm... Needs more cowbell.
But, seriously, I might be listening to an updated version of this track, because my experience was totally different from other reviewers. Granted, those two are probably (Sir_NutS certainly) much more musically proficient than I am...
Beeping did not bother me a bit. I suggest that it could be improved by fading from left to right and becoming more distant within each measure (BEEP BEEP, BeeP BeeP, Beep Beep, beep beep). After that, it bleeds nicely into the drums of the dungeon track.
Transition at 0:55 is great. Judicious use of sword beam noise afterward is good. Could be used a bit more sparingly.
I love what sound like choir voices at 1:30 backing up the death throes of Gleeok or another of his buddies. Please make them more prominent here!
Now, what can you do to expand this track? If I recall correctly, there is a minimum duration for ReMixes.
Great stuff using a tune I've known for over two decades. Looking forward to seeing how this evolves.
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Solid start. Very different vibe than the original, which is always refreshing.
The source is simple and repetitive, which makes originality difficult. I would recommend some drops, bends, solos, or a bridge and/or key change to keep things fresh. Adding one or two more SFX would be cool, especially if used (sparingly) in one of these change-ups.
There's a lot of room for play here. Great source material. Definitely overlooked, as you noted.
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Agreeing with JulienMulard on all points.
I do like the "listen" drop/sound effect around 1:10 and 3:00. For repeating SFX, you might try modulating them or changing the rhythm to work in other themes or musical phrases (imagine if the second SFX played the "secret" tune). That alone would add some depth to the track.
Other than JM's notes, I think it's a solid base for additional instrumentation, even lyrics. See Solace as an example.
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I'll agree with Gario and timaeus222 on the technical side of things. This is one of my favorite SMW themes and I've loved every ReMix I've heard using it. While your mix could easily be perceived as repetitious and subdued, I think it's the perfect setting for an overlay of lyrics! I mean, my dream for this would be a collab with Sir Jordanius, resulting in a King Koopa hip-hop/rap humdinger. However, if you choose to go with an instrumental approach, I think a little variation would go a long way. In fact, just pulling out the percussion for a round, or rearranging either theme for part of the track, or doing a back-and-forth between the two (dueling Bowsers!), would be great. Nice work so far!
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This track is awesome. I listened to the source beforehand, and was blown away, not having played the game. This rendition is excellent. It would probably be a lot of work, but would it be possible to add in some soloing or some rearrangement? I don't know if you are posting this just to show off your sweet guitar work or for critiquing as a possible ReMix, but it might be too close to the original to pass muster with the judges in its current state.
Not trying to detract from the quality of this song, though. Looking forward to any changes or refinements.
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Okay, gotcha. Sorry to jump all over it. This would be great as a ReMix, though.
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Ah, gotcha. Thanks for the clarification.
Again, great mix!
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I really like the lyrics, but it sounds like the background music is the source. If I recall correctly, this would not pass the judges' panel because nothing has been changed about the source (unless I missed something).
Again, I think the lyrics are great. This just may not be right for OCR in its current state.
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Liking this... a lot. I was unfamiliar with the source, but gave it a listen (here). The pan flute in the ReMix had confused me at first, but now I get the connection to the original work.
Great variability in pace and instrumentation. You take a lot of classic EDM instruments and give them new life. The violin was a nice touch. It would be even more impactful with a better sample, or live recording. A bit thrown by the choir voices, as they seem a little out of place and could easily be replaced by another instrument, even one that appears later (as a hint).
Fantastic start, and a very nice birthday present. Looking forward to hearing how this evolves.
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Glad to finally get some context about one of my favorite ReMixers. Also glad to see that the American Pixels kickstarter exceeded its goal! Great episode, Kelly Bros.
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Nothing wrong with this mix, as far as I can hear. Granted, I'm no expert. Sounded close enough to the source to stay legit, though it is in a slightly different key. The added percussion and breakdown were good. Perhaps a surf rock guitar or ukulele overtop the melody would add some depth and variation later on?
Good job so far!
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Agreeing with Just Coffee that this one is hard to evaluate. Yes, it's true to the source, but where is the creative license that makes it different enough to be considered a ReMix? Not saying there's anything wrong with this track, but it would be difficult to get past the OCR judges without adding lyrics or an arrangement, as JC mentioned. Just my two cents as someone who's listened to a lot of ReMixes, but who has yet to submit a track myself.
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By the Count's pointy dentures! Please, please keep the second half of v3! Everything after the Konami pause sound is gold. Before that, I prefer v2 (v3 seems a little more crowded and... technical? = less fun). Adding the guitar and additional sfx after 2:18 was genius. IMO, blend the two and submit this bloodthirsty masterpiece!
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Let me start by making it clear that I'm biased: I'm a sucker for A Link to the Past.
Love the vocals, the snaps, and beatbox-like percussion. I'd suggest making it sound a little more beatboxy (is that a word?), or going with some crunchy chiptunes percussion as a counterpoint to the vocals. Also, if you are looking for a way to extend the track, I would go with some dj mixing effects on the vocals (and/or game sound effects) at 1:50ish to keep things going. Maybe you could play with other source material as a bridge too (thinking flute boy tune). The mix is already fun, interesting, and polished in its own right, but I imagine you need a little more to sell it to the judges.
Great job, and good luck!
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Very solid instrumentation. Certainly captures the energy of the source (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY5llZ83hLk). Seems like the chord line is not exactly the same notation as the original, which I think is a good choice. I was hoping for a breakdown somewhere in the middle to showcase some solo work, or at least a play on some of the ridiculous synth runs from the original.
At 2:06 in length, I imagine there is more to come for this mix. Looking forward to it.
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5 hours ago, Just Coffee said:
Thanks! If you mean it's not as close to the source, then that's fine. I'm not really aiming for full 80s authenticity. It's more like I'm trying to capture the feel of 80s music if they had been recorded in the quality that we have now.
That's actually the prologue theme before stage 1 slowed down to half. I probably should add that to the post.
Ah, now I understand the vision. Sort of like a Castlevania Redux. Reminds me of what they did with the Ducktales re-release: same aesthetic, but modern resolution and samples.
The second version sounds much more cohesive (sweeping synth "whooshes" help with this) and balanced. I love the Konami pause sound halfway through, by the way. Punchy percussion near the end is excellent. You could submit this now and be a shoe-in. Great work!
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Glad to help. Looking forward to a revision and any other tracks you might post.
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11 hours ago, Nom said:
About the drum, i don't know how to really fix that. Maybe i should change the sample or maybe just mastering the sound ?
About the chiptune, i would not use it cause i try to make the instrumental version of the song. Maybe i'll try to change the brass sample
Yeah, mastering might do it. I listened to it again at a higher volume to see if it made a difference. Maybe the real issue is that the drum is so repetitive as to seem automatic, not organic... Perhaps a little variation in tone would help (if possible - I've heard of methods where you can randomize drum tone across a track).
Anyway, I'm no music expert, just calling it as I hear it, for what that's worth. Looking forward to any updates.
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Amazing, inspiring mix. I could go on, but I don't have the musical chops to get into specifics like other commenters. All the same, here are some notes:
- 0:44ish, there is a ringing from the last piano note that seems odd only because the same note is played immediately after the rest. A clean silence there makes more sense to me and might build a brief anticipation.
-2:00ish, are you incorporating other source material, or would you be willing to do so? Seems like a perfect opportunity to roll in something from Studio Ghibli (as a suggestion, between 1:15 and 1:40:
I'm sure you can find other examples among SG's films).
-2:20 seemingly discordant chords
-2:48 transition is a little jarring
-3:00 male background voices here would be a nice balance and emphasis, perhaps replacing lower background strings. The reason this came to mind is that it already sounded like voices were incorporated. It struck me that something akin to the giants' voices in Majora's Mask would be appropriate, but I tend to try to loop in way too many references.
The ending note seems unsettling. But maybe that's what you had intended.
Great mix, overall.
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The warbly synth adds a very funky vibe to what is otherwise close in instrumentation to the original. Makes me think of world/western music meets Emerson Lake and Palmer. That said, the style is not exactly clear. Not that it doesn't work, it is just a bit confusing. When you posted "rock-ish" I was expecting an electric guitar solo.
The guitar needs to be brought forward which should help with percussion. Also, while I like the piano ending, it might make a good middle section to change the tempo. I would suggest overlaying that synth too as a transition back to the upbeat style.
Anyway, I'm a big fan of the Wind Waker, so I'm happy to see someone tackle Dragon Roost Island. Nice work!
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I really like the arrangement, but it almost sounds more deconstructed than the original. It's almost like you wrote the source tune for the source tune, if that makes sense. If you want to give it a real 80s feel, I would suggest using realistic samples for instruments like bass, guitar, and some drums (toms, snare), because those were certainly available then, but keeping the 80s synth and sound effects. I find it's that wacky contrast of organic and artificial that defines 80s music, especially pop like MJ. The lead synths at 1:00 and 1:30 seem a little off, though. Not sure if that has anything to do with what RiverSound said about being too modern (and it might be one of the synths you meant to change anyway).
Are you sure you can't reference the Super Mario World castle theme at about 0:20?
The Legend Of Zelda - Main Theme African Style
in Post Your Game ReMixes!
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Again, sorry to bombard you with suggestions. You clearly know what you're doing here with the instruments. Looking forward to seeing how the mix develops.
Also, nice marketing of the second track!