hewhoisiam

I don't think what you've got is too bad. If you wanted to bring in something with the snares, I might try the repeating 16th note pattern, panned hard from left to right or something like that. Especially since the piano is taking over the part shortly after. This entire section here (2:13-2:30) Really feels like good contrast to the normal energy of the track. If you wanted to add to it, consider using something to echo at 2:15, 19 and 23. The xylophone maybe really quiet over that subtle synth from the end? You don't wanna lose the contrast, but you don't want your break there to sound like it's not a full sound, which is kinda what it's doing now. Another even more radical option occurs to me: Kinda like what I said before, you can build up to 2:30, or you can get quiet just before 2:30. If you don't like the sound of that snare build, try fattening up the sound there and then dropping everything off quiet like, then bam! with the full glory of the all everything at 2:30. If my ramblings makes sense, don't forget to get other opinions on this too. These are just mine and might not be the majority >.>

AH! I had thought that might be the case since we went A3 to A2... The crap I gotta put up with... I guess I can is get a laguna something going, since I'm not in the competition this month. We'll see. Besides, I just got Sixto in a box and my first experiment with it made for a fairly cool, very short version of skullman's theme... Then I tried to mix in drillman and it, erhm. et iz not perty, it's like a medley with no transitions! Forget that one is in sharps, one flats, etc, etc, etc... Anyways, back on topic, the song: Oh, right off I hear you did the drum thing. Damn I feel important! And my piano is back! It's gonna be a good day... Might consider some slight dynamics on that bass/lead at 1:23. Sorta ease back into things and build up before 1:40. I see 2 equally neat ways to go with it, either start quiet and end loud at 1:40 build up style; or start where you are and get quieter just before 1:40 to really pop that out. At 2:13 you go back down to that half time feel in the drums, but it's a more intense part in the song than before and it wasn't long ago you did the halftime trick. I think making the hats stand out a bit more or some ghost notes in snares and toms will leave you the half time 'feel' but keep some of the intensity that's lost there. At 3:03 it all fades down to that xylophone and airy synth. I think the piano playing some chords there similar to 2:30 may be a better fit than the synth. Or both, or make the ending a bit longer then drop the synth later. I dunno, but it seems a bit too abrupt of an ending as is, and the synth feels lonely. Major improvements all around though. Good stuff!

I've got about 50 something incomplete works. Nothing good nuff to sub. Though, it seems like a good week to do something with Laguna's Theme... As for your next update, at 1:50 is a bit short to crit too much. The last link is VA2, right? It seems like you took stuff out, stuff I liked, like the piano... I do like the progression though. Ideas on length: That bass jumps right in, without much if any sort of lead up. When werkn with a short source, you can add a lot of length with an intro. I think one of the best examples of this is Collision by Malcos. Very short theme(sonic 1 final zone) drawn into 4:10. At 1:12, it feels like that descending pattern should really build to something rather than trail off. Solo, a new synth adding more body to the theme if you're repeating the theme, something. Where's my xylophone part in the update! I misses him greatly... That whole segment added a lot to the song. If you were to combine the new with the old...

You going to finish it this time? (pot calling the kettle black, I haven't finished like anything, ever. Evereverever) Anyways, lets have a look. Erhm, first source. I'll see if I got it right this time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_Ny2TkWJwY IMHO, you could stand to really establish the theme with all the instruments before you start soloing and building on the source. @0:25 the source plays some to about 0:40, then that subtractive lead plays. Let that play out a bit longer. I don't hear much in the way of panning. Maybe it's just me, but I picture the short repeating 16th note pattern panning around me when I hear this. That minimalist xylophone part at 0:56. Love that bit. The half time drum/bass thing really works there. I don't like it so much at 0:25. I'd start with it at 0:08 then use what you have at 0:08 at 0:25. Lots of ways and places to put solos in on top of whatcha got. I like 1:46 myself, lengthened out and solo'd up. Jus my preference. Hope this helps.

If it helps, the accidentals are Bb and Eb, cause I stole the Bb major scale for my ideas.

NB4 OMG! BAD END! oh wait... First, this is good and nothing 'needs' to change, just needs finished. But since that's not very helpful, here are some opinions: Brief list of the first things that pop into my head: -Pan some of those pad sounds to give this some space in places maybe. I do love volume changes with panning... -Didn't like the crackles on the drums at the start, but it grew on me. -For as exciting as the drums are in this, the second half at the end (3/4 thru, wood block part bit thing that leads to the end) seems mellow and same-e. It's a flow thing, a fine beat, but the song hasn't really locked a beat down till that point. -2 minutes long. -ZOMG!END!ZOMG!BADEND!ZOMG!

Mhokay, let me see here. For starters, I consider the introduction to be done well what you have, but need some tweaking to really bring it together. Rather than just adding a new instrument at each repetition of the theme, change something up. For the sound you seem to have going, I can imagine slowly bringing up the volume of the main sound, rather than starting off with it loud right at 0:15. Start at a whisper and trying bringing it up to full volume just before 0:28. See if you like it. You may, you may not. Another neat thing that you hear a lot of in techno and stuff is messing with filters on electronic instruments like your lead. I'm not a fan of the drum erm, squeaks? at 2:26? I wanna hear a snare there. It's almost a solo/half time feel and I wanna hear the drums really pop that. Personal taste. That creeping sound at 1:58? love it. If you wanted to add more erm, 'life' to this. Since it is a quiet piece, add accents and dynamics in some places. You've got to be careful not to overdue it, but it might help. I find it a really easy way to cover up repetition. Now, about the bells at 1:58, coming from a person who's played the tubular bells. I can tell you about the wonders of the pedal. The instrument itself is played with hammers and has a pedal to let the bells resonate, or not, depending on the music and conductor. 90% of the time when I played it, it was muted unless it was a solo. That being said, they're awfully sparse in there. I'd add some 'lead in' notes 2 counts before what you've got now, rather than just a note ever 2 measures. I think it needs more, but not ringing and muddying things up. at 2:39 the lead is a neat instrument, but I don't think it really works for the sound you've got here. It's too, eh, abrasive maybe? For the style I mean, especially in the higher frequencies. It's being echoed by that pad sound, which will have your notes and body, you just need something to make an entrance and give it some punch, maybe could have a slower attack and sustain to tone what you're using down a bit or something. I dunno. Just gotta play with it. Hope this helps -He

Hm. I wonder if I could have brought that bass pad down an octave, it ended up on the same frequencies as the actual bass...

Thx jer

DOH! I didn't think about it from the competitive point of view. I'm here for fun and improvement. I was gonna remove the link after reading that, but I've been beat to it (good on the admins for heads up ) XD I pm'd douil the same time I made that post. Thanks

Sorry for the delay. I got something short and (I hope) pretty easy to work with. It's in 4/4 Bb, so it's Bb and Eb. Didn't take many other notes on it. LINK REMOVED EDIT: It just occurs to me, the voting hasn't yet ended. Technically, if there was another entry, I'd have had to wait to see if I'd won anyways. XD When I realized that I laughed. PS: Remember to vote and critique mine! I'll love you forever.

THEY'RE ONTO ME! I'll troll this topic for a day or so for an update. Then I'll submit and new source if need be. I'd still like to hear Wrath's finished product one way or another...

Bummer. Upload it to tindeck or whatever you use. I wanna hear it. ALSO, if you wanna vote for mine and critique it, I'd appreciate it. So I can, you know... get better. I'll get started on somefin in the mean time.

A pessimist is what an optimist calls a realist. Also, my entry is up. Looking for more when I get back from werk.

I have to master mine. I think. I had to delete the source to avoid endless tinkering with it... Also, I stand by my last finger pointing post. I blame Bioshock 2 for any shortcomings with this entry EDIT: New sig should say it all. Epic game.

It has a mega man-ish feel to it. Also, if my entry is crap, blame mass effect 2 and bio shock 2. It's going to be a busy few days...

Aw, you going to make me look bad with an early entry? Mine is maybe MAYBE halfway to where I want it... Still got a few days to keep crackin tho. So no worries... Yet.

I'm now at a point where I like the MIDI more than what I'm working on. Is that a bad thing? Also, I'm disappointed in how non active this thread is... Anyone awake out there?

Moi ish like et vury mush! I'll have to see if anythin pops into mind for it. Problem with a source I like is the temptation to listen to it on loop and not get anything done.

Lets see if I remember how to do this. This is all about the latest (as I saw) mix. I like all the sounds you have, but to me, there could be some balance work done. Bring some of your lead instruments down and the overall volume of your mix up in places. You have an ascending pattern that sounds good, but is very repetitive, I'd consider changing some panning on it slow lefts and rights and/or volume to make it seem more varied than it really is. I really want to hear more low sounds in this. Some bass sounds would really help the kick drum blend in better. Could be a balance issue, could need some instruments or EQ work, not really sure. As far as structure, it's okay now. I could really see some volume tweaks and tempo changes helping the whole (slow mix) thing. I think it sounds pretty good, I'm just not getting the slow feeling that you may be going for. Hope this helps.

I worked on it last night. For whatever reason, I'm having a stupid-hard time getting the sound I want... Of course, I don't ever seem to know what I want, so. It's Uh. -THINK!-best way to save face-uh. Coming alone nicely! yeah...

I wasn't but I think I can get something done in 3 days. We'll see. My parts came, so I'm werkin on it now.

I'm waiting on pieces for my computer. I've had to RMA some stuff... 34 days and counting. Never buy anything from POWERCOLOR, FYI. Anyways, I HOPE to get somenfing for 2010, we'll see EDIT: Stuff comes the 16th, don't think I'll make this one Q.Q

I found this amazing cool thing. Science and insanity meet... music? For incredible highs. -Attempted techno babble ahead- Q: Why is this better than a normal speaker? A: Normal speakers have different size components for different frequencies. Bigger for lower sounds, smaller for higher. Instead of using a conventional medium to convey the sound, this uses plasma. Higher sounds are harder to make because the driver is moving the medium to produce the sound waves, and each move is resisted by the material. The higher frequencies are shorter, and more distorted to inertial problems than their larger counterparts. This eliminates the material that the tweeter would be made out of, so there is no real limitation to the highs because the medium doesn't have the traditional resistance, just the plasma. Cool, huh? AND ALSO, I didn't know where to put this thread

Hot head bop is prolly my favorite DKC2 song. First off, I love the drum sounds you've got working in this. Some places, it seems like the snare may be too loud. Consider quieting a few of the 16th notes to closer to ghost notes status. Same with the snare drum fill, some dynamics and really popping that last note might help it. I also sort of feel like a lot of the instruments are in the same range. maybe move some things up or down an octave and see if you like it better there. The bass on the hot head bop feels kinda weak to me. But I'm sure that's because I want that low there for my own selfish purposes Hope this helps