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TheReverend

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  1. Hey all, it's been a while since I've been here. I have a piano waltz remix of the Village and Town themes from the SNES version of SimCity and was hoping for some constructive criticism and evaluation of this track. I've only done a little effect work, and while it's not dry, it's not polished either - but that will be fixed. Mostly looking for critiques of the arrangement and content. Thanks for listening! Valse de SimCity: https://soundcloud.com/ryan-joseph-miller/valse-de-simcitywip Sources: Village - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPcP8MRh8r4 Town - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzL5W8regZY&list=PL49FD69EAB07C9C7A&index=4
  2. Thanks again for the feedback everyone. In this newest update, I tried a different guitar sample and tried to humanize it a bit more. Made some other adjustments to volume levels and I also added a new part later in the mix. Please let me know what you think! I certainly appreciate it!
  3. Thank you all for the prompt feedback. I don't have too many options to change the guitar sample. A lot of what I have access to sounds the same, so I'm not sure where to go with that quite yet. However, I did modify the release so (hopefully) it sounds more organic and less robotic. I changed the e-piano sound to something with less brightness at the top end. Some minor changes to quantization. I didn't want to do too much and have it sound sloppy. Minor adjustment to djembe crescendo. I appreciate your feedback guys! So so much!
  4. Hello all. This is a mix I have had for years and years, but I didn't really work to get it polished. It's complete and I'm looking for opinions or suggestions, as I'd like to have it considered for admission to the site. It's a remix of a very short theme, the menu select from Mario 64. Please give it a listen! Thanks! Source: http://youtu.be/2HhdZMpSvXg Remix: https://soundcloud.com/ryan-joseph-miller/file-select-v9-5-sm64-file
  5. Pros: I really like the synthy brass instruments you have playing the initial chord arps/stabs. In fact, the general sound of the song really does it for me. It sounds almost ethereal with a little bit of an edge. I love the atmosphere! Especially that wobbly pitched synth. The piano really lends itself well on top of the synth sounds you have. I can't say any more how much I enjoy the sound. The drums give this an easy groove and I think the sound you have achieved with the drums really complements the rest of the track. I found myself bobbing my head while listening to this mix. Cons: Stylistically the mix is a solid adaptation from the original source, but I worry that the progression and chord structure would keep this too much like the source to be considered as an OCR track. It is somewhat repetitive, but it's to be expected (to a degree) in this genre. There are many clever things you can do to keep it refreshing even if it is repetitive. I think timaeus hit the nail on the head here. He's got a lot more suggestions in his reply that offer some very specific changes that could really help you elevate this mix above the rest. It's on the edge of something to really capture the listener, but it's not quite there yet. Other Thoughts: This is good stuff. The sounds you have and the mixing sounds pretty solid. With some attention to the arrangement and progression (as mentioned earlier by timaeus), this thing can really take flight and garner some serious consideration for OCR. I hope to hear more soon!
  6. Pros: It is refreshing to hear this theme (The Day the World Revived) included in a mix. It's a beautiful, albeit short, track from a beloved game. I really like the atmospheric sound you have, namely the stuttered bells throughout the track and the pianoish/bell chords you lay down. The gated synths give this a nice electronic feel too. Cons: The drums here are the most glaring issue with the song. The rest of the mix sounds inspired and you've paid attention to the sounds you create. The drums, on the other hand, sound plain, boring, and are not dynamic at all. It sounds very much like a drum machine. Now, I know you don't want something really organic because it won't fit the soundscape. However, there's some significant work that needs to be done here. I can't offer much advice because I have little experience with a trance style of drums, but you might consider some different samples to include to supplement the kick and hihat. That's really all I hear in the song ever is kick hat kick hat kick hat kick hat. You will have a lot more freedom over the sequencing of the drums if you can find some additional samples to flesh out the kit. A snare seems like a must to me and some other hihat sounds and cymbal crashes would help too. Other Thoughts: I'll have to listen again later to see if I have any other critiques. The drums really made it difficult for me to appreciate the other things you have going on here. That said, you do have some good stuff, so don't give up! I think with some TLC on the drums you can really make this mix shine.
  7. timaeus is right. This track is really, REALLY loud and the parts are not clear. It makes it difficult to hear the source usage. It sounds like you have some cool stuff going on (I am clueless about metal), but the song just sounds smashed, muddy, and loud. Perhaps bringing the volume down some and doing some EQ cutting like timaeus suggested would clear it up. I'd like to hear what you do with it. This is a creative take on a timeless theme that has been done over and over and over. It's a refreshing style for the source. Just don't blow my ears up!
  8. Pros: I think the intro is pretty sick. I feel like you're winding up for a drop at around :08, but the track keeps chugging along. It works, but I think you can REALLY amp up the excitement here. The synth blips, slides, and whatever other madness that is at 0:54 is super sweet! I think the phasing lead sound you have in the beginning carries the melodic line fairly well. Just be careful not to overload us with that sound. I like the slightly detuned bass sound in the beginning. I feel like as the song progresses it could really benefit by morphing that sound into a razor sharp saw or something similar to give it a grating edge. Just my opinion. Cons: The drums become repetitive quickly. The sound in general is really, REALLY loud and the soundscape often sounds muddy. This makes it difficult to pick out some of the individual parts. The "B" portion of the song works, but I think this is really a time where you can give the track some time to breathe and open up. The fast pace could benefit from some openness and fresh air. The listener could definitely be hooked even more if you do it right. Just a suggestion. I find the song holds my attention well up to 1:08. That's your "B" portion I think. This is where I think you should switch out some instruments or open things up for the listener to keep them interested. Other Thoughts: You definitely have some seriously cool things going on here, but in general the track is just really damn loud and it sounds like you've compressed the ever loving stuffing out of the whole thing. I am excited to hear more. I hope this helps!
  9. Hello all! I've made a few updates to this track, namely adding sax parts, trying to shuffle up the repetitive drum tracks, and fleshing out the mix. A few things to note: The transition from 3/4 to 4/4 is still rough. I haven't yet decided how I want the mix to make the switch, but it's there. The intro is a bit long at :40, but I tried to bring out the source melody a bit more so it is more easily recognizable. I changed the chord structure a teeny bit. It may not be enough yet to keep it interesting, but I'm trying and open to suggestions. Please let me know what you think! I'm excited to hear what OCR has to say about it. The updated link is in my original post.
  10. Derp. My mistake. Apparently I completely ignored OP's parentheses. So, ignore the OCR related comments, although I have to admit I didn't know the acronym MnP until now. My apologies for the confusion!
  11. Pros: You've taken some liberty with the soundscape that gives it an open, ambient, metallic, and airy feel as far as some of the fringe instrumentation goes. I think you can do a lot more of this to give the whole song this atmospheric feel with some tweaking of the other sounds and some creativity with the arrangement. The bells and chimes near the end of the song really amplify this effect in my opinion. Cons: The lead instrument sounds really flat and dry. Like a synth organ that hasn't been processed or changed at all. The bass line is pretty bland. I'm not saying it has to be way over active here, but it just sounds like a pad that is always playing the bass note for the length of the bar throughout the whole song. Synth strings at 0:40 are a good reprieve from the lead instrument, but they still sound...plain. It may be worth mentioning that the arrangement is far too similar to the original for a "remix" as far as OCR is concerned, but if this is a project meant for different criteria, you can ignore arrangement critiques. The arrangement sounds robotic as well, as if there is no humanization of the rhythm or note velocities. I know the source well but I haven't listened to it. It may be that the overall tuning of the song has changed, but the chord progression is nearly identical if I remember correctly. This arrangement seems to lack your own style and take. Breathe some Necrox style into this and pump it up! Other Thoughts: Overall this sounds like a MIDI rip with some nice instrument flares on the edges. The main melodic lines are nearly note for note copies of the original melody throughout the song and they are played by instruments that sound uninspired and flat. This has a long way to go to qualify for an OCR remix, but I'm not sure if that's what you are intending. If you are aspiring to submit this to OCR, you can work within the sound structure you have, sans the lead instruments. Use that with a heavy dose of creativity and your own take on the original melody and you can grow from there. P.S. - this might sound harsh but I'm trying to be constructive. I myself am far from a professional remixer or sound guru. I mean no offense by any of it.
  12. Hello OCR. I have another thread to add to this page. I have been toying around with a new style (for me) in FL Studio while awaiting a creative burst and/or feedback on my other WIP here. This is a jazzy take on the Hilltop Chase theme from Kirby Super Star. A few things to note: This is definitely early on in the song. There are a few clipping/compression issues, the time change is still musically wonky, and the track ends before the 2 minute mark. Please let me know what you think of the style and arrangement. I am anxious to see if this is something I should trash or continue. Thanks again to all of you who listen and comment! Source: http://youtu.be/Opp9sns9z9Y My WIP: https://soundcloud.com/ryan-joseph-miller/hilltop-shuffle-kirby-super
  13. Thank you! I have been hoping this would gain a little traction again on these forums. Some feedback will help me get things moving again. I would like to complete this and submit it to OCR in the future.
  14. Pros: This is seriously one of the most incredible adaptations of such a readily identifiable video game theme. You have turned this into a majestic and cinematic piece. It is somewhat dark, open, and flighty, as if the listener is truly flying above the world. I can't say enough about how much I love, LOVE L.O.V.E. the arrangement you have. The strings give an incredible amount of depth to the lead melody and lend themselves well to setting the general mood of the piece. The pace picks up at 1:26. It's a nice bump to keep the listener engaged. I know this is a WIP, but by the time the horns come in again I'm ready for a wall of brass to blow me away with a massive and thunderous roar. But that's my opinion. The pace is great no matter what you put with it. Cons: I agree that the solo trumpet sound isn't entirely convincing, but it works for right now. I'll bet that you can easily get someone to provide you with a top notch sound if you want to collab on the OCR forums. The cymbal sample you use at 1:46 isn't at all convincing to me. It sounds like the quality is just inferior compared to all the other sounds you have going here. The placement isn't bad if you use a better sound (which I'm confident you will), but this one just doesn't work. I think the fact that the only two cons I can find involve sound/sample issues is quite a feat. (Of course, I am not a musical prodigy or anything). I can't really find anything that I dislike in the arrangement of the song. Well done! Other Thoughts: This remix has HUGE potential. You've done so much in 2 minutes and haven't even begun to really get into the meat of the source tune. I am so excited to hear what you have us listen to next. This is solid gold. I look forward to hearing more, and the sooner the better!
  15. I am not at all familiar with this game or the source, but I'm going to give this a listen and share what my impressions are. I only mean to provide constructive criticism, so please don't take any of it personally if it sounds harsh. Pros: I really like the percussion and the small nuances you have in the beginning of the track. It really gives it some drive and I found I was immediately bobbing my head to the beat. I hear a faint brassy/bitcrushed brassy stab pattern that gives some depth along with that booming, fat bass. I really, REALLY like the soundscape you've painted up to 0:36 when things start to switch up and gear up for the melody. I really like the guitar sounds you have here. The first rhythmic guitar sounds pretty mellow and dark, while the melodic guitar part adds a bit of color to an otherwise dark sound. Kudos! At 1:01 you bring in a singing synth sound that really gives this a nice addition. It soars above the rest. At 1:26 you enter the B part of the song after playing around on the guitar for a bit. I liked it, but it seemed a little short for my tastes. At 1:42 you introduce an arpeggiating synth that adds a nice nostalgic layer to the sound you have. Overall I think the mix is pretty solid too. I felt like each instrument was able to breathe pretty well and I didn't have to struggle to make out the parts. This has got some pretty friggin' sweet stuff near the end with the singing synth above the rhythm section, the rising guitar line, and some strange filter effect I can't quite identify starting at 2:18. It literally sounds like you're squeezing the hell out of the sounds in the background, and I love it. Cons: I feel like you do so well in building up the musical suspense. This mix has a lot of drive and a lot of layering that you do remarkably well. It left me feeling like it never REALLY took off though. I expected some out of this world guitar riff to rock me stupid or melt my face, but it never happened. I think you have a LOT of room to really make your mix shine because the percussive groove is there, the fat bass line is there, the ominous, dark soundscape is there, but nothing really brought it to life. I bet you could get more mileage out of the song in terms of length and definitely melody if you played around with it. The ending seems a bit...abrupt. You start wrapping up the song to an ending pretty well, but the ending just happens with a short drum fill and a (brilliant) stuttered synth arp. I'm not sure if it just sounds awkward because I haven't listened to it enough, but it seems too soon, IMO. Other Thoughts: I think you have a good, solid mix going here with some terrific drive, stellar sounds and samples, and a clean soundscape that really gives the listener an urgent, ominous, and dark mood. I think this definitely has incredible potential, but it's already great. I hope you will add a bit more to it and really give it a bit more of your creativity by adding a melody that can really draw the listener in and bring this track to life.
  16. Hello! I am not at all familiar with the source music, but I will give this track a listen. I am an amateur listener, but I will provide my critique as honestly as I can. Nothing I say is personal, and I only hope it is constructive and helps you get a "YES" from OCR! Pros: I like that the drums aren't way overactive. I think it lends the song a groovy kind of drive that isn't frantic sounding. I reverse cymbals are a nice addition to sections of the song as well. Just be careful not to overuse them so they lose their intended effect. The choir stabs give this a really nice ambiance and are used tastefully and no so liberally that I get tired of hearing them. Djembes are a nice touch and gives the mix an almost tribal feel for part of the song. I was really sad to hear this section end so soon. I think you could do quite a bit with the lighter, "tribal" sound. However, I really liked the transition back into the full song. The flute instrument you use in the aforementioned section also contributed greatly to the tribal feel. I really like that instrument and I can hear it faintly in the background throughout the mix. 1:22-1:24 filter drop is a pleasant transition into the "B" part of the song. 1:37 instrument fill is a tasteful bit on the top. It was a nice tease, and I REALLY like the sample you use. The rhythm guitar inclusion really gives this mix a heavy drive, but it starts out sounding somewhat hollow, but that fits with the initial filter fade into the full rock section of the song. I address this below, but it may be falling victim to overcompression. Cons: Choir sample initially struck me as a bit flat, but it's grown on me during subsequent listens. Not sure if I see this as a con anymore. Tinny sounding lead arpeggio. It just sounds a little edgy and grating (to me) to open the track with something that sounds like a laser beam on my skull. It fades into the mix fairly well later on in the track. There's nothing to brace the listener for that razor sharp sound right out of the gate. Guitar sounds a little hollow, like the lower frequencies were slashed substantially. However, (as I address further down) this might be due to some mixing issues. The bass sample you have repeating through most of the song also sounds somewhat flat, almost like FL BooBass. I feel like it has a good driving pattern, albeit somewhat repetitive (but that's what basslines do, right?). I'm just not sold on the sample. It also tends to be a bit busy for my taste. The only real dynamic contrast I noticed in the song was between 0:36 and 0:52. Part of that was the instrumentation used in that section, but I think the song is somewhat overcompressed. I am no expert of course, but it does seem like your waveform is pretty maxed for most of the song. It sometimes sounds muddy with all of the instruments playing at once. From 2:12 to the end of the song, I have trouble hearing the bassline and kick drum, as the track is already so full with the lead melodic instrument and the rhythm guitar. Perhaps backing down the level of compression and balancing the instruments a bit more might alleviate the "too full" feeling of the track. Other thoughts: I am no mixing master, guitar guru, or musical genius. I think this remix has a LOT of good in it with a few rough spots. I think some attention and polish to the mix and a few tweaks of the samples, mainly the bass and opening instrument, can do a lot to elevate this track closer to a YES. I enjoyed listening and wish you the best!
  17. Hey everyone! It's been a good while since I've been active on OCR threads, but I've gotten back into the swing of things and decided to give it another go. This is a re-upload of an old take on the Corridors of Time theme from Chrono Trigger. I know it's been done again and again, but please have a listen. A few notes: The last minute or so of the track is just stuff I was writing in an attempt to transition into the Memories of Green theme. The jury is out on if it stays and gets reworked, but I would like your opinion on the first 2:54. Thanks again guys!
  18. Hey guys! So this has been in the works for far too many months now, and I haven't been actively recruiting a guitarist, but let me know what you think of this latest iteration, sans guitar. Link is on original post, along with source. Thanks everyone!
  19. Thanks, Jordan. A good way to bump this thread and remind me that I still need a guitarist...(hint hint). I went ahead and updated the link again. I haven't gone back to mess with this mix since January or so. I think I'm about as far as I can get without a real guitarist, so I'm at a plateau, but of course, criticism is still welcome.
  20. Hot damn! The Good: The bass is just SICK at 1:38 (and further sections in the song, but too many to list out). It makes me want to kick ass like Guile. The insertion of sound bytes from the game into your mix is rather tasteful, in my opinion, especially at 1:37 with SONIC BOOM. Hell yes. The mix has a good synthetic feel to it, specifically the bass and the arpeggiating square wave. I'm mixed on the synth strings. More comments later. The "Final Round" is appropriate, both the sound byte and the change-up of the melodies and patterns you have earlier in the song. A fairly solid ending, I think. The Bad: I'd have to agree with the intro. You really don't have to do a whole lot before you dive into the meat of this mix with the drop. You could get away with half, or even less, of the intro. 1:37 is pretty long for such a minimal buildup. You don't want to lose your listeners before you drop your awesome bomb on them. While the synthetic feel is good, I think that your lead instrument needs to morph. Using a plain square wave is cool for a bit, but it gets dry and uninteresting quickly. I think this mix could really do for a more exciting instrument to lay on top of all the electric energy you create with that bass, the strings, and the beat. The mix tends to be a tad long. It doesn't introduce much that's new from 3:38 to 4:30. This could be where you kick it up to "11", or just cut straight to the chase; the fade out at 4:44. It would take some tweaking of the arrangement, but it's just an idea. Other Thoughts: There's a lot more that I like in this mix than what I dislike. You've got a rock solid idea and a pretty sturdy framework to build from and tweak. I definitely want to hear your next iteration of this mix.
  21. This is some schweet schweet music. The Good: It almost sounds like the beginning of an epic cinematic score. You've really done well in transforming the original source into something both interesting and brilliantly creative. Bravo. The diversity of instruments and the authenticity of the sounds are quite good. I particularly enjoy the flute. The steel drum is icing! This has major potential. The Bad: It's only like 50 seconds long! I am dying to hear more! Other Thoughts: This is already screaming "success". The sound you have in phenomenal. I can't wait to hear the finished product. If OCR would post 50 second remixes, I think this would pass.
  22. There are some good things going on here, as well as some not so good things. The Good: I think the overall style is a pretty sweet take on these tunes. It's an interesting mesh of the two melodies, but I think it works well. The use of percussion and percussive effects is one of the parts of this mix that really stand out to me. It's driving and liberal in diversity; this isn't just a standard drum kit with a 4 on the floor beat. I think you can sell these sounds even more if you change it up more in the busy parts, but it's quite good as is, IMO. The transition to the "bridge" at 1:54 is a nice change of pace. It gives the mix time to breath and recouperate from being so busy. I think you can really make this something spectacular, especially before diving into the final refrain. It just sort of happens rather than building up or dropping off. Use this part of the song to surprise the listener with something new, and then drop the bottom out and hit that last tag real heavy to top it off. The Bad: The instrument sounds are mixed. My issue is mainly with the strings and bass. The strings sound fairly generic and have a slow attack delay on them. This is especially noticable at 1:18 when you introduce the second strain melody. This instrument just doesn't work well on the moving parts. I think your mix could really benefit from a new sound here. Maybe something gritty and choppy to change things up. Maybe a gritty and bright synth? The bass is flat throughout the song, with little to make it more than a background arpeggio. You may consider spicing it up some. You can work in some really cool filter effects, bass stutters, wah wahs, or a combination of several effects. I think something like this would really help get a lot more mileage out of that bass line, but the best way to achieve that is to switch up the writing every so often. There's plenty of room in this mix to make it jive with more than just a constantly running bass. The writing is pretty good initially, but it gets a little boring later. I think it's mainly because the bass line becomes such a drag on everything else. The end of this mix just sounds messy at 2:31 on to the end. It's not that it can't work, but there is so much dissonance and note collision that it's difficult to listen to. Maybe some more creative changes to either melody will make this spot mesh better. I'd suggest really kicking this part up a notch if you're going to end the mix in this manner. If you can make this combination of dueling melodies a convincing climax, it can top off the mix and achieve what I think you're looking for. Other Thoughts: This mix is on the fence I think. There's a lot to do to make it OCR quality, but it's also not a bad start at all. I think this has some serious potential and I'd like to hear more.
  23. Posted a new update. Tweaked the timpani and made some slight changes to the percussion throughout the song. No new material yet. I haven't quite figured out how I want to work in the next theme. Let me know what you think! -Rev
  24. The Good: The arrangement itself isn't too bad. At times the melodic source sounds squeezed and rushed, but with a little attention you can rework this to sound a little more coherent as a lead line. You have some sweet stuttering effects going on with that synthy sounding piano. Honestly, even after years of fiddling with FL Studio, I still don't know how to do that. Sounds a hell of a lot better than my first FL mix. Haha. Kudos. The Bad: While the arrangement and application of effects are decent, the production is what is really lacking in this track. There are some noticeable volume discrepancies between instruments, poor quality samples (Slayer and the sax in particular), overcompression/hard limiting, and it's just really damn loud at times. The drum beat, while not bad per se, is missing some oomph. I think you could add some sweet sweet cymbal/hihat work in here to really kick it up and make this song groove. Make it somewhat subtle though. We don't want hihats blowing up our eardrums. Other Thoughts: Really, you're off to a great start. As I wrote earlier, the writing has got some potential and depth, so I'm not faulting you for creativity. However, some attention to production (effects tweaking, compression, overall balance, and volume) will take this from good writing to good music. I hope this is encouraging rather than discouraging. I am impressed with this being your first project in FL. Keep going; I'm eager to hear what you come up with next!
  25. Oooooh man! I'm digging this already! The Good: The ambient mood is set right away. It's soothing and mellow. The piano is a dark timbre and the strings are authentic and subdued. The percussion is pretty minimalistic, but tasteful (good things here!). I like that it's got a good flow to it right off the bat. There are some neat harpish sounding frills in the background. Yes! I think the sound you got out of your guitar is superb, considering the style and sound of this mix. It's very much in line with the mood. The overall arrangement is stellar. This is some easy listening and is the soothing, beautiful thing that music should be. The Bad: The kick has quite a bit of reverb on it and it sounds flat and lacking in bass. I'm not sure you'd want to pump that up a ton because that would upset the sound balance and mood, but you may want to cut the reverb down on it some and boost the lower freqs just a tad. The cymbals at 3:03 on are suprisingly dry compared to the rest of the material. A fair amount of reverb can really make these harsh hits more characteristic of the mix and add some desperately needed depth. The buildup section at 2:39-3:02 is good writing, but the soundscape starts to sound muddied and really full. I don't know if it's overcompression, or if it might be hard limiting on the master track simply due to all of the increased volume. Some EQ cuts in this section could help rectify the situation if done well. If your instruments crowd each other, it can sound a little muddy. Other Thoughts: As I said earlier, the arrangement and writing itself are top notch. Bravo! The only criticisms I had were all production issues rather than writing/originality/arrangement. I think with some minor tweaks to those sections will take this from superb to AWESOME. Great work. Look forward to hearing the next iteration. -Rev
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