TheReverend

This. is. absolute. MADNESS. And I love it! Who knew such a.....chaotic theme could be turned into something creative and innovative. Bravo.

So it's been a few months (more like 4) since I've updated this mix or this thread. There's a bunch of new material in here, in addition to a transition that hasn't quite been fleshed out yet. Let me know what you all think. The WIP link is on the first post. Thanks!

The Good: Dude, that guitar sound you've got for the backing/rhythm guitar is so sweet and so mellow. It really sets a distinct mood for this track. There's some real potential with that lead guitar when you break into the full set of instruments. I like the melodic line itself, and it's some nice playing (at least to a non-guitarist). Do something to bring it out more, as it's a little buried in the mix. Some EQ cutting on all the instruments and the drums could really help open it up here. This mix is really going to go somewhere if you keep it up! The Bad: It sounds like there's a bass in the beginning. I'm not sure if there is one playing really quietly, or if it's low frequencies bleeding over from the rhythm guitar. If it's the former, turn that base up a tad. If it's the latter, I'd recommend fading or cutting some of the lows out of the rhythm guitar. It'll really open up the song when all those instruments start piling onto each other. The transition is a shade rough. It's not altogether unfitting, but I'd suggest leading in with some minimal drum work (maybe brushes on the snare?). That, or really give it a big dump of awesome sound after a nice pause to accentuate the change in style. Other Thoughts: I dig it. I'm not overly familiar with the source, but I could definitely jam to a completed version of this. Good work!

This has a lot in it that's good, and a lot that's not so good, so here goes my honest critique. The Bad: Well, you've got to do something with a few of your sound choices. The arpeggiating bell tone sounds like a vanilla Sytrus preset that hasn't been produced or manipulated at all. It needs some effects or something to make it not so plain. It's also quite loud compared to the rest of the mix. You might automate the panning to go from side to side for a neat effect too. That sustained pad is way too much. I don't know if you have a filter on there or if it's another preset with a phasing effect included in it, but it's really edgy when the rest of your mix is not. It sticks out like a sore thumb in the mellow atmosphere of the song. Regardless of whether you change it or not, turn this down too. This is background stuff and should support everything else that's happening. I think the lead instrument is a mixed bag. It has a really melodic feel to it and the volume is just right, but because of the other pads/arps, it just feels wrong. Fix the other volume issues and I think this part will shine more. You'll have to do a little more creative variation for this to qualify as a remix. It's sounding more like a stylistic cover right now. You can use that as a base to work from, but you're gonna have to do more than change the instrumentation and mood to convince the judges that this is a bona fide remix. The Good: I really dig the mellow groove this mix has. It's evokes the image of walking in the rain on a dreary day, but at the same time it gives you that emotion. Hard to put it in words exactly, but the mood is just right. The drum sequencing is superb for this style. However, it needs some change-ups to prevent it from becoming boring. Keep the groove, but play with the patterns. The plucked bell sound (not sure how to describe it) at the very end of the melodic line is a nice touch. You should have it sound off more often to accentuate the melody and give your song more depth. Other Thoughts: The pads and the arps are really holding your song back from a sound standpoint. Change the sounds and balance them out to fit the mood. You do a good job of setting a great groove and mood with the drums, the bass, and the melody, but the pads and arps just kill everything you built up. Keep working at it. I'll be interested to hear more.

I find no reason why this isn't in Mod Review yet. This is exceptionally polished. Bravo.

New update. Added more to the song and tweaked some effects on existing parts. Let me know what you think!

It's no wonder I missed this mix; It was originally posted before I started trolling....errr....browsing the WIP forums. There aren't a ton of piano only mixes on this site, but the ones that are here are quite notable. I think this one will be too. There's a lot going on in this mix. The Bad: Although later I give you good marks on the inclusion of the original Mario tune at 1:10, I can also see why some would feel it wasn't well harmonized or found it too dissonant. Personally, I think it's fine, but perhaps a minor tweak in the running notes on the left hand might alleviate this complaint. Again though, I must echo my thought that this is a very minor qualm. I very much enjoyed that part, and I think the dissonance adds some flavor and tension to it. This is more a "mixed" thought than a "bad" one. I don't know if it's something you can easily rectify in your recording process or your production process, but there is just a slight hiss/noise in the background. It's hidden during the performance, but if you're listening for it you can hear it during the soft/silent parts. Really, this is being about as nitpicky as I can get, because I'm grasping for straws at things to critique. This is a good thing though, because it means there's not a bunch of WTF moments in your mix. The Good: The mood is soothing and mellow, but it gets exciting at parts, so mega kudos for this. It like Chicken Soup for the Soul, only in a song. Technically, the playing is great. No glaring rhythmic inconsistencies, no inadvertent pounding of keys. This comes across as well rehearsed and refined. Kudos. (I envy you and all other piano players). I actually enjoyed the original Mario theme you inserted at 1:10. At first listen it sounded like too much dissonance, but after listening again I think it is quite tasteful and adds some definite originality to your tune. Keep this! I almost thought it had ended at 1:33, and I was disappointed. But now you enter a much more "valse" style, or something like that (in my defense, I'm not much of a music theory savant). But I think this change in style also adds credibility to your remix's originality, and there's plenty of your own variation on the source materials here. Bravo. Other thoughts: This is promising. I was never around for the "raw" versions you posted last year, but hearing this mix definitely gave me positive feelings about it. I did take the time to review it and all.

Not gonna lie, I've never been able to produce a style like this, to my chagrin. But duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude! This is epic sounding! I have to echo the chief complaint thus far though: It's clipping hardcore, but that's an easily rectified production issue. The arrangement and instrumentation is just fantastic. Really man, this has incredible potential. You must take this farther. TheReverend demands it of you!

Posted a small update. Let me know what you all think of it thus far.

Hey everyone. I know I already have an active thread on my SM64 remix, but I was just messing around for a while on this WIP and decided I'd like to get the community's thoughts on my work so far. This is just a short take on the Corridors of Time theme from Chrono Trigger. Let me know what you all think of it. Source: My WIP:

Hey, thanks cvramen! I appreciate the feedback!

Check your inbox Johnny.

Damn! I've heard some mixes of Grabbag, but this one really caught my attention. This is a rocker for sure! I don't have much time to post a thorough review of it, but I definitely agree that this mix could benefit incredibly from some solid vocals. Sweet, sweet take on this piece. I'll try to come back sometime later to review this in more detail. Keep it up dude!

I find myself rocking out hard to this mix. I think I was just punched in the face with some awesome. The Bad: I think the drums still sound a little flat and dry. Take this with a grain of salt though; don't saturate them with reverb or anything. A little effects processing will go a loooong way in this mix. This is personal preference, but I think the kick needs just a slight bump in oomph and the hi-hats need a smidge of reverb for sure. The sequencing, however, is good. I think that's really the only complaint I have. The Good: That lead synth has really picked up some death. Good work on that! There's also a trade off between this synth and a slightly different sounding one later on. Edgy. Excellent. The whole soundscape sounds a little fuller now. The sweeping pads are a nice effect to achieve the above comment and also add some pizazz to the other parts. And as usual, that chiptune breakdown section is wicked sick. I envy you for this! Other thoughts: Excellent progress between iterations! I think this will pass muster for Mod Review soon! The blip is gone though.... A necessary amputation however.

Aiee! The updated remix WIP link has expired/been deleted. Can you repost it?

I have always enjoyed this song, so I'm excited to listen to your take on it. That blip is silly. Haha. The Bad: The lead instrument is a tad flat and uninteresting compared to the grungy feel of the rest of the mix. (0:56 is when it comes in) At 1:26 - 1:40 I'd make that bass line really punch it hard. It just sounds like the song should almost explode here leading into your chiptune breakdown (sweet, by the way). The drums are pretty flat and dry. This would be my biggest complaint of the song. Everything else sounds more refined, but the drums aren't cutting it. I think with some proper EQing, compression, and effects you can really make those drums shine. I was, however, pretty happy with the sequencing and variation of rhythm over time. The Good: I like the dark color and edgy sound of the instruments and the mood you create in the beginning from 0:00 to 0:41. "Get Ready". Yes! I think that's a tasteful addition. 1:07 - 1:11 and 1:22 - 1:26 that counter melody is a really nice taste. I'd make it just a tad less prominent. Dude, that chiptune effect you start at 1:41 is seriously sick. You keep it going all the way through 2:20 . You gotta tell me how you do that! I think the arrangement is pretty solid, honestly. I enjoyed listening to this very much. Other Thoughts: This has some serious potential for some serious damage to eardrums, and by that I mean I like this so much I'm listening to it too damn loud. It's already a part of my permanent library now, but there's a lot you can do to really make this remix stand out and shine. I am excited to hear your next iterations of this mix. In fact, I demand them! Keep up the great work!

Dude, with a 6:45 song you sure make it hard to critique the whole thing. This has morphed a lot since my last listen, and I'm glad to report that it has been an amazing transformation. There's some seriously rockin' stuff going on. The Bad: That sax lick at 1:58-2:00 is nifty, but it sounds a tad out of place. The sample is a little weak, but I think with some minor tweaks you can easily rectify that. Keep the lick, tweak the sound. That's it. The Good: I'm not sure if I'm remembering correctly, but the soundscape seems a lot more open in this newest iteration. I like it a lot! It sounds clean, but still energetic. Bravo. The transformation and difference in quality from the first few iterations is absolutely amazing. What is this new section/arrangement at 1:21-1:31?!?! Awesome, that's what! I got a kick out of it. There's so much variation on the source instrumentation and style, but the melody is very well preserved. There's no way you'll be critiqued negatively for this. DUUUUUUUUUUUUDE! 4:17 - 4:38 is GOLDEN! I got goosebumps! That is some incredible usage of another Mario theme to change things up and give it a fresh feel. Other Thoughts: Seriously man, I don't think I can give any more constructive critique for this mix. It sounds very well produced, deftly arranged, creatively varied, and the spectrum of sound is covered by many different instruments. This is a solid mix, and I don't expect it will be long before I see it on the front page.

The Bad: Ouch! That pseudo-guitar sound that is playing the bass line cuts like a knife. That wouldn't be Slayer by chance would it? It's also got a ton of reverb and delay on it. This has to go; get a new sample or make it not so edgy and dull the effects just a tad. With everything coming in, you get a beat going, but it goes nowhere. It's the same loop over and over again. This desperately needs some original writing or a healthy deviation from the source. It's just a dolled up 16-bit source in new sounds. After 3:34 of the original source, something new finally happens. But at 4:18, we are back to the same thing. I feel like the sound quality on all the instruments is subpar, like you used presets and did little to change them or tweak/add different effects to them. I hear that kick drum, but the rest of the percussion is severely buried. The end was awkward. The energy you build with the kick and the edgy sounds just stopped. I'd rework that. The Good: I'm struggling to put stuff here, as I hate to give critiques without any good or constructive criticism. The actual beat and groove you get going is the driving force in your song. It's a good place to build. Don't wait three minutes to introduce something new. Let us hear some original writing or creative arranging earlier on, before or at the one minute mark. Building on the previous statement, make those drums pop out at us. Even though they are a little buried, they keep the song moving strong. The groove is established early, but it gets monotonous. Some nifty drum work here and there would do wonders for you. Other Thoughts: If you want this submitted to OCR, it needs a lot of work. More variation from the source, more original writing, better sound quality, and a better ending, specifically.

Can we get a link to the source please? It makes it easier than digging through chiptunes or looking it up. Also, I want to be 100% sure I find the right source.

This is a song I haven't heard in a while. You might want to place a link to the source for us so we know exactly what we are listening to. Fortunately, I have the original chiptune to check it against. The Bad: You've got a ton of compression on this track. Just looking at the waveform of the song tells me the soundscape is cramped and doesn't have anywhere to go. This leads to pumping and different parts of the song fighting for space. The reverb on the drums is too roomy. It sounds like the drum kit is set up in a hallway and I'm listening from 40 feet away. That's the most evident, but I think the whole song could use a step down in reverb. You don't want it totally dry, but I'd slash that reverb. It will help with how squished the soundscape is too. The little breakdown section at 1:25-1:37 is a nice change up, but then we revert to the exact same thing as before. This section has potential. All the parts come back in immediately. Surprise us; write something to stand out in the song here, or extend the breakdown with a sick drum beat or do a funky bassline. I feel like the melody is a little buried in the mix due to two reasons: First, the electric keys you have playing the rhythmic chords/countermelody are too loud when the melody comes in. Second, the lead instrument is rather flat in sound. You'll want to invest in a new sample, or use some effects and EQing to beef this one up. It's especially buried when all of the instruments are playing at the end of the breakdown through the end of the song. The Good: This is quite a different style than the source, and it has a much more open and ambient feel to it like we're riding through a sunny countryside or urban metropolis rather than on a gritty, futuristic racetrack. You've preserved the source well, especially in the melody. Like I said earlier, my only real qualm with it is that the instrument playing it is flat and sterile. That breakdown at 1:25 is a refreshing break. I'd strongly encourage you to take some time and creativity in extending this. Write an original part here or sequence a sick drum breakdown or do a chiptune throwback to the 16-bit days of Nintendo. Throw us listeners a curveball that will be fresh to our ears. Other Thoughts: There's definitely potential here, but there are some production issues (overcompression, too much reverb, volume levels) and I think you could do well from a healthy dose of original composition in the breakdown section. On the other hand, it's a fresh take on a good old tune from F-Zero. I would definitely keep refining this.

I have a small update with just a few more volume level tweaks, a slight change in the melody of the guitar in the middle section, and keeping the remix link fresh for those who wish to listen. I've solicited an artist to try to record me an organic acoustic track that I can replace the samples with, but it may be a while, but keep your eyes peeled, folks! Thanks for all your support and feedback! -Rev

Either will work. I have someone offering to take a crack at it currently, but I'd be more than happy to have more tracks/guitars to work with if you're willing. Just let me know if you need anything like a MIDI or whatever. Thanks!