GrayLightning

Really fun sounding, but the arrangement is a bit disjointed in my view. It really does sound like the guitar and the original source just being combined. While they work on some level together, I don't think they really work as cohesively as they should. Also I think there's an odd very lo-fi overly distant sound coming from everything in the mix. This needs a lot of work on these two main areas and considering these two are our main categories in judging a mix, I can only go with a NO. Fun listen though. I hope to hear more from you guys.

One thing I'm starting to notice in a lot of SirNuts' mixes is that sometimes there's way too much high end. I'm not sure if it's because his monitoring equipment are inaccurate or if he just likes it that way. But from the get go this mix sounded very thin and very extreme to me. There was a lot of bottom end then a lot of treble. I think you should work on balancing those issues out with EQ or go back to the mixing stage. I'd personally like to hear some more middle frequencies as of now I think it lacks body. The arrangement itself is above average. I think this is one of Sir Nuts' least creative and least polished mixes to be honest. As noted by larry I also thought this was a bit bloated. I think about 1-2 minutes could be chipped off for a more complete mix, either that or make the mix evolve somehow in the later stages. Production is above average, but is weighed down by some of the issues I cited. Sorry bros, Nuts you know I dig your stuff but this is just underpolished and pedestrian from what I'd expect of you. NO

Well first of all, consider buying the full version of FruityLoops. The demo isn't going to take you far and in part that shows here. This does sound beginnerish. I hate to use that label, but it's a label that fits in this case. I think it's a good attempt considering your circumstances. The arrangement has some interesting ideas but on the whole just comes off as lackluster and underdeveloped. The sequencing is very rigid and mechanical. This is best exemplified by the gamelan/steel drum. The timing is too perfect, there are no velocity changes. It just all sounds the same with no variation. Supplementing beats are extremely basic also. Production as a whole is lacking or nonexistent. This sounds like a basic sequence with basic GM samples put in its stead. Nothing interesting in mixing or mastering or the production values. It's not a bad mix, and it's a good effort for one of your first submissions. Keep working at it or consider using and learning free music tools. There's a thread about mixing for free in our remixing forum. But this is a long, way off from making our bar in every category. Unfortunately, NO.

Skillz!

I heard this weeks ago and was immediately impressed. What I appreciate especially is that this source material is so difficult to mix (I've tried without satisfying my own desires to complete it) - so the fact that someone has taken up this task and has done so in a fantastic way is a treat for someone who likes this theme, SOM music or even game mixes in general. As I've told you before, stellar work Harmony.

A few months ago, at Anime Remix some of us judges there complained about your overuse of the well known and overused enigma shaku phrase. Unfortunately you overuse it to ridiculous levels here as well. I think it definitely adds a nice element in the mix but when it's overused so much like it is here, it loses its impact and its cool factor. Now as far as this mix, this is definitely the best I've heard from you. The arrangement is thought out and works. What I think really makes this mix is the good blending of all the textural elements. The synths, pads, drums and perc all fit. Production is a big leap above what I've heard from you as well. I don't have many issues here that would be only nitpicking. Good arrangement and good production overall. This mix works on those levels and more importantly, especially for this genre is an extremely enjoyable and catchy listen. Refreshing work. YES

Fixed it. Simply awesome stuff. Fixed it back to what he said prior. The contrasting opinions of LAOS and Liontamer continue.

Koelsch has contacted me and has asked me to post "I am no longer offering this service."

In case I later forget, the file is above 6 MB.

Liontamer and I requested Israfel submit this and his Greater Alchemic mix when he stepped down from the panel in July. They are his older mixes from 2002, but all have withstood the test of time and definitely deserve to be part of the OCR canon.

I was listening to this again today, forgot to give props to Darke's Aviator Soul ~ Theme of Great Ace before. Good stuff bro. I have rarely heard anything as of late that fits the title of the mix as well as this one. Adored the ending. Really Fun!

This is really repetitive and simple. I can't blame the mixer too much as the source material is pretty simple as well. There's way too much reverb here, and that's a lot when I say something like that. I think it's more to do with the mix being glossed over with a big amount rather than various layers of dry to wet (front to back). I think you can use the cello/double bass lines better. The sample you have doesn't sound like it has anything alternating for up and down or roundrobin, so when faced with that sort of issue, I don't think you should be sequencing lines that fast since they just sound wonky as they do here. Consider using slower lines or even different articulations to get your idea across with the samples you have. Generic synth design doesn't help much here either. Average attempt on production and execution on the whole, in my view. It's not bad by any means but I would consider trying to add more of an original concept next time. Keep working at it. NO

I know how difficult it is to resubmit a mix (the wait time, the hope that the judges will feel it's an upgrade, etc.). I can sympathize. Now as far as this mix, in many ways it's an upgrade. But starting the mix off you have these really ugly guitars. It sounds so thin and twangy. This is a problem that I think should be corrected in two ways, re-composition and processing. Consider using chorus then delay/reverb on that guitar to thicken it up. Secondarily as mentioned, it's too mechanical, too perfect, too sequenced. Try messing the timing up a little more to give it a more fluid feel. The pizz's are also a little bland. I would thicken up the composition in that, perhaps use more than one or two notes per instrument. Also I feel they should be louder and have more reverb (they sound rather dry) or possibly consider using early reflections to make them bigger but still upfront sounding. I do like the additions you've added, the bird fx is more appropriate now and the brass stabs are less irritating, but I still feel this is a case of lack of polish. The concept and arrangement doesn't really take form in my opinion. The atmosphere and composition is thin throughout. The top end is nice, and the bottom end via the bass is good throughout, but in between those elements there's almost a void. I'd like to hear more processed percussion at least to give this more umph or some pads in between. Production is much better now, if not a bit vanilla. Other than the gated pads, I think you could try out more things to spice up the mix some more. Like at the end where you have the waves autopanning or shifting from side to side. Things like that add a new dimension to the mix. A processed pad like that could give this mix more appeal on one level or another. Good step forward. But I still think it needs a lot of work. I hope you don't give up, as this has the makings of something special, but right now I think it needs more polish. PS. Whatever you decide, don't change the synth bells at all. NO

This suffers from a number of problems that plague beginners in the scene. So the term beginneritis may be an unfair statement but this mix on some levels comes off that way. The sounds simply don't mesh on a sonic level, the frequencies clash. You have a lot of similar sounding frequencies all vying for attention. When trying to work on that, this has to go to back to the drawing board. Think of how your sounds blend together from a sonic and compositional perspective. How does the sound of your lead, harmony, bass combine together? Don't forget with a heavily shifted mix towards the bottom end of things, you also have to make space for your kick drums. Here it just sounds so blanketted. It doesn't work in this context in my view. I'd like to hear this with some more balls, some kick, so to speak. It's too weak. These are some concepts that you should grapple with before even in the EQ stage. On the arrangement side of things, as has been mentioned by the others, there's not much interpretation going on here either. It sticks close to the source. I would think of how you can spice this up with your own flavor, as well as for a mix of this genre, this needs a hook. There's no energy here, no noteworthy build up. Consider adding some hats or tambourine or hand percussion to help drive this mix. Keep working at it. This is not bad by any means, but it's not anywhere near of what we would pass at this stage. Good luck in the future. NO

I'll bring this up with dave tonight and Israfel's mix as well, both of which have been gathering more mold than liontamer's fro.

Dhsu sent me the list. I've updated the first post to reflect that. If Dhsu or anyone else wants to update the list and PM it to me with the names of the people linked to their OCR profile, that would be really helpful.

Congrats TO for your first review. Now as far as this mix: I personally feel there was little source material to work with, so with any kind of expansion in this context would sound liberal. I'm personally torn on this one and at this point I can only abstain per the rule of, if one isn't sure, we should go the conservative route. I agree on some level that this is overly liberal, but given the context, I'm not sure what the alternative is. I believe (my personal pov only) in this case it is a case of subjectivity. Still, I think Hemo and pixie deserve to be applauded for one great piece, despite it's subjective shortcommings of which I can only objectively abstain or borderline No. Hemo keep at it and don't be discouraged, you've made tremendous progress in the last few months. You will be making it to OCR soon with quality work of this level, minus some of the compositional issues. Finally, Pixie, splendid contribution as always.

I saw this as soon as djp put it up, but I rarely comment when I already voted on it on the panel. Kudos to the first review though.

I like the fact that we have something like this to call our own. I don't think it's elitist or close-minded. I see it as more focused on something related to our side of the community. That's the distinction.

I love the sound of this and really hate that we're in the position as we are here, because this is a conservative mix (if you can call it that, perhaps cover). It's a debeatable point. In my view the creative factor here is limited and while I would personally find it uncomfortable to say this is just a cover, by the same token I can not say this arranged enough for OCR standards. There's a lot of nice subtle additions here that make this beyond a cover to me, but as pointed out when this mix is covering source material this is so often covered, we're looking for something new brought to the table. I really like this, but there's not enough alterations/interpretations or expansions in my view beyond the solos and subtle additions. I'd like to see more conceptual ideas brought to the table, whether it be structural changes, or harmonic and/or melodic expansion. Great performance too. I really want to yes this, but this too borderline and doubtful for me to pass. At such a conclusion, I can only go with NO with a strong suggestion of a resubmit.

Larry asked for my help and opinion on this mix as he had trouble picking it out at first. I think the problem with a lot of Doom type source materials is how minimal there is a material to work with, so anything that expands on it has a great danger of sounding very liberal. In this case, I think this bears repeated listenings for some people, because there's a lot of subtlety and lack of overtness that might not make itself apparent at first. Some people will get this, some won't. In this case I think it's a very nicely combined mix of two materials into one cohesive arrangement. This is typical of a lot of TO's mixes. Atmospheric with lots of powerful rock type drums/electro drums/percussion. Production in general here is tastefully done. I really can't see a reason not to pass this. Good work, and I love the instruments! YES

Congrats guys.

I helped Dhsu on this, more info above. Vote is resumed.

This is a huge step up from Mythril's previous mixes. He took a kind of dull source material and crafed a very captivating, intricate and textural mix out of. Mythril has been listening to a lot of new age music and it's pretty evident in this. This has a lot of the markings of Cinematic New Age, reminds me a bit of some of my more cinematic stuff. I hear a lot of David Arkenstone influences here. The atmosphere of the mix is just great all around. I love the little subtleties with the chromatic bell/glock similar metal instrument (the xylo larry refers to) and all the percussions. The ethnic hand drums add a great accent to the piece. This is all supported with nice solo string, pads and choir passages. Some of the high frequencies from the percussion could have been softened, and I think some of the instruments could have benefited from longer tails via reverb or delay. He spent months working on this, since late last year, and the hardwork has clearly manifested itself with this jewel of a mix. Easy YES.

I don't think this is a very daring interpretation, but it's a good arrangement regardless. The synths are interesting and of good quality. The beats really drive this forward, as they should for a mix of this nature. I actually liked the piano, though I will agree with Liontamer's comment on the mechanical nature of it. However, it's pretty par for the course on a lot of electronic material. Production in general is a huge leap from what we've heard from majin/ambient before. The sounds all sit in the mix nicely. The problem with some of majin's older stuff is the polish and execution was just not there. Here, everything has its own place and they all work together. There's cohesion and good pacing. While I don't think it's the most daring interpretation, there's a solid and tangible quality to the mix that deserves a YES. Keep improving guys, this was a good first step. Well done.