DarkSim

An orchestral arrangement of a chiptune source? Sign me up! I’ve got to commend your ambition on this one, especially since you’re using sampled instruments. I liked it a lot; here are my thoughts. The intro starts out perfectly, with all the pomp and majesty an epic knight’s tale warrants. Your instrumentation is on point, with that timpani roll leading into the brass and string build, with some lovely vibrato on the strings and a little tinkling bell to tickle the high end. Once the grand intro fades and we move into the snare rolls, there seems to be a disconnect in terms of timing between the rolls and the brass from 0:18-0:25. Was there a tempo change in the project during the build? It’s sorted from 0:25-0:37, so I can’t figure out why it sounds off before that. The flute lead sounds a little harsh at 0:57, however the long note at 0:59 is tempered with some vibrato, stopping it piercing too much. There’s some real drama with those low strings from 1:15-1:43, and the flute is mixed a lot quieter here which works well, although I appreciate you’re not going for a flute lead here. This dramatic section leads into a really interesting piano solo that does sound a little robotic at times, but because of the quirkiness of the solo, I actually don’t mind the slightly fake-sounding performance. There’s an odd moment at 1:55 where the strings come back in after the piano solo, and I think what’s going on there is you’ve used some volume automation to fade them in, instead of using a longer attack. Not a bad workaround if your samples are at their limit, but it does sound strange to my ears. In future, try and take a little more care with filter automation and draw more natural-sounding curves if you can. Of course, the best way to do it would be to find a sample that has a longer attack. The string section from 1:55-2:34 is nicely balanced with the left and right sides of the stereo space playing off each other, however I’m catching a pop in the left ear at 2:30. The thing that stood out to me most in this track were those 2 flute chords from 2:51-2:53. They’re absolutely not working for me, and mixed too loud so they really stand out like a 2-tone whistle on a lifejacket. Best heard in emergencies, not orchestral mixes! I would have liked a trilled flute note, layered with some brass or other deeper woodwind in place of the other flute, not playing such a jarring chord. After the strings, we move into some deep brass, then finish with some triumphant trumpeting and more pomp and fanfare on the knight’s return. It’s a well-constructed ending, but again you can hear a very audible pop at 3:30. I’ve already mentioned sample attack, but the sustain and release at the end could do with being a little longer too (hold the final note at 3:27 to milk it a bit), or perhaps the reverb decay. I just felt it ended a little abruptly. Overall it’s a fantastic arrangement, and a surprising feat to have pulled off in this style. There are some clear points for improvement, and some other minor issues that could be cleaned up in future mixes, but this does enough for me to make it through. YES

This is a lovely source, and you’ve gone for a similar pace and instrumentation with this ReMix, embellishing it with some nice countermelodies and expanding on the orchestral ensemble. As it’s in a similar style to the original, I’d expect a significant upgrade in terms of production and humanisation, however as the other judges have noted, it falls a little short on that front. The piano right out of the gate is very clean, and sounds a little prominent in the space compared to the other instrumentation. Prophetik also makes a great point about the rolled chords too - the fact they start on the beat and are played so slowly gives the intro an almost disjointed feel, especially when the other instruments come in and the rolled chords are still playing in this manner. In addition to the different levels of reverb on each instrument, you’ve got a lot of hard-panning going on here which creates imbalances in 2 different domains at various points in the track. From 0:28-0:38 it’s almost entirely in the left ear, for example. The section from 1:23-2:12 shows the effect different reverb can have. The bowed strings are quite prominent, as is the bassoon, however the plucked strings in the left ear are now so wet they’re underwater! Something I only started doing recently was using ‘send’ tracks to ensure I have the same reverb on my instruments and adjusting the level in the mixer until everything sounds cohesive. I don’t know if you use this method already, but it makes things a lot easier. There are a few areas where a little more care could be placed on humanising the performances of the strings and flute especially. at 0:57 and 1:03 there’s a little trill on the flute which is played staccato, whereas in real life those notes would much more likely be slurred. The bowed strings in the 1:23-2:12 section also sound like they have the same attack on them, even though when the 1/8th notes are played they would much more likely be played legato, and linked to the preceding/following notes. To summarise, it’s a lovely arrangement and embellishment that’s just lacking that extra polish that would bring it up to scratch. Hopefully you’ll take another look at this and resubmit! NO (resub)

Ah, this is brilliant! Love the aesthetic, and the way the track slowly opens up. It makes sense that it was put together in bits, as you can tell the difference as the track progresses, but by the time it gets to the final chorus, it's triumphant. Getting a slight Simple Minds vibe from it, but really it's the genre that's spot on, and right up my street.

With such a minimalistic source, it’s difficult to expand on it whilst keeping the original recognisable. This ReMix attempts to enrich the original with some additional percussion and expanded melodic ideas on woodwind and strings. We begin with some very light tambourine, some woodblock, and then the chords from the source can be heard with similar instrumentation to the original. Some nice harp begins to differentiate the ReMix, and some more percussion elements join in around the stereo space. Choosing a similar style to the source is a risky move, but thankfully all the instrumentation has sufficient quality to stand up to the minimalistic approach to the soundscape. For me, though, the inclusion of so many rest periods, as is present in the source, are to the detriment of this ReMix. It’s not necessarily silence, and I do appreciate the areas of expansion built around the foundation here, but I feel like the ReMix only really gets going after 1:40, and even then the momentum is broken up by a long rest period from 1:58-2:05. There’s a lovely progression from 2:17-2:34, with a wonderful resolving chord that feels like the end of the piece, even though it barely began. I’m torn on this, as my biggest criticism could well be that if you’d told me this was the actual BotW soundtrack, I probably would have believed you. By keeping the similar style, and developing it very slowly throughout the piece, it gives it a very conservative feel that doesn’t quite differentiate it enough from the source material for me. I really like the expansion, and commend you for tackling such a sparse source tune, but I would have liked more of the stuff from 1:40-2:44, and it to get there quicker. NO

As someone who loves a quirky, previously unremixed game, this ReMix certainly caught my eye. I’ve got to commend you on your choice of source, as I doubt many people are familiar with this NES adventure game. I had to look up some gameplay on YouTube to see what it was about! Lofi has really carved out a niche for itself in recent years, especially with those YouTube channels for studying and relaxing, and to give this source the Lofi treatment is a great decision. The ReMix begins really well, with some overcompressed SFX, as befit the genre. The piano is really clean, perhaps too clean, for the lead melody, and those vocal synth effects also feel a little clean for the style. I wouldn’t have minded some notch filters in there to hollow out the sounds and give them a grittiness that’s a little more Lofi, but that could just be personal preference. The percussion is gitched and textured really well, and the bass is used sparingly and to nice effect. The bass synth itself has some interesting detail to it, with some automation work going into it which was appreciated. The melody is treated well, with some nice interplay between the piano, strings and later a pluck. At this point, I’ve only got minor criticisms of the piece, however I have one big problem with this track, and that’s repetition. On first listen, I couldn’t discern much difference between the second half and the first half of the track, so I dropped it into my DAW and copied the second half, inverted the phase, and overlaid it on top of the first. Through the power of destructive superposition, the differences, or lack of, were laid bare. Despite my praise of the rich texture of the percussion, there is almost zero variation between the 0:09-1:26 section and 1:26-2:43. The melody is augmented with a plucked synth, and some of the vocal synth has been removed in parts to keep the mix clean. There’s also a very quiet pad that is introduced, but really we’re talking around 45% of the material here is completely re-used. That’s way too much for me to pass it. By the end of the track, I was wishing for a longer break section, as the overcompression ended up starting to fatigue my ears. I’d desperately love to have a ReMix from Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom on OCR, so I hope you revisit this one and address some of the issues holding this back. For me, dialling down on the compression would be a must, as well as spending some time making the piano and vocal synth sound a bit more gritty/filtered. The second half needs more care put into it with respect to differentiating it from the first, and perhaps adding a longer break between the two would be a welcome addition. Hope to hear this one again! NO (resub)

What a beautiful intro - that subtle string pad dripping in reverb, followed by a very reflective and serene piano, set to a backdrop of what could be battle noise in the distance, evokes images of standing on an ancient battlefield, looking on as two armies go at one another. The kick brings us back to Earth at 0:35 and we snap out of our shell-shock as we’re hit square in the chest with a wall of sound. I love the stylistic choice here to go big for the main source melody’s introduction, although the lead for me feels a little thin. I’d like a little more character to the saw, perhaps with some layering or extra stereo space to help it stand out. The lead at 1:51 is a more interesting sound, although the balance between the lead and drums here feels the wrong way round - the kick and snare are way up in the mix, and those filtered scream effects are also punching above their weight. There’s some nice detail in the lead synth that you really have to strain to hear, which is a shame. 2:46-3:11 is my favourite section, stripping everything back to the piano playing the source melody with that gorgeous reverb from the intro and a soft synth bell on the arp. The fire sound effects sound like they’ve been bitcrushed, and are a bit distracting to me - I’d have preferred them to be more natural sounding, and it’s an interesting choice to compress them and use them as a short build at 3:10. I felt that a little ill-fitting for the mood, however if you’re going for a calm/hectic juxtaposition then I suppose it’s a success! The unresolved melody into more distorted noise to finish was a good way to work in elements of another source tune, and hint at some sort of battle aftermath, where lives can be rebuilt and melodies resolved. This track isn’t without its flaws - some balance issues in the mixing being the main offenders - however as a whole the creativity is excellent, and it tells a cohesive story to the listener. YES

Ah, TheFatRat! I definitely get the influence here, in fact it’s unmistakable if you’ve heard TheFatRat’s brand of upbeat, kid-in-a-candy-shop glitch-hop. I dig the tempo increase and sidechaining to get the track really bouncing. I also like your technique to cut out the bass when your kick and snare are hitting, to allow them to punch through. The sweet-sounding square leads are a good choice for the countermelody, although I may have liked a little more vibrato on the longer notes, similar to the source. The source actually has another layer in there which I’m glad you decided to omit, as it probably would have been too busy with the bass, arp, melody and countermelody already in play. Although the percussion is nice and bouncy, I felt the transition into the break at 1:18 was a little weak, and could have benefitted from a fill, or some more TLC with effects. Similarly, the build to the chorus and transition at 2:19 was a little basic, with the snare going from 1/4 to 1/8ths then 1/16ths and some white noise with filtering. That said, predictability isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and there’s certainly enough energy and groove in the chorus to forgive a slightly generic build. After a couple of listens, I found my left ear was feeling more fatigued than my right ear, and looking at the break from 1:18-2:18 I can see that the panning is a bit too biased towards the left side. The arp could benefit from a little more pong in the ping-pong delay, as it’s almost entirely in the left ear for a full minute, and when the bell synth comes in at 1:45 and 2:14, that is also left-biased, so I’d suggest taking extra care with panning in future. I wouldn’t say it’s a dealbreaker in this case after 1 listen, but on repeated listens it certainly begins to grate. The stacked notes in the square countermelody are an interesting addition, particularly in the final chorus from 3:07-3:37, which on first listen I wasn’t sure about. On subsequent listens however, it was more expected and so not as unusual. Maybe some different harmonies could have worked better there, and I see Gario has already offered some tips on that front. Overall it’s a solid track that accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do, paying homage to the source and nailing the style it’s trying to emulate. There are improvements that could be made, but as it is I think this one does enough to make it over the bar. YES

Certainly an interesting experiment in phasing. Whilst I wasn't aware of Steve Reich or "It's Gonna Rain", this technique was familiar to me from Orbital's tracks "Time Becomes" and "Input Out". Unfortunately, it isn't much beyond an academic exercise, and although it does serve a purpose and holds some level of intrigue, it's not fleshed out enough for OCR. NO

That's an awesome attitude to have if you're looking to improve! I hope your ear recovers quickly, and I'm looking forward to hearing the next update ?

Hey, welcome to OCR! I see you've marked this mix as "ready for review", which means I'll be listening with an extra critical ear. With that in mind, here are my thoughts: Love the opening sfx, and the vocal pad sounds pretty good, although could do with being a bit brighter to give a more airy, open feel to the soundscape. When the melody comes in at 0:38, the lead is just too weak to carry it. The percussion is very detailed and varied, but it's too far forward in the mix, and is dominating over the lead. You could probably fix that by dialling back the volume on the percussion, and maybe layering the lead to help it punch above the rest of the instrumentation. The melody should be the most prominent thing in the mix, so make sure it's got enough punch to it. The break at 1:37 is again a little light on the higher frequency content, similar to the intro, which gives it a damp feel, when I'd expect it to be brighter. Overuse of the same 'Hey!' SFX is very noticeable at 2:17 and 2:50 - consider choosing some other samples to mix in and using them a little more sparingly. This track has a really interesting texture, using lots of percussion and scratch effects to create a rich backdrop, however the key melodic elements are falling short as-is. I'd definitely go back to it and address that as a major issue, and then make a few more tweaks as I suggested regarding pads and samples. Would love to hear this improved!

FIrst off, what a great choice of genre, and thanks for introducing me to Eluveitie. Folk-metal is a new one on me and it works really well. The arrangement of 3 sources here is very well implemented, and each one has its chance to shine whilst still being part of a logical progression to the finish. From the beginning to 0:47 we get Dark Star, then a nice transition into the main reel of Prophecy at 1:02-1:25. Listening to the Prophecy source, I’d hazard a guess that this kind of reel on the penny whistle was exactly what the composer had in mind initially, within their 16-bit constraints. At 2:50 we get the third source, Fear of the Heavens, before jumping back into Prophecy for one final hurrah. Plenty of source usage, original arrangement, no problems on that end from me. The instrument performances are also commendable, especially at the tempo of the song - the energy shines through the performance, and folk music relies on energy, feel and emotion, which is obviously most palpable in a live performance. The drums aren’t played live, which usually wouldn’t be a problem, however I do feel like the sample quality lets the excellent sequencing down somewhat, and there are sections like 1:46-2:05 where the 1/8th snare hits sound like a machine gun because each note is hitting with the same velocity. Subtle variations in velocity and layering of samples can help to avoid things like this. Rhythm guitar sounds chunky and is panned well, also the bass sounds pretty clean and isn’t fighting with anything in the low-end. Unfortunately, what really lets this track down is the overall mixing. Right off the bat, the penny whistle sounds like it’s sitting on top of the mix, out there and exposed on its own. This lends it an almost shrill quality which I found too distracting. I love your use of layering during the reel at 1:02-1:25, however the melodica is a little low in the mix, so the whistle is standing out too much again. The layered flute/whistle combo from 2:31-2:50 is really well done though - I think those instruments have a natural affinity for each other. Comparing that section with the following one from 2:50-3:09, I think the melodica could stand to be an octave lower, and that would serve to anchor the whistle a lot better. I’d say that this ReMix is almost there - my advice would be to listen very critically to Eluveitie’s tracks with penny whistle in them. Particularly the solo in Call of the Mountains, and their slower track Isara. Pay attention to the layering, effects, and overall volume of the whistle and how it fits into the track as a whole. You’ve got the right idea already, it’s just the execution that is wide of the mark so far. Sort out the penny whistle and melodica, give the drums some extra TLC, and I hope to hear this one again! NO (resub)

DKC2 has one of the most celebrated soundtracks with a rich variety of genres, however I never expected to hear a polka arrangement of Haunted Chase, of all things. Yet, here one is! I must commend you on your interpretation and arrangement here, which is the track’s biggest strength. Transposing the key into a major one (especially after the brief intro in the original key) and choosing this genre gives the ReMix a completely new feel, whilst also echoing the original game’s fairground theme from which the source is taken. I can just imagine drunken Kremlings scrambling over each other in their lederhosen to grab a bratwurst, while this plays on a fairground organ in the background. The addition of the DK64 source at 0:55 works really well as a B section, and shows a good knowledge of how to blend music from different composers and games together cohesively. Unfortunately, the arrangement is being let down by overall sample quality, and lack of humanisation. It’s very noticeable during the intro for the first 6 seconds of the track - those string samples are quite exposed and don’t hold up too well on their own. The rest of the track sounds better, as more instruments are working together at a fast tempo, which serves to mask their individual shortcomings. The snare in particular is very noticeable as it sounds like it’s being played at a constant velocity throughout the track, which is unnatural. Some layering and velocity variation would help here. The clarinet and accordion also sound like their notes are being played at the same velocity, and could do with some more natural implementation. Try thinking of when a musician might take a breath, or which notes may be difficult to play at louder velocities during fast runs. Subtle sidechaining, or adding an element of randomisation to the MIDI inputs can help automate this process. The bassier instruments such as the kick and brass sound good, and as a whole the mixing isn’t bad, so I think with the tweaks outlined above, this could pass on resub. I hope to hear a revamped version in future! NO (resub)

Mario Galaxy’s most famous music is Gusty Garden Galaxy, so it’s nice to see some light shone on other source tunes from this flagship title. The sources for this are relatively short at 1:10 or so each, so to extract over 5 minutes of material from them obviously shows some arrangement prowess. Switching the style to jazz helps immensely with the ability to expand on the original, and moving it into 6/8 time gives it a real energy and impetus. The arrangement is anchored solidly in the source material, which allows for some impressive soloing between choruses. I love the idea of using 2 different instruments (organ/piano) to represent hot and cold, linking back to the roots of the composition, and allowing for some delightful interplay. The percussion is varied and detailed, which I’m always a fan of, and instrumental performances are expressive and natural-sounding. I’m not sure whether some are being played live or not, but I like hearing some string rattles and finger slides on the bass, giving it a more organic feel. Production is good, everything sounds like it’s being played in the same room, although at the very end there’s an odd reverb artefact from a crash cymbal that I’d probably get rid of, as the timbre is a little unbefitting the rest of the track. A minor issue in over 5 minutes of jazz that I thoroughly enjoyed listening to. A final point is that I also found it sounded very ‘Nintendo’ - conjuring memories of Mario Kart 64 ‘race end’ music, amongst others. Mario games have long had a jazzy feel to their soundtracks, and upgrading these fairly basic sources in such a style is a welcome endeavour, worthy of the game’s heritage. YES

Ah, a David Wise source tune! You know, this site could be called David Wise ReMix and I wouldn’t even be mad. Props to you for tackling this source tune, which I’m actually unfamiliar with, and knocking it out of the park! The soft synth pad to begin with has an almost drone-like quality which clicks into place as soon as the gorgeous flute comes in at 0:13. Suddenly the drone evokes some celtic pipes with traditional accompaniment, yet there’s a hint of Egyptian/Arabian style from the source and feel of the ReMIx. Certainly a compelling, goosebump-inducing intro. Suddenly, guitar! Drums! Bass! Wow, taking this into heavier territory surprised me in the best way. The riff on guitar sounds immense, and I love the pinched harmonic touch at 0:42 that adds real flair to it. I also love how the plucked harp accentuates the final part of the melody. It’s a shame that the guitar riff has been re-used a couple of times later in the ReMix, as the pinched harmonic detail stands out as a point of repetition, which could be something you look to improve in future. The violin section at 1:16 is another tasteful addition, fitting in with the folk theme, and there’s some lovely interplay with the flute, above a rising guitar and bass chord sequence. The break at 1:55-2:07 introduces a heavier, almost industrial style synth, which leads further into an Arabian-feeling brass synth. Again, super interesting instrumentation and sound design, with each instrument flowing logically and cohesively to the next. The percussion is very natural-feeling, and care has obviously been taken to vary the fills and humanise the performance. The overall effect is one of an exceedingly rich atmosphere of exploration, and the mixing is handled so expertly that the experience is completely seamless and immersive. The arrangement of the source tune is good, I like the way certain elements have been switched around to form a more flowing progression, rather than designed to be looped as the original was. I might have liked a little more individuality such as a solo, either with flute or guitar, however the source has been beefed up so much that there’s more than enough originality here. Overall this is an extremely accomplished ReMix. To perfectly blend synth pads, 4 different lead instruments, heavy bass and drums, heavier synth elements, AND do it all with samples is no mean feat. The attention to detail is what impresses me most about this track - not a single element has been neglected, or is there without thought. Everything has a purpose, and execution is outstanding. YES

“How about we skip the introductions and get right to it, okay?” Well I’d rather not skip it actually, as the introduction to this track is immediately engaging. Evolving layered saw pads drone and oscillate, giving way to some higher-pitched resonance which then mellows out and an acid arp swirls around the space as the fighters introduce themselves. Quite an entrance! The vocal samples are well-treated, relevant, and come through the mix clearly, whilst being given extra gravitas with reverb and delay. After the thumping 4/4 beat drops at 0:52, the signature trance bass bounces along with some sidechaining action helping it pump the energy. Combining the vocal samples with this style of music works really well, and changing up the lead synth to an acid arp at 1:32 helps with the feeling of a battle. When we’re invited to “Share your energy with me!” at 1:58, the track evokes the 90s rave scene, complete with on-stage emcee hyping up the crowd. It certainly got my head bobbing! At 2:30 the track takes a darker turn with the introduction of increasingly-distorted synth arps, and we’re treated to a beat switch-up with the bass pulsating in triplets, before returning to the main melody, sans bass and kick, to allow us to catch our breath. The transition out of that section is a little abrupt, though. Overall it’s a very cohesive mix that is arranged and paced well. Samples are thoughtfully implemented, and despite the trappings of the genre, there is a lot of detail in the production. From the evolving layered pads in the intro, to the phasing effects accompanying the bass that help keep it sounding fresh throughout the track, to the excellent builds and transitions connecting the sections, nothing here is done by accident. Switching genre from rock to trance/rave has been handled expertly, both from an arrangement and production perspective, and I’ve no problems passing this. YES

The intro to this reminds me of the fortress music from Super Mario World, but listening to the source tune from Castlevania 64, it appears it’s the same progression. Either way, it’s an ominous, evocative choice to open the ReMix with. Some well thought-out synth choices lead up to a false drop at 1:05, which caught me a little off-guard, and served to dampen some of the tension built to that point. When the full drop comes in at 1:26, it feels like a missed opportunity, arrangement-wise, although I can appreciate the stylistic choice. The groove leading up to the drop from 1:19-1:26 does serve to build back some of the energy, and the bass is absolutely sublime! There’s a lot going on in the chorus, but for the most part it’s well-mixed, with some very nice staccato arp work and a nice complimentary detuned saw backing up the cleaner lead. The track does push the limiter at 2:25 at the chorus’ crescendo, when the bass is in its upper register, but it’s brief and the breakdown afterwards allows the listener’s ears a break. Working in the Castlevania 64 source again at 2:55 works very well, adding variation, and seamlessly connecting with the half-tempo section at 3:27. Some excellent synth work here, as well as a welcome change-up with the percussion. This whole mid-section helps avoid the arrangement being too conservative, as well as showing off a few more skills. The chorus at 3:42 came in a little sooner than I was expecting, with just a little build from the half-tempo section, again a stylistic choice which I can appreciate, although can’t help but feel a longer build could be an opportunity to improve the flow of the track before the final chorus. The climax at 4:40 again pushes the limiter as the bass ascends, but it’s an emphatic end to what is a very well put together arrangement. Some minor mixing issues and stylistic choices don’t detract from the overall quality, and for me this makes it over the bar. YES

Stickerb(r)ush Symphony is one of the most well-known and loved sources in the VGM world, and as such it’s hard to deviate from the arrangement too much when attempting to base a ReMix around it. On first listen I couldn’t make out much original interpretation, and on subsequent listens I was also unable to identify significant deviation from the source to mark this as interpretive enough to pass the submission guidelines. The couple of bars from 4:03-4:10 begin to expand on the original, but then the source melody returns with the xylophone-type synth, and it falls back into a final repeat. Aside from the conservative arrangement, there are a couple of serious mixing issues with the track. Firstly, it has no low end! Looking at the spectrum, it looks as if perhaps a 350Hz low-cut filter has been placed on the master track, rolling off at 100Hz, which is a huge production oversight, although an easy fix if that’s the case. If that’s not the case, then I would question the stylistic choice to avoid using any bass at all. This leads into the second problem, which is that the instruments seem to be bunched up together in the same frequency space, causing muddiness. The lead at 0:41 is too quiet in the mix, in particular, and the percussion gets lost without any low-end to anchor it. I can understand wanting to keep the feel of the source tune, and choosing the instrumentation you have retains the floaty, relaxed atmosphere of the original. I would suggest revisiting the project file and working out the mixing issues first, before potentially looking at an arrangement overhaul to add significant personalisation to make this stand out as your own work. As it is, it’s an enjoyable cover, but would need a significant rework to be featured on OCR. NO

First off, this is a great source tune with a real hook in the 4-bar main melody, and some tension-building backing chords. I love that sweet-sounding lead synth in your intro, and the little countermelody blips that play alongside it. It’s very playful, works well with the synth and strings, and when the vocals come in, you’ve got the makings of a great pre-chorus build. When the chorus does hit at 0:50, I was expecting something with a little more bombast, however the vocals have just been turned up slightly, and there seems to be a very slight timing issue between the vocals and accompaniment just as they come in, that is accentuated by the volume increase. Not in itself a dealbreaker, but the mixing definitely seems off during the chorus, especially with the drums. The floor toms seem very muddy, the cymbals are quiet, and overall the percussion lacks the punch I was expecting from such a good build-up. The sweet synth works great in the build, but maybe switching it up for something harder in the chorus would give it that edge it deserves. I do like the addition of vocals, although to attempt a challenging melody line at such a pace does run the risk of sacrificing clarity of lyrics for tone - even moreso in a second language. In some cases, the layering of the vocal performances can also detract from the clarity, so it’s worth taking extra care with your timing when layering up recordings. 1:37-1:54 sees a break section taken from the source, and again some nice synth/choir pads lead into the main melody, which is this time accompanied by some arpeggiated piano chords. These are really nice builds! There are 3 in the song, and yet each time the chorus hits I’m left wanting a bit more out of it. My favourite section is the guitar/piano build from 3:16-4:20, but again it’s a minute-long break into a pre-chorus into a final chorus which does little to distinguish itself as a finale. The original source has 2 solos, so I’d love to see at least one original solo in this ReMix. A perfect place to add one and give the track a fitting send-off would be in the final chorus, just as the final word is sung at 5:00. Overall it’s a nice concept, although the mixing needs improvement. Percussion needs a lot of work to make it sound cleaner, give the chorus some more emphasis, and bring them up to par with the rest of the instrumentation. At a running time of 5:29, I’d also expect a little more original material thrown in there, such as a solo or two. I’d definitely like to hear this one again with a bit more polish applied, and the tweaks I mentioned above. It’s got a lot of potential, but as it is, it’s a little rough around the edges. NO (resub)

Nice to hear a personal connection with the source tune in your writeup, I find it so much easier to engage with a remix if I have a strong connection to the original source. I love a good trip-hop style, and you've got a good base here with the drum break and the instrumentation. Right from the off though, it feels like the mixing is imbalanced too heavily towards the drums. That loop is too high in the mix, and it's overpowering the melody lines. I think it was one of the OCR judges that gave me a tip to turn the volume way down on your track - if the melody isn't the last thing you hear, the mix isn't right. I'd also suggest chopping up the beat and making more interesting fills throughout the song, not just for the ending. Check out Intoxica by Radiowar - one of my all-time favourite OCReMixes - for a masterclass in beat slicing, as well as an example of good mixing. Also, whilst GarageBand isn't necessarily a limiting factor in terms of production, it does give you a mountain to climb, especially with the stock synths and beats. I started on GarageBand myself, and when I switched to Ableton Live it was an instant improvement. I think you've got a good grasp of the basics of music production and arrangement here, it just needs improvement across the board in terms of fidelity - something that will become clear if you give another DAW a try. Keep at it

Sounds really good! Nice to hear some backing for the piano in this one, production is good and the samples have been well-treated. Good use of percussion for emphasis. I don't know the source, but this is an excellent cover!

Listening to the original, reading the judges' comments, and listening to the new version, I actually think you've gone too far with the reverb this time! Maybe just dial it back a touch on the piano, although by your own admission, the tweaks were mostly on the production end, and from the judges' comments it seems that the arrangement was also quite conservative. Without some significant arrangement alterations, I don't think you'd get a YES for this one, unfortunately. Sounds really nice though, with the choir backing.

Really nice cover! I like the flowing arpeggiated chords, and the change up at 1:10 is beautiful. After the little break at 1:55, the quarter-note arpeggios have a Moonlight Sonata quality about them. I love how you've chosen to change up the tempo of the chord arpeggios halfway through, it gives the second half a more sombre feel. Great job!

That's the best attitude to have! That Urban Warfare theme you linked is a really good tune! I think that 1945 Overture one of yours definitely has more of a cohesive feel about it as well. Nice job

The remix has a nice space to it, I like what you've done with the mixing there. The lead synth for me is a little overused - you might want to mix it up a bit, maybe 2 different styles of lead for the build/chorus. I like the trap style percussion, and the soft bass. Definitely a solid start! One other thing, I'm picking up some popping in my right headphone at a few points in the track, most notably 0:29 and 0:40 - might wanna check what's causing that.

Hey there, welcome to the forums! Firstly, thanks for posting feedback on other mixes too - it's always nice to give someone else a kind word when you're looking for feedback yourself. Cool choice of source tune - it's kind of a banger! I've never heard of this game, and I love to see people tackling more obscure games. Very interesting style you've chosen as well - it's got orchestral instrumentation, yet the drums sound very rock-like in their sequencing and tempo. Typically with orchestral arrangements, the percussion takes more of a back seat in the mix and is there for emphasis, but here you've got it front and centre. The kick seems kinda lacking punch, however once the strings and brass come in, there's a lot of low frequency content there which would be fighting with a more pronounced kick drum, so that actually works out ok. You know, listening a couple more times, I'm reminded of a track from Unreal Tournament on a 'D-Day' style level, where it uses a lot of orchestral elements, but also some prominent percussion. Have a listen here: That track's 22 years old at least, but I think the style really works there, incorporating some urgent percussion with some nice dynamics in the orchestral elements, and some tasteful synth work as well. Right now, I'd say your track is caught in two minds about whether it wants to be orchestral or rock, and it's not such a cohesive arrangement. The drums seem to be taking all the focus away from the other parts. Would you consider this track finished, since it's submitted, or would you be willing to revisit it? If it were me, I'd choose one style and go for that. Either rock, with bass and electric guitars to go along with the drums, or orchestral, and only use percussion for emphasis (timpani rolls, crash cymbals, etc). Anyway, cool track and I enjoyed listening!