timaeus222

Which one is "My Toe"? I haven't been able to find that specific one on YouTube.

@Monobrow: Unfortunately, I found out the RAM costs for my project file didn't quite work out for me, but I'll still rip those for you if you want. I'm not sure which one is "My Toe", though. I couldn't find that on YouTube.

Shoot. I'm using some pretty big libraries. Neo-Soul Keys, Strawberry Electric, Shreddage, and East West Quantum Leap Stormdrums.

Okay, I'm going to give a really long review! But first, I'm going to rip the audio (It's a really good quality program, and it's going to be a 100% accurate rip). Personally I find it really difficult to play and rewind in soundcloud. At first glance I believe you're using FL Studio. If so, I can give a helping hand on the EQ, or even replace some instruments with my own and render them as audio files, and it can be a collab. If not, that's fine, I'll have this review here for your perusing. The kick is too loud, or it covers too large a frequency range. Try to carve the EQ so that it looks like a skinny triangle sloped inwards from bottom to top. In other words, decrease the bandwidth, lower the gain by about 1 dB. Then, high pass it so that frequencies below about 30 Hz are filtered out. Those are so hard to hear that it really isn't worth having them to add mud to the mix. Here is an image of what I mean with the EQ: http://i47.tinypic.com/14w9irk.png The second thing you need to do is change the sample. I'm sure this EQ suggestion won't work out with the sample you're using now. Try going for one that is strongest at about 90Hz for a good sound in a guitar mix. This is your biggest problem since it blocks out the bass and most of the other instruments. Also, don't add any reverb or delay if you ever did (I can't tell). = I can tell that the guitars are definitely not real. That counts as "poor sound quality" and won't make it past OCR. Either record real guitar, get Shreddage (lol), or ask someone to collaborate with you (who has Shreddage or a real guitar). Why does it sound like you're using 4Front Bass? It's weird how I thought that, but I do think that's what you're using. The whoosh-like sound is nice. Maybe it would be even better if it was filtered up to the upper-mids. It seems to be white noise under a phaser. The drum beat in general is very repetitive. Try adding some variations, some fills, or maybe a breakdown section. The sequencing of the guitar tells me that it is almost a completely direct midi sequence. There is no ending, really, so that's another sign. You have no original content, so it's close enough to be considered a midi remix. the submission handlers would just return your e-mail and say that it's a midi remix, and then point you back to the WIP forums again. It would be better if you started going on a google hunt for good free plugins, or buy some if you can.

Hm, very interesting ideas here. I only have a small problem with the obligatory stereo separation, but that's only because a lot of people break their earphones a lot. I don't, but I figure a lot of people I knew did. Otherwise, this was a song that kept me listening until the end, so therefore I must have liked it! Great job, DaMonz!

Bump. I think I might have fixed the kick, and I did these things: - Improved 1:44 - 2:06 by adding harmonies. Yay. Didn't try that before. - Made the last faster part of the solo louder. - Made the synth just slightly louder. - Small low pass on the rhythm guitar. - Took out stereo panning on drums. Remix: https://www.box.com/s/37420b7097f64cbd9037 - V1 https://www.box.com/s/833850960a9f192ab596 - V2 Sources: - Fatalize - Fighting of the SpiritPossibly needed remix details: Lead guitar (2 copies) - Strawberry Evolution Electric Guitar (Blank Preset with vibrato, pitch bend, and articulation modifications) Lead synth - u-he Zebra2 (Custom) Organ - u-he Zebra2 (Custom) Bells - NI FM8 (Stereo Bells preset with modifications) Rhythm guitar - ISW Shreddage (Quick-Play patch, Double-tracked) Pick Scrapes - ISW Shreddage (Extra channel only for these, but under the same amp as the lead) Drums - East West Quantum Leap Stormdrums (Individual patches for each part of the kit) Reverb - Uhbik-A Amp - NI Guitar Rig (Bumped once)

Which would take up less RAM in FL Studio? One Kontakt instance with 4 patches loaded, each routed to a different mixer track, or... 4 Kontakt instances with 1 patch loaded in each, with each instance routed to a different mixer track? Or are they equal? I sure hope it's the first one, because the second seems to cost me 1 GB of RAM. Wtf?

Hm... I feel like I could do "Sparring Match" some justice. I'll give it a shot and PM a WIP definitely before July 31, but likely I'll be working on it section by section, not all at once in raw form. And it's the weekend... and I'll be at home by myself. WHOO! I should get a good amount done for a WIP this weekend, and I'll try to PM a WIP on Monday morning. Right now I'll be brainstorming an arrangement. Time to rip the audio in HD. I love Adobe Audition. EDIT: Hm... I've got something going, and it's going to sound kind of like Dream Theater's tone. And their drums. But gah, Kontakt takes up a lot of RAM, especially when there's 6 instances. =/ For me, at least.

At around 2:00, you used a ride for the breakdown. Try using a brushed hi-hat instead if you can find a sample for that; it might work better. At 2:17, the timbre of the snare hits don't seem to match the section. Currently, it feels like the same snare sample is reused whenever you want a strong feel. Maybe for sections where you use the same one, you can change it up a bit and layer on a new sample to make it sound different. I suggest the final snare hit, layered or not, to have less low-mids and more upper-mids. This doesn't necessarily have to be a "rock" remix. I'm thinking the snare is your basis for the "rock" feel, which it shouldn't be. If the rest of the instruments aren't fit for typical "rock", go for a different genre. Personally, I define rock as having guitars and electric bass at least. This was enjoyable though. Good job!

I agree about the drums, but personally I believe the arrangement is fine. The synth is definitely loud enough. I think I mainly have EQ and some miscellaneous sequencing issues. It's hard to get a good acoustic kick though, seriously.

There's not much I can say here either. Maybe these things: Bring up the lead just a small amount, and bring down the drums just a bit. Just make sure you can still hear the most important parts of the drums, and lower the low-mids just a little in the breakdowns with the ambient action toms. Otherwise, sounding great! =D

In the beginning, it's a very simplistic arrangement---up until 0:42. Try changing it up a bit. Add some miscellaneous effects with good stereo width. The bass in general is extremely loud; it's overpowering the lead. The kick sounds fine, but the EQ is probably clashing with the sub bass. Like chimpazilla said, try high passing the sub bass to above 30 or 40 Hz. Everything down there is too inaudible to really contribute to the song anyways. The wobble bass has a lot of high frequency, probably from that bitcrusher effect---which I've never actually tried. However, it's not working, and it's clashing with the hi-hats (or rides, whichever samples you're using). Try low passing that out at about 12kHz. Overall, the mix itself sounds very low-passed, and the crashes don't seem to match the rest of the kit. The kit itself is very dry. Try adding some room reverb to the snare. Maybe even find a higher-pitched snare. It's maybe 3 half steps too low. The lead could sound more in front. Yes, you're doing a dubsteppish song, and yes, the dubstep bass should be in front, but not too overpowering. If you dropped the dubstep bass to about 85% its original volume and raised the lead to maybe 105% of its original volume, that might help to fix things. Good luck. Note: I'm not a mod.

I really want to show you guys this remix I just finished! :DDD Definitely submitting this whenever I can get the chance. Feel free to give any feedback. It'll be maybe until like mid-July before I submit. Remix: https://www.box.com/s/37420b7097f64cbd9037 Sources: - Fatalize - Fighting of the SpiritPossibly needed remix details: Lead guitar (2 copies) - Strawberry Evolution Electric Guitar (Blank Preset with vibrato, pitch bend, and articulation modifications) Lead synth - u-he Zebra2 (Custom) Organ - u-he Zebra2 (Custom) Bells - NI FM8 (Stereo Bells preset with modifications) Rhythm guitar - ISW Shreddage (Quick-Play patch, Double-tracked) Pick Scrapes - ISW Shreddage (Extra channel only for these, but under the same amp as the lead) Drums - East West Quantum Leap Stormdrums (Individual patches for each part of the kit) Reverb - Uhbik-A Amp - NI Guitar Rig

This was so long ago, but it still remains my all-time favorite ocremix. Everything is mixed such that the emotional feel is insane. 2:35, 3:20, 4:24, and 4:35 get me every time. I always get a tear-jerking, spine-tingling sensation. That almost never happens. Although able to be challenged, this remix is irreplaceable.

Jillian's voice is just so well mixed into the song! :3 I found this on zircon's website, and it was just awesome. I know that whenever I listen to zircon's mixes, there's always something to appreciate about them, whether it's the clean mixing, the intuitive chord progressions, or the texture, or something else.

Update! This double tracks the rhythm guitar, fixes most if not all the balance issues with the drums and guitar, ups the bass (yes, it's there; it literally creates the entire low end feel at this point), and really improves the drums. Especially the kick---I'm surprised I got the sound I wanted from it. I completely reworked the EQ on the EWQL drums. Definitely worth many listens. Necessary info: Instrument channels used are one for Strings (kinda quiet), Lead Guitar (center), one for Rhythm Guitar #1 panned 60% left, one for Rhythm Guitar #2 panned 60% right, one for Heavy Rhythm Guitar (center), one for Guitar FX (i.e. certain pinch squeals [i.e. 0:59] and certain pick scrapes [i.e. 1:19]), one for Bass (center), one for East West Quantum Leap Stormdrums (Metal Kit patch + Kicks (A0-D3) patch + Dunnet Snares patch), and volume automation for Rhythm Guitar #1 channel, Guitar FX channel, Heavy Rhythm Guitar channel, and the drums channel. All guitar is Shreddage by zircon and Sixto. Remix: >>The Death of King Desmond (Metal Mix) V4.4<< The Death of King Desmond (Metal Mix) V4.3 The Death of King Desmond (Metal Mix) V4.2 The Death of King Desmond (Metal Mix) V4 The Death of King Desmond (Metal Mix) V3 The Death of King Desmond (Metal Mix) V2 The Death of King Desmond (Metal Mix) V1 Source: (bumped once)

I'm liking the responses! It looks like I'm going to buy it then. =3

I didn't make this demo, but does this sound real to you? This was made with Strawberry Electric Guitar for Kontakt 4+. Orangeholic

I've actually heard ocremixes in the past before that had questionable rhythm guitar. i.e. "Craving for Burning Blood" by Luhny, "Bloody Hell" by Ailsean and Kaijin, or others, but it's not as if I didn't like those remixes a lot. Yeah, I figured the drums might not be fitting. I'm not quite sure where I can get sufficient drum samples. I had tried EWQL for this mix, but apparently that didn't work out. Personally, I think the rhythm guitar itself is actually the sound I want. I'm going to see if I can fix up the drums and instrument balance some more then. I thought the guitar was loud, and I was hoping that it was too loud because if it wasn't, LIFE WOULD BE OVER. DDDDD: Just kidding. Well, good, so that means I SHOULD lower the volume, which means my drums have a chance of being heard. Yay. =D Actually, no one has said anything significant about the arrangement other than that it was solid or needed a more evident breakdown. Well, the guitar is Shreddage, so it might seem a smidge fake, but it is meant to sound as real as sampled guitar can sound. zircon, recording a fake-sounding rhythm guitar library with Sixto? Pfft. No. EDIT: YES, I made major progress

Okay, I've definitely improved the snare, and I've rebalanced the guitar and bass. Remix: >>The Death of King Desmond (Metal Mix) V4.3<< The Death of King Desmond (Metal Mix) V4.2 The Death of King Desmond (Metal Mix) V4 The Death of King Desmond (Metal Mix) V3 The Death of King Desmond (Metal Mix) V2 The Death of King Desmond (Metal Mix) V1 Source:

I actually think the drums sound fine. If there were any robotic problems with the drums other than the snare, I think Zircon might have pointed it out by now. Besides, it's EWQL, so it's on a round robin effect and its sequencing actually has very good intonation. "Robotic" implies constant velocities everywhere, which definitely isn't true. There are very small and unnoticeable spots of constant velocity, and that was completely negligible. However, I'll fix those spots anyway. I'll try to fix the snare internally in Kontakt and change the bass and guitar balance.

Thanks for the feedback! Right now I believe I've fixed the bass drum and snare instances. It turns out the problem was in the sequencing itself, and their sequencing was on an ineffective velocity layer, so the right frequencies weren't coming out. I still don't believe the snare is quite good enough in the high end though. I'll keep working on that. I think it's just the sample itself. EWQL's mapping is convenient though. I can add custom snares that actually don't overlap with other crucial parts of any drum kit (;D). I cut the low-mids some on the regular riffs and cut the low-mids on the low riffs a bit less than the regular riffs, and I believe it sounds better than before. I thought about reducing the squeals, but it seems that most of them fit where they are. Personally, it just doesn't sound as good without certain instances. I did add a bass in the V4, but it should be more evident in the next update. EDIT: Hm... the new snare doesn't sound like it fits. Maybe it's just because I don't actually play drums. Right now it seems like it doesn't match a metal kit. Does it work? Remix: >>The Death of King Desmond (Metal Mix) V4.2<< The Death of King Desmond (Metal Mix) V4 The Death of King Desmond (Metal Mix) V3 The Death of King Desmond (Metal Mix) V2 The Death of King Desmond (Metal Mix) V1 Source: (Bumped twice)

Wow, this was absolutely fantastic! The mixing is just right, and the instruments seriously match The Final Countdown, right down to the formant bass in the beginning! Even the STRUCTURE matches! That's awesome. I think mainly what I liked about this mix was its cohesive feel. Although there were two sources, at one point I actually forgot that there were two sources, and I didn't even think of looking at the video title---it was just that awesome. What I liked most, though, was the title. It completely brings me into a state of mathematics. Recently I made a joke about counting to infinity... and it goes like this: "Mr. Owl, how many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop?" "Let's find out. 1, Phi, 2, e, 3, Pi, 4, ... , Infinity... I lost count." *bites* Nah, just kidding. My actual favorite parts were the overall 80's atmosphere, the guitar's tone, and the breakdown at 2:06 - 2:21. For some reason, that breakdown reminds me of whenever Michael Jackson faces a fan (an electric fan ) and feels the wind coming at him. LOL. I was slightly disappointed that it faded out as an "ending", but that certainly didn't detract from the mix itself. Phenomenal work, pal!

It's sounding really nice so far! I'd like to point you to this ocremix for possible inspiration on synth lines. In the meantime, great remix. =D