Arceace

That is a lovely source you have there. I love how you've remixed it as well. The style is very unique and I personally have not heard anything like it. If you plan on submitting this to OCR, there may be a few things that need a little work. The style and production sound pretty good to me, but the arrangement sticks pretty close to the original. There is certainly enough there to keep my interest, but it is mainly the same as the original for a lot of the arrangement. It may be worth your while if you play around with it a little and see if you can come up with more variation. The drums sound good for the most part. The only thing that has my attention is the kick that is used throughout the whole song. It sounds like there should be some more low frequencies in it to give it less of a hollow sound. all of the drums sound like they're being played in the background, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing when it is done just right. It sounds to me that you're going for more of a relaxed arrangement, and I find that to be really cool. There are some parts that feel wonderful in the song, especially the beginning. The panning on the guitar is nice as well. The instruments work together very well, and I like how they sound. All-in-all, this is a very cool remix. I love what you've done. Keep it up!

This has been a project that I have been working on for quite a while now. In fact, I first started working on it when I bought FL Studio. This remix has been changed around many different times (about 6 different re-makes to be exact), and I have finally given it the sounds I want. Of course, there are still probably things that I have missed, so I would appreciate all feedback. Feel free to be super-ultra-picky and tell me even the smallest problem. I want this song to be at its very best when I submit it. I hope its a pleasure to listen to! Source Remix (No longer works) http://soundcloud.com/arceace/enigmatic-melody-v-2

I love this song. I've never heard the original, but now I am wishing that I had. I can't help but picture a calm atmosphere when listening to this song. What I like most is the combination of my two favorite instruments: piano and oboe. The two of them make this song feel magical. Excellent work, I love it all!

You think so? I'll be sure to focus on that when I start working on it again. I have already submitted it to the judge’s panel, but I get the feeling that I will work on it again. Thanks for sharing your opinion!

Okay, here's my impression of the whole thing. I like how you've changed it thus far, and it has come a long way since version 4 (the first version that I can recall hearing). The lead for the majority of the song is much better than before, and I like the improvement. I think you should try using the Fruity Parametric EQ2 to give it a boost in the higher frequency range. Right now it sounds like it's pretty far in the background, and I think the song could be improved if the melody was more up in front. The pads (the long notes in the background) are good enough to keep the song interesting, and I hear quite a bit of variation in the song. They do sound a bit weak though, so it might be a good idea to come in with a stronger pad later in the song. It sounds like the majority of the song doesn't pick up past the introduction. That being said, they still do an effective job giving the "chill" atmosphere. I think that adding a more powerful pad later on will help give a sense of progression. I have noticed quite a lack in the bass range, and I think the whole arrangement could have a better sound if the instruments and samples were distributed more. From what I hear, you have a lot focused on the mid/treble ranges. I would recommend trying to shift the instruments and trying different ranges, you may find a better range for something. The drums sound like their being played with a cover on top. I think the kick and the snare could both use a little more volume and perhaps EQ-ing. One thing that you can try right off the bat is the fruity bass boost for the kick. I have noticed that it can help give the kick and bass instruments more power when necessary. The high hats are okay, but they could stand a little boost in the high-frequency range. Of course, I am not sure of the style that you going for. If you’re going for a softer, chill out effective, it would help to give the sounds more power, but less volume. Hope this gives you something to think about. I am certainly no production expert, so it may be a good idea to get more feed back as well. Just keep going at it and you'll eventually figure things out. Best of luck!

You know, I think I'll actually try my hand at this. Yes I'm interested. I am certainly not a professional at music production, but I do enjoy a challenge. The times that work best for me are March 18 - April 1, and June 17 - June 30. (I have a two week break from college during those times.) Of course, these times are subject to change, so I will need to know with time to plan accordingly.

Upon a closer listen, I heard more than I thought I did. All of the sounds that you have chosen feel very appropriate. Since I know that you're gowing for a more subtle aproach to the arrangement, I can say that it is working out pretty well in that aspect. What I mean when I suggest using stereo enhancers is to get more oomph out of your sounds with out increasing the volume in the mixer. In one of the most current projects that I have been working on, I had been having a lot of trouble keeping everything distinct and separate. (not that you're having that problem ) Before, everything sounded muddled, compressed, and weak. Using the stereo enhancer helped me to not only make the song feel stronger, but also differentiate each sound from one another. Now, this trick can also be used to not necessarily increase the volume of the track, but give the sounds in the track more power and meaning. A stereo enhancer, or maximizer, (The one that I have used is the soundgoodizer from FL studio) is used to help spread sounds to unused frequency ranges. You can use this to help giver certain sounds a fuller feel to them. I have not personally used any tools form logic, (right now I only have access to FL Studio) but I think the tool that you mentioned might be able to help do the trick. I like to use the maximizer on basses, leads, and pads. Granted, I only use it when I need more power in the track, but you can have both power and subtlety if you play around with it just right. I like to listen to songs that make it on the front page of OCR to give myself an example to follow so that I know what to listen for. In the current cover you are working on, what I think can use some more power is the lead, and the occasional vocal pad that plays in the background. Volume isn't the problem, but it would help if they were a little fuller to give a better sense of presence. I really like what your doing with this cover. The world can always use more Sonic The Hedgehog songs. Just don't forget that music production is a long learning process. I personally have only been using FL Studio for about 6 months, and there are still many things that I have yet to learn. Hope this helped you out a little bit. Edit: I also found a link to help you see what the soundgoodizer does. Link: http://flstudio.image-line.com/help/html/plugins/Soundgoodizer.htm Here's a video showing what it does. Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SEqdEl-2gg Granted, this is a beginners tool to help when you need it. It has helped me improve my sound quality considerably. However, there are better ways of going about that.

Here's my first impression of the cover/remaster. The balancing levels were pretty good, and I didn't hear much conflict between each part. I understand that the original didn't have much for percussion, but I think that better percussion samples could help you go a long way. (I know they did so for me) The swish sound effect sounded rather tinny. You may want to try to find a better one. It certainly played its role nicely, but I think the cover could be brought to a new level with a fuller sound from the swish. I certainly don't think that there are many problems with the cover. I too have been working on ear training and there are still many things that I don't understand. One other thing that you may want to do is give the whole song a bit more juice. Then again, if you planned this to sound like background music, that's okay too. But if you give the song more power, you would be surprised how much it may improve. You might want to look into some stereo enhancers for that. All in all, I would say that this is a pretty good cover. Just keep trying to improve and it will happen.

I have been working on this mix for quite a while. I have already had it shot down in the judges panel before, and I don't want to repeat that step again. I feel pretty good about the whole arraingement, but I would greatly appreciate it if I gained some feedback about the production. I would also appreciate detailed comments about how to fix any problems that exist. Link to the source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-4lOQ-70Ro Link to the remix: http://soundcloud.com/arceace/energy-beads All comments are appreciated!

This song is awesome. It gives me the same feeling as it did when I was a kid trying to frantically beat Perfect Chaos. In fact, I like this version even more than the original. This is one of the few songs that I have fallen in love with upon my first listen. Absolutely breathtaking.

Pretty sweet guitar playing, I wish that I had that kind of skill... I really like the style that you have put into this arrangement. It gives it a nice "hard core" sort of feel. I can't offer much advice production wise, because I am fairly new to this myself. Arrangement wise, I would recommend expanding a little more on the main melody. The sounds that you have chosen are wonderful and the back-up instruments fit in perfectly, but the melody is the same as the original. When I work on my own arrangements, I like to play with the original melody using syncopation. Either way, I like the way that it sounds.

This song gives me shivers every time that I listen to it. I love the original, and I love this version as well.

I love this song, both the remix, and the original version. I especially like the direction that you took it in. What I like most is all of the effects that you put in. This song is simply beautiful to listen to with headphones on.

Wow, that was really good. Lots of nostalgia in this track for me and I really like the twist that you have given it.

I still listen to this song. My inspiration to start remixing came from listening to artists like bLiNd.

Excellent work here, I can see all of the detail that you have put in and it is showing off nicely. I love the new section that you put in that uses all of the sound effects from previous sonic games. (I can actually name what game each one is found in) If you are trying to get this song onto OCR, I would recommend putting more of your own stuff into the mix. You already have a nice twist on the original, and you have also inserted some of your own stuff, but I have noticed that that you keep on refraining back to the original. The number one problem with remixes that have been rejected in the judge’s panel is because they have been too conservative. I love what you're doing here, and I really want to see this on the OCR front page! Keep up the good work!

The new section you added gives the whole song a completely new face. I like the direction that this is going. When listening to this, I get the picture of a computer that is starting to malfunction. You have chosen a nice variety of sounds to give this piece a nice authentic sound. I already starting to see many differences when comparing it to the original. Balance is not an issue at all. I can easily hear all of the parts without any trouble. I can't wait to hear what you have planned for the rest.

Sorry, I didn't mean to bash the song at all. I think it sounds great. I don't listen to hip-hop music very much, so I wouldn't know what to expect. I guess I made the mistake of comparing your piece to other arrangements on OCR. Hope I didn't make you feel bad about it.

Dude, this is really starting to come along nicely. You have already improved it a lot! I love how you’re starting to play around by altering the melody and other parts. I also love your combination of strings, pads, piano and percussion. This is starting to have a nice quality sound to it. I also think that you’re setting yourself in a good position with the transition at the end of the track. The thing that this piece has going for it is the possibilities of alteration and it looks like you are starting to take advantage of this. Another thing to take advantage of is changing the percussion rhythm whenever you can. This is the sort of piece that sounds great with lots changes and variations on the source.Also, don't be afraid to add nice little grace notes and chords to the piano. It takes a long time to make a mix sound just right, so don't give up. It'll be worth it when you see this on the front page on OCR. Hope to hear more of it!

Love this song, both the original and the remix that Will has done. There's just such a nice warm and safe sort of feeling to it. I am glad to say that this is in my favorite list!

At first, I wasn't sure what to think when I heard everything. But then, the main part kicked in and I fell in love with it. I think you should get into the main stuff a little sooner. I would also recommend making the frequency changes a little faster. It sounds to me like you have the skeleton of the whole mix complete. However, I would suggest adding more sound. You definitely do a good job of shaking things up, but you shouldn't repeat things to the point where it gets predictable. You should also try to throw more of your own stuff in there, I love the way you play with the main melody. The only thing that I felt was a little out of place was the almost awkward pause you placed in the middle of the song. I thought the song was done and almost closed the window. Keep on working on this. It always takes a while to get a mix to sound good. Love what you’re doing with production, so just keep hacking away at it!

Sorry man, but that is way to repetitive for my likings. I would strongly recommend switching it around a little more, whether it's changing the sounds a around a bit from time to time, or adding your own twist to it. I would have never imagined that someone would try to remix the game over theme of Super Mario World. I commend you for attempting it yourself. You definitely have a good idea going here, but I think it could sound a lot better if you put your own improvisations in there.

Though it's obvious that you haven't finished it yet, it sounds way too close to the source to be able to make onto OCR. But you haven't put your own twist into it yet so that is to be expected. As for the sound choice, it does a good job of capturing the mood of the level that the original was based on. All of the little clicks and bleeps make me imagine one giant computer. I would recommend looking for some more sounds to put in there to give a more "techy" sound. It sounds like this is coming off to a good start, I have always liked the combination of a classical piano and electronic sounds. Keep workin' on it!

You're definitely on to something with this. I like the ambient feeling that the piece starts out with. The wind sound effects make me picture a hero looking out onto a huge field. I have to agree that the snare on the left side is a little annoying at time. I would recommend panning it a little more evenly. This piece maintains a good atmosphere throughout the song. At times, the melody is a little hard to hear. I would recommend bringing up the volume up just a bit. You're definitely making something nice here, keep up the good work!

I like the direction your headed with this arrangement. I personally think that you introduction sounds fine. However, I am having a hard time telling where your intro leaves off and the transition to the main part begins. Perhaps you could try moving the fade in effect around a little. Hope that helps a little. I'm sure that it will turn out fine no matter what you choose to do. Keep up the good work!