Chimpazilla

I love the surf rock sound of this! The performances are very good. I'm stumped on this though.... I know this source well and I cannot pick it out, except at 1:18-1:34 (0:59 in source video). After ten listens I still can't make out any other source. Other Js, what say you? edit: Thanks Wes for that source breakdown! I still can't hear it. I'm leaning towards NO because I feel like it just shouldn't be this hard to hear the source. If there was more of a flavor of the source in the mix, to connect to, then 46% could possibly be considered, but in this case (with a mix with such a different feel from the source) it just isn't enough source. Still, very fun listen! NO

Wow, this is short, but it packs a lot into that short time. This is going to be a very split vote. I could see it passing, but I'm going to say that I'd like two production fixes before passing it. One, the leads are significantly quieter than the backing guitars (which sound amazing). The leads need to come up a bit in volume. Also, that snare sounds really mid-heavy and uncomfortably thwacky, it needs a touch more highs and less mids. I'd pass it with those two fixes, although ideally I'd love to hear another reprise at the end to really finish up the arrangement. NO (resubmit)

This is a fun tune and is mostly very well produced. I agree with my fellow Js that the vocal performance is a weakness, and it would really benefit from a manual comb-through to correct some of the more off-key notes, which can be painstaking but would really help here. Autotune might be fun too, but would give the vocal a totally different flavor, and Autotune didn't exist in the 80s so it might not fit. As for the vocal mixing, I feel like the vocals could come forward just a bit, perhaps with some added bite with a hint of distortion, or perhaps a longer predelay on the reverb, but those are extreme nitpicks. It's a fun song and none of the issues break the deal for me. Let's do this! YES

I agree with my fellow Js that this mix sounds mid-low heavy, but it's not striking me as boomy, and my sub isn't freaking out. I like a lot of bass and it sounds great on my mixing system, but I can see how it might sound boomy in a car. That said, the mix sounds to me as if it has been high-passed, lacking sparkle. I also agree that the master sounds heavily compressed, which is fatiguing but I don't hear any compression artifacts. The arrangement is a source sandwich, which is pushing the boundary of being a medley, and the transitions are not smooth, but they work well enough and the track still sounds cohesive. The guitar performances are very good! I like it, count me in on this one. YES

I'm afraid I have to agree with the NO votes for the most part. Prophetik likes the change to major at 2:18, but I feel like it messes up the flow, and that first note right at 2:18 just sounds like an error to me. I like the later shifts to major, those seem to work better. Other than that, this is a lovely romp through the source tune. I have no problem with the volume level on this one. But I feel like it is just too conservative and droning. NO (borderline)

I'm not sure how I feel about this one. The harp in the intro is low-mid heavy in an odd way. The choir is uncanny but used well/briefly enough. When the flute comes in, it has vibrato on it full-time which sounds unnatural to me. The overall writing feels like an upgraded midi to me for a huge amount of time. I hear some variation starting at 1:29, but it's back to upgraded midi at 1:52. The piano sounds stiff. The piano writing is identical to the source including the little rushed notes. At 2:42 there is some writing variation again, until the end, but overall this is VERY conservative. The instrumentation and mixing are passable, the humanization squeaks by other than my nags. My main concern is whether the arrangement is too conservative overall. I'm going to wait to see what others think. edit: After reading Wes's words, I feel more confident with my position on this, which is that the sample issues along with the arrangement being too conservative put this just under the bar for me. NO

I really like this laid-back concept, and the instrumentation ideas are great. But I hear what Larry is nagging about. Your instruments are not mixed or balanced well nor are they placed well in the soundscape. I hear your lead instruments way in the back instead of the front, and what does find it's way to the front are your acoustic guitar and accordion, which should clearly be in the back. Even though those elements are wide-panned, they are too loud and dry and they are totally drowning out the leads that you have more centered. (This wide placement is fine, it's the levels and mixing of those elements that isn't working) At the same time, all instruments feel like they occupy the same space sonically; almost everything is in the same frequency range so it sort of mushes together. The bass doesn't sound as bad to me as it does to Larry, but it does sound a little indistinct to me, and when it plays higher notes it sticks out uncomfortably. I think this is all down to mixing. I recommend a complete re-balancing the levels of this track, for starters. Backing elements have got to be quieter than leads. Also, use reverb with varying predelays to indicate which instruments are closer to the front. Make sure to eq everything below 150-200Hz completely out of every element that isn't kick or bass, this is probably why the low end sounds so indistinct to me, there are too many frequencies competing in the lows, creating mush. Like Larry, I'm sorry to sound so negative, because this really is a very cute concept and the performances are mostly good, but at this point the production just isn't getting the job done. NO (resubmit)

I'm a Kris too. Three Ch(K)ris's. Wow!

I have loved this track as I have heard it develop over the past few weeks. It is very sweet and relaxing and well executed, full of lovely detail. I agree with prophetik about the sour notes and I have mentioned them before, they are noticeable but not distracting; certainly not worthy of holding this lovely arrangement back. Wes your arrangements always speak to my soul. YES

Just FYI everyone, the rendering errors were all on my end and had to do with issues with my Lynx card. With the help of my computer-expert friend, I was able to solve that issue today, which is a huge weight off my shoulders as well as finally getting this track sounding the way it should! It's a beautiful track and I enjoyed working on it!

I have to agree with Rexy in full, she nailed it. I love this idea, "pseudo-surf" is a great term to describe it. The mix is way too hot, this much clipping is unacceptable; the track needs an entire re-balance and mastering with levels not exceeding 0db (but preferably more like -0.3 at least). The arrangement is short and repetitive, in writing and instrumentation, three playthroughs of the same material, and the ending is an abrupt drop off. I agree with Emu about the drum breakdown, great idea but it sounds too basic to carry of that section solo. Cool ideas but this needs more work. NO

The piano is lovely. I love the drum work too, but I'm finding it repetitive and relentless, I wish for a breakdown somewhere, longer than five seconds (2:27-2:32). I agree with Emu that the length of the track isn't supported with quite enough variation, but honestly I think that would be remedied by dropping the busy drums down to minimal or nothing for nice long-enough breakdown segment to let it breathe and then rebuild the energy. The mastering has to be brought down for sure, there is audible distortion when the snare/kick/hat hit at the same time. Please fix and send it back, it's really nice! NO (please resubmit)

The intro with the strange piano is odd. The tambourine/hat loop feels very stiff, repetitive, plodding and out of place, and the pace is too fast while the piano and accordion play whole notes. That loop never stops, it is relentless. The flute is quite nice, best part of the mix so far. I like this arrangement, but that tambourine/hat loop must cease at some point during the track. I think that bothers me even more than the production problems because the arrangement never gets a chance to breathe, it needs a breakdown without that loop. Perhaps some variation with another loop, one with a different energy level, at some point would also be good. Great ideas here, but there's a bit more work to do on this one. NO

I totally dig this. The guitar is ace, and the bass is making me smile big time. (is that you Deia?) Loving the entire soundscape and writing. I hear the weird chords, and the weird triangle thing, but they don't bother me much at all. My only real nitpick is the drums feel repetitive after awhile, and that abrupt cutoff ending really reveals the loopiness of it.... oof, please fix. This is super fun though, yes indeed. YES (conditional, please to fix oof ending)

This is a REALLY fun arrangement. Sadly I have to agree with my fellow Js that the samples just aren't strong enough to carry it off. All the brass, the piano, and the banjo just sound thin, stiff, and unhumanized. As Emunator said, I can totally appreciate how hard it is to get a humanized performance from VSTs, most especially brass which has such attitude and sass to it when played live. You did a pretty amazing job with what you're working with, but ultimately these samples sound too stiff and thin because they are 100% exposed. I'd love to hear this again with better samples, but dang, I love the arrangement! NO

It has been awhile since I played Xenoblade Chronicles but I remember the beauty of the entire OST. This track really breathes, feels as luscious as the original but in a new way. The production is excellent, the instrumentation is fantastic, lots of detail in the arrangement. This remix is utterly beautiful, with so much personality and feels. Love it! YES

What a fresh-sounding style, totally unique. The arrangement is relaxing while being full of detail. The production is on point. There is plenty of variation even while keeping the orchestration mostly the same. I love the effects sprinkled throughout the mix, and the vocals. Easy YES from me too. YES

Bravo on turning this sparse source into a full arrangement, this is impressive. The instrumentation is humanized just enough I think. Everything sounds lush and full. I'm glad I'm voting on the higher-level master version. This is a very easy YES for me. Love it. YES

Gonna just quickly co-sign with my fellow Js. Awesome jazz performances here! Mixing works well. The arrangement starts out super strong with Song of Storms, but dang, where did it go? This arrangement really isn't a fit for OCR standards. If you wanted to revisit it with more Song of Storms I think it would be a great addition to the site, but as it stands, there's just not enough source. Cool listen though! NO

I love Lavender Town so much, it's creepy on so many levels. You've taken that theme and given it a whole new feel while still keeping it plenty dark. This mix is utterly lovely. The production is fantastic. Love the drums, love the strings. Enjoyable listen and very easy YES. YES

I love this. I wish it was longer, much longer but at least two minutes. That said, wow this is fun, you packed a LOT of arrangement and ideas into such a small package. Vocals are on the dry side but it works here. The guitar starting at 0:55 could be quite a bit louder, it is much quieter than the vocals or the lead in the outro. Even so, if it's long enough for Larry, I'm going to give it YES #2. YES

I love this source so much. I love what you've done here, and it all works for me except the piano. With this source, that piano absolutely has to work. This sample sounds weak and dry and needs some humanization work. Get that done, and then it's a yes from me! NO (resubmit please)

Oh god, this sounds soooooo broken. My brain keeps wondering if my computer is about to blue screen. I can see how this could be super irritating to some people. But it's so ridiculously clean and well-balanced. This track throws my brain off in such a wonderful way. The sub booms in the intro are subtle and divine. I absolutely love this. Like, seriously love. Smiling. Thank you. YES

It sounds distorted/bitcrushy to me, but stylistically so, I don't find it offensive at all. I really like this interpretation. The arrangement is conservative but transformative. Enjoyable listen! YES

I think I have to agree with MW here, entirely. This arrangement doesn't feel transformative enough; the writing, arrangement and instrumentation sound very close to the original. The piano arp sounds stiff and robotic. The choir is what is pushing me over the edge the most though, towards a NO. It just sounds so fake, the midrange is hyped, and it starts and stops so abruptly. This one isn't quite OCR worthy. NO