Chimpazilla

This sounds cohesive, although there are obvious stop/starts between the sections. I haven't listened to the sources yet. The production is good. Too medley-like?

Hello again! Hope you are well, I actually have another "remix" I wanted to share with OCR, I've linked it here: And if I've missed anything (I don't think I have) please let me know and I'll get it to you right away. Thanks again for your time and efforts, I'm sure you have a mountain to go through and that's on top of daily life, so fair play to you! All the best, Contact Information ReMixer name: HyperDuck SoundWorks Real name: Chris Geehan Email address: Website: www.hyperduck.co.uk Userid: http://ocremix.org/community/user/25182-hyperduckchris Submission Information Name of game(s) arranged: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Name of arrangement: Beyond the Imperial Prison Name of individual song(s) arranged: Reign of the Septims, Through the Valleys, Watchmans Ease, Auriel's Ascension Platform: PC Composer name: Jeremy Soule https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpqSdORmCX4 Comments about the mix, etc: This was done as a favor to a friend, actually, Randy Yasenchak of Elder Geek www.youtube.com/eldergeek does a series called "25 games for my son" which he talks about 25 games he has carried with him through life, and wishes for one day, that his son play them, or at least know why he played them, and what they meant to him at those key moments in his life. Coincidentally, the 10 year anniversary of Oblivion was quite recent (March 20th if I recall correctly), so it tied in with that. This is a humble remix, more of a modest medley really ocmodestmedleys.org anyone? And my own nod to Jeremy Soule and what he did for me as a young gamer, as a young human being and as a composer as I grew into one. I have a signed copy of the Skyrim soundtrack tucked away in my storage for safe keeping, I will always be grateful for what Jeremy Soule has done for video game music, and what he did for me as a composer, by writing these incredible themes and creating these awesome atmospheres, so thanks Jeremy!

I don't think the intro scratches add anything useful, they just sound like a rendering error to me. I like how the track starts to develop at 0:33 when the kick drops, but there isn't any melody to speak of until 1:10 and by then the entire feel has changed. Starting at 1:17 there is a jazz drum loop that never changes for the rest of the track. The track never picks up speed after this. I think it would be so cool to bring the kick beats back in, yet continue with the jazz style. Just when I think the track should really pick up speed, it is over. Nice ideas here, but it doesn't feel like a full arrangement yet. NO

Your ReMixer name Aron Kramer (Sorry! I hope that's O.K.) Your real name Aron Kramer Your email address Your website aronkrameraudio.com Your userid (number, not name) on our forums, found by viewing your forum profile 31172 Submission Information Name of game(s) arranged Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Name of arrangement Hyrule Sunshine (If that's not O.K. call it Sunshine of Time ! ) Name of individual song(s) arranged Title Theme So.. here in The Netherlands the winter has been raging on for way too long (that sounds way too dramatic since it doesn't get that cold) but we got some really nice days last weekend with the first rays of the sun. I guess I got really inspired by the great feeling of having that first barbecue with a few beers with my fellow friends. I tried to fuse different things into this track, and I think it really shows. The title theme of Ocarina always felt like a tune that could be improvised on rather well. I went with a mix of warm electronics at the beginning, which launches off into a jazzy break with saxophone and mute trumpets. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did making it and hail the great Koji! Also, just to make clear, the vinyl distortions at the beginning are intentional. Cheers and thanks guys, Aron Kramer

This is almost certainly too conservative, although he altered the piano theme. The instrumentation and processing sounds good, but the arrangement and drumbeat/bass and the backing arp and the entire mood of the piece is the same. Good judgetest track. NO

Contact Information Your ReMixer name : brAin Your real name: Brian Levine Your email address: Your userid: 33497 Submission Information Name of game(s) arranged: Mass Effect Name of arrangement: Siha Name of individual song(s) arranged: Love Theme Additional information about game: Xbox 360, original song composed by Jack Wall Link to the original soundtrack: https://soundcloud.com/jackwallmusic/mass-effect-love-theme Your own comments about the mix: Kept the main melody, but altered the theme to sound darker and more desperate to reflect the mood of the story in the later games.

Remixer Name: JohnStacy Real Name: John Stacy Email Address: Name of game(s) arranged - Metroid 1 and Metroid II: Return of Samus Name of arrangement - Cazador de Recompensas (Bounty Hunter) Name of individual song(s) arranged - Title (Metroid) Title (Metroid II: Return of Samus) Additional information: The JohnStacy Orchestra is a studio big band dedicated to recording big band arrangements of video game music. This is a multitrack recording of the title themes from Metroid 1 and 2, inspired by Stan Kenton and his Cuban Fire album. I was preparing to arrange an album, and had the idea to do the title theme from Metroid as an afro cuban groove, and the quasi swing section in the middle just seemed to fit that section of the music. The title theme from Metroid 2, or at least a fragment of it, made a good concluding theme, using a duple feel against the triple feel. The track is one of several tracks on the multitrack album, all arrangements of classic video game tunes in various jazz styles. The JohnStacy Orchestra: CJ Carter, Edward Cosio - Saxophone. JohnStacy - Trumpet, French Horn, Bass. Jacob Rives - Trombone, Bass Trombone. Bruno Gutierrez - Tuba. Ben Hilton - Drums Misael Tambuwum - Piano

First the source tune: omg 8-bit trap, I've never heard that before, and I love this source tune. (edit: I had not heard of Pony Island. I'm watching a walkthrough now, wow what an interesting concept for a game. Ingeniously evil!) Now the remix: Interesting idea to redo this source as metal. The guitar performances are good, the rhythm guitars are mixed nice and wide. The lead guitar sounds a bit too centered for my liking. The drums are good, but mixed on the quiet side, and the crashes lack highs that would give them more impact in this mix. I like the glitching effects very much, they are well used and not overdone. I find plenty of source in the arrangement, it's on the conservative side. After the 2 minute mark though, I'm feeling like things are getting repetitive. The backing chug writing in particular, is quite repetitive. I can see this going either way because there are good aspects to this mix, but for me, the repetition is dragging it below the bar. Also, ugh, fadeout ending. edit: 7/22/16: Ok so my son and I played through the entirety of Pony Island last night. Wow, what a game. This is the best source tune in the game. I have a better feeling for the source tune now. I still feel like this remix gets repetitive, and I really dislike fadeout endings, but the track is too good not to have on the site. Changing to YES

Hi,This is my submission of Diabolus Ex Machina, a Pony Island metal remix.Download:320 kbits MP3: (also available through )192 kbits MP3: Contact Information:Name: Björn "BKM" KirchhoffMail: Website: https://soundcloud.com/bkmUserID: 32752Submission Information: Game: Pony Island by Daniel MullinsRemix Name: Diabolus Ex MachinaArranged Song: Adventure AwryOriginal Composer: Jonah SenzelSource Link: https://soundcloud.com/jonah-senzel/06-adventure-awryAbout the game:Pony Island (not associated with other pony-containing franchises) is a clever project by Daniel Mullins that messes with the players' expectations about what constitutes a game and how it is supposed to function. The player finds himself in the role of a silent protagonist who interacts with an arcade console that appears to be possessed by Satan himself. As the player tries to keep Satan from his declared goal of obtaining the protagonist's soul by trapping him in the arcade, the game blures the line between game and metafiction as the game continues and it becomes increasingly unclear who "arcade-Satan" is talking to - the protagonist or the player? While the game asks interesting questions about our relation to games in general and what we expect from them, it provides a series of interesting puzzles and enjoyable mechanics that keep this game from being "oh so meta" or over-pretentious. This is the first game for me that had me solving puzzles in the game menu in order to be able to progress.About the soundtrack and my remix:Jonah Senzel composed some really enjoyable chiptunes that progress in complexity as "arcade-Satan" further elaborates his trap (i.e. the arcade games). Stylistically, it's a blend of contradictory styles such as childrens music and death metal according to a blog post by the composer. No wonder that especially Adventure Awry, which served as source for the present remix, basically screamed for a remix involving heavily downtuned guitars. When I started to work on this remix, I tried to force the remix part into this project by dissecting the main riff and trying to build something new with it, which absolutely killed the strong groove and surreal feel of the original. I therefore opted for enhancement instead of (forced) alteration - I transposed the arrangement to fit a drop-tuned seven string guitar and added a lengthy interlude containing riffs that are inspired by and carry further the original groove. On the forums, Rozovian expressed his concerns about my fairly conservative take on the source (which I share to some degree), but I hope I was able to elucidate why I chose this path for this particular mix. I documented in detail the process of creating this remix and all the changes made / lessons learned in a corresponding thread (http://ocremix.org/community/topic/42797-adventure-awry-pony-island-keith-merrow-style-7-string-metal-remix/#comment-807194). I talk about the difficulties of achieving a modern metal guitar tone using nothing but software amp modellation there and I also explain in detail why I chose to master at a volume that is on par with modern metal releases; since I know that not everyone in the forums (and maybe also in the judge panel?) shares my views in this regard, I'd be glad to resubmit a lower RMS version if that is somehow preventing my mix from being accepted.I hope you enjoy this mix as much as I enjoyed creating it.Best regards,Björn "BKM" Kirchhoff

Bump. New version up, check it out!

Well I love this. The production is clean as a whistle, soundscape is huge, while being creatively sparse. It is repetitive, but suitably so for this genre. The additive/subtractive nature of the arrangement is perfect. With a track like this, I feel the length is justified. Quite an easy yes for me. Into the favorites folder it goes. YES

Not much to add to what the two gentlemen above had said. Sir_NutS nailed this vote imo. The length of the track is much too long to support this many iterations of the same short source. The mixing is low-heavy and does get muddy here and there. I recommend putting a high pass on every instrument (as well as reverbs and delays) to make sure the lows aren't overlapping with the bass at all below 200Hz. The track sounds overcompressed, but I think you'll have much more headroom after you high pass everything but the bass. Wow, this track is long. I agree it should be cut by half, keeping a smaller portion of each unique section, but also changing up the writing at some point. I also don't like fadeouts, it feels like such a copout, especially following such a long and repetitive track. I agree with Mike that it is odd to start with the heavier beat and then never revisit that beat, it makes the arrangement dynamics even flatter. I recommend adding a drumless portion somewhere, followed by the original faster beat, preferably near the end prior to a proper outro. Lots of work to do here still. NO

It's most definitely better like this, without the drums, although the other issues are still there (occasional sour notes, somewhat rigid sequencing, odd lead volume envelopes). Are you sure you don't want to put in some subtle drums (subtle/soft and half-time from the first version), at the very least during the reprise at 2:34? Even just a shaker or toploop? If this is the final version, you get my YES but it won't be the strongest YES ever. Switching to NO in the interest of moving things along.

Whoa that vocoded "rock it" is awesome. Very cool, chill, groovy groove. Man, I love Serum. These sounds are nice, care to send me over a preset pack? Please? Such tasty processing. Omg that drop. Excellent detailing. Dem growls. When one hears such sounds, what can one say. Holy hell, what a cool song. Going in my favorites folder. edit (20 minutes later): Thank you Mike for the preset pack! ALL OF THE YES

I see what you did thar with the title, Oceans Azure, OA, I get it! Agreed with Larry about the plodding pace, very deliberate sounding. The snare sounds like a louder/sharper copy of the kick, so it just feels like an accented kick note instead of a snare. The melody feels very stiff due to this rigid pacing with the drums. I'm feeling like this drum groove doesn't really accent this writing or soundscape as well as it could. The writing and sounds seem to suggest a more flowing/natural drum groove, with softer and more fitting drum timbres, instead of this rigid, heavy 4x4 kick/snare pattern. The instrument writing (leads, strings, piano) also feels quite rigid and grid-snapped. There are some areas in the mix where the harmonies are awkward, for example at 0:58 the piano goes off key or something, at 1:21 the strings sound off and again at 1:36. From 1:36-2:20 there isn't much of interest going on, no leadwork at all (or is it the strings, or piano?), and the harmonies are all over the place with many instances of things being off here and there, and the drums continue to plod. The synth lead throughout this track has a strange volume envelope making some attacks much too sharp and others too slow. Sorry to come down so hard on this. Perhaps make some changes and resub? I'd love to hear it with a revised drum groove, something more mellow. NO

No worries, I'm sending him the votes in an email now.

For the FF3 project ReMixer: OA I took a peaceful and serene song and made it a bit more mysterious and languid. The light warriors have been through a lot, and just want to take a little break. They discovered that you can postpone the end of the world indefinitely, as long as you don't speak to the right NPC, and are just going to chill on their boat for a bit before continuing their mission.

Lots to like here, really nice performances by both gentlemen! I really like this arrangement too, great mood shifts and energy changes. The drumming gets a little static in most of the first half (most notable from 2:58-3:34), then gets crazy-creative in the second half. I think the track is mastered too hot, -7.7db RMS might be a little high for such a mellow track, and I hear some distortion here and there mostly in the first half when the soundscape is more exposed. If you wanted to master this a little more quietly before it hits the front page, that would be greeeeeeeat. Mkay? Thanks a bunch. YES

"Homecoming" source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxkg6ZJsrMM Level99 and OA A pretty nice track we worked on together, finishing it up when Stevo flew out to visit me in MN. I love the theme, and I think we added some nice new ideas to an already great song. This has been sitting on my hard drive for a few years and i think maybe it's time for people to be able to hear it. Stevo- Steel-string acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboards, drum programming Andrew - Nylon-string guitar, electric guitar, keyboards

This is pretty darn cool. I like the filtered intro. The vocoded lyrics are excellent. The lead synth timbre is a little bit dry. Lots of good backing arps and ear candy. I like the acoustic drum cameos. I like the arrangement although is suffers from a bit of samey-ness, but there are nice harmonies and backing elements thrown in to the repeated sections to mix it up. The arrangement could really use a drumless breakdown somewhere, to give the listener a break from the relentless beat. I love how you wove in Vampire Killer, it's subtle and fits perfectly. Overall, it works for me. YES

Hey there, Remixer name: Jorito Real name: Jorrith Schaap Website(s): YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Joeirot Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/jorito Userid: 3899 Submission information: Name of Game(s) Remixed: Castlevania 1, Castlevania Order of Ecclesia Name of Arrangement: Kill The Groove Names of songs arranged: Sorrow’s Distortion (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=db28R9LZBN4), Wicked Child (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7PFm7mrdVY), Vampire Killer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMLgBmO4ppY) Comments about the mix: Another track for the loser bracket in the Castlevania: Cacaphony of Incarnation compo on OCR. I was pretty inspired by http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03319 to give glitch hop a shot. So I did some research in what glitch hop actually means and started working. Cycling to work (always good for idea generation!) I came up with some additional ideas to add some weird vocoded lyrics in there, some acoustic drums and vocal sfx from Ecclesia and also threw in a nudge to Vampire Killer, just because. Unfortunately due to deadline pressure and these it didn’t really turn into glitch hop, but I found the end result to be pretty enjoyable nonetheless. No source breakdown this time, because it should be pretty straightforward. However, there are bits and pieces of Wicked Child all over the place. After working with this source for the 4th or 5th time you really can milk it for all its worth and squeeze out some parts to inject them here and there Lyrics are notably silly because I didn’t take this track to be very serious, and anyway, it seems to fit the track. Lyrics: Wicked Child, do the dance, make a move Crack the whip, kill the groove Crack the whip, before I kill the groove Wicked Child, do the dance, make a move Crack the whip before I kill the groove Wicked Child, with your Heart of Fire Dance all night to feed your dark desire Into the castle, down into the lair Dance with the devil, there is no despair Crack the whip and step into the groove Dracula, he makes your body move (2x) Body move Body move Crack the whip, before I kill the groove Feel the beat Kill the groove Feel the beat That makes your body move (2x) And let nobody kill the groove Cheers, Jorrith

Not much to add to what the two gentlemen above have said. The instrumentation is gorgeous. Continue to work on your humanization skills; each of your submissions is better than the previous one in that regard. After reviewing several of your submissions, I feel that your biggest goal should be to learn to compose complete arrangements that sound like one cohesive track, whether you're working with one source or five, it can be done. As an example, you could use one main source, and another source from the same game (or another game but I prefer same-game) as a breakdown section, then back to the main source before the song ends. When you return to the source you started with, that's what makes your song not a medley! I also like to weave two or more source motifs together as melody and countermelody, that's always fun (I did that here: Wistful). Keep in mind that a good arrangement has dynamics: an intro, first verse and/or chorus, some sort of breakdown (lower intensity, different vibe, which can be achieved easily with a second source), another verse and/or chorus, then an outro. Many of your arrangements have no dynamics as they just move along at the same intensity. So yeah, take your writing skills to the next level with some improved arranging skills, and you'll be getting a new OCR mixpost every week! NO

Ah yes this one. The arrangement is conservative enough, plenty of source there. The track has that classic 80s-inspired-yet-fully-modernized sound I've come to expect from Sir_Nuts that he does so well. Soundscape is full, kick is pumping, and there's tons of soloing and fun writing details going on. I have to admit I agreed with Gario about those bass notes. The revision here is much better although my ears still tell me a note or two is off here and there. Certainly not enough to bring down the entire groovy track! YES

Bump, sampled audio removed, revised render provided in OP.

I paneled the first version of this but never voted on it, so I don't really remember it, so I'm pretty much hearing it fresh. It seems like repetitive beats were the main dealbreaker on version #1. The intro and outro vocals are super dry and sound tacked on, I dislike them as bookends here. If there was some ambiance or the beginning of the beat or something with the vocals, they wouldn't sound so tacked on. It takes a long time for any leadwork to begin, all the way until 1:19 it's leadless, this would have been a good opportunity to introduce some motif, original or source, lightly into the scene. Once the lead begins, I like the timbre, I wish there weren't two identical playthroughs of the source material back to back though, doing the second iteration with a new lead would have broken that up very nicely. As it is, the second iteration is nearly copy-pasta, but I like when the beats briefly change up, that's the kind of thing I want to hear. The marching drumming at 2:33 is a great idea, the drumming could be mixed to be a bit more present and more impact, and I'd sure like some more present leadwork there, your original lead filters in at 2:49 in but it's really quiet. When the kick enters again, it works really nicely together with the marching drums. I like the bits of slap bass in the mix. I like your bass wub-work too, as you get better at producing I recommend you learn how to make your wubs stand out better, I can direct you to a fabulous teacher if you want his name (bLiNd). This mix has a lot going for it and a few structural flaws. I think it's close if not there already. If you're truly new at producing, you're well on your way, so if this doesn't make it this time, I think it's not going to take much to get it there. I'm going to let other Js vote before I finalize my thoughts. edit 7/8/16: I agree with my peers, the good outweighs the bad here. The arrangement and mixing still have issues, but please take our crits to heart for next time. Take the time to learn production, as you already have some pretty strong skills. Looking forward to hearing more from you! YES (borderline)