Chimpazilla

Re mixer Name: Wiesty (Arrangement) XPRTNovice (Saxophones) Real Name: Dylan Wiest, Joe Zieja Email Address: User ID: 11643, 12064 Name of game(s) arranged: Final Fantasy II Name of arrangement: Variations de Chocobo Name of individual song(s) arranged: Chocobo Theme Hello! This is an arrangement of the Chocobo theme I originally arranged as bonus content for the FFVII web series that was in development. It was originally written as a string quartet, but seeing as how I had no connections to string players I arranged it for saxophone quartet and asked Joe to record the quartet. The concept for this piece goes way back when I was faced with whether or not to do a chocobo remix for the a project. My dilemma was remixing a song that had already been remixed dozens of times already, by the original composer. Therefore I decided to write in a sort of theme and variations pieces, hence "Variations de Chocobo". The piece touches on many different musical eras. It starts with the original theme followed by a rag time variation, a jazz variation, and finally a dance-pop variation. Enjoy!

Source use is conservative, slapping is sweet. Performances are great. Drum groove gets really samey after awhile. Did I mention the performances are great? Gotta go with it. YES

Contact Information Cyril the Wolf Connor Pelkey http://youtube.com/user/CyrilRufus 14729 Artist ID: 5473 Submission Information Name of game(s) arranged: Super Metroid Name of arrangement: Dancing in the Jungle Name of individual song(s) arranged: Brinstar - Plant Overgrowth Area All Crediting information is on the site at http://ocremix.org/game/74/super-metroid-snes Link to ReMix: Commentary: I really have little to say about this other than one day I was bored at work, I slapped along to Brinstar, had loads of fun. I tried my hardest not to overthink this remix and really evoke the 70's disco as much as possible.

Wes has covered the issues quite well. Each section of this track could be addressed separately and expanded into it's own remix, but with such disparate styles and source tunes playing one after another with minimal cohesion, this isn't the type of track we accept on OCR. NO

You're not alone Wes. I can't stand hard panning, and I listen mainly on speakers. On headphones it is worse. Yet, I see what he was going for here, bringing in one rhythm guitar and then the other. So it's a purposeful stylistic choice. Hhhhm. Maybe if something else were happening on the right while the left panned guitar played alone (and vice versa later in the track), it wouldn't feel so unbalanced during those sections. Drums sound good but they could be louder. I love the concept. The guitar parts are very well played. Good cohesive arrangement. The soundscape once it is established doesn't change too much, other than when the bass does some soloing at 2:10. The guitar writing tends to get repetitive. The synth bass solo starting at 2:38 is... idunno, odd-ish, then we get the panned rhythm guitars back. Everything after 2:38 is pretty samey for me, writing-wise, and the unchanging soundscape makes it even more repetitive. The jury is out for me on this one. I'm leaning towards NO but I'll revisit it.

I think I'm hearing more source than Wes has timestamped, mostly because the backing arp is there a lot of the time, and even during the soloing the chord progression is going on in the bass and backing elements, or the choir is carrying it. When the guitar plays the source melody, it is recognizable but with such awesome variation. I'm not having an issue with source. During the breakdown starting at 2:00 the soundscape goes lo-fi. I'm not sure I'm completely onboard with that idea. The return to clarity at 2:36 is abrupt and a bit jarring. Regardless, this is a great track. The guitar and bass playing are absolutely ace. Lots of detail in the mix as Wes pointed out. Very enjoyable listen. Very easy yes. YES

This is excellent!!! Did you play this or sequence it, it is very natural and dynamic, both in playing style and mood. Piano sample is perfect. Well done Rexy, I love it!

New version uploaded 11/24/15. Flexstyle was right that the track was relentless and it needed a break from the kick. Mike was kind enough to walk me through the process of creating a proper breakdown, buildup and drop, and he listened to this track so many times in the process. Thanks so much, Mike! I know this track is source-light compared to my usual. It's different from my usual in so many ways! I actually tried multiple times to add more source, after reading Larry's concerns. My attempts to add more source only made the track too busy, as it is already pretty busy. So, it is what it is. Dunno if this helps or not, but here's the source song transposed down a half-step for comparison to my track. ----------------------------------- the older version is here Remixer: Chimpazilla Game remixed: Portal 2 Source: Reconstructing Science Hey guys, shameless self-panel here. This is a track I have wanted to write ever since I first heard the classic Cave Johnson rant two years ago. I've been taking some production lessons from bLiNd, and he's been teaching me so many helpful things; I finally felt that I could approach this mix in the way I always wanted to. Jordan is a fantastic teacher by the way! (and an even better friend!) I've been on a trend lately of telling a story with my remixes using spoken vocals, and I really felt that Cave Johnson deserved to have his say, because lemons! Hope you all get a kick out of it. Here's where the source stuff is: 0:30-0:45 (15 seconds - backing arp) 0:45-1:15 (30 seconds - backing arp plus lead) 2:45-2:49 (4 seconds - motif) 2:52-2:56 (4 seconds - motif) 2:58-3:00 (2 seconds - motif) 3:00-3:04 (4 seconds - motif) 3:07-3:11 (4 seconds - motif) 3:13-3:15 (2 seconds - motif) 3:15-4:52 (97 seconds - leads) total is 162/292 seconds = 55% source

*ahem*..... THIS TRACK IS MASTERED TOO LOUD. Man, that's a wave sausage if I ever did see one. NO dynamics here, the track is relentless. Lots of good ideas here, but everything is playing full time and it all competes for attention and frequency space. Backing textures go on for way too long (they end up being repetitive), and too loudly. Details such as your piano flourishes are drowned out. Everything sounds very dry. I suggest first, turn down your master limiter by a billion decibels, then go through the track and decide what should be the focus at each point in the song, and turn the other elements down. Each instrument should have enough room to breathe within the track. There's really no intro, and no outro. Was the track designed to loop? For OCR, it would be much better with a proper intro and outro. There is some good writing and soloing in the track, but like this it's pretty much unlistenable. Hit up our workshop forum if you'd like further advice to get this mix working properly. NO (resubmit)

Remixer Name: The Art In Me Real Name: Matthew Anderson Email: Website: https://soundcloud.com/theartinme OC Remix User ID: 50762 Game: Earth Worm Jim 2 Arrangement Name: Not Tangerines Again Original Name: Anything But Tangerines

What, no source breakdown??? What has this world come to? Yeah, source is easily identifiable, this time! As for the mix: it's big, it's badass, it's timaeus, it's gud. YES

Contact Information Username: timaeus222 Name: Truong-Son Nguyen http://soundcloud.com/timaeus222 http://tproductions.comeze.com/ ID: 39971 Submission Information Game: Mega Man 9 ReMix Title: Big Brute Force of Nature Consoles/Platforms: It's on the site OST Composers: Also on the site Sources: Thunder Tornado (http://youtube.com/watch?v=TELSbAMwUSQ) --- though I just recalled the source from memory so maybe you guys don't really need it =P ReMix: (VBR1) (WAV) Comments: "Well... I don't usually like to rework old music, but I guess in a way, I kinda did, this time. I had an old Tornado Man ReMix (called 'Whipping Up A Tornado', also in the style of D&B, still on the WIP forums) that I had basically given up on because I didn't properly use a compressor back then, and I was trying to do edits with it still on in the Master track---bad idea! That aside, I started completely over and did another ReMix of this source tune from scratch, taking influences from zircon and Lindsey Stirling (especially her "Shatter Me" album; do go check that out). Also, I guess you could possibly consider the ReMix title a little happily accidental tribute to the game show Chain Reaction (Big Brute, Brute Force, Force of Nature). Anyways, when I was initially working on this, I actually wanted to do something sorta like Dream Theater... but it didn't reeeeally turn out that way. It was still fun to write though, especially in the breakdown section in the middle. I'd say 2:16 is my favorite part, when I was riffing on the intro hook in the original; I found it rather catchy. In a sense this is kinda pop-y in structure, and I'm glad, because it led me to depend on differentiating what's already there while keeping a would-have-been-copy-pasted structure rather than simply writing something completely new to keep things changing. It was a fun experiment, and I think it melodically and harmonically takes the source in a new direction, even compared to the other Tornado Man remixes on the site. Also, many thanks to Nutritious for giving me some feedback that motivated me to take this to the next level. :D" Extra Info: ...Nah, none to put here. This is fairly straightforward source usage (but not simple IMO), so no need for a breakdown this time.

Very cute mix, plenty of source, fun interpretation. Why does this mix sound so lossy though? I think it's cute and creative enough but it's very fuzzy and lossy. I'm a conditional yes if we get a clean render. If it's more than just an overdriven limiter though, the mixing will need to be revisited. YES (conditional, need clean render)

For Esther's Dreams album Your ReMixer name: BONKERS Submission Information Name of game(s) arranged: .Hack//Infection Name of arrangement: "Mon Ami!" Name of individual song(s) arranged: Grunty Farm Link to the original soundtrack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJbL3qy-vds Your own comments about the mix, for example the inspiration behind it, how it was made, etc: Not sure if I have any comments, just because it's been like what..7 months since I finished mine and I never bothered to write anything down? haha I should've thought that one through! Guess i'll have to use this for my Sub comments too. Let's see if I can remember anything specific...hm. Well, I I think I remember when going through potential material that I thought this would be a perfect fit for me. No one has ever really done remixes of .Hack// Music (Which is amazing and fantastic btw), and I always had a strange affliction for this song. Back when the games first came out, i'd try and play this song along on my guitar by ear, not very well mind you. I think this came out around the time I started playing guitar, so I can recall only getting parts of it right and always being really sloppy. The song itself is very sweet and endearing, not to mention contextual somewhat to this situation! haha, in the game you can raise a Grunty (Think a Horse Crossed with a Pig , Crossed with a hippo ) from being born into various different adult forms that all have extremely silly accents and personalities https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-zgFphbWZA "OHHHH MON AMI!! DO YOU NEEED MEE??"" XD In regards to the arrangement, you know i'm drawing a blank almost. I think I just sort of started coming up with random things I thought were relaxing and sounded good to my ears, I do remember that I wanted to use a thick synth bass and incorporate the music box somehow. By the end of the song, I even remember that I even threw in some modulation to different keys in the harmony, which I thought sounded really good. I do remember being proud by the end and I still listen to the song here and there, in fact it's probably the most pleasant and enjoyable remix i've made personally. It just clicks for me I guess! Some months later, I also remember when I was playing through Arc The Lad again that there was a variation of the Four Great Generals of Romalia Theme that sounded just like my Grunty Remix! > Linkhttps://copy.com/dcq19WG7gGkR So I thought that was really funny! -BONK

What a lovely concept. The arrangement is very beautiful and definitely puts the listener right in the middle of the Sacred Meadow. I wish the track had been mastered louder, it never gets louder than -14db at any point and I have to turn my speakers waaaaay up to hear it. It's a very mellow track, very well put together, with the exception of the low volume. Should we get a slightly louder mastered version? YES (conditional on volume increase) Larry can you check on those DPs he mentioned?

Dear Judges, I am submitting for your consideration the following remix... Remixer name: Doc Nano Real name: Alex Johnson-Buck userid: 36369 e-mail address: website: http://www.youtube.com/docnanomusic Game arranged: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Songs arranged: 1. Minuet of Woods (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYzvYgdabb8) 2. Saria's Song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmB9LsIozSQ) Afternoon in the Sacred Forest Meadow () Description: As part of the album project for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, I offered to write an orchestral arrangement of Minuet of Woods. Since that project has, sadly, been placed on indefinite hold, I have decided to submit this remix as a separate effort. Throughout this arrangement, I am deliberately imitating the style of Debussy's "Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune," with heavy use of harp, woodwinds, strings, and french horn, and only minimal percussion (namely, crotales and wind chimes). My aim was to convey the impression of a magical afternoon spent in the Sacred Forest Meadow with Saria. Although fragments of Saria's Song appear in the arrangement, the main source is Minuet of Woods (or Minuet of Forest), which I have attempted to develop into a somewhat more substantial theme. Thanks for your consideration. **P.S. I submitted two remixes with Amaterasu (Chris Woo) in 2010 and 2011, which were flagged for direct post but to my knowledge never saw the front page: 1. Dance of the Kokiri (Source: Saria's Song) 2. Aveh Mountain Breakdown (Source: Aveh, the Ancient Dance from Xenogears) I'm just wondering if these are still in the pipeline, or were forgotten? Thanks again! -- Alex (Doc Nano)

That's a pretty passive-aggressive writeup. Ok, so this one or nothing. Noted. I really like this source, and I love the concept of this remix. I have a few issues. I'm not sure I like the total silence from 0:45-0:47, and in the section from 0:56-1:03 the clap falls on beat #1 which feels weird. There are more areas of total silence between musical thoughts which I find breaks the flow. The claps on beat #1 happen again at 2:34. The writing feels disjointed at times and I can't always keep track of the source as I listen, the writing moves away from identifiable source quite frequently. There is a lot of cool stuff happening in this mix, good sounds and ideas, but overall I feel like it ends up being too simplistic and disjointed, and it is repetitive as well, and I can't see it as an official OC ReMix in it's current state. NO

ReMixer name: Abixvatoz real name: T.K. Laszev email right back here: userid: 54007 Name of Game Arranged: Fable - [Xbox] Name of Original Track: Temple of Light - [Russel Shaw] Title of My Remix: The Spark of Bluetane (Live - Illuminated House Mix) Additional information: original composer Russel Shaw. original Xbox system. http://fable.wikia.com/wiki/Soundtracks I'm not a community person at all, and I mostly make entirely original arrangements. However, I'm pretty sure you guys don't have any Fable remixes yet, so here's this thing that I,uhh, am.. passionate about. Enjoy, take it, or pass on it, whatever. In any case, I am so totally done with this piece. It is one of my weird "Live" mixes - don't ask, it's just sort of a quirky way I produce music. There turned out to be a couple of minor unavoidable pops at around 30 seconds? It goes away quickly. Like I said, I can't (or won't) fix it - way, *way* too much work, maybe just for the fact that I'm producing out of my cheap n crappy bedroom "studio". I don't know. P.S. I find your submission policy very particular, and overwhelmingly detailed (perhaps understandably) - but I almost fully expect that my submission will not be accepted, for whatever reason... at least, maybe not "this time", because, maybe, you guys might want a possible re-submission with tweaks or edits? But this is why I repeat: I will not be re-submitting. This is absolutely the final version of this piece that I'm doing, and I don't care if that means this submission is not accepted. Have a nice day.. (oh, wait, happy holidays too.. I guess? haa I don't even know what time of year it is, I'll be missin you guys at magfest, which I hope to eventually come back and super smash jam live at.. lol alright I'm done), ~T. Laszev

I'm not a huge fan of the intro kicks, I'm happier when the groove begins. There are many timbre changes throughout the track that are interesting, such as the bass and backing elements/textures, but the EP lead stays exactly the same and I agree with Vinnie that the EP is quite plain and expressionless. The EP plays all the way through the track and it feels like a missed opportunity to introduce some more interesting lead sounds into the mix. The bass and other elements are evolving and cool. The arrangement is pretty conservative and the writing is repetitive, and I think changing up the lead sound somewhere in the track would add more variety and interest, and would eliminate some of the repetitiveness as well. It's nearly there imo, very cool ideas. NO (resubmit)

This sounds amazing as I'd expect from Will! I love the soft piano intro and breakdown. Such great soloing. Super guitar work as well as sequenced leadwork. Will is a pro at leads and soloing. I'm loving the arrangement. I think the drums could stand to have a bit more presence, kick and snare are a tad quiet. Really fun, impressive listen overall. YES

Lots of good detail in the mix as I've come to expect from DjjD. I love the growls. Kick is really quiet, bass could have more presence, otherwise it's mixed well. The arrangement isn't blowing me away though. I feel like the track has a long intro, then one playthrough of the the source melody. The breakdown feels quite plain. From the breakdown starting at 1:36 all the way to the sax solo at 2:33, the track is leadless and loses focus. The sax playing at the end is competent but honestly I don't feel like it fits with the rest of the track, and it feels pasted onto the end of it. Also the ending is very abrupt. I'm on the fence here. Other J's, what say you? This is gonna be a borderline vote for me whichever way I go... 11/19/15: Listening again, this track has some excellent elements but just isn't there for me, arrangement-wise. My crits stand. Deia said it well, the second half needs to be reworked. That sax solo section could make a nice little bridge section, followed by another playthrough of the source material, with variation from the first time. Hope to hear this again soon! NO (resubmit)

DjjD Jacob Diaz https://soundcloud.com/djjdstudios Sonic 3 "Hydraulic Pressure" Hydrocity Zone Act 1 Original made as a mix that was to be included on a compilation album, seems it wasn't meant to be. Oh well, just means another submission for here! This is a remix I did of Hydrocity Zone as it is one of my favorite vg tunes. This was about 4 days of work and I asked my brother to play some sax near the end. Again, was made entirely in FL Studio and I hope you guys like!

This track has no intro, it just dives right into the meat of things, which is jarring. I'm really not a fan of wide saw leads because they have to be processed just right not to sound cheesy. The piano is stiff and quantized. The beat is so generic. Nothing is sidechained so the drums are very hard to hear and the mix in general lacks any kind of groove. All the sounds are very vanilla. The bass is the best aspect I hear, but it is not used optimally, there are some growly sounds which could be showcased and they are instead buried. The writing is blocky and uninspired, the arrangement is repetitive. I like this mix better than the other mix you submitted on the same day (please, only one submission every 3 weeks), but even so, I still recommend you hit up our wip forums for further advice on how to make this work. NO

Dear OCReMix team, after my first mail I've got another track for you, remixed this month. I don't know if you still need personal information in this mail, just because my last mail is just half an hour old. But my ReMixer Name is DJBNY, UserID is 54369. Name of game(s) arranged: Final Fantasy VIII Name of arrangement; Battles Should Be Fought! (DJBNY RMX) Name of individual song(s) arranged: Let The Battles Begin! I made this remix for a friend, a real FFVII enthusiast, he completed it 14(!) times since he bought the game. So it was my decision to make him happy with a track which should be really special. It took two weeks until I liked it. So I made it in FL Studio with reFX Nexus, Harmor and other plugins. I hope you like it, too. Best regards DJBNY

Simple sounding synths to open up. Simple soft crash and snare follows, and then a very simple beat is set up. The writing is simple and blocky. Not sure what is happening with the bass from 0:48-0:55 but it sounds quite muddy and mashed together there. The bass sounds very muddy and indistinct overall, with areas that are boomy. The writing is so repetitive. The transition at 1:49 is very awkward and breaks the flow totally. The mix has too much reverb overall and the timbres are mushing together quite a bit. The arrangement is so repetitive. Fun start, but I'm afraid much more work is needed here both in arrangement and production. I suggest you hit up our wip forum for further advice. NO