JJT

Uh, guys? While there is some interpretation going on here, this remix is overlong and never changes textures. Ever. Match that with a lackluster performance and i'm scratching my head trying to figure out why you think this is an easy yes. This isn't even close IMO. Though the sample quality is fine, the piano isn't eq'd very well (could use a lot more high end) and the arrangement is meandering: after a minute has gone by i'm hoping it will end soon, or there will at least be some kind of change in instrumentation. neither of these things happen though. I can tell that some thought was put into dynamics, but there's not nearly enough of that going on. Michael, this is good for a first try, but you need to bring a lot more to the table on the arrangement end. Either make it shorter, or bring in some other instruments to spice things up. Maybe you could let the strings lay out for awhile. Just give us something different to listen to, cuz i'm sick of the string bath/repeating piano pattern after the first 45 seconds. NO

anso, anso, anso. an admirable effort, granted, but i still think the soundtrack sucks. you've got a great feel for songwriting. case in point: you're working with a dumb melody. despite its inherent dumbness, you've managed to make this track interesting. i'm never bored, even after several listens. i still hate that lead, but what are you gonna do? its exactly what you're going for, so i'll just shut up, finish the vote, and go listen to sufjan stevens. YES also, clavinetbias

What Mustin said.

my YES is still a YES. so YES.

don't hold your breath.

<JJT> i think that soundtrack sucks, btw <Liontamer> I wouldn't expect an unskilled musician such as yourself to truly...CONNECT with the glory of the Cheetahmen II soundtrack

i endorse this event or product. GES

aka ktriton and kaijin.

we are so not friends now.

Fellow judgez, My contribution to the Bad Dudes Halloween EP. The reinterpretation factor is below my normal standard, but I think this is still passable. Some of you may disagree. Listen to your heart. Also, don't listen to anyone who edits my posts (i.e. larry) The usual: Game: Chrono Trigger Song: Brink of Time Remix: Purgatory Linkage:

fast chromatic piano lines for the win. nice work here, Chris. very personal, very memorable take on a challenging source tune. BGC's mastering concerns didn't stick out to me when I listened to this, but that's his perogative. YES

outside the context of Interstella 5555, the music seems happy to me. i know what you mean, though.

take the survey guys! there is delicious, moist cake at the end.

daft punk - discovery waaaaaaaay too happy.

let me just heat up the deathray

this is pretty good. i don't know if you intended this to sound like a duet, but there are parts that would only be feasible with four hands in play. i disagree with LT re: the composition lacking sophistication or dynamics. the composition itself is somewhat sophisticated and dynamic, that just doesn't come through in the execution. the sequencing is robotic, and your piano sample is nothing to write home about. this would probably sound awesome on a real piano, but you'd need either two people playing, or overdubs. also, while I'm flattered by the quote at the end, it doesn't really fit into your arrangement at all, and sounds really random. thanks though. anyway, you've got enough musicality for this kind of thing, you just need to up your production skills, or get a live recording in the works somehow. cheers. NO

i probably would've YES'd this based on the arrangement, regardless. no matter; this rocks. high fives all around. YES

I just lost a long writeup when firefox crashed. It was already pretty harsh, so I'll try not to let my frustration add any unnecessary negativity to my second attempt. With that out of the way, keep in mind that I'm only going to be brutal because you guys are good enough to know better. Okay. So, at :32 you've got a thick drum beat. This indicates to me that you'd like there to be a heavy, laid back groove. That's cool. If that's the case though, why the hell are you using a synth-string with a slow attack as the bass? That makes absolutely no sense! No attack = no groove. There is a reason that jazz bass players pluck the strings when laying down a bassline. This is basic stuff, guys. The transition at 1:03 is strange and upsetting. The drums fadeout awkwardly, and the bass just stops before it gets back to the root, leaving the 3 different leads in tonal purgatory. If that wasn't bad enough, the aforementioned melodic elements compete with each other (this is actually true for most of the song), so I don't know what I'm supposed to be listening to. Then the drums and bass stumble back randomly (it sounds like), and I'm left unsettled, like someone just dragged a dead body through my living room. The section at 1:56 is pure schizophrenia. The drum track would be cool, if it was supposed to be the focus of this section. It's not however. I mean, I think. I HAVE NO FREAKING IDEA what the the focus of this section is supposed to be, because by 2:10 there are 20 bajillion different sounds that are individually fighting for my attention. Nothing blends, nothing works together to create a coherent whole. It's like 5 different songs were sliced up, converted into the same key/tempo, and then sewn back together. Okay, sorry for that, but if you guys are serious about getting this up to snuff, you need a good kick in the ass. Here's what to do if you want to move forward: 1) Be deliberate about your arrangement. What are we supposed to be listening to? Decide, and then make sure other elements of the arrangement aren't detracting from that. 2) Make sure the chord progression is clear. I mean you guys should have at least one instrument playing chords at some point. Its funny to me that you have so many melodies happening simultaneously, with virtually no harmonic support (save the bass, but that only covers the root). 3) Have an instrument with some ATTACK play the bassline. For example, an electric bass would fit that bill. I dunno, just throwing out ideas there. 4) Watch the mixing on those drums. Check the levels. Larry is right about the crash at 1:11. I know what sound you're going for, but it doesn't sound right when it's mixed like it's 4 rooms over. 5) I'm not clear on who did what here (so this isn't directed at anyone), but maybe too many cooks spoils the broth in this case? At the very least, make sure that when you add people to a track, you've all got an idea of the big picture, and how their additions will fit into that. NO

not everything sounds mechanical. the piano in the latter section is obviously performed, as their are a few barely noticeable flubs here are there. for as sparse as this arrangement is, i'm expecting a little more in terms of sample quality and production. either upgrade your sounds, or fill out the textures so your samples aren't as exposed. i will say that both the concept, and the mood are very well done. there is definitely a sense of sadness and nostalgia with this piece, something that a lot of new mixers strive for, and few actually achieve. NO, RESUBMIT

I played Oblivion, and loved it. Especially the music. Probably my favorite soundtrack by Jeremy Soule. This submission is hurt mostly by repetition. Those two main riffs wear out their welcome after the 42nd time. Great varied drum sequencing though. This has a lot going for it. Just give us a little more meat on the arrangement end and you'll be good to go. NO, RESUBMIT

Keep in mind, Larry is speaking for himself as far as this is concerned. That being said, there's no such thing as incorporating too much of the source material, as long as its being interpreted significantly. Your submission would definitely benefit from some cleaner production, and maybe rethinking your choice of lead. LT and BGC are right on in this regard. As a small aside, the mixing on that piano at the end is pretty bad. Way to oo much verb, and it sounds like the mids and highs were boosted beyond what sounds natural. However, you're showing a lot of promise with this submission. That intro is absolutely killer. NO, RESUBMIT

yeah, rock music doesn't use chords anymore. it doesn't use polyphony either, which is why the airwaves are dominated by gregorian chants.

happy birthday! to return the favor, i made you a special sig:

i'm not interested in pimping anything besides your credit. i know you'll understand.

i agree that the textures don't mesh well together. if the drums were live i could excuse the rough sounding production. however, they're not. work on getting your rhythm section to sound like its "in the same room" so to speak. also, one of the trickier parts of songwriting is getting the instrumentation to coincide with what you want happening dynamically. for instance, when the distorted guitar comes in i can tell you want that section to have more energy than the intro. it doesn't though. it actually loses energy. you've got the gift, you just need to develop your skills as a producer. also, tune those guitars man. ick. NO, RESUBMIT