The Nikanoru

I'm waiting for... whoever owns Turbografx now to wise up and make their own remodernized PC-Engines or whatev...
...hey, does the Japanese version of the Mini-NES get a different game set? I should look that up...

Well, I think there is still a difference between:
copying someone's notes intentionally (specifically verbatim or very similar), but is not necessarily a textural similarity (it could be). copying someone's notes by accident (a coincidence; may be verbatim or just reminds someone of a particular song), but is not necessarily a textural similarity (it could be). imitating someone's instrumentation (like the selection of instruments often used by a particular artist you like--- a stylistic similarity), but not necessarily their notes nor their exact soundscape's EQ, reverb, instrument placement, etc. imitating someone's soundscape (i.e. an extremely similar selection of instruments, similar panning, enough to call it a stylistic similarity, down to the frequency distribution, filter motion, etc), but not necessarily their notes. NOTE: This is a closer similarity than simply imitating instrumentation. While those are all forms of imitation... (which I think is when you said "in the end it's the same thing")
I think #1 is not OK. That, you might call "theft", because it was intended (unless it's a cover). I think #2 is excusable, and is not uncommon to have happen. However, if the person then realizes it, and does nothing about it, I would say it becomes intentional after-the-fact. It's like saying "oh, you're right, it sounds like so-and-so. Whatever, I don't feel like fixing it." I think #3 is OK as well. This is something I've done a few times, and I would call it inspiration, as it might remind someone of an artist, without leading them to accuse you of plagiarism. For example, this was inspired by Weather Report in the drums and bass. I didn't, however, copy exact notes outright---mostly, I used similar instrumentation and occasionally playing styles. I think #4 is a little sketchier, but can be OK. This can sometimes be construed as a remake or cover rather than an inspired-by, but this does not necessarily have to involve copying someone's notes. However, I think this can make someone say "huh, this reminds me of something..." and they might really try hard to convince themselves that you didn't intentionally steal notes, because it's so similar in feel. The point is, I don't mind if imitations or similarities occur - what matters to me is, was it 'malicious intent', so to speak?

I think maybe I'm hearing what everyone else is: To Slimy, it's the loud, 'unappealing' melody sounds and quiet bass with abstract feel; and to timaeus222, it's the density; I think what I'm really hearing is the intricacy of the melody and the sound wave sound chosen clashing with the equally intricate harmony line and organ synth. What I guess I'm getting at is with all that movement and focus that the melody is getting - which is by design, as you said - I can see why folks would say that the square wave sound is unappealing and the 'rest of the soundscape' is too quiet. Maybe the featured melody is too intricate in places, drowning out the soundscape and running against the smooth bass and beats.
Here are examples of what I mean:
1:33 - 1:38: I still think it sounds cluttered here. I'll use the analogy 'it feels like every melody and harmony part is trying to steal the spotlight all at once.'
1:39 - 1:54: In contrast, this part is perfectly balanced.  @timaeus222 @Ganaé Let me know if you two would agree.
1:55 - 2:28: This 'verse' part feels better, more organized.
I hope I'm being clearer than mud, lol. Just an observation about composition, really. I still really like the arrangement and I can listen to it just fine as is. Besides - you're the composer, so if you think this is done, then it is.
 

Reboot
Base it much more heavily on the classic horror movie homage the original Castlevania was founded on. Maybe give it an old film style presentation and feel, which they've already played around with like the faux film reel effect in Castlevania 3, and sort of like what The House of the Dead games do.
3D action is fine, but it should be designed in a way that makes it slow and very methodical in its pacing like the original, as opposed to typical modern character action games like God of War or Bayonetta. I think slowing games down on purpose has a value that is getting more and more underappreciated. Progression-wise, I'd be fine with something inbetween Dark Souls and the Metroidvanias. Maybe even take some cues directly from classic survival horror.
Soundtrack should be Mellotron-infused Italian schlock horror rock in the vein of Goblin. Anima Morte is a good modern example, and doesn't really stray too far from established Castlevania music either.

Yes.

I've read a lot of this thread and I'm with Mirby; there is really too much grey area to call this a black and white issue. I agree that the composer saying he never heard the song before is BS - I thought the two tunes were overlaid, same as Palpable - but the idea of 'justice' comes down to making the injured party whole. if Powerman 5000 is choosing not to pursue legal action, is there any wrong to correct?
I think that this comes down to the philosophy of what copying is and making sure a published artist's original works are protected versus what the artist or publisher's intentions of that copyrighted material are. I mean, we all can come up with thousands of blatent or near-miss examples. Here's mine:
 
Once again, you can't tell me the composer hadn't heard this before submitting for publish, but even if he did know about this, Eric never pressed any charges. So, what harm is done, really? Does this set a bad precedent? I think ultimately enforcement is up to the copyright holder - if they don't care, why should we? Or, likewise, (as Mirby put already), if we follow the letter of the law, then how is any of the music posted on this website not guilty of the same?
I say let them go ahead - if someone takes issue, then they can pursue, but if not, I really don't see the harm. Also, a lot of the music industry is now about the exposure rather than the sales themselves; you can't sell to people who don't know you. If nothing else, I bet Powerman 5000 has had a nice boost in sales after this issue got so much attention.

You're looking at this as far too black and white. There's a lot of gray area involved in this situation that is being glossed over. You mention this community, but if stealing is stealing, then fair use doesn't exist and every remix on this site is stealing the notes and tunes of every song they're remixing, even if they're rearranging it. See how I can turn it around if I look at it as a black and white situation, where it either is or isn't stealing? Like I said, there's a lot of gray area involved here.

That said, I'm done with this conversation because I honestly see no point in continuing it.

I don't think this is hurting his rep at all especially since he's... you know, continuing to make the music for 14 and he obviously apologized. Not to mention that Spider One has since posted this, which was paraphrased in that Gamespot article in the OP.


Source
 
Obviously he's not going to pursue this matter further and is backpedaling a bit (since the original post was more than two sentences). He doesn't want this to go any further than it has already. I think that's a bit of a respectable thing to do, honestly. End the drama he helped begin before it escalates too much with a promise of no further action (legal or otherwise) in regards to it.

Good god, when I listened to the FF14 track linked in the article, I thought they had overlaid the two songs at first. There's no way two people come up with that amount of similarity independently, though it doesn't have to have been an intentional copy. I know there are times that a song comes to me and it takes me a while to realize that it's an existing song, not something I came up with. But I'm surprised this song went through recording, QA, everything, and nobody noticed (or cared). If "Blurred Lines" was infringement, this would certainly be called that.

I like this! I've never played Parodius, but I already like the soundtrack after hearing this piece.
This track is full of life and promises excitement. I really like the flow of the piece, moving from whimsical to formal then to what sounds like a chase then back to whimsical - transitions are smooth, mix is good for the most part, and the different styles of each source is blend together very well. This is a very cool arrangement!
Seriously, you should be proud of this. Looking forward to seeing the post for the first OCR track by Ganaé!

Not bad. I like the style you've chosen, but I agree with Ganae, the bass line needs MORE and I think you may want to look at your individual part dynamics.
Drums are pretty flat too. Could you mix it up a bit at 0:42, maybe add something or open up the sound of them a bit?
I will say, I do like the sound of the drums, synth, harpsichord combo. I want to hear where you are going to take this. Updates please!
...Oh yeah, and did you know the video says Lego Dimensions on it? LOL

Once again, love this track. A couple of things:
-1:12 - not sure that the In the Dead of Night part is working for this section. I get the feel you are creating here, but the triplets you need for the melody is really quiet and (IMO) really conflicts with the support the rhythm guitar is giving here. I'd suggest brightening up the orchestral backdrop to this part, but it may make it sound cluttered. Maybe a different rhythm is needed here because I'm afraid to suggest lowering the volume of that drive and losing the overall feel of the song.
-1:31 - the crash adds a lot of depth and it's a great way to jump into the second Fear section, but that depth suddenly disappears once it ends - you may want to try using this crash a bit more in this section or use a cymbal crash instead so you don't leave us audiophiles hanging. WONDERFUL lead overtop of the rhythm guitar, really brings this part alive!
-2:01 - this spot may be better for In the Dead of Night. I'm hearing a bit of Spirit of the Night, but not enough to make it stand out.
-2:38 - I like the speed-up and solo - worthy of Brian May, Slash, and Keith Richards, and probably James Hetfield and Van Halen too!
-3:19 - FABULOUS lead-in to Leave Time for Love!
-3:40 - THERE's Spirit of the Night! Great place to put it, driving beat and crazy fill only emphasize the melody. Don't touch this part anymore, aside from minor matering - this sounds AWESOME!
-4:45 - Ends very suddenly - leaves me kind of hanging, but better than the progressive fadeout. I still think it's worth bringing the listener back to Fear to bring the listener back to where you started, but this can work as is. It's just sudden, is all.
This is better than I imagined it. Hopefully getting close to where you want to too. Keep the updates coming!

Just came across this. Ice Cap Zone is one of my favorite Sonic 3 tracks.
I like the arrangement and the airy feel of the intro - it actually sounds chilly. However, you need to tone down the volume and EQ the bass and percussion. Way too heavy in comparison to other elements like the hi-frequency chip-tones.
I like the breakdown at 1:29, but I think you should put something else in here, a fill of some sort. How are you for soloing on that keyboard? It would be a good place to rock out a bit and see what happens.
I really like the way things come together at 2:13, this is where I hear the overall sound best, IMO. Too boomy at 1:03.
How do you think the ending sounds? I think it sounds cut short, ending on the last note of the main rhythm. if that's what you're looking for, then go with it, but to me it does seemed chopped.
As a first time producer, you should be proud of this. This is really good work, and I hope I see more from you. Cheers and play on!
 

I just finished my Zelda Metal Medley (featuring 9 songs) from the Zelda series. I also spent a while trying to make the video look as interesting as possible to go with the song.
 

Very cool! I recognize every track - I'm such a geek. And old, apparently. 
The sound you chose for the Triforce intro seems ... too synthetic for the sound created after the first ten seconds. The SNES OST used some sort of harp sound, so maybe something lighter would capture that feel a little better.
0:24 to 0:26 seems a little cluttered. Afterwards, however, the harmonies work very well together, flawless timing.
Not sure I like the voice clips, but the one at 2:09 is original and not sampled, yes? Definitely points for that.
One note on arrangement: Not sure I would end on the Song of Time. I mean, it works, but it might be more effective to end on Zelda's Lullaby and insert Song of Time after the Temple Theme but use that driving drumbeat to get back into Death Mountain. Just a suggestion.
This is awesome and already really polished. I like the video, it's like a trip down memory lane. Keep on shredding!

Suspense! This one gives me goosebumps.
The tuba(?) between 0:50 and 1:00 sounds like 'blat... blat blat' - I can't really hear the notes it is trying to hit. Maybe it's a compression thing, I don't know. Not complaining about the effect, but maybe a slightly higher-frequency instrument like a baritone tuba or bassoon would make the notes sound a little better?
Violins come in a little strong for me at 0:54, but I get the effect you are trying to create - it's just a sharp moment when the overall feel of the track seems to be the building of tension.
Love the phases of this track, seeming to lead from one bad situation to another. Usually, Star Fox tracks are quite optimistic-sounding, but I actually think this track captures the 'real' feeling the characters would be experiencing - Slippy: "Oh &%$#, how are we going to get out of this one?"  Fox: " Quit whining, scramble the Arwings and figure it out!"

I understand that the violation is for COPYING copyrighted song material, such as complete and/or partial quotes of copyrighted material. Any modification to the original work so that it is different from the original - ie. a parody - is not technically copyright infringement. How different it needs to be depends on the laws of the land. Apparently this is how Weird Al and other parody artists can do what they do.
What's your opinion on this, Nathan?
True - but it's all fun and games until someone loses a potential buck.
 

Hello, I'm the Nikanoru, retro gamer extraordinaire. I've been creeping the OC Remix website for a couple of years now, and after I downloaded my 12th remix album, I thought that I had run out of excuses not to say hi.
I am a bit of an audiophile and although I am very musically inclined, I seem to have neither the direction nor the time to pursue music these days, aside from listening to it and dreaming that one day I could play like some of the other artists out there. Speaking of which, I would like to contribute with a few tracks of my own one day - any advice for this noobie composer would be appreciated.
I like any music that invokes thought or feeling, whether it be acoustic, metal, symphonic, ambient, or just plain awesome.
Great to be here!

Big fan of this game and the soundtrack, probably my favorite in terms of feel and originality. 
First of all, let me say I love what you have so far. Most people tend to stick to the soft feel of the original track, but you've taken a big step in another direction here. I really like the dirty, low-tone distortion that you've chosen and the almost tribal tom progression you gave the percussion fits perfectly. The orchestration in the background only supports the overall tone and I love how all the tones match. This sounds GREAT.
What you are feeling is a lack of intro riff. You need a fill after the first four measures, to go along with the bass coming to the table. Something low-tone like the rhythm guitar, but not too fancy, just enough to get the listener into that orchestral bit. Everything else is there, in my opinion.
I like the transition here. Flawless. If you want people to headbang, I have a couple of suggestions: instead of using the main guitar to 'mix up' the melody (second four measures), I would keep the melody by that dirty guitar original and put in another slightly-higher toned guitar fill that plays over top of the melody, then try to get the drums and the rhythm guitar to emphasize the beat together (If you listen to 'Blood Pigs' by Otep, you'll get an idea of what I mean). Not sure the key change fits, but maybe this will sound better with a fill.
LOVE how the rhythm guitar supports the melody here. Very powerful. You might want to consider the 'Fear of the Heavens' riff as a sort of 'chorus' to bring the listener back to when finished with whatever other tracks you have planned here - if that fits with your design.
I like it, especially how the percussion and orchestral parts drop off to let the riff play out. If you choose to go for another round of this track, you may consider some gentle high-hat or light cymbals for the beat instead of actual drums, to help preserve the emotional feel you have laid out here.
I really like what you have here, and I want to hear more. If you are looking for suggestions on where to go next, I say percussion is one of the high points of the SoM soundtrack, so take 'Danger' or 'the Oracle' and see what you can do with it - then finish with 'Fear...' one last time. Stretch it out, epic hair metal ending, worthy of Brian May, Slash, or Keith Richards maybe?
Have fun ... and keep writing!