[Sands of Da'at ['Shin Megami Tensei V' Switch]]

The mixing from my end seems fine. I think the the low end is a bit emptier than I'd like? Something about it really feels like it was held back in the name of it not overwhelming the soundfield and causing clipping. Which I 100% get. I think though it could have been a notch or two higher and really gave that low end hit without sacrificing the rest of the mix. I don't know how to EQ that well though so its beyond me on the how.

edit: oops, pressed submit early.

As far as the actual song goes though, I really love the chord progression and feel of it. I'm unfamiliar with the source so I am unable to judge it against the original but I liked jamming to this. You have a good sense on when to let us go from one section and push us to another before it gets monotonous. Even within the sections you add elements well enough to keep it fresh inside.  At around 4:30 you take it to another level of aggression by going more dubstep with a mini drop. I liked that and maybe I wanted more of it throughout? That's personal preference though. Anyway, this was so cool and I enjoyed listening from beginning to end even though I didn't know the original. In fact, I took two listens

[Suikoden - Black Forest]

Hallo~, I had someone request I do a take on a Suikoden piece and I think it turned out solid but I always have problems mixing these kind of tracks :/. The percussion I did myself though so that made me happy haha. Just want some help on how to approach big sounding orchestral pieces, especially with choir, for my future works. My goal is eventually to have a piece like this be a submission for OCRemix. With more of a personal touch of course ?

 

[Do you really need super realistic instruments to be a video game composer?]

On 3/11/2022 at 7:03 PM, Nase said:

the POint aboUT using your DAW optimally is great InDEED:

imAGINE if all composers for SNES, N64 And SiMILar CarTrIDGE BASeD, sAmpler UsiNG, spAcE SaVinG midi-like sySTemS WERE OFFEReD TO REMasTer THeIR OsTs fOR A FAntaSy consOle that ofFERs All THe miXING wiZArDRY of SAY, a modern cubase, But the BASe sAmPles anD SAmPliNg funCTIonaLitY HAVE to stAy the Same. IT WOULD BE quite interesting.

(there's ReAlLy A KOBOLD INSide MY KEyBoARD DoINg capsLOCK sHenaNigANS, I KiD yoU NOT; bUt I aM running with it.)

 

This sounds like the president in FFVIII (☉｡☉)!

[Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Chemical Plant Zone]

Not a reviewer but I think my two main takeaways are about the synth and the composition itself. Concerning the former I like the lead in its sound and tone but I think even for the melody it just is a bit too loud for me. like just like a notch or two lower and it would still be forward and present enough and not just as in my face. I think it especially feels a bit much when it reaches high notes. It doesn't have enough texture I think to be that high and that loud without being a bit overpowering to me. The composition I think is a nice outline and gets the body moving side to side in a little simple sway but it never really grabs me. I know that is less...concrete than maybe you hope from a critique but it really does feel like its the backbone of something more. Maybe put more concretely, feels a bit empty. I've learned myself that you don't need to overload the composition with too many elements but given that the elements you do have feel kind of static, I find myself looking for more elsewhere in the piece. I would suggest from that, either you add more variety and spice to the composition both in direction and maybe even in chord progressions etc, or your instruments really need to groove more, feel more alive. Hmm...for example, I recently been jamming to this song because of a competition over in that side of the OCRemix forums (you should come on down and participate! :p) 
 

Particularly I'd like to point toward from 50s on. The background instruments aren't doing much complicated, Just a little syncopated chord but the way its played is funky as all get out. Then to 1:38, that synth is literally doing the same thing over and over again for a bit...but man they put the stank on that SNES chip. The solo part it transitions to is sick yes but its also not that complicated. It just hits different because you are given this setup beforehand that just gets you feeling the rhythm. This stuff isn't easy to quantify I guess so maybe its not the most helpful but maybe some quantifiable things you can do is experiment more with the mod wheel and expression if you have those and just try and give life to that synth. That's my suggestion anyway. Hope a mod can give you better, more solid advice.

[Chrono Trigger Medley - Corridors of Time (Draft)]

Did the track get removed? Can't see it

[MnP 131: Double Dose: Metroid Fusion - Underwater Area & Sonic 3 & Knuckles - Chrome Gadget]

Knew you could do it!

[Tifa's Theme - orchestral version (Final Fantasy VII)]

I'm curious about the vsts and maybe even the DAW you use. I think sometimes I hear an idea that may actually work well but maybe the lack of legato impedes the sound. One way you can kinda fake it is to start overlapping sustains and really play around with them so it seems like they transition smoothly. They could just be a bit too dry too given their quality and that makes them pop out too much. 

[Chrono Cross - Sailing ~ Another World]

11 hours ago, Master Mi said:

Really smooth and well-mixed track.

What I would try to improve, might be the clapping sounds (at least I guess these are clapping sounds) which can be heard first around minute 0:50.
I would try to let it sound more natural, maybe more off-beat and with a more unique clapping rhythm (maybe play the track in your DAW without the momentary clapping track, think about how you would clap your hands at these parts and also create an alternative for the second clapping part - and finally try to recreate this with your clapping VSTi in the MIDI editor or by playing it live via MIDI keyboard (which might be a bit difficult by the fast-paced clapping)...).

The second thing you could improve might be by composing a different part that leads into something completely new.
Maybe a silent part with dream-like pad sounds and a piano or an acoustic spanish guitar- or a small, a little bit wilder part with ethic drums, exotic flutes, shakers etc.


The voices for the second part are really a good choice which enhance the atmosphere. ))

 

Thank you very much for the helpful comments and insight. They are indeed claps! I liked the rhythm but sometimes the vst cant handle the rhythm I think and drops out or messes up a bit? To me it comes across fine and almost like they are less quantized than they are. The claps are from an orchestral vst though (8dio Majestica lol) so maybe I'll try and see if I have any other claps that would work better. Think I have a few freebies with claps...I like the idea of adding a different clap rhythm second time too! Definitely will take note of that. If I add another section I'm thinking of maybe like you said a slow kinda atmospheric thing that then transitions to one more section like the others. Who knows?

[Chrono Cross - Sailing ~ Another World]

I recently completed a piece and have decided I liked it enough that maybe I could make it a submission here at OC Remix. Just not sure where to work on, add, or if I should keep it as is. As it is now I'm happy with it.

 

[Pokemon Trading Card Game - Normal Battle]

5 hours ago, Docjekyll said:

What a fun track! You're right--that source definitely wanted to be remixed.

Great instruments all around. The drums in particular have a great sound and clarity and keep the whole thing moving. The only thing that really bothered me was the unresolved chord at the end; not sure if you wanted to keep the tension there on purpose or not.

The looping doesn't bother me, but if you did want to mix it up a bit I could see a solo (maybe alto sax? clarinet? marimba?) starting around 2:16. In fact, I don't know if the section at 2:24 necessarily needs to be mirrored at 2:53, except that it does serve to release some tension and keep the track very chill. Maybe a drum break around 3:40 and/or some extra fills here and there? Just throwing out ideas here. It's a great arrangement as-is, and if you want to reinterpret the source a bit more I think there are a lot of options for where/how to do that.

Thank you for sharing!

The ending was just me not looping to a fade out...since I had nothing else I wanted to do ?. Ive been trying to come up with ideas on how to make the second loop a bit different but keeping the same DNA mostly. My usual go to is add some vocals, switch up instrument roles a bit and change the color but I don't wanna go thst route this time I think? A drum break or some kinda break would be interesting...maybe a key change if I'm feeling my pop music self haha. If I ever finish it I'll bring it here definitely

[Good instrumental Phrases VSTs?]

13 hours ago, Master Mi said:

"Era II: Vocal Codex" might be really interesting for you.
It contains 4 different and very realistically sampled singer voices (Celtia, Heroica, Bard and Medieval Tenor) with lots of articulations, ornaments, phrases, humming and breath expressions, vocal FX sounds and even some soundscapes which also represent a lot of great sounding medieval instruments.
 

I really love the 2 female voices - great for epic compositions.
It's definitely one of the best voice sample VSTis I own (I also have Shevannai but I mostly prefer this one for more energetic compositions with more realistic voices):
 

Here you can get an imagination of the VSTi interface and the presets with the different articulations, phrases etc.:
 

...

What might be also good for your purposes could be a voice VSTi with an integrated word builder function with which you can create your own words and phrases exactly in the context you need.
 

If you don't need this kind of complexity like in the previous East West Hollywood Choirs, voice VSTis with simpler word builder functions like Altus or Cantus might already fit your needs.
 

 

 

Dude, you are awesome! I'll have to take a deeper look at some of these. Good ol' bestservice is one of the most underrated VST companies in my opinion. Heck, I tend to forget about them myself. Maybe their name is just uhh unfortunate lol.

Ive recently but the bullet on my first word builder type using realivox. I don't really want to get another until I really put that through the ringer but I'll take notes of the one you gave me from bestservice.

 

I...entirely reject using anything from EastWest honestly. I really abhore their interface and function of their software. I used to have composer cloud during my last year of masters and I canceled after four months. Fantastic deal but I couldn't stand the software. Not having Hollywood Choirs as a choir guy is a bit upsetting but I've supplemented pretty well. Still bruv, you are awesome for taking the time to help little ol' me. Thanks very very much!

[Do you really need super realistic instruments to be a video game composer?]

11 hours ago, Master Mi said:

Just like Jorito already said: It really depends on the type of the game and the kind of music that players would expect for this game.
It might be kinda impossible for a composer, who only owns some NES-like chiptune samples, to create some convincing soundtracks for modern RPGs like the Final Fantasy 7 remake.

But...

Compared to the video game composers who created soundtracks for the NES video game console back then, you have some big advantages (even with similar samples) as a contemporary composer.
Today you can use much more complex DAWs with a lot more functions, much better VST plugins for sophisticated sound design and - of course - very good DAWs with no meaningful restrictions concerning the amount of MIDI tracks you can use within one single soundtrack.

So, with some rad composer and sound design skills, you might be able to create a soundtrack with a great atmosphere even with the dullest sounding samples as a base.
And that's something which can really ignite your creativity and ingenuity. 

On the other side, you can own the most sophisticated samples - but without the necessary knowledge for using your DAW to the fullest, without the necessary music theory, listening experience, composer, sound design and mixing skills or a bigger creative spark inside, you might not be ready to compose greater soundtracks.


So, before buying too much stuff at once, I'd rather buy a decent DAW (definitely a full version without restrictions) and rather invest some money in a faithful home studio first, then read through the manual of your DAW from time to time and try out preferably all of the functions in it, read through basic and advanced music theory or special topics like composing and mixing - and work with the basic stuff you already have.

Work with it, try out new and crazy things in your compositions, master it - until you feel that you have almost fully exploited the potential of your samples and plugins.
Maybe try with some basic plugins and rad sound designer skills to let an electronic sax synth sound like a real sax - might be a tough goal... but not a totally impossible one.

And then master it again on the next levels.


If you can manage to create really satisfying solutions for every problem or vision even with the simplest musical equipment, you might already be on a good way to become a great composer one day.
So, I'd really try to master the things you already have before you buy too much new VSTi stuff.

"Living more in being than in having" might be also as a composer a good mantra to start with.

It might deeply relax you in front of all the things you can buy in this big world, eases your heart and brings it down to earth.
And on the other side, it can ignite the creativity and the inner fire of your composer soul.


If you got to this point, you might have saved some money during your material asceticism.
And if you buy a good VSTi then, you might enjoy it much more because you will see much more possibilities when working with it at your compositions.

 

Such a good...really good amount of wisdom here. I wish there were like posts we could archive to help new composers or lost ocremixers. You bring up a lot of critical points and the one that resonates the most for me—and they all resonate strongly—is the point about appreciating what you have. As a collector I like having lots of vsts to fiddle with but as a composer it can get me in trouble if I don't spend enough time getting the most out of what I have.

It's why I like doing these "remaster" projects where my goal is not to add myself in but to make a midi of a game soundtrack feel new and modern. It takes away my need to be too creative and helps me focus on the ins and outs of my libraries and my DAW. Over time I've gotten to find which of my libraries are my workhorses that I really like to employ and actually slowed down my desire to get more things. I can't actually say less is more from the heart but I do believe more is less if you don't have the ability to employ them properly.

[Do you really need super realistic instruments to be a video game composer?]

Okay so big caveat, I've spent my single adult life with no responsibilities collecting thousands of dollars worth of libraries even though I don't work in the industry...or have anything to do with it haha. So I think I should at least clarify I may not follow what I'm about to say...but it may also give you some tips on what these libraries won't do for an amateur like myself.

I don't think you necessarily need to have many expensive, "realistic" sounding libraries. I do think that many great, versatile libraries do have fantastic realism to them, but I don't believe not having many of them will stop you from making good stuff. 

Firstly and most obviously, it will depend on your target genre of music. I don't think having spitfire symphonic strings and chamber strings along with other string libraries will help you if you make primarily electronic music. However, maybe having one of the cheaper ones like Audio Imperia's Nucleus could open up your possibilities and the like.

Secondly, it will depend on your skillset. I'm more of a collector (don't judge me >_<) so i don't mind excess but it doesn't help me make better music. It helps with realism I guess...well, not I guess. It does, but it's possibilities are often limited by my own skills. Those have expanded as I've grown more comfortable and more experienced but it's been a tough road learning how finicky these things can be! Another...weird consequence is excess can leave you wanting more and doing less with what you already have. There are very good libraries I rarely use anymore. I like having them because I'm weird but I also realize that sometimes I actually forget I can use them. This is not a good road to go down I think but if you are aware it's okay.

Anyway, lastly I think you really have to watch out for what is realistic in terms of performance of the libraries and what may be... overstated or hype. I don't like to call out any libraries but there are many people who are disappointed with 8dios Majestica for example. I actually find use in the fact that it lacks realism sometimes and can give me an aggressive synthetic sound. Same thing with Spitfire's ultra smooth sounding strings at times. You just gotta get more experience to really tell what is a bit of hype and how libraries act outside of a demo video. Also how they act in the hands of, again, an amateur like myself!

I hope this helps some. I can give recommendations on what I use and daily drive, as well as things I use rarely, and stuff I don't use at all but I own...for better or worse. For me it's all gravy because I got so many cool things to fiddle around with. But I think it's worth looking at what you actually utilize etc.

[MnP 131: Double Dose: Metroid Fusion - Underwater Area & Sonic 3 & Knuckles - Chrome Gadget]

HoboKa go go go! Do your best and make some lovely music happen with whatever tools you desire. Looking forward to your submission!

[Victory (Banger X Hard Trap Beat 2022) [+ FREE FLP]]

Banger is a genre now? What does it encompass?

[PRC440 - Plok On A Beach (Plok!)]

nuuu nevermind i messed something up really bad and have to start all over. No late entry but I'm definitely working on this on my own time haha.

[PRC440 - Plok On A Beach (Plok!)]

21 hours ago, Bundeslang said:

Most of the time when voting of a round starts, the mixing stage from the round after that also starts (when voting of this round will start, I'll open PRC441).

 

EDIT: Two extra days. Deadline is now this friday.

 

Sweet because I just saw this and im gonna load it up and see if I can do anything. This jawn sounds wild good. Probably won't be much in terms of originality though. 

[MnP 130: End of 2021, Start of 2022, Free Round.]

Sent my msg to VideoGamer. Good luck in the next round everyone! I hope we can have as many as this time~

[FFVII Remake: What songs did they get right? What did they get wrong? (potential spoilers)]

*potential spoiler warning* Sometimes just talking about a soundtrack gives spoilers and in this case, there are many moments that change from the original, so just knowing certain themes exist could spoil any potential surprises. Just a friendly warning!

 

I just beat the FFVII remake and am going to do the DLC soon but after the doozy that was the remake, I have to say...they managed to pull off not only their vision for the story but the soundtrack as well. That being said, what do you think they got the most right? What did they get wrong, if anything? It was certainly a tough ask and I'm glad they had Masashi Hamauzu to help out along with a few others. I'd say the ones they got the most right are the following

Jenova Quickening, Flower's Blooming in the Church, Aerith's Theme - Home Again, all the Wall Market themes, and all the various boss fight themes.

The Jenova Quickening is I think now my definitive version. Wow they went all in. Many people love One Winged Angel Rebirth and I think they did it justice but it shares a heavy amount of its DNA with the original orchestral version by Shiro Hamaguchi and supplement it with a beautiful suite of twists and turns that often resemble FFXV's final boss theme. I feel like they are saving themselves for whenever the last game is. Aerith's theme and the Flower's Blooming....whoa *chef's kiss*. They never give you the full painful beauty of Hamaguchi's orchestral arrangement but maybe they are saving that too. Wooboy though, they tug at the heart a lot with this one. It's almost never sure of itself and doesn't let you get resolution either. That is a beautiful way to introduce a complicated character for the story to handle.  Lastly, I think Wall Market they really set the tone. Every little theme, the evolving versions of them as you move around. The honeybee inn stuff too! Even the jukebox version is lit. I wasn't expecting them to do so well with it because the original theme is alright but not so important. Instead, they relegate the original to the goofballs you meet along the way there haha. Now that's amazing sound direction.

 

As far as the themes that I think they missed the mark on....unfortunately I think the main theme of Final Fantasy never really gets the chance to shine. It is used more as a motif than anything. That's great in my opinion and its often effective. Hell, its always effective. Unfortunately they give us a full version and it doesn't really do it for me. Like its okay but they may as well have given me Hamaguchi's instead. However, like One Winged Angel, they may be saving it for part two because that's where the original really comes from anyway. Another miss for me was the chocobo themes. They are rarely used and seen. If you have an SSD I think the load times kill any chance to listen to them when you hop on a big birdy. The birds themselves were super cute though haha. Hopefully we get more in part two.

Phew, that was a lot. Would love to hear your guys thoughts!

[MnP 130: End of 2021, Start of 2022, Free Round.]

Thank you so much for the comments, critique, and help as well as the thanks. This round was so fun because we had so many people giving it their all! I hope we can have more people like this again. Im gonna nominate a sauce soon.

[Free Fall]

Maybe I need to go back to my computer for this but I think everything sounds ultra quantized. I'm one to talk because it happens to me too but I think it pops out a lot here. The guitar as well seemed to be a very stock-ish vst. This will make realism pretty difficult but I think you can take that sound and try to make it work for what it can do. That tends to be very old school vgm synthy kinda vibes. I think this track seems to be stuck between a few different worlds. The concept though is a nice start. Would like to hear more when you expand. Thanks for the listen!

[Spin - A small chill hop(ish) piece]

Hihi kind as always. Thanks!

[Final Fantasy VI - Serpent Trench]

18 hours ago, anclunn said:

Good enough to stick it in an MSU-1 track list and use in place of the original.

 

Haha you flatter me. Thanks!

[Spin - A small chill hop(ish) piece]

On 1/29/2022 at 2:52 AM, Robert_G said:

Trying to figure out your female vocal. Soundiron's Strawberry??? You use her sparingly but in the right places which I like. 

Also trying to figure out your pitch bend at the beginning. Very nice. 

 

These are both using Heavyocity patches actually. Heavyocity Vocalize and Scoring Guitars. I use them so often because the phrases work well if you are willing to work with them, take the time to find ones that work, and tweak em a bit 

[A Vision of Victory - A relaxing piece using Solo Woodwinds and Solo Strings]

On 1/29/2022 at 2:45 AM, Robert_G said:

 

Thank you for your comments guys. It is true what you say HarlemHeat360. My intentions were more soundtrack....maybe even for a RPG.

As for Majestica.....I agree....8Dio has hits and misses and Majestica was more of a miss. I have a couple of other pieces here and on Soundcloud using 8Dio Silka and Insolidus which they did a really good job on.

I actually struggle to use Insolidus but it has some good things in it. I think it's because when I was first starting I wanted to make all sorts of music and currently the music im making right now needs more full legato lines that sort of need to be forward. Like Olympus elements is my go to because the "hmm" patch is so full and lush. Still, your thoughts inspire me to make something using insolidus