paradiddlesjosh

These resources aren't plug-ins: they're great reference tools! Brad the Mad's Tempo Calculator (Chart, lists given bpm subdivisions as ms and Hz; chart goes from 60 bpm to 179 bpm) Tuneform's Tempo Calculator (converts bpm to ms) MIDI CC List (Chart, lists common CC uses) Virtual Instrument Delay Chart (Google Sheet, lists delay offsets for most orchestral VST instruments; organized by instrument section, brand, library, and articulations). Use these as a starting point and adjust to your project as needed Tap Tempo (Webapp, click or tap a key in time with a piece of music to get its tempo) I was chatting in the Lounge on Discord with folks last night discussing the importance of tools like the tempo calculators: some time-based effects plug-ins (reverb and delay, but also the attack and release controls on compressors, limiters, gates, expanders, etc) have no tempo sync function. If you can convert the subdivision into ms or Hz, you can manually sync your plug-ins to your project tempo/tempi (plural of tempo). You can also use this chart to maintain a relative pulse while changing meters: in the example I gave from a project Seph and I are working on, there's an intro segment at 90 bpm, 4/4 time that evolves into a verse in 12/8 using the same structure as the intro. 12/8 is functionally equivalent to 4/4 with a triplet subdivision, but most DAWs only give tempo expressed in a quarter note bpm, so maintaining 90 bpm gives an incorrect pulse from the click. But if you check the chart, you can see that a quarter note at 90bpm equals 0.667 seconds (666.6 repeating ms, or 667 for simplicity's sake) and a quarter-note triplet equals 0.444 seconds (444.4 repeating ms). Scroll down the chart and you'll find 135 bpm has a quarter note value of 0.444 seconds and a dotted quarter note value of 0.667 seconds: for all intents and purposes, the quarter note value of 90 bpm equals the dotted quarter note value of 135 bpm!

Hey there peshti! The sound design and production are top-notch for your take on the track. The arrangement is very close to the source, with one A-B transition cut out and several voices removed (mostly trumpet and flute/piccolo lines). Like Liontamer, I would kill to hear some more transformative additions to the material from you on this one. Keep it up!

This mix is such a jam. Production-wise, I want some more low-mids in the bass, but I don't think it's a dealbreaker. I'll join the chorus of folks hoping this is OCR-worthy; that said, I think the source is a licensed track from outside the game.

Sounds like a great cover you've put together, mellowsonic! Your arrangement is almost 1:1 with the source material until a well-executed break to the bass elements at around 2:00. The build that follows works well -- love the ping-pong plucks at 2:13. The dark drums are a great touch at 3:24; I would have loved to hear them come in sooner, but part of why they're so impressive is because of how restrained the arrangement has been leading up to that point.

Arrangement: I second Liontamer's suggestion about expanding the instrumentation. The sparseness isn't selling the concept. Additionally, the drop at 0:46 seems like it was intended to change up the soundscape, but in execution, it's a big letdown because it throws all the energy you just spent the first 45 seconds or so building. It would be more effective to start with that more sparse, chordal bit and build the energy into what you've done with the intro. The false fade-out ending allows the interest curve to drop off too soon as well. Production: The lead synth at 0:16 could use a boost of about 1-2dB. Otherwise, the volume balance of your elements is well executed, at least to my ears. The solo violin at 1:45 is overexposed; if you have a higher-quality sample library you could replace it with or another texture for the lead overall, that would improve the sound greatly. It's a great relief to be able to recover some work after a crash. Keep pushing on this one, and you'll have something awesome.

I figured I should share my Equipboard as well. DAWs Presonus Studio One 4 Ableton Live 10 Notable VST Instruments Adam Szabo Viper (Virus TI emulation) Arturia Analog Lab V Intro Decidedly DecentSampler (the VSTi is free, with free libraries available at their website and Pianobook) ML Drums by ML Sound Lab (Essentials, Luxe, Meld -- the free version is a stripped-down Essentials kit) NI Battery 4 NI Kontakt 6 and Kontakt Player 7 (Pianobook also has many free Kontakt libraries -- full version of Kontakt required for those) 8dio Claire English Horn The Alpine Project Ferrum Free Edition ISW Shreddage 3 (Precision Free, Stratus Free) ISW Heritage Percussion ProjectSAM The Free Orchestra Orchestral Tools Free Series (Layers) Orchestral Tools SINEfactory (Clutch, Crucible, Dynamo, Gearbox, Helix, Lucent, Manifold, Ratio, Rotary) Plugin Alliance x Brainworx bx_oberhausen Steven Slate Drums 5.5 Spitfire Audio LABS Spitfire Audio BBC Symphony Orchestra (Core -- Discover is free and covers all the basic articulations/techniques, and the top-level Pro version has more soloists and mic placement controls) Spitfire Audio Originals (Epic Strings, Epic Brass & Winds, Cinematic Percussion, Cimbalom, Media Toolkit) Toontrack Superior Drummer 2 Vital Notable VST Effects Arturia MiniFuse Bundle (this came with my interface) Arturia Chorus JUN-6 Arturia Delay TAPE-201 Arturia Pre 1973 Arturia Rev PLATE-140 Korneff Audio El Juan Limiter (a free emulation of the legendary L1 Limiter) NI Guitar Rig 6 LE (free with Komplete Start) NI Supercharger (also free with Komplete Start) Plugin Alliance Ampeg SVT-VR Classic Plugin Alliance Black Box Analog Design HG-2 Plugin Alliance x Brainworx bx_console Focusrite SC bx_masterdesk (Classic available for free in the PA FREE bundle) bx_opto bx_rockrack V3 (Player available for free in the PA FREE bundle -- only does presets) Plugin Alliance Maag Audio EQ2 Plugin Alliance PA FREE bx_cleansweep V2 bx_solo bx_subfilter Double MS Free Ranger niveau filter Tokyo Dawn Records TDR Nova UrsaDSP Lagrange (granular delay) Voxengo SPAN Notable Utilities Akai EWI-USB Evans x Sunhouse Hybrid Sensory Percussion v2 Presonus Notion 6

Great take! Short and sweet, you managed to hit all the key points of the original without the unnecessary filler. 1:06 sounded a little overcompressed as Hemo mentioned, but that seems like the only rough spot.

It's an interesting take, for sure. Your synth ostinato starting at about 0:16 could use some more sonic variation besides the filter swell -- consider changing the ostinato's contour. Breaking up the continuous pattern will keep the line interesting while also preventing it from upstaging the melody line. Also, the piano is quite muddy due to the lack of presence and the abundance of reverb; when it gets to play the melody line, it's hard to make it out over the rest of the soundscape, which contributes to DS's point about the synth feeling like the focal point. With all that being said, I do like the variations in your percussion and effects. Keep up the good work on this one!

Good stuff so far, Nase! WIP-y though the track may be after the 2:00 mark, there are some very interesting elements added. I agree with DS, pixelseph, and Hemo. Based on the overall style and vibe you've established, the biggest arrangement improvement would be an ending -- I think building to a head-out would be just about perfect. Hit'm one more time with that brass lick and spike one final note. You might have a different idea about how to go about it. P.S. I loved the organ coming in at 3:16. It just kinda snuck in there and I could have sworn it was there the whole time, the way it just fit right in.

Welcome to the forums, tolliscpc! I'll ditto the points from Hemo and DS. As is, the arrangement's lack of dynamic contrast and sluggish changes make it a difficult listen. The kick drum will be more impactful with more gain as well as compression -- it lacks the punch necessary to drive the piece with the writing you've given it.

Beautiful take on the source! The percussion work is the highlight of the piece, contributing to a vibe.

This track is definitive proof that a basic sound set is no obstacle to a fantastic arrangement when used tastefully and executed with aplomb. Superb bridge trippin’!

“OverClocked Spot” is like a skyscraper: BGC just keeps building on this track from start to finish, leaving one to stare at the top in awe and ask, ‘Where are we going from here?’ The break in the middle is a welcome breather before the drop sends the energy into the stars.

I love this take on the source! There are some very playful twists in the arrangement and the ramps in excitement put this one on par with the FFVII Remake battle BGM variations. Killer basslines, tasty strings, and pounding drums keep the blood pumping.

Come for the vibes, stay for the drum filtering during the midsection. Overall, this is my preferred way to be played into a Game Over.