Rexy

I wasn't there last time either, but just by reading the prior decision, I could tell that arrangement would be a non-issue. Yes, it's five sources in a row, and they all got the conservative treatment, but there's enough done to the backing and style that makes it feel less in-your-face like the originals and more like a dramatic flair typically expected of prog. Even the melodies had moments of modified pitches, whether due to deliberate change for more natural performance or accidental human imperfections. If there's one part that I wasn't a fan of, it's the transition at 4:21 feeling so jarring and sudden - and it's so odd when all the other source transitions felt more meaningful (gentle fade, breakdown to a slower tempo, the shoutout to Rush as mentioned). It's still a commendable effort, and I can see why you got an approval on that front in the first place. I also concur with the production values. I had no idea how loud the previous version was, but now, I hear some cleanly recorded live instrumentation, all tightly performed and with a stable balance. Yet, I noted one observation when I imported the audio into Audacity and noticed four places where the track clipped - three during "Calling in the Dark" and a fourth in the non-transition to "Cursed Destiny." It's weird - through my headphones, the audio checks out, and there's no need to change it, though a precautionary measure before posting would be nice to have. Nevertheless, I'm glad you all took advice on board from the previous sub and refined it into this form. I don't know how it took four years to follow up from the Demon's Crest debut, but you made it, and I'm ready to see it posted. Well done all! YES

Wow, I had been going back and forth on this one myself. On the one hand, this is an arrangement with a defined framework. It goes through the intro minus the melody line and transformed from 15/8 to 4/4, then two distinct variations on the theme, and finally, a breakdown using the arp over the top and a ridiculous air-out-of-the-band ending. The first variation feels more straightforward with only slight harmony use, which got used full-pelt in the second run alongside some machine-gun-like rhythms in the B section (1:12-1:25). Technically, there is some modification done with the source, and not one part outstays its welcome - so expansion is what I consider to be nice to have if it gets revisited. The production also has minor issues overall. First of all, great performances and recording quality on the live instruments - those individual components feel clean and well-synergized. The brightness is passable as the hi-hat and ride cymbal both cut through, but I would've wanted more on the snare tone and the splash cymbal, especially considering the latter's importance in the breakdown. I also feel like the lead guitar should've been a *touch* louder, but it's still identifiable in the mix. This track is as borderline as it can get, so I won't be surprised if this split vote involves most of the panel. Myself, I feel it's done enough on the interpretation and presentation to squeak over the bar. Whatever happens, you lot have potential. I hope you all can learn something from this experience, continue to make music, and keep sending them here. YES (borderline)

Remixer: Ivan Hakštok Games arranged: Final Fantasy 8, Final Fantasy 9 Name of arrangement: Hunter's Landing Names of songs arranged: The Landing (FF8), Hunter's Chance (FF9) I figured I'd submit more of my Dwelling of Duels backlog to ocremix. This song placed 2nd in Nobuo Uematsu month (March 2019). This originally started as just a prog version of The Landing from FF8, but for some reason I remembered a random comment I saw ages ago under a youtube video for Hunter's Chance saying how it would work great combined with The Landing, so I thought I might just combine the two. Since I wanted some flair instead of just guitar wankery, I added some celtic instruments in there, and the song ended up being this prog-rock-folk combo thing. My initial plan was for this song to be much longer, but I got too busy trying to beat Sekiro at the time and I had to cut the arrangement short so I can meet the DoD deadline. Since then, I've gotten some new gear and plugins, and going back to completing what I originally intended might require me to re-record/re-mix most of the song + record the new parts. I know I'm too lazy to do that, so I decided to just leave it as it is. Here's the source usage breakdown: 0:00 - 0:39 = intro based on Hunter's Chance chords 0:39 - 1:14 = a straightforward take on Hunter's Chance 1:14 - 2:56 = The Landing, with some guitar solos and a 6/4 section converted into 5/4 2:56 - 3:15 = Hunter's Chance again

Remixer name: Bluelighter (ID 21840) Real Name: Guillaume SAUMANDE Mail: Game & Songs: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles & Starry Moonlit Night – Orgel of Water Composer: Kumi TANIOKA Interpreter: Bluelighter: Piano Comment: Hi OCR, Here is a piano arrangement of the song theme of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. K. Tanioka really made an interesting work on this OST, completely played by ROBA HOUSE, a band of medieval music. Never heard in video game music! Arranging this in piano was a good way to feel the original mood of the song. Sometimes peaceful, other times rhythmed, this arrangement came naturally. It concluded by “Orgel of Water”, light melody perfect to finish the arrangement Enjoy! Originals Starry moonless night · 0’00 Melodic Line 1 · 0’33 ML2 · 1’00 ML1 · 1’25 ML2 · 1’53 ML3 · 2’25 ML4 · 3’09 ML1 · 3’34 ML2 Orgel of water : ML5 Arrangement · 1- o Peaceful o 0’00 intro o 0’13 ML3 · 2- o 0’40 ML1 o 1’06 ML2 o 1’28 ML1 · 3- o Rhythmed o 1’50 ML2 o 2’07 ML3 o 2’32 ML4 o Arpeggios 2’46 ML4 · 4- o Rhythmed o 3’06 ML1 o 3’30 free · 5- o Peaceful o 3’54 ML5

ReMixer Info ReMixer name: Foxarocious real name: Jonathan Wilson userid: 33483 Submission Info Name of game: Super Smash Bros. Melee Name of arrangement: Get By (Instrumental) Ind. song arranged: All-Star Rest Area Inspiration behind the song: A friend of mine used to belly dance and wanted a cool game-inspired song to do so to! She was originally asking for a "chill" version of the Rest Area song from Smash Bros...and I FREAKING LOVE SMASH BROS, so naturally, it got done. I also made it with the hope/knowledge that I would be writing this submission one day My thing for this was to make something that felt like you went somewhere and came back renewed, so you might find a bit of dissonance in the second verse that I hope isn't too distracting. In any case, I would love if you guys had notes for me on this. I felt like I could have worked it even more, but I probably would've just overproduced it. Thanks for the opportunity and curating all this nerdstalgic music! - Fox

Hi judges, it's me again! I did a lot of music in 2019 and forgot to submit most of it, so be prepared! Contact Information Chernabogue Alex Mourey youtube.com/Chernabogue UserID: 17636 Submission Information Game: Castlevania Bloodlines (Genesis) Name of arrangement: Christmasvania Name of individual song(s) arranged: Requiem for the Nameless Victims Comments: Another arrangement I wrote for a Pixel Mixers contest, this time for Christmas 2019. I enjoy doing something unexpected or original with my arrangements and turning a piece of Castlevania music into a Christmas song was an interesting challenge. Requiem for the Nameless Victims is one of my favorite video game tracks and a beautiful piece of music itself (especially for Genesis standards!): I had to cover it at some point and the end of the year was the perfect moment to arrange the credits theme from the game. Some instruments from the arrangement, such as the woodwinds, are from several Roland JV VSTs which were also used on Castlevania: Symphony of the Night; just some little trivia. Hopefully people will enjoy this arrangement on Christmas day and on any other day of the year. Have a great weekend! Alex

Hello all! I would like to submit an EDM style remix of "Rebel Army" from Final Fantasy II. This remix originally started out as a slower tempo electro remix but I actually enjoyed it quite a bit when I started to mess around with tempos. After a year of re-arranging it, I finished it. A cool tidbit is how I went with a triplet bases timescale. Enjoy! -Brink-of-Time Contact Information: Your ReMixer name: Brink-of-Time Your real name: David C Jacobson Jr. Your email address: Your website: https://brink-of-time.bandcamp.com/ Your userid: 3661 Submission Information: Name of game(s) arranged: Final Fantasy II Name of arrangement: Rebels Like to Dance Too! Name of individual song(s) arranged: Rebel Army Link to the original soundtrack:

First of all, well done on your first arrangement! The initial step is hard to pull off, but the satisfaction is indeed immense. However, I will caution you in that we won't go easy in assessing this and hope our feedback will help you improve for your next work. What impresses me more is that you picked a complicated source to arrange due to all the tempo changes thrown in and two distinct tempos. What you mentioned is what we get - a spacy prelude that uses the A section's melody as the basis, two straight run-throughs of the theme, and an ambient final third that added a gate to the lead. The clashing of styles makes it feel more abstract than expected from a more traditional sub, and that's not a bad thing at all. However, note that I said that you went through two run-throughs of the theme - and they're both identical in terms of notation and textures. Rather than repeat a previously introduced idea, consider writing it differently while still keeping that beat. You can find useful examples of this throughout the soundtrack to Banjo-Kazooie, to name an example - a very different game in terms of style, but the "multiple variations" aspect of the various music cues can spur some ideas. The mixdown is also very loud - and it clips at 1.1dB, with the biggest culprit being the main riff section at 0:46-2:16. It pushes through the ceiling, plus there's also a lot of pumping that happens just from the impacts of the kick and crash cymbal. See if you can bring down the sound levels for all of your instruments. The pads are also way louder than they need to be - they're supposed to settle underneath the lead instrumentation, so see if you can bring them down into the mix. And another idea to get the kick and snare to cut through would be to make notches in the EQ respectively for your bass and lead, as well as doing a low-mid EQ cut among your higher-pitched pads. Since this is your first arrangement, it'll be more of a good idea to add an EQ effect to all of your tracks, experiment with the settings, and see what works. Among the "first arrangements" I've seen, this one is a more unusual one thanks to its framework and source choice. Copy-paste is a concern, but the production values need significant improvement. Have a go at giving the mixdown another pass, lower all instrument volumes, and experiment with the EQ effect to provide all of your parts their own designated space. Feel free to check out the workshop, too - it can be a handy place to build up future work. NO

Alright, I'm going to have to chime in on this one as well. After Meteo stepped down, the duty of finishing this project had fallen into my hands. I've made steps behind the scenes to make sure things will progress - gathering as many WAVs as possible, getting in touch with artists who had prior claims, and figuring out ways to get more tracks in. As of right now, there are some updates to be done with the roster. Firstly, all but three WAVS had been gathered together - the Dual Dragons lost theirs, OA wasn't happy with how his track turned out, and PacificPoem has been unresponsive. Secondly, I got interest from Eino and Sagnewshreds in keeping on refining their work. I have contacted all others who had a claim, but no response - so any other claim will get freed up. Thirdly, a massive thanks to Artem Bank ( @redshojin ) for not only taking on Boundless Ocean, but getting a full track and WAV prepared in less than a week! Nevertheless, if you the web surfer - yes, you - is interested in claiming a track and can do so in the space of the next 6-8 weeks, send a PM to me in the Discord, or here in the forums if you don't have a Discord account. I share my sentiment with the artist collective on board with letting it see the light of day

This arrangement is simple but fun. There's a C section fade-in, one run-through of the source and another A section, some original solo work at 1:30, then back around to C and A to finish things off. With that structure alone, I can see where Wes and Brad are coming from with their "glorified cover" verdict - but there are some subtle changes. I sensed some different notation in melody B (0:35-0:58) out of human imperfection, some additional grace notation in the following C block at 1:06, and a writing variation two semitones up at 2:21 - so for what it does, it's not bad. Even accompaniment variations are subtle - the gated pad at 1:31 added a refresher to the prior equivalent area at 0:35, and the gallop rhythm guitar at 2:20 complimented the melody change-up well. I wish I would've heard more of it for the A section repeat at 1:08, rather than copy-pasting the equivalent section from 0:13. The balance, however, feels mud-heavy. I can hear the synth leads just fine, but there's this three-way mid-frequency war between the guitars, snare and pads. Making EQ cuts on one of these instruments can help the other two breathe within the space - or heck, consider transposing the pads up by one octave as an alternate idea. That second idea can also help fill in the crunch that this track lacks, along with completely re-doing the EQ on the hi-hats as they're the instrument mainly taking up the higher frequencies naturally. I also am in favor of slacking off on any master compressors or limiters. It's not as big a problem as the rough mixdown, but it could take the edge off the flat dynamics and offer more breathing room to help fix the low-mid issue. As of now, I can't see it on the front page in its current state. I have more problems with the production values than the arrangement, but it's worth going over it with your feedback. If you revise it, I'd like to hear less copy-paste, less audio sausage, and a much cleaner mixdown. It's still not a bad first submission, Lucian - and I hear potential from that. NO (resubmit)

I like the reed instruments and all the velocity work done behind them, but I also feel the lack of articulations here hurt them in the long run. Thankfully by now, you know how to remedy such an issue. Despite this, the sound design is an interesting one - a lovely choice of instruments as I usually expect. However, the balancing of these instruments feels half-empty due to minimalism in places, yet half-full in the sense of their satisfactory balance within the mix. Even with realism going into the uncanny valley, it's a sweet and delicate direction appropriate for a track like this. However, I'm going to have to co-sign on with Shariq and Brad on the arrangement. The interpretation is not only one run-through of the source with part of the final third missing but also has notation primarily straight from the source with only the re-orchestration sounding different. So I can't pass it on these significant flaws, I'm afraid. You have shown the capability to write a straight run-through and change up the accompaniment writing significantly to make it feel more individual - so it'll be great if you can do the same with this track too. Nevertheless, it's not simple to work with the lengthier source tunes of FF14, so I commend your bravery. But the lack of personalization is a big problem and an issue that doesn't appear among your work very often. It'll be nice to listen to this with the arrangement reworked - let me hear you. NO

I'm impressed with how you used the sources. The framework essentially boils down to ideas from act 2, then act 1, then back to act 2 and act 1 with entirely new integration - which is a sweet way to explore the similarities and differences between both sources. You allowed for transformations in the melodies to shape up this framework - and except for 22 seconds combined from the bookends, the VGM is present entirely, so no problems with dominance whatsoever. The backing element integration got used straight, however, but as they are responsible for carrying the source through when melodies are absent, there was no need to change them up in the first place. The production values aren't too shabby either. The choice of instruments for the palette is excellent and appropriate for the crystalline direction. The synths have some well-expressed envelopes and modulation as well, and the use of reverb is a fitting choice that compliments your sound choices. Much like Wes, I also sensed mud going across your leads, so the idea of putting EQ on the reverb can give a lot more breathing room for your bells and mallets. I can also argue that the synth leads are quieter in the mix than the chimes when it should ideally be the other way round, but whether this is an after-effect of the reverb use is hard to tell. Nevertheless, it's an enjoyable and meaningful romp. The source is more dominant than cars in a traffic jam, the transformations are engaging throughout, and the sound design has more pros than cons. This track is a worthwhile sophomore effort and one I'll be happy to see on the front page. Great job, Darren! YES

RebeccaETripp Rebecca Tripp http://www.crystalechosound.com/ ID: 48262 Game(s): Banjo Kazooie Song Title: Chill In Winter Songs Remixed: Click Clock Wood (Winter) The main lead is one of those oldscool electric organ piano things.

Hello, this is my very first time submitting something to OCR, so please forgive me if I do any mistake. I do plan to keep the Cubase project and files in case I'd have to change the mix or mastering. Remixer Name: Hashel Real Name: Julien Rosir E-Mail: Website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcpgG0SRIUPuY-HSS_QWgBw User ID: https://ocremix.org/community/profile/33332-hashel05/ Game: Final Fantasy II Name of the Arrangement: Kashuan, the Legend of the Ancient Mushroom Name of the Song: Kashuan Keep (aka. Ancient Castle) Thanks!

Not one single source (and by extension, game) is present for more than 25% of the track's running time, so this'll be difficult to file under a specific game. We'll cross that bridge if the track passes. -Rexy RebeccaETripp Rebecca Tripp http://www.crystalechosound.com/ ID: 48262 Game(s): Mario Galaxy, FF4, FF6, FF7, FF9, Zelda (series) Song Title: Empress Waltz Songs Remixed: Rosalina’s Observatory, Troian Beauty, Flowers Blooming in the Church, Zelda’s Lullaby, Garnet’s Theme, Wedding Waltz This is a giant medley of several themes from various video games, including Super Mario Galaxy, Final Fantasy 4, FF6, FF7 and FF9, and The Legend of Zelda (series). The original songs used in this arrangement are Rosalina's Observatory, Troian Beauty, Flowers Blooming in the Church, Princess Zelda's Theme, Garnet's Theme and The Wedding Waltz. It is a collaborative suite featuring live instrumental and vocal performances from 11 different very talented female musicians. The medley, which I've named "Empress Waltz" (an indirect homage to Strauss II's Emperor Waltz!) is meant to be a celebration of female virtuosity. I chose to include a variety graceful, Venusian, "queenly", feminine VGM tracks. This medley represents just over a year's worth of work between the 11 of us; there was a lot of love and care (and countless hours) put into this. For this reason, if you're reading this, I want to encourage you to explore everyone else's work, if you haven't already. Each person in this medley is an incredibly talented, dedicated musician, many of whom have themselves composed and arranged massive bodies of live VGM covers, in addition to various other interesting projects they've each worked on. The credits are below: Harp 1 - Samantha Ballard Harp 2 - May Claire La Plante Flute 1 - Brooke Ferd Flute 2 - P2 Sue Oboe - Brooke Ferd English Horn - Kristin Naigus Violins - PitTan Violas - Michelle Eng Vocals 1 - Tiggs Vocals 2 - Julia Henderson Vocals 3 - MatcHey Vocals 4 - PitTan Vocals 5 - May Claire Composition/Mastering - RebeccaETripp I know this one would be a little weird to categorize if you decide to post it, so I’ll understand if you don’t want to use it. Technically, the longest tracks in it are the Mario Galaxy and FF4 ones, so it makes sense to file it under one of those games if it does make the cut.

Hi, Here's my submission of a track from Final Fantasy IX. Submission information: Game: Final Fantasy IX Arrangement Name: The Ritual Song arranged: Eternal Harvest Additional info: track 19 from disc 3 of "Beyond the Mist" by Pixel Mixers Contact information: ReMixer name: infinitytone Real name: Karol Kosacki Website: https://www.youtube.com/infinitytone userid: 34463 Hope you have fun listening and have a great week! Best, --- Karol (Charles) Kosacki https://www.youtube.com/c/infinitytone http://infinitytone.com

Hi dear judges, here's a new one for you -- I might send a few since it's been a while! Contact Information Chernabogue Alex Mourey youtube.com/Chernabogue ID: 17636 Submission Information Name of game(s) arranged: Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (NES) Name of arrangement: For Blood is Eternity Name of individual song(s) arranged: Bloody Tears Comments: This remix was produced for Halloween 2019 during the Pixel Mixers monthly contest. As it may have surprised no one, I love Castlevania, but I never took the time to arrange some of the more iconic themes from the early games, and especially Bloody Tears, which was already covered by everyone and their mother. Orchestral arrangements of this piece already exist here and there, and I wanted to make something more original. I decided to slow it down to be able to bring every out every little detail you can hear. I focused on trying to create an epic and somewhat sad atmosphere which feats the narrative of the game: Simon Belmont, now cursed after defeating Dracula, has to resurrect his worst enemy to lift the deadly spell. That kind of plot is inspiring and trying to bring it out through music is more than a challenge. Hopefully a challenge listeners will enjoy. Hope this is all good Have a nice weekend! Alex

Remixers Name - Blue Metal Machine Game - Godzilla Monster of Monsters_NES Console - Nintendo Entertainment System Composer - Masatomo Miyamoto Song - Earth (Level 1) Arrangement Name - 3rd Planet From the Sun Growing up as a Godzilla fan the NES soundtrack was unbelievable to me. An easy first pick for my first remix. As with most of the wonderful NES music theres need to extend the song. So simply added a prologue and epilogue around the original song. The intro I provided a spacey type feel, allowing a lingering build up to the energetic feel to the song. I wanted to provide a close representation of the meat of the song, but for the progression I drop the beat with a smoother bass line than the original. I resampled the main riff for intro and breakdown, adding a standard Waha effect for the breakdown and allowing it to ride out from there. A true joy to cover this song and plan on doing the whole OST.

The treatment of the source is gritty and exciting - I appreciate the use of backing synths to carry section A's use, and then the B sections (0:41, 3:03) transformed the source into the Persian scale, and with different chord progressions to boot. Keeping the rhythms of the motif and changing the mode gave the melody use there a more unexpected character and worth using as a hook. The A-sections (0:13, 1:21) had drum writing variations, with the second one having great use of double kick to build up excitement leading into the first guitar solo. Both guitar solos serve well for differing purposes - the first to lift energy before the breakdown at 2:16, and the second to slow-burn into the B section variation at 3:03 and the livelier synth writing present. The only questionable thing about the arrangement is the ending and how it just fizzles out, but that's more of a subjective point of view. It's still a remarkable use of the source, and additionally, some stable construction of the framework. The production values are also as sharp as I expect from you - well-recorded guitars, clarity across the mix, and some sweet envelope / keyswitch work on the synths that give them life. The balance is also firm - though, I would've wanted the synth lead during the A sections to get dominance over the rhythm guitar as they're the ones carrying the source. Said synth also is going slightly overboard on the resonance throughout, though I can chalk that up to genre inspirations. For me, there's a lot to love about the track overall. Tastefully edgy production values, a fun mixture of straight use and differing modes for melody representation, an engaging structure, and clean performance chops all contribute to a fun listen overall. I feel it's set for the front page in this form and should make an entrance with a cry of "cowabunga." Excellent work, Mak! YES

The production values off the bat are enjoyable for EDM / Dubstep. It's reasonably balanced, no instrument is louder or quieter than it needs to be, and the articulations and effects on the synths are a lot of fun to hear. The dub bass at 1:14 did sound like it lacked a body to match with the sibilance on display, but it's a nitpick if this is the intended tone that you picked out. Arrangement-wise, it had a strong start with going through a slow build for one part of the theme, then using the A section's melodies with the C section's chords to go into the groove proper. The source did get dropped at 1:14 in favor of a dubstep bass solo, adding more tension before heading into the breakdown - however, it's at the prior break at 1:29 where the track re-treads previously established ideas, so much to the point that 1:59-2:29 sounds completely identical to 0:59-1:29. Aside from the drum fill at 1:36 and usage of the A section's melody at 1:44 (effectively doubling the 1:59 part), there's nothing new in this second half. It's possible to keep the source placement ideas while adding in some entirely different textures and rhythm patterns underneath. A completely different dubstep bass spot at 2:14 wouldn't go amiss either, to give that section its own separate identity from 1:14. It's not a bad effort, Ben - you've gotten the grasp on what makes a remix works from a technical standpoint. But that second half needs a writing/texture refresher to make them feel different from the first half. It'll be nice to hear another version that addresses this flaw - but whatever you decide to do, keep going with your craft. NO (resubmit)

Production-wise, this track is nicely polished. I know it's weird for you to say that as it took years to get into this form, but trust me. The frequency spread is slick, the instrument balance is spot on, and the effects - whether it be vinyl crackling, bit crushing, or temporary EQ filters - added their parts to add not only air but also sonic interest. Even the synths themselves have great uses of LFO to varying degrees to maintain engagement in the soundscape. It's as if the lengthy creation time was well masked. The reason why I paneled it was wondering whether there was enough source to make the whole thing work. I appreciate the breakdown, but the verse and melody sections brought up are too far detached from their respective segments to be recognizable. Yet, the call-backs to the plucked melody and the bridge focusing on the original's chords are true to form. With this in mind, I can't count the verse and chorus in the source breakdown, leaving it with less than 40% of recognizable VGM. It's a simple fix to get the dominance quota up, really - you could change the pitches in those two sections, so they're more in line with the original writing. Nothing else needs to change otherwise. Honestly, I was holding back on this one for so long, based on this source dilemma. Don't get me wrong - the production values are a commendable effort, and I enjoyed them every step of the way. But if I still can't hear half of your intended uses several months after paneling, then I feel it's not ready for primetime just yet. If you can alter the verse and chorus sections, so their melodies are more recognizable, I'll be more than happy to listen to it again. NO (resubmit)

Name: Michael Hudak Game arranged: Stardew Valley Song arranged: "Fall (Ghost Synth)" Original Composer: Eric Barone Name of my arrangement: "Tomorrow's Starting" Source track: The Stardew Valley OST made me want to get into writing music again back in 2017 when a friend gifted me the PS4 version of the game while I was living in Japan. The soundtrack wasn't technically astounding, but each song was so incredibly appropriate to what was on screen in terms of art, story, and general aesthetic. I dug deeper into things and read that Eric Barone (ConcernedApe, the composer and also sole developer) used Reason for composition purposes, which was one of the less CPU-hungry DAWs, and one my darling old dual-core Asus SonicMaster could actually handle before I could afford to replace it (so long as it was fully charged AND plugged in!). So, I bought a copy of Reason 10, and started writing songs again after several years away. I started to revisit OCR too! My version of "Ghost Synth" started as another synthwave track, but after stumbling upon Mattias Holmgren's fantastic post rock tutorial video, I decided to keep the same tempo and general structure, but change the instrumentation. I'd been wanting to add more live guitar and bass to my songs anyhow, so I had to use some of his ideas. Addictive Drums has proven to complement the kind of slower playing I like really well. After finding the proper reverb settings for the pads and guitars, this track basically wrote itself! As usual for me, I went gentle on the mastering side of things. The title "Tomorrow's Starting" is a partial nod to Mark Hollis from Talk Talk - he co-created what is now known as the "post rock" genre with the Sprit of Eden and Laughing Stock albums - though an earlier Talk Talk track from the It's My Life album is called "Tomorrow Started". So, thanks to Mark, Mattias, and especially Eric, of course. And to YOU!

I don't mind the palette at all. A lot of the timbres are appropriate for synthwave, the percussion is as sharp as the genre expects, and there's some good volume envelope work for dynamics. I agree with Wes's sentiments regarding layers - yet it's for a completely different reason. The mixdown, while nicely balanced, could benefit from some added air, as otherwise, only the hi-hats seem to add to it. Hence, those leads could get doubled up with a more resonant synth transposed up an octave, which should have a low volume level compared to the rest of your instruments. A synth like that would give them some needed mid-high presence. The arrangement left a lot more question marks, though. Melody-wise, the two run-throughs (1:05-1:49, account for 39% of the track's running time - but one of the synths also uses the first three notes in the A section's melody as part of the arp (0:24-0:37, 0:44-1:05, 3:24-3:44) and accounts for another 24%. There's not much done here outside of that and the genre adaptation, but it's still serviceable. However, the repeated sections that Wes brought up are problematic - and with one of them affecting source use as well, it's a sign that the track still needs more development. You've got the geist of it with adding a low pass on the drums during the second loop's B section. Other ideas I can suggest that could potentially fit here are added harmonies, a countermelody, or even variations in the accompaniment writing. As an idea, this track sounds fun, it's got some appropriate tones in the palette, and you nailed the volume balance. But when the mix feels lacking in the mid-highs for a fair chunk of it and half of its source melody use on a repeated idea, little things stack up to having to send it back. A second version would be good to hear - with a way to add more air to the EQ curve and changed up writing on the second variation. Clément, I see potential with you - so I hope you keep going with your craft. NO (borderline / resubmit)

Yeah, this is a melodically conservative take, so I have no problems detecting the source. Aside from the synthwave direction with the choice of instruments, there's been some careful additions of backing pads, additional rhythmic synths in the bridges, and adding accents to the rhythm part leading into the two melody sections. Structurally it goes through the first two melody sections straight with the bridge between them repeated - but then goes into an exciting break at 3:16, which serves as a dynamic way to build into the Vocaloid use at 3:50. I admit it sounds uncanny hearing English lyrics when the software caters more to Japanese pronunciation. Still, the usage is minimal and pairs well with the guitar solo to round out the final minute. Like with Wes, the ending doesn't bother me, as I expect a lot of 80s pop to end similarly. It's a well-produced package, too - cleanly mixed, all parts identifiable, and the timbres picked out are appropriate for synthwave. I want to give a special shoutout towards your choice of snare - it's surprisingly rich for being so low-pitched, and there's enough punch to pack through the mix and fit well with the lead guitar and Vocaloid. In my opinion, I would've wanted your lead guitar to be a touch louder in the mix. But it's not a dealbreaker in this case, as its position in the mix had an emphasis on mid-highs, which hardly any other instrument touched. As it stands, this is a great sophomore effort. It showcases more of how far you can go arrangement-wise while keeping interpretation minimal, how adaptable you are to other types of EDM, and how fearless you are at finding ways to make Vocaloid soundbanks work in context. Excellent work, Brendan! YES

The idea to transform stage 1's music to fit 2 is a fresh approach - treading a delicate tightrope between stylistic adaptation and conservation. Structurally, the track goes through one run-through of stage 2 with a cameo for stage 1's intro, then straight into 1 with the same key and time signatures as stage 2. The harmonics at 2:27 was a great touch to break up the C section's natural monotony, and a great way to demonstrate your performance chops. The return to stage 2 at 2:53 also was strong with an elaborate drum fill to lead into the theme proper, before going into a variation with tweaks in drum fills and lead harmonies. The use of stage 1's D section at the ending with the breaks was also sublime and well-executed. If it's not apparent, I feel like I've gushed at all the writing details - and for that, I see it as a substantial improvement from what I previously heard through your prior Faxanadu mixpost. Unfortunately, I do have a question to ask - what happened with the mixdown? The levels are spot on, the performances are tight, and you've cleanly recorded all live instruments - but the audio quality has a fair chunk of buzz, with a critical factor being that it clipped at 0.7dB. Hence, you mixed the track too loudly, so consider bringing down the volume levels for all of your instruments. Additionally, the mixdown also feels muddy, making it difficult to hear your more sustained rhythm guitars and your snare - so see if you can adjust your EQs so that you can let your guitars and separate parts of the kit have their own frequency space. Honestly, the arrangement has a lot to love - but I can't see it getting posted unless the mixdown gets another pass. I hope you'll be able to take action on this - we haven't had an Ironsword mixpost for 17 years (!), and to see a new one after all this time would be amazing. NO (resubmit)