Rexy

See, when I checked out the track, I felt the variance with this 10-second loop was more than enough to get it checked out on an interpretation standpoint. And indeed, there is - six loops in total, satisfying breaks between sets of two and subtractive contributions thanks to textural variation and some well-executed rhymes. The drum writing had also prevented any autopilot issues, with some careful embellishments to separate the first pair, and some more intense rhythms to go through the guitar section at 0:49. I loved how you "let the air out of the band" for the ending fanfare - proof that you wanted to get a laugh out of anyone who listens, and that just sealed the deal! Even the production values are tight - a clean mix, artifact-free recordings on the guitars and vocals, and is mostly well balanced. The vocals also have some strong effects for a thickened presence, with even some variance in filters letting them shine. Like with Chimpazilla, I would've liked to have heard the guitars go a touch further to the front, but it's no big deal in this case. I would've liked the track to have been longer, too, but it's hard to say no to a remix that did so much in such a short running time - something almost entirely unheard of outside of the first four years of OCR's life. Adrian and Marlon, you are remixing wizards, and I commend you for it! YES

First of all, great synergy and performances between you all! Everything sounds clean and tight, and there's some substantial attention to giving each instrument their own defined space in the mix. It's not a perfect mixdown as I would've wanted the drums further front and with a pinch more emphasis on the snare, but I can roll with this setup down to the closeness of the live recording setup. The arrangement, however, left me mixed. The initial treatment of the source is fantastic - transforming this simple 6/8 melody into 4/4 and with a shift into advanced chords to suit the progression. Even the last 45 seconds worked well with the Zelda theme cameos, plus a softer variant as part of the ending. However, the entire stretch from 0:34-2:49 has no source whatsoever. I get it - fun solos are a significant part of jazz, but the standards say that BGM must be dominant. And with BGM accounting for only 35% of the running time at best, more needs to be done with the arrangement to lift that quota. So here are some ideas I can think of to remedy this problem. You could get new solos recorded there and packed with many different Zelda BGM cameos. It could be possible to add another permutation of the primary source in-between the noodling. Or you could change the accompaniment entirely in one of the solos to that of the chord progression for yoúr primary source. I'd also be pleasantly surprised if you can think of any idea that I completely missed, so go nuts and see what works. It's a track that I would've liked to have seen got posted thanks to its excellent first impression and powerful performances all around. But if the remix is source light, I'm afraid I can't see it on the front page as it is. It'll be nice to hear a new version with more BGM usage down the line, but for now, I hope you get the chance to send music over here again - I see potential here. NO (resubmit)

CONTACT INFORMATION ReMixer name: Obscure Reference Band (O.R.B.) Band members: Matt Murphy () - drums, arrangement Nicholas Terelle () - guitar, mixing Liz Woolley () - electric piano Joseph Brenneman () - saxophone Bradley Mellen () (userid: 18643) - electric bass SUBMISSION INFORMATION Name of game(s) arranged: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Name of arrangement: Severe Storm Warning Name of individual song(s) arranged: Song of Storms

Hello OCRemix Team, Here a submission of a remix from a game i love. Have a nice day. Best Regards, Benjamin Oziel. Contact Information ReMixer Name : Ben Oz Real Name : Benjamin Oziel Email Adress : website : https://soundcloud.com/benjaminoziel Submission Information Name of game(s) arranged : Megaman 2 Name of arrangement : Metal Step Man Name of individual song(s) arranged : MetalMan

The transformations here are lovely. Changing the key from a modified Lydian scale to straight-up minor key immediately changed the source's character to something less ominous and more solemn. The same is true for the arpeggio's pacing remaining as it is while bringing the melody into half-time for the first 90 seconds. The framework is well structured too - the melody's restoration to standard time at 1:28, the violin countermelody at 2:03, and the bass drums from 2:40 onwards have shaped a robust dynamic curve while still keeping both the source modification and melancholy mood. On a personal note, this track made me feel emotional just listening to it - so consider that a worthy accomplishment! The execution is excellent, too - a well-balanced mix, a suitable mixdown with layers aplenty, and great attention to dynamics during the track's running time. Your pads, chimes and piano all sound great with appropriate broad reverb, subtle note overlaps, and a careful spread of velocities to keep at its emotive level. The violin, while not the most realistic one I've heard, has substantial attention to detail with vibrato, slow attacks, and equally well-shaped releases. The only issue I have is with the ending tail, which suddenly cuts off - something that I'd like a fix for before getting posted, but is no big deal if it doesn't. I said during my vote for "The Princess and the Wolf" that I wanted to hear more interpretation beyond a subtractive level - and this track ticked that box. Pair it with emotive writing and execution, and this is a mighty sophomore effort. Beautiful work, Danilo! YES

That arrangement is definitely on point! The bossa nova direction with added harmonies set a fantastic first impression, and the fresh additions didn't stop there. The segue to DK Isle at 2:03 felt organic and combined with the melody phrase spacing until 3:03 that one source got a creative transformation. The tempo change and jazzier reprieve for Gusty Garden at 3:56 kept things refreshing as did the rubato piano section at 5:27; and the climax at 6:31 with the eventual "you got a star" jingle reference dynamically drew things to a close. I find it amazing that even though the structure is essentially A-B-A, there's so much to love with multiple genre adaptations, subtle melodic tweaks, and the shaping of the framework. Fantastic teamwork, all! Now, the mixdown is an intriguing one. A lot of the sharper instrumentation (particularly brass) is over on the left side of the stereo field - but it becomes less problematic as more rhythm parts, woodwinds and muted brass appear from the right. If anything, it feels like a more organic live setting. Yes, the mixdown also feels bright, particularly on the brass and cymbals - but nothing got damaged, and I see it as a necessity to prevent blending into other parts of the ensemble, so good call. The recording quality across all parts is clean too, and the performances are tight, so even with the steep headroom taken into account, it's a good production. I, too, am all in favor of seeing it get posted - but that's providing John can do the volume and silence fixes. People need to sit back and enjoy it, champagne in one hand, and a wristwatch on the other! [EDIT 2019/05/28 - John sent me a revised version with not only the volume boost and silence cuts, but also addressed Wes's drum mixing critique. I'm delighted to see it get posted now.] YES

Now, this is what I call an example of making something substantial out of something so minimal! Once again, Rebecca took the "two variations" route with the arrangement - but in this case, the melody treatment feels unique on both sides, and some of the phrases even got developed multiple times with some occasions involving multiple lead part switches, before moving on to the next. MindWanderer nailed the description better than I can - taking all the silence out and remixing what's left - which is basically what the listener will get. As of today, we've also got an updated version that bumps up the track volume - so I'm glad to say that the headroom issue got fixed. The mixdown is clean, nothing is poking out on a volume perspective, and the velocity variations and sustain control feels very human. I'm with prophetik on the rigid timing, though - not only on the piano but also on the other instrumentation. Hence, I would've preferred the pacing to be more rubato-like, but it's no big deal when many other aspects got done right. Nevertheless, it's an explorative treatment of a source with little content - and with the polish sustaining it, I'm all in favor of seeing it get posted. Good work! YES

This track originally got submitted in September 2019, but for some reason it never got to the submissions inbox itself. The brevity may be a concern, but I feel it's done enough to keep a 10-second loop interesting, and so I find it worth a shot for judge feedback. -Rexy Contact Information ReMixer name - Seizure Machine (Marlon Sinvergüenza and fxsnowy) real name - Marlon / Adrian email address - website - seizuremachine.com userid - 36273 Submission Information Name of game(s) arranged - Super Mario Bros 2 Name of arrangement - Birdo's Revenge Name of individual song(s) arranged - Boss We were inspired by Birdo's egg spitting. Lyrics : I was just kidding JK… Rollin’! Up on my nemeses Vacate the premises I take vacations in Hades with Hades Make booties shake like the… Ground in Haiti Hercules, you’re an obsolete hero Jesus is a copy Scorpion, Sub-Zero Sailors hear the siren song that you relish I killed Achilles cause I have a foot fetish! [break] Now, we’re back and the beat’s on full blast I take over these streets like Critical Mass Divide by volume You’re so fucking dense Your cranium’s uranium Mine is hydrogen Conquest, I navigate Port and starboard I’m so fly like the motherfucking Conchords Conker had a bad fur day, didn’t shave My dick is Donkey Kong with a condom for a cage!

Working with a minimal source is always going to be challenging, so I respect your decision to do the "two separate variations" route on this one. I can see what you aimed for - keeping the notation while making some minor tweaks, changing lead for the second run-through, and putting in an assortment of mainly middle-east inspired instrumentation for the accompaniment. While this is pleasant-sounding, it fell in the same pitfall as a previous submission of yours - the melody interpretation is identical on both sides, and the backing's static nature didn't contribute much to it either. The suggestions that I had there to interpret your melody further apply here, too. See if you can find ways to change things up. The mixdown is also a mixed bag. As prophetik pointed out, there's more attention up the front with the choir and pads - and the former is understandable as it provides the lead for the first half. Said choir also held notes at the same sustained level and then suddenly dropped out, so I'd appreciate you using envelopes to express them more realistically. Your instrumentation was also mainly hitting notes in the low to low-mid range, leaving very little going on in the mid to mid-highs, so it would've been nicer to have heard some of those layers transposed up an octave to get that area covered. And of course, there's the issue of headroom - a recurring issue that I'm sure you know how to handle by now. (But do feel free to talk with me on Facebook if you don't.) It's a nice and peaceful track, but the combination of an underdeveloped/static arrangement, a choir in the uncanny valley, and the quiet mixdown all add up to sending it back to the drawing board, unfortunately. Rebecca, I know you're capable of getting some pretty new age onto OCR - and I do hope you keep going with that idea. NO (resubmit)

Greetings, OCR Team. I'm Vladimir Kuznetsov, producer behind World Beyond - an instrumental soundtrack music project, also representing my collaborator Marica Vilibic, a talented violinist and singer from Croatia, with whom we do film and videogame music covers. We would like to suggest this new instrumental medley for review. Contact Information • Remixer name: World Beyond • Real name: Vladimir Kuznetsov • Your website: www.worldbeyond.net • Userid: 31732 Submission Information • Name of game(s) arranged: The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim • Name of arrangement: The Elder Scrolls Violin Medley: Nerevar Rising (From "Morrowind") / Reign of the Septims (From “Oblivion”) / The Road Most Travelled (From "Morrowind") / Dragonborn (From “Skyrim”) • Name of individual song(s) arranged: Nerevar Rising, Reign of the Septims, The Road Most Travelled, Dragonborn • Original soundtrack music composed by Jeremy Soule. • The idea to create this cover came from Marica, as she was willing to record the violin on top of an orchestral instrumental track. I liked this idea very much but instead of covering just one song from the TES soundtrack I tried to write a medley that would seamlessly transition between the most notable themes of the series. When the draft was done she played her part in one take as best as she could and I fine-tuned the track around it. At the final stage of production I tried to make the original audio sound more cinematic, using significantly less compression, much more reverberation and a mellow, warmer EQ profile. Violin: • Violinist name: Marica Vilibic • Email address: mvilibic@gmail.com

Contact Information ReMixer name: Reuben Spiers Real Name: Reuben Spiers E-Mail: Submission Information Game: Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Name of Arrangement: Downtown Hyrule Name of Original Song: Hyrule Market Hulusi is an instrument not enough people use.

Remix: THE 7TH FANFARE Source(s): Final Fantasy 7 Fanfare Original Instrumental: N/A Remixer Name(s):Rukunetsu Website: http://youtube.com/Rukunetsu User ID: 24403 (R) Game: Final Fantasy 7 Name of Arrangement: The 7th Fanfare Name of Original Song: Fanfare Original Composer(s): Nobuo Uematsu Been a while eh? The victory theme from FF7 has got to be one of my favorite versions of the FF Fanfare, and so I decided to give it the 'ol remix treatment. Hope it's enjoyable m'friends.

Hi, I’m a remixer from Japan. This is my first submission. Thank you. Hassan A Nojo Hiroki Ando (No website) 36035 Kirby’s Dream Land 3 Matango on Iceberg Iceberg I have dreamed of making a ‘mixture rock’ song with Kirby’s soundtracks.This remix contains rock, metalcore, heavy metal, pops, chiptunes etc.

Wow, that source is sparse. It's so simple it can translate to an 8-bit chiptune with minimal note modifications. Either way, the treatment is surprisingly engaging. It doesn't go through any straight loops - which makes sense, as source use accounted to two melodic riffs throughout, and all the percussion got changed entirely. Dominance checks out, as one motif or both is present up until the ending at 2:35. And so does the interpretation - while the melodies themselves remained as they are, that left a lot of room to flesh it out with an evolving orchestrated accompaniment that gets increasingly lively as time goes on. It's so captivating to listen to - good stuff. The presentation is also serviceable - the articulations are gorgeous, and the balance is spot on overall. I did, however, feel there was a touch too much emphasis on the low to low-range, which I believe bringing the levels down for the deeper-sounding instruments can fix. It isn't a dealbreaker, as it did a lot more right, and it serves as more of a nitpick in the soundscape. What isn't a nitpick, and something I've experienced, is wondering why the track got submitted with 15 seconds of silence at the end. It takes up data, it's not like Rebecca usually, and it's something that should quickly get cut before posting. Otherwise, it sounds great, it's hugely interpretive for what it is, and should get out there for others to enjoy. Excellent teamwork, you two! [EDIT: One hour later, I got a new render from Rebecca with the silence taken out. It's good to go!] YES

Behind the wandering source, there is a steady melodic loop with rubato time throughout, so I can understand why prophetik decided to break down the source into a singular set of notes. But by looking at the melodic pattern as a whole, it boils down to two variations of that melody, with timbral, timing and harmony changes. However, the backing stream is a constant stream of pads and bells, which is okay for new age - but ultimately, the pairing of a stagnant backing track and minimal interpretation means there should be more to it. You could add a development section in the middle, add some surprise textures whenever you see fit, experiment with countermelodies, change the backing tones for the second variation entirely - quite a few ideas to pull off while keeping to the constraints of the genre. The mixdown has a couple of minor critiques, but nothing as drastic as the arrangement. The balance is excellent, nothing is poking out unintentionally, and I didn't mind the amount of headroom as it's appropriate for the gentle nature of this arrangement. You also did well with backing your choir in the first half with a Rhodes piano, as the articulations otherwise are stiff, with constant attacks and sustain, and hardly any release. A real choir would have variety with how they start singing and are more careful with letting notes finish. Otherwise, the choice of pads, bells and effects is lovely to take in for the genre's standards and work effectively despite the issues with the stagnant writing. This submission is also one that I had looked back and forth on - one of your better productions, and one with some subtle variations on the melody line. Ultimately, the stale accompaniment contributed to an underdeveloped arrangement overall, which is why I can't pass it as it is. If you ever get the chance to add more substance to it, it'll be nice to hear the result. Whatever happens, don't stop making tracks of this nature - it fits your skillset like a glove. NO

The bookends are an alarming concern as the mapped instrumentation is identical to that in the original. But past 0:24, it's less of a concern and with instruments more suitable for the style. The basic 4-bar melody present in the source has some slight modifications with an altered notation at the end of the last two - but that change is identical with every variation present, regardless of changed textures. It would've been nice to have heard more variations with each run. Additionally, while I don't mind the Simlish voice clips, I do feel their integration is needlessly excessive - to the point that a handful of samples got used more than once. Consider cutting some repeats out and finding other ways to raise anticipation for the builds. Additional percussion, synth glissandos, and effects are three such suggestions at the top of my head, and I'm sure you can experiment with any other fun ideas. You're a lot more on point with the production, though. The mixdown is clean, the balance is tight, and your kick drum in particular packs power - albeit a touch too much, so see if you can bring its volume down by a small amount. I like your selection of gates and EQ sweep envelopes on the synths here - it makes them sound more distinctive in the bigger picture, with articulations that suit the wandering nature behind electronic chillout. As of right now, while you've got some fun production chops under your belt, the interpretation behind the source is minimal, and I don't feel it's transformative enough to hear it on the front page. See if you can add variety to your variations beyond just switching instruments, plus cutting down on repeated Simlish clips. Whatever happens, keep going - it'll be nice to witness your development within the near future! NO

The source dominance checks out, alongside the genre adaptation - an appropriate choice of backing instrumentation and changed chord treatment for the source's A section. While I appreciate what you did there, the static delivery fell flat, with multiple blocks of 16 bars having only eight bars mirrored with very little done on the last bar to transition out. 2:57 is considered extremely problematic, with the only difference between that block and at 3:26 being the different melody done. A change-up in the accompaniment at 3:55 can also add a more distinctive sound, rather than a carbon copy of 1:58-2:57. See if you can find some ways to make those areas sound more engaging. And as MW also pointed out, look out for the writing on your synth harmonies and arpeggios. Their current writing tends to cause dissonance, particularly on every 3rd, 7th, 11th, and 15th bars of each block. See if you can go back there, think of what chord you wanted in the first place, whether it be F major or an E major or something different - then adapt the writing to fit around it. The mixdown also has a couple of rough spots. The instrumentation themselves are reasonably balanced for the most part, but I would've liked to have heard the volume brought down on the hi-hats. They've got the high frequencies covered, and they didn't need to be that intense in the mix. Additionally, the sub frequencies have so much power a subwoofer would mask the entire mix - so consider putting a high-pass EQ on your master chain to reign them in. Nevertheless, it's not bad for your first submission - and to hear you've made the transition after approval from Newgrounds staff is inspiring. But if we're to see it get posted on OCR, it'll have to be with another version that has more variance in the backing, the problematic dissonance cleaned up, and another pass on the mixdown. Keep your head up, and I hope you'll return to the inbox soon. NO (resubmit)

As always, the orchestrated treatment sounds lovely. It's a simple idea, with two run-throughs of the theme and an ending based on the A section, but the choice of instrumentation and accompaniment writing differs between the two variations. The first one varied the scope up with additional countermelodies and harp strums, keeping more of that source familiarity. Then, the second run brought the main melody into the background with an emphasis on multiple countermelodies and harmonies, all on a much higher register. As Larry pointed out, there isn't much dynamic variation other than the ending - but the way you utilized the instruments in each run-through more than makes up for it. Obviously, with Chimpazilla helping out with the mastering, the usual quiet mixdown problem is absent. That makes the track a more reasonable listen, and the clean and balanced mixdown also contributed to it. The string articulations do feel stiff and too soft, though. I would've wanted to have heard the treatment as straight legato rather than repeated gentle attacks, myself. Yet, I also know such articulation is challenging to program even in the most elaborate string VSTs, so it's not too much of a concern. And while Larry brought up the pops, I didn't hear any of them other than the obnoxious one at 1:48, so along with the sudden ending cut-off, these sound like quick fixes that either Kris should address or you should re-render. Even without the pair of hiccups, it's a satisfactory source treatment with a respectable amount of interpretation and a solid mixdown. If the pop and ending cut-off issues get remedied, then I'll consider it set. [EDIT 2019/06/27 - Rebecca and Kristina have gotten together to get the two conditional issues addressed. It sounds gorgeous to me now, and I'm more confident with seeing it on the front page. Nice job!] YES

First of all, I was not involved with the previous two versions covering the other overworld theme - so I heard this track with fresh ears. Arrangement-wise, the source is dominant, no doubt about it. You played around with the B section's melody at 0:20 and 0:54; then, at 2:12, the A section also had changed notation before the uplifting key change at 2:28. Sneaking in the source's first bar at 1:44 and 1:48 as part of comping also showed how well you know the melody in incorporation - and with no repeated ideas and the 12/8 section at 1:10 further cementing it, I believe you've got a solid grasp on how to put an arrangement together. Good stuff. However, there are several issues with the production values that drag it down for me: * First of all, as MW said, there are several places where timings got loose. I understand your liking for swing rhythms from the 12/8 section, as mentioned earlier. But the swung fills at 0:52 and 2:07 fell out of place and sound like they'd be better as 4/4 for synergy. You also attempted a syncopated melody at 0:56, 1:04 and 1:08, but the pauses and delayed attacks didn't get them to synergize with the rest of the instruments. Holding on to the notes is one way to fix the unsettling gaps, but I also would recommend setting the synth's voice mode to mono and adding a small glide to make the legato phrases go by smoothly. That is, providing the synth VST has a voice mode, as it can take a lot more work to remedy without it. * Similarly, most of the samples sound thin. You do have some subtle effects with the gated pads and some good variation with the synth instruments, but other parts like your percussion and pads sound cheap and empty. Frankly, I'm not a fan of the MIDI-esque electronic kit as the timbre is too vanilla and doesn't fit the synth timbres well. Nevertheless, thickening up samples can be done in two different ways - keep looking for some nicer free VSTs to replace some obvious offenders, or layer multiple timbres for the same instrument. See if you can experiment with this and see what happens. - The mixdown not only feels excessively bright but also has too much sub-bass for what its worth. Frequencies below 50hz ideally should be sensed more than heard, so I'd recommend putting a high pass EQ at that frequency on your master chain to cut back on this boom. Meanwhile, to tame the mid-high and high dominance, you could either experiment with a multiband compressor, or make cuts on that range across your higher-pitched synths. Adding more body into the mid frequencies themselves won't go amiss, but be careful not to let too many parts blend into each other. Regardless, I'm all for seeing you adapt to a smoother workflow with Cakewalk - and even with the switch, you've got potential as a writer. My production critiques stick out as dealbreakers, though - the mixdown, the thinness of the soundscape, and some unintended sloppy timing. It'll be nice to hear another version with those issues addressed. Keep going, Eric! NO (resubmit)

Contact Information ReMixer name: Reuben Spiers Real Name: Reuben Spiers E-Mail: Submission Information Game: Wave Race 64 Name of Arrangement: Follow that Dolphin! Name of Original Song: Dolphin Park Featuring TSori on trumpet, JammingInMyJammies on lead guitar, SubversiveAsset on Sax, and myself on acoustic guitar, bass and accordion

Hello everyone. Here is my remix submission and below is the information: Your ReMixer name: ALADS Your real name: André Silva Name of game(s) arranged : Mach Rider Name of arrangement: Future Rider Name of individual song(s) arranged: Race Theme 01 This remix was made in Ableton Live 10, with Maschine 2, Guitar Rig, Kontakt and Ozone. The inspiration is basically one day I got the midi file and started to mess around it and that is the result. A rock rendition of the race theme. Thanks!

I find it interesting that you used a small part of the source, yet made an engaging arrangement with very few seconds left bare. With just this C section alone, you've used it with a modified chord structure for your leading hook, and a transformed snippet of the second half for the intro (0:06) and bridge (1:24). I appreciate you keeping the minor key at 1:36 while letting the melody pass by, maintaining the tension for the prior bridge, and making the bass's LFO take prominence. The second proper run-through at 2:00 also has some impressive sound design to keep it different from the first, with some call-and-response between a full groove and a pause from the percussion and bass. No section feels stale, so by that merit alone, you nailed the arrangement. The production values are high, too. The palette has a playful selection of synths with varying processed effects, the parts got cleanly mixed in, and the effect envelope work is top-notch. In my opinion, I would've wanted the melodies to be a touch louder so that they don't wrestle so much with the other effect work - but as careful synth shaping is the core aspect of the interpretation, it's nothing more than at nitpick in this case. It did so much right that I'm happy to approve it on this front as well. Nevertheless, it's considered a more "academic-style" mixpost - a study in both palette molding and how to arrange with only a small source fragment. These ideas form a unique personality and stand as a memorable addition to your PC game initiative. Let's go. YES

The BGM breakdown is a piece of cake. Aside from that section at 1:00-1:29 with the chord breakdown, you'll always hear at least one of the sources listed in play. It's a straightforward structure - the A section, the break into Gaster, a build to the B section / Toby Fox solo (not comping as prophetik said), some smooth integration of the E section for Asgore into the A section's chorus, and a simplistic high-pass/fade ending. It's not what I would consider groundbreaking, but the integrations of other sources, building transitions and harmonies (0:52) add some moments of brilliance in the arrangement. I agree with the loud mixdown, especially going up towards the bass and low-mids. Luckily, the breakdown with the Gaster cameo and the fast side-chaining did enough to tame the framework in time for the B section at 2:14. The instruments are also clear enough to take them all in, and I appreciate the bass having both a tone and resonance noise to cut through the rest of the soundscape. The drum writing isn't the most engaging I've heard, but the dynamics, dropouts and fills do enough to keep the energy flowing, albeit more subtle. And I also agree with Larry regarding that dry piano at 1:59 - it's a suitable tone for the aesthetic, but I would've liked to have heard a hint of reverb to cut back its dryness. The production crits I've mentioned are all that I consider "nice to have" next to the clean mixdown, so I feel it's barely gone above the bar. Nevertheless, it's a fun ride with a reasonable amount of interpretation and a balanced mix. It's not bad for your debut mixpost, Erick, and I hope you'll take what you've learned to keep improving your craft. For now, welcome to the clan! YES (borderline)

As is the norm with Rebecca's submissions, the modifications to the sources are simple but effective. The structure is simply two run-throughs of Sealed Grounds, an original bridge and a singular push through Sheikah Tower, so no integration between either of them - but the number of additional background instruments more than make up for it. I also like how Greg got free reign to add more to the flute's notation during that second loop - it felt like the melody walked between the lines of original content and source changeup, and that is a big plus in my book. If I have to be honest, though, I felt the addition of Sheikah Tower at the end got slapped on for no reason - but the smooth transition between the two sources accommodated its presence anyway, so it's not too much of a big deal. The production is also clean and well-balanced, so no problems with anything clashing. I also feel the headroom works well for the sound palette - it's supposed to feel delicate, so I'm okay with a 5dB gap. But just like with prophetik, my main concern is with the articulations behind a handful of synthetic instruments. I concur with the critique on the cello and mallets, but I also feel the panpipes stick out too. The held legato notes - with the biggest offender at 3:31 - felt stiff and sound like they used more air than a human can naturally breathe in, plus the attacks leave little transition room from pipe to pipe. In this context, the articulations aren't what I consider dealbreakers, as the track did a lot more right in the arrangement, balance and performance values to bring it over the bar. I wouldn't call it one of Rebecca's more elaborate works, but it is one of Greg's best contributions and is worth checking out on that merit alone. Great job to both of you! YES

Reuben, you are a brave soul - trying to see if you can put the kazoo onto the OCR instrument map! The arrangement is simple - one straight run-through of the theme, another run-through with different melodies, and a return to the A section at the end. The call-and-response between the kazoo and banjo from 0:38 was great not only to add more use of the source, but to add a more natural lead to counter the kazoo's intentionally polarizing tone. For that second source run-through, the accompaniment had copy-paste with all melodies brought over at 2:40, leaving you with 80 seconds of further development to consider. I have more to say about the production, though. First of all, let's address the main attraction of the soundscape - the kazoo. Due to its nature as a harsh sounding wind instrument, using autotune to correct impurities would make it sound unnatural. So I respect your decision to layer two of them down to mask each other's mistakes. However, at parts where one of them plays a higher octave than the other (1:01-1:30, 2:31-3:01), the contrasting tones make it harder to correct each other's mistakes. A simple chorus effect or overlaying more takes could help nullify that effect. To your credit on the presentation, your performance chops across all parts are getting increasingly tighter, and I've enjoyed hearing that from you. Though two big irks caught my attention. First of all, the balance feels off - muddy and lacking power in the mid-range. The choice of instruments is satisfying, but with your only mid-range parts present are the banjo and accordion, the idea I have in mind is to revise the EQ for both instruments so that they stand out more. Meanwhile, your kick and snare drum still feel muffled - so see if you can make some cuts elsewhere to give some presence to both parts. And then there's the second thing - a quiet mixdown that hardly ever goes above -3dB. See if you can find a way to mitigate the volume spikes as well. I see good intentions with getting something insanely quirky on the front page, Reuben, and I respect that idea. But before it can get there, I feel the kazoo melodies themselves need to be thicker, and it needs another mixdown to address problems with track volume and balance. Fixing repetition, particularly in the second half, is desirable. I hope you get a chance to keep working on it. NO (resubmit)