Rexy

Wow, this is a lovely production! Your instruments are well balanced, the choice of parts is appropriate for this Celtic feel - and having seen the video as well, I feel justified in saying your performance chops worked wonders. Your time around other Youtube musicians have shown you were keen to get your presentation up to speed with the best of them, so be proud of that. However, the problem with this arrangement is how critically conservative it is. MindWanderer is right in that we've had conservative re-orchestrations posted in the past - but if they didn't have any further expansions, they'd instead typically have more interpretation of the source, creative writing or both within their short length. The way I see it, the change of genre and key are nice, but it's still Green Hill's melodies and counter elements note for note. This track still has promise though, so I'm keen to see if you can revise the concept and flesh out the idea whether it's modifying the current contents or extending it. Your style is gorgeous, so it'll be amazing to see you on the front page some point in the future. NO (resubmit)

You're very brave sending in a track made nearly 15 years ago. There are mixposts for remixes created years before they got posted here, so that kind of stunt isn't impossible. But this one still has its faults, unfortunately. MindWanderer nailed the source breakdown, so I don't have to. Regarding source connection, referencing the chord structure isn't enough when almost any other piece of music can have it applied. To fill those gaps, consider having little sprinkles of the melody on occasion throughout these problem sections, or even reference the backing instrumentation in the original. Also, I see balance as a subject of concern. Right off the bat, there's not a lot of high frequencies filled in. An idea I have to remedy it is to add a high shelf to your early leads or pads - but not both, as they'll fight over the same amount of space. The instrument(s) that doesn't get boosted can instead get a mid-range boost with a similar cut on the one with the high shelf. The aforementioned overpowering bass problem at 2:24 can get remedied with either lowering its volume or applying an EQ cut along the mid-frequency section. Subjectively, I'm also not a fan of that ending sustained note at 5:23. It can work in some cases, but I think it'll work better if the length is similarly as short as the other notes leading out to it. Ambiance typically relies more on atmosphere and performance space to create something mesmerizing. To sum up this vote, a minimal source connection and unbalanced instrumentation are my main reasons for why I'm unable to pass this. Nevertheless, 13 years is a long time between making a track and submitting it to the panel, so I'm hoping you've learned some new tricks in the interim. If you get a chance to revise/remake the track, the OCR inbox will still be available. NO (resubmit)

Now, this sounds very lush! There's an effective use of dynamics across all instruments, the realism drew my attention, and the expression on your erhu was fascinating to witness. Even though the structure is just one run-through of the theme, I find it interesting that a lot of the source preservation is more on the background elements rather than your main melody - and that gave your lead plenty of wiggle-room to go back and forth between referencing source and doing its own thing. Of course, the brevity is one issue that is up for concern, but as I said, there's enough personalization within the simple run through, and the fadeout didn't call back to a previous part. It's short, sweet, feels like a complete package, and I can see this on the front page. YES

I wouldn't call it a conservative mix, personally. Technically the source's harp motif is broken down to the basic 2-measure pattern heard here, then repeated throughout the mix with alternating loops transposed down five semitones. But arrangement-wise, we're undeniably looking for more substance than that. One idea I have is instead of the random Link to the Past SFX, referencing parts of other Zelda songs in their place would add more substance to the composition. Another idea is to place that simple harp motif in different scales other than the major keys heard here and place them tastefully throughout the track. It's a restricted source, but the possibilities are still endless. Getting a hip hop arrangement onto OCR isn't impossible, but it takes a lot more than a simple repetitive gesture to make it feel engaging. Thankfully there are plenty of mixposts that fit the genre, so feel free to listen and see if they can offer some new-found inspiration. Your mixtape is sick though - can see myself chilling to this late at night. But if you ever make something more substantial, the OCR inbox is wide open. NO

I can identify that Sonic Forces inspiration for sure! There's energy flying out of the gate, the Chemical Plant melody surprisingly fits well with the new chord structure, and the change-up of those chords in that breakdown (1:16-1:43) also adds to the strong foundation. But here's the problem - at 1:43, it loops back to the melody at 0:27 and fades out achingly slowly. What you have so far arrangement-wise is strong, so I suggest you discard everything past 1:43 and further develop the source. I also have a quick tip if you want to end any future submissions on a fade-out - it's best not to let it go over 15 seconds. Of course, the actual length is up to you, but the entire minute can handily get reduced to a less uncanny duration. To summarize, the foundation is cool, but the arrangement itself needs a lot more substance. Consider taking the track into the Workshop and get feedback on new ideas - then when this is more developed, you're more than ready to send it back to the panel. This track isn't bad for your first submission though, so be proud you made it this far - and it'll be fantastic if you can make it one step further. NO

It's a safe arrangement - but with a source that relies on just a combination of ambiance, bass and the occasional piano, the BGM is made to be played safe. A lot of the interest for the arrangement indeed goes through additional pads, manipulation of the sampled drums and lo-fi hip hop direction, contributing even more to the moody foundation of the source material. This kind of hip hop is an acquired taste, but it's suitable for Avaris's vision, and I commend him for it. Even with the crazy effects out of the picture, I sense clarity among the instruments - and with the drum loop and bass put aside, I can hear that appropriate wetness among the other parts, so great use of developing an ambient space. Unfortunately, I'm also with MindWanderer in thinking the distortion at 3:39 isn't meant to be there - and that's saying something considering everything that drum loop had gone through. Nevertheless, I'm all for seeing this on the front page, but I'd like to see an answer from Avaris regarding that distortion. It's not a deal breaker at all for me, but it sucks for any artist to get a mix posted that has errors gone unnoticed. [EDIT: 10/10 - Actually, the more I thought about it, the more I realized the pop wasn't as bad in the big picture. Hearing it again, I'm realizing it's able to fit in well with the other glitch work here and I've come to terms with seeing it on the front page. We the panel are sorry for holding up the vote for so long!] YES

This track stood out to me when I heard the Speeding Towards Adventures album, mostly because it handled Scrap Brain in an exciting melodic metal way. I can argue it also sounds like it can fit in a modern JRPG with the chord progressions used, the way the melody was adapted to fit in and careful sprinkles of smaller parts of the source to compliment some of the more original parts. Talking of which, I had to go back over this a few times and figure out where I can identify the source: 0:08-0:50 - part of intro leading into first verse section, referencing source intro and melody A 0:52-0:54, 1:02-1:04 - piano roll referencing bass breakdown in the original 1:09-1:29 - melody references melody B as well as the intro from original 1:33-1:49 - second verse section references main melody A 2:14-2:17 - part of guitar break references part of melody B 2:43-3:02 - organ part goes through melody A 3:24-3:26, 3:33-3:35 - piano roll like before 3:43-4:01 - orchestra part covering melody B straight 4:06-4:21 - a repeat of the 1:09-1:29 section but with no reference to the intro this time 4:36-4:39 - outro references source intro Source usage totals up to 2:26, or around 52%. It barely makes the source use quota, so consider this a risky direction that paid off! But please, make sure to keep looking out for where you use the source material in future submissions. As for where the instruments sit in the mix, they all sound clear for the most part. Some further EQ separation between your piano and strings/organ could have further distinguished them, but the way the other instruments are placed in the mix more than makes up for it. Those drums also sound a tad bit damp for my taste, but I can feel them pushing for that big rock sound you were seeking. To summarize, this is the most unusual take on Scrap Brain I've ever heard - and with the amount of care gone into the vision and presentation, I'm clearly in favor of seeing this make the front page. Rock on! YES

I like my late 90s EDM, so I thought the source material was serviceable for the game - but that's not the reason why I'm here. Andrew, you revved up that arrangement with so many sharp ideas! I spot a different key, genre change, a framework that fits your signature rock style, letting the chords from the original sit under some tight solos, and even the ending at 4:25 stripped said sources' chords to as few notes as possible for a calming podium finish. I don't expect anything less coming from you at all. Even the production has gone through many chicanes to keep the guitars and synths complimenting each other. It sounds clean, balanced and crisp - and try as I might, I actually couldn't find any engine faults with it myself. No pit stop required here - we've got a thrilling ride from start to finish that not only speeds past both arrangement and production fronts but also respects the source material's origins with its direction taken. That chequered flag will await the track on the front page. Even more car puns. YES

Ooh, I remember this! I gave it some airtime on SEGA Mixer Drive E240 not long after it won the Dwelling of Duels Koshiro Month. It floored me then, and I'm especially pleased that you decided to submit it to OCR as well. Anyway, the steady approach and emphasis on swung rhythms opened up a lot of opportunities to perform the theme in these different constraints - so much I'm breaking them down into bullet points this time. The guitar is expressive and added in some extra/altered notation along the way. Sprinkling references to the melody during the bass solo (2:32-3:34) is a great touch. The guitar-synth harmonies from 4:40 onward were pleasing to the ear. And I'm afraid I'm going to have to disagree with Larry on the "time signature changes" at 2:10-2:26, as the call-and-response between swung rhythms and straight triplets drew my attention in anticipation to the next segment over. The only problem that I had with this was more of a sound wall thing in the synth solo from 3:34-4:37. I felt the guitars, organ and drums sounded more squashed here than the rest of the track - as if they had compressors pushed to their limits due to the number of instruments involved. It's not a dealbreaker for me at all as the rest of the production is clear and well balanced, but it is some food for thought if similar sections get written in future works. All in all, it's a clean performance and very interpretive arrangement of one of Koshiro's works. Once on the front page, I can see this as another example of a mixpost that excelled both here and at the DoD. YES

Your choice of instruments and arrangement progression scream synthwave to me rather than electro house - and that's not a bad thing! You've adapted this limited source into your club-like feel and even made the bass sound exciting compositionally - sometimes playing the melodies and sometimes supporting other parts. I felt engaged with this. However, if you're going to use that bass for a lot of roles within the track, it'll need a lot of TLC with its mixing to stop the soundscape from getting so muddy. Consider doing some EQ cuts in similar ranges to your snare and other leads so they can shine out a lot more, as well as adding in those missing mid-highs across your higher-tone instruments (cymbals, arpeggio, synth lead, wind effects). If the track still feels compressed after these adjustments, weakening the multiband compressor (if there is one) can add some much-needed breathing room for your mix. I'd dance to this at a party and after having a few drinks, undoubtedly. But for site submission, the mixing is the most significant fault, and I'll be pleased if you go back and give it another pass. NO (resubmit)

I wasn't part of the last decision either, but I still got blown away by the arrangement! You got the appropriate framework down for symphonic metal, the solos especially at 2:16 are pleasing to listen to, and you got neat segments like 0:53 and 1:38 where you took parts of the melody and played with them under different chord sequences. I've got absolutely nothing to fault here. As for the production, the instruments sound decently balanced for the most part. I can hear the melody, drums and rhythm guitars well; but the strings and organ sound like they're dominating the rest of the backing soundscape - and in parts like 1:53, they had also pushed the rest of the synth parts too far back. This problem is something that revising their levels can fix. I also am in favor of this track getting normalized in a wave editor. Seeing the track peak at -3.9 dB is questionable for a metal arrangement, so a quick fix there can make it fit among other similar tracks. The way I see this track, it's a fantastic arrangement with minor mixing problems that can get resolved with one-to-one guidance. It'll all be up to Mikki if he is to co-operate with this - and if so, it'll be a powerful addition to the OCR front page. YES (conditional on mixing)

This track is a gorgeous sounding orchestral take - very above the bar for the classical genre. You've picked out some appropriate instrumentation, accented them and mixed them as if they're in a concert hall while still maintaining clarity. However, the arrangement is a deal-breaker in this. It's not easy handling a source that is essentially a 15-second loop, and I commend you for adding more layers onto the source repetitions as it goes on. But once at 1:40 when it loops back to the beginning, I felt this is an intro for something that's around twice as long - so if you can develop the source in different ways, that can be a good step in the right direction. Seriously, this sounds beautiful, and you've got a good foundation laid out. I'd love to see this back in the inbox with some further source development whether by adding to the track or modifying the current framework. Keep at it. NO (resubmit)

Orchestral arrangements aren't easy, but you've gathered a great mixture of VSTs and the occasional live oboe, all mixed down well. I definitely have to praise Medllix on the oboe performance here – it sounds clean, confident and beautiful. It did take me a while to get my head around the arrangement, though - Initially I thought it felt incomplete due to a lack of development, but on repeat listens I can appreciate how this simple source was transformed between two distinct yet conflicting moods. I also wasn’t too thrilled about the ending string and timpani hitting B considering the track’s key is in D minor, but this is more of a subjective thing rather than a conflict with standards. While the oboe part had worked well to add some humanization into the mix, you can also accomplish this with other instruments - especially your piano and harp, which sound robotic in this soundscape. It’s not a deal-breaker thanks to how the rest of the production held up - but for the future, it’ll good to only accent the notes you want to emphasize, and then vary the velocities on the others for a more authentic live feel. All in all, I can get behind the arrangement and production values after repeated listens. Source has been played around well, VSTs and live oboe have worked together sufficiently, and I’m all in favor of seeing this on the front page. But for future submissions, I personally would like to hear more interpretation that goes beyond a subtractive level. YES

This track pleasantly surprised me - it does begin safe with a run-through of the source material, but following on there's some great playing around with the melodies within a changed-up chord progression. The calypso style approach works so well with the choice of instruments - and all in all, it makes the arrangement feel lively. On the production side, the instruments all feel crisp and identifiable, and I appreciate those tasteful key switches used on the panpipes. The only two things that stick out for me are that the bongos are a little bit too loud, and I also acknowledge that the instruments chosen aren't the most realistic sounding ones that I've heard. You’ve pushed so hard to make them work in the bigger picture, so a further tip I can suggest for future remixes is to add subtle / tasteful reverb to your organic leads and hand percussion. They’ll feel as if they’re playing in a bigger studio space rather than being stuck in a box. All in all, it’s a pleasant sounding take on the source that only just scrapes by on both arrangement and production fronts. Whether this makes it to the front page or not, I’m in favor of seeing you on front page in some shape or form, Fabien. YES (borderline)

This note has nothing to do with the judgment of the track, but you've got a good ear for playing such a complex source! I want to hear a lot more of what you're capable of doing. Alas, arrangement-wise this is nothing more than a straight cover - 3 run-throughs of the theme, and that's it. Alongside your sharp musical ear, I'd like to hear some more personalization and development of those melodies - and heck, even an original solo would add a lot of life to this. The best way to get inspiration is to look at some OC Remix mixposts that also performed strongly at the Dwelling of Duels and see how they stand out. The lack of high frequencies stands out for me, too. A slight EQ boost there on your lead guitar can also help, but I also feel the cymbals can add in that missing audio space. Assuming your drum VST has EQ settings for the overhead, a high pass at 1k Hz and a raised high shelf at 10k Hz can add in some of that deprived brightness. As a performer, you've got great performance chops, and I'm keen to hear more of you in the future. But it’ll be amazing if you work on something that has a far more developed arrangement. Keep at it, and I'd like to see your work in the inbox again in the future. NO (resubmit)

You have a neat arrangement idea on paper. You've got the interpretation of source melodies in this chill dubstep feel, and the framing is appropriate for the genre. I’m not so much focused on the repetition as I am on it lacking a proper ending, though – and for that, you could get some inspiration from listening to similar commercial EDM releases. What stuck out even more is that the mixdown is not only way too loud to the point that there's unintended distortion, but some of your instruments are mixed in louder than they needed to be. Here are some bullet points to break these irks down: - Your main lead can be quieter to make the intro and first verse section (0:24-0:45) less jarring. Particularly at 0:10, I saw the loudness of the overall track jump up around 4 decibels, which took me by surprise in a bad way. - Likewise, your higher-frequency saw bass during the drops at 1:06 and 2:32 also sticks out too much and can be better off significantly quieter to compliment the lower-frequency triangle bass. - As for that problematic distortion, a lot of this particularly happens when the bass kick comes into play. You could bring down the levels of all of your instruments slightly then have a hair’s lift with a multiband compressor, and / or add a sidechain to your leads. Another thing to watch out for is the sequence of dissonant notes on your backing leads from 2:41 through to the end. Even though they are in key, the sustained notes can be better off hitting a note that sound more harmonically pleasing with the bass. To sum it up, it's a cool idea, but the production values have left it rough around the edges. I hope you refine the track and try again for a third time. NO (resubmit)

You have a safe arrangement considering the nature of the source, but the soft ballad approach and appropriate dreamy lyrics are a beautiful way to make it your own. You've got a robust framework, and your usually-strong acoustic guitar performance fits nicely. However, there are some problems that I have with the production, with these being my biggest gripes: Shake up the drum grooves. As of right now, your 2-bar kick-snare pattern changes little outside of fills. I suggest having a complete change of rhythm when the accordion becomes the main focus. You did well with changing your cymbal focus from hi-hat to ride, though. Watch the timing on your instrumentation. It gets more noticeable when the drums go out of sync, so you're better off quantizing those and re-recording any live instrument parts when necessary. The spot at 0:41 onward is a particularly sloppy beat that needs cleaning up. Following up on the idea of re-recording parts, it’s a good idea to re-record your vocals as well. They’re appropriately mixed in and I too was in debate as to whether it would sound better with a touch of auto-tune, but the arrangement’s organic nature doesn't necessarily justify it. Still, this can benefit from doing repeated takes and improving on hitting difficult notes. Going back to the drums again, they're getting buried in the mix. Usually what I like to do is change the pitch of the kit pieces to hit pitches not taken by any of the other instruments, as well as doing EQ notches at that same frequency for your other parts. By adding in said notches with the bandwidth at no more than a quarter of an octave, you've got space for your drums to breathe. I commend you for sending out a more ambitious submission, Reuben. But please, I advise you to revise your production and try again. NO (resubmit)

Wow, turning a complex and repetitive 18/8 source into a 4/4 grunge track is a great idea! It delivered a lot of energy, the framework is appropriate for the genre, and all live instruments were on point every step of the way. The raw kind of sound is what I expect of grunge as well, so nothing sticks out production wise that doesn't clash with the intended vision. However, as awesomely interpreted as the source is, there's not quite enough of it in the arrangement itself. I only heard it in 3 places: 0:00-0:55 - Intro and first verse 2:51-3:14 - Guitar solo 3:22-3:53 – Ending My analysis puts source use over 45%, which is not quite enough. There's plenty of room in the track to layer a guitar or even a keyboard part playing the melody or other Dark Souls BGM in the background, so if you can find the right spot that can accommodate for it, this will give the track that lift over the bar. Another thing that sticks out for me as well - though not a deal breaker - is the bass part at 2:51-3:06. While it is still in key, it'll fit in so much better if the eighth notes played are more harmonically pleasing to match the choral vocals and guitars in the background - in other words, A, G, F and G. Unusual bass runs are generally saved for when there's not much going on around it in the first place. Still, the source use and slight lack thereof is by far my biggest issue in this. You're close to nailing it, so I'd love it if you can revise it and send it back. I want to hear this on the front page so much. NO (resubmit)

Your intro sounded promising with how it interpreted the source's intro in the constraint of melody A's chord structure. However, the arrangement becomes more like a cover past 0:47 - two run-throughs of the theme with a melody B bridge and an outro. Personally, covering the main melodies once is enough, and it's best to discard everything past 3:27 in favor of original writing or variations. I also like this mellow groove idea you got going on, and the mix is decently balanced. But your choice of synth timbres are very vanilla, and not a lot of the timbres change aside from doing fades during the intro and ending. Much like the volume there, synth parameters can have envelopes as well, so consider setting some up and shape a more engaging soundscape that way. And to reduce the fatigue for the sustained lead particularly, consider having one or two extra leads that take over for a few bars. Lastly, while your drum groove is decent, I believe there is a lack of fills. Adding in 2 or 3 of them at the most crucial section transitions can give it a lift. It's a good idea at its core, but the copy-paste section and sound palette have let this down. If you can remedy these issues, it’ll be a much more substantial track. NO (resubmit)

Production-wise Garrett, you nailed it. You've mixed your instruments appropriately, Bowlerhat's flute sounds crisp and clean, the framing is well structured, and the samba groove here is top notch. The only gripe I have production-wise is that the mixdown is on the quiet side and would benefit from getting normalized up 2 decibels, but it's no deal breaker in this case. The arrangement, however, had fallen into the same pitfall as your previous Wind Waker submission in that there's not enough source material present. Here's what I picked out: 0:02-0:31 - Vibraphone referencing source chord progression, with flute coming in for melody A in the source 0:37-0:39 - Use of vibraphone for a single bar in the same way 0:41-1:01 - Vibraphone chords with flute using melody C 2:59-3:40 - Vibraphone and flute melody A return, leading up to them playing the same down-scaling riff 3:47-3:55 - Flute referencing melody sections A and B With less than 40% source detected, I'm afraid I can't pass this as it is. Here’s an idea to solve this problem - without touching the structure of your mix, try adding in some backing melodies that reference to either the source or other Zelda BGM. You have a solo section from 1:11-2:49 for example that is great for putting this idea into practice, and I’m excited to see what you can do to fill those gaps. Seriously, this is a delightful piece of work. If you can make the arrangement fixes, I will be more than happy to accept it. NO (resubmit)

The first video game I ever bought with my own pocket money was the Game Boy version of Dr. Mario. I had already gotten the system the Christmas before and seeing all the games on display in a brochure in the box, I felt keen to get whatever games really drew my attention to it. It was a wise choice too - the entire family ended up competing as to who would get good and beat level 20 at the Hi speed setting first!

One of my regular listeners to SEGA Mixer Drive spotted this error on the VROOM Wiki page last week - no mention of Last Wave as a main source, and as a result Magical Sound Shower got listed twice. I believe I tried to ping about it in the Discord, but I'm not quite too sure if the message got through. Just a heads up D:

I'm heading out there this year - first time in the States! If you need another synther / fledgling drummer for the Friday Jamspace set, consider me game x)

Yeah, names on my arranges are usually the last thing that I come up with. It’s a play on words - the original Japanese title of the source translates back to English as “Sky-Blue Summer”, so with Randi and his party “assuring” ther cause for the Mana Seeds, that can only open doors for something punny.

You guys seemed happy being able to get challenged to do more complex pieces, while I was just content with following instructions and doing my best. Problem is, this is my third year of being in my University's Musical Theater group that I'm recounting here. I had a great year with my first year's Musical Directors; the second year had staff casting the wrong roles to the wrong people, but the third was just really painful - their ways of dance choreography was terribly amateurish, sheet music printed for vocal parts had many parts that were off-key for very familiar songs, and unlike the first two years their fumbling meant they never had an Autumn / Winter semester recital. I was that upset with it all that I quit after January and put all of my focus into equal parts exam prep and equal parts getting started on Youtube...! Alas, what I wish my director would've done differently? From what I wrote, it would be to get to know your students' strengths and what they like doing the most; make sure you have music on hand that is not only accurate but fun for most of them to play; and if you are to get them to perform at recitals, it's best to keep to promises and give them something to look forward to. If you've got students being happy with what you're doing, then you know you're doing the right job