Rexy

Oh, I agree with Wes here for sure. When I heard the track via the inbox, I looked out for all criticisms I wanted to see get addressed. I detected the more varied beats and fills, some new synths with some fantastic modulations that shape their way through the mix, and a considerable cleanup effort that brought out your backing parts more. Not only did my main issues get checked there, but you threw in that bonus of the tempo shift at the end! I wasn't expecting my silly comment about making the ending sound more like "War Pigs" like you intended to get looked at, but that alone flat out made my night - so I appreciate you even looking into the small details! It's still not all perfect on the production values, though. Your kit's overhead is now more robust in energy, but it can be borderline almost too over-powering on the crashes at times, and a quick volume adjustment would've been nice there. Similarly, with the pulsing bass getting low-mid EQ cuts to accommodate other parts, it's now lost some bite and feels pushed to the back. None of those irks are dealbreakers, as all instruments now have a defined presence, a role to play, and suitable articulations to keep everything moving. As you can tell, Schneider, I am so happy you decided to return to this one. The technical presentation is now up there with the vision on the arrangement, and I'm very keen to see it get onto the OCR front page. Excellent work! YES

RebeccaETripp Rebecca Tripp http://www.crystalechosound.com/ ID: 48262 Game(s): FF7 Song Title: Over the Horizon Songs Remixed: Ahead On Our Way This one is quite conservative, but I figured I’d give it a shot!

ReMixer Name: The Good Ice ID: 36903 Email: Game: Sonic Unleashed Song: Jungle Joyride (Night) Composer: Sega Sound Team, Kenichi Tokoi Arrangement Title: Rainfall Rush Hello! My friend and I are thrilled to be launching our new music project, The Good Ice. What started as a quick and dirty chill trap sketch eventually blossomed into this 6+ minute thing, which we hope will be the site's debut track for Sonic Unleashed. I've never played the game myself, but upon introduction to the source I was immediately hooked by the atmosphere. A dark jungle kissed by twilight, the rays scattered by rivers and waterfalls. An ancient temple silhouetted against the horizon; a hog of hedges and memes. This piece is quite the departure from our normal fare, both technically and creatively. I could not even begin to list all the new techniques we attempted, compounded by being on the literal opposite ends of the country mid-quarantine, but we're very happy with the result so far. We hope to bring more music in the future! Thanks and enjoy, The Good Ice

Hello, I am submitting an original remix mashup of Chrono Trigger. I’m titling this “Zeal”. The style is melodic progressive house and is a mashup of several Chrono Trigger Songs, mainly Schala’s and Crono’s theme, with Gato’s theme as a lick. I started producing about 4 months ago and I’ve been loving it so far. I have several inspirations, but this remix was inspired by my love for melodic and progressive house music. This song takes you on a slow, progressive, and melodic journey that eventually builds up to an epic end. One of my goals is to make videogame remixes with EDM elements and I want people to groove out to tracks like the one I have created. Anyways, I hope this is OCR quality. Have a listen. IThanks for your consideration! ReMixer name: ymK Name: Kris Camago Website: https://soundcloud.com/kris-camago Email: Userid: 36996 Best, Kris Camago

Original decision Good Evening! Thanks loads for the feedback, and for the encouragement! We hope both are reflected in this resubmission (also attached). (also, I've tidied up our submission information some, the devil is in the details after all!) SUBMISSION INFORMATION Game: Starwing Arrangement title: AFD Song Arranged: Corneria Theme AFD (All Fucking Day) is dedicated to all key-workers. James Bartlam (Cyber-Byte) - Beatbox Andrew Bell - Bass, Production Chris Binding - Guitar Steve Brunton (B Stephens) - Arrangement Graeme Cooper (x Critical Strike x) - LSDJ Thanks once again! Steve

The production values are indeed lovely - with a well-performed violin part, powerful articulations on the backing parts, and careful attention to the levels and dynamics. The mastering direction feels crisp and clear but a touch heavy on the high shelf and making it feel stuffy. As long as I can hear the part-writing, it's all fine. As Brad pointed out, the similarities in style, chord progressions and pacing make the arrangement way too problematic in comparison. The structure going from source to source like this doesn't help things either, as it hardly leaves room for further interpretation of the individual sources. But - and a positive but - I heard a personalization attempt, all thanks in strength to the backing orchestration. It starts with some part swaps for the first two Morrowind iterations and the more march-like subtractive writing at 1:07 that combines the Oblivion version's backing feel and the Morrowind melodies together. The Oblivion end section at 1:50 also involved some additional part writing with the backing harp adding a cameo of the next source in sequence - "The Road Most Travelled" - and string ensemble doing fast eight-note runs. That mentioned source was a more subdued original, which in turn had a more dramatic build at 2:15, favoring a busier string and percussion section. The Skyrim version also has a thicker brass section providing a pad and a countermelody at the same time, something that, again, the original didn't have. So from what I heard - modifying the backing composition, utilizing transitions, differing in dynamics, and briefly using two sources in tandem is indeed a great start that complements the strong production values. But at the end of the day, it still sounds like a bunch of enhanced covers strung together, which makes it miss the mark here on OCR. It'll be nice if you take a look at the arrangement guidelines, see which of the techniques you could use to offer your unique spin on the source(s), and utilize your studio magic as you did here. Vladimir, I'm all for seeing you on board as an artist in the future should you go in that direction. NO

Original Decision Contact Info: ReMixer name : Schneider Souza Real name : Schneider Ferreira Reis de Souza email address : Website : https://www.youtube.com/user/SchneiderSouza / schneidersouza.com UserID: 36702 Submission Information: Name of game: Chrono Trigger Name of arrangement : The Journey to the Darkest Depths Name of individual song(s): Ocean Palace ( or Undersea palace) All the information about this song is included in the site My own comments: Ps. This is a resubmission after fixing what was asked in the reviews. Thanks, Schneider Souza

If the track passes, it will need a new title. -Rexy Hi, I'd like to submit my arrangement of Lone Trooper from the Command & Conquer Tiberian Sun score. The original was by Jarrid Mendelson. Contact: Artificial Eye Fraser Jennison https://artificial-eye.bandcamp.com/ 31156 Game: Command & Conquer Tiberian Sun Track: Lone Trooper Composer: Jarrid Mendelson Thanks, Fraser

ReMixer name: dPoten Name of game(s) arranged: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Name of arrangement: "It's Dangerous To Go Alone" Name of individual song arranged: "Zelda's Lullaby" userid: 36989 Damian Potenzoni | Composer | soundcloud.com/damianpotenzonimusic | email: | site: dpotenmusic.com

Your ReMixer name : Artem Bank Your real name : Artem Bank Your website : abankmusic.com Your userid : 19758 Name of game(s) arranged : Final Fantasy III Name of arrangement : Cosmic Ocean Name of individual song(s) arranged : The Boundless Ocean For the FFIII project that's being done currently! I wanted to drift into the chill lo-fi inspiration because of that flute-synth lead from the original game, and make the lead more flutey (woo for the mini DiZi vst), double down on the lushness of the strings toward the end, and really push the ending really big. Hopefully I did it justice!

Hey, glad to hear you've been re-inspired! And I promise we collectively will be more considerate than at your last sub. I feel your confidence in the source's presentation, handled so that no section repeats ideas aside from the bookends, making the scope significantly ambitious. You've got: Bars 3 and 4 of melody B getting brought into half-time on the piano at 0:29 and 5:49 Using melody A as a repeating arpeggio pattern throughout with the core component from 1:08 and its last bar from 1:45 Use of melody B's defining hook at 2:29 both for the high energy segment and into the piano wind-down not long after 3:15 having the first bar of melody B getting used on an arp And culminating at 3:43 with the transformation of the source's riffs onto an original 4-bar chord pattern, which sticks as the core idea for the following two minutes with textural variations. You've brought the energy up and down at appropriate places to maintain momentum as well, so it's mostly a solid concept you've got down. However, one part of your writing that you really should watch out for is how delayed your backing guitar is. I heard it at 0:09, and again at 3:19 - it sounds like it's lagging a fraction of a beat behind. If that wasn't intentional, it should be no problem to check out the stem and sync it back in. The production aspect isn't too bad here. The synths chosen have more of a vanilla quality, with rarely any articulations or expressions involved on individual notes. But the EQ sweeps / slow envelope movements more than compromise it - with the pitch-bend ending taking me by surprise. But I feel too much emphasis on your pads and harmonies for your mixdown that they're cluttering up the low-mids and not letting the kick and snare cut through. My suggestion is to try making cuts around the tonal frequency for where your kicks and snare are and apply them onto your pads and low-mid rhythm parts, seeing if they get more room. Similarly, you've also got them bleeding into the melodies as well when they hit a similar tonal sequence - 4:29 being a clear-cut example of this. There are ways to prevent bleeding from two separate groups like this. My suggestions include either transposing one of the groups to a different octave, modifying their EQ separately to get the part you want de-emphasizing held back, bringing the volume up for the leads and down for the backing section, or a combination of the three. I like your ambitious approach to a source with so little to utilize, and you've come a long way since you've last submitted. But right now, the mixdown needs to get another pass to ease off on the low-mid congestion, and your backing guitar needs its timing fixed. The latter part should be an easy remedy, and the former point is crucial if I am to sign off on this. Keep at it, Tobias! NO (resubmit)

RebeccaETripp Rebecca Tripp http://www.crystalechosound.com/ ID: 48262 Game(s): FF5 Song Title: A Dream of Home Songs Remixed: Distant Homeland

Hi, this is my first submission in ages. Below you will find all the info about me and the remix. Sincerely, Tobias Nylin ----------------------------------------------- Contact Information ReMixer name: Tab Newflax Real name: Tobias Nylin Email address: Website: https://www.tobiasnylin.com/ Userid: 2108 Submission Information Name of game(s) arranged: Mega Man 2 Name of arrangement: Heat Up (Twelve Thousand Degrees) Name of individual song(s) arranged: Heat Man Comments about the mix: I started making music in the early 2000s, not long after that, I discovered OverClocked ReMix. I got really inspired and started making remixes of my own, I even tried to submit some of them. At some point, I stopped making music, but in recent years the inspiration has returned to me. Mega Man 2 is one of my favorite games of all time, and its soundtrack is also one of my absolute favorites. I think it’s interesting although Heat Man’s theme is very short, and not that varied, I never get tired of it. I got inspired to make a remix of it, with the goal to see how far I could stretch it without it being too repetitive, it resulted in a 6-minute long track. I've never made a song this long, it was a real challenge, and of course, took way longer than intended to finish. I hope you will enjoy it!

ReMixer name - Mak Eightman real name- Max V. Kravchenko email address- userid: 32137 Submission Information: Title - "Probe" Name of game arranged - Megaman X3, Megaman X5 System: No idea Name of individual song arranged - Tunnel Rhino/Cyber Maze Core Link to the original soundtrack - Hello! I made it for Megaman competition long time ago. I was representing «Zero tolerance» team. Great team, I failed them.. If I recall correctly. Two sources I never heard before, two games I never played. Can’t say anything «inspiring» about it. Ok. I had one or two weeks(don’t remember) to make this track, so I had nothing in my mind. I just took guitar and recorded, then added some synth stuff. Fun fact, that I really had nothing in my head, I just played. So the track sounds weird but fun. I don’t think it’ll pass the panel, but I still enjoy the overall soundscape I’ve created here. Gtrs sounds «soft» and heavy, drums are live. Well, this sounding is the best I made so far i guess. Pleas leave the link to Remix if it’s possible. Thanks! SFME!

Your ReMixer name: Mundiaxis Your website: www.mundiaxis.com Your userid (number, not name): 36965 Name of game(s) arranged: Sonic Mega Collection Name of arrangement: Sleepy Hedgehog Name of individual song(s) arranged: Sonic Mega Collection - Intro Theme Additional information about game including composer, system, etc. (if it has not yet been added to the site) Gamecube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Microsoft Windows Composer: Hideaki Kobayashi Link to the original soundtrack (if it is not one of the sound archives already available on the site) Your own comments about the mix, for example the inspiration behind it, how it was made, etc. I made this song using a 5-string electric bass guitar and keyboard. I've always felt left out when I see incredible fan contributions (music, art, fan stories, etc.), and I never felt I was adequate enough to create something myself until recently. Lofi is a popular genre these days, and I love SEGA and my bass guitar -- so, here is a Sonic Lofi remix! I think this song has potential to be beneficial to your organization. I published this song on YouTube and it's been getting a lot of great positive reception with the audience it's been exposed to thus far. Hope you enjoy!

Yeah, I heard that the USPS got jammed up over the holidays. Unless you've marked it for tracking, I don't know of any other way you could check and see if it's moving along the system D:

I don't mind the pacing of the intro. It uses the arpeggio in Cossack 2's opening over a layer build, making it fair enough to engage itself steadily. When the intro's melody hits at 0:29, the sources' leads stay consistent throughout, making source usage a non-issue. It's mostly Cossack 2, with Cossack 1 making a straight appearance at 1:21 and making sparse cameo appearances in the final Cossack 2 A section run from 2:16 onwards. While I would've liked to have heard more experimentation with the melodies beyond your synth articulations, it at least served itself well to present both sources in such a format, so I don't see it as a big issue. I do, however, agree with Joel and Brad regarding the production. I did an RMS reading and saw its average at -11dB - so I understand you wanted to cater to club play more than streaming on YouTube. Even when looking through an equalizer, I saw so much push going on through the low-end, and that gets reflected further with parts across the mix where combinations of lead and rhythm parts share the same tonal space. I understand you're more used to symphonic arranging than with synths, but in a style that requires more energy, separating parts should ideally go beyond cutting frequencies to make room on other instruments. You can still try that if you'd like, as the lads above me had already emphasized, but I also feel some of your layers could benefit from being brought along to a different octave for further clarity. This submission is one of those arrangements where I feel it's just about passable from a writing perspective but still needs another mixdown pass to give your low-mid parts more room. I'm all for seeing you do something different, George, and I hope you get the chance to revise it. NO (resubmit)

I've been going back and forth on this one for some time. The main reason behind it is indeed the major elephant in the room - the sound design. The higher-end orchestration sounds as lush and lovely as I expect from you, with each of them having their delicate balance and stereo space in the mix. However, you said that many of your woodwinds are from old Roland VSTs that call back to the PS1 era. I can't fault the tone and decision for utilizing them at all. But there could've been a less uncanny use for them other than using them as leads for most of the track, especially considering their lack of articulations and expression. I would've preferred them to get designated to a cameo role and let more of your high-end parts take the more significant roles, but if you feel you can get more out of them by adding more layers or varying the volume/velocities, then see how that pans out. The arrangement is a cute concept - with the melodies staying as they are but more work in the background to orchestrate and bring out the different variations. I offer credit where credit is due for the part at 1:24 where you went to the second half of the A section for a bridge before going back to the section repeat at 1:48. Yet, it's a straight run-through that doesn't deviate from the chord structure or rhythms. Brad already brought up the funky dissonance, so it doesn't need to get echoed here. And with the A sections only deviating in lead instrument changes, muting the glockenspiel, and swapping the choir pad for a brass ensemble, there isn't enough personalization done to go over the bar either. It's a cute concept at surface level, but it's also got a fair number of edges to smooth out. If you still have the project file, it'll be nice to hear further development on the arrangement, revised humanization on your leads, fixes on the dissonance, and (potentially) a more suitable way to use those old Roland patches. You reminded me of how beautiful the source was, and it'll be lovely if it can get some more rep here sometime soon. NO (resubmit)

RebeccaETripp Rebecca Tripp http://www.crystalechosound.com/ ID: 48262 Game(s): Oracle of Seasons Song Title: Temple Spirits Songs Remixed: Temple of Seasons

(5/11/2022 version) (Old Version for Reference) Remixer Name: Ryan Davis Music Game: Aquaria Source-Undiscovered Waters Website: http://ryandavismusic.net Hey all. If you remember me you might know me as the guy who would do some Aquaria inspired remixes a few times a year during the old competitions on the forums. Usually this time of year I do my annual playthrough of my favorite indie game but due to the passing of Alec Holowka last year, one of my favorite indie developers who also did the OST for the game, I haven’t been able to bring myself to play it. Instead, I felt compelled to do this new age cinematic rearrangement of Undiscovered Waters which is one of the more prominent tracks of the game. Never knew the guy personally but I connected strongly with the game and it's music when I crossed paths with it a decade or so ago. RIP Alec. -rdm

While this is Eric's fourth attempt at a track with this title, this is his third with this particular source. Any feedback given from when he tackled the other overworld theme shouldn't get recalled during this decision. -Rexy Original decision 2nd decision Audiomancer-Remixer name Dragon Warrior 2-game arranged First walkabout theme-music arranged Koichi Sugiyama-writer of original theme Link to original This is my latest offering to the panel, and I believe this is very much improved. Produced with fl studio 20, and I hope this is at least a further step in the right direction if not accepted. Thanks for your time and consideration!:)

Contact Information Your ReMixer name: Techie Jessie Your real name: Sara Garrard Your email address: Your website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm8j3_XoEG_S6IaRLHfw_ag Submission Information Name of game(s) arranged: Final Fantasy VII Remake Name of arrangement: A Broken Waltz Name of individual song(s) arranged: Return To The Planet, A Broken World (Mainly those, which contain overlapping material—there are little phrases from Jessie's Theme, and from the original FFVII soundtrack: Main Theme/Holding Thoughts In My Heart/Opening Bombing Mission, but not enough to be listed as remix of those tracks.) Additional information about game including composer, system, etc. (if it has not yet been added to the site) Masashi Hamauzu Link to the original soundtrack (if it is not one of the sound archives already available on the site): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oj64Ekm0_8I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGhb8h_Ge0c Your own comments about the mix, for example the inspiration behind it, how it was made, etc: This is a reimagining of the "A Broken World" theme from FFVII Remake, a part of the new-composed score that I really liked for how filmic and sad and properly melodic it was. This is still in a broadly soundtrack style and shape, but taking the sad strings theme and changing it into a melancholy, bittersweet, slightly French(?) waltz tune (from 0:53). Surrounded by some material from the opening of Return to the Planet, a couple quotes from Jessie's Theme plus little touches of other FFVII themes at the start. Some orchestration ideas owe a little to Joe Hisaishi's Ghibli scores, particularly Howl's Moving Castle, the lightness and the 7ths and also on the other hand the church organ at the start! It's still definitely sad. But maybe not entirely bleak. In honour of Biggs, Wedge and Jessie, who were my faves from the start. Return to the Planet: A Broken World: Jessie's Theme: The Look on Her Face: Main Theme of FINAL FANTASY VII: Holding My Thoughts in My Heart: Opening - Bombing Mission:

A mix of this scope sounds intimidating on paper, and yet it's a simple one. Outside of the bookends, the track goes right through the A section of Hunter's Chance as mentioned, then at 1:21, it goes through The Landing starting from the C section and looping to A. Following a crazy 11/4 riff section at 2:44, the source quota then goes back to Hunter's Chance's main melody before the ending. So while it structurally doesn't re-invent the wheel, what you did with the flourishes on the lead guitar and folk instrumentation added more to the writing density and expression thereof. I also thought the left-panned accordion at 1:21 did a genius idea of carrying the piano riffs from Hunter's Chance through to the Landing. And of course, I didn't forget the guitar solo on top of the D section at 1:44 or that part at 2:06 where you brought half of Landing's F section into 5/4 from the original's 6/4. The substance checks out, and there's more than enough musicianship to spread around on top! The mixdown is mostly a clean one with some strong presentation of your instruments via panning and EQ. But I'm also in the same mind as Brad in which the high-pitched instrumentation like the hi-hats and cymbals are far back in the mix. Thankfully, the kick and snare cut through well, so I can see that as a non-issue. The guitar performances are also mostly tightened with the folk instrument getting various humanization techniques, including timings and the flourishes mentioned earlier. Though, the first 15 seconds with the accordion felt like it meandered too far offbeat and could've done with a re-take. I understand the argument for starting track anticipation, but it's also a small fragment of a larger scale, so it's nothing to mark a conditional vote over. Please watch out for such things in the future, though. It all adds up to a unique package that brought together two themes that stylistically work so well against each other, had well-executed quirky instruments on top of your usual guitar prowess, plus it also has an accessible and fulfilling interpretation. I'm in favor of seeing this get posted - excellent work, Ivan! YES

Link Remixer/real name: Michael Hudak Game arranged: Vectorman 2 (Composer: Jon Holland) Song Arranged: "Swamp (Scene 2 - Night in the Swamp)" My ReMix title: "The Wind That Turns the Page" Link to original (YouTube, unfortunately): Hi again, it's a-me. Vectorman 2 might have one of the Genesis' most overlooked OSTs; it has some bangers, but a lot of people don't know the game exists! "Swamp" from Scene 2 is probably my favorite track from either Vectorman, which are the two games that introduced me to electronica as a wee tadpole back in the mid-90s. So, thanks to Jon Holland and the devs for that. For this arrangement I wanted to do something heady and cerebral but without leaning fully in an IDM direction. So, there are panning and sound design techniques that a lot of my music features, but with more organic instruments (music box and cello from Spitfire), along with several field recordings I did in Japan. The title is a reference to how many abrupt changes my life has taken over the last few years (and I know I'm not alone!), and the somewhat abrupt transitions between song sections (and the ending, even) mirror that. Thanks to the judges for all their hard work. - Michael

Remixer Name: Marc Chemali Real Name: Marc Chemali Email: website: https://marcchemali.bandcamp.com/releases userid: marcchemali Name of game arranged: Duke Nukem 3D Name of arrangement: F. Reset Name of original: Stalker Original soundtrack link: Comments on mix: I always wanted to do a big Frank Klepacksi/Quake sounding style of this theme since I was younger. Just wanted to hear what it sounded with dirty sounding analogue synths and guitars. Cheers.