Sir_NutS
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Posts posted by Sir_NutS
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Yeah, I appreciate that a lot of work was put into the instruments to make them sound good, but the arrangement is not clicking for me. It's very static, and goes on for very long sections without any energy changes. Intentional or not, the drums are very clicky and exposed and the pattern is too static, making the whole track sound unchanging. The mix work is solid and production on the whole band is ok, but this needs another pass : first on the arrangement. making it less static and second regarding the drums.
NO (resubmit)
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For some reason I've been thinking of this remix recently, as it was one of those very early remixes that inspired me in my early days. To my surprise (and after thinking about it, not that suprising) this remix is by the amazing Danny B., whom I didn't remember being one of the authors of this one.
Simple remix but this is all about those buildups and breakdowns such as around 1:34. Even 15 years later and after several "bar raising" in the judges panel, this would be a borderline vote, which speaks volumes about how damn talented Danny B. is.
TLDR: BUMP
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One of my favorite VG themes of all time. I think you did a great job on the arrangement side here, feels very different but at the same time I can easily identify the original in all the adapted sections. This is also a very unconventional adaptation, with no clear genre, but feeling cohesive. The only section I felt the cohesiveness was breaking immersion was in the ballad-like breakdown around 3:20. Other than that I really like what you've done with the theme on this remix, tons of creative twists. Production wise I felt it was fine, not an amazing mix that pops out but also no glaring issues. The pan flute performance felt mechanical and something that could've been improved.
There's a constant arpeggio throughout the song but this didn't bother me, as I'm ok with riffs to ground an arrangement as long as there's movement around them, and that's covered pretty well by the rest of the piece.
YES
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I'm not sure if it's just me but a lot of sections in this song feel like there's a clash going on between the lead guitar and backing chords. Larry pointed out some but to me stuff like 0:57 and 1:18 is really pushing it in terms of harmony. I also think that, even though the song is meant to feel lazy and laid back, it seems like it's going overboard on that aspect for me and verges on plodding.
I don't have major issues regarding production on this one, but I don't think the arrangement and adaptation is quite working here.
NO
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Love the combination of synths and galloping guitar chugs here. The neck-breaking speed adds a lot of energy to the arrangement. Great way to introduce the solo around the 2 minute mark, and great, clean performance. Even though the song has a lot of energy you knew how to manage it very well, with interspersed changes in pace and little breakdowns. Production is clean and any objections I would have on this aspect are pretty minor. Super good, fun and energetic stuff.
YES
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Not a big fan of the hard panning, but the instruments are fairly balanced so at least the mix doesn't feel lopsided. Gotta always be careful with hard panning things, it can be disconcerting for some listeners using headphones. That aside, this is a very fun arrangement, which felt a bit sparse at some spots and a bit crowded at others, but I didn't have any issues with the clarity of the mix. Tons of details in the performances of every part, and a fair amount of expansion to the original melodies. Not a fan of the ending at all, but all in all, this is solid and over the bar for me.
YES
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I can try Prime.
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Man this is fantastic, but that panning can get a bit disconcerting on headphones, specially since the trumpets, which carry a lot of power, are hard panned to the right so it makes the mix sound a bit lopsided outside of the fuller sections.
Other than that, great riffing on the original motifs, and production is clean. If we can get it back as to make the panning not so extreme, I will be 100% behind this. (also needs a title)
YES (conditional)
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I'm in agreement with my fellow Js here. Lovely arrangement but the performance is holding this back for sure. I think that not only the performance but the piano sound itself has this blocky, cold tone to it when in an emotive piece like this one the sound should be warmer. The use of pedal isn't optimal here as well, with some of the harder chords around the 2 minute mark feeling pretty dry and harsh even though they should be evoking power and emotion. Overall, an arrangement like this should feel very touching but this is feeling rather soulless at the moment. It may sound like I'm overanalyzing this piece, but in a piano solo the performance is of prime relevance and I think this needs another pass to make it feel more human.
NO (resubmit)
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I agree with Gario's criticism, and humanization is important, but the major issue for me was what Deia pointed out, overcrowding. I didn't feel the instruments were harmonizing or playing off each other. Rather felt like they were fighting each other for the listener's attention. Of the humanization issues, the mechanical vibrato was the bigger offender for me, it popped out as very fake and distracting. I think dynamics could be improved as well, as the instruments lacked the subtlety I've come to expect from Rebecca's songs.
I think it's a good adaptation with plenty of variations over the original, but I think this needs a second pass to get it over the bar for me.
NO (resubmit) -
#shamelessselfpaneling
Artist: Sir_NutS, Stephen Kelly
Name of the games arranged: Deus Ex
Name of the arrangement:Holographic Projection
Name of the individual songs arranged: 'UNATCO'Link to remix:
Link to Original:
Shameless self panelings aren't fun anymore since the queue is caught up nowadays...
Anyways, this is a psy/goa remix of the UNATCO theme. Now, this was a real doozy, with over 120 tracks in a single project. The detailing took that much work, but I think it was worth it in the end. Since we cannot use Square sampling in our mixes, I recruited once again the talented Stephen Kelly to do some voice over work and boy did he nailed it. He brought a lot of needed power to the mix, and his voice clips were so cool I ended up slicing and mangling those into more glitchy sequences for some sections.
There are some sections where I go all out on the mangling and glitching, and destroying the melody structure. I had a blast. I also used a mix of my own and Stephen's recordings for sections like around 3:08, though the vocal-to-mangled sequence conversion is really used throughout the song in many places. Needless to say this is very infected mushroom inspired on that sense, although the fuller sections are more influenced by a more classic goa direction. I don't really want to dig into more details because this would become an essay, but suffice it to say designing all these sounds took several 8+ hours mixing sessions (though some of the layers of pads and textures are taken from things like 99Sounds' Project Exodus and took little processing)
Anyways, Enjoy!
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wew, Larry really went into detail for this one. Sadly I've never played the game more than just a few minutes so I can't say I'm very familiar with the soundtrack, but Larry seems to be very familiar with it hence the very detailed evaluation. For the most part I agree with the issues he raises, the guitar mainly feels very blocky. Most of the transitions worked for me with some exceptions such as 1:40. The mix feels muffled throughout, with the guitars feeling very far back and the drums taking too much prominence. The bass lacks definition, and the only element that I thought was getting proper level and eqing was the chip lead, even properly going into the background at 3:32, but the guitar is just not taking over properly due to the muffled mix.
Now for the good stuff I find the chip lead works really well, and really, the soloing here is very good throughout. The drum sequencing here is just amazing, tons of detail and pacing changes that sound natural and fit each sections. Even though this is a medley, this could work with just a few transitions adjustments.
I feel you have the arrangement chops but gotta step up the production. The mix needs brightness and definition in everything but the chip lead, and I really recommend to join us on our workshop on the forums or on discord and look for a guitarist. We usually have people interested in collaborating specially with well-done arrangements.
BTW, I checked your Serendipitous Synchronicity track and it was amazing. This one though needs another pass.
NO (resubmit)
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Ah I remember this one. In this version it feels like the violin is carrying the song in a big way, due to being center stage. Like the previous version this packs a very emotive performance, and the variations on the original are a very welcomed addition. The piano adds some welcomed variation to the backings without completely ditching the original minimalist approach. I still feel it threads over the same melody maybe one time too many, but I can't deny that it's never performed in quite the same way each time.
YES
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Some small issues with this one for me: the hats can get a bit too dominant making them sizzle too much and making the high frequencies a bit annoying. Some of the sounds are quirky and I'm ok with that, but others are pretty vanilla and a bit static. The bit at 2:18 didn't feel very natural, and ended up sounding more like an error in the performance than intended. The ending is abrupt and unfulfilling.
There are some great things in this one though. The interpretation was very original and there are lots of neat arrangement sprinkled throughout. Things like that bit at 2:28 are some of the detailing that made this piece feel pretty unique. I think this sounds very oldschool-ocr, which isn't a bad thing to be, just that it feels very quirky and basic regarding production, and not completely whole or without issues, but packs a charming arrangement. It may feel a bit weird put between all the modern, very developed modern remixes we get nowadays, but I think there's a lot to enjoy here and the small issues it packs don't bring the whole thing down below the bar for me, though it is indeed close.
YES (Borderline)
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Yeah, the main issue here is mix balance. The guitars and bass are really overpowering everything, the drums bring almost no energy due to being drowned out, and the synths are very hard to distinguish or even hear at times. There are sections such as 2:05 where I can faintly hear what sounds like something that wants to be a lead but the guitars are taking over the entire mix. I also wasn't blown away by the arrangement either, since what we hear is mostly rhythm guitars for the majority of the mix, and it feels like it's missing some lead melodic content or vocals or something else. We do get some solos, and those feel very good, but for the most part it feels like it's all backing.
This needs more development but most importantly a re-do on the mix balance side.
NO
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Yeah, I think this fine on the arrangement side, it's certainly powerful and I think that even if the source usage is pretty liberal, the song is represented well and recognizable, but production needs tightening. The low/mids lack much needed definition and the mix could use some brightness and air. If you get the production up a notch regarding mix clarity, this can surely become your first ocremix. For now though,
NO (resubmit)
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Well uh.. this was... interesting. I find myself in complete agreement with Larry here, to my increasing disquietude. The pizz aren't quite cutting it here, but even then I was quite enjoying this song up to that point, until the completely out of the blue dance transition. I don't think I can call that a transition though, since it straight up cuts to it with but a small snare roll to signal the change. Given the very contrasting sections, in both mood and volume this was quite abrupt to put it very lightly. I don't think the bulk of the Dance section is bad, in works as a high-energy eurobeat song, though I also agree with Larry that it comes off as very vanilla in some sections. The transition to the ending was just as jarring as the first.
I'll also add that while the performances in the first section aren't too bad, they could also use some improvement in humanization specially the strings and piano. I don't think this one is quite ready yet.
NO
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Well, this will be a short vote for me: solid arrangement, faulty production. Deia is right that the balance is off here, with the initial section burying the guitars, 0:38 burying the strings behind the drums and guitars, and 1:38 sounding a bit confusing from the mixing standpoint, as the staccato strings sound oddly compressed while the guitar comes in but doesn't sound very clear either. The next section around 2:12 has the rhythm guitars overpowering the rest of the mix except the drums.
I think this is in need of a second mix pass. I feel like the track's balance issues could be coming from the mastering overcompressing things and doing these odd balance changes between sections. I'm reading -9/-8 rms in the busiest sections which tells me that even if this doesn't solve all the issues, relaxing the overall compression will do lots of good to this track.
NO (resubmit)
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This is a hard one, I've gone back and forth on this one for over a week. In the end, I think my thoughts are the same as MindWanderer's here. The source is enough and recognizable throughout for me, even with some changes done to the progressions and harmonies, and the bassline serves as a nice hook, but I can't deny the track as a whole feels very static and underdeveloped, even through its short duration. The fadeout ending didn't help the track feel more developed either. I also think the rattling drum could've been used less, though it wouldn't bother me that much if the track was moving to different places melodically.
Nothing bad production wise, but not enough on the arrangement side. This is very close however, it was a very hard decision that I didn't make lightly.
NO (resubmit)
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The mix is indeed a bit top-heavy, but never sounding tinny or piercing. Also that kick is so damn hollow, it sounds almost wimpy. I think the mix also sounds overly charged most of the time, with some backing drones that are getting too much presence and interfering with the instrumentation such as around 5:13. I think the arrangement itself is amazing as well as all the performances in it. I wish there was less hubris to go through in the mix to enjoy the otherwise excellent interpretation.
I'm really borderline on this one, though I'm slightly edging towards a pass due to the excellent arrangement. The issues with clarity in the mix and mix balance bring down the song at some points for me, but this is a long song, and I think there's more to be enjoyed here than not. I definitely wish the mix would've been more refined. Not an easy decision for me, and I wouldn't be surprised if other Js feel like asking for another pass.
YES (borderline)
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I agree with Larry that the vocal samples are way overused, I disagree on the "Float like a butterfly" usage sounding bad, the way it's sped up. Repetitive sample usage aside, I felt the mix itself felt pretty barebones and not full enough. Some of the instrumentation ends up sounding very simplistic and of not the greatest sample quality. I think this needs more developing, maybe using the samples in different ways and slicing those samples into new patterns throughout the track to keep them from getting too repetitive, and getting the instrumentation to sound more full and complete.
NO
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This track is deceptive in its nature, at first glance it seems very very static, but on further inspection there are textural changes in almost every measure, or little additions and details. However, this does not mean that the track is sufficiently dynamic. The issue is not with sound palette breadth but with the arrangement itself, which is where the staleness is found. The same arpeggio is a constant throughout the track, and if handled well, this kind of grounding technique works, if the other parts of the arrangement are evolving, but there's not much on that front. This is a good idea and you nailed the intended mood, but there needs to be more dynamism arrangement-wise for me to give it a go. For what is worth, it seems like I'll have this melody in my head for the rest of the day.
NO (resubmit)
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I'll be honest here, I've never heard a French Horn-only arrangement before. This is new territory to me and I find the textures created by the assemble are fantastic. The different performances and articulations add a lot of personality and variation to a concept that would've felt very boring very fast otherwise. The arrangement is very good as well, with plenty of interpretation and weaving harmonies between the different instances. The electronic pads and drones add even more originality to this idea, which was pretty alien-feeling to me in the first place, but with the addition of those just became one of a kind.
Like Deia I don't think this will be for everyone, but for people who are into experiencing new concepts objectively, this will be quite a treat. This also may be great for people who just like the protoman theme, as this packs a nice arrangement of the classic tune underneath the novel ideas.
YES
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Ah I remember this one. Jorito catched up pretty quickly on the basics of synthwave, and the authenticity is very much here and throughout the duration of the song. A couple things: the voicing change near 2:55 could've been handled better, I feel the mood changed too much and breaks apart from the rest of the song, second I feel like the overall mix could've been tighter. It's clean, and shows a ton of progress from Jorito's first subs, but for this genre I think a bit of grit from those old tape recordings and analog hardware that made the original sound famous would've been great here. Tons of ways to get that effect nowadays, so you should look into that, but the production is otherwise solid and I'm just nitpicking at this because it's something I'm very familiar with. Very good stuff.
Reading the other Js comments now, the track is a bit static at some points but there are plenty of variations in the drum sequencing and arrangement. There's enough detailing for me throughout and I don't think this is below the bar by any means.YES
OCR03712 - *YES* Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim "Legends Around the Fire"
in Judges Decisions
Posted
I've noticed that the attack of instruments is often a criticism I have to raise in Ms Tripp's tracks, and this is another case where some more work could've been done in that area. The flute near the start sounds pretty mechanical at places, and same with some of the choral parts. Chants like these are very hard to get to sound convincing, and even though it's not great I think it's solid enough, helped by the fantastic arrangement. This isn't as bombastic as the great majority of the arrangements for the song of the dragonborn, but it has it's own charm. It's less of a Hollywood epic, and more of a strong, celtic flavored arrangement. The use of drums is subtle and effective (with exception of the marimba, which does sound a bit upfront)
Overall, this is solid, with some imperfections, but very enjoyable and with its own distinctive approach to a very familiar song.
YES