Sir_NutS

The arrangement is pretty straightforwards, but it works.  I would've liked to hear more variety in the arrangement than just the added solo break, but I think the new layers of melodies work well to make it something more than a cover.  The mix is good, with the exception of the lead violin which does feel buried in the mix.  This track passes for me, however I would've asked for a conditional on raising the volume on the violin.  It is after all, the main focus of the track and is carrying the main melody by itself, to be honest this is one of my favorite mega man tracks of all the classic series and the original really kicks ass but the issues with the violin lead makes it sound a bit meh at some points.
So this would be a YES (conditional).
I would like to add that mix quality is but one aspect of the evaluation, so pointing out that other mixes have worse mixdown is pointless.  We know that, and those other mixes may have other qualities that make up for it.  Either way, the attitude of an artist has no bearing on our votes, but it's just nicer if everyone is... nicer, y'know?

Excellent textures and drum work, I'm getting some heavy Gramatik vibes here.  Arrangement is top-notch, and vocoders are a soft spot of mine, so it's no wonder I love this.  I do have to say that when the vocoded lyrics first come up, they aren't clear and mesh too much with the background sustained synths.  I also think that the overall mix could've been clearer, in some of the heavy sections the drums duck out a little, and the vocoded section obscures some of the leads at times.  I think sections like 03:00 and on would've been served better if the vododed bits "feel the beat, that make your body move" worked in a more call-and-response way with the leads, but when they play together they get a little busy.   Anyways none of that would hold this track back, but there's room to improve!.
Nice Work.

YES
 

Oh man.  Beneath a Steel Sky is such an underappreciated game.  It's one of the best adventure games of all time, with a markedly more adult approach than what we used to get from sierra at the time (with exceptions, like Gabriel Knight), oozing an oppressive, industrial-cyberpunk feel, striking art direction and excellent dialogue.  With a setting that I would say it's the perfect mix of 1984, fahrentheit 451, and Narshe.  Also a fitting soundtrack, which leads us to this remix:

Ninecoins here decided to not change much in terms of arrangement, but makes up for it by making an adaptation to a different style.  It succeeds in that regard, as this certainly sounds like a dub track.  It somewhat keeps the feeling of desolation and industrialization from the original, but overall the additions give it more dynamism while keeping the disconcerting cyberpunk ambiance.  The tempo slowdowns, while odd at first glance, do help in this matter.  The soundscape starts up rather simple but evolves when more complex textures are introduced as the track progresses.
This remix is kinda low-key, but I feel it makes it over the bar, just barely.  I think perhaps more could've been done with the source in terms of expansion, as well with the sound design.  But for me what I hear seems compelling enough.  Plus, I would be pretty happy to have this game represented in our library.

YES (borderline)
 

There are some really awesome guitar performances here, but there's a feeling of dryness and emptiness that permeates this mix.  I'm not sure if it's the lack of bass or just dry instruments overall, but up until around 2:49 it felt like the song was always missing something.  I don't think the production is quite there for OCR.

The arrangement and performances are fantastic though.  The mix felt a bit straightforward at the start but it evolves over time with signature and pace changes, not to mention the rich tones and articulations provided by the guitar performances.

I'm definitely torn on this one, and I come back later to it, but it doesn't seem like a clear-cut decision to me.

I love Bridge Zone.  I kinda hear what the other judges are saying about the eq, but it's not bothering me, or taking away from the track on my end.  There are some odd choices for some of the sound that feel a bit wacky for the soft atmosphere that is present in some parts of the mix, and that contrast was more off-putting to me than any non-ideal eq balance.  Even then, I think those don't really bring this down below our bar.
What I found here was a very nice arrangement that brings Bridge Zone and Green Hill together in obvious, but transformative ways.  The arrangement was at its best in points such as after 2:30 where you can hear touches of both themes, as well as some small but nice touches with the drum writing.  The Lo-fi elements are added tastefully throughout the track, and can be heard in some lead instruments as well as in the Organ-sounding pads.  Overall, this is a solid track that didn't really blow me away production-wise but that is quite lovely when you look into the arrangement.
YES

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

Oh, this is totally awesome. There's nothing too fancy here, yet it is an absolutely top-notch work - it even may be one of my favorite tracks by Mr. NutS. Just can't stop listening to it again and again! I'm a huge fan of such melodic house-ish tracks  The tune is incredibly catchy, especially love its subtle melancholic/dreamy vibe. The instrumentation is pretty neat as well - really love the sweet synth lead, nice bass and solid beats. I also dare say that in my opinion some vocals can easily fit this song and make it a bit more interesting - I can certainly imagine a vocal version of this track Don't get me wrong, though, I can't get enough of this stuff, it's simply amazing! Keep it up!  I hope you will make some similar ReMixes at some point

I wasn't part of the original evaluation, nor have I listened to it so I guess I'll bring a fresh approach here.  First thing to be addressed is the vocal SFX.  I will admit I'm a fan of using narrations or vocal clips in my own music to add flavor and context, but I think they are a bit too much here.  From what I can gather there used to be more prevalent in the previous version.  In this version I think the usage is borderline, as in, I think they could be pushed back and removed further but they're not so prevalent as to take over what should be more important (the arrangement behind them).
Speaking of the arrangement, I thought it was pretty sweet, the melodies and performances are a strong point, very jazzy, yet chill and freeform.  I didn't take as much issue with the more crowded sections, and I really enjoyed the arrangement, even if I never heard the BOTW soundtrack before.
Production is pretty solid for the most part, clean and warm in most places.  I believe the vocal sfx will be a big point on contention in people's mind (and youtube comments!) if this gets posted, but this is the artist's vision for the track and the amount of sfx and whether they are enough or too much is now so borderline I think it will come down to preference. I would still like to point out to listeners to look beyond them as there's a very solid and enjoyable arrangement behind.
YES

I can try Prime.

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

Ok this is very awesome, and VERY 666.  Some synths don't sound as clear or interesting as I would like i.e. the 0:51 arpeggio, and some elements aren't eq'd very well, as the vocals at 1:43 which are very piercing .  The low synth at 3:41 and the arpeggio is clashing with everything else in that section.  Although it may sound like I feel there's a lot of bad stuff in the mix, it's not really the case as the production is good for the most part, but there are indeed some issues.  
Like Deia, I also checked the sources and I'm pretty sure source usage is ok here.

The arrangement and adaptation to the genre is where this remix shines, as this could be playing in a 90's rave club without much problem.  Weston kept the energy levels high throughout but without falling in the traps of repetition or tiring the listener.  There's tons of natural variations and surprises throughout the track, as it keeps evolving, introducing new, high-energy stuff along the way
Fun and high-energy, but not without flaws.  I really wish the issues in my first paragraph weren't present, but I'm willing to pass this as is, on the grounds that it's totally awesome.

BTW, there's some sampling from the game, I don't think it's a problem but if Larry could check it out that'd be great.  Some stuff like the synth-orch hits SOUND like they're sampled but I don't really think they are.
YES

Ok this is very awesome, and VERY 666.  Some synths don't sound as clear or interesting as I would like i.e. the 0:51 arpeggio, and some elements aren't eq'd very well, as the vocals at 1:43 which are very piercing .  The low synth at 3:41 and the arpeggio is clashing with everything else in that section.  Although it may sound like I feel there's a lot of bad stuff in the mix, it's not really the case as the production is good for the most part, but there are indeed some issues.  
Like Deia, I also checked the sources and I'm pretty sure source usage is ok here.

The arrangement and adaptation to the genre is where this remix shines, as this could be playing in a 90's rave club without much problem.  Weston kept the energy levels high throughout but without falling in the traps of repetition or tiring the listener.  There's tons of natural variations and surprises throughout the track, as it keeps evolving, introducing new, high-energy stuff along the way
Fun and high-energy, but not without flaws.  I really wish the issues in my first paragraph weren't present, but I'm willing to pass this as is, on the grounds that it's totally awesome.

BTW, there's some sampling from the game, I don't think it's a problem but if Larry could check it out that'd be great.  Some stuff like the synth-orch hits SOUND like they're sampled but I don't really think they are.
YES

The People's Remix Competition 349
PRCv14-11

Hello everyone and Welcome to the People's Remix Competition!
Welcome to round 349 of PRC. Two rounds ago, Esperado selected the source and Dewey Newt was the winner. PlanarianHugger and RonaldPoe couldn't stop him. Not Dewey Newt, but his brother selected the source for this round:
Source: Battletoads – Turbo Tunnel Part 2 (NES)
MIDI
Source Information
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Click the ThaSauce Link. Click the 'You are not logged in' button in the upper right. Click on 'register' (at the bottom). Read the terms and click 'I agree to these terms'. If you don't agree with them, upload the song somewhere else and post a download link as mentioned above (by doing that, you allow me to upload the song at ThaSauce. Continue the process by filling in your information. You will get a question to confirm that you're not a robot. Here are some possible answers: Name a compo: PRC Who organizes One Hour Compo: Starla Name a ThaSauce subdomain: compo.thasauce.net Who created Mega Mans: Capcom A confirmation mail will be send. There might be some issues with it (meaning that you don't get it), if that is the case, upload the song somewhere else as described above.
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After uploading your song, please check if your song plays and can be downloaded and played without problems. Only upload MP3 files.
 
PRC instructions
The deadline is Wednesday May 31st 2017 at 10:59 pm ThaSauce time (18:00 UTC, 19:00 GMT), check the ThaSauce page for the exact time left. Make sure that the song is uploaded to ThaSauce or that there’s a download link posted in this thread. You may enter as many mixes as you like and work with as many people as you like on each mix. You are free to create a second ThaSauce account for that if you use ThaSauce, it's needed to be able to upload a second remix if you use ThaSauce. Of course you can also upload it somewhere else and put a download link in this thread. Do not make qualitative comments on an entry until the results of the vote have been posted in this thread. Mixers cannot vote for themselves but if they vote they receive a free first place vote added onto their score. The winner of this round may select the source for PRC351. The winner of PRC347, Dewey Newt, can only participate by submitting a Bonus Mix. His vote is doubled in the voting stage. You can find the full rules list at this page as well.  
GOOD LUCK!
 
PRC ThaSauce Home Page!

Just leaving my fun political note that Trump is garbage.
I didn't mind the intro clip sampling action from the game; it was only 10 seconds and more about the sound & action than taking the original music, so that was all OK.
I'm not sure why your lead and synth accents were quieter than the guitar chugs and drumming, so the mixing/placement doesn't make sense. 1:23 was already repeating the melody essentially verbatim from the first iteration at :43. Melodically, this could also stand to be more interpretive, but you did at least have a spirited rock cover here.
The changeup at 2:29 fell flat to me; didn't quiet flow from what came before, but it was just a momentary bump in the road. Not sure about the notes around 2:55, 3:01, 3:05 & 3:11; didn't quite resolve correctly, IMO.
Wow, back to the same writing at 3:23 with a little more guitar and synth accenting, but basically a copy-pasta of the :43 verse. The final section at 3:59 sounded fine to start, but dragged out without something melodic going on during the fade. A near-minute-long conclusion like that was overwrought; wrap it up sooner if there's essentially nothing more to say.
The arrangement has good energy, and I actually thought the sampling and SFX stuff was tastefully included. You need to vary the melodic verses somehow, either through arranging/interpreting the melody, changing the rhythms or tempo, or presenting some different instrumental combinations/textures. Develop this more. The mixing of the parts needs to make more sense. Good base here though, Fahad; definitely see what more you can do with this one, it has great potential, and your rock arrangement ideas are well in the right direction of what we're looking for.
NO (resubmit)

This arrangement is really good.  I enjoyed every bit of it.  I have to agree that the choir and hapsichord samples weren't the greatest, but they aren't used quite as much or too prominently, with the exception of the hapsichord intro. Outside of the choir, the quality of the sampled elements wasn't too distracting for me.  I think the mix isn't perfect either but it's definitely good enough.  I was also fine with the drums, They could be a bit more powerful maybe, but for the arrangement they work well.  The guitar and bass performances were on point and they shone in their own moments.  They were well incorporated into the mix and I didn't feel much of a disconnect between the live and sampled parts.
As Wes pointed out this arrangement is very ambitious, as it takes the source and expands it over 7 minutes and a half, but every minute was put to good use and there's no filler or wasted potential here in my opinion.  The soloing with the violins, guitars and synths were great.  The arrangement was well-paced with effective breaks and buildups to powerful sections.  This remix is a very close approximation of how castlevania music sounded around the ps2 era, and that's a great thing.  
Overall I agree with the issues mentioned by the other Js but I think the amazing arrangement and live performances trump the sample shortcomings.
YES

I'll just note that Rebecca has lost some project files in the past and this one is older. So, though I don't know for sure on this one, keep in mind there may not be the possibility to revise this.

I'm a bit torn on this one. On the one hand, I totally get this arrangement - it's as if you're at the carnival, with all of the wild antics playing in the background. On the other hand, the crowds, horses, etc., make the track sound far too busy, creating a whole lot of clutter at the cost of being able to hear the music. Upon repeated listening the crowds end up sounding like white noise, which makes the listening experience even less palatable. If this were coming off of a soundtrack of sorts I would be wondering why they left the background sounds in there - it's all pretty distracting.
The arrangement is quite good, though, if you look past the SFX. The themes work perfectly on the organ and Wurlitzer; hell, they almost sound like they were WRITTEN for those instruments. The vocals sound almost like a barbershop, and they're well executed and incredibly fitting for the theme you have going in this.
Under the crowded soundscape there's a really cool arrangement, but it's difficult to hear it with the layer of carny effects (you can really hear the potential at 2:56, when the music stands alone). Some SFX periodically to help set the mood would be fine, so decrease the SFX density and shorten the intro a bit. It'd be a really cool track to post, so give this another pass our way with those alterations!
NO

Hello! Would you mind if I pop in for a bit? I really did enjoy this track on the panel, and I was one of the three that judged it, so I'd rather help out on here than leave it on that sour note. I also like relevant but no-less terrible puns, so be wary. Going point by point:
- I agree with you - what I hear is dissonance, not sour notes. It's a strong dissonance for sure (specifically, a melodic dissonance, utilizing a raised 6th in the Wurlitzer melodically against the chromaticism in the organ), but it resolves appropriately. Had that been his primary reason for rejection I personally would have asked him to reconsider.
- While there are no 'electronic gaming machines', per se, there are certainly sound effects that sound like pinball machines (such as at 2:14, for a specific time point). It's an honest mistake if we think it sounds like old fashion gaming machines when the sound effects are specifically blips and bloops from fortune telling machines from a carnival, so hopefully you understand. Nominal differences aside, MW's main issue with the SFX (like at 2:14, or the brass at 2:18) is that if the background SFX has pitch it very well could clash with the music you wrote unintentionally. It doesn't bother me too much specifically (it sounds like Charles Ive's 'Central Park in the Dark', which I personally really love), but it's not something everyone is used to. Whether it's advice you want to heed is up to you, but it's a valid point to bring up (because technically there IS tonal clashing with the SFX and themes), so it's something you should make a conscious decision on, not an incidental one.
- Listening to this again (as I didn't catch it in my review), the percussion is indeed very quiet. The snare roll is purposeful and at a good level in the mix (as it sounds like something from a carnival performance), but I didn't know bass and hats were even in the mix until looking at it now. I personally don't mind either way (as the track sounds fine with no percussion, honestly), but if you wanted the percussion to contribute to the arrangement take note that I legitimately didn't hear it outside of the snare.
- I can't speak for the other judges, but I didn't hear any looping points either. As there's really no rule against a loop point on a SFX that's not likely a deciding factor on your arrangement regardless; the comment directed at loop points was used to support a larger point that the background was too dense as far as SFX use, which is something I did agree with.
- I think the panning was sufficient, personally. I will note that with the SFX being as prominent as they are, it makes it difficult to hear the panning in the instruments throughout, but that's not an issue with your panning or spread. It'll likely be something that won't be considered an issue if the SFX are less dense (so you likely don't need to worry about it), but that doesn't make it justified to comment on it. We're all human after all, even on the panel.
Seeing there are no mentions of SFX density in the grievances here, I suspect the larger concern that the judges shared unanimously wasn't in as much question. For me, the overwhelming presence of the SFX were overpowering the arrangement, which was the only thing that turned my vote sour. My colleagues pointed out some details that could potentially cause concern once that's addressed, but in comparison those are smaller points behind the larger concern. Hopefully that helps clear up any questions or concerns.

Beautiful.  Top notch orchestration here.  As mentioned, some stops, but they seem to fit the arrangement.  A few Grave sections that felt a bit meandering, but when the Watchman's Ease melody hits at 4:00 I was brought right back home.  The humanization overall was very natural-sounding, loved it.  On the production side of things I have no qualms either, everything is clear and I didn't hear any issues.
Overall this is as solid as it gets.  On my first listen I thought the track was meandering a bit too much, but on the second I could get a grip of the pace you were going for and I observed many details that I had missed, making the experience much more enjoyable.  Great work here.
YES

Although it's written in the rules that remixes must have normal levels compared to average recordings,  we don't have a written rule on how loud or quiet a track needs to be, but there are issues when you go both extremes: if a track is mastered too loudly it will usually get rejected because many times this will cause distortion, lack of dynamics and also obscures details.  On tracks mastered too quiet, or with very wide dynamic ranges, this causes some issues with the listener's ability to appreciate the details without cranking up the volume, or in the case of tracks with a very wide dynamic range, it causes the listener to have to change the volume during playback in order to appreciate some sections.

As for myself, I can't tell you if I will accept a -16 RMS track because there are other factors at play such as genre, and well, the nature of the arrangement, but unless the dynamics are interfering with the listener's ability to appreciate the track I don't have an issue with it.  Personally, I appreciate tracks with wide dynamic range, but it has to make sense why they are that way, it can't sound like an oversight.

Rather than a direct post, I'm moving this to the panel to give my feedback and criticisms. The mixing lacks highs, so there's a lossy, distant sound to this. I would have liked something more to the melodic treatment, but what's here is OK due to an effective genre adaptation with some new part-writing thrown into the mix. The original breakdown from 1:06-1:27 was OK, but the texture felt thin despite everything going on. 1:45-2:15 sounded like a cut-and-paste of :00's lead guitar with different drumming underneath. This gets by, but should have been developed further. Would love to see you explore the possibilities of longer arrangements some more with future subs, Mike, and also brighten up the soundscape a little just so all of the strong performances sound cleaner and more upfront.
YES

Wouldn't disagree with that at all. I'll drop him a line.

Performances and arrangement are really good, very enjoyable track.  Opening guitar has too much delay.  The soundscape quickly gets too busy for my taste, the worst offender is the section starting at 1:51.  Perhaps part of why it sounds so busy though it that the master is overcompressed. I hear some distortion in the densest parts, over and above any desired distortion, and the crashes are completely destroyed.  Cubase is reporting that the track is mastered to -6.9db RMS and that seems quite loud for a mellow rock track.  I like the track quite a bit, it is 90% there for me, but I'm gonna be that girl who sends it back for a more gentle mastering job first.
edit 2/20/17:  MUUUUUUCH better.  With the master no longer clipping and the delays under control, I can hear some beautiful melodic detail that was buried in the distortion before.  I don't have that overcrowded feeling anymore.  I agree with Gario that the track is DP quality now.  Nice work!  
YES 
 

I won't be joining this one but if anyone needs an extra set of ears or some advice, hit me up with your WIPs.

I never played Super Mario RPG (ooh, I can hear the replies being typed right now). I never had a SNES as a kid, and the few people that I knew that owned one didn't have this game. I only know a little of the music from OCR and a few videos on YouTube, videos titled "Top Ten Best SNES Music!" or "Top Ten Mario Game Soundtracks!"... that sort of thing.
So I don't have any emotional attachment to the game. It's just another game I never had the opportunity to play, like any of the thousands of other ones I've never touched.
But that cover art. That wonderful, beautiful cover art.
If there was ever an image to represent all those fond memories of playing a favorite game after dark, at night, in front of the television or underneath the blankets in bed, this would be it.
There is a glowing window, a portal to a tiny world. There is no living room floor, no bedroom, no house. Just you, and that little universe. All else fades into the background.
Your artists picked one hell of an image to convey the mystery and magic of a video game. I haven't even listened to the music yet, but I already like this album.