herograw

Hello friends! Mazedude here. And for those of you who don’t already know, I’m at it again… making another ambitious album with plans for funding via Kickstarter. This one is even on a grander scale than American Pixels.
Here’s the thing though… it’s not VGM. It’s something completely different. Check out the video below to hear me explain the vision:
Yep, Bible music. Take a verse, and compose what it sounds like. This project has been in the brain for years… and I’m finally doing it. To read more, explore the verses chosen, and to subscribe or pre-order, check out the website:
https://www.wordsandversesproject.com/ 
Also feel free to like the project on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Words-and-Verses-a-Biblical-Music-Project-113182900391305/
And I’m not saying this everywhere, but I’ll say it here… there’s a very good chance that this will grow beyond the first album, and into a project that will ultimately require other composers. I’ve already had several fellow music-makers reach out, indicating that they’d be interested in contributing to future albums should this endeavor make it to that point… so if this idea is speaking to any of you reading this, to where you might want to help some day, let me know here: https://www.wordsandversesproject.com/composers
Otherwise, keep your eyes open as this heads to Kickstarter! (And if you want to help me fund the campaign itself, take a minute and pre-order here for additional bonuses later on: https://www.wordsandversesproject.com/pre-order)
Thanks everyone; feel free to reach out with any questions! Stay tuned!
PS - I'm nearly ready to share a few WIPs, which I'll probably just showcase in this same thread, so follow along and keep an eye out.

True then, true now

OC ReMix presents Secret of Mana: Resonance of the Pure Land!

December 4, 2017
Contact: press@ocremix.org

FAIRFAX, VA... December is Mana month as OverClocked ReMix closes out 2017! OverClocked ReMix today released its 65th free community arrangement album, Secret of Mana: Resonance of the Pure Land. Featuring 31 tracks from 39 artists, Resonance of the Pure Land pays tribute to the classic 16-bit Square RPG Secret of Mana, and is co-directed by Dutch musician Jorrith "Jorito" Schaap & Canadian community member Mike "The Nikanoru" Postans. The album is available for free download at http://mana.ocremix.org.

Resonance of the Pure Land assembles a global lineup of musicians all honoring Hiroki Kikuta's transporting SNES music in a variety of styles, including jazz, ambient, chiptune, rap, funk, metal, and more. Resonance of the Pure Land was made by fans, for fans, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Square Enix; all original compositions are copyright their respective owners.

"I did play and beat Secret of Mana, and I still have 'Fond Memories' of the game and its music. Especially the calm, sad songs and the whale sounds are still imprinted in my mind, and instantly bring back memories of good times and bouts of nostalgia," recalled album director Jorrith Schaap. "Big kudos to the artists who really stepped up their game and created these very diverse and creative but still very recognizable interpretations of the world and sounds of the Secret of Mana, and also to Tabby, who really caught the essence of Mana in her beautiful artwork. I'm sure you'll enjoy listening to it just as much as we enjoyed creating it!"

The album's artwork was designed by American artist Tabitha "Tabby" Ramsey, who channeled the late Hirō Isono's serene "emerald forest" illustrations into her own take on the world of Secret of Mana.

"All the remixers have brought their own resonance to this project, often taking their remixes in completely different directions than I expected -- I think this gives the album a distinctly unique flavor that still reflects the themes and values in the game itself" remarked album co-director Mike Postans. "I hope you will enjoy this album and hope it becomes as much as classic for you, the listener, as the Secret of Mana itself."

Resonance of the Pure Land also sets the stage for the impending release of OC ReMix's 66th community album, this time honoring Secret of Mana's 1995 sequel Seiken Densetsu 3. The three-disc Seiken Densetsu 3: Songs of Light and Darkness will conclude the website's celebratory Mana month, in anticipation of Secret of Mana's 3D remake scheduled for February 2018.
About OverClocked ReMix
 
Founded in 1999, OverClocked ReMix is a project of Game Music Initiative, a 501c3 non-profit charitable organization, and is dedicated to the appreciation and promotion of video game music as an art form. Its primary focus is ocremix.org, a website featuring thousands of free fan arrangements, information on game music and composers, resources for aspiring artists, and a thriving community of video game music fans.
 
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Preview it: http://youtu.be/DYlf2HK-Vt4 Download it: http://mana.ocremix.org Torrent: http://bt.ocremix.org/torrents/Secret_of_Mana_-_Resonance_of_the_Pure_Land.torrent Comments/Reviews: http://ocremix.org/community/topic/46669/  
 

@halc: It would have definitely helped if we would have had the actual track and could have actually contacted you. It's always sad to have to drop a track for reasons such as that; I'd rather have more good music on the album than less. Hit me up with your track, and we can take things from there! 

My life has been filled with uncertainty for somewhere around 5 years now. When I left school it seemed really bleak because the job market was rough and just about all of my competition had higher degrees from better schools. I wanted to teach at the community college level and it turned out easy to get a part-time job but seemingly impossible to go full-time. On top of that, my perception of others in my position (those who had been working longer) was mostly that of despair. Even the full-time faculty were telling me that it would likely take 5 years for someone in my situation to find a full-time job. With the news of my second son on the horizon this was not the sort of thing I wanted to hear. At the same time my dad was getting on my case about going into industry instead, because of the better pay.
 
Ignoring all of the negativity, I put all of my effort to improving my teaching skills. My wife became a stay-at-home mom so that I could do this, which I will be forever thankful for. After 1.5 years of nonstop work (and a lot of luck) I got offered a full-time position, which I accepted and have now been working at for a little over a month. The work hasn't gotten any easier but the peace that comes with a full-time job and the sense of fulfillment are such that I feel like I am capable of ANYTHING.
 
Over the past 5 years I really haven't done anything here but listen to the music, but I've always loved this community and would like to, now that it's possible, become a part of it again. We'll see how that works out.

I'm going to lock this thread. A lot of it is just speculation from people that didn't really know him. Gray was a great guy and a real friend, and he had his own reasons for exiting the community which we'll probably never know. I feel like a lot of this "he's probably dead" or "he's just someone's alternate account" is being disrespectful to one of the best members this community ever had. He was an amazing musician and one of the most dedicated staff members we had when he was with us. I'm not comfortable with people in this thread diminishing that with random, uninformed speculation.

Guys, HOLD THE PHONE.
Forget about every kickstarter in this thread - the only one that matters is Shenmue 3!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ysnet/shenmue-3/
I never played 1 & 2, but my heart bled out to the fans that had clammered for this for nearly 15 years. This was a sequel that needed to be made long ago - and with enough fan support, it would absolutely get there!
I'm sorry, I am so excited for this right now