Nase

I realise it's a mashup name....but why in the world wouldn't you name it 'Sonic in the Sky with Emeralds'!!

went to the grocery store on foot. later, i walked back and forth on the balcony forever while imagining some silly piece of stargate fanfiction. must've been close to 10.000 steps! i'm proud.

dislike him as an actor/comedian, but i'll keep an open mind on this. wouldn't have imagined this as a likely candidate for movie adaptation, so color me intrigued. might suck in the end, but interesting venture.

Agreed. They are what they are and it is good they are. bigger =! better you don't need to make something bigger OR better, you just wanna make something good. making something small bigger + good is easier than making something big smaller + good. making a good variation of something small is also easier than of something big.

I tink tis not tarnce lul Not that it matters. I think the lack of dynamics will be ok for this once you add the 'drops and twiddly bits'. Still thinking an oomphless fx intro might work best for this track, even if that's too much in your comfort zone. It could be short. But it doesn't matter as long as you pay tribute to the weird arpy stuff from the OST by giving it center stage somewhere in the mix. The stuff you added is phat and all, but it buries some of the properties of the original that make it fun.

Happy to hear you like it. In case you're reading the thread and could see yourself joining a compo of this type, feel free to confirm it with a quick post. Input on the details is very welcome of course, but all i really need is like 50 curious people, which might result in 5 mixes or so. Need dat critical mass!

Sonic 2 on GG/SMS is still my favorite Sonic game. Feels unique in gameplay and tone, and the music is great.

Hahaha what the fuck is that german sample from!! (Sorry, not much to say about the mix. Sounds pretty good to me but not my style.)

Well, if a winner chooses a couple WAV files, you have to do that, to a degree. You'd want to have things like ADSR envelopes, LFO for vibrato, loop points to construct sustained instruments... Even using a soundfont will require a SF player, and those come with some typical sampler features. But you know, there are simple sample players and then there are sample-based resynthesis monsters or complex granulizers, tools that can twist samples so hard it matters less and less what you feed them. That stuff is cool, but might detract from the initial 'one thing' idea. This is part of why i would prefer people to stick with synth choices for the first rounds. It's more clear cut. Btw, i got an idea for a name: OPRA - One Plugin to Rule them All If you have a better one i'm all ears. Thx for the interest so far!

That would be a compo for granular synthesis buffs, basically. Definitely fun, but also very hardcore and very niche. I do hear ya on the lack of original compos, i miss that too. However, those simply work best with a mood/imagery or story based theme. Sadly, that cannot be the scope here. I wouldn't count out an original month though.

I just downloaded that the other day. Seems great for saturation; one of the less subtle VoS plugins. (ThrillseekerXTC on the other hand...whatever that does besides slight EQ boosts is beyond my ears. I thought i heard it one evening, the next day i didn't )

Broad themes are generally better than no themes at all i find. The three random examples i listed each allow for hundreds/thousands of possible source tunes. Personally, i prefer a vague reference point to narrow the picking down for you. I find FFA's demotivating unless i got a remix idea burning under my nails. Like you said, the general idea is to go super broad. But i wouldn't rule out anything. If the idea is hilarious enough (maek Barbie remiks with UltraWobbleStep 3000)...it might be alright ;P You're reading too much into the obscure part. It's cool if no one knows the plugin, but no requirement. I actually consider Synth1 a passable choice. Not very creative or tough, but remember, JUST Synth1 in that case. If you wanted to make something great, you'd have to make excellent use of the onboard fx, and it ain't the best drum synth either.

Oh sure, that is precisely what i meant. Wasn't completely clear i guess. The fun comes with everyone using the same thing and then comparing what everyone managed to squeeze out of the noisemaker, and how similar or different the results are. I'd also be prepared to offer some suggestions to the winner or, if he really can't make up his mind, do the picking for him. Generally, I'd trust in people having some good picks for this from their own VSTi scavenging hunts. But if not, i should have enough backup plans from years of checking out weird freebies myself. In any case, the gear picks would be of central importance to this thing, so some back and forth in the decision making might be warranted. Ideally, i imagine a somewhat niche and original plugin/soundbank, not too cookie cutter, not extremely versatile and complex, but no one trick pony either. Remixes, definitely. But with a theme, or a broader means of restriction. Sort of like Dwelling of Duels i guess. Games released in '92, games starring rodents, games featuring Dracula. That sorta thing. Quite open but not free for all. @Garp: wouldn't worry about performance at all, the focus really is on older obscure gems. If someone picked something recent, i'd make sure it's modest in cpu use. Also, IF it were to go serial i'd rather go for one per month, 3 weeks music making + 1 week voting. Therex: yup, soundfont editions would be alright as well. Using just one plugin or one soundfont per month is the tidiest way conceptually, but in some instances two very niche synths complementing each other, or a soundfont+synth combo might work well. It's all about finding a reasonable degree of restriction to make people tinker with what little they have at their disposal. If a winner wants to provide a little hand rolled set of samples, that could be cool too (although it would require some basic sampler knowledge from participants) Jonathan: if by plugins you mean effects...i'd like to limit it, but it seems logistically difficult. Everyone uses different ones, and none are the same. If i were to say 'only delay and chorus allowed'...there are very basic delays, and then there are delay units you can do pretty much anything with, like flanging, phasing and even distortion. I also don't want to force people to download a basic set of fx plugins that is fair game. Too much hassle. So my idea is, do it case by case (compo by compo). Soundfont/WAV editions would most definitely have no restrictions regarding FX. (Unless it's a Mega Man soundfont and you specifically want the entries to sound SNES like) If you were to make, say, a Synth1 edition, external fx might as well be off limits, because Synth1 has a very capable fx section. It makes the synth what it is. In summary: it is a remix compo, but the star of each round is really the piece of gear you have to use. This requires good choices first and foremost, and possibly some fine tuning of the rules each round. Edit: o yeah, regarding midi rips, dunno if i'd disqualify them, but definitely not encouraged. The concept is: do as much as possible with very limited resources, and once you've done what you possibly can with the sound design, the only way to make it better is through the arrangement. It's all for fun, but also should be a challenge.

So, I was joking about this in the last meat 'n' potatoes, but would find it quite interesting to give it a try. The basic idea is: you pick an older, and somewhat exotic, free sound generator or sample bank available to everyone with a VST-ready host. Then you pick a theme that makes for a relatively large pool of remixable sources. A single possible source would seem too restrictive. All remixes have to be made exclusively with the chosen synth/samples. Effects would be fair game, unless specified otherwise (example: a synth might have onboard fx to utilize, which adds to the challenge) I'll give a random synth example of the more restrictive sort: http://www.gregjazz.com/downloads/Nostaljia.rar A fine little synth specializing in AdLib-like timbres. Pretty usable for anything melodic or basic FM noises, but definitely a hard choice as far as percussion goes. It's possible, but you have to work it. The whole idea bears some similarity to the Fruity Loops Challenge, except you don't need a specific (commercial) host and the overall scope is more narrow, focusing on a single piece of equipment. Simplifies things in a way, also makes it tougher in another. The common ground obviously is the exploration of tools you generally don't use, or not utilize that deeply, because you have better and shinier gadgets. I don't have anything concrete planned as of yet, just checking if this can generate some interest. Compos are hard to launch off and harder to maintain, and i know for sure i'm not the best person for that job. Also, the forums do seem a little slow these days. But if this spawns atleast some level of interest and curiosity, that might be enough for one or a couple fun editions. Ait! Thoughts?

Yup, you need human taste to get to the meat. A computer might just chew on the cheese and pickles and spit out something rather hideous

Hi. Thanks to ASIO4All low latency drivers, you don't strictly need an audio interface. However, it's worth thinking about because many interfaces come with midi in, while also offering better inputs and amping for audio recording. If you can see yourself recording audio sometime, it's a kill two birds solution. Good cheap interfaces are easy to come by these days. Just as an example, google m-audio venom. Keyboard, controller, synth, audio interface, MIDI, USB. 200 bucks blowout sale. The adapter cable alone should work fine of course.

Fun analogy. Though what you're left with by downing the resolution is just a very basic piece of color mood. To preserve the essence, form and information in a lo pixel version, you'd have to get your hands dirty and do some careful pixel art. It's similar in music. Current techology would allow for a melodyne-like analyzation of a complex piece's tonal and timbral values, followed by a crass algorithmic simplification. What it spits out might carry over some basic qualities of the original mood, but most of the information that pertains to the compositional essence will likely be lost. Interestingly, just like a human being (in fact much moreso) an algorithm will have an easier time adding embellishments to something simple than downgrading complexity tastefully. Branching out offers the freedom of diversity, while focusing in on core qualities forces you to be very deliberate. Computers aren't too good at that.. Just my 2 c, i can't even program but it seems relatively common sense.

It's not just that, because it ties into the argument about modern VGM leaving less room for interpretation. Chiptunes and lofi sample/tracker tunes have that element of make-believe. No one hears the squarewaves in Silver Surfer as real guitars, but they're close enough to make you believe they could be. Same with "orchestral" SNES music like Actraiser. It's just appealing and common practice in vg remixing to take something that's hinted at in the original and fully realise it. Anything that sounds truly cinematic is by definition very much realised already. You have to do something else to it. Sure, it's great (and challenging) to completely change the genre or just get really interpretive in the same one, but it's not as commonly appealing. In theory you can transmogrify everything into anything. Yet, with orchestral music in particular, it seems like a somewhat one-sided flow: much more orchestrification than de-orchestrification. This is oversimplifying things, but in general people seem to like 'going bigger'. Like the good old rock band gone orchestral fad. Also a good example for bigger not always being better but it is in many ways easier to sound good by adding layers than by stripping away things and maintaining the essence.

Congrats dummy! Pick a good one. I half expected to win by default...being eligible for next round is better most def. Jonathan: my first remix was a castevania tune in 2004. it was PRC 12 or something Stick with it, good fun to be had.

it is a fun game to cast and watch casts from. i sometimes got a craving for a match or two, but knowing that i've played it to death and then some i just went on twitch and checked what's on offer. a good cast is still enjoyable, but after it i'm also reassured that i don't have much need to revisit the game. i remember you from a visit to the tf2 server, you did some random showcases of your casting abilities iirc. was fun. will drop by if i'm in the mood for watching this cursed game

I'm quite good at this game now. I also managed to stop playing it XD

Then again, i enjoy seeing triple A veterans scaling down their operations and going back to small teams.

Way cool! Beautifully dynamic, lively sequencing, very pretty cello. I came in expecting some actual 8bit instead of something reminiscent, but maybe it's for the better. guess this falls into the 9bit category, whatever that really means. But who cares, great mix!

https://soundcloud.com/skoshu/rebuild-the-myth 30 mins to render!! final part doesn't seem 100% finished to me, but good enough for now.

watch this guy. he has the neatest random workflow.