LoZ: Link's Awakening "Owl Theme" WIP

[Nav]

http://www.zophar.net/download.php?file=gbs/zelda.zip - Original Soundtrack

http://navij11.com/owl_lozla.mp3- Remix WIP

So guys, here I am with another WIP. This one is house, very deep! Listen for the sub!

It was heavily influenced by Daft Punk, but a lot of that influence doesn't really show up in the track! I think its nice, I'm just looking for a bit of advice, as its a bit short, and feels somewhat incomplete. The source is tiny, so you might miss its usage (though you shouldn't). Its also in 3/4, so I needed to adapt. I seem to do a lot of remixes with 3/4 sources, considering that my last one (that Kirby one) was too.

Anyways, I'm looking for opinions, and advice about:

Additional instruments/FX?

Arrangement?

Mixing?

Whatever else you feel like talking about?

I'm not gonna hold you up with my blabber much longer! Take a listen, and tell me what you think! Thanks!

[Rozovian]

This is what I can hear from using _one_ earphone. While some of it might not apply, it might be useful feedback anyway. Fix what you agree with.

The cutoff sweep in the intro might be a bit too long. Drums should fade in rather than enter by being less and less cutoff, their appearance is now a bit too sudden for the fade-in-flavored intro. Hihats are too loud.

Each section is a bit too repetitive on its own, even for a genre like this. It makes the whole remix feel much longer and less interesting.

It is, however, a really cool style. With the right tweaks and enough material, this would be OCR material. I'll listen to source later, and comment on that then.

[Rozovian]

Theme is the first thing heard, that's a good intro. Cutoff sweep is too slow.

Drums sound better on decent headphones, but I'd still drop thehihat levels a bit. When the noisy synth comes in, it feels like a different song, so you need to blend them together better. For that matter, the synth in question is pretty silly when it's on its own, you might want to tweak it or just not make such a big soundscape change when it starts playing.

Overall, it's promising, but not quite there yet. Consider using another theme for melody, it gets a little lonely for the source to have its moment alone and then be overshadowed by other parts. You could also adapt it to work as a lead somewhere. Cool sound, it'll be interesting to see how this turns out.

[Nav]

I've updated it. Check the original post for the link, or go to http://navij11.com/owl_lozla.mp3

[Rozovian]

Not gonna get too in-depth tonight... this morning.

There's improvements abounds, mostly in production (if memory serves). A few notes that feel like they don't belong in that key sig.

Some of the drums, the snare and the crash at the end, they sound a bit cheesy and cheap. Tweak or replace.

But this is cool. Was getting tired of it just about when it ended, so it's a good length, at least this time of day. Overall cool, but unless I missed something, it'll need more source, methinks.

[Nav]

Not gonna get too in-depth tonight... this morning.

There's improvements abounds, mostly in production (if memory serves). A few notes that feel like they don't belong in that key sig.

Hm, I didn't think they clashed too much. I'll try and adjust.

Some of the drums, the snare and the crash at the end, they sound a bit cheesy and cheap. Tweak or replace.

Meh, they're 909 samples. I'll add some compression to phatten them up a bit, and see if it helps at all.

But this is cool. Was getting tired of it just about when it ended, so it's a good length, at least this time of day.

Since you've heard it, that probably means its a good length for keeping interesting, without going overboard.

Overall cool, but unless I missed something, it'll need more source, methinks.

I'll see what I can do on that end. The source is 3/4, so its been hard to incorporate!

Thanks for the quick response!

[Nav]

Updated again... Now with stunning new features! Like... KEY CHANGES!! Ooohhh... and reverb on the snare!!

Enjoy, I hope its getting closer XD

[Chickenwarlord]

I know this source is sparse, but this sounds a little bit too empty. Maybe put in some more low pads to fill out the soundscape. There is no real low presence that I can hear on these speakers.

Some melody over the original rift would probably be a step in the right step arrangement wise. The last fifth of the song is remarkably exposed. That bitcrushed lead would sound much better if it were moving along with other things.

[Nav]

I know this source is sparse, but this sounds a little bit too empty. Maybe put in some more low pads to fill out the soundscape. There is no real low presence that I can hear on these speakers.

Um... don't the drums and bass have enough bass to fill it out? I didn't want to crowd the lower end. You might want to check your speakers.

Some melody over the original rift would probably be a step in the right step arrangement wise.

I could've sworn that there was a melody in there over the original. Or at least, I think.

The last fifth of the song is remarkably exposed. That bitcrushed lead would sound much better if it were moving along with other things.

Lead? The whole song gets bitcrushed - its on the master. What do you mean moving along with other things?

Confusing.

[Chickenwarlord]

My speakers are notoriously bad at catching bass, so I'll assume that the problem is on my end, not yours.

With regards to the bitcrush I'm talking about the part near the end where the sample rate reduction is kicked up to the next level. I feel as if you need something else there to fill it out.

The whole melody over the top thing is more of a personal preference. The one you have now doesn't feel as if it connects to itself.

Edit: Got onto a station with better speakers and gave it a listen there. The bass issues were pretty much all resolved. The melody came out better as well.

My only criticism is the empty feeling at the end when you're going down the scale with that heavily sample-reduced lead. I feel that ending texture could be much better with a little more fleshing out.

Sorry for my terrible laptop speakers confusing the hell out you with my previous crits.

[Nav]

Haha, I thought that was the problem. Yeah, my speakers suck too, so I can see where that would happen.

Ok, thanks for the criticism! I'll work a bit more on the ending...

[Rozovian]

Stereo snare, with noise/distortion... I don't like it. Might be a genre thing, or just your own. I recommend making it a bit less... whatever it is.

Some of your synths are a bit too simple. They sound okay, but the judges might be looking for something better than that. See if you can find something else to use, for at least some of the track. Then again, Platonist's track uses kind'a low-quality sounds. The repetition is also a problem, even with the key sig change.

The genre don't really lend itself to variation and soundscaping, at least not as you approach it. You could use more pads, a more driving lead, something for variation without breaking too far from genre. The feedback checklist really isn't made for dnb (bold stuff):

ARRANGEMENT / INTERPRETATION

PRODUCTION

[x] Low-quality samples

[x] Generic/cliche sound choices

PERFORMANCE (live recorded audio/MIDI parts)

STRUCTURE

[x] Not enough changes in sounds

[X] Too repetitive

Summed up. Note the difference between uppercase and lowercase X's.

It's not bad, but the genre makes it difficult to say what the judges will think. Go bother them about it on #ocrwip for better feedback about how they'd treat

[The Derrit]

Heyo, back again for more comments. Loved the Kirby one, did that get YES'd or is it still in line for judging? Anyhow, commenting time.

I can't comment on the arrangement next to the source because I don't have the program to run the OST supplied, so I'm going to assume you have a good connection to the source.

Start from the top. I do enjoy the way you led in the piece with the drums and the echo bringing in the beginning. The problem was once the drums were all the way in, they're really not that exciting. I understand trance isn't supposed to have some sort of rediculous, eclectic drumset, but the snare and the hi hat are both very generic. I know you can do better, Kirby and the Magic Mirror had a great, unobtrusive set, and something in a similar vein would work here I think. Regardless, another drumset could help this as a whole I believe.

Also coming from the beginning of the piece, I was very excited with the swirling sounds in the intro. However, once the piece is in full swing, they just dissapear. I think that echo-y idea would carry over very well into the rest of the piece, possibly having that swirl in the background throughout. It does come back from time to time, but when it dissappears the piece is left with a notably empty spot where it once was; in general the soundscape is pretty filled, but just dropping that is noticable. You don't have to use that swirl per se, maybe bring in something else for when you don't want it there, but filling that space would be beneficial to the piece as a whole.

Some people have been saying its too repetitive, but I don't believe that to be as large a problem. Its that kind of piece. Some variation could be used, but I don't think I'd be a proper person to comment on where, as I listen to drum and bass, which is far from variant. The only "variation" that is needed I think is at the end. The song doesn't really end, it just fuzzes up the drums and then fades quickly. If I could be so bold, try something different. I feel like this is the area which makes this piece the most incomplete; the drum fuzzing doesn't really work with the rest of the song, and it grated on me personally.

Despite these criticisms, I enjoy this song. Of course what help would it be if I just told you that and nothing else? Good work, and I hope to see this brought to the level of Amazing Mirror!

[Dafydd]

Well I liked it.

[Nav]

Haha, I thought this thing had died. I guess I'll need to resurrect it, and take a harsh, critical look and make it a lot better.

Maybe. I just realized that it needs a lot of work. My main issue here is that melody that comes in later. I don't like it, and I don't like the synth. I'll fix that, and then I'll take all of your advice.

I too like the swirly thing, its one of my favorite synths I've made I'll put it in more if you liked it.

The drums are pretty generic for house, I'll need to see what I can do. I know that Kirby and the Amazing Mirror had a good (decent) drum-sample set, but that was a totally different genre. I'll need to see what I can come up with!

Thanks for all the feedback!