Majora's Mask-- Calling the Four Giants

[benevolensaurus]

Hey guys. Been a while since I posted. ..A long while.

I.. had one other WIP, a while ago. Didn't do too well on that. So, this is my second attempt. So, definitely, I.. could use.. some.. .. advice. Yes. Advice. Please?

original: Majora's Mask-- Calling the Four Giants

[[removed]]

mine: [[removed]]

Thank you very much for listening. And please advise, oh yes. Unless the song just sucks, and that's all you can think of because it's just that bad, in which case.. I'm very sorry.

[Rozovian]

Intro is pretty much the same as source, with a neat mallet with original writing. Arrangement overall is pretty much as source, but there's some cool additional writing, interesting sound choices, but an overall monotonous, repetitive sound. Here are some things you could do about that: new chord progression, different pace for the melodies, play the chords differently (e.g. arpeggio), change the key signature...

When the trance-like section comes in, a really distorted melody starts playing. It has at least two flaws. One, the sound it really painful, it's like some frequency was boosted to the extreme, so dampen whatever frequency's doing that, and if you'ev cut higher frequencies, don't. Two, some of the time, the strings are occupying about the same frequency, especially when it plays after the drums come in - it gets pushed into the soundscape, it's not a lead.

The tremolo strings sample doesn't sound good since the tremolo changes rate with the pitch of the sample. If you'd have several tremolo strings samples, you could layer them on top of each other to even it out, but they'd have to be different.

It's a nice start, but aside from the additional instruments, there's not much original content here. You should cut the source apart, analyse it, and see what ideas arise from that. You need to make this your own, and you need to avoid making it repeat the same thing the same way with the only change being additional instruments. More variations, more change, more dynamics, make it interesting. From what I hear, you've got what it takes. Good luck!

[benevolensaurus]

Hey, thanks for the advice! That's very helpful! I tried to follow it as best I could.. [[removed]]

Edit notes:

@bad tremolo string sample: I tried doing that 'layering' thing you mentioned, but I don't know if I did it right (I don't know if it sounds okay now).. I couldn't figure out how to get crossfading to cross more than two samples at once, either, if that's possible.

@grating synth: when I read that, I was guessing you were referring to that thing I noticed in iTunes where when the 'lead' synth comes in, one of the bars shoots up and stays up. So I tried to change the synth to dampen that. I dunno, I think I got it.

@strings intruding on main melody: the 'especially after the drums come in' part made me suspect you were referring to the low-ish strings that I tried to make as a 'countermelody' sort of thing for the lead. So I turned the low-ish strings into the low-ish chords they had been playing earlier and used another synth for the countermelody. I don't know how I feel about that though, it still kind of seems like it's trying to force its way into the song. But I'd like to keep the countermelody thing, if I can...

@boring intro: I tried to change that a bit. Ehh.

@not very original: ..well, I haven't been able to think of much to change or add. I added something in the middle, but other than that.. not much. :/

Hey, thanks a lot for the feedback, though, I really appreciate it.

edit: I'm wary of keeping the links up for all eternity, and it's probably not going to get any more responses, so... removed.