Bahamut Lagoon 'Epicedium'

[Grayburg]

Okay, I think I've definitely gotten better. This sounds miles ahead of the shit I've been posting up till now. I'm pretty proud of this one. :3

I think the sound quality is OCR-worthy, but the arrangement probably still isn't. I did do a bit with the second half of the song, though. I don't know how to do the intro or ending, either, if it still needs work.

source:

v1

http://ifile.it/mopswcy

v2

http://ifile.it/b9kv0gt

[Rozovian]

No source link, no source comment.

The bass in the intro sounds a bit ill fitting. It also feels a few dB too quiet. Piano has some bg clicks and pops, sample problems I suspect, clear in the :49-1:07 section, check it and fix it, fix it elsewhere too.

Piano could be a bit more performance-sounding. This is something of a piano track, despite it having a lot of trance elements to it, so emphasize the piano more by developing the piano writing.

The overall sound is pretty good, tho I'd try to get the drums a little louder, a little harder. See if you can compress them more. I'd also suggest using a pad to control the mood more, it's a great way to change it up, too. If you'll use 'em, make sure not to wrap everything in pads, I like the more exposed, bare, clear sound this has.

Arrangement is repetitive, has a lot of underdeveloped parts, the piano could use some more elaborate writing... I'm a bit concerned that this is source melody+random background track, so you might want to make sure you've got recognizeable source elements incorporated in the bass and the backing as well.

It's pretty good, but like you said, the arrangement probably isn't OCR-worthy yet. Also, the contrast between the orchestral and the electronic sections is kind'a sharp, so you might want to use pads to transition from one to the other. The snare roll works, but it still feels a little too hard.

Blah, blah. it's enjoyable, could be great. Keep working on it.

[Grayburg]

Okay, source link provided, which will disappoint you.

I thought the bass sounded pretty.. funky? stylish, I don't know how to say it, but it was too quiet. I raise it up a bit, along with the kick.

The piano's a FL Keys preset, so I could change to a soundfont, or something, but I thought I had a really good piano sound. I really like it, too. The clicking on the low parts.. I'm pretty sure it's a delay effect I stuck onto the piano. Is it not a good thing? I thought it was.

I do have a pad running, but I guess it's also too quiet. I'll make it more noticeable.

Okay.. to the main problem. Arrangement.

I'm not even able to create a random background, it's actually the original background. That 1:37+ arpeggio (pretty sure that's what it is) is the most advanced thing I've done. Ever. I used to use a synth preset that did even that for me.

I have no musical knowledge. So, I'm lost when it comes to trying to compose my own intro, ending or, the scariest, a solo.

I think I have an idea about how to approach it, though. The way that 1:37 was done, I took the original pad's chords and just played them. A solo would basically be that, plus a couple more octaves of those same notes, right? Right approach? or is not knowing music not going to cut it for OCR?

I really do feel like getting this accepted.

[Rozovian]

This might be a bit too close to source, despite the genre adaptation. Then again, you haven't done much to change it yet, and I've listed some ways to do that in this post and in the earlier one.

The piano sound is fine, save for the noises. With performance, I mean to make it a bit more human. A trance track with piano doesn't have to be, but a piano track with trance should. That means to add left-hand writing, humanize velocities, possibly make changes to note lengths and timing. That's what I meant with performance - that is sounds performed rather than sequenced.

I heard a backing melody on something that could be a pad, and listen close, I can hear the pad. Don't raise it too much, and do keep in mind that the pad can be used to bridge the orchestral and the electronic sections as it's mellow enough to fit into both worlds. Also, varying the pad writing can, like I said before, change the emotional landscape a lot.

1:37, you're talking about the piano, right? It sounds okay, it's one of the more human sounding sections (the writing, at least). Good job on that, now analyse it and learn what makes it good. Apply the same attributes to other parts of the piano writing without copying the arpeggio.

Everything takes practice. Forcing yourself to write a few original tracks is a great way to learn how to do it. I started... six years or so, to do that, and I'm pretty happy about my writing skills. I'm sure you've tried, but TRY AGAIN. All you need is to learn (at this stage anyway) is how notes interact (different chords, dissonance, and key signature) and how you can hear if two rhythms are working together or against each other.

Let's talk about your idea for a solo. Your idea might work, but I suggest also copying bits and pieces of other parts of the writing to make it fit and be more than three note-motions. Listen to some solos in some OCRemixes and see what's different. Play it in your head. Write more than one version, and then use the one that works best.

Knowing music and making music are two very different things. As an adaptation from one genre to another, this is quite successful. Take a backup, and play around with it, see what you can change without making it sound bad. Change chords, move sections, add writing, change rhythms... See what you can do.

I think you've done ok for someone who says they don't have any musical knowledge. Keep imnproving, both you and the track.

[Grayburg]

Okay, moved the original second half to the first half, and made a new second half.

A solo's out of my abilities right now, so I just went with random additions to the main part. lol

Changed a few velocities and some general volume levels.

Also switched one of the background instruments.

http://ifile.it/b9kv0gt

[Rozovian]

Kick seems a bit out of synch at times. It also doesn't quite have the punch it should. The hihats seem to have been EQd a little too much, there's a high frequency area that sounds really dry, and you've managed to place them there. Balance it out a bit more, give them a little more mids.

There's also occasional little noises thata re pretty annoying. It could come from a too slow attack on a limiter/compressor, so check all of those. Ultimately, you'll want to have a limiter on the end of the effect chain on the master channel to kill any peaks, so make sure that it's got time to process (slow attack). As for compressors, too slow attack means the track could clip before it's fully compressed.

Need more interpretation, methinks. See what source variations you can create.

There's a lot of really cool backing stuff going on on the piano in the 1:38 area. I like it. Especially since you're "not even able to create a random background". It could use some softening. If you've got it as a separate piano track with separate settings, give it a bit longer attack to make it smoother. Volume balance between them is excellent.

You're improving. You're not pwnsome yet, tho, and neither is the tracjk, but it's heading the right direction.