DJ-Arthur Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 Hi everyone! It's been a while since I worked on something (Again, I know...) and dug up this old WIP on my old computer... I've reworked and rearranged it and plan on finishing this track, so any suggestions, comments en critique would be nice! Updated: April 15th 2009 Download "Enter the Metalman" version 6 Format: MP3 Bitrate: 320kbps VBR Size: 4,74MB Duration: 3:42 EDIT: Download MIDI of the Source Download MP3 of the Source Version History: Version 6: * Trading Places and Mixed up some patterns * Modified the Second Bass Line Version 5: * Added more original parts * Made some changes in the Bass line during the end * Added ambient Effects (Echo and Reverb) to some instruments * Slight changes in the arrangement Version 4: * Added a more complex solo * More changes in the Bass Line * Rescaled Velocities throughout the track Version 3: * Added variation to the Bass line * upped the Tempo a bit * Played around with the drum sounds Version 2: * Slightly altered drums, to add some more power * tweaked the 1st and 2nd lead synths * little arrangement changes near the end Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nubioso Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 Source please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ-Arthur Posted May 10, 2009 Author Share Posted May 10, 2009 Source please Link added in the first post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nubioso Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 I like it, it was hard to tell just how different it'd be without that source. It sounds like it'd still be in the game just more updated synths. Sounds cool and all, but I wonder if it's going to be considered too close to the source. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ-Arthur Posted May 10, 2009 Author Share Posted May 10, 2009 Could be, but I think the new Bass line, arrangement and added parts are varying it up enough. I ripped the real source from my NES in MP3 and placed the link in the first post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spakku Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 It's boring. The old chiptune it's based on is actually more interesting to listen to. This just fades into the background, and I'm not even doing anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docevil000 Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 It makes me thing of the old mods Jazz Jackrabbit used but lacks that something that has you hooked to the original tune. I think it's the lead synth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ-Arthur Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 It makes me thing of the old mods Jazz Jackrabbit used but lacks that something that has you hooked to the original tune. I think it's the lead synth. Tweex_ mentioned something like that too, I'm tweaking the lead and 2nd lead synth now, but then the other synths get "out of whack"... I'll tweak some more, and post an update later on today Edit: Update is ready, and link available in the first post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jammerlink Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 May I suggest upping the tempo a bit? It feels a bit sluggish and speeding it up would give it some punch imho. Also the lead intro bass seems a bit *off* in the synch to its rhythm at the 0'08 - 0'10 section. I like the fullness that starts at 1'14 and again at 1'32 or so. Definitely going to be downloaded to my Zune and added to my playlist. Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gario Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Was anyone else thinking 'Metalman meets Mechanical Man from CC'? I couldn't think of anything else in that beginning part, lol. The mixing is pretty good, and I don't see anything technically wrong with it. However, Spakku basically said it - it's boring. There isn't anything here that catches the listener at all. You need to make the music pull at the listener - the bass, while fun for the beginning seems to just drag us along for the rest of the song. Change the texture up throughout the song; you'll find that will make us more interested in it for the long haul. Mind you, I actually find it to be pretty good - just hard to sit through three minutes of, as it is. We Americans have very short attention spans... keep us entertained! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ-Arthur Posted May 12, 2009 Author Share Posted May 12, 2009 Allright, I updated the track! Download it from the link at the top post. As Jammerlink suggested, I knocked the tempo from 130 BPM to 136, and it sounds good to me as it paces a tad quicker through the notes without getting muddy on me... I also played around with the bass line here and there to create some deviation from the rest of the riffs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulinEther Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Those 6 bpm helped, I think. At 1:15, the synth playing the third part of the melody is getting heavily drowned out/overpowered by the drums. Or maybe it's just not loud enough for me in general. I think my main gripe is that nothing gets really distinctively loud. Except like at 2:00 when all those instruments are doubling/tripling each other. Oh, really like the reference in the bg at ~2:30-2:40 of the ending of the initial melody (duh, dum, duh duh dum!). Still, it's not really able to keep my interest. With regards to that, consider playing around with the form of your song. Most of what you have going on is the metalman song coming in and out. It doesn't seem to go anywhere else, maybe it strikes me as rambling? I like it though. You've made some slick additions and changes to the original piece that work well, imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ-Arthur Posted May 13, 2009 Author Share Posted May 13, 2009 Ah yes, I forgot to re-master the main gain after playing with the note velocities in that part, I'll fix that. I'm also working on a more complex solo at the 1:52 mark, and a third bass line (well sort of...) to loosen the repetitiveness of the beat bass... Maybe add a filter? Somehow I get the urge to introduce a Grand Piano somewhere halfway through , though I doubt it'll sound "in place"... I'll definitely try it out and see what I can come up with. Edit: I couldn't get the piano to fit in, so I got rid of it... Blah... I did manage to make the bass follow the pattern I intended for the Piano, so not all is for naught. Also, I rendered version 4 to download, link, as always, in my first post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulinEther Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Whoa. This is going somewhere! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperiorX Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Was anyone else thinking 'Metalman meets Mechanical Man from CC'? I couldn't think of anything else in that beginning part, lol. I didn't hear any Mechanical Man... (and I grew up on C&C!)... but that would make a killer mash-up song. Metal Man and Command & Conquer. Nice! Maybe I should work on that next In regards to this song though... I like the rolling synths applied to the main theme, it's pretty catchy. As it stands now I think the song needs to be fleshed out more (more original parts, more variation, etc), as this tune has been remixed to death, but I think it has some potential. Keep on it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ-Arthur Posted May 14, 2009 Author Share Posted May 14, 2009 Okay, First of all, I'd like to thank the Lord for giving us Coffee which allowed me to stay awake long enough to get this posted... Back to topic: I hooked my Server up with Version 5 and I finally get the feeling I'm getting the hang of this track, and where it wants to go with me (Oh boy, that sounds so... creepy...). Anyways, I added more original stuff and got some blubber cleared up, then dropped it someplace else (where it actually sounds quite good), so cleaning is on my to-do list... Tell me if the Bass solo at 2:35 is a no-no, or a nice break, k? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulinEther Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 The bass solo was cool, I think. Frankly I love what you have going on after the first solo. Considering the amount of coverage the Metalman theme has gotten here and elsewhere, your interpretation is very refreshing, and I wish you could introduce some of your modifications to the melody and stuff earlier. Oh... one note about instrumentation or velocity. That bass (if that's what you're calling it?).. when it starts like doubling the melody starting at 1:00, and again at 1:03, and ESPECIALLY at 1:13 - I feel like its attack is too short. Along with its ... sustain? It comes in too fast, and it leaves very rapidly. It's just very loud, and it suddenly overpowers the rest and suddenly its gone again... maybe you could tweak that, or lower those notes' velocities? Just my thoughts. Like you said, you have an idea of where this is going and I really want to hear that carried out. Take breaks, if you can, lol. Don't need to stress out over this stuff (unless you're the type who must get everything out in one sitting or else it'll be gone)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ-Arthur Posted May 15, 2009 Author Share Posted May 15, 2009 Take breaks eh... I wish I took some time off of work, so I could take my time, but I guess it's for the better... Because of work, I have to step back at least once a day, giving me room for overview... Anyways, about the track: I'm switching around with my patterns, keeping the track's flow in mind, introducing the variation that now happens at the 0:56 mark at 0:28 instead, and put the "original" melody at 0:56. I added some minor changes to the original melody (Read: a single note) and gated the second part of the song when it's playing alone. @SoulinEther: About the bass, I didn't notice it before, but I changed the "twin stab"'s (Lame name, I know) texture a bit, so tell me if it's better now. http://www.webstudiovandijk.nl/OCRemix/WIP-Metalman6.mp3 I'll put this in the first post as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gario Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 I think it sounds better than before with the improvisation bits - variety is the spice of life. Be careful with the sudden switches from one voice to multiple voices at a time, the volume spikes that result are nasty. Turn down the velocity for the notes a bit to compensate for it. The textures are still stale as they progress (although the drop off at 2:22 is quite effective), so try changing that stuff around as much as you can (more than you have, already). I think it's the texture that you've had playing since the beginning of the song that drags it down a bit - be willing to change the actual texture more than you do (not just the notes). Was that Battletoads I heard in the middle of that (2:21)? Wow, talk about underrepresented games, here - it meshes quite nicely with the MM2 music . It's nice, but I don't feel it's quite there, yet. Keep it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XZero Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 I love the sound for this mix. I can't comment on whether it would be accepted and posted on the site, but it's really good and enjoyable. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to play some Mega Man 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulinEther Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 I think it sounds better than before with the improvisation bits - variety is the spice of life. Be careful with the sudden switches from one voice to multiple voices at a time, the volume spikes that result are nasty. Turn down the velocity for the notes a bit to compensate for it.Much more eloquently put than my stab at the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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