Mega Man 3- Snake Man in the Grass

[DMaster]

Well, in case you haven't guessed; I'm a n00b.

This is just the first minute and a half of the song (because that's all I've got so far). Ummmm... Any feedback or comments would be really helpful, and I will keep on working on this. Oh, I also use FL Studio 8:tomatoface:, so if anyone knows of some good free VST plugins, that'd be great too.

WIP can be found at:

http://dmastermusic.webs.com/worksinprogress.htm

(Sorry for using Webs.com, but I don't have many other options... yet.)

"Snake! Look out! The guys who stole my stealth prototypes are in there with you!"

-Hal "Otacon" Emmerich

[Gario]

Can't help with the soundfonts (I use Reason - it's a whole different animal). However, I can take a look at the track. Let's see...

Yeah, there are some neat ideas in here, for sure (I liked the introduction of the bass, there, with the space and all), but it's certainly undeveloped. Drum samples would be a huge boon to the entire beginning (a thicker tom & a thinner hat would be great, there, just so you know what to look for).

The production is murder, here - clipping everywhere. Turn down the instruments that fuzz out, like the square wave & guitar synth (called 'Clipping', by the way) until the fuzz is gone. Then try mixing the tracks and such so instruments are in the front or back using the mixer, all while avoiding the clipping. It's tricky, but it makes a good track into a great one.

I'm going to take it a step further and say get rid of the square altogether. It's not a bad instrument, but it's terrible in this context. Try another instrument that isn't so pure sounding, there. I'm sure FL comes with at least a couple of instruments that you could use instead.

The soundscape is pretty empty, at times. If you have open space, it's alright, but too much kills a song. Up to the square the space isn't bad, but you really need some textures and such filling the space after a point, or else you'll lose your audience.

As for places to host, Box.net & Tindeck.net are both great for that. I believe Fireslash made a site just for WIPs, as well, posted on the sticky in the forums, so you can check that out, too.

Hope this helps you a bit - good luck!

[DMaster]

Thank you for your advice! I'm thinking of inserting a faint version of the stage intro during the bass riff. I'm also checking out some other Percussion VSTs, so maybe I'll find something that works (The FPC in FL Studio is decent, but limited.)

I've fixed the clipping, and I will keep that in mind throughout this song.

Thanks Again!

[AJ-enova]

Link doesn't work anymore

[A-RoN]

In terms of helping you VST and soundfont wise since Fruity supports both, this place sports quality for almost anything you need:

http://www.flstudiomusic.com/

[DMaster]

I've done quite a bit of work on this track now. It's nowhere

near perfect (especially towards the end, because I'm planning on going further),

but I do think I've made some real progress.

WIP can be found at:

http://dmastermusic.webs.com/

and then going to the Works in Progress page.

"Additional Generic Video Game Quote!"

[AJ-enova]

I've done quite a bit of work on this track now. It's nowhere

near perfect (especially towards the end, because I'm planning on going further),

but I do think I've made some real progress.

WIP can be found at:

http://dmastermusic.webs.com/

and then going to the Works in Progress page.

"Additional Generic Video Game Quote!"

The link still doesnt work...

[Gario]

Now the link doesn't work for me, either. It was, but it's stopped...

Why don't you check out a place like Box.net or Tindeck? They're pretty good (and they're free), so check them out.

[DMaster]

Oops... Well, the link works for me, so I don't know what the deal is.

Anyway, I've taken Gario's advice and started using Box.net. Keep in

mind that the end of song isn't done, but this is an update of my progress.

Hopefully, a working link to the WIP:

http://www.box.net/shared/o43leekyv1

Cheers!

[Gario]

Now that you've got a working link, let's see what you've done, here...

Mixing will be a godsend to this WIP, 'cause at the moment the textures just dominate while the rest of the song gets drown. It's surprisingly better than the last version up here, volume-wise (the instruments don't clip nearly as bad - woo for no fuzz!). Mix it so the melodies + themes are in the front of the mix and the textures are farther in the back.

I like the guitar thing, but again - put him more in the back.

The soundscape issues are still there, but they're not as bad as before. The clipping is still there, too, but it's only in a few spots (the bass, in particular, is a nasty culprit). I love the instrument change - it makes a world of difference.

Drums would be nice, but don't overdo it. Something sparse would really help fill the soundscape nicely.

The end of the song is a little abrupt, there. If the structure is still in progress, by all means finish it. If it's finished, I'm here to say it's too abrupt .

Alrighty, thanks for switching hosts, there - I got your other site to work, just now, but it's quite sporadic and unreliable. You made the right choice hosting on box .

[DMaster]

Well, I think I've removed most of the clipping (FL Studio also clips when I use too much CPU, so it's hard to tell the difference). The mixing still needs to occur for some channels, and the ending (at least it's there) I REALLY must fix, but it's there with percussion (I might have gone overkill, so be warned).

WIP is at:

http://www.box.net/shared/zqproedo5x

The previous version's still there, too.

[Gario]

I don't think people are aware of how far this track has moved from the original WIP you posted. I'll let you know right now that I'm quite impressed with the progress made on it. I mean, really - it actually is shaping up to be fairly enjoyable.

It's not there yet, though, so let's hear what's up in the music.

The mixing is far better. It could be better still - the melody is still being buried at times, along with the bass. Rather than bringing them forward, I recommend taking the textures back a few more notches and posting a quieter track in the next WIP. From there we can make it louder, but it's important to have everything mixed very well.

I like the drums in this. Hell, I'd even say have more fun with it. They're great to have, but they're a little boring, atm. Play with the hats, with the beats, etc. and find out if there's a sound you'd like to stick with somewhere. This isn't too important for the track, really, but it's something you might want to do simply so you learn drum sequencing better. The only way to move on from noooooobiness is to practice and play with the tools at hand .

The arrangement is a little on the 'meh' side. There are good things about it, but it just doesn't feel like enough, yet. Don't worry too much about it yet, but realize it's an issue you'll eventually want to handle.

Yeah, the ending isn't that great, but you know that. No use looking at it - just work on an ending, however you'd like to approach it .

It's shaping up, but it isn't there yet. Keep at it!

[DMaster]

It's not finished, yet. (arrangement needs work.) However, I've changed the percussion a bit, adjusted textures, made a (slightly) better ending, and fixed some more clipping. *phew* It's turning out better than I expected, so that is a victory in and of itself.

WIP is at:

http://www.box.net/shared/f81hzcdg5s

"No one will listen to reason from the mouth of a beast."

-Cornell, Castlevania Judgement

[Gario]

Arrange it as you please. You've been targeting and eliminating the problems quite nicely. The mix is actually quite good, now (the melody could be a touch louder throughout and the hats at the end a bit quieter, but that's all I can think about, for that...). Now we're moving on to some more interesting territory - Samples and EQ.

As you've requested on this thread, the samples really do need to be changed altogether. They's just too simple & midi-like to really make the work shine. The flute, the synths, hell, the guitar could even change (although I personally like that sample, in particular). There have been some suggestions on here as to where to find better samples, as well as this sticky found here supplying you with all sorts of new samples & VSTi supplies. Look at them, investigate them and incorporate them - these are things we can't help you with at all past what's been done, so you need to get crackin' there.

If you want to leave the instruments alone, fine - I'll like it anyway (but it won't be accepted on OCR on those grounds, alone). In the meantime the entire sound of your track is far too low in the highs and a touch to high in the mids. What's that mean? It means the track needs to have an equalizer attached to the master track and adjust the levels of the frequencies. This can clean up the track and clean the sound up considerably. Lowering the mids (I'm thinking lower mids, here) and raising the highs is what it sounds like the track needs, imo, so toy with that for a while and see what you like, there.

Experiment with those ideas, and continue to expand the ideas in the arrangement, there. I hope this helps

[DMaster]

Thank you for all your help and advice. I've managed to find some (excellent) soundfonts and VSTs to use, and the EQ issues are currently being fixed. Only effort, time (and my insatiable thirst for insanity) will tell where this mix ends up. Thank you again, and I hope to have a completed project in the somewhat near future.

"DO A BARREL ROLL!"

-Peppy Hare, Star Fox 64

[DMaster]

Sorry, It's been awhile. 3 weeks of on-again, off-again work while doing other projects has left me feeling a little spacey... Ah, but you're here about a remix!

I've fixed the EQ (I think... I've listened a couple of times, and I brought up the bass and high-end, lowered the medium range, and it sounds decent, imho.) I've added a somewhat competent ending, toned down the hats (Making ears bleed is NOT my intention) and changed some pads and percussion around. I haven't changed the pan flute or guitar yet, because I just can't find anything that works better for this mix (I'm trying to go for a clean-ish guitar) and the arrangement has been left intact because I'm batting zero on ideas (for now, anyway).

WIP can be found at:

http://www.box.net/shared/2abax5ddbu

[No Escape]

OK I can see where this is going. The sounds are pretty fake, but I'll try not to bash them, as I'm sure you know. The intro bass should have a little sustain on it, so there are no "dead spots" without music. The snare is downright pitiful. It needs some EQ work at both 150 Hz and 3KHz (thereabouts). The lead at 1:33 is over resonant at 350, 700, and 1400 Hz, so I would duck out a few Db on each frequency. The kick isn't really clear to me, but that's preference at that point (The bass is pretty prominent). Also, don't use echoes or delays on drums (ESPECIALLY sampled ones). It sounds blatantly bad. I personally didn't listen to your first link, so I don't know the improvement rate, but Gario said you're on the right track, and he knows his shit. I would keep at it and take every review as what it is- a chance to be a better musician. Good luck!