OoT - Gerudo Valley (need a little help again)

[DjMystix]

I know there's tons of Gerudo Valley mixes appearing left and right on the forums. I just came up with an idea and need people's opinion about whether to move forward with it or not.

This is very very short and just a sample of what I wanted to do. I'm going to mix Chillout and Cajun style together with a little taste of middle-east. Acoustic guitar work is rough and not final at all. Not many bg elements are present at the moment.

@Hewhoisiam: Just like last time, I think I need your expert and motivating comments once again. Feel free to crush this one if you don't like it

WIP Link:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3443029/My%20Remixes/WIP/OoT%20-%20Gerudo%20Valley.mp3

so is it worth finishing?

[Sbeast]

I know there's tons of Gerudo Valley mixes appearing left and right on the forums.

Your not wrong there. People can't get enough of those tasty flamenco melodies . As for this remix, I like the style your going for. I think it is worth finishing, just make sure you have enough interpretation, because so far the guitar is playing the exact same melodies as the original.

[DjMystix]

As for this remix, I like the style your going for. I think it is worth finishing, just make sure your you have enough interpretation, because so far the guitar is playing the exact same melodies as the original.

Thanks! As I said, it was nowhere near final. In fact, I have written a lot of original melody that can be easily merged with this song. I just couldn't decide between chillout or flamenco; (I always prefer chillout over anything). I'm gonna continue with this and come up with a refined and longer WIP

[Chris ~ Amaterasu]

I really like this, finish it please =D

[DjMystix]

I made a lot of progress since yesterday and now the remix needs your feedback to get polish and extra work done:

WIP#2 Link:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3443029/My%20Remixes/WIP/OoT%20-%20Gerudo%20Valley%20-%20revision%201.mp3

two things:

1. Nowhere near finished, I have to add some 2 more minutes of stuff

2. The guitar bit in the intro is not my writing, I heard it somewhere but can't remember

Appreciate all response.

[Malheureusement]

Well being a creator of a remix of this song myself, I must say that you're doing an excellent job. I LOVE this. It is so CHIIIILLL. You best finish it. It's going to be great.

I love the intro guitar, even though it's like the most used note pattern of all Marc-Antony-Enrique-Eglesias-The-Eagles-NESS around. lol I still love it.

The only critique I have is that you bring out that low flute from the background and pan it and the guitar if you haven't already (blasted speakers). The flute/guitar thing is lovely.

[Chris ~ Amaterasu]

I really enjoyed the guitar solo actually, amazing how good simple writing can be for a lead, I also liked the synth/flute thing also

I think the strings chipping in the background with that 4 same note motif, maybe try fiddling with it. I don't know how easy it is to do synth wise, but I know they can sound much warmer and with a lot more feeling in real life. This is my experience a second violinist who constantly has to play notes like that coming through lol, but yeah really liking it still =)

Btw what do you use to record for the guitar if you don't telling? I don't know too much about the finer points of guitar performance but sounds very nice

[AkumajoBelmont]

Wow man, I am absolutely loving this. Seriously. Everything is so well defined and pretty... I adore it all. I second the comment about the strings... they sound fine in the intro, but they blend in a little too much into the background as the mix progresses... they could sound a fair bit warmer, and I'd love to hear some more dynamic variation. The string stabs could also occasionally cut through a little more... a well placed louder stab could really give the mix more guts.

But man, I am loving your style in general. You've come a long way and you have way potential!

Awesome stuff dude, I'm so rapt with this mix.

[Dissidia]

It's too short, but I still push the replay over and over. Come on finish it

[DjMystix]

Awesome feedback! Thank you everyone, I'm so glad you guys liked it and now feel more pressured to be extra careful with the details. Some quick responses:

Well being a creator of a remix of this song myself, I must say that you're doing an excellent job

Actually, it was your mix which sparked the interest in me to create my own version. Thank you for the inspiration. Other one was Diggi Dis's mix.

it's like the most used note pattern of all Marc-Antony-Enrique-Eglesias-The-Eagles-NESS around

aah. so that's why it sounds so familiar and the reason I couldn't pin point the source

I think the strings chipping in the background with that 4 same note motif, maybe try fiddling with it

Noted and totally agree with you and Robbie. I'm definitely going to do something about it. It's so amazing that you guys listens so closely; even I didn't realize it until you mentioned it.

It's too short, but I still push the replay over and over. Come on finish it

The "likness" will wear out soon if you keep listening to it I hope it lasts until I can provide a finished song. Thanks!

and finally Robbie:

I cam up with some original writings for this song but will take extra time to make everything right.

You've come a long way and you have way potential!

All because of people like you and many others here. But yeah, I think in last 6-7 years, I made a lot of improvements. Still, tons and tons of stuff to learn from all of you.

I'm gonna take some extra time to iron out the problems plus I want to re-write the second half. My next update is going to be a near finished build. Thanks you all for the motivation.

[Sbeast]

This is coming along nicely. Flowing arrangement and good use of humanization on some of the samples. The violins have already been covered by others I see. Is that a Theremin towards the end, or just a glissando sine wave with a low pass filter?

[DjMystix]

I know I said I'm gonna post a near finished version but I need some more opinions. I wrote something original for this song between 1:50 and 3:00 and I'd like to know if you guys like it or not (especially 2:08 onwards). If no one likes it, I might drop the whole idea and start from scratch.

Revision 2:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3443029/My%20Remixes/WIP/OoT%20-%20Gerudo%20Valley%20-%20revision%202.mp3

- Just recorded some not-so-polished guitar leads and added some elements.

- I have ironed out the strings/violin issues

- Also 3:01+ is a filler for now just to let you know how I'm planning on coming back to the source.

As always, all feedback is greatly appreciated!

[AkumajoBelmont]

I know I said I'm gonna post a near finished version but I need some more opinions. I wrote something original for this song between 1:50 and 3:00 and I'd like to know if you guys like it or not (especially 2:08 onwards). If no one likes it, I might drop the whole idea and start from scratch.

Revision 2:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3443029/My%20Remixes/WIP/OoT%20-%20Gerudo%20Valley%20-%20revision%202.mp3

- Just recorded some not-so-polished guitar leads and added some elements.

- I have ironed out the strings/violin issues

- Also 3:01+ is a filler for now just to let you know how I'm planning on coming back to the source.

As always, all feedback is greatly appreciated!

I really like the idea man, sounds great! Would be even better to hear you iterate on that idea and go nuts with the guitar too, some awesome improv solo-y stuff would really take this somewhere special. Also, I suggest that after you come back to the source, really start to ramp up the track... the only downfall of this track I can see is that if you keep it going longer than about 3 1/2 mins, you'll really need to up dynamics toward the end to maintain interest... some stronger percussion, some harder layers underneath. Just something to really send the mix out on the highest note possible.

But man, I am all about this mix. Love it

EDIT: Forgot to mention, I love the new louder strings! Big improvement

[Rozovian]

Guitar is the only thing that really bothers me, both an mechanical quality to it (timing/velocity or just in the samples, dunno), and (inhuman but could be because of sample repetition) how those special guitar technique thing samples repeat the same way. Doing some humanization (or more of it) should help with the first, and varying when and how prominently those whatever-they're-called samples. You might also have a problemn with the synth lead in the middle of the track, it might get a bit piercing on some speakers. A bit shrill on the laptop at least.

It flows nice, guitar might use some added phat (hard to tell its low mids and lows on laptop speakers) but sounds ok, nice sound choices, rhythms, the lot. I'd say it's ocr material, just gotta fix the rough edges and stuff. And make a proper ending. Nice work.

note: laptop speakers, I might find it terrible on proper listening gear.

[Sbeast]

By 2:08 the mix was lacking some original melodic input, but the section you added in sorts that problem out. It feels like Gerudo Valley but it is clearly your own material. I also think the percussion is used nicely throughout the song and really fills out the space. I second AkumajoBelmont's point about building the dynamics towards the end. Good stuff.

[tdpole]

Just wanted to chime in with my two cents here... I LOVE what you've got so far, it's very well done and really flows well together! Please, please finish this one, I can't wait to hear what the completed project will sound like.

And for what it's worth, I quit lurking on these forums just to post some encouragement. That's gotta say something!

[Calum]

This is an enjoyable mix, at 02:42 I really wanted that to go to a major chord! I know it's probably far too late to be adding in major sections BUT, that was what I wanted.

That said, it kept me entertained throughout and then in anticipation at the very end. If you go with my major section then you could have a lovely tierce de picardie at the end, maybe.

Except ignore all of that!

Perhaps you could end it with a series of guitar chords, considering your guitar sound is apparently a sample (it fooled me) maybe that wouldn't sound too great? I'm not sure, you tell me! But that may be a good way to slow everything down and end it.

Good work anyway!

[DjMystix]

Thank you all for the encouragement. I've been incredibly busy with work these days to come back to this mix. I really appreciate your feedback and definitely will apply all suggestions I received so far (no guitar looping, revised acoustic guitar in my original writing, shortened duration, dynamic ending etc.)

Sorry Calum but I already did what you were asking for (major chord) in my previous mix (Sunset Riders - Bleeding Guns). I thought about it as well and even actually tried it in this mix; but it just didn't work the way it did in the other mix. Also, adding a major section will take away the chilly feeling of the song IMO.

I really hope I find enough time next week to finish this. Once again, thanks for the feedback; you guys rock!

[Calum]

Not a problem! I completely get where you're coming from, it was just an instant reaction to listening to that part!

Keep it up!

[Tydin]

Im not one to know what I'm talking about, when it comes to the subject of samples, humanizing, reverb and all that jazz, all I know is I love how this sounds, and I look forward to hearing how it turns out! Keep up the awsome work!