Super Mario World Castle Theme (Dubstep/Hip-Hop)

[DJSoto13]

So, it's been awhile since I've posted (been pretty busy), but here's the Castle Theme from Super Mario World in a dubstep/hip-hop interpretation.

I have a few questions:

How do I get the drums to sound "thicker"? EQ, maximizer, stereo, what?

Does anyone have any links to drum composition tutorials? I can hack out a passable drum beat in ReDrum, but here, I'm using a couple of mixed-around drum loops.

Any EQ/mastering things you noticed while listening to it? Is it too quiet?

Original:

Thanks, OCR.

[Vidilian]

The most obvious to make the drums thicker is to layer two drum sounds over eachother. But yeah theres other ways that someone can probably help you with.

Other than that I think the drums are too quiet in your mix and I think you could make the bass a bit bassier (by adjusting the EQ I guess) since thats what dubstep is all about

[Doni]

Hello my friend,

To answer your questions:

Thicker drums could be achieved in many ways. You could put a compressor on them or a gate. You could layer some more on top as has been mentioned previously. If you do layer the drums, try putting some chrous on one of the layers to give the drums some added depth.

Drum composition tutorials can be found en masse on youtube.

The mix is a bit too quiet... the bass needs more power definitely. Can barely hear the wub wub. It is an interesting chillaxing style you've got here. The switch up from hip hop to dubstep is pretty cool but if the drop was harder it would be more awesome.. keep working at it

hope that helps

[DJSoto13]

Thanks for your help, guys. Aside from taking Doni's advice (compression and a slight chorus), I made it a little more dubsteppyish (a bit more wobble, nothing too filthy/no drops or anything).

[M249-M4A1]

I'm really digging this track! I especially love 1:29+. It sounds very full.

As a way to add more energy or to begin building up energy, I would recommend you slowly increase the volume of the WUBUBUBUBUBU sound at 1:29 (I can't really give it a name lol, EDIT: the scale progression) and then go for an all out rock-out and then at 2:36 return back to calm

Only suggestions but that's totally up to you if you want to try that!

I can't wait to hear what you have next!

[DJSoto13]

@ M249

Well, the WUBUBUBUBUBU (scale progression) is pretty loud as it is in the mixer (Reason 4). So... Do you suggest playing around with a filter on it/other things, or adjusting volume everywhere, or placing relatively random drops...?

Thanks for the advice, though.

[VideoGameManiac]

wow this sure is an interesting remix, sounds great

[Mysterious1ne]

even as a dubstep track... and I dont listen to much dubstep but I will say that I love it. secondly I would be honored if I could lace this with some serious vocals... my only problem would be how to attack this... pace changes and all

[Anorax]

I would wait at least two more measures before bringing in the tune at the beginning. The bass if fine.

not bad. not bad at all.

I like how you interperted the floating synth within your song. (The part of the original where the sound goes up and down in arpeggios and octaves)

[Kooper909]

Sounds awesome!

I think the only change left to make is the drums-- the drums need to be louder and given some more punch. I'll defer to the experts on how exactly to fine-tune their sound.

[DJSoto13]

@Mysterious1ne

Vocals would be a nice touch. Remix of a remix? And the pace changes... I think I did the tempo changes for the song. The beginning is 140, because that's a good tempo to sound like the original and conform to dubstep "standards". The intro to the scale progression is 102, again, to capture a bit of a feel, get into a groove, and make it sound good. The change to 120 (the end) can be attributed to a change in mood (it sounds a little darker, IMO), and the whole 100-seconds left tempo change in the original SMW. So, if you want to lay some vocals over it, I can give you a .mp3 of the finalized version, and a version at each of the tempoes (140, 102, and 120), if you'd like (probably before Christmas).

@Electrolisystem

Thanks, and that's kind of what I was going to edit (transitions, intro/outro) before I posted the final version (I know the thread is "finished").

@Kooper909

Yeah, that's a bit of a problem for me. I'm trying to get them up without overshadowing anything and still keeping a good sound. I'm trying tricks, and I'll have a result soon (hopefully).

The reason I'm editing this post is to post the more finalized version. The intro's just a simple fade-in, the drums are a little louder, although I am having some trouble with the hi-hats, so I'm kind of... Crappily EQ-ing them. But at least they're more solid/louder.

Thanks for your comments/criticisms, guys!

[Mysterious1ne]

@Mysterious1ne

Vocals would be a nice touch. Remix of a remix? And the pace changes... I think I did the tempo changes for the song. The beginning is 140, because that's a good tempo to sound like the original and conform to dubstep "standards". The intro to the scale progression is 102, again, to capture a bit of a feel, get into a groove, and make it sound good. The change to 120 (the end) can be attributed to a change in mood (it sounds a little darker, IMO), and the whole 100-seconds left tempo change in the original SMW. So, if you want to lay some vocals over it, I can give you a .mp3 of the finalized version, and a version at each of the tempoes (140, 102, and 120), if you'd like (probably before Christmas).

Thanks for your comments/criticisms, guys!

if you could then I would appreciate it... at your earliest convience of course... i will do my best to get it done once toy send it

[Evahn]

well I dig this. I don't really like your wobble synth, it's not ... in-your-face enough. I'd try giving it some distortion, before the wobble effect in your chain. the snare could be louder. maybe. your kick needs more ... kick. I think you stick on that first riff for too long, the way you do the second part is way cooler. imo you could leave off the first part and maybe be better off. the ending's awesome.

oh yeah, and there are way too many reverse crash cymbals. I'd cut those back a little, it's kinda annoying how often you do it in here.

but that's just by my ears. either way I like it.

edit: crap sorry dude I didn't notice you'd said it was finished. I mean, my opinion still stands, but if you're satisfied with it, don't mess with it, it's good.

edit again: hahahaha nevermind imafooool

OKAY I listened again and ... when you compressed the drums, did you put the comp on the drum master? I don't know what you did but I think you should take the snare OUT of the comp, or give it less compression or SOMETHING, it sounds like it's getting squashed and I think that is your problem. I am talking about the second part here, in the beginning it doesn't sound like this.

[Anorax]

edit: crap sorry dude I didn't notice you'd said it was finished. I mean, my opinion still stands, but if you're satisfied with it, don't mess with it, it's good.

See post #11 below

[DJSoto13]

Okay, the third "finished" version. The drums are a little more solid (although I just can't figure out how to get the drums at the beginning to be more "oomph"-y and more solid, like the ones in the second half of the song). The song itself is arranged a little differently (two different wobbles, a lengthier song with different tempoes of the same parts), and I did get the FX (reverse cymbals, crashes) either mostly removed, or very toned-down.

Thar ye go.

[Anorax]

okay, the third "finished" version. The drums are a little more solid (although i just can't figure out how to get the drums at the beginning to be more "oomph"-y and more solid, like the ones in the second half of the song).

.......

eq?

[DJSoto13]

.......

eq?

haha yeah, well... I kinda deserved that. Although they can use a little more EQ-ing, they're really quiet in comparison. It's because any time I try and put them up to the higher level, this one bit with the hi-hat (triplet-feel, and I'm really tentative about calling them triplets, because I'm not totally sure) always cuts through in a jarring sort of feel. It sounds too harsh and too out-of-place.

For those of you who are familiar with Reason 4, I'm using a Dr. REX loop (for those who aren't, it's a simple drum loop machine). I edited the loop to what you hear in the first part of the song. I don't know how to isolate each instrument (snare hit, hi-hat, etc) and adjust their volume/EQ them individually. The most I can do is EQ it as a whole, which is the sound that you're hearing.

If anyone can help me with EQ-ing a Dr. REX loop, that would be so great. I hate that damn hi-hat. Lol

Most recent version:

[Anorax]

If anyone can help me with EQ-ing a Dr. REX loop, that would be so great. I hate that damn hi-hat. Lol

Depends on What you use for a DAW...

[DJSoto13]

Reason 4 is what I use.

[Anorax]

Well, I don't use Reason, but if you have an Equalizer plugin that lets you notch individual frequencies, I would find the hi-hat range and drop that by 4-5 db, then boost the whole effect by 4-5 db.

This should make the hi-hat essentially at the same volume, but boosts the rest of the drums.

however, the downside is that you might also reduce other cymbals, and maybe the snare.

Another way to do this is to make a separate REX track (if it will let you), and re-create the hi-hat ONLY INTO THAT NEW TRACK. Then, get rid of the hi-hat in the first track. Then EQ that track.

It just might work.

[DJSoto13]

That... That just might work.

THANK YOU

I will try that.

[DJSoto13]

Okay, so it's been a bit, but here's what I'd like to call the finished product. The part I'm most tentative about - the drums. But, anyways...

Source:

Remix:

http://soundcloud.com/djsoto13/super-mario-world-castle-dubstep

[DJSoto13]

even as a dubstep track... and I dont listen to much dubstep but I will say that I love it. secondly I would be honored if I could lace this with some serious vocals... my only problem would be how to attack this... pace changes and all

Merry holidays - what do you want me to send you? I could just send an mp3, but what part do you wanna vocalize? The first part, or the second part (with the bubbly chord progression in the background, the one that changes tempo)? Ask and ye shall [most likely] receive, if you still want it.

[Gario]

It's a neat track. As a fellow Reason user that used to suffer from the same sort of drum problems, let me make some suggestions.

First, unless you have some really perfect spliced drum sounds, use Redrum. The fact that you can tinker with the attack, cutoff, pan, level, velocity effect, etc., for each track and run each individual track through a different mixer board means that you can beef out that bass drum to your heart's content without affecting anything else.

Second, compression is your friend. All you can work with is the onboard compressor (no plugins for you - remember, we're using Reason, here ), so get familiar with him. Messing with the 'attack' knob, increasing the compression ratio and blasting the output will help your bass drum a lot.

Overlapping instruments can help, so don't forget about that possibility, as well, for your drums.

Have you messed around with the master combinator so you can master your track? Increase the gain on the limiter or something, because the whole track is just too quite, as is.

I like the sound of the track. It's a little conservative for OCR, if that was what you were going for, but it's a neat track. I hope this helps, and Merry Christmas!

[Mysterious1ne]

Merry holidays - what do you want me to send you? I could just send an mp3, but what part do you wanna vocalize? The first part, or the second part (with the bubbly chord progression in the background, the one that changes tempo)? Ask and ye shall [most likely] receive, if you still want it.

I could use the first part... like I said for a fast rapper such as myself it fits right with what I do best also I think it would sound hella boss if you could do that for me... and happy holidays to you too!!!!