Liontamer Posted November 12, 2004 Share Posted November 12, 2004 Old decision: http://www.ocremix.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=44998 Link: The biggest concern by the panel, and the one that ultimately got it rejected, was a lack on conclusion, so that was the largest addition. I should have done this way before I considered submitting and hope it works well for its effect. Other than that did some last minute mastering and desperately trying to keep the compression rate down. For the record, thats not a Shaku, its an Irish Low Whistle so it is supposed to sound low and breathy (which I personally like alot so ). Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vig Posted November 12, 2004 Share Posted November 12, 2004 Ah this is much better. the beginning is still tense, although i would change those warbly synths used in the lead in the beginning. the transition right before the 2 minute mark is oh so sweet. very subtle and yet very profound. ah but what's this? the section around 3 minutes isnt so great...that brass sounds really cheap. i think this section is greatly underdeveloped. the brass is too loud and ugly, and the section dies off too fast. it ought to come to a climax, which it doesnt. then it ought to resolve. which it doesnt. feels like the whole ending is unfinished still. if it were me, i would expand on the orchestral feel of the last section and maybe use the string section to give it a march feel. then maybe throw on some completely random electric guitar from other games or something. at any rate, want to yes it, but cant yet. NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted November 14, 2004 Author Share Posted November 14, 2004 http://www.snesmusic.org/spcsets/dkc.rsn - "Aquatic Ambiance" (dkc-08.spc) Cool opening; some very cinematic tension as the vox built up. The very light percussion backing from :20-1:13 is kind of bleh; might wanna thicken it up a bit or scale the levels on it down if you don't want to change the sound of it, and it could also use a little bit of variation. I like all of the elements here but wouldn't mind more clarity via separation of sounds. The compression is still a problem; things didn't get TOO loud and cluttered during the first half of the mix (some rough spots were 1:09-1:13 & 2:05-2:18). The fuller parts at the end though got fairly problematic though. Good new/original sections from 1:58-2:42 as you built new stuff over the foundations of the source tune. The piano references to the Aquatic Ambiance melody could have been a bit louder, and the wind lead there sounded serviceable but could have used some effects on it. The sustain on it from 2:11-2:18 and the way it faded out at 2:30 both sounded very fake. Still have the complaint others had last time about the Irish low whistle coming in at 2:42 as it sounds a bit piercing in the low mid-range and could also use some effects on it; DarkeSword said the same thing last time around. Like I alluded to earlier, 3:18-3:25 gets cluttered as you went for the big orchestral/vox finish, and needs a LOT more separation as the horns drown out the vox while the vox actually drowns out everything else, then at 3:38-3:50, the strings and brass drown the rest out again. Sudden endings can work in the right context (e.g. virt's Shadowgate mix, "Warrior King"), however the abrupt resolution at 3:50 still functions very poorly as an ending here, unfortunately. Again, DarkeSword had a good, easily implementable option for that last time around. That's not merely what drives it down into NO, though. I apologize if the comments all seemed to say "add ending and get easy YES", especially because we all had other comments for improvement in our comments. When I said last time I echoed Binnie's comments verbatim, it's also because he also had good observations on how the second half is weaker than the first, which I also said I was in agreement with in my last decision on this. Look at the compression further and achieve better separation of sounds during the fuller areas (particularly at ANY point the brass comes in), sure. I'd prefer you did all those things, but just in order to get my YES, Kris, I just need some refinement on your woodwind instrument samples and a sensible resolution for the ending, which is still not something that exists here. Just like Vig, I really would prefer to YES this, but can't honestly go there yet, sorry. NO (borderline) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Israfel Posted November 14, 2004 Share Posted November 14, 2004 The biggest problem that I have with this mix is that the ideas are never allowed to be adequately developed and as a result the mix simply feels unfinished. The piece seems to be building up to something big and the unsatisfying, abrupt ending fails to live to the promise offered by the dramatic opening. And I'm a bit confused about how the section at 2:00 is supposed to logically fit into the overall form of the work- the piece is already so short that introducing a new theme and then promptly leaving it makes no sense. Unfortunately, it feels like it was added just to take up space and the time spent introducing that new theme could have been better used developing the source material. And I agree that the section at 3:17 is a bit too cluttered at the moment. Right now, it seems like the layout of the piece simply wasn't very well thought-out. This is quite salvageable but you need to sit down and do some planning. Figure out exactly what musical ideas you're trying to develop in this mix and get a general outline of how you're going to go about doing it- then try to avoid casually adding new themes and ideas once you get to the actual composition phase. The main reason I'm voting no on this one is because it simply doesn't sound finished; it's like it ends mid-sentence. But there are some nice sounds and some good ideas in this mix and if you go back and approach the form of the work with a bit more forethought, I think you may end up with a very satisfying piece of music. NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkeSword Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 Hm, I'll keep this brief, because Jesse, Larry, and Mike already summed up my issues with the mix. I still don't like that whistle sound; it's very unexpressive and lifeless, despite the good sequencing. As I said before, try layering it with something airier to combine the sounds into something new. The arrangement is also kind of strange; there are parts in the middle that sound like they'd make good endings, yet the piece moves to new sections. It doesn't feel like a logical progression of ideas. I'm also still not feeling that ending. I can hear it resolve, but it's still abrupt, and doesn't jive with the build at all. I really suggest bringing in some kind of short, quieter section to finish out the piece, for some contrast. Brass also blares in the ending build; might want to scale it back a bit. Don't get me wrong here; it's a good interpretation with lots of great ideas, as well as some decent execution, but I think that the few issues we have with this piece are what are keeping it off the site. I realize this is the second version submitted to the panel, but please don't be disheartened. It's CERTAINLY not a lost cause here, and it's better than many submissions we judge. NO (tweak and resubmit!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts