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Reminiscent Choices - Super Mario 64 File Select Remix


TheReverend
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Hello all. It's been over a year since I did anything with this mix at all. Life gets crazy like that, but I digress.

Here's a quick recap:

It's a remix of the File Select Music from Super Mario 64. The source is a short :15 loop, so it doesn't give a lot to work with, but I've managed to squeeze 2:42 from it, which may be a little short, but that can always be addressed.

Here's a link to the source music:

Super Mario 64 File Select -

Because of a migration to a new computer, I lost some samples that I had in my original mix, but I think the new ones I have found settle much easier in the new arrangement. That said, I'm looking for critique in all areas, but most specifically arrangement and sample/sound quality.

So please, if you would, have a listen and pen me a comment or two on here. All of your thoughts and comments are greatly appreciated.

-Rev

Reminiscent Choices Remix Link:

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Sounds great! As for critique, here's what I have for you.

- The song in general is very low in terms of volume, and I would bring the intro up just a bit, even there only is 1 instrument. I had my headphones on full blast and I couldn't hear that much

- After you go through the first iteration of the song, (a pad?) seems to slowly come in from the background. I would start that pad up from the start because it becomes repetitive

It is a short mix like you said, but I think you did a great job so far, especially for something that's originally only a 20 second loop.

I would try to maybe incorporate another Mario-related theme in there, it would add some variety, yet stay within the bounds of a Mario game and shouldn't interefere with your main FSM theme.

I like it! Look forward to the next update

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For starters, I really like what you've got going here so far. Going along with what everyone else has already said, I think a bit of a teaser of some other Mario songs (Dire, Dire Docks and the Wing Cap song especially come to mind) would fit very well. I also like the extra harmonies and counter melodies that you bring in at 0:44 and 1:50. They fit very well I think, and do a good job to flesh out the simple tune.

As for changes, I think starting the pad earlier (in the first verse) would be good, so right at the start of the second loop of the melody you can immediately have your accompaniment come in.

Also, PLEASE make more out of the stretch from 1:50 to 2:10! You do a great job of building the song up from calm and tranquil to a full orchestral powerhouse, and then after like 2 loops it drops back down for the finish. Extend on that momentum, and extend there on that power you built. Maybe play the soft guitar on top of all the powerful strings for a verse or two, add a cameo to another song, do something special. And then, just like you did, drop back down to the solo to tie it all together. I see lots of potential here, and you've done a great job. Keep it up!

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First of all, thank you for all the feedback. It is greatly appreciated.

I am continuing to tweak the mix, and I will definitely take your suggestions seriously. I've been trying to fit in Dire Dire Docks for a while now, but I haven't quite done it in a way that I am satisfied with, so that will take a little more work on my end.

Expect a new version up soon (hopefully by the weekend).

Thanks again!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I didn't hear the first version you had up, but I really like the version you have up now. You definitely succeeded in giving life into a very short, simple theme. I like what you've done with Dire Dire Docks at the end, too. My main issue is with the ending. Somehow it isn't satisfying for me. My preference would probably be to return to the simple guitar with just File Select, but I think there are a lot of things you could do. Even though it's fairly short, it doesn't really feel too short for me except for wishing there was more to the ending.

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Wow, there's a new piano layer now! I like the added harmonies. Though at 1:49 it seems a little confused as to what is the main melody. You have the counter melody you had originally (the one from 0:44), the original tune, and dire, dire docks, without any of them standing out to me as the main melody until things come back together at about 2:12 and the original melody stands back out on its own. I like what you've done there, and you've done a great job of adding other melodies in, but try to focus on one of those melodies and bring it out on top of the others. Maybe its a previous bias, but I feel like the 0:44 melody would fit well on top with the others staying about at their same levels in the background from 1:49-2:00, and then maybe bumping up the dire, dire docks piano motif that starts at 2:01 to bring that melody to the forefront until 2:12 when the original comes back out, and leave the balance levels on the rest about where they are now. Basically, just change from 0:49-2:12 to bring those different parts out. If you would do that, it would be probably one of the best things to happen in the week.

Other than that, it sounds really good to me. I hope this keeps getting better and can make the cut. If you're feeling ready with this, switch it over to mod review and let some of the moderators give their opinion of it.

And as its the season of thanks, thanks again for listening to make that built-up part more powerful :)

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cool arrangement, do i hear a little bit of dire dire docks nestled in there? i like the hilly structure, the constant busy/subdued retreat as well as the guitar solo it culminates with. unfortunately the production just isn't there yet. the guitar sample is particularly weak, but nothing that can't be masked by good humanization. as it stands now the note velocities are all twins and their rhythms are best friends with your metronome.. having the mindset of the imaginary guitar player and how you'd approach the timing of the notes and their articulations will take you pretty far

bad production is a lot easier to bring up to snuff than revising a bad composition, which is far from the case here so keep at it and level up that production

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The feedback is awesome guys. I appreciate it a lot.

@Melody - I hear you on the humanization. Honestly it's something I've overlooked while trying to put the mix together, but I think the structure is nearly complete now (a few more tweaks are in the future). I'll definitely fine tune the parts, especially the guitar, and hopefully make it sound a tad more organic and human. Thanks for the tips!

@M249-M4A1 - That's awesome! It's a catchy little song, which is why I liked it so much.

@SuperSlacker - I'll definitely look into the part at 1:49. I did end up layering them all together, and I have some slight volume changes in it, but they may not be large enough to be audible.

Look for a new version this week. I think I'm close to having the mods review it and get to the real nitty gritty, but that could still be a few weeks off.

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The new volume adjustments really help the layering effect in the opening buildup, so that's a definite plus. I can't speak for anyone else, but by far my favorite section of the song is 2:22 to 2:32. Is there any way you could expand it? I know you've already expanded a very small sample quite a bit, but I'd hate for the best part of the song not to get the lion's share of attention because of being only ten seconds long.

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Just making a quick update. I fixed the download link (it was broken for some reason. My song got deleted after a day.)

Please please, give me a critique on this if you would. I think it might be close to Mod Review, so if there's anything you think I ought to change, please tell me soon!

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Rev, you might hate me for throwing all these at you but I'm only doing it because I love what you have so far and I know how much it means to get some valuable feedback from listeners other than yourself.

Here's what I think you should look at:

- Guitar sounds a bit too heavy at times when I feel it should sound a bit drier.

- Pad in the background sometimes sounds a bit too overwhelming. Might need a freq. cut

- Dire, Dire Docks plays immediately. I would either start it later, or play less notes at the start. To me, its slightly distracting from the main file select tune even though its in the background.

- The detache/attacking strings at 1:40 could use a slight/gradual increase in volume to accompany the build up into the section at 1:49

- Percussion seems to be weak at times and is easily drowned out. Also sounds kinda hollow.

These are just little thing's I'd change up but that's your call -- it's your work and I don't want to mess it up!

Otherwise the arrangement and creativity is excellent!

As always, I look forward to hearing future updates! :-D

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This might be shameless, but I'm bumping this thread in the hopes of receiving more feedback. :oops:

I really appreciate what I have gotten, but I'd like more of your thoughts WIP prowlers if you would indulge me.

@M249-M4A1 - I have done some slight adjusting to individual sound levels, and I agreed about the Dire Dire Docks theme starting right away, so I nixed that in the intro. Thanks!

-Rev

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I absolutly love the arrangement, I REALLY do, the reverb seems to need some work, maybe it was just me but there also seemed to be too much reverb on the pad in the begining, and about 2 mins and 10 secs in, the pad seemed to swallow alot of the melody.

It would be AMAZING if you found a guitarist to help you out, maybe ask in the collab section?

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Nice job! I love how you wove the Dire, Dire Docks theme in there, and kept it interesting with such a brief and simple source tune.

I think the guitar lead sounds good and pretty convincing. If you can't find a guitarist to collab with, you might try replacing some of the sixteenth notes at the beginning/end of some phrases with eighth note triplets to soften the momentum, especially in the original (?) section starting at 1:05 and later parts where the original theme comes back. This might add a more natural/improvisational quality to the phrasing, as well as some rhythmic variety.

Keep with it, it's sounding really good!

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  • 2 weeks later...

New update! I have done some additional tweaking to some of the parts and made subtle changes to rhythm to try to humanize the song. I'm also changing this to Finished, and I welcome everyone's additional critique. Thanks everyone, and Happy New Year!

(new update is in the original post)

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It might be my goldfish-like memory, but this sounds much the same as the last time I listened (which is good). What did you change? The end of the song sounds most different to me, with some heightened dynamics and different rhythms, but I'm not sure if that's new. :?

I feel like the guitar starting at 1:05 could still use a little more humanization -- right now everything's well-grounded in the eighth notes, let your guitarist float a little more freely! I guess it just comes down to taste, but I think some triplets or more syncopation (there's already some) would be dandy.

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