djpretzel Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 Hi there again! Well, this is a remix i did quite a while ago from the game metal gear solid 2. Game:MGS2 (2001) Remix name: 'Veteran' Original song: 'Main Theme' Composers 'Harry Gregson-Williams, Norihiko Hibino' Remixer Name: Ellywu Link: (Sorry about using VGmix, its just my soundclick account is being very awkward at the moment, and VGmix is one of the only sites i know of that i can upload to. (damn you university proxy!) Ok, some info about the track. It was done in FLstudio, as per usual, using Edirol Orchestral and various VSTi's and samples. I was attempting a kind of hans zimmer feel to the whole song, and be warned, its not a happy song! Keep up the good work, and thanks for the judging of Shadows of the Empire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vig Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 this is definately a close call. the flute isnt well recorded, but it's cool nonetheless, as are the vocals. i think the song is about 80% there, but i have a few complaints. the lesser of which is that the piano plays a note that i really dislike at around 2:30. i know it's in the original, but in the original the major change is supported by the harmony, here, nothing. my bigger suggestion is that the development of the track be more upwards than linear. sure there is a dynamic expansion, but it seems like the mix switches from one idea to another, never building upon the ideas. for example, the flute is abandoned after 2 minutes and never heard from again. if more previous ideas were used throughout the mix, at least during the climax, it would have been more...well...climactic. as it is, the climax is a bit disappointing. it would be better with the flute, and perhaps busier strings to fill up the space. i think it's good, but i think it could easily be better. NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Israfel Posted January 22, 2005 Share Posted January 22, 2005 Keeping with the theme of the mix, you go with the remix you have, not the remix you want. So, this remix definitely could be better, but is it good enough as is? Well, no, in my opinion. My biggest problem with the mix is something that Vigilante mentioned; there isn't a logical form nor a satisfying amount of development. Form is a not a minor thing, it heavily affects the effectiveness of a piece. Plus, the lack of a satisfying form results in the mix sounding too short- it's over 4 minutes long, but the ending seems to come so abruptly, as if it were ending halfway through the piece. A logical form would fix this problem. The writing at places is a bit weak as well, I feel. But for me, form is the major problem here. NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digital Coma Posted January 22, 2005 Share Posted January 22, 2005 The female vocals are nice, though mixed low. My problem with this mix is mainly the emptiness - you're going for this Hanz Zimmer sound emulating the large, epic Harry-Gregson Williams original, yet your instrumentation is paltry and the execution is quiet. It's a very barebones song, without much accompaniment or harmony or texture. All you have is some elements of basic orchestration, a lead flute, and hand percussion that doesn't juxtapose. It's very dry and small. NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted January 23, 2005 Share Posted January 23, 2005 The inclusion of vocal clips (George H. W. Bush and a Russian anchorwoman speaking) is gonna be hit or miss depening on who you ask. It was a miss with me, though I appreciate the Russian clip. Moving more along :32 where the music seems to get started, I liked the ambient strings and female vox here. Things stayed pretty lush until 1:14 when that pipe entered in. Still retaining a good vibe, though nothing really dealing with the source material yet. Source finally comes in at 1:46. Pretty interesting cover of it, before moving into some new (though very liberal) rearrangement at 2:10. The track continues with the liberal rearrangement approach at 2:34, and I'm just not hearing enough of a direct connection with the source material. Heard a brief reference at 2:56, but otherwise, this didn't pick back up on the source material until 3:15. The track consists of original material to open things, then verbatim coverage of the source tune melody, followed by arrangement that's actually too liberal, in my opinion, to pass. The sounds are all pretty good anyway. Sans the opening vocals, it sounds like a very logical fit in a Metal Gear Solid game as an ending theme nonetheless. Binnie's right in that the female vocals are mixed low, and the track in general should be a bit louder. I agree with Israfel on the track seeming too short. The dropoff at 3:38 came about very suddenly, and it actually felt as if though several minutes were lopped out of the track before the very end, which also closed very quickly. Didn't mind the linear development of the piece, but I ask that more interpretive yet recognizable things be done with the source tune for the arrangement here. Don't just create a MGS-style track with brief usage of the theme. Please don't lose site of the big picture of substantially reinterpreting the Metal Gear Solid Main Theme. A lot of the reviews at VGMix had great things to say about this, but I hope you're not discouraged over the NOs here. At this rate, Chris, you'll be posted eventually, as you've been attempting to develop your skills further. Keep up the progress, and feel free to resubmit this one with any revisions you feel would benefit the piece. NO (revise/resubmit) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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