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Star Fox Corneria Prog/Electronic Rock


docnano
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Well, here's my first semi-legit stab at electronica (or not?). The voices are pretty limited since I only had access to the built-in samples of Ableton Intro when I wrote this.

Some early Genesis influences towards the end, prize to the first person who recognizes what song I "borrowed" the idea for the bass rhythm from at 1:45.

I don't really plan to submit this, but if you have any suggestions I'd love to hear 'em. :-)

Sources:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYaFKYJggP0&feature=related

img.php?fid=1213

EDIT: I guess this is really more retro synth rock than electronica. Whatever, genres are approximations anyway. :-)

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Overall its a good song, and I like the way you arranged it. I don't know if the percussion was meant to overpower the rest of the instruments, but it certainly is distracting from the rest of the song. The rest of the instruments are rather soft, so boosting them wouldn't hurt too much. Also, try finding new drum sounds, but if you can't it's not going to kill the mix.

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Thanks, Nonamer -- BTW your username reminds me of my background in chemistry. :-)

I agree that the drums were too loud, so I bumped them down a bit in most sections (new version is now linked in original post). Hopefully the new volume is more appropriate.

Any tips on other types of drum sounds you'd like to hear, or good sample libraries to experiment with?

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

First 15 seconds during the intro are genius, had a real 80's vibe like the intro to "GTA Vice City" or an 80's cop movie. However the rest of the mix to me lacks impact and I have not much interest in it.

Maybe to me it catches too many of the notes for it to sound... natural. Try missing/lengthening particualr notes with the synth(?). Something about it is too, too fast. This is just my opinion though... I think it can be improved. Also after the intro you introduce a fast, low-volume, low-frequency, instrument (sorry, I can't recognise it). Anyway, I think you don't need that instrument. If it made a BIAOW sound that would be more cop-chase-scene maybe, and would suit more. As you can tell, I'm not an expert on music though. Keep working it I reckon. I love the source and can see the beginnings of a fun, retro-styled track.

EDIT: Thinking more about it what if you completely forget the source material and build-up your own 80's chase-ish music and then during the track introduce the corneria theme as a accent with a synth. Build it up somehow?? I think you could try something different anyway and I'm intrigued. Goodluck!!

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This is really great! I love what you did there.

There's one precise thing that I love in your mix that makes it particularly unique compared to any other version of that theme, in my opinion. It's the bridge at around 0:39. The chords you use are different from the original, and frankly, I like your chords much better! It sounds incredibly epic!

Also, I really like the solos. It reminds me of old school progressive rock. I love that :)

I also agree that the drum sounds need some work. I don't have any particular issues with anything else than the snare drum, though. I feel like it's not blending well with everything else. I think "dirtying" it up a bit (with a tiny bit of overdrive, or something like that) might help, but I could be very wrong. I'm still a newb at that. I also think it might have a little bit too much reverb, but again it might be just me.

I'd like this to be longer! :D Please extend this track! :)

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I decided to listen to it again. I must say I'm enjoying it a bit better. I still think that fast low instrument in the background after the intro is off, and the synth that plays the melody is a bit, well, bland, the echo(?) on the last notes is weak too. But its ok. Up until 1:02 i think its ok.

The squeaky synth instrument you introduce at 1:02 is a real turn off for me tho. Does some weird stuff and doesn't meld with anything. After 1:25 I'm kinda digging things again despite the sharply cutoff notes round 1:29 that just sound fake and carry no real weight.

After that thaings are good till the last few seconds with the weak finale, I'm pretty convinced you could pull off a much better finale.

I'm digging the ambience of your track but the execution and instrument qualities are just not there yet. For interests sake, have a lil listen to this (just the intro cos I don't think the midi used in this track for the melody(?) is good AT ALL). Ignoring that is has more a dance beat compared with yours which is not important the other instruments sound good.

http://www.partition36.com/music-files/iketech/crisis-with-bubblegum/11%20-%20The%20Vision%20of%20The%20Phantom.mp3

Vice City Stories, ignoring the guitar which you aren't going to use, the other instruments sound real.

http://www.game-focus.com/profils_GF/audios/SanAndreas88_1207007269.mp3

Apologies if these concerns are wrong, I just see it being a better version of what it is.

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Quite a variety of reactions! Thanks to everybody for your feedback.

@dfcentre I definitely agree that many of the synths could be replaced or reworked. Is the synth bass the "low" instrument you don't like? I won't get rid of that for sure, but I'm sure I can find a better bass that feels tighter and bolder, and I may rewrite some of its sections. I actually like the finale (though a bit sudden) and dislike the intro, so we seem to have somewhat orthogonal taste there.

@DaMonz Glad you could appreciate the old-school progressive rock influences. :-) I really do hate the snare I'm using, but that's the only one Ableton Live Intro has... I'll poke around on my synthesizer or the web for a better snare sound, or try applying some overdrive as you suggest.

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Hi docnano, I think you get what I'm trying to say which is a feat in itself sometimes, haha. Wow yes we definately have quite opposite views on what we like in the remix. Everyone but me diggs what you've accompished to this point. I'm just half digging it, haha. I'm extremely picky though. Sometimes I think I'm more picky than the judges, impossible I know!

Anyways I'm sure you're gonna make the right choices on it. Good luck with finding instrument samples and with any rework you do on it. Will keep an eye out 4 sure.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, here's an update. In the process of upgrading the drums and taking it in a more progressive rock direction. Also experimenting with some more automation, as well as a few performance glitches for effect.

Still plenty of mixing problems, I think. I'll try to fix them, but in the meantime let me know what suggestions you have!

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It might be me who's getting it all wrong or who's just crazy, but you have to know that I think the sounds from your older version sounded better than your new ones.

I still listen to your first version on YouTube once in a while, so maybe I'm just used to this version now.

Anyway, I still really like your mix. :)

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Yeah, I'm not totally convinced on all the new sounds. I do think the drums are generally better (from my synth instead of from Live Intro), though the new toms are kind of muddy. Still a WIP for sure.

I do like the organ, though, so that stays. :-) Thanks for the feedback on the new version.

***UPDATE***

I've fine-tuned some things that hopefully capture the best of both versions of this mix:

- Lengthened attack slightly on arpeggiated lead thingy, so it's less chip-y

- Cut off a few dB on the bass guitar and low toms, making the overall sound more crisp

- Fixed some velocities on the drums

- Made the synth brass more varied in timbre, and got rid of the annoyingly repetitive attack that was there

- Some other minor changes

img.php?fid=1213

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Personally, I think it lost some of its spacey sounding charm. And the bass is somewhat too subtle. Also, at some places it sounds like if there was an instrument missing, unlike in your first iteration. The organ is neat though. And the new drums are alright.

That's my opinion though.

:)

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Listening to the new mix, feels a bit muddled. If it was progressive/ electronic..

Thought it would be aggressive, and fierce. But the demo definitely delivers on where you want to go with this mix.

By "demo," do you mean the new mix, or the original one (as on my youtube channel)?

Seems I'm the only one who likes the direction this is headed. :-? I definitely prefer the new drums, and I think the new soundscape is more crisp, polished, and the voices more expressive (though still unbalanced and maybe a tad dry).

I can try to bring back some of the spacey vibe that some of you liked. In the original mix, I primarily disliked the muffled bass, unexpressive synth brass, bad snare, and generally excessive reverb, so maybe I can bring some of the other stuff back.

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