DragonAvenger Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Dear OverClocked Remix Judges: This is my first submission. Below is a link to the hosted file, as well as the required information. Right-clicking and "Save Link As" should get you a download of the .mp3 file. Remixer Name: Mega Beardo Real Name: Ryan Postlethwait website: beardomusic.blogspot.com Forum ID: 43648 Game Arranged: Castlevania Song Arranged: "Heart of Fire" Comments: All of my VGM remixes thus far are guitar re-arrangements. I tend to lean more into the metal genre; Castlevania lends itself pretty naturally to that style of music as well. With my remixes, I like to learn all of the bass lines, melodies, and harmonies first. Then I start jamming on a certain idea to see what kind of originality can come out of it. For this remix, this is evident from the very beginning; I took the baseline underneath the main melody, added my own "voice," and used it as the basis for the intro. I also like to introduce dynamics by stripping down a certain melody into a completely different idea. The second half of my remix includes the chord progression from one section and specific notes from another melody to build a much more melodic dynamic ending. It is hard to put into words, but hopefully my intentions were clear once the clean guitar interlude kicks in. I use Sony Acid Pro 6.0 for recording, and I program the drums with Drumkit from Hell. My guitar of choice is an Epiphone SG G-400 that I have used and abused for the past 13 years. I run that through an Orange Tiny Terror head and into a Marshall cabinet. The cabinet is mic'ed using a really crappy Nady mic that I bought 5 years ago for $15 and am very surprised it is still in working condition. I record my bass tracks through a POD XT. -------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonAvenger Posted April 14, 2011 Author Share Posted April 14, 2011 There's something about the opening that is bugging me, almost like the first chord to come in isn't right, but I think it might just be me. You've got a pretty powerful arrangement going on here. The song doesn't stray too far from the original structurally for most of the mix, but you do add your own flair to it, which is nice (kind of amusing describing any part of a metal song as 'nice'). I think this does go on for a bit longer than it needs to; it doesn't exactly get repetitive, but you do hear the same sections of the song multiple times, which starts to wear on you after a while. I'm overall not crazy with the sudden breakdown, it comes out of nowhere, although the lead back into things is much better. I'm not feeling how the opening drowns out the guitar, and there are times throughout that the balance isn't exactly where it needs to be. Overall the leads could come out a tad more. Rhythm guitars overall feel a bit muddy and unclear. I've gone back and forth on this one, meaning it's pretty close, but I think getting those issues fixed up will do a lot of good for this. NO (resubmit) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceansAndrew Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 This is a very nice metal song. I thought the arrangement was really good, and the only thing that is really bugging me is for the first verse, the lead playing is getting buried a bit. Great ultra-clean rhythm tone, makes it really punchy. It might be a bit too scooped, as there isn't a lot of pitch to it, but I can't deny the solid thwack it's giving me when it hits. Really enjoying this, but I want to hear a little more mids in the rhythm guitars, and the leads near the beginning brought up please Yes (conditional) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halc Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 nice stuff here. arrangement is pretty conservative on the surface, but well-varied in the rhythms and chords, and never got boring, though the breakdown was a welcome change of pace. a few thoughts: -didn't like the processing on that opening riff, sounded really cheap and flimsy. was glad to hear those crunchy rhythm guitars kick in after a few seconds. -leads at the beginning and end of the mix were buried. (:50, 4:40) -drum work was pretty good, but the cymbals (esp. the rides) sounded robotic, as if you're hitting them in the exact same spot with the same timing and strength every time. you've used a lot of different cymbals, but try to change them up more often or edit the pitches to give it some subtle variation. -nice slap bass. I think it's pretty solid is is, but you at least gotta bring those leads forward a bit. YES(conditional) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vig Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 That lead guitar is so thin but it has a weird crunchiness to it. The rhythm guitars sound pretty good, but all the leads are a bit back and dark. The arrangement is conservative but well executed. However the breakdown at 3:40 is too sparse. You need a little something like more complex rhythmic playing, or at least some kind of pad to fill it out. Close. NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Sweeet. KyleJCrb's responsible for introducing me to Mega Beardo's music. Just a very freaky VGM persona, that's for sure. Good fun. Right off the bat, the instrumentation was distant, but it was purposeful and presented an excellent constrast with the guitar being so upfront at :08. The levels of the percussion at :24 felt a bit too hot though, with the cymbals and beats being way too loud, STEAMROLLING over the leads, over the melody. What was up with that? At :37, that might have been acceptable, but when the verse truly arrives at :50, the levels/balance just don't make enough sense. Your leads need to be louder and more upfront compared to the percussion. 2:12 was a bit repetitive, structurally. It wasn't literally cut and pasted, but it just sounded like more of the same. Beyond that second iteration of the theme, I was hoping for some more substance and interpretation. Luckily, that arrived when 3:20 had a beautiful dropoff, leading to a gradual build starting at 3:59. THe second half here really presented a lot of new original and interpretive ideas with the source to make sure the arrangement creativity wasn't in doubt. I'll be honest, I'm leaning with the conditionals, but if Ryan called this track a done deal, I felt he was able to put it over the top enough with the arrangement and the production was decent enough where I could ultimately live with this as is. That said, I'd prefer the levels of the first half could be touched up. Good stuff! YES (conditional) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishy Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Excellent rhythm guitar sound and then wtf.. You just can't hear that lead man. As fixing the problem for one section fixes it for all of them I can probably justify a conditional vote here (once I hear the new version that is). Compress those leads and really make them louder dood. Nothing much to add on top of the other guys. YES, conditional on lead volume Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutritious Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Fellow judges have pretty much summed things up well here. That said, I'm willing to sign up for a conditional based on lead volume/not muffled. Yes, condional Lead volume EDIT: Awright no resub, GO FOR IT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 Gonna have to revote on whether you're willing to have this posted as-is, since the track can't be touched up: I think all things considered, I will leave the mix as is. I have since switched all of my files to a new computer, and I don't seem to have that mix anywhere. So I would have to rebuild the mix from the original files and start from scratch. So go ahead and submit it as is and see what everyone has to say. Regardless, thanks for getting back to me, and I hope to perhaps have another submission ready in the future!-Ryan As I said in my vote, I was leaning conditional, but can live with the track as is, so I'm affirming that YES. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceansAndrew Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 Im good with this being a YES. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonAvenger Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share Posted May 3, 2012 I was pretty borderline on my NO before, and if this can't be fixed up, I'm OK with this passing as-is. YES (borderline ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkeSword Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 Sounds fine with me. Fairly straightforward arrangement but there are some nice rhythmic variations. Guitar rocks out sufficiently and there's a nice energy to the piece. I like it! YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceansAndrew Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 Closing this out as a YES then. Thanks everyone for the revotes as needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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