Kirby's Dream Land: King Dedede's Theme - "Dedede, Old Friend"

[MC Ardle]

TRACK IS HERE: http://soundcloud.com/evan-mcardle/dedede-old-friend

I sent this in a while ago, but it fell through the cracks.So, before I sent it again. I decided to change a few things, like adding the other Dedede theme, to make it sound less monotonous.

• : (I based this off the first and fifth versions)
  
• Bubbly Clouds (but in a minor key)
  
• Green Greens (to finish off the song; also in a minor key)
  

[DarkSim]

It's a cool start, but once that trumpet came in I wasn't feeling it! Poor choice of lead there, switch it for something a bit more fitting, or a better sample. The piano right at the start could use a bit more expression and dynamics, as well as being less quantised to give it the more human feel. Drums are pretty well sequenced, but try beefing them up a bit! Could be my personal taste, but I was really looking forward to some more of a low end from the percussion, like a timpani or something.

Nice breakdown in the middle, and it's a good build up towards the end, although try and change up the ending to make it even more dramatic if you can - faster tempo maybe? It feels like it drags a little after the breakdown.

Few things to work on there, but keep at it

[Level 99]

First thought: you should try using a better piano soundfont. In fact, you should probably try finding some better samples all around. For piano, there's plenty of good ones if you know how to google (NS Piano comes to mind, but I think splendid grand is also free). For orchestral, find squidfont if you're not already using it (and if you are, spend a bit more time humanizing and tweaking the sequencing so it sounds more realistic). And if you can't find a better trumpet sample, it might be wiser to drop it alltogether and go with something that's easier to sequence for. Brass in general, unless you're using some great sample libraries, is particularly difficult to process and sequence so it sounds good and is believable.

Production-wise this could be tweaked more as well, as on the whole its unbalanced with the drums being very loud and a distinct lack of bass all around.

But the biggest issue is the arrangement. It is still very repetitive, using only the one section of dedede's theme. Really should focus on changing up the melody and chord progressions more so it doesn't sound static, like it does now. The song is basically just two separate build sections based around dedede's theme. The middle section is okay but it still has the same base progression mostly, and the switch doesn't last long enough.

I think that's plenty to go back to and work on for now.

[MC Ardle]

Okay, after months of hiatus, I started to work on some of my songs again...

(See first post for track)

I improved some of the samples, so that they're not Halion. I personally like the way it is arranged. Unless someone can pose a better arrangement, I'm going to stick with what I've got.

[EC2151]

I never heard the original mix you posted, but I like this "improved" version. I think it, for the most part, very well done.

The only things that really come out at me and need "fixing" is MAYBE some tweaking on the drums (don't trust my account though, since I am terrible at discerning good percussion!), and maybe a few more filter/humanizing tweaks to the lead instrument, particularly at 2:30 (for some reason I feel it sticks out more than it should).

Other than that, though, I really like it!

[Korak the Mad]

I find this song to be both eerie and calming at the same time. I find this to be the Best version of it that I've heard, and I have a music folder with just kirby remixes, with at least 20 different versions of King Dedede's theme.

I was given goosebumps by how well done and chilling this is. Also the title "Dedede, Old Friend" is pefect for this song.

The only part I would have changed were the last few notes, but that is really only it.

[Ragnarock]

Wow... I never thought about a slow version of this source... good job! It reminds me of the credits for Revenge of the King in Super Star Ultra, as far as the emotion of the song goes. Already love the source, and this is awesome, too.

[MC Ardle]

I made a few minor alterations. I also changed the ending, like Korak The Mad suggested, and I think you'll like it...

Also switched this thread to "MOD REVIEW". Hopefully they'll notice.

[Trinity Dragon]

I personally love the arrangement. Slow, kinda like a demented carnival carousel. Simple, somewhat spartan at the beginning, but still something you can bob your head to. Reminds me of Bradbury's book, "Something Wicked this way Comes". The intro was phenomenal, as was the end. There's really nothing bad that I could say about this.

[WillRock]

You have a pretty sweet arrangement here, but the production needs a bit of work getting over the bar imo.

For example, alot of this sounds very dry and vanilla, try adding some more reverb to the piano to give it more character. Don't overdo it tho

Those drums don't quite suit the style either, they are too punchy for the style you're going for, I'd opt for a more mellow sounding drum kit, what you've got is too punchy right now. There are a few weird sounds that don't seem to fit stylistically for me - such as that weird organ sound and the midish lead at 1:03.

You have some pretty neat arrangement skills, and I'm enjoying the creativity shown here. As this stands tho, the production is holding this back from OCR's bar imo.

Keep on working at it and you'll get there tho