Starfox 64 - Menu

[Binweasel]

Source

Old version (version 0): http://compo.thasauce.net/files/Binweasel_-_Trust_Your_Instincts(PRC156).mp3

Latest Version (5) - 7/11/11

So, right now I only have my iPhone earbuds to work with... Hopefully that explains if things got worse between the two versions? XD

Sample breakdown:

The piano (I think; I found a .sf2 with the same name): http://sonimusicae.free.fr/matshelgesson-maestro-en.html How does it sound? Realistic? Crummy?

The organ: I used Electric Organ 1 and 4 on my Roland MT-32, then ran them through a tiny tube amp, a Boss CS-2 and a Boss CE-5. I'll probably end up using this on the final version—unless someone can recommend something better!

The synth: 3 MT-32 instruments squeezed together again, this time run through an Ibanez DE7 echo/delay pedal. I reaaaally don't like how it turned out in the mix, though. I want to use the old version's synth, once I figure out how to get the timing better.

The guitar: Using Reason's "Intimate Steel String" combinator, but replaced the NNXT instrument with a Taylor 410 refill thingy. I really want live guitar for this, so if anyone's willing to team up! The part at 1:01 is supposed to be kind of free-form picking, the speed varying, fast at first, slowing down for each chord change... but each bar of it is about the same pace, so it's weird. Should I keep that, or write a new part, or give the guitar a break?

The bass: Not really sure what I used.

The drums: Are a mix of a "Hard Rock Drums" soundfont I found, and Reason's RnB Soul Kit.

[Watarimono]

"It's about time you showed up, Star Fox!"

Ah, just replayed this game yesterday, and I've been anxiously awaiting the 3D remake. This's gotta be one of my favorite tracks in the soundtrack, and I LOVE what you have so far. I'm looking foward to see the day when this gets finished and submitted.

I can't really think of any criticisms, but I'm sure the talented musicians on this site can think of a few things...

[Rukunetsu]

I like what you've done here BW. You've captured the calm atmosphere I remember this song for, with a nice clean sound to boot (instruments meshing together etc etc).

I'm FAR from an expert...but here's my feedback.

While very pleasant initially, the piano is at it's worst when those really REALLY low notes start up. Also the reverb, although suitable for the spacey effect - leads to some clashing later on in the song...as if it's not fading out correctly or something.

All in all, I enjoyed the beginning more than I did the end.

p.s Perhaps...you may not even really need the drums, considering the type song you're covering.

[Binweasel]

Ooh! Thanks, you guys!

New version (2))! I found my Grado SR60 headphones, found out the bass was waaayyy too loud to compensate from my iPhone earbuds, and hopefully fixed things up a bit better.

Changes:

Different piano. Quieted the low notes (deleted some of them completely) and loudered a few higher notes and things. (There is one high plink that might be too loud; I'll get that fixed next version.)

New bass. I'll stick with this one unless people hate it.

Different synth—a mix of the bubbly thing from the original, hopefully a little more on-time now, and helped along by a Suitcase Rhodes soundfont of some sort.

And here's a version without drums! I got another request from someone to take them out, so I gave it a whirl. I... don't really like it, myself. XD

(drumless!)

While very pleasant initially, the piano is at it's worst when those really REALLY low notes start up. Also the reverb, although suitable for the spacey effect - leads to some clashing later on in the song...as if it's not fading out correctly or something.

With the low notes—did you mean the piano sound itself, or the composition?

Also, not sure if you mean the reverb in the whole song, or just the echoes on the synth. At the very, very end, the synth is delayed by an eighth note or so. It sounds off, like it can't keep up. That bit's intentional! But if it's too mucky, perhaps it should go...

[Binweasel]

Version... 4! Skipped right over 3.

Trying out a new guitar sound, plus some strumming instead of that off-tempo picking. Still need to tweak some velocities and transitions.

Figured out what I think was the problem with the echoy synth: it has a pre-echo ( ". o O o o . ." instead of "O o o . .") that was throwing it all off. I was setting the note triggers back 1 note length to compensate, but things didn't quite click until I sent them back 2 note lengths. How's it sound now?

I'm tempted to add in some background intro/outro spacey-radio-crackle effects--like Fox is listening to it while drifting in a broken Arwing... If I do that, what do you think about having the first part be slightly lo-fi, then the song breaks out into clarity when the synth comes in? Sort of a "Wish You Were Here" kind of thing.

[SpacePirateGrenadier]

I'm not a remixer myself but decided to give my own two cents.

I'm liking it so far (listening to version 4 now) and I think for added effect it would be cool to see a lo-fi intro up to the synth to help the middle section come out clearer (the player doesn't have a minutes:seconds timer so I'm not sure where exactly it's at in the piece).

That said I'm hearing a little dissonance between notes in some of the lower-piano chords although that could just be reverb.

[RobotSmacK]

MMMmmmmm Starfox 64...

The mix sounds really good, but it starts clipping in the middle, the piano pad chords especially.

The sound of the guitar is really good, but the time is a little sketch.

Cheers for the SF64 remix

[Binweasel]

Thanks again!

I think the dissonance is just reverb. I've done some more EQ and such to make the lower notes not as loud, and hopefully cut out any clipping that was going on.

Couldn't get a lo-fi intro to work the way I wanted. If the song had a drastic change of instrumentation, it would work, but as it is now the "coming out of the clouds" moment was either too abrupt or so gentle that it might as well not have started out lo-fi at all. Kept the new intro sound effects, though. What's a Star Fox song without cheesy sound effects, after all?

I believe I will put this into Mod Review now. The only thing I can think of to change is the overall volume: I noticed the waveform in Audacity was a little thinner than usual.

[hewhoisiam]

For me the panning on the organ at the start is too extreme, it's all coming out my left ear, and the whole guitar part and piano, my right. Maybe you could automate the parts so that you get more separation where you want it, but not with the entire track.

The drums are kinda weak. I'm thinking reverb, and they need fattened up. The bass drum is just scary weak, it has no punch or body. I don't think this is a very 'punch' song. But it needs some tone to it, some body.

The highs at the end are a bit much for me. Might take them down some.

Arrangement feels thin, not enough going on at times.

[Level 99]

Organ is definitely a little too hardpanned to the left at the beginning, I would definitely place it only 20-25% leftpanned. Maybe give it a little less chorus effect as it sounds almost waivery, borderline out of tune sometimes. Guitar also sounds a little too loose around the drums, either that or the delay is really throwing me for a loop being off-time.

Fix the timing because this is pretty relaxing and a really nice take on the SF64 menu theme.

[Binweasel]

Thanks for listening!

Okeedoke... changes:

- fiddled with reverb (probably too muddy now)

- changed the drums using a demo of Abbey Road 70's drum kit. Kept the bass drum from the original to double it up.

- re-recorded the organ, but couldn't remember the settings I used on the guitar pedals, so it's a lot different. Good or bad different, I can't say... I did, however, make sure to tune the MT-32 to 440 Hz this time—its default setting is 442, so that would account for a little bit of the off-key sound.

- fixed the panning. For some reason the piano was a little bit to the right, so that's centered. The echoy synth is a little more centered as well, by about 5-10%. The organ was supposed to be 20%, but since Reason only goes up to 64... Anyway, that should be fixed, too.

- dipped some of the high-end EQ (over the whole thing; missed the part about "at the end", so that might be an issue still?), as well as a bit of the mids on the guitar

I also used yet another pair of headphones... I probably shouldn't have. Bose QuietComfort 15; I read the active noise-reduction causes problems with clarity, but they sounded great with Pink Floyd's Division Bell album (a lot more instruments are used in "A Great Day For Freedom" that I wasn't aware of before) so I'm hoping it's not a problem here.

The one thing I'm not sure about is the guitar sounding loose... I'm afraid I'm not really sure what that means. Is it during the strumming parts, or during the picking, or in general?

[Level 99]

Definitely an improvement, for sure.

What I mean by loose guitar timing is that it isn't tightly on-beat, as many of the other instruments are, and makes the song sound a bit disjointed and confused. What I'm hearing is possibly a recording delay, so maybe move the guitars closer to the beginning of the song ever so slightly (I'm talking 10-15ms tops). Example: the strums at the beginning of the song SHOULD begin a few ms before the exact beat, climax when the beat hits, and resolve a few ms afterwards.

This is getting there but I can't critique further until I hear how it all sits properly in time (the guitar is throwing me off from focusing any more at the other components, lol). I'll also try giving it more of a listen this week to see if I can't "hear past it".

[Binweasel]

Ohhhh! Yeah, I see what you mean now. Thanks! It's pretty hard to go from using Reason to trying to sync up VST recordings.

How's this? I THINK the guitar is more on beat... I moved the strums forward a little, and the one part where the piano is doing part of the guitar's picking seems pretty on-time still.

Also lowered the volume on the ending notes (the high ones) so that should be easier on people.

The only thing still bothering me is the piano... despite being centered, it still sounds like it's mostly in the left-ear. Apart from manually splitting the midi track into two halves (or more) and panning each part appropriately, is there any way to have the right-hand notes come out the right side more?

Edity: Dah. I'm going to have to sell my desktop in a week or two, so after the next suggested change, I'm going to submit it. Then hopefully by the time it gets No'd (if), I'll have a better computer to continue with it.

[OfficialJab]

Has anyone said Freebird yet?

Because.....

Freebird. So Freebird. And that is not a bad thing in the slightest.

[Level 99]

Ohhhh! Yeah, I see what you mean now. Thanks! It's pretty hard to go from using Reason to trying to sync up VST recordings.

How's this? I THINK the guitar is more on beat... I moved the strums forward a little, and the one part where the piano is doing part of the guitar's picking seems pretty on-time still.

Also lowered the volume on the ending notes (the high ones) so that should be easier on people.

The only thing still bothering me is the piano... despite being centered, it still sounds like it's mostly in the left-ear. Apart from manually splitting the midi track into two halves (or more) and panning each part appropriately, is there any way to have the right-hand notes come out the right side more?

Edity: Dah. I'm going to have to sell my desktop in a week or two, so after the next suggested change, I'm going to submit it. Then hopefully by the time it gets No'd (if), I'll have a better computer to continue with it.

I hope you submitted whatever the latest version was. I realize this is coming 4 months later but the file is deleted, despite me wanting to hear your updated version. hope you get another desktop soon for more musics!