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Donkey Kong 64 - Forest Lanterns - Risen from the dead! (Update 7/30/11)


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Sources:

(Fungi Forest)

(Crystal Caves [future])

Remix Link

http://tindeck.com/listen/zpqn (v. 5.0)

Hey all, this is the very first honest-to-god remix I've ever started that involved more than just pure improvisation on the piano/guitar, so this is very new territory for me. I think all the time I've spent on workshop mod review and project evaluation has trained me to avoid a lot of noob traps that often trip up new remixers, but I've spent so long working on this that I'm not so sure anymore.

Things I'm aware of that need fixing:

  • Percussion is all placeholder, I just sequenced a 4-bar pattern and repeated/chopped it everywhere.
  • The last section of the arrangement is pretty bare-bones, I'm struggling to write parts for that :\
  • The arrangement itself is obviously not done, I still want to reprise back to the original Fungi Forest melody and then move into Crystal Caves later on.
  • So far it's pretty conservative, I'm aware that later down the line I need to spice things up to drive this away from cover-territory.

Aside from that, I think the production is sounding pretty good and the samples aren't problematic, but it's my first multi-instrument remix that I've produced myself so I'd love to get some more feedback. Do the background loops get too repetitive?

Cheers!

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After all the help you gave me, I hope I'll be able to slightly return the favor :)

Seriously, that's some serious hard source to work with imo xD I'm pretty sure I'd have a hard time arranging this. Production sounds great indeed :D although trying to find a collab partner for recorded violin might be great :) *stares insistently at Chris | Amaterasu's user profile*

just sayin' :D

The loops didn't annoy me at all... yet :) I've yet to hear what's coming next :-D

If you're looking for arrangement suggestions... seriously I wouldn't know what to do after that last part of yours, if you intend to keep going in the same feel. I'd probably progressively add light and crunchy drums, and start building up a more groovy feel. This is what I'd probably do ^^ I hope it helps!

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Oooohhh, that's a great idea. I'd totally be down for collabing with Chris on this if he listens and feels interested in contributing :wink:

Thanks a lot for the encouraging comments, hopefully I'll break out of my current writer's block and get this arrangement going again, cause I have a great idea for what to do with a later section, I just need to find a way to transition properly... I may just whip up the section separately and transition later. Very much appreciated!

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Wow, for your first multi-track remix, the production is really good! :grin: I didn't notice any major issues there. The first time I listened to it the background piano(?) chords seemed a little bit loud but it didn't bother me any other time I listened to it for some reason. Might still be worth having a look at that though.

I really like the percussion (the sample and general idea I mean, I know you're still working on the patterns) and all the sounds you've used.

Arrangement wise, I reckon it could use some simple harmonies at around 0:34-1:01. Maybe something like a flute or high piano.

The transition at 1:01 sounds a little rough, but that could at least be partially fixed once you change up the percussion a bit. And if you decide to go with the flute/piano harmony idea you could a little flourish thingy just before going into it too. ;-)

And I agree that live violin would sound amazing. :grin:

Overall, this is sounding really good, especially for your first time working with other instruments. Nice work! :nicework:

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The images I think of this are SO Donkey Kong's place! The dreamy jungle, silent birds, monkeys playing around, Winky the frog staring at you like 'huh', yonko-ribbit-bongo. Could be featured as the intro of a DKC movie :grin:

I'm not really bothered about the background loops for now. Might have something to say once this progresses more, and I'm looking forward to how you'll expand on it. Percussion is a tad loud I think, but it's a placeholder, so bleh :P

Wubwubwubwubwub <3

miss%20bubbles.jpg

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Thanks for the offer, but my computer borked this morning and the hard drive is completely fried. Looks like I'll have to put this one to rest :-( Sorry guys. Thanks for all the really nice feedback though! This won't be my last foray with ethnic music and it won't be my last time touching the DK64 soundtrack, so be prepared! :-D

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  • 3 weeks later...

Updated the mix: http://tindeck.com/listen/zpqn

Just some slight changes in this version, but I wanna bump this because I was able to recover my project file and continue working on this :-D I'm really having a hard time racking my brain for ways to improve the B-section of the mix and actually layer in melodies/countermelodies. I might be in over my head, haha.

Either way, would love to get some opinions here. Also, is that brass riff in the middle of the song lining up properly? I can't tell.

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Updated the mix: http://tindeck.com/listen/zpqn

Just some slight changes in this version, but I wanna bump this because I was able to recover my project file and continue working on this :-D I'm really having a hard time racking my brain for ways to improve the B-section of the mix and actually layer in melodies/countermelodies. I might be in over my head, haha.

Either way, would love to get some opinions here. Also, is that brass riff in the middle of the song lining up properly? I can't tell.

To me, the beginning almost comes out of nowhere; I'd do a fade-in on everything except the nature sound, if not just one instrument/texture: when that melody reaches the appropriate dynamic, let everything lower or higher appear slightly less subtly underneath err above it.

"I've got a fever, and the only prescription is MOAR BRASS!" ;P

And even while my last name will always be Short, this remix need not be. :D Elongate it! -kinky-

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