Chill Out, Doc (Ice Cap Zone/Green Hill Zone) (HIATUS)

[Gario]

As per the rules, please don't mark something as 'Mod Review' unless you feel it's in a state that you can submit the music. Mod Review is not there to mark music that you feel needs a critique, but for music that you feel could be submitted to OCR and want to know what a judge might say about the track.

Everyone wants people to critique their music on here. Don't abuse the system to try to get a few extra critiques for yourself, please, as that adds an unnecessary workload for the Workshop Moderators.

I'll comment on the song later - there are significant improvements, but I'm a bit busy working on other things to give you a detailed response.

[PixelPanic]

I do feel it can be submitted such, perhaps my wording was a bit disconcerting.

It is not read "I am putting this as Mod Review BECAUSE I want to hear what thy think", more like "I am putting this as Mod Review; I want to know what they think.

I might have done that before out of hastiness and lack of confidence, but I know the rules

[SuperiorX]

I've seen you hanging around my Sonic compo thread, so I figured I'd comment on your track

I haven't heard any of the previous versions, but I saw you got a lot of mod feedback already, so I'm not sure what else I can add. I'd take what they say and run with it.

Overall I'd have to say the biggest thing holding this song back is the overall quality of the samples and the very mechanical feeling to the notes themselves. What software/VSTs do you use for your instruments? Sound quality isn't everything, but it's a major factory in enjoyability (for me at least). They're not terrible, but I guess they just kind of sound generic too me. Like stock instrument samples. I'd recommend playing around with the presets, adding your own effects to them, filters, modulation, maybe some vibrato here, tremolo there, stuff like that. You don't necessarily have to scrap everything you have, just try making it more your own. With that said, the piano and pads in the intro sound especially hollow though.

That ties into my second criticism, which is the mechanical feeling to the track. Every note sounds completely quantized. Like it's hitting on every beat like it's supposed to. There seems to be little movement. Like with the melody at 0:41 for example, sounds really abrupt and choppy. Try overlapping some of the notes to make it flow better (unless you're going for that sound on purpose). Adding some instrument effects like I mentioned above will also help with that "mechanical" MIDI sound. Having some of the notes slide into each other, so each one isn't hitting with it's full velocity. Just adjusting some note velocities in general should help too.

The drums also sound pretty weak to me. I'd beef them up, get a snappier snare sample, a more menacing bass drum, etc. I also have to echo what Arceace said about EQing. There seems to be a lot going on in the mid-range. The bass range sounds particularly lacking. In that mid-range, there also seems to be little variability in the instrument selection. That same synth carries the melody almost the entire song. I'd introduce a different lead or two to pass the melody between. It will help keep things interesting and not sounding the same throughout.

With all that, I'm not trying to sound negative. I really like the arrangement and think you did a great job blending the two themes (I can see where that might come in handy soon). So kudos there! I think the song just needs some work in terms of instrument selection, sample quality, and a bit filtering/EQing to bring out the best in what you do have.

Keep it at, cause I really do like what I'm hearing despite my negative sounding crits!

[PixelPanic]

I've seen you hanging around my Sonic compo thread, so I figured I'd comment on your track

Thanks man! I love Sonic, if ya haven't noticed.

Overall I'd have to say the biggest thing holding this song back is the overall quality of the samples and the very mechanical feeling to the notes themselves. What software/VSTs do you use for your instruments? Sound quality isn't everything, but it's a major factory in enjoyability (for me at least). They're not terrible, but I guess they just kind of sound generic too me. Like stock instrument samples.

I am using FL Studio 10 for the program, and I used 3xOsc for many of the samples, I used built-in organs for the pans and countermelodies and FL Keys for a nice real-feeling instrument. I was originally gonna program an LSDJ section where it'd fade down in a chiptune and then back up but something was wrong with the tempos of the two (they were the same, but didn't match up), so I applied that to the rest of the song.

I'd recommend playing around with the presets, adding your own effects to them, filters, modulation, maybe some vibrato here, tremolo there, stuff like that. You don't necessarily have to scrap everything you have, just try making it more your own. With that said, the piano and pads in the intro sound especially hollow though.

Alright, I'll look around. I wanted sort of a calmer sound to kick the song off with, and something that wasn't intrusive in the rest of the song, and in the end, it's tough to work everything in like I want it to.

That ties into my second criticism, which is the mechanical feeling to the track. Every note sounds completely quantized. Like it's hitting on every beat like it's supposed to. There seems to be little movement. Like with the melody at 0:41 for example, sounds really abrupt and choppy. Try overlapping some of the notes to make it flow better (unless you're going for that sound on purpose). Adding some instrument effects like I mentioned above will also help with that "mechanical" MIDI sound. Having some of the notes slide into each other, so each one isn't hitting with it's full velocity. Just adjusting some note velocities in general should help too.

The drums also sound pretty weak to me. I'd beef them up, get a snappier snare sample, a more menacing bass drum, etc. I also have to echo what Arceace said about EQing. There seems to be a lot going on in the mid-range. The bass range sounds particularly lacking. In that mid-range, there also seems to be little variability in the instrument selection. That same synth carries the melody almost the entire song. I'd introduce a different lead or two to pass the melody between. It will help keep things interesting and not sounding the same throughout.

Mkay, I'll keep all that in mind, I remember EQing the drums was one of the hardest parts because when they got too loud at too high/low a frequency, and vice versa, it cut out other instruments in that range, but that's the challenge of it all, I guess. And I kind want that mechanical sound, because most of Ice Cap's I've heard are really ambient, and I wanted to kinda make an Ice Cap Party (note to self: possible name for future mix).

With all that, I'm not trying to sound negative. I really like the arrangement and think you did a great job blending the two themes (I can see where that might come in handy soon). So kudos there! I think the song just needs some work in terms of instrument selection, sample quality, and a bit filtering/EQing to bring out the best in what you do have.

Keep it at, cause I really do like what I'm hearing despite my negative sounding crits!

I took a Graphic Communications class last year, year-round, criticisms are nothing but help (unless they're 'you stink') I will definitely take these things into deep consideration when working for my subbed mix

[WillRock]

MOD REVIEW

As this stands, this wouldn't pass the judges due to mainly production issues. The arrangement seems ok at a glance, if not a little conservative. There are some cool change ups in green hill zone that I digged. However, there are numerous production issues holding this back, the piano sounds decidedly thin and low quality when exposed at the intro like it is altho it fits in better with the full soundscape. It also seems rather mechanically sequenced as well.

The kick has too much bass frequencies, its overpowering in the headphones, while having very little punch or presence. Bring down the bass frequencies on that and make it a little more audible. The panning is also a problem. Generally, panning wants to be used to widen the stereo soundscape, but you don't need to make massive panning decisions in order to achieve that. Atm, your panning is so strong on the leads its distracting to the ears. Panning is good, but its easy to get too excessive with the idea. I'd work on the production right now, thats your biggest obstacle from getting this posted.

Good luck!

[PixelPanic]

MOD REVIEW

As this stands, this wouldn't pass the judges due to mainly production issues. The arrangement seems ok at a glance, if not a little conservative. There are some cool change ups in green hill zone that I digged. However, there are numerous production issues holding this back, the piano sounds decidedly thin and low quality when exposed at the intro like it is altho it fits in better with the full soundscape. It also seems rather mechanically sequenced as well.

I'll take a look at that piano and I'll see what I can do to make it more 'real'! It's pretty scary to see how far I've come from what was practically a midi rip (although it was actually copied from piano sheet music BCUZ IM HARDCOR LIK THAT), but I'm still making more original sections in the arrangement.

The kick has too much bass frequencies, its overpowering in the headphones, while having very little punch or presence. Bring down the bass frequencies on that and make it a little more audible. The panning is also a problem. Generally, panning wants to be used to widen the stereo soundscape, but you don't need to make massive panning decisions in order to achieve that. Atm, your panning is so strong on the leads its distracting to the ears. Panning is good, but its easy to get too excessive with the idea. I'd work on the production right now, thats your biggest obstacle from getting this posted.

Good luck!

That goddamn kick is going to haunt me for the rest of my life. If I ever get it down, it'll be the day I can die happily. Also I've been hating the panning so I'm lowering those a bit to make the leads a little more leading. But thank for the well wishes and the rev

[avaris]

I agree on all accounts with WillRock

Some of the panning fixes:

• Leads panned almost dead center.
  
• Kick panned dead center. (have the kick in mono if you can)
  
• You should have a short reverb and a long reverb on Aux Sends. Feed your sounds to those sends. That will help you out tremendously for the stereo field.
  

Production:

• Just get an entirely new kick sample
  
• Actually just get all new percussion samples
  
• (Go here and download the free samples in the "sticky" posts: http://www.thethrillseekers.co.uk/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=6)
  

What DAW are you using? I'd be willing to do a quick rerouting of channels to help you with Aux Sends to give you something easier to work with production wise. Trust me once you get all of this it is pretty damn easy.

EDIT: Looks like you use FL. I have it too. If you wanna take me up on the offer just PM or email me the source file. sonic.elements@gmail.com

Great arrangement btw, good creative decisions!

[PixelPanic]

Been a bit (two weeks, new record), was working on compression/EQing and humanization, with the help of the ever gracious 'avaris' and many youtube tutorials

Current version as of 2/26/12