djpretzel Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 Hey, new to the site so hope I’ve done everything I was supposed to do to make your life easier! Contact Info: ReMixer Name: AVSonics Real Name: Julian Hall Email: info@avsonics.co.uk Website: www.avsonics.co.uk Remix Info: Game remixed: Duke Nukem 3D (PC) and slight reference to Shadow Warrior Name of individual songs: Stalker and Gotham (Also Shadow Warriors Theme) Additional Info: Duke Nukem 3D for PC original composer Lee Jackson. Shadow Warrior Theme from PC also Lee Jackson Own Comments: The track was made after I stumbled across the OverClocked site and decided to submit something as I have some free time. I’ve probably done around 5 different remix’s of Duke in my time, those 2 tracks stand out for me. The stalker bass-line and brass and the Gotham strings were used. When thinking about Shadow Warrior I noticed that I could use a little reference from the Theme track in that also. I try to keep myself open to any musical style and hope there’s something you’ll like in this ReMix. Thanks AVSonics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Ascher-Weiss Posted August 9, 2005 Share Posted August 9, 2005 Duke Nukem Midi Soundtrack - 02 "Episode 1 - Stalker" & 25 "Episode 3 - Gotham" The melodic material gets buried a lot of the time. Your treatment of Gotham at 1:05 is beautiful but it doesn't last for very long. It's also pretty cool how you combine the two themes at 2:09 though it's done in such a subtle way that it's hard to notice. While both source tunes are identifiable, you only use a small portion of each of them and there was a lot of other material that you could have exploited. The only clearly noticeable difference between the first and last sections is the gentle layering of Gotham on top of the stalker theme, but unfortunately that's not enough to keep the mix from feeling like it doesn't go anywhere. The section from 1:36 to 2:09 showed a lot of promise for developement but it got cut off before it had time to fully "blossom" so to speak. To go along with the generally flat arrangement is the crowdedness caused by many similarly distorted synths all acting in the same register. You've got to clean that up. Add the incredibly repetitive drums to the list and it becomes clear that this is not yet passable. There are several gems in here like the first treatment of Gotham with the slow moving harmonies and the subsequent section featuring more variation than any other part of the mix. Adding these elements to the rest of the track while clearing up the clutter with extreme panning, fading some instruments in and out and more frequently varying the timbres would do wonders for your ReMix. Right now it's not quite there yet. n0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted August 9, 2005 Share Posted August 9, 2005 Just noting, make sure your submission isn't just your artist name. Give it an actual title next time. Good stuff introing with "Stalker" and changing up the rhythms. This took a "Kick Your A" approach by placing the arranged source tune in the back while using a lead that was wholly original. The synth lead itself (:17-1:03) was very simple but VERY catchy, but you need to make the source tune usage more noticeable and integral to the track, by punching it up a little and letting it show through more. Indeed, the usage of "Gotham" from 1:04-1:35 was really nice as well, though that Duke Nukem sample at 1:34 was REALLY tacky. Sounds like you just pasted it on top, so next time use some effects to just help it sit in more comfortably in the track. Right off the bat, the track was lacking on the production. The trebly highs often got blisteringly loud, and the sounds just mushed together during the louder section, crowding out a lot of the source material usage, as Shna mentioned. 1:06-1:30 was a lot more acceptable when things were clearer. The composition also got boring. 1:46 added some other new instrument to the picture for another verse, and I also liked the combination of the source themes at 2:09, but other than that, the soundfield was ridiculously crowded and the arrangement after 1:46 was on cruise control. This had some good moments in here, but Shna hit a lot of these issues. Needs a lot more ideas in here and better sound separation. Hope you keep working on it. NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harmony Posted August 10, 2005 Share Posted August 10, 2005 This has the potential to be great. The tons of melodies that get layered with each other are individually awesome and also fit together nicely. The two themes are neatly incorporated with each other and the breakdown at 1:04 is pretty sweet. There’s just too much clutter. The melodies aren’t panned away from each other, they are mixed pretty low, a lot of the synths have a very similar sound and as Shna mentioned, too many elements are fighting for the same register space for too long. These issues all become more relevant during the crowded section from 2:08-3:12. Other points of concern for me include the punchy nature of the synths at 0:00 and 1:38. Although the velocity oscillations were probably intentional in the intro, personal preference would want a smoother synth line. At 1:38 the lead synth is too loud. I love vocal samples to death but Duke’s cameo at 1:34 doesn’t fit. If you leave it in you may want to try some chorus+reverb processing to thicken it up and better blend it into the mix. The song is short enough with enough variety that I don’t think that the dance beat gets overused but some of the samples could be more interesting, i.e. the hi-hat. The composition gets repetitive towards the end but I can hear an increasing harmonic complexity that if properly realized could turn that repetitiveness into an energy packed finale build. Unfortunately as elements are added, they all get muddled together as has been mentioned. Good stuff so far but aim for more clarity in this mix and you’ll be headed in the right direction. NO (Please Rework/Resubmit) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zykO Posted August 13, 2005 Share Posted August 13, 2005 in a nutshell... its too busy, its too punchy, too repetitive and i'm just slammed into the ground by one large evil synth. i like the concept and all but this doesn't even qualify as ENERGY - its just MUSH#TQWY#GHASDFHQ#MUSH and that ending is not right since you didn't build up to it... it was one speed the whole way through, anyways... abrupt endings are effective when they're dynamic gotham is this track's only bright spot, in my mind but not enough for a yes NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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