djpretzel Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 What up judges? First off, the essentials: The Song: Remixer Name: LordMaestro Real Name: Ross Kmet E-Mail Address: LordMaestroX@gmail.com Name of game remixed: Donkey Kong Country 2 Name of song remixed: Enchanted Wood Original Composer: David Wise There really isnt much to say about this mix. Lots of texture, a variety of tones, very rythmic. I decided to stay closer than usual to the original peice (but, I dont really think in the long run I stayed that close at all) because what it presented was a source tune that could be well written into a laid back, enchanting groove, which luckily was exactly what I was going for. I did use the FL generator Plucked!, but, I really messed with it alot, and despite Plucked's unpopularity, I think that I got a really warm tone that cut through the layers and texture in the background well, which is exactly what I would have wanted in a lead instrument, and honestly, I dont think there is anything wrong with that tool. Well, anyways, enjoy the song. Ross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 http://www.snesmusic.org/spcsets/dkq.rsn - "Forest Interlude" (dkq-10.spc) Really plain synth lead coming here; anemic and flat. The hand drums were alright, even though they sounded fairly unnatural. The synth coming in at :37 didn't sound very melodic at all, it sounded pretty flat, even when doubled. Already a minute in and I'm not really feeling it, but 1:16 changed the direction a little bit with some decent freestyle-ish material laid over the source. Nothing here's really establishing prominence over the other instruments, which is pretty critical for the melodic content. Sounds like the percussion and supporting synths are louder than the actual melody. [shrug] We finally tackle something from the source tune other than the intro at 2:13, but there's really no meat to the arrangement at all. Nice accenting provided by those strings showing up at 2:37. The arrangement meanders around at 2:52 with some poorly-written freestyle work that merely used motifs from "Forest Interlude." 3:31 dropped all of the elements out and basically retread the arrangement style except with strings now filling out the background to make things sound more ethereal during the fadeout ending. Aside from the use of the strings, the sounds never changed around much here with some effects or brought in any new ideas. Meh. Just never any real direction here with the arrangement; never goes anywhere at all. The lead needs more meat to it (I think it actually ruins the rest of the texture here), the sound balance among the instruments needs to place the lead in the forefront, and the phrasing during the freestyle-ish parts needs to sound coherent instead of random. The use of panning here was alright though, and you achieved some fairly clean sounds, which is commendable. Keep working at it, Ross. I'd actually say work on some original material for a little bit to refine your composition ideas so that your melodies sound more coherent. NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zykO Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 sorry, this really doesn't go anywhere at all. i'd hate to echo everything larry said but he pretty much nailed it... so much more can be done with this source than what you did here... the percussion was great but outside of that, the synth parts were redundant and boring. the mix is also suffering - your lead instrument is too subdued and doesn't have the presence a lead should have. you're on a good track but you're still not there NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harmony Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 I really like the low-impact groove executed with some sparse hand percussion (wish there was more of it) and a soft drum set that sits well with the other instruments. I could have gone for plenty more variation but it’s not bad. The bassline is simple and low-key and the supporting pads do their job of filling in the holes. With all of these non-intrusive elements though, the lead just isn’t bringing any presence or direction to this mix. One problem may be that the lead is playing in the same register as the other synths, and not always doing a good job of harmonizing. The tone of the synths are also very similar to each other making it more difficult to maintain clarity and pull off a distinctive lead. These gripes are apparent during 0:39-1:15 where the lead is only noticeable because it is louder than everything else. The sustain on the lead synth lets notes bleed together more than I would like so you might want to take a look at that. The piano at 3:30 is a nice touch but I think it’s a bit loud. As has been said, the mix lacks direction. This would probably be improved with a stronger lead but the composition needs to be varied as well. The repeated section at 2:57 is disappointing as I was looking for some new ideas to crop up. You might want to check out Zircon’s synthesizer tutorial for some help with improving the separation and presence of your synths. I agree with you that there’s nothing wrong with Plucked! if used creatively, but there’s still plenty that can be done here to bring it beyond the accurately dubbed “anemic and flat” level. All of this aside, this jam got my head bobbin’ while judging this. Fun stuff but with room for improvement. NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The wingless Posted August 22, 2005 Share Posted August 22, 2005 Well, I'll say this, your percussion is quite delightful. It's a very pleasant beat, particularly given the source material and the implied emotion. It reminds me, however vaguely, of the old midi days, when young men like me would order Shareware games out of a catalogue. See, the internet wasn't invented back then, but the pony express had just ended, so the average gamer was in a bit of a hotspot. But man, when you saw those big fluffy white packages come in the mail like clouds pregnant with sunlight, rainbows, and dreams, you knew you had arrived. The sweet, sweet smell of 5 inch floppy disks, and the security of knowing you now owned the Shareware version of Kung Fu Louie... Back then, men were men, and the women were glad of it. But, I digress, ever so slightly. Despite it's overwhelming nostalgia factor, the main lead cannot support the entire structure. Nor is the rather gorgeous beat enough to sustain the whole song. What you have is a very solid foundation, with very weak supports. Zyko's right, you could do worlds more with this. Consider this your foundation, your launchpad, and see where this takes you. NO - Think BIG! - Either add or augment to your little lonely lead synth - keep the drums. They is tight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts