Donkey Kong Country - Aquatic Ambiance remix

[tesselode]

Sources:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rh4iOJ6Kzs

(the version from DKCR has a melody that's not in the original)

Remix: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/37768120/aquatic%20ambiance.mp3

So yeah, this isn't exactly the most original source tune to remix, but hopefully my version is unusual enough to be interesting. Feel free to heap criticism on me!

Updates (newest to oldest)

-minor update. see if you can spot the difference!

-more drum variance, softer hi-hats, minor changes

-redid drums, are they better yet?

-varied up drum loops, transitioned some things better

[DjjD]

I dig the arrangement here, very chill. My only problem with it currently, is the drums. They remain constant throughout the whole song with the 16th hi-hat notes. If you EQed them, and possibly changed the velocity levels on the notes, you might find that accenting the hi-hat notes makes a big difference.

Overall, the arrangement is strong but the production is lacking in some areas. I really like this man, keep up the good work.

[tesselode]

Updated! I changed up the drum loops some. Is this any better?

[Rockos]

I dig the arrangement here, very chill. My only problem with it currently, is the drums. They remain constant throughout the whole song with the 16th hi-hat notes. If you EQed them, and possibly changed the velocity levels on the notes, you might find that accenting the hi-hat notes makes a big difference.

Overall, the arrangement is strong but the production is lacking in some areas. I really like this man, keep up the good work.

I approve. The drum here need more attention. This is looping until nowhere. You need to add variation, fill, velocity and not repeating it to frequently. It need to go somewhere not standing here as a 'time teller'. A little bit of work on soundscape could be done too. But it sounds alright like this.

The major critic.

DRUMS

(Oh and near the end the drum sequence become more anoying.)

[Chimpazilla]

*listening*

Yes, drum variation for sure. (this is something I struggle with as well) There is a slower part in the middle where the drum pattern is just too fast... then the drums drop out and the following section has a slower pattern, nice.

I am loving that square lead! It sounds a tiny bit dry for my taste. Give it a bit more delay. Same for the square grooveline that is under it, reverb that back just a bit more so it isn't competing with the lead for center stage. Also I think you could center the main lead, or put it slightly right, it is on the left and so is that gooveline. Or, have it on the right when it plays together with the grooveline, then move it center when it is by itself.

That other lead in the second half is pure joy. It could move forward just slightly (longer predelay?)

When the song stops completely I think it is over... maybe let something, anything (hats?) play here?

As other have said, the arrangement is really nice. I like this! (ok so I've just listened through twice)

[tesselode]

OK, I redid the drums. Hopefully there's enough variety now. I also tried adding some effects in certain sections such as flanger and reverb, but I couldn't quickly come up with any way to actually make them sound good. Do you think the drums could use some effects to make them more interesting (or I just need more variety in the loops)?

[Rockos]

Link please. It says the file moved or deleted.

[tesselode]

Wow, looks like tindeck is having issues.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/37768120/aquatic%20ambiance.mp3

[Rockos]

It's already better.

Some tips you could use:

Volume on hi hat should not be overiding the song. This need to be heard but not on top.

The kick and snare are always the same. Fot this kind of music, I would alternate their patern.

2:18 hi hat are still loud.

3:30 and after, is way better for the drum path but still the hi hat are a little bit hi.

3:39 I would layer the higher pitch sound. It's a little lonely and high.

These are only tips. Maybe I'm deaf

Anyway, good work.

[Nonamer]

Calming. Nice song to do homework with. I like a lot!

Listen to what everyone has to say about the drums. They do overpower the song.

The song does seem a little empty IMO, but given the source you don't want to have the song being too intense. See if you can squeeze in a little more ambiance.

Aside from that, I have no complaints. When your done, give it a mod review!

[tesselode]

Update! I went ahead and made the hi-hats softer and varied the drums a little bit more. The new mp3 should be finished uploading in a few minutes. I'll get to work on improving the soundscape a bit.

Edit: I honestly do not know how to improve the soundscape. I can see that the beginning could use an extra synth or something, but I don't know what to add which would actually contribute to the song. Also, once the melody comes in, I think it's full enough. So for now, I'm calling this finished.

[Darangen]

I'd agree that it sounds a little empty. This could be caused by a few different things, really.

You could try a few different things to fill it out.

It feels like everything is kinda separated, so you could try a few tricks that would help glue everything together. One option is reverb. If you set up a bus with reverb (100% wet setting) and set up sends from all your tracks to go through there, that bus will not only give you some depth but help make everything a little more cohesive. It doesn't have to be loud or even very evident, but with just the right amount you'll be able to give the listener a feel that everything is working together.

Another option is delay. Reverb is really just a specific kind of delay as it emulates a sound bouncing around an artificial space, so if reverb makes your track sound too wet and isn't what you're looking for, you can try delay instead. You can't really set up a delay bus and route everything through there like you could with reverb, but if you give your lead synths their own delay, something subtle enough to where it's audible but not overpowering, you can create a soundscape that's cohesive. A good kind of delay for this is an LPF delay, or Low-pass Filter Delay. If all you have is a regular delay, you can route the leads through a delay bus and just drop out the high frequencies on that bus - maybe anything above 1000hz-1250hz or so. This makes the delay less intrusive and more subliminal.

The arrangement is a bit conservative, but if you're content with the way it is then that's you're call. I'd recommend coming back to it after a few days of just listening to it here and there and seeing if any new ideas pop into your head.

[tesselode]

Minor update time!

[tesselode]

So I'm currently having trouble using reverb in a way that sounds good. I will research how to correctly use reverb.

[Nonamer]

The update is definitely an improvement overall. The drums in the beginning still have too much prominence, but I think that has to do with the empty soundscape rather than mixing issues. I say keep the drums as is until you fully pan out the rest of the arrangement.

The synth you use starting at 3:40 is rather sub-par. If you can replace that with something better, it would add to the quality of the mix.

At 3:10 the song just dies. That's not recommended. See if you could keep it alive by having one or two instruments transition between the two pieces.

This mix has great potential. Keep working on it, and you might learn something.

[tesselode]

OK, I went ahead and sent all the instruments to one reverb track. Hopefully this makes the reverb more consistent and makes the song sound better. Tell me if you notice any improvement.

[tesselode]

I need ideas. What can I add to the soundscape to make the song better?

[tesselode]

Since it looks like no one has any ideas, I'm gonna go ahead and ask for a mod review now.

[Skrypnyk]

That lead at 3:50~ is weeeeeeeeeeak. I can't tell if it's cause of the filtering, or the attack on it. Not feeling it. Timing on the notes are slightly off too me thinks.

I think using a breakbeat instead of a drum machine during the quicker section might add more dynamic to the mix.

You might benefit from removing like a minute from the mix too. Like the extend intro isn't all that necessary.

...maybe a slow breakbeat at 3:35 (replacing the drum machine). It'll give it a more filling groove.

There's quite a bit to like about this mix though. It's simple, minimal (perhaps a lil too much). Arrangement is there (I think). Nice work.

[Rozovian]

Starts off nice, if a bit empty. The lite drum kit has a nice sound and a good groove, but the drum writing could use some spicing up. There's some variation later on, but I think some more fills and subtle changes to the drum patterns as the track develops would improve the track.

Breakdown at around 1:00 feels weak. Once the drums come back, it holds on the same level until around 2:00, which is a much better breakdown. Might be a good idea to have something bridge the 3:16 gap between the break and the subsequent start to a buildup. It makes it sound like two separate tracks, either of which, btw, is long enough to stand on its own. There's some length you could cut down on, tho I'm not sure where. not a big deal, but a long track with a fairly same-y sound can get old before it's over.

Halftempo drums. Was gonna suggest that. Seems we share an ear for what works. Cuz it works. Transition to the regular beat is a bit abrupt, keeping the halftempo stuff until the 4:34 part might flow better, as might a fill or something to draw attention to the drums as they change.

The new harmonies are a bit Willrock-y, dunno how much of that is yours and how much is DKCR. I had a lot of trouble actually getting to the melodies of the DKCR source, since so much just seems to be variations on the tried and true melodies from the original DKC track, of which I think there's plenty here.

The main problem I think this track suffers from is the minimal sound. Some soft supplemental writing, be it rhythm or pads or whatever, could fill out the track some without ruining the minimalism that works quite well here.

As for Skryp's crits... While it didn't bother me much, the 3:50 lead isn't that great. I'd suggest a gliding lead instead, but you've got one of those already, and the difference between the leads is a good contrast. You should also consider shortening that part, there's a whole minute with that same lead. While it does develop from the minimal DKC melody to some more interpretive soloing, you might not need _that_ much of it.

I think the basic drum machine sound you've got works, but there's parts where it could be supplemented by a breakbeat or some other percussion stuff. I'd keep any additional drum elements in the background, but you do whatever you feel works best for the track, even if it means not doing anything.

STRUCTURE

- Not enough changes in sounds (eg. static texture, not dynamic enough) - it's fairly varied in chord structure and sound, but it's so long that the overall sound gets old

- Too repetitive - it's not terribly loop-y, but the drums could use some more fills and subtle changes

I like it.

[tesselode]

OK, I think I'm going to leave this song on hold and work on trying to improve my production with other songs, because my lacking production skills are making the song sound weak, and I think they are, indeed, the reason why the drums seem boring.

[Rozovian]

Nah, I think all you need is some more varied drum writing and some length cut out. If you were going for a hard-hitting sound, you were really doing it wrong , but what you've got here is far from bad. If you're gonna work on other stuff, you might as well sub this to get the judges' feedback on it.