ad.mixx Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Ignore that little string stab at the beginning, will of course fix that. Original: Remix: https://www.box.com/s/9e6a7c6063bad34b6205 I'm really posting this more because this is the first time I've ever tried something like this, and would like some advice as I make this. I have the arrangement pretty much stuck in my head, so that's not too much a concern (I don't think). Soundscape design, instrumentation, and production (especially on how to make things "loud) are my big problems with this one. I'm used to doing very chill, laid-back, verby stuff, so this something way different. Any advice from people who are used to doing this kind of stuff is appreciated. Hope you enjoy what little I have so far. : D edit: I feel like I'be made pretty good progress with this and am putting it up for mod review. I've spiced up the drums and also followed some of TheGuitahHeroes recommendations on skype'' so now too see what a mod thinks about this. Thanks for all the help guys so far guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGH Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I'm really digging the overall sound/atmosphere/mixing! I feel like the kick could use just a little bump, and some more interesting hat patterns wouldn't hurt either, especially for the kind of sound you have going. I've always love the unique way you use the bass in your music. It has an effect that essentially inverts the chord at parts; very unique, very classy imo Love the piano as well, and also some great use of 'wubs' in the background as well. Keep going with this, sir. It's lovely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timaeus222 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Very nice and unique so far! Here are some things: I think the kick is a bit subdued. It feels like it has no upper mid so it's not piercing through the mix. It might be in the bass frequencies, but it shouldn't just be there. For the snare, it feels like it's in the "high end" of the mids. Try bumping it up to the "low end" of the upper mids. I also think you should make use of more wubs in the half-time sections. It could sound somewhat dubsteppish at that point and add a cool aspect to your remix. Sounding great so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ad.mixx Posted June 13, 2012 Author Share Posted June 13, 2012 Thanks for the comment guys. I put in a little progress update (really not much has changed). The wub section you recommended, I actually added in last night after posting. I'll be doing the rest of the stuff y'all recommended too. Trying to find a new kick is gonna be the next step, but I think from this point I'm going to try to finish out the arrangement before I get distracted with too many things. Hopefully by tomorrow I'll have a good, finished arrangement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ad.mixx Posted June 18, 2012 Author Share Posted June 18, 2012 https://www.box.com/s/9e6a7c6063bad34b6205 Right, so I have an update for this... and unfortunately the arrangement is still not finished. D: It's so close, but the genre I'm writing this in has made it hard to bring the song full circle. I do want to post this update mostly because I have gotten much further with the song. I upped the kick some (it's still mostly in the bass frequencies.. I couldn't find a way to put it in the mid range and make it work), fixed the snare a little bit, and added the hat patterns like Jamison mentioned. The little solo that finishes what I have off might have a different lead.. or maybe something added there to kind of support the lead because listening to it now, it doesn't work entirely by itself. I plan on going strange to an upped key version of the main melody (starts at 1:28 after the drum roll at the end... having another drum roll bring the full kit back in, and finishing off the song with that. But making that work is proving to be a little bit difficult.. hopefully I can at least finish that today.. I'm not using to making all these bleeps and bloops xD After that I'm going to probably do a lot of production work.. mostly on making the song loud without having it sound weird or over compressed. tl;dr it's almost done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ad.mixx Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 https://www.box.com/s/9e6a7c6063bad34b6205 And....finally! The arrangement is finished off. Again that little string stab cutoff is at the beginning. Will fix that in any future update. Will wait on any crits or production ideas now, and if none get posted I'll put this on mod review. Naming this finished for now, though. edit: also yay for my first triple post ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BardicKnowledge Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I love the Touhou games -- thanks for taking on one of their many tunes! So much weight is put onto the chiptune sound that the piano section feels out of place. Did you ever consider bringing back the piano for a more interpretative section? The chiptune portions of the piece really work for me, it's just that there is an aesthetic dissonance between piano and chiptunes that isn't addressed in the piece's current form. The best part of the piece is around 2:00 when the intensity increases, the motion slows down ever so slightly, and we hear something more original. This develops into a smooth chiptune section beginning at 2:18, which feels really good. After typing this, I have figured out what is unsettling to me about the piece: the piano plays very similarly to the original (which admittedly uses piano also) and the chiptunes have the interpretation. If this is the case, why not make an all-out chiptune mix? The piano isn't adding anything that couldn't be filled in with a different instrument (chiptunes)... Something to think about, in any case. I enjoyed the piece a bunch once it picks up around 1:50 or so; before then the piano sounds a little too close to the source to really grab my attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ad.mixx Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 https://www.box.com/s/9e6a7c6063bad34b6205 aaaand update! I'm going to have to mix the snare in my car stereo - it's the only true place where I can get a feel for if it's powerful but not too powerful. Because at the moment I think it might be too powerful. It's hard to tell with my headphones though. I did up the kick again, and I also unfiltered the higher frequencies so it could be heard a little more. It took me a while to get used them, but I think it might be working. I'll probably up those frequencies. It was also recommended I mess with the high end hats a little bit, so I'm going to do that some either tonight or tomorrow. I want to get this snare working first. And the kick. As for the piano thing.. well, it's kind of used to build up the intensity. I changed the frequencies a little bit to make the piano a bit more exciting. I might improvise with it a bit more. Maybe some high notes playing to give it more energy at the start. It's supposed to be used to kind of start off the mix, and the chiptune melds in with it, and I have them layered throughout the song because the chiptune lead is a bit too much just by itself. I might bring in some chiptune counterpart writing over the piano in the piece earlier. I'll ask others for what they think too. Cause I can kind of hear what you mean when you say the piano parts are a bit less interesting. also better fadeout! and better fade in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rozovian Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 aaaand a long overdue mod review: I can hear source from the start. Intro suggests something quite conservative. Saves me thr trouble of figuring out the source. Whoa, some bass notes are _really_ loud. I don't get the disparity between the heavy lows and the otherwise light track. While a juxtaposition of these two can be used well, here it's... well, not. Compare the frequency balance to some good reference tracks and figure out how you wanna fix the disparity. It's probably a sound design problem, you just need to figure out if you're going for a thick, light, or juxtaposed sound, and be more consistent in how you realize it. The track is also a bit quiet. Getting the drums and bass under control should give you a little more room for the rest of the track, but it's also worth looking into various techniques for gaining a little more room to work with. There's a few parts where there's something weird going on, harmonically, eg 1:12, 1:39, 3:32. The bass might not be in tune, either. This feels pretty promising tho. I like how this track flows. Aside from the sound disparity it seems mixed ok. It seems different enough from the source, tho someone more familiar with the source would be better qualified to comment on that. Sounds postable, but it ultimately hinges on the source usage. Nice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ad.mixx Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 Ok, I worked on this and basically lowered the bass enough. I was actually having the same problems in my ears, but people kept saying the drums should be stronger. But I think I was completely mistaking loudness for strength, so yeah. It sounds a lot better now. I'm probably going to have to render this one more time to fix some piano chords, but other than that, it sounds good. I'll get more opinions and stuff. The bass just plays like that. It sounds out of tune whenever it's played by itself, but ok once it's played with the song (I think it's because higher frequenices are trying to harmonize on the synth.. I'll find a way to fix that because it is weird). It's a bass I use a LOT so my ears might have gotten used to it by now. Probably the next to last update before I submit this to the judges. I'm hoping to submit this late tonight, and finally work on some other stuff. : D https://www.box.com/s/9e6a7c6063bad34b6205 (not sure why I keep linking this whenever box always keeps the same link ) edit: oh yeah, and I think the track is a bit louder now. I'm scared to play this too loud on my headphones to tell, but it sounds easier to hear on my labtop speakers (which is unfortunately the only other thing I have to listen on..) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timaeus222 Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 At around 2:00, you used a ride for the breakdown. Try using a brushed hi-hat instead if you can find a sample for that; it might work better. At 2:17, the timbre of the snare hits don't seem to match the section. Currently, it feels like the same snare sample is reused whenever you want a strong feel. Maybe for sections where you use the same one, you can change it up a bit and layer on a new sample to make it sound different. I suggest the final snare hit, layered or not, to have less low-mids and more upper-mids. This doesn't necessarily have to be a "rock" remix. I'm thinking the snare is your basis for the "rock" feel, which it shouldn't be. If the rest of the instruments aren't fit for typical "rock", go for a different genre. Personally, I define rock as having guitars and electric bass at least. This was enjoyable though. Good job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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