Portal 2 - Reconstructing Science (Motion Sickness)

[timaeus222]

On the melody at 1:09 - 1:22, on the second iteration, try keeping the first 8 notes the same as the first iteration. I've had an issue before where people have a harder time figuring out the source tune connection because I changed it too much too early. I think what happened here is that you varied too much of the melody in the second iteration when in a call/response melody, you typically have a sense of familiarity when the second iteration comes. If you listen to Hydrocity Zone again at 0:37 - 0:42, you can tell that the first and second iterations start with the same first half.

The rest of the track sounds improved!

Edited April 14, 2015 by timaeus222

[Eino Keskitalo]

*sigh* more work.. grumble.. when you ask for a mod review, you might get what you asked for! Seriously, thank you!

 

I've worked on the drums a bit and I do feel it's for the better, I didn't change the overall tone too much but did some sample changes/layering and EQ'ing to make it less high frequency-ey. Structure-wise I added a little coda to give it a bit more length since it does feel like it runs a little short. I just haven't been able to extend it without problems. I still need to see what fun stuff I can do about the expressiveness of the leads. There's no synth parameters per se to tweak, since it's technically all sample-based tracker instruments, but certainly there's a lot that can be done.

 

On the melody at 1:09 - 1:22, on the second iteration, try keeping the first 8 notes the same as the first iteration. I've had an issue before where people have a harder time figuring out the source tune connection because I changed it too much too early. I think what happened here is that you varied too much of the melody in the second iteration when in a call/response melody, you typically have a sense of familiarity when the second iteration comes. If you listen to Hydrocity Zone again at 0:37 - 0:42, you can tell that the first and second iterations start with the same first half.

The rest of the track sounds improved!

 

I'm experimenting with this (and also still less jumpy contour for the melody in that part). It works quite well, it's certainly smoother, but also the jumpy and less predictable melody seems more exciting, having kind of an uncautious and untimid quality if that makes sense.

[Eino Keskitalo]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4246f874kgd7pkd/eino_keskitalo-motion_sickness-20150809-resubfc2.mp3?dl=0

 

I'm not quite sure if I changed much besides what was mentioned in the above post. Didn't really tweak the lead sound/expression, sure they could be improved but I kinda want to be done with this one.

[timaeus222]

I'm not sure if you played with the panning and the stereo field a bit, but it seriously helped if you did because the various parts feel more distinct to me. The melody at 1:09 - 1:22 also sounds much improved! I'm also liking the slow bitcrush-automated outtro. Sounds pretty solid now!

[Eino Keskitalo]

Thanks, pretty much what I wanted to hear! I think I did some subtle clean-up, with EQ and just removing stuff. Might have separated the panning more, too.