djpretzel Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 Hi! I'm Top Dollar, and here's my first submission to OC ReMix. Okay, now that I've been through id3.v2 tagging hell, let's get down to business Here we go: Contact Info: Remixer name: Top Dollar Real name: Markus Friebe My website: http://www.matrix-faq.com (not music-related) ReMix info: Remix name: Metroid Unleashed Game remixed: Super Metroid Songs remixed: Title, Intro, Crateria Surface (Galactic Hero theme) Comment about the mix: My first submission to OC ReMix is an orchestral take on the central themes from Super Metroid. This game has been my first VG music experience and still has a special place in my heart. Now that's what I call an original background story for a VG remix... Anyway, this is majorly the evolution of a concept I tried to realize with an earlier remix (which I consider a failure). The concept was to remix Metroid music into some kind of an audio trailer featuring dramatic orchestral arrangements. That earlier remix I mentioned is called "Threnody in Prime" and is available at VGMix.com: http://www.vgmix.com/song_view.php?song_id=3626. However, the basic concept is all the remixes still have in common. My intention was to take the listener to a sonic rollercoaster ride through the major themes from Super Metroid without making the several parts feel tacked onto another. I think that was also my greatest difficulty during the making: to generate transitions without playing the "orchestral build-up followed by clash" card too often. I also considered re-using the Phendrana Drifts theme for the finale as I am quite fond of the idea I used in "Threnody in Prime". However, considering that the major part of the remix featured music from Super Metroid, using the Intro theme was actually a no-brainer. Some time in the future, I may go back to that idea. Well, that's basically all I have to say. I really enjoyed making this remix and I hope it shows Until next time, Top Dollar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 http://snesmusic.org/spcsets/sm.rsn - "Opening ~ Destruction of the Space Colony" (sm-15.spc), "Theme of Samus Aran ~ Galactic Warrior" (sm-22.spc) & "Theme of Super Metroid" (sm-16.spc) Pretty basic orchestration. The brass needs to sound richer and strings need to sound fuller. Right now, the volume is so low & subdued and the samples used so dryly that it all undermines whatever drama you're trying to create via dynamics and composition. The string movements at from :53-1:19 are pretty artificial-sounding; the bow movement sounds very synthetic. Plus you pull sounds out abruptly, like one fading string that was part of a doubled set at 1:13 and then the second at 1:19. All of the instrumentation is lifeless and devoid of emotion. The vox at 1:54 is a good example, but everything else you used qualified here as being flat as well. The arrangement has potential, but the use of your samples needs work. The foundations in place are good, but you need to know how to provide the nuances that give vibrancy and human-sounding performace. Camp out in the ReMixing forum to learn more. I'd say resubmit, Markus, but that's only if you improve drastically in 3 or 4 months. There's potential, but I'd likely call this a done deal and move on. Good first sub though; keep on trying to improve! NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkeSword Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 I'm going to be a lazy ass and piggy back on Larry's vote, because he basically said everything I was going to say. While the arrangement is nice, it's sparse, and it suffers from sounding empty at points. 2:16 in particular could use some more support. Timpani rings out like crazy, but nothing else comes close to matching it in power; you need balance. Nice ideas. Go for the win, and retool/rework/revitilize/reenvision/resubmit. NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
analoq Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 the staccato rhythm the violins are playing near the beginning.. that's called the machine-gun effect (: ok but overall this sounds decent. some of the percussion levels are up too high or something because it sounds like clipping or maybe they're just bad samples. some of the panning is a little strong as well, my right ear heard more music than my left ear did. the other problems i have with this are the same as the Zelda 'Prelude' mix that was recently passed.. it's harmonically tame and lacking interesting musical devices between points of interest. slow, evolving stuff is great.. but you can't stop halfway at the slow points. you have to give 100% to your musical development throughout. actually i think this did a better job than 'Prelude' as far as arrangement goes, but this has more balance/mixing issues so my vote evens out to... no could be a pass with limited work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Orichalcon Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 I like the way the brass comes in, but I'm expecting a much more powerful section to follow, and the piece doesn't deliver it. The violin staccato doesn't really work very well, sounds too fake, and the tempo sounds a little too fast for the sample you're using. Overall this sounds very flat and just not enough to grab ones attention. The drums have quite a bit of reverb on them, which I felt drowned the mix a little too much in the lows. The arrangement was interesting at times, but as analoq said it's missing a lot of creativity to gel the mix together. I'd work on making this mix sound more powerful (ie: louder in the climactical sections.) Bring out the sounds so each instrument makes an impact on the listener, work on making the arrangement more creative, and you could have something quite nice here. NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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