Spring Yard remix Jazz

[youber]

Hi to the community !

I already posted a first version of this remix here one year ago. It consisted in a repetition of the same motiv of 40 seconds. I made sure there were no repetition this time, and slowed the tempo down to increase the jazzy feeling.

Hope you like it, and tell me please if you think it's worth posting to OCR.

Thanks !

[Garpocalypse]

Aww hell yea! Spring Yard Lovins! When i was in first grade and i made it to this stage you have no idea the sense of accomplishment that came with this music.

I like it so far just a few suggs for you.

The repetition is still a little too much. Each time you restate the theme change one small element, maybe something in the groove or give something else a lead. Repeat it no more than twice then open it up into something else. Maybe some free form improv or something like that. Then you can close it off just as you did. This remix details more of what i'm talking about: http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR00985/

It's good, it just needs something different to keep the listener engaged and to squeeze another minute or two out of it.

The other thing is I thought the tempo was a few beats too slow. This was my thought at first but after awhile it didn't really get to me. I think you slowed it down too much but if you like it the way it is then ignore this comment.

[youber]

If you want to taste the first faster version you can just check it on my youtube videos, that'll give you an idea (even though I strongly beleive you're gonna tell me I should chose a tempo right between my two versions ^^). Of course it feels slow ! Even to me, but you know, I didn't want spring yard to make people dance.

I kinda have a phylosophical way of imagining songs. Remember all those red/yellow bumpers in between you could trap yourself ? In the chorus I made two cimbals respond alternatively, so that you get the feeling of bouncing from left to right then left again etc. until at some point there's an acceleration, just like when you get involved in a multi collision with bumpers.

I'm explaining because that's also why I made it slow. I see Spring Yard as a slow level, you don't get to run that much ^^

About the impro part I should make, you're definitly right, it lacks some changing moment. I'm a strong anti-impro in remixes (and hell there's a lot of it on OCR) so I'll rather try and do some twist with another game song that fits the feeling.

PS : can't understand your feeling of accomplishement in Sonic 1, but I got sticked in Carnival Zone with Sonic 3 for some 8 years, and god an accomplishement it was when I understood you could push up then down to make that shitty red cylinder oscillate until you reach next passage...

[Garpocalypse]

I kinda have a phylosophical way of imagining songs. Remember all those red/yellow bumpers in between you could trap yourself ? In the chorus I made two cimbals respond alternatively, so that you get the feeling of bouncing from left to right then left again etc. until at some point there's an acceleration, just like when you get involved in a multi collision with bumpers.

haha. that's a very very good thing to incorporate, and a great way to think about familiar elements to add to your mix but i'm afraid such a small detail will be lost on nearly all of your listeners. Alot of times it's very tricky to balance details like that. On one hand you might think it's just subtle enough to be noticed, and it's not. Or try to hide something in your mix that you think no one will notice right away, and it's so overt it lacks mystery. Keep messing around with that and you'll start to figure out just how much to use.

I'm explaining because that's also why I made it slow. I see Spring Yard as a slow level, you don't get to run that much ^^

There is definitely alot of regressing from those damn bumpers. Try to think of ways you can also communicate that with what you know.

PS : can't understand your feeling of accomplishement in Sonic 1, but I got sticked in Carnival Zone with Sonic 3 for some 8 years, and god an accomplishement it was when I understood you could push up then down to make that shitty red cylinder oscillate until you reach next passage...

Ain't that the truth. I thought i was the only one then years later i find out that nearly everyone had that problem.

When i first got Sonic The Hedgehog i was only capable of making it to Marble Garden Zone. If I beat the boss to that stage it was a rare thing for me. Then when i eventually made it to Labyrinth I drowned sonic and had trouble playing that zone for years. that drowning music...

[crypto_magnum]

I kinda have a phylosophical way of imagining songs. Remember all those red/yellow bumpers in between you could trap yourself ? In the chorus I made two cimbals respond alternatively, so that you get the feeling of bouncing from left to right then left again etc. until at some point there's an acceleration...

Ah ha ha, I love little details like this. I agree with Garpocalypse that the effect will be lost on most people in the sense that most-- if not all-- of your listeners are not going to overtly notice this and deduce your motivation for including it. But I also think that these kinds of details can have a subconscious effect on the listener. Similar to how a TV or movie underscore evokes emotion often without being noticed, a subtle mixing choice in a song otherwise meant for focused listening can also evoke a shift in feeling or mood from the listener without alerting the listener as to the "how" or "why."

All of that having been said, let's get to the meat of the evaluation:

First of all, production is great-- comfortably OCR-quality in my opinion, but I'm neither a judge nor posted remixer, so take that with a grain of salt. The main hurdle for this remix is that the song structure is very simple, almost cover-ish. It does the standard two-loops-through-the-material thing that most video game source music posted on youtube does. Given the genre you've chosen, this is easily fixable! Just add some sections of improv, for one! Maybe get more creative with the intro and outro too, though outside of the context of the over-all structure, they work just fine on their own.

Other than structure, I feel that this is most of the way there. The sound is great, plenty of nice personal touches in the little turns you do on the melody, you enhance the feel of the original... all tricky things to accomplish in a remix. Nice work!

[youber]

There is definitely alot of regressing from those damn bumpers. Try to think of ways you can also communicate that with what you know.

I did such a thing with my chemical plant remix, there's a moment I put the sound of sonic braking and the music slows and lose the tempo, then accelerate to come back. In a electro/rock remix like my Chemical Trip, it sounds good, but in a jazzy remix it'll just feel weird, and less understandable than the bumper trick ^^

Ain't that the truth. I thought i was the only one then years later i find out that nearly everyone had that problem.

Cool ! I'm not dumb then

[youber]

But I also think that these kinds of details can have a subconscious effect on the listener. Similar to how a TV or movie underscore evokes emotion often without being noticed, a subtle mixing choice in a song otherwise meant for focused listening can also evoke a shift in feeling or mood from the listener without alerting the listener as to the "how" or "why."

See man, that's exactly what I seek. Of course lots of people won't think about it, but something has to occur inconsciously when listening to it while remembering the stage.

I definitly won't put improvs. Nt that I can't do them, it's just that, as you said, I enhanced the feeling of the original, and my goal is really to create nostalgia. Improvs make me lose my dream when it comes in remixes :/

I may change intro and particularly the conclusion, cause it's true it's kinda agressive the way it stops just like that.

In the end, what I think I'm gonna try to do, is finding some other game music that could fit in the mood of this one, and make it a cross-over remix.

[timaeus222]

See man, that's exactly what I seek. Of course lots of people won't think about it, but something has to occur inconsciously when listening to it while remembering the stage.

I definitly won't put improvs. Nt that I can't do them, it's just that, as you said, I enhanced the feeling of the original, and my goal is really to create nostalgia. Improvs make me lose my dream when it comes in remixes :/

I may change intro and particularly the conclusion, cause it's true it's kinda agressive the way it stops just like that.

In the end, what I think I'm gonna try to do, is finding some other game music that could fit in the mood of this one, and make it a cross-over remix.

I challenge you to create nostalgia in a daring new arrangement!

[youber]

I challenge you to create nostalgia in a daring new arrangement!

As long as it stay the them of spring Yard, but covered differently, I can try. I'll think of it. It's hard to be the same and different all together ^^ I just refuse improvs of any kind, how can you have nostalgia when you hear something new ? Nonsense ^^

[crypto_magnum]

Ah, the eternal struggle of the remix artist-- how much do you change it, and how much do you stay faithful to the original?

I wasn't paying close-enough attention earlier when I made the suggestion about the improv/solo section... it looks like you had already stated you were against it, prior to my post. Though I personally think it would be a great addition, I can't and won't argue against your aesthetic preference.

Now, if your goal is to get this posted to OCR, I predict you'll run into concerns from the judges about this remix being what they call "too conservative." Not to say that you haven't already added a lot to the source, creatively, but is it enough to pass OCR's bar? I'm skeptical. Hey, my hunch could be wrong, though.

However, if you have a different vision for what you want to accomplish with your remix, that's totally cool too. And maybe there is a happy middle ground in here where you can change up the song just enough so that it's feels new enough for OCR, without pushing it so far that it betrays your artistic vision.

Putting that discussion aside, I still think your remix sounds fantastic.

[timaeus222]

As long as it stay the them of spring Yard, but covered differently, I can try. I'll think of it. It's hard to be the same and different all together ^^ I just refuse improvs of any kind, how can you have nostalgia when you hear something new ? Nonsense ^^

Well... if a song is made really well for how it's arranged, it sure feels nostalgic to me. For example:

The Long Journey Ahead (Diggi Dis)

Countdown to Infinity (WillRock)

[youber]

Well... if a song is made really well for how it's arranged, it sure feels nostalgic to me. For example:

The Long Journey Ahead (Diggi Dis)

Countdown to Infinity (WillRock)

I'm afraid your examples can't help because I don't know those games so... But to stay on the sonic games (for we both surely share a common ground of nostalgia) I'd take the example of TeeLopes remixes that contain no improv at all, and they're the most powerful nostalgic engines I've heard. Even when their quality doesn't match a Walk on Water (housethegrate)which stood perfect for me until the improv part :/

But after all, it's a simple matter of taste, so I'll continue my own way

[youber]

Now, if your goal is to get this posted to OCR, I predict you'll run into concerns from the judges about this remix being what they call "too conservative."

However, if you have a different vision for what you want to accomplish with your remix, that's totally cool too. And maybe there is a happy middle ground in here where you can change up the song just enough so that it's feels new enough for OCR, without pushing it so far that it betrays your artistic vision.

Glad you like it by the way.

Being accepted on OCR ain't a goal for me. I'm using the forum to get some critics from the community, and after that, I shall submit it just in case (why would I keep it for me, if it's accepted it may give it more chance to reach people). If I tried to please the judges, it wouldn't be 100% my feelings I'd put in the song, it wouldn't be worth it, and I guess it would feel as if I hadn't been giving it my soul.

Let's encourage artists to do what they want ! Industry promote commercial and standard art. Here, it is our duty to promote full free-art, would it be a remix made of farts that I wouldn't complain !!(since they don't smell through my speakers)

[FaytxStay]

I can't help but humm and nod. <3

[youber]

Okay, thanks to everybody. I think I know what I'm gonna do next.

It'll happen in a while 'cause I have no time now with my studies, but I'll post it on the forum anyway.

I see... a guitar ! Wants to join the remix, she says, after the second chorus, to express the melody in her nostalgic way. The other instruments wait, listening for a while, and one by one they begin to join their new friend in a creshendo of glory ! There comes the final chorus with alltogether the fellows, which represent somehow all of us people that share this enthusiasm towards the power of Spring Yard's melody to bring back the awesomely happy child within our soul.

Sorry for the poetic inspiration. See you some other day, my friends