Final Fantasy VI - 'Mines of Narshe'

[jnWake]

I made this remix for the FF6 contest that recently ended. I like it so I might continue working on it:

https://soundcloud.com/jnwake/final-fantasy-vi-mines-of

I think I should work more on the drums and bass (maybe use another E. Piano sample), but I'm open to any criticism to the arrangement and production. It's pretty straightforward in source usage, the section with the piano and synth solos uses a variation of the intro for the chord progression.

Hope you like it!

Edited December 18, 2013 by jnWake

[Trance-Canada™]

I'd suggest maybe taking the hat out of the intro and have a piano intro. Maybe more rhythm to the piano to expand it a little more, and again I'd put that same addition to the 1:55 mark too. The overall mix is done very nicely, a nice chill jazz feel to it, nice work with the solo at the 2:40 mark, maybe adjust the sound so almost more Hammond B3 sounding, that would really add to the overall jazz sound. The arrangement is pretty good though, aside from the intro.

[sphexic]

This is nice. Love that bass. I'd say keep the hat in the intro, but make it more dry. The piano's already so wet in that part of the mix. The drums mesh well once the texture gets thicker, but I feel like it needed to be a bit snappier at the beginning. Also the organ from 0'55" could come out a little bit more. Might just be my headphones, but at that part it's hard to hear which instrument is taking front stage.

I like the piano sounds you used. What plugin/library are you using?

[jnWake]

I like the piano sounds you used. What plugin/library are you using?

Solos are Native Instruments' Alicia's Keys and the rest of the song is Native Instruments' The Giant.

[The Legendary Zoltan]

Yes. This is very nice indeed. I agree that the intro hi hat sounds kind of fake and relentless. At 1:55 as well. Did you add any changes to the velocities on the drums? If you haven't, that would help a lot. A great remix yo!

[timaeus222]

The intro hi hat is a bit mid-heavy or vintage. Can you find a better sample?

The EP is muddying this up in the beginning. Maybe you can try bumping that up an octave, then softening it a bit. I'm sure the synth lead could cut through with some EQ work.

Oddly enough, the Jupiter-8-style synth lead doesn't seem to have that much vibrato sometimes. I can kinda hear the vibrato. Sounds great though.

The piano could use a touch more reverb and some slight stereo pingpong delay, just for some subtle ambience.

Nice bass work at 4:16. It could use some more articulation detail, though, if you can. Maybe some hammer-ons, pull-offs, or legato slides?

[jnWake]

Seems the intro HiHat doesn't have many fans For that section I actually wanted to do a percussive thing with "mine sounding" samples, kind of like what ectogemia did in his entry. I didn't have time to even look for them though so I just used that HiHat. Anybody know where I can find good samples of mine sounds?

Thanks for the other tips, I'll definitely will look into them. I did this quite fast so the mixing isn't that polished. Other stuff, like the bass having no articulations, will also be fixed.

[crypto_magnum]

I did this quite fast so the mixing isn't that polished. Other stuff, like the bass having no articulations, will also be fixed.

I know what you mean about having no time. Dang, you pulled off a lot in a limited time though.

So many great ideas in this thread already... I hate to be a broken record, but they're spot-on, imo. Subtle mining sounds, both percussive and ambient, would be great in the intro. Maybe some light ride cymbal taps (on the bell of the cymbal) could work nicely during the outro, just to subtly color and accent some of the jazzy chords (like you do around 3:30, but maybe brighter and with a bit more pitch separation)... I could almost swear I hear an almost inaudible cymbal tap or two already near the end, but considering making it more pronounced in that case? Speaking of the outro, I'm not sure how I feel about the naked strings there... they're very synthetic, but they do sort of take me back to the source. I don't think they quite meld with the acoustic instruments as well as some of the other synthetic elements, such as your lead. The organ just screams for B3 treatment given the other voicing.

The riffing and soloist work is fan-freaking-tastic! Mmm mmm.

[timaeus222]

Speaking of the outro, I'm not sure how I feel about the naked strings there... they're very synthetic, but they do sort of take me back to the source. I don't think they quite meld with the acoustic instruments as well as some of the other synthetic elements, such as your lead.

Those synthetic strings happen to be analog pads, I believe.