Liontamer Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 (edited) Hello Enclosed is my remix. Since you prefer download links to attachments, I've hosted the track for you in a zip file on (non temporary) mediafire link here: Please let me know if there's anything else Thanks for your consideration -Jack Contact Information * Xij * Jack Oughton * jackoughton@googlemail.com * www.xijmusic.info * Your userid (number, not name) on our forums, found by viewing your forum profile e.g. djpretzel (http://ocremix.org/forums/member.php?u=1) has the userid of "1" Submission Information * Chrono Trigger * Four Islands * Name of individual song(s) arranged Schala's Theme * Additional information about game including composer, system, etc. (if it has not yet been added to the site) * Link to the original soundtrack (if it is not one of the sound archives already available on the site) * This is a slightly older mix of the track. The project file for the newest one (I'd made some small tweaks) was lost in a hard drive failure about 6 months back. I can't remember the small adjustments that I made to the track, but this one sounds OK to me ----------------- Edited August 30, 2013 by Palpable closed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted July 23, 2013 Author Share Posted July 23, 2013 What was the point of that little part from :57-:59? Starts off pretty minimalist, so I'm hoping it goes somewhere; 1:23 was that chance. A little escalation occurs, but it's basically coasting and I'm waiting for that next idea. OK, another iteration with some rising notes added on top, but an overall static layout. 2:37 finally changes into something more. And, again, I like Jack's arrangements, but we get yet another instance where the track peaks and is dense, yet the background is TOO sparse. Noooooooo, not again. The drums from 2:42-3:27 are well-written and have a good tone, but the background needs to be a bit fuller. Also, the drums cut out abruptly at 3:27 out of nowhere; don't miss small details like that. At 3:25, we move into some totally different instrumentation for the finish. The accenting chords and wind-type lead from 3:25-4:13 were off-key on purpose, that much was obvious. That said, I don't really see the point, including closing it at 4:39 with some blue notes on the piano, but ooook. You have to hear it a number of times to get used it, and also focus less on the odd notes and more on the Schala piano base they're actually built around. Well, this is definitely the closest to the bar I've heard out of your submissions so far. The first 2:23 was pretty static as far as the treatment of the source, but did gradually evolve, but I'd like to hear just a little more substantive development there. Besides the drums sounding naked, the second half from 2:37-on was pretty swank. The more I listen to it, the more it seems like it click ENOUGH, but that's really because the second half finishes stronger. This is REALLY close to passing, IMO, and it could get there. Hopefully some semblance of the project files is there. Let's lift up creativity of the first half a bit or shorten it so that it isn't static for so long. Really strong stuff, just a little tightening up that's needed; perhaps I'm just being very tough on it. I've taken issue with various things in your submissions, Jack, but I'm definitely impressed with your current skills and the potential on display. Hopefully you stick around here, smooth out the rough edges and contribute some great stuff. NO (borderline) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutritious Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 (edited) First half is a pretty straightforward treatment of Schala, so I'm hoping to hear things mix up a bit more soon. In general, while the soundscape is filled out pretty well, the writing still comes off as sparse. The sudden synth drop out at 1:48 & 2:24 came off as a bit awkward. The Kick playing throughout the first half felt too subby, without much presence at all in the mid range. Things pick up a bit at 2:38 and definitely bring up the interest level. It's definitely a step in the right direction and a much stronger section in general. Kick here didn't seem to quite match what the rest of the kit was doing, both rhythm wise and tone wise. The kick pattern clashes a bit with the snare/hat patterns. Also, you may want to try a more acoustic sounding kick to match the rest of the drum parts. I hear why Larry's questioning the purpose of the atonal parts in the end section. It seems like 4:13 - 4:37 would be more effective as a breakdown section somewhere in the middle, rather than a resolution, but that's really just my opinion. So overall, really good start here! I'd recommend focusing a lot on developing the arrangement and instrumentation further, especially in first half. Keep on eye on your instrument transitions so things progress more smoothly. NOResubmit, please Edited August 30, 2013 by Nutritious haha I can't spell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonAvenger Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 Can't say I agree with Larry's opinion that this could be close. I found the sounds to be very thin and fake, which might be contributing partly to the sparseness overall. The other big issue I felt was the note choices. I wasn't feeling some of the changes in the chord progression; either they didn't really work well with the melody, or as Larry mentioned they are intentional, but I'm not quite getting why Jack went for those choices. It seems like I'm in the minority here, but I think this needs a bit more of a revamp before I'd be good to let this one go. That being said, I do like the grungy feel you're going for, and I think there's some good things to work with. Good luck to you! NO (resubmit) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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