Tetris Theme A: Reverse Tetris

[GSO]

hi all! here is my latest remix attempt, inspired by Tetris Friends, Block Party(specifically blocks pole & L) & Era Medieval Legends

tell me what ya think!:

Edited September 19, 2013 by GSO

[timaeus222]

There's some low end ambience from the hand drum reverb which muds up the mix.

[GSO]

Fixed the hand drums:

[timaeus222]

Alright, sounds better in the low end now.

The first key change was a bit abrupt but not unwelcome. The arrangement does repeat a lot, though, and it seems like you just did three key changes, which don't really add more to the arrangement. Still though, the instrumentation was pretty Russian, which is good considering your influences.

Edited August 18, 2013 by timaeus222

[GSO]

here's the fixes:

[timaeus222]

Unless I'm mistaken, it seems you adjusted the intro, which actually turned out sounding even better! You've improved a good amount since I last saw you doing Groovy Matoya.

The tremolo picking was pretty nice. The key change where the time marker reaches the left edge of the a in "Download" was rather abrupt. Do you think you could try something to lead into that? Perhaps some sort of tuplet-rhythm scale or some connecting strummed chords on the Balalaika?

When the time marker reaches the left edge of the d in "Download", the high note played there sounds fake to my ears; it starts to sound more like a soundfont with 2~4 notes sampled per octave, and then repitched. However, at that pitch, it sounds like it's above the range of the Balalaika. It almost sounds like a bell at that point, but it's not a big deal.

The arrangement seems to be less repetitive this time around. I don't know if you added variation in the playing style (chords vs. arpeggios, etc.), but it worked, in my opinion.

The following key change is less abrupt. The rest of the arrangement is done pretty well, so great job!

[GSO]

thanks. writing my own stuff for a while really helped. here's version four:

(as far as this goes, I'm kinda stuck idea-wise now )

[GSO]

'kay. I'm bumping this:

[Chlysm]

I think the percussion could use a little more variety.

[Argle]

Could just be these headphones and my noisy IT environment, but I found it a little hard to hear the melodic instruments over the drums. The key change feels awkward.

[GSO]

I'll fix the key change, but FYI it's supposed to be a medieval dance. so the drums stay.

[GSO]

fixed stuff.

Edited September 14, 2013 by GSO

[GSO]

bumping this.

Edited September 17, 2013 by GSO

[GSO]

bump:

Edited September 18, 2013 by GSO

[GSO]

feedback? anyone?

[Argle]

Did you turn the drums down? Things sound more balanced than I remember the last time. I like it, sounds nice. The arrangement is simple but gets the job done. Sounds are good quality, nothing lofi or fake sounding. The key changes at 1:25, 2:40 and 3:44 still don't sit well with me. In each case it feels that you change a beat too soon and there's some clashing. Other than that, not sure I can come up with any reasons why it wouldn't pass the panel.

[timaeus222]

I agree that the key changes are still pretty abrupt after waiting a while between listens and I personally think the textures are a little sparse. The last key change felt a little bit dissonant in a bad way (i.e. dissonance in a good way is a jazzy chord).

A little bit after the left end of the time marker hits from halfway between the c and k in "Download Track" until the left edge of the k, I'm hearing two decay issue instances in the balalaika. It stopped suddenly, which can count as a click.

The mixing is fine, but I really only hear one or more balalaikas and some hand drums. It's certainly fine to have only two instruments for this particular case, I believe, though having a bass would not be unwelcome and it could fit in this context. It's not entirely necessary but you could do it.

The arrangement is the biggest concern here. It's pretty simplistic, yet it's 5:03. A simplistic arrangement lasting 5 minutes, albeit with three (?) key changes can be repetitive to some people. There isn't much rhythmic contrast in each section, just different tempos and key signatures. The playing style seems to stay consistent throughout, too.

Edited September 20, 2013 by timaeus222

[Flexstyle]

<MODREVIEW>

1. The mixing is decent, but I still feel like everything's a tad bit crowded. This is more a function of the arrangement, and not of the actual mixing, since there are several instruments playing at the same time that take up the same sonic space. Also, a bass instrument of some sort, while not essential, would definitely help to round out the sound. Maybe introduce it partway through the song.

2. It still feels really mechanical, especially with the plucked....trills? I think that's the term. Those don't sound terribly natural. I know it's a function of the patch you're using, but it could use a bit of tweaking.

3. I concur with Tim, in that the arrangement, while containing tempo and key changes, doesn't really evolve very much. The patterns all sound the same, even if in different keys and at different speeds. It's a very "flat" sound. Plus, the transitions between those changes are quite abrupt, and really need to be smoothed out with perhaps some additional writing and even extra percussion fills.

Good stuff thus far, but it does need a decent amount of work as well.

</MODREVIEW>