DarkeSword Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 (edited) Super Cartography Bros. is a community album concept that I have been thinking about for a couple of years now. The basic idea is trance, dance, and EDM remixes of map themes from the Super Mario Bros. series, mixed together to form a long continuous set of music appropriate for playing in a club. The album aims to arrange map themes specifically because they are shorter source tunes which would be interpreted and expanded into longer pieces of music that focus more on evolving textures in the soundscape rather than strong melodic statements. Like I said before, ideally this would be the kind of set that would be really great in a club to get people dancing. Essentially this would be the album you hide when people accuse OCR of being nothing but techno. xD I have a lot of projects of my own currently at OCR and don't have the time to organize an album like this, but at the same time, I've been sitting on this concept for ages and really want to see it come to fruition. So I'm putting out the call. I'm looking for someone to run this project. I'll act in an executive producer role (basically high level concept stuff), but I need a director to really take the reigns and do recruitment and organization. Specifically I'm looking for someone with experience in trance and EDM, preferably an artist themselves. Genre-restrictions on this album are going to be tight, so you need to know your stuff. The entire album will aim to have a very cohesive sound, so you'll need to be heavily involved with the artists making sure they're working within the album's concept. The timeline on this project is non-existent right now. There are no specific milestones I want to hit in terms of release, though I'd love to be able to debut the album at a MAGFest or something (obviously not this year). Anyone interested in taking the reigns should post here. EDIT (by Flexstyle): Director and co-directors assigned, work has STARTED on this project! Edited July 17, 2014 by Flexstyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexstyle Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 Officially, I'm very interested. Since I'm one of the more experienced EDM producers on the site, and since I've been itching to direct a project for a while now, this sounds right up my alley. I'd need a co-director or two, since there's no way I'll be able to do it just by myself, but other than that I'm pretty sure I can do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkeSword Posted September 20, 2013 Author Share Posted September 20, 2013 Sounds great. If anyone else is interested in helping Flex out, or in contributing to this project, please post here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eino Keskitalo Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 This is a pretty cool project concept, that would break some new ground. The idea of SMB music as the source material sounds like a lot of fun. I actually have an idea I've worked on a bit that would fit this concept, I doubt I could pull the required production values together for it on my own, but I could get some substantial work done on the arrangement and see if someone would like to collab on it with me. --Eino Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anorax Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 (edited) Ohhh man I love this idea so much. Question though, if this project does get off the ground and completed (really hope it does!), can it include a DJ mix of all the tunes in the album? I'm not talking about making the album a gapless playback album like the DKC3 album as an example. Although in reality this bridge should ideally be crossed when you get to it. Basically, what I'm trying to say is I like this idea a lot. EDIT: I should probably be on topic. I'd love love love to contribute to this project but I would most definitely have to polish up my almost nonexistent EDM skills for this. And as for co-directing... I'd like to, but I don't have the experience, neither do I think that I can commit the time to it at this point. Sorry :/ EDIT 2: Technicality question, would this project include Super Mario World or just strictly the SMB series? Edited September 23, 2013 by Anorax more derp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexstyle Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 can it include a DJ mix of all the tunes in the album? Part of what I'm putting together for guidelines will make this possible. Short answer: YES! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SenPi Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 im totally interested, EDM stuff is my speciality, as long as you're cool with like a UK Hardcore remix of something Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yami Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 Hmm, sounds nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkeSword Posted September 23, 2013 Author Share Posted September 23, 2013 Part of what I'm putting together for guidelines will make this possible. Short answer: YES! Yeah absolutely. That's the idea in doing this from the ground up with all new music. Lay down specific guidelines for BPM and stuff to keep things easy to mix together into a large set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexstyle Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 I'm actually in the process of building a spreadsheet that'll help me lay out what needs to be done. Key, BPM, style, etc. for each planned remix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timaeus222 Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 (edited) If you do need a co-director, Flex, I could volunteer. I don't actually do EDM all that much, but I *can*, and I have a great idea of when sound design is actually good enough and I know enough to appreciate it when an EDM song (or several other genres, really) is done well. A few examples of EDM that I think are good (objectively, of course): , , and Tantric Decks - Disco Kitchen (Electro Funk) Knife Party - EDM Death Machine And I might as well include this and this in there separately, as examples of my progress so far with EDM. The second track was soooooo fun to start. <3 Edited June 7, 2014 by timaeus222 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anorax Posted September 27, 2013 Share Posted September 27, 2013 I have a question about what games can be used as source, specifically the SNES remakes of SMB, SMB2 and SMB3 in Super Mario All-Stars. I do know that these games were mostly redone visually for the 16bit capability of the SNES, but I don't know if the soundtracks were recreated entirely or just re-mixed to 16bit. Would this really be an issue or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkeSword Posted September 27, 2013 Author Share Posted September 27, 2013 I have a question about what games can be used as source, specifically the SNES remakes of SMB, SMB2 and SMB3 in Super Mario All-Stars. I do know that these games were mostly redone visually for the 16bit capability of the SNES, but I don't know if the soundtracks were recreated entirely or just re-mixed to 16bit. Would this really be an issue or not? Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 2 don't have map themes. Valid games would ostensibly be Super Mario Bros. 3 Super Mario World Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island New Super Mario Bros. New Super Mario Bros. Wii New Super Mario Bros. 2 New Super Mario Bros. U Super Mario Galaxy Super Mario Galaxy 2 because those are Super Mario games with maps, but this list may be pared down in the interest of focusing on more iconic and recognizable themes (i.e just SMB3 and SMW). And this is specifically map themes, not overworld, underworld, athletic, or castle music. I'll be working with Flex to nail down full list of valid sources, but I urge people to not start or claim anything until Flex plans out the album requirements. This is going to be a very tightly controlled album, built from the ground up to be very cohesive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eino Keskitalo Posted September 27, 2013 Share Posted September 27, 2013 Duhhh, I managed to miss the map themes part.. I even wondered about the project title. The idea I've been kicking around is for SMB overworld theme. Anyway, I think the focus & scope is quite excellent, lots of fun! --Eino Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anorax Posted September 27, 2013 Share Posted September 27, 2013 Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 2 don't have map themes.Valid games would ostensibly be Super Mario Bros. 3 Super Mario World Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island New Super Mario Bros. New Super Mario Bros. Wii New Super Mario Bros. 2 New Super Mario Bros. U Super Mario Galaxy Super Mario Galaxy 2 because those are Super Mario games with maps, but this list may be pared down in the interest of focusing on more iconic and recognizable themes (i.e just SMB3 and SMW). And this is specifically map themes, not overworld, underworld, athletic, or castle music. I'll be working with Flex to nail down full list of valid sources, but I urge people to not start or claim anything until Flex plans out the album requirements. This is going to be a very tightly controlled album, built from the ground up to be very cohesive. Oh, no I knew that SMB and SMB2 couldn't be used due to the lack of maps, I was actually wondering if the soundtrack to these games had significantly changed from their NES release to their SNES rerelease through Super Mario All-Stars (and if that would therefore make them different sources). However I decided to check myself and there isn't really a difference besides simple reinstrumentation from 8bit to 16bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draconiator Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 If you need help Flex, I would probably be able to help. After all, look what we made together for DKC3! You drove me nuts at times with that (still hate blocks), but if you need help, I am in on it. Just tell me what I would need to do, and I am in to help. Also would be a way of thanking you for helping me with DKC3, been looking for a way to do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draconiator Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 The album aims to arrange map themes specifically because they are shorter source tunes which would be interpreted and expanded into longer pieces of music that focus more on evolving textures in the soundscape rather than strong melodic statements. Like I said before, ideally this would be the kind of set that would be really great in a club to get people dancing. Essentially this would be the album you hide when people accuse OCR of being nothing but techno. xD And that is EXACTLY what trance is. It is about the journey rather than the destination. Hell I may submit something too. TheChargingRhino 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anorax Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 Out of curiosity, has anything moved along with this idea? I really like this project idea and I'd love to see it happen and I'd also like to submit something for this but that'll have to come later obviously Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnWake Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 2 don't have map themes.Valid games would ostensibly be Super Mario Bros. 3 Super Mario World Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island New Super Mario Bros. New Super Mario Bros. Wii New Super Mario Bros. 2 New Super Mario Bros. U Super Mario Galaxy Super Mario Galaxy 2 because those are Super Mario games with maps, but this list may be pared down in the interest of focusing on more iconic and recognizable themes (i.e just SMB3 and SMW). And this is specifically map themes, not overworld, underworld, athletic, or castle music. I'll be working with Flex to nail down full list of valid sources, but I urge people to not start or claim anything until Flex plans out the album requirements. This is going to be a very tightly controlled album, built from the ground up to be very cohesive. What about RPGs? I think Super Mario RPG and some of the games from the Mario&Luigi series have map themes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkeSword Posted November 4, 2013 Author Share Posted November 4, 2013 Nooooooooooooooooooope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnWake Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 Boo, the map theme in Mario RPG is lovely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anorax Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 Any update on this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timaeus222 Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 Recall that I've co-volunteered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eino Keskitalo Posted May 31, 2014 Share Posted May 31, 2014 I told Pleiade (with whom I arranged Sanctuary on the Wild Arms album) about this concept and he thought it was quite cool, he'd be interested in contributing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timaeus222 Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 (edited) Still up for co-directing this, but I think this is a better and more recent example than that old second example of my own EDM. Edited June 14, 2014 by timaeus222 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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