djpretzel Posted July 1, 2006 Share Posted July 1, 2006 Contact Info -ReMixer Name: TheoConfidor -Real Name: Silas Reinagel -E-mail: slr_handbell@comcast.net -Website: http://www.theoconfidor.com -Userid: n/a Remix Info -Game: King's Quest 6 -Song: The Bookworm/Dangling Participle -Link to OST: http://www.queststudios.com/quest/kq6cd/kq6cd.html Comments: I remixed this tune for the April DoD competition. The theme was American Adventure games and while listening to some OSTs this tune really struck me as a great source tune. Also, I really purchased a new VST soft synth and was dying to make something with it. Since the focus of DoD is live instrument playing, I played the synth for basically everything. The only programmed part is the drums/percussion track. It tied for 4th place out of 12 entries. This is the first remix that I really feel very confident about, as far as quality and a solid arrangement and so I wanted to share it with all of you peeps here at OC Remix. Does it make that grade? That's for you to decide. The file: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Orichalcon Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 This started off sounding like it was going to be a nightmare, but this is actually pretty cool. You've set up some binster-style beats to start with. The way you introduce the mix catches one off-guard for the soundscape you set up around 30 seconds into it. It's a very catchy use of the synthetic sounds. I'm not feeling the break halfway through, it felt out of place for me, and the way the mix builds back up from there isn't really pushing the right buttons either. It's sounding more like you ran out of decent ideas around that point. The arrangement ideas are evident. I can hear both themes instantly. Have you done enough to actually remix the two similar themes? I'll say you have, since you've done some funky stuff with the leads and arpeggio synths in the background which show unique creativity. I'm torn with this one. On one hand you have some really awesome arrangement ideas, and creative work with the way you've utilised to the samples you've chosen. But on the other, you have a very out of place segway in the middle of the piece, and a very abrupt ending. It's a question of whether the good sections make up for the issues in the piece. I'm willing to go with this one. I think it's enjoyable as it is, it could be better, and I could see reason for rejecting it and asking for a resubmission. But as I'm most certainly repeating, I like it the way it is and think it passes our bar. YES I should also note that I'm struggling to believe that this is the same Theoconfidor who participated in the recent PRC71 where he placed at a modest fifth. This piece is several clicks above the production of the mix in that competition that I'm only assuming he put it there to completely blow me away when I finally heard this mix on the panel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted July 8, 2006 Share Posted July 8, 2006 http://66.49.226.244/digital/miscellaneous/kq6cd/xr/kq6(13).mp3 - (13) "The Bookworm" http://66.49.226.244/digital/miscellaneous/kq6cd/xr/kq6(15).mp3 - (15) "Dangling Participle" Certainly glad to hear something from a more rarely mixed game in this community. Mostly just hear stuff from King's Quest V, and even that's once in a blue moon. Cool source tunes here, really catchy and memorable stuff. Thanks for providing the link to the originals. The synths used in the intro were pretty bleh, but had a bit of that throwback feel to them. Beats are brought in at :27 and I'm actually reminded of TO's stuff a bit, though the production's a bit lacking. Some better, more creative processing would hook this up, particularly with the beats which are pretty flimsy. Cool solo-ish section at 1:08, though it did feel like it flopped at 1:19. Good recovery though with the following part at 1:22. The claps here were too plain and merely kept the beat; they're not bad, but the boring pattern and plain tone on them makes the mix drag a bit. Play around more with how those sound. 2:05 changes the tracks feel entirely. The crossfade between sections wasn't as smooth as it could have been. Still a good idea though to at least change up the style. Cool stereo effects with the synth at 2:18 jumping from ear to ear. Synth pattern comes back at 2:32 along with some beats, which felt a little bit boring considering that most of the preceeding 2 minutes sounded similar. 3:08 replays the material from :26 without changing anything significant, which was a bit disappointing. 4:04 finally brought in some new effects on one last iteration of the melody before clocking out at 4:19. That idea for the finish was too sudden and didn't really resolve the track well, but the effects you used are one example of how you could tinker around with effects/processing to beef up other parts of the track. Especially for the first two minutes, the sounds being so similar and never changing up made the mix seem like it wasn't quite developing or evolving. If you can work further on the synth design and flesh the track out more, particularly the beatwork, this would be much stronger. The arrangement is cool, but the synths and beats sound both thin and generic, undermining the energy level you're going for with the writing. Awesome foundation here, Silas, but it needs more polish to realize its potential. It's not there yet, but I really hope you continue to work on this one and give it some improvements to really get it sounding strong. The arrangement ideas are pretty cool, and the live performance aspect of this was solid. I'd love to see this on the front page with some revisions, and genuinely look forward to hearing your future works both around here and around Dwelling of Duels! NO (refine/resubmit) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcos Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 Thanks to the Remixer for providing links to the source. The arrangement of the mix is quite good; I like the slow middle section, and the way it changed the feel of the mix. The main issue I have with this mix is the sound design and production. Some of the synths/beats sounded quite fruityloopish and very cliche, particularly the bass synth. I feel this needs some more work. NO(Please refine/resub) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkeSword Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 The lead really lacks definition; it's got a really weak attack and bounces back and forth between the stereo field for no apparent reason in the beginning. Everything sounds like some permutation of a detuned saw something-or-other. I realize that this is probably the case for most electronic music (), but it's VERY apparent here; what I'm really trying to say is that the sounds all have that same buzzy quality to them which makes the texture of the song really uninteresting. This song is also, aside from the short slow middle section, lacking in dynamics. From beginning to end, its pretty much the same feel. Needs more variation in that respect. NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vig Posted August 8, 2006 Share Posted August 8, 2006 yeah...the release on the lead is too long in the beginning. a lot of the instruments sound kind of similar. the groove is alright, and the execution is fairly clean, if lacking in subtlety. the first two minutes are repetitive, then there's a long break. after the mid section, it repeats again. i think the biggest problem here is that it needs more ideas presented. it's fairly repetitive as is. NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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