Chimpazilla Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 (edited) name: Fat Bard real names: Patrick Crecelius and Zach Fendelman email: website: www.FatBardMusic.com game name: Zelda: The Ocarina of Time arrangement name: "Wanderlust" original song name: The Lost Woods notes: We wanted to make a chill rock version of "The Lost Woods" from Zelda: The Ocarina of time to kick off our Patreon campaign, where we'll be doing one re-imagined tune from a video game each month. We always thought it would be interesting to do a more ethereal rendition of the song, since after all it's easy to get lost in that area of the game . Edited September 9, 2015 by Liontamer closed decision Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimpazilla Posted August 11, 2015 Author Share Posted August 11, 2015 I do love me some Saria's Song. This version is VERY conservative but I love the guitar performance and the style. There's quite a bit of hiss in the recording. I think there is too much reverb here, it gives a dreamy feel but it is mushing things together. I wish I could hear the strings better. The bass is muddy. I like the drum samples used but the drumming is extremely simple, although the simplicity fits the mood. I wish there was some more interesting soloing in the section starting at 1:23, that section ends up directionless and leadless. I think this concept is good, but I think it ends up too conservative overall and needs a mixing overhaul. NO (resubmit) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Opens up a bit loose and lo-fi, but we'll see where it goes. Light pops at :25 and :27 that shouldn't have been there. Good mood established though. The drums at :41 were on the loud side compared to the leads, but were OK; props for getting subtle and creative with the patterns and not going for plodding pattern. Next iteration of the theme at 1:22 was even quieter and more subdued, which would have been bad, but using the guitar as ornamentation from 1:22-1:40 & from as an original countermelody 1:40-2:03 were smart ideas that could get overlooked. Back to the source melody from 2:03-2:44, which felt like a retread of :41, only with the very light doubling of the melody by the synth behind it. I think what's there with the arrangement was adequately personalized, but doing something more interesting and substantive with the interpretation for the final section there would have made this an easier sell as far as the arrangement feeling fully developed. IMO, it gets over the bar with the effective tempo change and instrumentation changes, plus the subtle but creative original percussion and guitar writing. The mixing was some parts lo-fi, some parts muddy, and buzzy in some very brief spots, but I was OK with it overall. It's a solid aesthetic I can get behind, and the arrangement doesn't need to reinvent the wheel, just creatively personalize the presentation of the theme, which I argue it does well enough. Good job, Patrick and Zach, and good luck with the rest of the vote! YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkeSword Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Snare's a bit too loud. Not a fan of the drums having all that reverb on them. I feel like if you're doing a big dreamy kind of texture with your melodic instruments, you need to be really careful with your percussion and make sure it isn't boomy and flooding the soundscape with reverb tails everywhere. Not feeling like the guitar treatment of the melody is enough of an arrangement; when things switch off there's a little more creativity, but the guitar is taking it too straight. Gotta agree with Kris; this feels aimless, like the start of something that could be a lot better. Needs more interpretation and a more controlled soundscape. NO, resub Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonAvenger Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 I'm in the boat that the arrangement is too repetitive along with being pretty conservative. The mix has a nice feel, and I'd love to hear this sort of style with more change-ups. 2:07 sounds too similar to the first iteration of the source melody, and I kinda feel like it might be the same verbatim. Adding some flourishes or small changes would make a world of difference. I'm also going to agree this is a bit too heavy on the reverb. The washed out feel is nice, but I agree it's a bit too strong, especially on the drums. Good luck on the rest of the vote! No (resubmit) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emunator Posted September 9, 2015 Share Posted September 9, 2015 I actually didn't have much of a problem with the production on here... maybe because I've been going on a dream-pop binge lately (or because I produce all of my music this way, too!) but the washed out reverb-y sound seems deliberate and well-executed here. Stuff is audible and coming through where it counts. For my money, I think the production and the guitar tone is ace. There's a lot of promise there. Arrangement wise, I feel like this falls short of the mark. Each time the melody is played through, it wholesale repeats almost exactly the same way regardless of which lead is playing. There's very little in the way of unique phrasing as the track develops. You need to inject some original melodic breaks or soloing to keep this fresh, and some more engaging drum riffs would also help. The synth leads that take over during the 3rd repetition of the melody are a great step in that direction, it changes up the tone and offers a bit of a breather, but the synths are SO quiet! I can barely even hear that sine lead. And after that, it's pretty much right back through the same territory again. I feel like I'm passing through the woods and I'm walking around in circles - despite the fact that I'm seeing some slightly different scenery and embellishments with each pass, I can't shake the feeling that I've already been here before. NO (resub!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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