Bugdom - Night Theme

[Newtmanking]

Just started a project that I have been thinking about for a while. This is not so much of a remix as it is a cover of the song, however, this has all been done by ear so far.

I hope that you all think that it may be sounding alright, although I do need to figure out what to do about repeating the song/ the key change at the end. Not sure yet how to work that out.

But nonetheless, here is the song: 

And here is the original music from the game for comparison: 

 

[MrKyle]

First thoughts:

The original has percs, but it seems your piano work is intended to be more subtle and human.  If you are going for a more emotional performance, perhaps take the percs out all together and pursue the piano/strings (maybe a piano quintet even?) concept more.  As far as the key change goes, you could toy around with modal changes, relative minor/dominant key changes, arpeggios of the melody, octave shifts, counterpoint harmonies, or even smooth time signature shifts, to name a few.  As long as your deviation returns to the melody in a comprehensible way, you can do all sorts of crazy fun stuff.

It will move more away from a cover and toward a remix if you keep developing a more personalized and original piano performance.  You can get more liberal with the melody, and as long as you stay in key, can create a new melodic lead without losing the character of the original.  

[T- Ape]

I hear 'Antz', the movie... oh the times...
Sounds ok so far, The piano part sounds for most of the song the same, which is good if you intended that. Your drums are soft though. If you make them louder, it will give more of the punch you hear in the original. And add a crash to the drums when you make transitions between song parts(Intro-theme for example). Otherwise the build up created by the drumfill will anti-climax, which sounds lame in most cases.

About making a cover or a remix. MrKyle already explained one way to make remixes. Another perc of remixing it from the start is really figuring out you own will in creativity. Because you don't do what the original does, you have to think about what it is that you want to do with it.

Another way is longer, but will also give you certain insight in the vision of the composer of the original. If you continue what you're doing now(from what I hear, recreating the original), You will start to understand why certain melodies, musical phrases and instruments work together the way they do. Plus you also train your ears, which is sort of the best thing you can do in music, like always(like duh ofcourse T-Ape don't be so obvious...).
After recreating the original you know entirely how the song is build up and you can go change, shift, create your own way in it, as grand or subtle as you want.

For beginners in covering and remixing I suggest the second way, when you're more skilled in it or really like a challenge MrKyle's advice is a great option.