OCR03392 - *YES* Alex Kidd in Miracle World 'A Kingdom Under the Sea'

[Emunator]

- Remixer name: Bluelighter
- ID forum: 21840
- Real name: Guillaume SAUMANDE
- Arrangement: Bluelighter
- Game & Songs: Alex Kidd & Swimming - Main Theme
- Composer: Tokuhiko Uwabo

- Links:

Swimming: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVoVmbFEiqI
Main Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUejWy2P7Yg&index=2&list=PLCCC45888EBD944BC

Hi OCR,

Here is an orchestra arrangement from Alex Kidd. It was my first game on console in my childhood; so I was a bit nostalgic when I made this mix

More than the orchestra, an accordion can be heard on the whole mix. This instrument contributes to give the mix its peaceful and sunny atmosphere. There is also trumpet solo at some parts to play the melody. 

This mix follows a kind of progression: peaceful at the beginning; majestic in a second time (with a brass band instrumentation); to come to a more heroic section. The mix finishes like at the beginning, with a peaceful instrumentation.

Plan:

- 0 – 0’26: intro, peaceful. Based on rhythm of “Swimming”. This part announces also march band rhythm that arrives after.
- 0’26 – 1’08: “Swimming”, 1st melodic line. Dialogue between cello and accordion for the melody.
- 1’08 – 1’28: “Swimming”, 2nd melodic line. Rhythm of brass band. Melody by trumpet solo.
- 1’28 – 2’10: “Swimming”, 1st melodic line. Rhythm of brass band. Melody by brass, reinforced by accordion.
(- 2’05 – 2’10: transition with first notes of “main theme”.)
- 2’10 – 2’32: “Swimming”, 1st melodic line. Adapted in a minor harmony. Melody by trumpet solo, rhythm speeder. -> Sounds more heroic. In accompaniment, you can hear the first notes of “main theme”, in order to introduce next part
- 2’32 – 3’03: “Main Theme”, 1st melodic line. Adapted in a minor harmony and tempo a lot reduced. Culminant point of the mix. Sounds like a boss theme.
- 3’03 – 3’20: “Main Theme”, 2nd melodic line. Peaceful this time, contrasting with the precedent part (like if the precedent boss was defeated :D). Melody in accordion; still in a slow tempo; light instrumentation.
- 3’20 – 3’50: outro, similar to the intro in the instrumentation.   Peaceful and light…

The original songs were really funny to work on!

I hope you’ll enjoy this arrangement

 

 

[Sir_NutS]

This remix is an oddity.  I'm getting an italian folk song feel at times, while other times is just some whimsical rhapsody.  Really weird but I feel this works.  Production isn't the cleanest and I think some instruments could've used better humanization, i.e. the trombones.  I think the sources are represented well and the arrangement is expansive.  The highlight of this remix and where most of its character lies is in the accordion performance, it really gives it a different feel than the usual orchestral piece.

Overall I think this is solid and creative.  Not the most interpretative remix out there but there is indeed expansion on the sources and original ideas.

YES

[DragonAvenger]

Not feeling this one as much. I think the arrangement overall is fine, and overall is a cute take on the sources. I do think the track starts to feel a bit repetitive after a while for to the main theme being reprised so often, and also due to the percussion. The rhythms are overall very repetitive and really start to drag the track down. I'd love to hear more variation there. The ending also makes the track feel unrealistic due to the feeling of a repeat like a game track. 

The instruments as a whole aren't really wowing be here. Working on more humanization will help but the brass and percussion don't sound realistic. I don't know if there's a good solution working with what you have, but maybe another judge has done tips to help out.

NO (resubmit)

[Jivemaster]

I like your take on this under represented game. There are a lot of nice instrumental touches/nuances here and there that really change the feel of the track over time and add to the source. You do fall into the trap of some repetitiveness and I can relate to Deia's point here, however for me I did not get a straight sense of copy and paste or overuse of passages to the point where they became stale or anything like that.   

My main complaint with this one is that the timpani drums were a bit boomy - they didn't quite break the mix, but they definitely got overpowering over time. Overall though I'm quite happy with this, more source interpretation would be nice but this seems ok.

YES

[Gario]

Oh, I like this. It certainly has a very Mediterranean feel to it - that accordion and light percussion does some real good keeping the listener in that space. While the source is there quite consistently, I have to say you frame the structure in such a way that keeps things changing just enough to keep the listener on his or her toes. I listened to this before listening to the source, and it just all comes together well enough on its own, without losing me or making me feel it's lingering. That speaks volumes about its arrangement - I love it.

The mixing is okay. Not perfect, but it's acceptable. The accordion sticks out a little too much in the beginning, and the overall sound is just a bit too wet (haha, irony). This would've benefited from a bit less reverb, considering the somewhat chamber orchestra feel it has throughout.

The strings that carry the melody at 0:26 don't quite sound like strings. If they're not, I'm actually curious to what they ARE, because I can't identify them - it sounds like a synth imitation of a string section set in a range a little too low. I can't put my finger on it, exactly, but they don't sound real at all. Considering the nice work you did for the rest of the track, it's a bit jarring.

However, I consider these to be minor points. The arrangement is absolutely great, and the humanization is pretty darn good overall (well within the bar, I think). Great work!

YES

[DaMonz]

Most have already been said, so I'll be brief.

This is very interesting, the approach and instrumentation are quite fun. I like the arrangement. Sure there is repetition, but I think the progression works so it doesn't bother me at all.

The issue that stands out to me the most is the low-end rumble I'm getting from the booming percussion. It's quite bothersome, and fixing that would have been great. Although, I don't think it's breaking the deal. Other than that, nicely done!

YES