Shadow of the beast (Synth funk)

[brynolf11]

Hi! My first post in the workshop. I just finished (I think) some kind of electro-horror-funk-ish remix of the Eerie forests song from the old Amiga game Shadow of the beast. How does it sound to you?

Youtube:

Here is the original: 

 

[brynolf11]

Specifically, I'm wondering how the flutes sound to you?  Those are the only parts of the track with actual recorded instruments. 

[Gario]

MOD REVIEW:

Loving that source, there. I've never heard any of the music from that game, but it's catchy as all hell. It seems that your arrangement really catches the spirit of that source and takes it to new places with those synths and jazz flute. I'm liking what I hear a lot. It really sounds like one of those old school PS1 game soundtracks, and I'm digging every second of it.

Since you asked about the flute specifically, I'll reassure you and say it's pretty well done. At worst, I'd say it's just a little too heavy on the decorative trills, but that's more a personal gripe than something that's legitimately wrong with it. It's mixed well, the performance is solid and it gives the arrangement as a whole a completely different (but still welcome) feel to it.

The biggest issue that I can recognize is the crowding that happens at 1:32 and 2:49 due to the stacking of reverb-heavy instruments. It would probably sound better with one less line playing in there, or if the reverb were decreased a bit at those points, but overall it not a crushing issue. If you could clean that up prior to submission that would certainly be ideal, though.

Yeah, if you submit this you'd probably get a little flak on the two messy sections I mentioned, but it'd probably still pass just fine. It's pretty darn good, overall, so I hope to see it in the inbox soon!

[brynolf11]

19 hours ago, Gario said:

MOD REVIEW:

Loving that source, there. I've never heard any of the music from that game, but it's catchy as all hell. It seems that your arrangement really catches the spirit of that source and takes it to new places with those synths and jazz flute. I'm liking what I hear a lot. It really sounds like one of those old school PS1 game soundtracks, and I'm digging every second of it.

Since you asked about the flute specifically, I'll reassure you and say it's pretty well done. At worst, I'd say it's just a little too heavy on the decorative trills, but that's more a personal gripe than something that's legitimately wrong with it. It's mixed well, the performance is solid and it gives the arrangement as a whole a completely different (but still welcome) feel to it.

The biggest issue that I can recognize is the crowding that happens at 1:32 and 2:49 due to the stacking of reverb-heavy instruments. It would probably sound better with one less line playing in there, or if the reverb were decreased a bit at those points, but overall it not a crushing issue. If you could clean that up prior to submission that would certainly be ideal, though.

Yeah, if you submit this you'd probably get a little flak on the two messy sections I mentioned, but it'd probably still pass just fine. It's pretty darn good, overall, so I hope to see it in the inbox soon!

Thanks, glad to hear it! Yeah, those two parts were even messier a couple of drafts ago so maybe I can blame mix fatigue. Trimming it down further would require killing off another couple of darlings. I'll see if I can bring myself to do it

[Sir_NutS]

Not only you picked a legendary game/soundtrack, but also hey, this mix is pretty neat.  The synth funk tag caught my attention, and I think the mix delivers on the tag.  Gario gave pretty good feedback, but I'll also add to watch your lows and crowding on the bottom end.  I think the mix could be cleaner than it is, so mix clarity is an aspect that could benefit from work, specially around 2:50.  The eq in general could perhaps be slightly brighter, but that could be subjective.  The ending could've been a bit more memorable as well, another area to look into.  Overall this is pretty solid and you could do a few more passes to it, but I definitely suggest subbing it.

Good luck.

[brynolf11]

Thanks for the comments. I've made some adjustments and will send to to the judges soon.

[Gario]

Oh cool, you did indeed submit it. Glad to see that!

... Ack, my fault on this, but I completely missed this on my mod review for this: the sections 0:18 - 1:36 & 1:36 - 1:54 sound almost like a direct repeat, with a lot of it being straight copy pasta, there. There are some small variations to separate the two (some doubling at a few points, one or two extra textures in the background, etc.), but for the most part the track repeats itself nearly verbatim, which is a fairly large no-no. I feel terrible for this since I SHOULD'VE caught this in the mod review, but I think that might actually cause some issue on the panel. Give some more variation between the two sections, making the second section worth listening to when the audience already heard it the first time and we'll have an easy pass on this, though.

I feel kind of terrible for missing that on my mod review, since that's, y'know, kind of my job, here. I suggest making those adjustments and sending a version that's improved to the inbox, since I suspect that'll be a deal breaker on this. Again, my apologies for failing to catch that upon my first review. Well, at least you won't have to wait long on the panel for further responses to it.

[brynolf11]

There are some variations between the parts, but yes. Much of it is cut n paste. I'll see how much tweaking is possible in the project's current state. 

[Glejs]

Quality! Love this soundtrack. Lots of interesting things going on, everything sounds tight. Good mix. Nothing to complain about!

[brynolf11]

That didn't go very well, no. Am I supposed to change stuff and resub? Or does that only apply when the judging thread clearly says "resub"?

[MindWanderer]

Even if the judges didn't explicitly recommend a resub, you can always do so if you think you can address the issues they had.  Not all judges even say "resub," and it's not a formal term.  I personally use it when I think the remix is off to a good start and I'm reasonably sure my concerns could be addressed given the amount of skill or experience the remixer seems to have, but that's just me.  We have posted remixes that started off as form-letter rejections, much less NO's, so never take anything the judges say to mean that the remix has no hope of passing ever and you should just give up.

[Gario]

Oh, absolutely resub if you want to give it another go. I personally never add the RESUB tag, since I was literally putting that qualifier on every single track I rejected. In this case I would strongly suggest resub'ing once you alter/vary/restructure the sections that are repeated almost verbatum (like I said, a little variation is there, but the copy/paste is very noticeable), as I think everything else is quite strong in this. Again, it was good enough for me to entirely miss the copy/pasta at first glance (which I still feel pretty awful about, by the way), so you were not far from the bar, there.

Resubs are generally prioritized, so if you make good on the changes and submit it we put it on the panel ahead of the inbox, so by all means do send this in again if you want to make the requested changes.

[HoboKa]

I disliked the Judge panel decision and made a post in the site feedback.  This probably wasn't the proper place to shove said post.  So edited it out here. 

 

[HoboKa]

brynolf11 - I LOVE this remix.  It reminds me of Tiberium Sun and blasted me to the past with an awesome funky synth-beat-thing vibe that is super chill.  Best NON-OCR remix I've ever heard, full bars.  You do what does you best and don't lose your unique sound, k?  You rock dude

[CoolBeets]

This so so wonderfully weird sounding, I love your choice of instruments, very unique!

[The Coop]

Being a long-time fan of the Amiga game and having read some stuff about this remix elsewhere, I thought that perhaps I should come by and give some thoughts on the remix now that it's been through the judge's panel. I don't know if this'll help, or if anyone will agree with me, but here goes.

First, I have to bring up the concept of repetition. Repetition is a staple of music, of that there's no doubt. Melodies, harmonies, riffs, beats, lyrical structure... it all comes and goes usually at least twice in many songs. So the idea is fine. However, there's a difference between repeating something ala copy/paste, and repeating it with something new added to it; some level of growth over what was originally there. It could be more notes, more instruments working in tandem with what was already there, more or different backing harmonies, variations of the melodies that call back to the first version(s) of it without simply playing it again verbatim... a lot can be done. But this remix falls into the copy/paste realm to me, as its 0:37 – 1:37 section is repeated in virtually identical (if not flat out identical) fashion. It's a trap that I've fallen into many times as well, so brynoff11, you're not alone in stepping in it. As such, I feel the call by the judges there about this being too repetitive is a legitimate one to make with this remix.

Second, the ending is... abrupt. Unnaturally abrupt, to be honest. It feels like you didn't know how to end it and so just stopped, brynoff11. The judges calling that out was warranted to me, as I too felt it doesn't work or fit with this remix. It feels like it's trying to build up to that familiar melody again during its last minute; to do something for its finale. But instead, we get nothing. It doesn't feel like an artistic choice to end it like that. It comes off as if the remix is unfinished to me.

Lastly, the remix is questionable in growth/ebb and flow. I say this because once the song gets to about 1:37, it repeats itself. There's virtually no growth or expansion on the melodies, instrumentation, harmonies... anything. It's not until 2:54 that it gets some new work injected into it. But less than a minute later, the remix is suddenly done. There is so much that could have been done with that 1:37-2:54 section to really take those well known melodies, as well as the work done with them on the remix's first go around, and bring the song to a new place. To build and/or alter it more and make it continue to grow and take the listener on a ride (insert MvC2 joke here). Instead, it treads on old ground, looping around the proverbial parking lot twice before shutting off the engine right after it pointed something new out to the passenger. The end result makes this remix come off as lacking, despite how everything in it feels like it's almost reaching something wonderful.

The rhythm is great, the synths are just fine, the mix is good, and the treatment of the melodies walks the line between arrangement and remix nicely. The original source is still very present and able to be recognized, yet it has a whole new vibe to it. But if I were a judge, and God help us all if someone ever offered me such a position, I would have NOed it as well. That said, all of the things holding the remix back are VERY fixable. So while I may not be familiar with where the OCR bar is anymore, I will say that if this remix was close to the bar when it was submitted, then I can see why it didn't get over it, as well as how it could get over it.

There are my thoughts on this remix, brynoff11. Take them as you will

[brynolf11]

Thanks for the praise and the critique! I'm taking it all in. One day I might have time to resub this.