Besaid Island - Final Fantasy X

[Robert DelSole]

I had an old account that I hadn't logged into in about 7 years (2010) and needless to say I don't have that info anymore.  If any of you remember Arsal, hey!

Anyway, I'd been working on a remix of the Besaid Island Theme on and off for about 8 years or so and I finally reached something I liked a few months back.  A bunch of my friends have suggested submitting it to OCR, but I really feel it's not quite there yet. 

Remix in question:

 

And in case you're not familiar with the original source:

 

Main things I'm looking for advice on are the drums and the ending. 

Some people I've shown this to say the drums are too repetitive.  I personally love them as is, I'm more curious if it's really that glaring of an issue rather than advice on how to fix them.

What I do need advice on how to fix though is the ending.  It pretty much just exists because I don't wanna do a fade out for a song like this, but I don't think it's particularly good as is.

 

I would like to eventually submit a remix of this song to the site, but I wanna get this version solid first even if it's not solid enough to submit.  Thanks!

 

[Lostinthamusic]

I listened to it, I can't really offer much feedback at the moment (very helpful I know) but I do like the chilled vibes of the track. 

I think the beginning arpeggio that carries on throughout the track could drop out some points in the song just for some variety, but that's just preference.

I like the string part, maybe that's when you could do it.

GJ.

Followed you on SoundCloud.

[brynolf11]

Yes, the arpeggio gets repetitive. Maybe if you lower it in the mix a bit after a while? 

 

The drums are great if you ask me. Maybe mix it up with some fills and vary the velocity of the kick and it will come to life more. 

 

Overall sounds really nice. 

[Rozovian]

Had my sister come in and give it a listen, since she likes the source. She thought the mixing was weird, the lead being much softer than the arpeggio. She didn't quite like the drums. She felt it (or the drums) was "the same thickness throughout" (translated). She had a reaction to the eclectic sound design, can't say if it was good or bad, but she found it noteworthy. The 2:07 instrument was pretty, but clearly not a real performance (2:17 makes that obvious). But she prefers the original to most remixes of this anyway.

Figured you might want that perspective too.

eval:

Well, the arpeggio is annoying. There's a lot you can do to lessen that. Reduce its levels with automation, push it further into the background. Gradually remove its attack. Have a different pattern, still reminiscent of the source, to use occasionally. Switch octaves. Have a similar, but much less prominent instrument take over. Have a longer loop with a few subtle variations.

In addition to that, I find it rather mechanical. When it's exposed, it should sound more human, more performed. Differences in velocity, subtle (BUT DELIBERATE) differences in timing between notes, and perhaps also between loops. It should sound different in the big drum-supported sections compared to the calmer bits. That's how a real performer would do it, even if they'd play these same notes throughout.

The lead is buried under the arpeggio, which hurts both parts. Should be solved with some of the tricks suggested for improving the arpeggio. Carving a hole for the lead in the other tracks' frequency range with EQ (a few dB, nothing drastic) should also help.

The drums are a little boring. I like their sound, they have a nice groove, but they could be more interesting. And, in some parts, less interesting, when the other instruments provide drive and rhythm. Their brief appearance from 2:45 to 2:10 seems.... brief, and pointless. You're right to think the ending is missing something. Half-tempo drums, a canon arpeggio on a different instrument, some acoustic guitar stuff, something. I don't mind the mellow mood and the absence of a big lead or anything of the sort, but you need _something_ different there. 

What happened at 1:37, when the piano/guitar thing just disappears for no apparent reason?

The arrangement is quite conservative. It's always difficult to say if it's too close to source. In these cases I usually just suggest to sub it regardless and let the Judges figure our if it's too close, but I'd be remiss to not mention it here.

There are parts that could use a bit more attention to detail. Your lead instruments, especially in the calmer sections, are quite exposed, which means listeners can hear all the details. For a good performance and a good instrument, that's great. You're lacking in the performance department. 2:27 is a great example of this. It doesn't sound legato. It sounds like a keyboard. Spend some times on details like that, to make them less obvious.

Mellow groove, nice sound, chill stuff. Unless it's too conservative, this should pass the panel once the biggest annoyances are dealt with. For clarity, those are in the mixing, the performance (the illusion of human performance), and in the ending.