Gario Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 (edited) Hey folks,thanks for reading my mail and listening to my track. It’s my first video game makeover. I tried to merge two of my favorite genres: VGM and Synthwave. Hopefully it fits your taste, you will find it in the attachment Information (in specific order as listed on your website):Contact:- Xyntec- Moritz Wanke- - 34496Submission:- The Legend of Zelda - A Link to the past- Hyrule’s Synths- Church’s theme, Hyrule Castle’s theme- already listed- already listed- Comment: A Link to the past - ah perfect title for both the game and this remix. It’s my first crossover of two great genres: Video Game Music and Synthwave. For those who are not familiar with synthwave: You may sum it up as a revival of the sound from the 80s. Lazerdisco may some call it. For me it goes by the name: VGMwave.Best wishes from Germany guys and gals,Moritz Edited May 12, 2017 by Liontamer closed decision Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gario Posted May 11, 2017 Author Share Posted May 11, 2017 Ah, this track - I actually really enjoyed this in the WIP forums. The synth design is beautiful, especially as applied to the Sanctuary theme. The slow layering of synths behind that theme, the wet melody, the drop at 2:14... it works very well. The drums are pretty weak in this - definitely the weakest link in the soundscape. The beat is pretty plain, the kick has virtually no presence, and that snare sounds pretty dry against the rest of the synths. The drums certainly needs some more sophistication, and the reverb levels should better fit in with the rest of the track (not TOO wet, but a little more wet). As you know from my WIP comments, I'm a bit split on the arrangement. I looooove the first two minutes, but the latter castle section seems less fitting to the soundscape, for me. The first half uses layering and building to really set a somber, intense tone, while the castle section seems to rather follow the source straight without any tonal justification for the style. It's not awful in it's own right, but it really sounds like two different arrangements side by side over an arrangement that integrates the two. While improved from when I last heard this track, the mixing sounds unfocused for the castle section. You addressed the production issues caused by the mixing for the most part (nice fix!), but the synths have little focus. The theme is buried behind the textures, the reverb, while less than before, still consumes a great deal of your soundscape, so it's difficult to hear what you're supposed to be following throughout. 2:47 is a particularly problematic example of how this mix buries the important elements, but it's pretty pervasive in the whole castle source. If you want to keeps the castle section, it'll need to at least match the quality of the section prior to it. The mix needs to have a better sense of focus, the drums need more presence and the arrangement should take some steps to either better match the tone between the sections, or to better segue the tone between the two sections. I REALLY like some of this, but the second half does sink it for me. I hope to hear some revisions on this, though, as I know it has potential, and I know you've already made some leaps in improving it. Best of luck! NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindWanderer Posted May 12, 2017 Share Posted May 12, 2017 Gario has this spot-on, I think. I have a few crits to add to his, though. The sanctuary section takes quite a bit of time to build up. The loop that starts at 1:14 in particular seems extraneous, adding nothing to the existing textures, and then the one at 1:43 is subtractive rather than additive, other than the riser. Adding some engaging percussion, particularly if you add it halfway through each loop instead of at the start, would help hold the listeners' interest. The castle section is a little less authentic synthwave and a little more chiptunes with reverb, so there's an aesthetic clash with the first half. I'd have another look at that pulse lead and maybe choose something else. Otherwise, I love the concept, and I actually really like the idea of using Sanctuary as the build-up to Castle, but that build-up has to follow through in terms of balance and energy. Other than the pulse wave, the lead and bass synths are great, and I'd love to see a revision of this on the front page. NO (resubmit) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted May 12, 2017 Share Posted May 12, 2017 It's not that I disliked this, but I was less enthused than the other Js. The synthwave concept is intriguing, but the result here was a plodding, straightforward one-trick pony of a genre adaptation that didn't develop the arrangement ideas much beyond that. Melodically, this played it pretty conservatively, so I was expecting other unique ideas here to offset that beyond the genre adaptation, and they never really arrived. As pointed out, the percussion was plodding and insignificant, which hurt the second half. There was a transition section bridging the Sanctuary theme to the Hyrule Castle theme (2:11-2:35), sure, but no effort was made to have this all flow together; it definitely came off like a lazy, uninspired way to change from one theme to the next with no real connection between the two. Gario made note of a lot of production issues to focus on, so don't lose sight of that. I would just say this piece needs to develop and evolve more (even within a narrow dynamic curve), whether that means more melodic interpretation/variations, altering rhythm or tempo, or employing other sounds to break up the uniformity of each of the two sections. Also, if you're going to have both themes separated, the transition between the two should nonetheless be more cohesive. Keep at it on this one, Moritz, and see where else you can take it. NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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