The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time - Gerudo Valley (Acoustic Remix) Updated!

[CoolBeets]

Here's the link to the updated version for your convenience, I've removed some of the percussive instruments and just generally changed the whole mix to get rid of some of the imbalance.

So I decided to make an acoustic version of this classic Zelda tune, I did my best with the filters to make it sound like an old latin song that you might have heard on the radio.

I used something like 10 different percussive elements some panned, all with customized velocity and slight time delay, did my best to separate all the instruments as much as possible, but the filters and compressor does kinda make it hard to hear them all, it's a trade off I had to make to get old sounding effect. Nothing fancy on the guitar style, I used what I had in Nexus and used some effects to tweak the sound.

I know that this style of remix has been done before it just fits this song so well. Hope you guys like it.

 

There's a link in the video description if you want to download it.

 

 

[Rotten Eggplant]

Well, I mean, this is more of a cover than a remix, at least by my understanding of OCR's definition...

That being said, I always comment on EQ, as it was the hardest for me to learn. The track is muddy and cluttered. The way around this is using the stereo spectrum and note frequencies to your advantage. Try to EQ instruments different from each other so that they're not fighting over the same frequencies. If it turns out two instruments require the same frequencies, place one more in the left ear and the other more in the right. Balance is key!

Also, keep in mind that low mids is the enemy of a lot of instruments (what tends to make an instrument sound "muddy"). Not saying all, or even all the time, but generally speaking, keep low mids to the bassy instruments and ditch them for the high ones. Remember, its all about balance.

[Heavyarms83]

By acoustic remix I expected something entirely different which is a version played on acoustic instruments rather than samples or simulations of instruments.

So, I was quite disappointed, not because of the quality of the song but because the title was misleading, at least to me.

For a latin song this needs way more dynamics in the rhythmic instruments (guitar & percussions).

[CoolBeets]

On 2018-01-16 at 11:21 AM, Heavyarms83 said:

By acoustic remix I expected something entirely different which is a version played on acoustic instruments rather than samples or simulations of instruments.

So, I was quite disappointed, not because of the quality of the song but because the title was misleading, at least to me.

For a latin song this needs way more dynamics in the rhythmic instruments (guitar & percussions).

What would you have called it then? I admit I hade trouble with this one.

You're right about the percussion, I actually removed some because it sounded too messy, this is not a genre I have experience in.

[Kat Felicis Ioco]

Nice job! Rotten Eggplant is right, however - this is a cover, not a remix. You've clearly put a lot of work into staying true to the original and making the song sound good, but the end result is a great reproduction instead of an OC ReMix-ready track. Look closely at 4.2 (Arrangement) at http://ocremix.org/info/Submission_Standards_and_Instructions and experiment with the listed suggestions if you want to make this a remix instead of a cover.

I applaud you for trying a new genre. Creating in unfamiliar ways isn't always easy!

As far as the Latin elements are concerned, you need more percussion and layered rhythms. I didn't hear the version with the "10 different percussive elements" and so don't know what the problem there was, but that sounds like the right idea. The rhythm section alone should be interesting to listen to, so add and remove instruments as the song changes sections and modify the remaining rhythms appropriately. Castanets, cabasas, maracas, guiros, claves, bongos, and congas are all extremely common in Latin music.

A few separate but overlapping notes about the compositional aspects:

• The ending is very abrupt. The first time I heard it, I thought the video had paused to buffer. That blank spot would be great for a percussion moment or a guitar/trumpet solo, or if you want the moment of silence, let the sound breathe into the silence with a touch of reverb.
• Heavyarms83 is completely right about the dynamics, but it's not just the rhythmic instruments that need it - the whole track is lacking dynamic variation.
• Each time a section repeats, it's the exact same as the last time we heard it. If you're not going to add new depth (such as a countermelody) or change how it feels (such as using a different melodic instrument), why are you repeating it?
• Due to the identical repetitions and lack of dynamics, the shape of the track is very flat, resulting in no climax and seemingly no direction or end goal. Pick a focal point and build everything else up to it; music needs it just as much as a film or novel. Adding shape to the track can also help make the ending less abrupt since the listener feels as if they've gone somewhere. 

I hope the above comments are useful. If any don't make sense, feel free to ask for clarification and I'll do my best. Again, nice job on this fun Zelda piece!

[Dextastic]

On 1/16/2018 at 4:21 AM, Heavyarms83 said:

By acoustic remix I expected something entirely different which is a version played on acoustic instruments rather than samples or simulations of instruments.

So, I was quite disappointed, not because of the quality of the song but because the title was misleading, at least to me.

For a latin song this needs way more dynamics in the rhythmic instruments (guitar & percussions).

I agree with this. In particular, the percussion sounds like you crafted one or two bars and then copy-pasted them for the rest of the entire song. That doesn't work if you want it to sound convincing. You need to play every note separately each time it comes up to get the velocities right to make it sound right, even if it's part of the same pattern as before. This shouldn't be too hard if you have a midi keyboard or a set of pads.