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FF7 - Opening/Bombing Run


tweex
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Okay, I've been trying to hold off on this for as long as I could, but I think it's reached the point that I need some critical feedback.

At this point, I am looking for ONLY ONE THING so please read this before posting!

I believe that I'm begining to understand why this particular song is often times not remixed. The bombing mission has little to no consistant melody line. It has a few reoccuring themes throughout, but nothing super solid.

Now take into account that I have changed the time signature of the mix from a 6/8 (or a "swing" 4/4) to a straight 4/4. For you music savvy people out there, you might begin to see my delima. I'm concerned that the bombing run part of the mix is not really all that recognizable and this is where I need your help.

I've posted the original song and my mix, and I would ask you guys to listen to both and tell me if you hear the original in the remix. If you can, please be as specific as possible in terms of what you hear (i.e. comparing the two songs using the time, if that makes sense). You can ignore the "Opening" part of the mix because I know that it does sound like the original.

Like I said, this is the only thing I really need feedback on at this point. I'm not looking for sound critiques or mixing and mastering suggestions simply because I'm not there yet. I know it's a very specific problem that I need your help with, but it is the most prevelant at the moment.

Thanks guys

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I do hear the original in your mix, but I think you could stand to bring it out a bit more. The original is built around a small number of melody riffs played sparsely over the 6/8 background. You've done a great job of capturing and playing around with the backround, but I'm almost never hearing the melody. If I heard the track without knowing what it was and you didn't have the opening section there, I wouldn't be able to identify it as bombing run, mainly because the chord progression in the original version is somewhat generic sounding. I like the section you do on the V chord (A, I think? There's background noise here that's messing with my relative pitch); it has a bit more melody than the rest of the piece.

Really, all I think you need is to add some melodies that are a lot closer to the original song.

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alright tweekster...

Intro: First 20 seconds I think having the strings be more pad like and thicker would provide some more emotion.

:22 that percussion hit sounded really weak. Having it have some deeper more vibrating sound would really set the mood in the intro. Of course once the song kicks in you'll have to cut back a lil bit on how boomy it is otherwise you'll muddy up everything. In the main part of the mix those hits sounds fine to me.

:42 I hear a faint harmony that is beautiful. It is being played maybe C7 yet it is not coming through the mix as well as it should. Boost some of the high EQ of that puppy, u got some sonic space to use in that range in the intro make use of it. That same harmony ur using their, try using it again in a breakdown section or somewhere if it fits right, it really sounds good.

The arrangement is def good, I feel this could use some more energy to the mix though. But I bet sephfire can give you more specific advice on how to boost the energy level of this.

From 1:31 the EQ from the main sections seems right on. Nice even line across the board. Maybe in the breakdown sections you could have some FX sounds sweeping across cutting through on the higher freq levels.

Overall I think some side-chaining is in order to really kick this mix over the top. How about layering synths and natural strings together and automate them. Also modulate the volume levels between the two for some more sonic goodness. It looks like you got some room around the 320hz level to implement this.

Also try to implement some panning back and forth on different elements, that could really be a nice touch. If you wanna hear some good panning effects go acid planet and check out reforged, he really pans the ever living crap outta of his songs.

His tetris mix on the site also has some real effective panning done to it.

http://djpretzel.web.aplus.net/songs/Tetris_Thirty-Plus_Mix_OC_ReMix.mp3

I def like where this mix is goin, you have def laid the groundwork to make a pretty kick ass song.

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Basically starting at 1:15. The D -> F -> E -> Eb bassline progression. That has nothing to do with the source tune here, but it sounds similar to AC.

Actually mate, the progression you're refering to comes directly from the source tune. Since I changed the time signature, it has a different rhythm and attack to it, but it is the same notation.

Listen to the original at 2:16 and at 3:06. I promise that you'll here it.

The reason that I'm sure of it is because it's one of the few melody lines/distinct theme in the song, so I had to use it :).

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I would encourage you to use more of the source. There are a lot of riffs you could integrate into your arrangement.

Been working on that. It's a very tricky piece of music to remix. There really is no solid reoccuring motif. There are a lot of riffs in the song, but all of the more dominant ones are all in different keys. The key changes on whim. It's in Dm, then Gm, then Am, so on and so forth, not to mention that I have converted the time signature, so now I have a rhythm and sequencing issue as well. It's been a tough bastard to work through but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't proud with how much I've been able to create just from that one riff :).

I went to the FF7 remix page to get some ideas from the other remixers who have done this song. My luck being what it is (i.e. shitty), there is only one mix and it follows the original very closely which really didn't give me any great transition ideas.

Fortunately, sephfire has signed on and this will be a full blown collab with him. If I know seph like I think I do, he'll def have some good ideas.

Any ideas from you guys are MORE than welcomed. Thanks for all the feedback

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1:00 - Okay... I don't like the slap bass that much... Is there any other instrument you could use there? I don't know, it just feels that it's not giving the incoming note progression enough separation from the background. Maybe EQ and all that other stuff could help later, but I think atm, it's your instrument choice. It's not bad during the rest of the song though, just that intro part.

2:30 - Ever heard the song, 7 Minutes from Cowboy Bebop? Well, at around 1:30, strings come in, giving the song a more organic feel, then set up the next part of the song. At 2:30, you are sort of doing that, but I don't think you are taking advantage of your own setup (a chance to bring the more prominent melodies from the source tune maybe? - extending your break there could help too) I think your song is missing something like at 1:30 in 7 Minutes, for a dynamic build to really come out, you could use that song for inspiration maybe. (minus the crazy guitar) Anyway, I thought the sound of your song was very similar in some ways... 7 Minutes also does this at around 3:00... You may not know what I am talking about, but anyway, it's just a thought.

2:40-3:00 - I don't know, I think the piano/string melody and re-emphasis are a little boring, maybe a countermelody after the first run with the piano could help here.

3:50 - Don't be afraid to hold notes with that guitarish thing, or with your strings, they could help emphasize the beat, they don't have to go along with it...

Everything sounds "okay" so far, but I just want you to push your limits and experiment around some. With Sephire you may just do that, wish you guys the best.

I think separation of elements could help this song out, focus on one thing, bring it out, and pull back some other elements in the background instead of running them through the entire song (not that you are doing this a lot, but I think you could do better)...

Hope this helped...

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