Liontamer Posted October 17, 2019 Share Posted October 17, 2019 Original Decision Thank you for allowing me to have a jury in the first place, and thank you for letting me resubmit my track, I hope it'll be on OCremix standards this time I did the required amendments that were pointed out but also made a few changes that I felt necessary. MP3 320 - ReMixer name: ANTOX - Real name: Anthony Nemer - Email address: - Website: https://soundcloud.com/anthonynemer/tracks - User id: 18006 - Name of game arranged: Final Fantasy VII - Name of arrangement: JENOVA's Witness - Name of individual song(s) arranged: J-E-N-O-V-A - Additional information about game including composer, system, etc. Final Fantasy VII by Nobuo Uematsu for PlayStation I was inspired by New Age music from the 90s, (mainly Enigma for the beats) with a blend of Synthwave. Cheers! Anthony Nemer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted October 17, 2019 Author Share Posted October 17, 2019 The track's more lo-fi-sounding now than where I feel would be optimal, but I can get past it; IMO, the beats don't pack much punch anymore, and I think the soundscape sounds too distant. Lots of new original writing sprinkled in here and there to accent the track and develop the interpretation more substantively than last time, even though I was fine with the first version. IMO, it would be better to get another pass to make the overall sound more clear, but the arrangement substance is still there and I'm fine with the overall production as is. Even if it's not the strongest pass, I'm still on board. YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir_NutS Posted October 21, 2019 Share Posted October 21, 2019 I quite enjoyed this, pretty warm ambience with all those filtered polysynth chords and bouncy bass. The minimal retro drumtkit and sequencing complements the other parts very well IMO. The overall mix feels a bit too wet and could be clearer but I think it works. The arrangement here isn't that transformative but the adaptation is. Melodies and progressions are kept almost verbatim from the original but the amount of melodic layers have been increased, and the arrangement isn't without its own original bits such as the call and response happening around the 3 minute mark. I enjoyed this one, it tickles my synthwave bone. It didn't blow me away and I think more could've been done with the arrangement but what we got is pretty solid. YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prophetik music Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 this feels really overcompressed. no one else got that? i got through the intro and my ears were already tired. it feels really mid-heavy, and everything sounds muffled. a great example is the piano at 2:00 - i can barely hear it, and it's breathing heavily with the kick too, and then that descending M7 motif just crushes it out of existence. the thick mastering is unfortunate because there's a really fun synthwave vibe going on around 2:20 onward. it's just so dense still. every new instrument is interesting, but it's just layered on everything that was already there. it sounds like you did a super-hard knee on the compressor and just put everything at the same volume. the mastering's still holding this one back for me. the arrangement is safe but not much, and so it's not going to carry lackluster production. synthwave needs to have that dark yet sparkling feel to undergird the repetitive nature of the bass and beat, and this just doesn't have that. it's just heavy. NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexy Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 I was involved in the previous decision, and even then, the arrangement worked initially. Compared with the original submission, I wasn't expecting a change of chord sequence for the main melody repetitions and additional countermelodies. I was okay with the breakdown at 2:00 last time, though I can get behind the idea of transforming the source's B section. The part beyond it leading towards the ending is more or less similar to what it was last time - using only two core components of the theme and relying on the adaptation to carry it forward. It remains a different take on Jenova, so I'm cool with where it went. My issues last time were with the mixdown, and in this case, I feel much happier with it. The dynamics aren't as squashed anymore, the limiter isn't getting in the way, and I can identify your parts. The change of drum kit to a lo-fi setup now contrasts the rest of the soundscape rather than blending in. I know Sir Nuts mentioned something about there being a wet mix, but weirdly enough, I don't think the cymbals feel wet enough - it's as if whenever they get hit, the tail gets cut short. Nitpicks aside, I got behind the arrangement last time and wanted the production to reach the same level - and it has. I believe it's ready for primetime, and I hope the process of working on this track has given you experience for your next project. YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindWanderer Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Yeah, I don't know what you did to this exactly, but I'm in complete agreement with proph, and with Larry's crits as well. It's not the sound I usually associate with overcompression (pumping and distortion), but all the life has just been squashed out of it, muffled and mid-heavy indeed. This results in those lifeless beats, as well as a general lack of depth. The arrangement is as good as ever, but I think you've traded one balance issue for another. Keep at it! NO (resubmit) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimpazilla Posted January 9, 2020 Share Posted January 9, 2020 I haven't heard the first version of this so I'm voting on this one afresh. Super cool concept, gives me Stranger Things vibes. The arrangement feels very static to me though, the drum groove is quiet repetitive. I agree that the master is squashed to kingdom come. It isn't a loud mix but the dynamics are non-existent, with leads getting lost into the soundscape. I feel like there hasn't been much sidechaining done on the bass or pads so when the kick hits there is audible distortion. The combination of repetitive feel and master overcompression put this just under the bar for me. NO (resubmit) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonAvenger Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 (edited) Digging the arrangement overall, really chill take on the source. Listened to this a couple times and I am going to have to be on the NO side here for the production (though it's close!). Everything feels like it's muffled, and it's swimming a bit too hard in reverb. Also hearing a tiny bit of clipping in the bell run at the end. Hope you can clear this one up though, sorry to send it back to your again. NO (resubmit) Edited February 14, 2020 by DragonAvenger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jivemaster Posted February 17, 2020 Share Posted February 17, 2020 I liked the synth swells at the intro. I notice you have a bit of bass rumble here. There is also a bit of an unintentional pump on the master side. I understand this was fixed from the previous version... but I still think work needs to be done there. It’s not overly distracting (at least initially) but it does occasionally take you out of the mix. The soundscape is quite full/atmospheric. The break at the 2:00 mark is good, but we hear the effects of the mastering warble again here, even when instruments are peeled back. I think the entire presentation would be improved if we dialled this back further from hitting your limiter so intensely. Otherwise I feel your choice of sounds is good and the arrangement is well executed. Can we get a further revision that isn’t as hot? NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkeSword Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 In agreement on the production. Arrangement is super cool, but this is just super squashed. Let's take it back to the mixing board. NO (resub) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts