(Mashup) Memories of a Green Shinra, Nod to Vangelis

[Kyaku]

The song: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EGDWfQjtGDokMKyxyQhw573JVoTlUe51/view?usp=sharing

A mashup of two songs:

FF VII,  Shinra Corp & Chrono Trigger, Memories of Green

Some classic Vangelis styles themes were in my mind, at least initially.  Who can say what happened after that...

Would love any and all feedback!

 

 

Edited August 11, 2023 by Kyaku

[Hemophiliac]

Evaluation:

The very first thing I'm noticing is a lot of attenuation by a limiter/compressor on the peaks, as well as distortion.  I think you should reduce the volume of everything and slowly bring them back up until the loudest point of the track isn't getting reduced by the limiter/compressor.  The the low end has a lot of presence and (I think) the kick and/or bass could probably reduce some of the 150-200Hz range to make more space for the rest of the parts with an EQ.

I really like the Vangelis-esque vibe you have going on, very cool.  Shinra could play an analog to the Tyrell Corporation from Blade Runner. I'm just a sucker for 80s styled anything.  Aside from the arp, I'm not hearing any reference to Memories of Green.  Unless it's in the muted sax that starts at 3:24, I'm not catching any.

2:14 Trumpet works well for me as a nice transition, would be cool to hear more of the trumpet after that in a quieter section.

I do like the sound of the sax (3:24), and it's usage; but it's buried in the mix and difficult to really hear what it's doing.  You'll want to bring that out more and reduce the stuff around it so it has space to be present.  That's even if it's supposed to be a background element.

While not the worst as is, the drums could use more variation in their patterns.

Edited June 30, 2023 by Hemophiliac
Accidentally posted before done.

[Hemophiliac]

[This is an automatically generated message]

I've reviewed your remix and have returned it to Work-in-Progress status, indicating that I think there are some things you still need to work on. After you work on your track and feel that it's ready for submission to OCR, please change the prefix back to Ready for Review and someone will review it again. Good luck!

[Kyaku]

As always, Hemophiliac, your feedback is much appreciated.  You are a generous scholar.

Noted about the compression, I feel like mixing and mastering are what separates the novices from the advanced and I am still very much in the former category with lots to learn.  The drums are actually sample and were the closest to what I had in my mind's ear after trialing so many different loops.  Problem is the sample comes with that strange compression fade out on a few of the kicks and snares so I'm kind of up a creek there.  I have no doubt I'm making it worse, but I think I may have to revisit what I want out of the drums in general.

You are also correct that the Chrono Trigger song is the back seat to Shinra here, which was sort of a natural evolution as I laid things out.  You are not wrong.

Time to get back to work, and thanks again!

[Kyaku]

Back again!  Did some pretty heavy rewriting of several aspects.  Totally new drum tracks, I gave up trying to salvage the old samples.  Added some other elements and surprises while trying to add some diversity to the synths.  Still a noob at mastering, but interested in any and all feedback!

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qCBK-dJSA2oP2ZNyov58rBZ0r36UQhBW/view?usp=drive_link

[Hemophiliac]

The link requires permission to access the file.  You need to make the link publicly shareable.

[Kyaku]

Oof, totally missed that! Sorry, now public. Thanks!

[Hemophiliac]

So, even still I really like the atmosphere you've created in this track.  I really like the addition of the soft muted trumpet and saxophone lines.

The track still feels very full and muddy.  A few suggestions on how to improve that: using EQ, cut the low frequencies out from instruments that are higher in pitch, and cut the high frequencies from instruments that are low in pitch.  Adding a EQ or using EQ on your reverb to remove the lows.  I like to cut the lows below 450-500Hz out on the reverb.

I'm glad you improved the compression from the previous percussion, much improved there.

Things that could take this track to the next level:

• Automating filter sweeps or other effects on the low end or pads to keep movement going when there isn't as much going on above it.
• Give some more variation in the drum pattern and the main arp that continues through most of the song (not bad as is now, just suggesting there could be more still)
• Still again suggesting to get a quieter or less busy section, something to contrast.  1:36-2:21 is a good example of this because our ears get a break from the continuous arps.  Also a good spot for making some filter automation or effects automation stand out.

In summary I'd like to see the muddiness cleaned up, and something else to take the track to the next level in the next version.  Really cool and I look forward to hearing more

[Hemophiliac]

[This is an automatically generated message]

I've reviewed your remix and have returned it to Work-in-Progress status, indicating that I think there are some things you still need to work on. After you work on your track and feel that it's ready for submission to OCR, please change the prefix back to Ready for Review and someone will review it again. Good luck!