Sonic and Knuckles: "Into the Lava Reefs"

[The_Claudia]

Frequently used song, I know. My first ReMix. Anyway I submitted it and it got teh rejectedzorz.

Constructive feedback much appreciated.

Link: http://www.sharebigfile.com/file/129292/Into-the-Lava-Reefs-mp3.html

[darkmelee]

there's a great deal of pleasance to this, and I highly appreciate that. I'm a "wall of sound" person, but this was a nice and relaxing piece that seems suited as actual soundtrack music. I would suggest smoother instrumentation (like the "choir"), meaning the notes don't travel naturally...and I'm assuming that it's a midi csource (before effects?), which is why. Some filters and effects coulde real" that up pretty easy though, but it's not truly necessary. If you've got the gall, you could try to record your own source, vocally ...but I wouldn't will it if you wouldn't wanna.

sbf is a decent place, but the beauraucracy is annoying. also, I use it too.

[gliyw1thdabangs]

haha, yay someone else who did finale on a frequently used source! i'm not alone!

Needed a higher frequency intro playing the lead, the lead that starts at .59, imo.

I recognize the synth for the violin! Haha finale…

Slow intro, you could make it work but gotta do something.

1:36-1:51 was interesting solo. Sorta repeated, ok.

2:05-2:10 nice transition

2:10-2:25 little empty here, if you want it to sound like that maybe go quieter and drop the layers at this point

2:27-2:45-3:18 Melody of hidden palace and lava reef repeats and then goes to lower octave

3:06, liked that one sound there where you bring the violin up higher

2:45-3:20 I like the layering here, maybe use this layering earlier, I heard the lover reef motif at the end there

3:20- similar to beginning

Don't take my comment wholly serious because I am not very well acquainted with utilizing drums. I thought the percussion was a lacking in creativity; but perhaps the tenor of this piece calls for what sounds to me like 'the taps.' Didn’t especially like the ending because I couldn't hear the arrangement you had on the lead synth (which I wanted to hear), but it also felt repetitive hearing the hidden palace/reef riff repeated (just like in mine; it annoys the hell out of me). What I tried to do in my remix was alter the chord structures of some remixes/demos I'd heard of these two sources and played around (perhaps too liberally) with the many motifs that I found through MIDI's of this and also threw in some of my own interpretations of the lava reef melody.

Do you have the saved .mus file? It’d be interesting to see it. If you get a chance could you listen to my remix?

http://www.ocremix.org/forums/showthread.php?t=8586

[gliyw1thdabangs]

Here's my advice (if i'm warranted on giving advice):

Take advantage of the rising melody! It'd raise my spirits to at least once have you bring in the higher octaves for the lava reef melody. Personally I think none of the lava reef remixes on this site exploit the strength of the lava reef melody, that is it's rising action and climactic ending. I think only the source captures that feeling best. Although if you listen to Rexy/Hetcenus' remix of lava reef on Project Chaos, entitled 'Beneath the Ashes,' they are partially able to bring out that strength. But even their remix doesn't pimp that strength; Secluded Stronghold on Project Chaos doesn't even use it. Lover Reef doesn't quite get it; Rayza's remix misses it and uses the chord structure instead to bring that action; Darkesword's 'Angel' misses it because of the flute solo; Lava Reach misses it because it over uses it and keeps it under wraps and is a long relayering of the entire melody so you never really get the full experience; hot ice is second closest but since it doesn't use primarily the lava reef source it misses it. You seem more musically inclined than I am so I think you got the best shot at getting a pass at this.

[Blackwinged Saron]

a lot of these lately. well, i guess this is the new gerudo theme.

This mix is not particularly well made, forgive me. it sounds very midi-ish and its almost as if i was listening to it through a road cone.

I think this has a great deal of potential. There is a lot of reverb that could be removed. there's too many things going on at once too, let the melody come to the front and drop the beats back a bit. its also a slow mix, and not all too powerful, this should be quieted down significantly to suit its speed and temper.

It's a good mix, but right now it just needs a good amount of work.

[Scarlet IX]

Be warned that if you make a Lava Reef mix, you'll need to have something particularly engaging and unique to get it past the judges. A song thats been mixes so many times has a high standard to live up to. I like the theme you started out with, but it just felt like it was lacking dynamic constrast. Something to take it to a different atmosphere temporarily, like a flute solo, would help to keep this interesting. Also in an orchestral mix, samples are EXTREMELY crucial. You'll need some better ones, or to work more effectively with the ones you have. Keep at it though.

[electric concerto]

Wow... I'm biting my tongue... I agree with Blackwinged Saron on sound quality... To be frank, it's too..... boring? It's like you introduced all the instruments at once and kept them going the entire track... There isn't any dynamics going on, which is very crucial in this style of music...

These are my opinions, hope you can make use of them