Zelda TP Faron Woods

[Rozovian]

My remix of Faron Woods

A midi for comparison. Note that vgmusic is blocking remote access to files, so click the link jus above the second point, or copy-paste this url: http://vgmusic.com/music/console/nintendo/wii/Faron_Woods.mid

I make any feedback on WIPs sound like I know what I'm talking about. Here your chance to tell me what flaws my mix has. Note that I'm not done with it, it's got some percussion issues and I might redo one of the later parts into a more grand... thing.

The stuff I'm most keen to have some feedback on is the overall arrangement, if it's too close to source; if there too much or wrong type of reverb, any EQ issues such as too much in the high range or too little in the low, or high-range samples gritting up the soundscape. Do note that I appreciate feedback on anything and everything.

-rho

[Dafydd]

The velocities seems a little stiff, especially on the recorders (or whatever they are), making them sound rather mechanical. You're also letting them play very long notes, making the samples loop, which makes them sound even less real. The trumpets are not sounding pretty. It's pretty close to the original for being an OCReMix, but if that's not what this is, nevermind. This is pretty sweet, by the way. EQ is ok by me, no grits or distortion of any kind. None of the instruments seem to be drowned as they always are in my mixes (I really need someone to teach me how to EQ and all that stuff).

[OceansAndrew]

The mallet instruments are nice at the beginning, but your sustained strings are really choppy, as is the lead recorder and flute. All of your shorter duration instruments like the guitar and marcato strings. Brass is decent, but neither awesome nor terrible.

What the main issue is, in my opinion, is the lack of progression through the song. It doesn't seem to build at all or go anywhere. You should have a clear goal in mind where the song needs to go as you work on it.

Decent start, but a ways to go before submission.

[Rozovian]

Thanks guys!

So what I need to do is unstiff the velocities (especially on the recorders), use another set of samples for the brass, figure out what OA was saying about all the shorter duration isntruments, like the guitar and marcato string...

...And figure out where to go with this. Any suggestions on where, what, and how?

[The Legendary Zoltan]

I like this whole god damn thing man! Especially that part starting at 0:51! I live for stuff like that. I SORT of agree with OA. I think a goal would do this piece a bit of good. On the other hand, I like ALL the parts, so I think just a rearrangement of them with and added "grand build-up" sort of thing would be good.

If it were me, I'd like to leave it as is up to 1:40 and then insert something kind of grand and build-uppy. Then the part at 1:40 would be a nice continuation point and it goes back down to a quiet section after that so it would be kinda like a sine wave of sections. I think breaking up the parts like that would make this song easier to understand. I think adding in something totally new to the section at 2:58 would be neat. Like a very noticeable drum beat or something. And then it could drop back out again at 3:39. Then morph the part from 3:39 into the build-uppy thing from before, only this time it's twice as long and twice as build-uppy! Oh HELL yeah!

Anyway, that's just what I would do. You can do whatever you want, man. I don't care. Hahaha. I really like this piece you've got, though.

[metaphist]

I agree with the build up ideas, because of the length, you need that swell to keep things dynamic.

As far as the source goes, things sound good to me. You got the melody in there and you do enough with it, so that's no issue.

I think what OA was getting to about the strings being choppy...when the chords change there isn't enough release, it just suddenly cuts.

Same thing for the recorders. Slap on a release to make the long notes fade properly.

As far as EQ goes, you could definitely boost the low end, as there wasn't much going on even with my sub up.

[progressive]

This piece had me pretty conflicted. As I was listening I kept going, "Wow, I LOVE that, oh man, wait, NO NO NO, oh but that's really good..." and so on. So instead of being even more vague, let's dissect:

-I'm with OA on the mallet stuff in the beginning, it's nice and playful, but the rest of the intro is a little muddy and unfocused.

-The plucked strings at 0:19 and beyond are nice and convincing. The legato ones not so much.

-At 0:45 we really get into the meat here. Nice.

-Recorder at 1:05 blew me away it was so clear and welcoming. My first thought was, wish it had sounded this way in the game.

-Brass at 1:40 clashed pretty badly. Not sure if you were going for some dissonance, but even if so, I'd give this section some major attention. Perhaps you could find some lighter instruments that would give some contrast to the recorder but not clash so much with it. Also, the harp is too loud and repetitive here.

-2:17 Ahhh, that's better. Back to basics. Perhaps you could experiment with a sitar here to fill in the sound here. That seems to be Nintendo's take on remixing... give it some exotic flare.

-3:00 Strings sound better here but the trumpet blows (literally). Guitar is superb, though. See how conflicting the sample qualities of your instruments are?

-4:00 and on, I like the way you tied in the mallet part to the beginning, but the fade out is a little uninspiring. Anything else you could do?

Overall, I'm liking it, and I think you can still make it your own. As others have said, though, it does need to go somewhere, which is a bit unfair since the source doesn't, but I'm sure you can do it.