Final Fantasy 3/6 Devils Lab

[ThiefVI]

Allright, this is my first ReMix.

Hope you like it.

http://www.supload.com/listen?s=U19DFPCCN0E1

[Hausdog]

I'm scared of the beginning... sounds like generic drum loop.

The lead's too loud and the background is drowned out.

It's just a midi rip with new soundfonts and a drum loop and a falling square synth.

It starts to get into some original material around 2:37, but then quickly switches back to the MIDI.

And then it ends.

The first thing you need to do is make your own unique MIDI from scratch. It needs to have something that's completely its own, where no one will say that it sounds like you made a mistake in writing a midi for the original song. And that doesn't mean different instruments, either. The easiest way to do this is by putting it in a different genre. If it were a song typical of that genre, how would it sound? What would the instrumentation be? (That last question requires getting good soundfonts) How would the rhythm of the melody be different?

The next question is important enough to warrant its own paragraph.

How would the harmony be different? The melody can be verbatim a rip from the original if you have a harmony that's damn good and damn unique. While you'll likely have to change the melody SOME, you still won't be able to get away with keeping the harmony intact.

I really like the choice of instruments you used, but I would like to see them playing something unique.

[ThiefVI]

hmm, i see. thanks for the reply :3

[Hausdog]

No problem.

And don't be discouraged if you are having a hard time getting notes into the software... It took me a really long time before I got good at it. If you work at it and are actually interested, you will be able to do the left-brain work.

Coming up with an arrangement is a different matter, but I'd like to see what you can do.

[ThiefVI]

Allright, I got v4 done, tell me if this is better.

http://www.supload.com/listen?s=K15KA9ZIKZQ4

Thief.

[Monobrow]

just wanna say that

1. your drums are very generic, you really need to get creative with that beat

2. your bass is in a different key than the rest of the song

3. This sounds pretty much like a midi rip

My suggestions to you:

Make a beat, don't even really think about this song, just work on making a creative beat that doesn't sound like a boring drum loop, spend some time thinking about placement of offbeats, listen to other music with really good beats, try to emulate that (the more complex, the more you learn)

If this is indeed a midi rip, next time try to put down the notes in whatever program you are using by ear, as in, listening to the original and then messing around with the chord progressions and lead, put your self into the song, while trying to stick to the source enough to make it recognizable

It's okay to use midi to study the source and figure out what is going on, and sometimes build off it, especially if you don't have a good ear, but you can't rely on it, because then, well your songs will end up sounding like the source tune, with just updated samples - which is the case with you - except for the fact that things are kind of offkey (and in this case, it doesn't sound better this way)

So yeah, sorry to be harsh, but if you're willing to learn more, I'd suggest trying it this way, and if you didn't use a midi, well then you did a pretty good job by ear, except that you chose things in different keys. It's a song at least, and you can only get better from here.

Keep working on it though! It's the best way to learn!

[Rozovian]

It's very repetitive, it stopped being cool to listen to after a minute, and at 3 minutes in, I'm getting tired of it.

Try doing something original to practice your skills and tools. Then copy a small part of this and rewrite it. Then take another part and rewrite it. I mean, take a melody, nothing more, and write your own accompaniment, the backing tracks for the melody. Then take, like another melody, and do the same thing. If other parts still fit into those, insert them. Develop your arranger skills like this, or some other way.

Let me ask you this: would you listen to this?

The drums need to be way more interesting. Sections need to be more tightly bridged. The bass needs more bass (and needs to be in key). The backing soft synth needs to have a more active role, and more depth. It sounds completely unmixed. Decide what the important instruments are, and make them louder. EQ them accordingly. The bass doesn't need as much in the high range, but your leads are completely overshadowed by it. Your drums are really two-dimension with no punch or anything.

I'm hearing promise, but your production and arrangement issues are stealing all the light. Four minutes of material that, like this, would easily be boring when squeezed into two minutes... You need to make this more interesting, give it more depth, more life.

But like I said, I am hearing promise, so it's not all bad. It just takes some practice and a lot of listening. Don't think "I'm a newb, so it doesn't have to be perfect". Think: "I'm gonna be a remixer, my stuff needs to be decent or better". Good luck!

[ThiefVI]

Thanks a ton guys. I don't like to think "im a noob so blahblahblah". I just like critizim on my stuff, this is my first actual "mix" of a song. I quote mix because I basicly ripped a midi and changed the instruments, then attempted to mix it. But yeah, now I know what I need to do to make my songs better.

Thief

:Edit:

If someone could pm me with more tips, it would be appreciated.

[Monobrow]

You really should check out the remixing forums, and tutorials in regards to whatever program you are using. If you have specific questions though, feel free to PM me.

[Rozovian]

Thief, I said newb, not n00b. As in new beginner, not as in retard.

Check out other ppl's wips and the feedback they've been given, listen to music done with the same or similar tools as you work with... Read the appropriate guides and tutorials, and listen to your own works to spot stuff you like and stuff you don't. Fix the stuff you don't like. It's all about learning to listen to your own works, really.