Topic: Surf's Up!

[Alieo]

This is Game07 like you've NEVER heard it before! The Roland SC-55 MIDI version of Game07 went under the knife with a remake of this catchy Descent track. This has always been my favorite MIDI in the game, but now, I want to take surfing lessons to this song! Catch a new wave with Surf's Up!

Rate and comment please! I want to know what you guys think about my work. Enjoy it!

http://www.planetdescent.net/index.php?action=mgallery;sa=item;id=380

[TechPro]

Most Descent related remixes that I've heard ... I usually just do not like (and consequently usually don't comment).  Rare is the remix that I like.  Game07 is one of my all-time favorite midi tunes from Descent 1 and to remix it is almost sacrilege in my opinion.  Having said that ...

This one I like, and I liked it right away.  Excellant job!  

* TechNor wonders where he can find a good "thumbs up" smilie...

Found one.  

[Alieo]

Thank you! That's a huge compliment! I've been searching and searching for a cool Game07 remix and haven't ever found it, so I thought screw it I'll make my own. I may modify this one later by dubbing in some other surf-like sound effects including some sound clips from the Hawaii Five-O Theme, instruments from "Wipe Out," (maybe a mash-up of the three keeping Game07 as the main theme) and would like to find a way to extend it to a longer song. Also, I'm possibly considering a Super Hulk sound effect somewhere in the end...

... but I have to study for a math test. It's so hard to discipline myself to study when the creative juices are flowing... like a wave... a wave you can surf on... to this song... *sigh*

[Scyphi]

I meant to comment on this yesterday, but obviously, for reasons we don't need to go into, that never happened.

I, too, liked it. The surfing-like theme is surprisingly fitting.

To be fair, though, I can't say I've ever encountered many remixes of this song. Remasterings, yes, but remixes, no.

If I were talented and had the means, I would've probably remixed this song sometime ago myself. Part of the idea I had was incorporating the boss sound (that deep ticking sound) in as part of the beat of the song.

[Alieo]

WHEW!!! Two days of planning and six hours of mixing later, here's the Re-Remix. Honestly, which one is better? I like the first one for it's tranquil on the surf feel, but the second mix gets me going! Also, tell me about my overall mix quality.

As you'll see in the description of the RE-Remix, it was inspired by Lydia Lunch's "Atomic Bongos," as I mixed excerpts of the song into the original "Surf's Up!"

http://www.planetdescent.net/index.php?action=mgallery;sa=item;id=383

[TechPro]

The second one has some definitely cool things going for it, but the first one sounds... cleaner.

You know, I was listening to these and I realized something is missing.  In the original, there is a pretty dominant rhythm/sound (base line) that is the most driving and dominant characteristic (in my opinion) of the tune ... and at certain times that base line transitions from one side of the stereo to the other and back multiple times.  I'm not hearing that transition happening at all in your remixes, in fact I don't hear very much stereo separation in your remix.  Is that by design?  Characteristic of the playback in the browser?  Or some other reason?

[Alieo]

AHA! I am listening right now to the original OLP3 version and do hear what you're talking about. (If you click on the link to my most recent remix, it's next door to it on the right.) In listening to the ORIGINAL original Game07, the OLP3 chip processes the slap-bass as a deep synthetic bass (almost sounds like someone walking and farting at the same time! lol). In hearing the MIDI version of this, I too hear the L and R fluctuations. I think what happened was, when i remixed this, I distorted the song so much that this effect you speak of from the original became absorbed in the effects I implicated onto the remixes.

And yeah, I do like my first remix better. Perhaps if I made a version of the RE-remix in the exact same fashion but revert the key from G minor back to the original C minor, it would sound more normal. I wish I had capabilities to change instrumentation on a MIDI file or access to altering sound fonts, but I'm too cheap to buy anything. Maybe I should.

[Pumo]

You can use 'viena' (a freeware soundfont editor, not the same as 'vienna', the soundfont editor for creative soundcards).

It works pretty well and you can alter your soundfonts to your heart contents with it.

The link: http://www.synthfont.com/

[Alieo]

@Pumo: Thanks for the link!

@TechNor: Okay, hopefully this 3rd mix will redeem itself...

Surf's Up! (Game07 3rd Remix):

http://www.planetdescent.net/index.php?action=mgallery;sa=item;id=395

[Alieo]

Okay, okay, okay, THIS is the final mix... blows the last three out of the water:

http://www.planetdescent.net/index.php?action=mgallery;sa=item;id=409

Feedback please!