Sonic and Sega Retro Message Board: scubaSteve - Viewing Profile - Sonic and Sega Retro Message Board

I think the reason the brass parts sound unspectacular is because you're using lower brass instruments (trombone and tenor sax) coupled with somewhat soft playing. I would try just increasing the note velocities for the brass parts first, though that would likely make them too loud and obtrusive here. So maybe try replacing the tenor sax with an alto or soprano and maybe even add a trumpet to try to brighten the sound a little. You can always try raising certain parts an octave as well.

Also, regarding the brass part in the last section (where the brass is playing chords with the bass) - if you listen to the original, this part has only one lead instrument playing along with the bass, whereas your arrangement has the whole brass section playing. Making it a solo like the original might serve to add some needed variety to the brass.

Finally, I'm certain your mixing isn't half as bad as you think it is . However, there is definitely some room for improvement, and I would actually be more than happy to do the final mix if you'd like.

I just have a few little things I'd like to see improved:

The new varied hi-hat patterns are much better than before, but they sound very unrealistic and static because they're all the same (or at least very similar) velocity. Hi-hats played in the style you've used ought to sound very dynamic and expressive, with lots of little crescendos and decrescendos leading the listener forward.
Similarly, the lead needs to be more expressive as well - I feel like it's just playing notes at me. Definitely start with a wider range of note velocities, and if you can try modulating the volume manually (to add crescendos and decrescendos), and possibly varying the amount of tremolo on each note.

Mix-wise, it sounds excellent. If I may gripe, the snare reverb is a *little* too powerful, and is a bit distracting for me (though it sounds like you might have the reverb applied to the whole drum kit... if so, don't bother messing with it). Also, the output sounds a little hot - maybe dial the compression back by a couple db's so it doesn't sound quite so relentless.

Ooh, loving the instrumentation here. Love the chilled-out sound too, though the last section needs to be a tad more intense - the crescendo leading up to it is good, but then it kind of gets squandered since there's no overall increase of intensity compared to the part just before. My first instinct says that you need to bring out the supporting chords a little more, and the lead part needs to be more intense as well. (Maybe layer the part with a horn instrument or something?) I have just some small gripes about the lead parts in the beginning, also - one, the 16th notes coming from the flute are sounding muddy because of the long attack, and two, after the flute drops out the lead part becomes a little shrouded behind the other parts, though this may just be a mixing issue. Speaking of which, the mixing does need some tweaking, though since this is just a v1 I'll save them until the instrumentation is finalized. I'm calling this a surefire approval once the kinks are worked out

Whoops, just noticed one more thing: The snare drum is a little... unenthusiastic . A brighter, longer snare drum would certainly give the last section some of the boost it needs.

By "the lead" I'm assuming you mean the part I was discussing above? If so (hopefully), here is the link. As for the bass... hm, that is kind of a problem! There aren't really any sure-fire ways to remedy a situation like that short of creating the entire part again. The two things you suggested might work, though if you do try layering any other bass part on top of it be sure to highpass filter one part or the other. Also, if you have them, you could also try an expander or an enveloper. Even a compressor might work with the correct settings.

Sorry about that Kinichie. Right now I'd say your instrumentation is very good overall. The only thing that doesn't completely fit for me are the saxes at the beginning of Final Boss - first, you're using a completely different set of notes there. In the original it's Bb to F on one part and A to E on the other, which produces a very nasty-sounding discord (as it should)... this would seem unfitting on saxophones, and personally I think it lends itself better to something like trumpets, which can really blare and emphasize the discordance. From a technical angle, the one thing that you really need to work on is dynamics. Most parts in both songs have little variation in strength or dynamics which is resulting in the songs sounding a little bland. Definitely work on this first, and then maybe tweak the mixing a little - for example, in ARZ the drums are extremely quiet and the pianos are a bit muffled and too loud, and in Final Boss the bass instrument is overpowering everything else.