Music Remastered

I'd suggest editing your posts to (at) instead of @..bots search for those :P and yeah ok I'll add you cuz I am here 24/7 :P

 

Newer bots look also for (at) and other commonly used replacements. Personally, I think a much safer way to confuse them is to switch address and domain: hotmail.com@supersonicgp3 is the way to go.

 

Irixion, calm the fuck down. Okay, I don't think I like this last one you did. I doesn't feel very Hidden Palace to me, I can't put my finger where. May be the main sample, not sounding anything like I imagin' a HD remake would, or whatever. I just didn't like it. Just my opinion though.

Plus, you don't need to become emo just because noone reply's within the 3 next hours.

 

If you actually read you'd see that I calmed down. If you can't point out what the problem is then you can shut your mouth. If you don't like it tell me what I can do better "I don't like it'' Isn't going to cut it.

 

Hi! I'm back again... sorry for disturbing. :lol:

First, I want to tell to Irixion that his Hidden Palace's version is pretty good, but I think that the lead instrument needs to be more... powerful, maybe. But the rest of the song sounds great for me.
Now... I also came back here to share with all of you my version of Emerald Hill's song. With this song I tried to understand more accurately the "soul" of the original version because I think it's a very important stage since it's the first one and, like Vincent said before, "the first time you'll see all the shiny HD stuff on screen". :P
But, still talking about Vincent, he also thought about a small and calmer introduction during the level bars and then get into the real rhythm of the music when the bars leave, like scubaSteve's did with his version of Chemical Plant's song. In spite of that, I think that it can be done with Chemical Plant's song, but not with Emerald Hill. This song starts playing a prominent amount of notes and instruments that gives you the feeling and (maybe) the emotion of beginning a new adventure so I decided to keep his original "feeling".
On the other hand, I used Teck's MIDI as source and noticed something that surely many of you have noticed before: in the third "chunk" of the song, where the lead instrument plays for second time and just before the loop, that lead instrument plays with raised pitch in the original version. Most of the MIDIs of Emerald Hill that you can find on the web plays that part with the same pitch like at the beginning of the song (including Teck's version) and that makes it sound a little plain. So, I put my fingers on it and fixed that so it can sound like the original one.
Waiting for your comments and critics, here it is:

--> DOWNLOAD <--
(MIDI used)​

By the way... I'm still open to receive comments and critics about my version of the Special Stage's song.

That's all... See you later!

 

Thank you god, THAT is the criticism I'm looking for, something to help me improve :P I will improve on my song, and yeah it is a big leap from version 3 lol, I'll try to work on it way more and then upload it... :P thanks, and don't get me pissed or I snap easily :X

 

Don't worry, man. If I can be og any help, I'll do it.
I'll be waiting for your next version then, but... I invite you too to listen to my music and post your comments and critics, ok?

See you around!

 

GatoSoft, your Emerald Hill rendition is excellent! My only suggestion would be to move the bass up an octave, because it's much too low at the moment.

Also, maybe you want to use softer synths on the lead? Or maybe you just need to move it up an octave—the original song has a very squeaky lead, which gave it more of an upbeat feeling.

 

Hey everyone. I've been watching the Sonic2HD forums for a couple of weeks and I just registered today, so I wanted to chime in with a comment.

GatoSoft -- I really like your rendition of Emerald Hill Zone. I'd be interested in hearing how it sounds with Tweaker's suggestions, but as it is I really like it.

Irixion -- Your Hidden Palace Zone 4.1 is a lot better than 3.0, but the vocals seem too quiet compared to everything else. The lead instrument grew on me while I was listening to it, though you might experiment with it.

 

Thanks for the comments, Tweaker!

Well... I realized that sometimes I can't get my ear where I want. :lol:
In this version 2 I've raised the bass' pitch where it was low. I don't know why it was low in some parts but it's ok, now it's fixed.
Also I've been "touching" a very very little the lead instruments... but that's all I could do. I've been listening the original song with my GENS.EXE+SONIC 2.SMD :lol: but I can't find a better replacement for the main instrument. Maybe I should search on the web for more instrument's kits. :closedeyes:
But, I don't know... I'll leave it to you. Post your opinions, critics and comments. I'll be alert.

--> DOWNLOAD <--​

See you tomorrow! I'm go to sleep for a while. :P


PD: Welcome kcowolf! I didn't realize that you were replying. Here is my second version of Emerald Hill. Have fun!

 

And a minute after I post, GatoSoft posts version 2. Thanks for the welcome!

Changing the octave really helped that bass a lot. I really like how it sounds now.

On the melody line from 00:03-00:16... in the original there's two instruments playing that line an octave apart (actually, listening again, I think it's the same instrument in two different octaves). The higher octave creates that "squeaky" lead Tweaker mentioned (assuming we're thinking of the same thing). If your MP3 is doing that, I can't hear it. If not, try adding it and see if it improves anything.

Edit: Rethought the "two instruments" part a bit.

 

What you've done with the bass helps, but it's still too low. Have you considered raising the whole bassline up by an octave instead of just the notes in the bridge on?

 

kcowolf, you're right, listening to the original through some splitters (Center Cut for Winamp) revealed that it is the same instrument but at 2 octaves. and that when you only have one or the other, it sounds too simple. Somehow they build each other into this awesome sounding instrument. Good luck trying to replicate that, haha.

Gatosoft, good job on EHZ. You win some easy points for having drums that mostly follow the original, but it might just be me, but I still hear some faint drums doing naughty things that they're not supposed to.

As far as I can tell by ear from listening to different rips of EHZ from the OST, the drums follow a consistent beat of (forgive the conversion into ascii, and my lack of music vocabulary to accurately describe this) [DOdodo.DAH dodo] [DOdodo.DAH dodo]. Where "DO" is a low drum (bass?), "DAH" is a higher pitched drum (snare), and "do" is some sort of cymbals.

I may be slightly off, but the point is that this rhythm does not change for the entirety of one cycle of the song (not including intro) EXCEPT for the following parts of the song: 00:17 00:24 00:31 00:34 00:41, in which case the snare drum will sometimes do a little one second "thingy" that differs from the basic rhythm. This is something that all EHZ submissions have got wrong so far. I'm guessing it's a midi thing.

Other things that caught my attention,

The instrument that plays those progressive chords in the background throughout the main verse of the song that goes G.A.F.E. sounds too heavenly or angelic, in the original it was more synth. I feel like a warm light is calling me to the afterlife or something.

Also, related to that instrument, every time the chord changes, you have a little metalic sounding thing follow with the GAFE pattern. It sounds too much like someone hitting a fork against a glass or something. I think it sounds like that because it's too short. It sounds like in the original that the sound lasts for the entirety or majority step of the progression (e.g. it plays for most of the duration of G, of A, of F, and of E).

As for the main instrument, I don't know why, but it's so hard to find one that sounds right. Most of the time they've either sounded too techno-y or too plain.

Another thing, is that maybe I'm just deaf, but in everyone's EHZ so far I've noticed that an entire instrument's section is missing from 00:31 until the end of the cycle. It sounds like this: http://www1.chapman.edu/~bermu103/missingpart.ogg

I also really miss the twangy bass guitar from the original, by any chance does anyone have a soundfont of something similar they could try out? It's such an iconic instrument for the game that I think it might belong in EHZ which is arguably the iconic song of the game.

Congratulations to everyone who has attempted EHZ so far, it's probably going to be the most difficult song because it so perfectly captures the spirit of SH2 and thus our remastered EHZ must also not only capture that same feeling from SH2, but also introduce them to the awesomeness of S2HD and the technological advancements that have taken place since the early 90s.


P.S. Here's a crazy idea that anyone's more than welcome to shoot down: why not have the first 3 seconds of EHZ (the intro) be exactly from the OST, then have it "grow" into the remastered version?

 

Nice!!

I like your latest EHZ music GatoSoft S.A.!
Please continue improving it.

About Irixion's latest HiddenPalace Zone I must say it's good on the chorus and piano part, but disappointing for the flute instrument that's too low in the main melody.

That's a way to emphatize it, still it may come out like a cheap overall (I'd like to hear an example tough before judging)
I think some "really professional" intro arrangement should be best for this option.

 

Hey Tweaker, in case you hadn't got around to finding a new scratch sound for Metropolis Zone, I found one after hunting around for a generic record scratch sound playing with it for a while on Cool Edit. Check it out.

May I also suggest it may be a clap sound effect that has been lowered in sample rate and raised in pitch? Sounds kinda like a camera shutter a little as well. I listened to it for a while and also couldn't get it down close enough because of the awkward rhythm.

 

GatoSoft, I can't download anything from megaupload. Would you please provide an alternate link?

Here's an attempt at Game Over, now featuring a harmonica. I did some research to understand how this instrument works and this is the result. This is how the melody sounds with added 3rds or 5ths to the main notes:

- Game Over v1.2
Attempt with the harmonica as lead instrument; other instruments enhanced overall.
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/6/12/195...Over%20v1.2.mp3

I can make it feel way more humanized with bends and vibratos, but first let me now your opinions on Alto Sax (v1.1) X Harmonica (v1.2).

-> Coming next: additional drumming


Change Log:

- Game Over v1.1
Alto sax as lead instrument; other instruments enhanced overall.
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/6/12/195...Over%20v1.1.mp3

- Game Over v1.0
Trombone as lead instrument (scrapped)
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/6/12/195...Over%20v1.0.mp3

- Source Midi file
Written from scratch, true to the original. Use it for your attempts.
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/6/12/195...o%20v1.0%29.mid

 

Musically (instruments, arrangements and tones), I think this is the best I can do:

- Game Over 1.3
Additional jazzy drumming; back to alto sax; other instruments enhanced overall.
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/6/12/195...Over%20v1.3.mp3


Change Log:

- Game Over 1.2
Attempt with the harmonica as lead instrument; other instruments enhanced overall.
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/6/12/195...Over%20v1.2.mp3

- Game Over 1.1
Alto sax as lead instrument; other instruments enhanced overall.
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/6/12/195...Over%20v1.1.mp3

- Game Over 1.0
Trombone as lead instrument (scrapped)
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/6/12/195...Over%20v1.0.mp3

- Source Midi file
Written from scratch, true to the original. Use it for your attempts.
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/6/12/195...o%20v1.0%29.mid

 

I think that the instruments are about perfect. The sax sounds a bit low or muffled, but that about all I can pick at.

Edit: V This is why I wish we could have an efficient way to list the music side by side to compare and contrast. It would make determining the best so much easier.