Alrighty, somebody has to be the first to give feedback. It might as well be me I suppose
This was tough. Everybody did a really great job. I had to lean on production quality and thematic fit to break a lot of ties. My final ranking doesn’t reflect how well I like the songs personally. I tried to balance my personal taste with how well I felt the song fit the theme and how well they were produced.
Jilliam - Trapped Within The Total Recall - Reality
I think this fits the theme nicely. I could picture this in a fighting game. I particularly like the asian-sounding stringed instrument part (not sure what instrument that is). There are some things in the production that I think could be improved. It sounds a bit harsh in the upper midrange to me. Maybe check your EQ/Filter settings to see if you can pull some of the harshness out. Also, while I like the pumping compression and I think it’s an important part of your production, I think maybe it’s a tad over the top.
The NeverScene - Infernal Waste
I can definitely hear this in a video game - it’s very cinematic. The genre reads horror to me - so maybe it would fit a fairly dark and bloody fighting game. I really like the guitar work. The song definitely comes to life once the guitar comes in. I think maybe the orchestrated parts could use more panning to create additional stereo interest. It feels a bit mono to me.
DoctorBob - Fight For Flight
I think this fits the theme. My biggest piece of feedback on this piece is that there is a TON going on both in terms of sounds and the music. I find it to be hard to follow. I think it could either use some simplification or the production could be altered to help my ear know where to focus. It’s hard to know what I should be paying attention to at any given time. I do like how the intensity builds as the piece progresses.
RichardClarke - Fight!
Once this kicks in, it definitely feels like it could be in a fighting game. The intro and first break are kind of interesting against the rest. They sound very major and happy while the guitar part sounds very minor and dark. To me, the end effect is a bit scary clown / funhouse.
Ollyaudio - Its Dawn
I like your piece - it’s really excellent. I’m not 100% convinced it fits the theme though. It’s a bit like a fight broke out at the spa. I’m like “Will you two stop fighting over there? I’m trying to get a hot stone massage over here!”. Also, this sounds a tad over-compressed to me. In this style, I think I’d like to hear a bit more dynamic range. Really good job overall!
ontrackp - It’s Not A Dream
This sounds like it belongs in a game. It has a bit of a sci-fi feel to me. Loving the synth sounds, not sure if that’s the K2000 you were talking about or something else but VERY tasty - makes me think of Blade Runner. I think I’d like to hear the guitar as sounding a bit more up front at times.
andreas.bollden - Final Battle
Super cinematic. I could hear this in a Warcraft game (the RTS variety, not MMORPG). Overall really nicely produced too. My biggest bit of feedback is that the rapid fire double bass part that comes in at 1:28 becomes fatiguing after awhile. I think it should be shorter or broken up a bit maybe.
Clueless - Fighting Game
I dig it. I like how the extreme syncopation supports the concept of a fighting game where rapid unexpected movements are part of the game. I think this really works great.
TrojakEQ - Pit of Torment
I love the vocal prompts. It perfectly illustrates how this piece would fit into the game. I think it’s pretty spot on all around.
toadhjo - Spar in the Bazaar
This is by far my favorite piece of music in the competition. This is the one I would listen to later. I like how the market sounds create a sense of place. I love the composition, the sounds are great. From a production standpoint, my only feedback is that the mix leans pretty hard left for a lot of the song. It’s a bit distracting with headphones (not so much on speakers). The only reason I’m not ranking this entry in first place is that I think the connection to the theme is tenuous. You told a good story but when I close my eyes, I don’t picture fighting. I picture people sitting at sidewalk cafes drinking coffee and enjoying a sunny morning.
The Exponent - What are you afraid of
This is a cool piece. It’s very cinematic. The production comes across as papery thin and midrange heavy to me in places - might check your EQ settings. Solid overall.
Leonaard Bowman - Dueling, Dancing
This is totally the music you would hear when going to the world map in a fantasy RPG. It doesn’t completely read fighting game to me but it definitely reads video game. Nice work!
Here's my top 10 (1 being best):
1. TrojakEQ - Pit of Torment (10 pts)
2. Clueless - Fighting Game (9 pts)
3. toadhjo - Spar in the Bazaar (8 pts)
4. The NeverScene - Infernal Waste (7 pts)
5. andreas.bollden - Final Battle (6 pts)
6. Leonaard Bowman - Dueling, Dancing (5 pts)
7. The Exponent - What are you afraid of (4 pts)
8. ontrackp - It’s Not A Dream (3 pts)
9. Ollyaudio - Its Dawn (2 pts)
10. Jilliam - Trapped Within The Total Recall - Reality (1 pts)
).
How do we go from there?