AoE 2 - Shamburger (MnP46)

Votes (6)

Dec 19, 2015 hipnotyk
  1. Mellow Rumpire
    esperado
  2. Burger and Potatoes
    fxsnowy
  3. Rock the Shamzba
    Trism
I've got esperado in first because that slight bit of swing really added a nice groove to the track. Instrument/patch selection was solid. The one main problem was I had to turn my volume up very loud to get this to a comfortable listening level. While this may not sound like a big issue, it is when you're listening to a sequence of tracks and one of them forces you to turn way up, then another one at the proper volume comes on and rips your face off. Try using reference tracks and make sure your final product's volume is in line with music that has been commercially distributed. In addition, just a little more presence from the low end would go a long way to enhancing this track.

In second, fxsnowy. Also good patch selection, but two things had me being overly critical of the track. First, the backbeats on 4 sound fine but on 2 I'm hearing a flam effect and while it might be my opinion, I think it detracts from the vibe. Second, while some of the deviations with the flute line are cool, I think some of them are a little ambitious. The original source is a prime example of "less is more" working very well.

In a close third, Trism. I REALLY like the idea of turning this into a rock ballad, but I feel like the sustained guitar chords are very in-your-face. I think a great way to utilize this genre would've been more subdued guitar chords (by a "non-lead" player) and then the two melodies in the B section could be done by lead guitar and piano. Right now those two lines sound a bit jumbled as the instruments playing them sound too similar.

Ultimately, I like all of the renditions and feel like they've all got good potential with some tweaks.
Dec 19, 2015 NickC
  1. Burger and Potatoes
    fxsnowy
  2. Rock the Shamzba
    Trism
  3. Shambledurger
    hipnotyk
fxsnowy - The bass! That and the drums, almost perfect but part of me wants the original with long decay. Good job emphasizing the original rhythm. I like most of the articulation on the melody but it gets dissonant in a bad way at 1:54

Trism - Distorted guitar is an interesting choice for a chill theme like this, doesn't quite have the same tone but it kind of reminds me of End of Small Sanctuary in that regard, one of my favorite tracks from Silent Hill 3. This is really loud!

hipnotyk - Did the best job of preserving/utilizing the synth bass pad from the original. The choir is also a nice touch, kind of emphasizes this feeling of genesis/creation/discovery that I've always gotten from the original, I wonder how much of that is associative from watching my villagers build and explore so many times in the past...although this song played less(not much at all if I recall) after installing The Conquerors expansion, so I've listened to this more out of game than in...I like the percussive additions to this but not so much the subtractions, like fxsnowy's I'm really missing the meatier snare

esperado - I like the tremolo and echo effects used sporadically in this, also using the glide synth in place of the string instrument used in the original. The swing is an interesting choice, it actually makes it the most liberal with the source since the bass and drum rhythm is so integral to the feel of the original. Also pretty quiet, lots of volume adjustment between this and Trism's track, just normalizing it brings it up to a good level.
Dec 20, 2015 Chickenwarlord
  1. Shambledurger
    hipnotyk
  2. Burger and Potatoes
    fxsnowy
  3. Rock the Shamzba
    Trism
Hipnotyk: Liked the bass swells and overall atmosphere.
FXSnowy: Aggressive groove, but some wonkiness in the flute part here and there.
Esperado: I feel like this was way too quiet, even if it is supposed to be mellow.
Trism: That electric guitar feels out of place with your other instrumentation choices and can be quite harsh. Still gets my props for going for being something a bit different.
Dec 20, 2015 esperado
  1. Shambledurger
    hipnotyk
  2. Rock the Shamzba
    Trism
  3. Burger and Potatoes
    fxsnowy
Will post feedback in the thread! I dont have time to write up something before the voting deadline because i have to leave for work.
Dec 20, 2015 fxsnowy
  1. Shambledurger
    hipnotyk
  2. Mellow Rumpire
    esperado
  3. Rock the Shamzba
    Trism
hipnotyk: really cool soundscape, percussion and choir gives it a nice mystical vibe. I really like what you added with the marimba/xylophone. Bass was a little bland

esperado: I like the swingy groovy beat you gave it. Drums sound very unrealistic though, and everything sounds muffled. Also volume is way too low.

Trism: Nice idea to give it a metal/rock twist. Biggest problem is that every instrument is really poor quality and needs an upgrade

Dec 20, 2015 Trism
  1. Mellow Rumpire
    esperado
  2. Shambledurger
    hipnotyk
  3. Burger and Potatoes
    fxsnowy
No individual reviews at the moment; sinus pain is not allowing me to think particularly clealry.