1. Reminiscence, Recitative & Passacaglia over a ruined theme
   anachromium
2. Ruined Drum Solo
   TheVideoGamer
3. A Ruined Jazz Quartet
   TheVodouQueen

Loved the variety of takes on this delightful song, nice work all!

TheVideogamer: Perky and charming piece with your drumage that I do so love. Nicely captures the original's lively curiosity. The middle section sounds like some hot improv work, could listen to that go on for quite a while.

Anachromiom: Dang. Just... dang. Some seriously melancholy brass 'n organ. Very clever use of the source, very impressive work with dynamics. Please teach me how to be so restrained :D

VodouQueen: I find the atmosphere of the piece delightful. The increased tempo just makes me bob my head while writing this out. Very lively and active, I find it a fun interpretation that brings the song to life. I do think that the sax tends to have the most volume through the piece, a tad overpowering at times. Good work here!

HarlemHeat360: Ooh, those choirs add a sweet spacious feel to the piece, probably my favorite part. Liked the sound of the Cello on the melody, too. I think things got a little fuzzy around the halfway mark, not sure if it's from the percussion or something else. Still, you had some nice stuff in here, good job.

Wassup Thunder: Very nice, though it's lacking in the Harkinian department XD. Now I'll never be able to separate this song from Distant Thunder.

1. Reminiscence, Recitative & Passacaglia over a ruined theme
   anachromium
2. It All Went Wrong
   Souperion
3. Ruined Drum Solo
   TheVideoGamer

I always wish I could vote for everyone, all of these are great work. And a mix of what I'll call Pacifist and Genodide interpretation

anachromium: For both artistic style and interpretation of the source, you gets my top vote. I was thrilled by the slow, dramatic swells of organ and brass. You created a very strong vibe of melancholy and desolation. A chapel like feel to it. The recitation is a wonderful preface. And the intense finale got me reeeaeaall good. This sounds like post genocide.

Souperion: Wow, this became savage and dark! It started spooky and atmospheric, but became downright horrifying with the dissonant notes and sinister tone. Aaaaand I'm a sucker for pounding guitar rhythms, I was so unready for that metal-esque phase. The wide pads and sharp synths made an excellent combo. This truly sounds like the genocide path.

TheVideoGamer: I love the drum movements, the solo pleased me greatly. Like, loved that solo, it's the major selling point! You captured a very familiar feel from the source, and variated on it nicely. It's lively and inquisitive, just like Frisk. And I feeeeeeel that bass. This sounds to me like a pacifist interpretation.

TheVodouQueen! Man, this felt good, like overhearing a jam session in a practice room. The lo-fi reminiscent vinyl scratches gave me a "good-ol-days" vibe. The audio sounded quite a bit like off an older record, a pleasing effect. It really did sound pretty humanized with the velocity differences, further strengthening that jazzy influence! I enjoy its subtle variations of running sections without melody, varied layering, and all. Nice work! This is definitely a pacifist path remix.

HarlemHeat360: Those vocal sweeps captured my attention from the beginning. I like the calm yet inquisitive feel, faithful to the original and beautifully rendered. I loved those guitar chords at the chorus (At least I think they're guitar chords) but they sounded a ta-a-ad too powerful, caused a little clipping. But that can be fixed. I liked this, nice work! Very much a pacifist tune.

1. It All Went Wrong
   Souperion
2. A Ruined Jazz Quartet
   TheVodouQueen
3. Ruined Drum Solo
   TheVideoGamer

1. Souperion - It All Went Wrong: For the complete package!

2. TheVodouQueen - A Ruined Jazz Quartet: For a well done remix with outstanding drum composition!

3. TheVideoGamer - Ruined Drum Solo: For a nice soloistic expansion of the original!

As I will comment this on three different remixes, I'll do it once here and only refer to it.

#STRINGS: Many of you used a string sound for the main theme, which of course is very fitting. But what feels very awkward to me is the "slow" attack most string samples have, when played in a faster kind-of-legato line, which causes every note to make a swell before the next one comes. Maybe I'm a little bit touchy here, but I'd like to point that out anyway, because it often takes away quality from otherwise really good remixes.

Detailed Feedback:

==================

HarlemHeat360 - Ruin

Sad to hear you couldn't finish it.

I like the way you use the choir to open up space at the beginning!

It might be intended to sound distorted in the second half, but somehow this doesn't really do it for me - can't really tell if intended or not, which is a bid sign most often.

At 0:26 there are #STRINGS. (See at top.)

Overall a nice take instrumentation-wise, would have liked to hear more of the choir!

Souperion - It All Went Wrong

Great remix! I really like how you really made a completely different track out of the theme - and it really give's me a feeling of being in a Metroid space station!

At 0:18 I would wish for the string melody to have a little more phrasing through dynamics. It's tiny adjustments, but it gives so much cohesion!

At 0:34 there are #STRINGS. (See above.)

The transition with the guitar is epic! Did I already mention I feel like running around a space station and suddenly Ridley comes out of nowhere?

At 1:58 the strings (especially the low strings) feel a little bit weak in relation to the metalesque rest of the mix. Maybe a string-sound with more attack and a "narrower" sound (more Saw than Pad so to say) would have worked out better?

Overall very cool remix and good work on the synths! Also the ending - those are so hard to write, and this is a good one!

TheVideoGamer - Ruined Drum Solo

I like the sound selection for this one! Very near to the original, but it gets a little more minimalistic vibe!

The first part feels a little under-reverbed for the sounds of the synths, which make a nice texture that often ends too abruptly. Feels a little kicked by the drum.

I adore the synth solos in the second part! What I'd wish this track had more is humanization of the drum solo, at least in terms of dynamics/phrases - no rhythmic thing. (In the middle part I like the reverb!)

Nice pro is also the ending that closes the loop!

Good work!

TheVodouQueen - A Ruined Jazz Quartet

Somehow I always have a ton to say about your remixes, even so I really like them, they somehow trigger my ears. Anyway: I like the way you took the tune to a jazz band 1:1, because that's just what you'd do with it, aside of the crazy solos and improvisations that would interrupt the theme (at least as long as it's a spontaneous session.)

And I want to mention before all the critics: what you did to the drums arrangement-wise is absolutely GREAT! (I'm not that fond of the low-reverb-mixing, but that may be very subjective and I won't take that into consideration for my decision.)

And now here's my three things that I have to critisize:

What I don't like that much is the Sax at 0:52. It has an attack on every note, which is just not how anyone would play the phrase. I would even go as far as to say: I might have preferred a similar-sounding synth in Legato mode instead.

Also the Humanization of the MIDI feels a little bit artificial at some points - I know that's tricky and I don't think that I won this battle with my own remix this time. But I can't tell exactly why and where. Just out of curiosity, how much did you work via different dynamics and how much via timing?

Last point is: Sometimes (e.g. at. 3:00) the mix doesn't blend quite well. Again I can't really tell, why that's the case, it just doesn't feel like an ensemble to me there.

(And a last annotation, no criticism: Maybe at around 5:00 a reversed Reverb might have taken a little harshness out of the cymbal, but I won't vouch for that - never tried that myself.)

All in all great work yet again!

Wassup Thunder - (BONUS ENTRY, DON'T VOTE) Froggit Finds Himself

So this one really chose mercy - very close to the original, but with refreshing deviations from it!

What I really like about this one is the harmonies, that are extended just a little bit from the original to get more interesting, yet keep the spirit alive - also all the small changes here and there that make it interesting all the way from start to the finish.

What I don't like are the #STRINGS (see top) at the beginning. Also the brass feels extremely laid back and somehow a little bit off in timing at some points.

The flute at 3:10 is great! If I remember correctly I had critisized in the last PRC, that it lacked space for the flute. This time it has all the space it needs, even so it still uses the lower range. Good mixing!

Good take on this one!

1. Reminiscence, Recitative & Passacaglia over a ruined theme
   anachromium
2. It All Went Wrong
   Souperion
3. A Ruined Jazz Quartet
   TheVodouQueen

Anachromium - Intresting style, don't see this often in PRC, but I guess the source is perfect for it. Liked the variation and speed up around 5:00.

Souperion - There's much energy in this song. Especially liked the stuff in the background.

TheVodouQueen - Jazz it is, this song has some good ideas and I think you speeded the source up a bit what works well.

HarlemHeat360 - Welcome to PRC. Liked the style, ending is abrupt (not finished probably) but I like the idea.

TheVideoGamer - This song is a bit confusing with the drums around 2:00 but for some reason I like it, between 3:37 and 3:41 there's nothing.

WassupThunder - A well balanced orchestral take on this source. Sounds very complete

1. A Ruined Jazz Quartet
   TheVodouQueen
2. It All Went Wrong
   Souperion
3. Reminiscence, Recitative & Passacaglia over a ruined theme
   anachromium

1. Reminiscence, Recitative & Passacaglia over a ruined theme
   anachromium
2. It All Went Wrong
   Souperion
3. Ruined Drum Solo
   TheVideoGamer

Alright, let's get this started. :D <3

----

1) 'Reminiscence, Recitative & Passacaglia Over a Ruined Theme' -

Anachromium

Pros:

* I am actually really impressed and I really like the 'purist'

approach to this song you took. To be honest, I am pretty happy

everyone came at this song with widely different takes and genres! The

little poem at the beginning was extremely interesting, heartfelt, and

actually pretty reflective of Undertale, the game, as a whole (for the

monsters, at least).

* I'm not well-versed on a lot of very orchestra terms (beginning band

class'll do that), however, your years of work and practice in

orchestra shows. And it's beautiful. I am unsure if the organ is

simulated or you played it, but nonetheless, the pacing, highs and

lows, and more hyped ending really does go well with church organ.

* This song reminded me of 'Dancing Mad, Movements I-V', Kefka's final

boss music from FF VI, and music from Dark Souls. Especially with the

interplay between the organ and brass. Not sure if it was french horn

or trumpet as the primary melody, but by the gods, brillant! Great

job. :D

Critique:

* Sadly, heavy orchestra arrangements are out of my wheelhouse insofar

as technique, skill and science goes. I love a good piece of Mozart or

Bach or Beethoven, and occasionally enjoy just listening to piano

renditions of music (TPR, 'The Phoenix Rising' guy, etc.), but I can't

really give solid "bad" or "this needs improvement" criticism. It's

real good, and the hyped movement at the end was a thrill and pleasant

surprise. :) I would say some of the organ parts were too quiet, but

you stipulated that was the point, and after cranking the speakers up

some and listening to it on headphones, it was perfectly fine.

2) 'It All Went Wrong' - Souperion

Pros:

* I'm getting real 'Mad Monster Mansion' (Banjo-Kazooie) and 'Frantic

Factory' / 'Creepy Castle' (DK 64) vibes from this. I'm unsure if it

was old school Rareware-inspired, but it brought those memories back

listening to it! :D

* You say the arrangement and mechanics felt "sloppy" by the end of

making this, but it almost feels...purposeful? Like, between the

chaotic nature and the creepy, spooky side of this... I am unsure, but

whether by mistake or not I think the marriage between those kind of

does the song some favours, especially from points like 0:45 - 1:10.

The build up, slight dissonance and not QUITE matched up / synced

notes gives the song its own breath and feel. And the creepy chimes /

bells are really cool!

* I think you did OK with making the piece "apprehensive" and

"spacious", and then it just devolving over time. As far as I know, I

think that's the point of horror, is it not? :D You think you're safe,

or managed to get away, but then shit just gets worse, and worse, and

worse. And the song certainly nails a reflection of that general story

plot beat for most body and psychological horror films.

Critique:

* The more 'rock'-feel, with heavy riffed guitar solos and grunge

drums starting @ 1:50 didn't work for me. It threw me out the vibe. I

know I said before to try and push yourself outside of just pretty

piano and string-works, but for some reason the mesh wasn't there. And

I don't think it was because it jumped from one genre to another, or

the jump was too early. I think the problem was execution and 'rock'-

genre type, perhaps. I listened to it a few times and I think a

background riff could've been better built into the creepy-side of

things, crescendoing into the guitar solo-ish spin, rather than just

hitting us over the head with it out of the blue.

* The drums were way too hard-hitting, and loud, by comparison to the

rest of the song. Same issue as with the guitar--I don't think it was

introduced or thoroughly ironed out to mesh better. I think the song

is going in a good direction, and the idea is solid, I just think it

needed more "bake" time...if that makes any lick of sense. xD

* At the 2:30 or so mark everything gets real loud. :( And not in a

good way. Some of the peaks are hitting ceilings a little bit and

clashing. The 3:00 'clash' of instruments felt more like it was

warranted and better mixed than the earlier clang together, and slid

better into the song's cooldown and end. So yeah, I just think 0:30

seconds or so bit before 3:00, when all the instruments are just

hitting high and hitting loud was a bit over-much. Otherwise,

fantastic ending--the song was a great thrill ride. :D

3) 'Ruined Drum Solo' - TheVideoGamer

Pros:

* Definitely back to your wheelhouse / comfort zone with all those

groovy drum things. :) Was actually surprised the song was basically

just 'Ruins' except, as you said, those added extras. However, I still

enjoyed the song nonetheless. :D

* The soundfont sounded real Sega Genesis-y / Super Nintendo-y, which

is nice cause it fits the general aesthetic of Undertale's look and

feel. I like it!

* The drum solos made me think back to the times I played Undertale

and was just gliding across walls and doing wacky things in trying to

find hidden secrets and items...or just my general weird habit of

wandering and grinding an area with a fine-tooth comb in most RPGs /

adventure games finding random stuff. Gave me a giggle. And also the

drum solos, etc reminded me of Chrono Trigger a lil' bit (especially

the future domes section of the game). ;) It's a nice song reflective

of the 'wanderlust' nature of these types of games, and getting up to

mischief while doing it.

Critique:

* In a way, just going with the "normal" sound of 'Ruins', (sticking

close to the collar of the original), works...but in another way I

wish you did more with the song. Because it's not strict to rules like

MnP, I think sometimes with PRC the feel is to go a lil' buck wild

with the source. Just feels like more could've been done to the main

melody. What to do with it with the drums and such? I'm unsure. But

maybe doing it up in the stylings you like, like that Beatfreaks OST

you did, would've been a real interesting take. 'Fritz's Pro Skating'.

xD Tony Hawk it up!

* Don't really have much more critique outside of that. I liked the

drumworks, but felt a bit more genre play could've been done to push

your song just that bit further out of the safe zone. :) But it's

really well done! Good job!

4) 'Ruin' - HarlemHeat360

* Interesting with the vocal cries. I like the idea of adding vocals

to the song. :)

* Real sad you didn't have time to finish it--was looking forward to

hearing the whole! The echoes, space and vocals gave it nice touches

that with further iteration could've became something pretty awesome.

If you get time to work on it more, I hope you do, and maybe share it

when it's done. I'd love to hear the finished arrangement. ^_^

--BONUS--

+ 'Froggit Finds Himself' - Wassup Thunder

Pros:

* I think the title's cute. xD Had to say it.

* I like how you started the song basically at the end of the melody,

rather than the start and working through. It really gave it the sense

that you mercied the froggit and it's on its way to journey, for

self-discovery and to find his own life thereafter. I can just picture

the little fella hopping through the different areas of the game,

finding friends, dealing with dramas, flirting with love, so on and so

forth.

* The song certainly has points of excitement, lots of excitement, and

is very upbeat and uplifting--more so than it is normally, and I

really like that.

Critique:

* At the 1:10 or so mark the instruments get a bit disjointed and de-

synced. Unsure if that was purposeful or not, but it caught my

attention. It's not a good or a bad thing--it's certainly different--

but just felt it needed mention.

* I like the shift to 'Distant Thunder' from SoM @ 1:55. It works with

the song. :) Froggit's growing up in the world!

* That being said though, (my last "pro" quip), I do wish there were

just a few more spots where we got quiet and softness, like you do for

the song towards the end. I feel maybe somewhere in the 'Distant

Thunder' part of your arrangement you might've been able to soften

things up a bit before the big high and smooth, soft end. :) But it's

a great mash-up nonetheless. Love it.

1. Ruin
   HarlemHeat360
2. A Ruined Jazz Quartet
   TheVodouQueen
3. It All Went Wrong
   Souperion

I forgot again lol.

I�ll keep it simple here, but more detailed thoughts will be on ThaSauce.

HarlemHeart360 was 1st because I liked the simplicity of the arrangement. It was

TheVodouQueen was 2nd because of the creativity. Also the double bass works super well here.

Souperion was 3rd because I dig the rock vibe. I don�t find the arrangement sloppy at all. Might be me.

Anachromium took a while to get going, but when it does it sounds great!

Wassup Thunder did a lovely bonus.

Well done all!

1. Reminiscence, Recitative & Passacaglia over a ruined theme
   anachromium
2. A Ruined Jazz Quartet
   TheVodouQueen
3. Ruin
   HarlemHeat360

Writing and voting real quick...

WT - Love it, even the cowbell. Well done.

TVG - Liked the more sinister stuff and the melodic improvisations. Otherwise, this is a bit of a tough one for me because even though I'm a drummer I've always hated drum solos. Your busier drum parts could use a lot more velocity variation.

Soup - This is a cool reinterpretation. I liked the synth and orchestral blend. I felt the drums and guitars didn't mix with the idea as well, though. I think you could have retained the same menacing feeling with just the orchestral and synth voices you already had if you just added some hits and pulses.

anachromium - (Up to 4:15) I really like the subdued french horns (?). This is great background music and would fit in a game like this really well. (After 4:15) Wow, it's really cool how it explodes from background music into a song that really demands your attention. The low register sounds a little "farty" but otherwise this is really nice.

TVQ - Cool idea. I found the crackles too loud at the beginning and then I wanted them totally gone so I could focus on the music itself. Snare rolls and hi hat patterns could use some more velocity variation. Don't just hit the humanize button. (Not sure if that's what you did, b/c I don't hear much variation.) You should actually program the drum velocities by hand by thinking about how hard each hit would be. The ride cymbal velocities are good. The band arrangement works pretty well. There's some distortion around the edges, I'm guessing unintentionally. Panning is good.

HarlemHeat - I like the choral additions. Strings work well for the lead. Drums sound a bit distorted. I like the energy you bring in at 1:10. If this were longer and a bit more fleshed out it would be a strong contender.