The Symphony of Max

Baka_Sai · Trick Member Joined: 04 May 2004 Location: Honolulu, HI

I didn't know where else to put it...

This set of songs in made entirely in Edirol. Originally, I was only planning to make one large song. After some problems getting ideas, I decided to do a reinterpretation of the three original Max songs for ideas. This helped greatly. I did the songs in no particular order, and I'm gonna put them in a list according to release date in DDR:

Orchestra 300: http://home.earthlink.net/~godfiles/Orchestra%20300.mp3
Symphony Unlimited: http://home.earthlink.net/~godfiles/Symphony%20Unlimited.mp3
The Legend of Tremolo: http://home.earthlink.net/~godfiles/The%20Legend%20of%20Tremolo.mp3
The Symphony of Max: http://home.earthlink.net/~dyka/The%20Symphony%20of%20Max.mp3
BONUS - Sakura (Philharmonic Re-interp): http://home.earthlink.net/~godfiles/Sakura%20(Philharmonic%20Re-interp).mp3

300 was the hardest to due for obvious reasons. Unlimited is my favorite since it sound the most epic. Legend is a little plain, but I tried to keep it's life. Sakura sounds somewhat like the DDR version, and I added a few cello notes in there close to the beginning.

The Symphony of Max is a Max megamix, using the three Max songs, plus around a minute or so of original material. I think you'll like it. Have fun!

Slowpoke · Trick Member Joined: 28 Oct 2003

Cool stuff... I'd love to see the day where stuff like this is performed at Lincoln Center.
My only complaint is that some of the instrument sound samples sound too "fake".

dlm · Trick Member Joined: 16 Jan 2004 Location: Columbus, OH

Most of my producing background is in trance, but based on my somewhat more limited composing knowledge, here's what I can tell you.

First off, there are some really excellent bits here and there. Every song had at least a few seconds somewhere that had me saying, "Yes, that sounds good." But overall, these were outweighed by a lot of problems.

The number one most glaring problem throughout all of the tracks is a disregard for what is and isn't physically possible. Remember that on most instruments, playing 16th notes at 150 BPM for a minute and a half or more simply isn't possible. Additionally, when you're dealing with large sections, you really can't use soft attacks if you're going to have fast notes. The way several instruments play and attack just throws me out of the mix because of the sheer impossibility of the sound.
If you're going to reinterpret something like this, it's important to really cut down the songs to their essence and nail down what can be slower and what can be removed entirely. Then the fastest bits you can put on things like violins or even as two brass parts with players alternating notes (a hallmark of flight of the bumblebee).
Next, you really need to pay better attention to what instruments you put your parts on. It seems that frequently you just kind of put things on whatever parts and it ends up sounding like a real mess as far as composition sounds because of it. It's important to "theme" your instruments and stick with it. Especially on such short songs. If you haven't, look over scores and get a sense of what instruments are used for what, how they should sound, how they're played, etc. This isn't EDM where any sound goes.
Another problem is a lack of dynamic range. It seems that almost every single note is played at the same velocity (with tweaks in volume between parts). That's a very, very unnatural sounding effect. There's no human variation, and that hurts the reality of the composition in general. Other things to work with are breath controllers, modulation, chorus if you've got it, etc...
Finally, your samples are almost all really bad. I don't know what software/hardware you're using or what you have access to. So that may or may not be your fault. But some EQ on pretty much every instrument as well as the right reverb and compression could be of some assistance (though the mix sounds pretty squashed as is).

Anyway, for what I'd imagine is an early work definately not bad. It has it's problems, but the sequencing is good. I agree that the MaxX U one was probably the best. There were several bits of that one that I really liked. Keep with is, keep us posted. Hope some of that helps for your next run.

~D
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Reverie
Columbus, OH / Cedar Rapids, IA
Live Trance

Fr0sty · Trick Member Joined: 16 Sep 2003

MaxX prolly had the best lil sections.
LoM prolly had the best overall
Max 300... didn't like that much...

Still gotta listen to Sakura... and orchestra.

rampage · Administrator Joined: 24 Jan 2002 Location: Redmond, WA

Despite any of the flaws or fakeness in these, I can give you props for doing something original with these reinterpretations. Not like most fan-mixes which are either a) two songs (poorly) mashed up or b) a song with some audio effects tacked on to them.

It may not be worthy of a Diverse System album (yet), but it's not bad at all.

Same · Trick Member Joined: 19 Mar 2002 Location: Lucas, Ohio

Jerry Tasslemen · Trick Member Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: In Tumbolia

FUNNY...Max...LOLOLOL!!

Ohhh... my sides hurt, max 300 sounds like a bad 70's show...

But so good anyway!

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Best thread ever

tis kelly · Trick Member Joined: 30 Oct 2004 Location: dairy day

LoM was very soft on the ears. Nice work.

The Game II · Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2005 9:24 pm Post subject:

Man, that Symphony Unlimited was pure awesome! I give you mad props for that one. The rest were good.

--GCII
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www.getyourtournament.com
I'm back with Get Your Tournament!

dj D0GA~éç» · Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2005 10:41 pm Post subject:

Nice and original, I like that in my MAX remixes lol
All of these are seriously awesome... are these your first remixes/tracks? If not, I'd really love to hear more.

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09.21.01

Pantera · Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2005 10:49 pm Post subject:

Less woodwinds, more upper strings

Not bad though

Professional string players have no problem playing 16th notes at 150 BPM

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Reenee · Trick Member Joined: 21 Nov 2003

Please do PARANOiA Survivor MAX when you get the chance.

Baka_Sai · Trick Member Joined: 04 May 2004 Location: Honolulu, HI

dlm: I understand that there are some obviously unrealistic parts in all of them. I have close to 0 training/classes in music, other than what they made me do in elementary school. I used Edirol on FL 4.5.2. I don't know enough about classical music to know what types of delays, reverbs and attacks to put on the instruments to maximize the realism. About the 16th notes: Winter has the violinist playing 16th notes for much of the second half of moevment 1. But I still didn't have my violin/viola section playing 16ths for over a minute. I believe that except for a measure or less of notes for the trombone at a time, the clarinet in UnL is the only non-string instrument playing 16ths for extended periods. It can be done, even by expert trombonists.

Pantera: I'm not sure about how often the woodwinds are used, but I needed those to use some of the patterns I wanted. A clarinet and a flute were used, but I acn understand what you mean when you want less wind in some areas.

Reenee: I sure damn wish I could do a Paranoia, but I doubt that could be done very easily.

To all: I forgot to mention it, but in my own personal opinion, I feel that Sakura is the one that is close to impossible. Too fast for the amount of plucking to be done, but I wouldn't know. I could always ask my brother for string help; he plays the violin. Anyway, I'm not done with these. I started remixing/composing last May, so I'm still not incredible. In the near to far future, I'll try to rework at least one of these to sound better. I appreciate all the comments, and await more. Thanks for listening!

'Ivan · Trick Member Joined: 01 Aug 2004 Location: Thailand

Baka_Sai · Trick Member Joined: 04 May 2004 Location: Honolulu, HI

Yes, a nice warm string could just jut out some swift notes, but if you listen to Sakura, it's a weird Japanese plucking thing. I don't know the name of it. Sakura was never meant to be serious. Omoikane (from Bemanistyle) wanted me to try and do it one day, so I got to work when I got home.

Now for a random smiley:

Foxy Grandpa · Trick Member Joined: 03 Mar 2005

How about a Waka Laka symphony?

Back on topic, nice work man!

soad2k8 · Basic Member Joined: 27 Feb 2005

That was sweet!!! What program did you use?

EDIT: Never mind, I see it. Good work anyway, I might try this out.

El Band Geek · Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2005 4:16 pm Post subject:

Now, only if my marching band arrangement of LoM can get up and running.....

Brooks · Trick Member Joined: 22 Sep 2004 Location: Mantua, N.J.

Baka_Sai · Trick Member Joined: 04 May 2004 Location: Honolulu, HI

I understand that some of the material in these songs (namely Sakura) is very hard to play. I did these under the assumption that professionals were to be playing it, not a high school band. Professionals have no problem playing the stuff here. Some parts I'll change to make it more realistic, but I'm not working on these until another time.