ReMix:Mega Man X3 "Beetle Dopplerganger" 3:07

We missed jnWake in 2018, but now he's back with an updated version of his high-energy proggish rock take on two themes from MMX3 & MMX6:

"I wrote this remix as my first entry in the SFRG 2015 competition. It's a mix of my chosen tune ("Ground Scaravich") with Darke's pick for the round ("Doppler Stage 1"). When making the arrangement, I quickly realized picking Scaravich as a tune was a big mistake because it has barely any recognizable melodies... Instead, it has strange chords. Hence, this remix takes "Doppler Stage 1's" melodies (which are easily recognizable) and blends them with the weird chord progressions of "Scaravich." I also went for a slightly progressive rock style with piano and synths, which is kind of my usual style of composing, I guess.

This version I'm submitting now is actually pretty different from the original one I submitted to the competition. I rewrote a large bit of the rhythm guitar/bass lines, added some variation to the leads, and even removed a repetition from the arrangement to help the pacing. Also, I made my best attempt at polishing the mixing to have a decent-sounding song. The synth patch from the solo in the original version is also replaced by a patch from timaeus who somehow figured out the solo I played without any MIDIs in like 1 hour! Anyway, hope you like it!"

Different sources certainly present different challenges, and the absence of a strong melodic motif is, to me, one of the most difficult to overcome when arranging. Bringing in "Doppler" certainly helps, the improvements the artist made on the original compo version sound great, and basically you got a "prog-lite"/rock/fusion jam that delivers satisfyingly crunchy guitars, some nice synth noodling, a couple interesting changeups to keep you guessing, and a general sense of upbeat, crisp energy. Gario writes:

"The blending of sources in this is pretty superb; you definitely push both sources together while keeping them both sounding distinct enough to pull apart throughout the entire song. I consider that a job well done - Ground Dung beetle is a trickier source to work with. The production values are high, and the arrangement flows well. Listening to it through, it checks all of my boxes for what makes a good remix."

Concur, although judges did have some nitpicks - Sir_NutS touches on one, but digs the overall:

"Crunchy guitars that are very well mixed, they aren't necessarily melting any faces but they are filling up the necessary space very well. The lead synths blend with the rest of the track pretty cleanly, though I found the lead around the first minute mark to be a little on the quiet side and sometimes got behind the other elements. I was a fan of the synth strings used here, they evoke some of that classic string machine sound to me."

ARP/Solina, etc. definitely have a specific sound that, if you're not familiar with it & how/where it was used, might just sound like... synth strings. But there's a history & context, and specific aspects of the timbre and paired FX go really well with certain styles... like prog rock! Judges pointed out some minor production nits, but overall the artist delivers a strong piece blending challenging, less commonly-arranged sources, and also made some great revisions. Props to jnWake for revisiting this compo track, elevating & refining it, and giving us a featured mix to enjoy!