OverClocked ReMix

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OverClocked ReMix
Image:OCR4.jpg
URL http://www.ocremix.org/
Commercial? No
Type of site Computer and video game music tribute site
Registration Optional
Owner David "djpretzel" Lloyd
Created by David "djpretzel" Lloyd
Launched December 1999
Revenue Not-for-Profit
Current status Active

OverClocked ReMix, also known as OC ReMix or OCR, is a website dedicated to reviving computer and video game music from the past and re-interpreting it with new technology and software, as well as various traditional means. The site's mission statement explains how its members seek to prove that such music "is not disposable or merely just background, but is as intricate, innovative, and lasting as any other form."[1]

Contents

[edit] Origins

The webmaster of OverClocked ReMix is David Lloyd (aka. "djpretzel"), who began the site in late 1999 as a spin-off of his gaming and emulation related 3D webcomic, OverClocked. The site grew, and many other artists submitted musical arrangements ("ReMixes") to it. There are currently over a thousand ReMixes hosted on the site from a variety of genres such as classical, heavy metal, dance, and bluegrass.[2] They have been submitted by over 450 "ReMixers" including David Lloyd himself.[3] Although there have been over 1,500 ReMixes hosted on the site at different points in time, there have been 165 mixes removed for various reasons.[4]

[edit] Purpose

Opinions on the purpose of OCR are mixed, a controversy mainly centered around the definition of ReMix and the originality or level of composition involved. Much confusion has resulted over the amibiguity of the term remix, which in musical terms typically involves minor changes or musical alterations, although it can technically mean any alteration of a song (which means it often overlaps with more specific terms such as arrangements). Lloyd himself has said that this is unfortunate, since the site is dedicated to original rearrangements of classic themes, not merely changing minor details or plagiarising the work of others. For this reason, he coined the use of the word ReMix to refer to an arrangement, as opposed to a remix.[5]

[edit] Submission process and site standards

The submission process at OverClocked ReMix is a two-tiered system, consisting of a preliminary evaluation by David Lloyd himself or a designated member of the site's judges panel, followed by a more thorough review by the judges panel. In the preliminary review, an arrangement is examined for violations of submission guidelines (detailed below) and immediately rejected if a violation is apparent. Conversely, particularly outstanding ReMixes or those produced by well-known artists in the community may be approved before reaching the judges panel.[6]

In most cases, however, a submission will pass on to the panel of judges. These members are usually either accomplished artists or contributors to the community. After unanimously receiving either three negative or four positive votes, the submission is either rejected or accepted and posted on the main site. Voting can be extended up to a majority decision if necessary. If a submission is a clear standards violation after reaching the panel, a judge has the power to "NO Override" it. David Lloyd also has the power to veto the judges' decision, although instances are very rare. The judges' decisions are viewable on the site forums.[7]

[edit] ReMix removal and lockdowns

Due to human error and stricter criteria in the site's standards, there have been many ReMixes that have been removed from the site over the course of its history. During a "lockdown," all ReMixes between a certain minimum and maximum identification number are reevaluated for submission and standards violations. Such violations can include MIDI rips (taking a MIDI file found from VGMusic.com or elsewhere on the internet, sprucing it up, and passing it off as one's own original work), stolen/unoriginal music, covers, overly-liberal arrangements, or obvious sub-par execution.[4]

There will also be times where a ReMix will be removed at the artist's request. When a feud over administrative decisions caused virt, prozax, and mp, as well as several others, to leave OCR to found VGMix, they demanded that their ReMixes be removed. Others who left asked for their works to stay, although they would not submit future works anymore. Lloyd complied with this, and these mixes, along with other "OC ReMoved" songs, are considered a collector's item by some (although they are in reality not that hard to find). After this, however, some who removed their ReMixes from the site requested to return, and this was granted with the provision that they not remove their work from the site again.

[edit] Controversy and reform

The changing or amending of site standards and policies functions as a closed process. On occasion, the approval, removal, or rejection of a ReMix will be questioned by the community of OCR. One such case was the medley (and later individual arrangements) of songs from the SNES game F-Zero by bLiNd, where there was much heated debate as to why that particular submission was not given the approval by the judges. The community will often pressure djpretzel and the Judges Panel to reform their policies, and when suggestions are not immediately considered then extensive debate and even flaming can ensue. Judge selection, and the process behind it, can also occasionally lead to controversy.

[edit] Community

The OverClocked ReMix community consists largely of video gamers and musicians. Members are part of a typically youthful demographic, perceived by some to be a source of irritation and immaturity. Despite this, there are many accomplished artists and programmers among them.

[edit] OverClocked ReMix forums

The discussion forums are where the vast majority of community interaction occurs.

Community subforums include General Discussion (colloquially GenDisc or GD), where members can discuss video games, music, and other related topics, Politics, Philosophy & Religion (PPR), where members can discuss more serious topics not suited to the General Discussion forum, Technical Assistance & Newbies, and where members can ask questions about the site as well as receive technical assistance. GenDisc was renamed Community Discussion on January 14, 2007, dubbed CommDisc.

Site-related subforums include ReViews, where members can discuss ReMixes posted to the site, ReQuests, where members can request particular pieces to be arranged, Judges Decisions, where the Judges Panel posts their decisions on submitted arrangements, and Site Projects, where members organize community projects and collaborative efforts that benefit the site.

Music-related subforums include two Works (In-Progress & Completed) (WIP) forums: one for video game arrangements, and the other for original pieces and arrangements of non-video game music. Both Works forums are places where artists can post their work for feedback. Another music-related forum, ReMixing, is a place where members can discuss techniques for music composition and production.

The Judges and Moderators also have their own private forums that aid in the running of OCR.

With the exception of Judges Decisions and Site Projects, the forums are currently moderated by site members Bahamut, Liontamer, Xelebes and zircon.

On January 6, 2007, the "UnModerated" forum was deleted from the OCR forums. A new "Off Topic" section was put up on January 14, 2007, allowing a much wider array of discussion not fit for CommDisc or its subforums. It isn't a replacement for UnModerated, but allows discussion similar to UnMod, as long as it isn't completely nonsensical conversation.

[edit] #OCReMix IRC channel

The IRC channel, located on the EnterTheGame network, was created by ReMixer and former judge Children of the Monkey Machine on November 21, 2000. It is frequented by a comparatively small group that has a culture of its own while many #ocremix regulars do not frequently post on the forums. The channel itself was originally moderated by a small group of channel operators. Due to the real-time nature of IRC, the operators had to be extremely vigilant to thwart occasional disturbances that occurred. Eventually, one by one, the channel operators grew tired of constantly policing the channel and started moderating less often resulting in discussions becoming more open and controversial. During much of 2003, flooding proved an issue and many of the original operators moved on with their lives. Because of the lack of moderation, during late 2003, David Lloyd brought about a reform of the channel, citing its general unfriendliness to newcomers and negative reflection on the site as a whole.

[edit] Projects

Many projects have been undertaken by the OverClocked ReMix community. Some, such as an official OCR Winamp skin and download manager (called "OverClocked ReCollections"), have been unsuccessful or abandoned after long periods of inactivity. Among the successful projects, however, are an internet radio stream called Ormgas and large BitTorrent distributions of ReMix archives.

OverClocked ReMix also has an official podcast, VGDJ, which made its debut on May 22, 2005. Drawing mainly from existing music on OCR, the show complements the site in seeking to raise awareness and appreciation of video game music. Hosted by community representatives (and judges) zircon and pixietricks, it features several weekly sections: ReMix Reviews, The Rama Report, Compo Report, Meetup Report, and Russian ReMix Roulette. Although VGDJ serves to keep current members up-to-date on new remixes and community happenings, it also aims largely to introduce newcomers to OCR, and is thus very listener focused. With a toll-free phone number for voicemail forwarding, IRC chat, and thread on OCR, the hosts of VGDJ strongly encourage audience interactivity. On January 20, 2007, VGDJ released their "final" episode although there is argument regarding whether or not the podcast is officially dead.

A trend among ReMixers has been the creation of "collaboration projects," arrangement albums of entire game soundtracks by multiple artists working in a team. These are typically published in the site's "Spotlight" section on its front page. The current list of completed site projects are as follows:

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ OCRWiki - Mission Statement (http). ocremix.org (2006). Retrieved on October 31, 2006.
  2. ^ OverClocked ReMix - Listing: ReMixes (http). ocremix.org (2006). Retrieved on October 31, 2006.
  3. ^ OverClocked ReMix - Listing: ReMixers (http). ocremix.org (2006). Retrieved on October 31, 2006.
  4. ^ a b OCRWiki: ReMix Changelog (http). ocremix.org (2006). Retrieved on December 12, 2006.
  5. ^ OCRWiki - Frequently Asked Questions: Why is it called "OverClocked ReMix"? (http). ocremix.org (2006). Retrieved on October 31, 2006.
  6. ^ OCRWiki - Submission Standards and Instructions (http). ocremix.org (2006). Retrieved on October 31, 2006.
  7. ^ OCRWiki - Judges Panel (http). ocremix.org (2006). Retrieved on October 31, 2006.

[edit] External links

[edit] Press and interviews

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