voltcatfish information

voltcatfish's reviews:

Mega Man X4: Arranged/Remixed tunes
"Mega Man X4 - Jet Stingray Arranged Tunes - MIDIs" (by voltcatfish, 5 Nov 2004) [9/10]
Hi. It's voltcatfish again. This time around I will review the Mega Man X4 Jet Stingray Arranged Tunes MIDIs in the Mega Man X4 downloadable folder. I love this song, so let's see what we've got. Here we go:

Mega_Man_X4_-_Jet_Stingray - Beautiful! It sounds just like the one in the game! Nicely done - not a single complaint here!
voltcatfish's rating: A+

stingray - this one sounds just like the one in the game as well, except for some small differences, but it is a keeper nonetheless!
voltcatfish's rating: A+

STINGRAY(2) - This one has a bit of a heavy feel to it, but it's not done very well. It sounds nothing like the one in the game. The notes are wrong in many spots, it is thus the worst of the bunch. It doesn't even go all the way through the song! That may not be a bad thing, though because it's pretty bad, so I have to thank God that it is really short! Download the folder, but skip this track!
voltcatfish's rating: D

Well, that's it, short and sweet. My overall rating is below.

voltcatfish's overall rating: B+

Mega Man X2: Arranged/Remixed tunes
"Mega Man X2 - Crystal Snail Remixes" (by voltcatfish, 11 Oct 2004) [9/10]
Hi all. It's voltcatfish again, and I'm going to give a short review of remixes of the Crystal Snail song from the Mega Man X2 zip archive. This is such a cool song. Many do it justice when they try to remix it, and a few do not. Here's the review, file by file [both of them]:

CrystalSnail - This is a decent mix, though some parts of it sound a little off. All in all, I do like it, and it is well done overall.

voltcatfish's rating: A-

Crystal_Snail: Now this is an unusual mix. The creator took a bit of liberty with the cymbals. Sometimes it sounds great with the added crash cymbal sounds, but sometimes the crash cymbal sound is put in unnecessary places, so it causes it to sound lousy in those spots. Being a drummer myself, I notice these things. You really need to know when to add the cymbal sounds and when to omit them, or at least put them in the proper spots. Except for that, it is a good mix, and it gets a good rating from me.

voltcatfish's rating: A-

All in all, a decent pair. They are both pretty much equal ratings-wise [the second one is a little better than the first one, though I gave them both an A-], so the rating will reflect this. It can be found below.

voltcatfish's overall rating: 9/10

Mega Man X2: Arranged/Remixed tunes
"Mega Man X2 - Flame Stag Remixes" (by voltcatfish, 11 Oct 2004) [9/10]
Hi, it's voltcatfish again. This review will address the Flame Stag tune remixes from the Mega Man X2 zip archive. Here we go:

flame_stag_extreme - OH MY GOD, THIS THING IS AWFUL! It sounds good at first, but after the first 10 seconds or so, it sounds really screwy. If I hadn't still been typing as the song played, I would have shut it off immediately. Credit the guy for trying, but this one blows!

voltcatfish's rating: F

flamestag - Now this mix is MUCH, MUCH BETTER!! This remix is, in all reality very, very nice. It's not too flashy, the tempo is just right, and it sounds cool. It's not the best remix of this track I've ever heard, but it is a definite keeper!

voltcatfish's rating: A-

Flame_Stag - Decent Mix, but the sound of it is not the best, though, and here's why: The melody instrument after the intro part [it sounds like some kind of horn] sounds distorted, which majorly takes away from the mix and causes it to sound annoying. That really needs to be fixed, pronto. Outside of that, the mix is not too bad. The tempo is decent, the drums are fine, and except for that distorted horn/brass part, it would be great, but my rating has to be fair. It is found below:

voltcatfish's rating: B-

Flame_stag_2_(_Remix_) - This time around I found the best one last. This mix is FANTASTIC! The drums are right on cue, the melody is perfectly accurate, and there is not one negative thing to say about this one. The mix is also long, and there is a cool bridge in between the second and third looping of the track. The creator [I think it was Freddie Hathen - I downloaded the mix off of his site too, I am hearing the one from this site for the first time now.] took a little license with it toward the end of the track, but this guy knew what he was doing and the license he took fit in with the track PERFECTLY!! :) They sound identical. Anyway, whoever did it, you really did a top-notch job!! :) :) :)

voltcatfish's rating: A+++++++++++

All in all, except for that first piece of absolute garbage that I rated in the beginning, the Flame Stag remixes in this zip archive are decent to fabulous!!

voltcatfish's overall rating: A-

Mega Man X2: Arranged/Remixed tunes
"Mega Man X2 - Wheel Gator Remixes" (by voltcatfish, 11 Oct 2004) [8/10]
Hi all. It's voltcatfish again, and I'm going to give a short review of remixes of the Wheel Gator song from the Mega Man X2 zip archive. This is a tough song to do properly, and very few do it justice when they try to remix it. Here's the review, file by file [both of them]:

wheel_gator - YIKES! An unusual remix, not much like the original. The tempo is weird and choppy. It's not one of the better ones I have heard, but give credit to theperson who did it for at least trying. With a little more tweaking and remixing, this could be a great MIDI, but it receives a
so-so rating for now.

voltcatfish's rating: D

WheelGator: Now this is what I'm talkin' about!! This MIDI is nice and loud, it has the correct tempo, and makes you feel as if you're in the level yourself, dodging the spikes and making your way to the boss. The one and only complaint I have about it is that it's too short. One more pass through the tune loop would be nice - the song is already too short in the game as it is. Outside of that, this one RULES!! Because it's so good, I'll even overlook the shortness of the song.

voltcatfish's rating: A+++++++++

All in all, an OK pair. The righteously awesome WheelGator file helps bring up the rating considerably.

voltcatfish's overall rating: 9/10

Mega Man 4: Arranged/Remixed tunes
"Mega Man 4 - Toad Man midis" (by voltcatfish, 23 Aug 2004) [10/10]
Hi. It's voltcatfish again. Here is a quick review on the Toadman midis found in the Mega Man 4 folder, file by file:

mm4toad: Very cool. It's a little different, in that the main melody doesn't come in immediately, but the intro part goes ahead and cycles through one extra time, which gives it a unique distinction, but when it does come in, the rest of the MIDI (as well as the beginning) sounds great! All instruments are in the proper tempos for the most part, the drums are great, and it sounds pretty much like the one in the game, more or less. As far as this MIDI goes, there isn't a complaint in sight!
voltcatfish's rating: A+

Toadman-1: Very nice! The background melody is a little hyper at times, but there's nothing wrong with that! This one just sounds great! The drums, bass, and all other instruments are in perfect sync with each other, and the midi sounds as it should. 'Nuff said!
voltcatfish's rating: A+

ToadMan: This one’s another winner! The seashore effect is cool and is unique to this particular midi file as far as this folder goes, so it sounds like it’s raining throughout the whole midi, but it can be a bit annoying, but like the 2 above, all instruments sound correct, the tempo on all of them is right, and it sounds fantastic!
voltcatfish's rating: A+

That's all of them, and this is a first: There isn't a bad MIDI of the Toadman tune in the folder. I wish they were all this good. As you can tell from my other reviews, I am a tough, yet honest and fair, critic, and I don't give this rating to just anyone, but my overall rating is below.

As always, these are only the opinions and reviews of one guy, and yours may differ, but I hope my reviews are helpful. - voltcatfish

voltcatfish's overall rating: A+

Mega Man 4: Arranged/Remixed tunes
"Mega Man 4 - Dr. Cossack Levels 3 & 4 Midis" (by voltcatfish, 23 Aug 2004) [9/10]
Hi, it's voltcatfish again. Here's my review on the Mega Man 4 Rearranged/Remixed Tunes folder, Dr. Cossack Levels 3 & 4 Midis.

First off, you've just gotta love this song! This is probably one of the best, if not the best, song in the game! My reviews will be short and sweet, and will cover only the Cossack 3 and 4 Midis in the folder, file by file.

Cossack3: WOW! What a great start. This version ROCKS!! It's fast, accurate, and fun, fun, fun! You almost never want it to end. The track features tight sequencing, with a tempo that seems just a little tiny bit faster than the game - what a great job the MIDI creator did on this one. IMHO, this track alone is worth downloading the folder for!
voltcatfish's rating: A+

Cossack2-2: YIKES!! This one is good in tempo and accurate in the notes, and the drums are fantastic. This one has so much potential, except for the one thing that really kills it: The creator used a Shanai (it says it's a square wave, but it's not, and it can't be changed) for the melody, and it hurts the ears. I couldn't even listen to it all the way through the first time, but finally suffered through it. Whoever made this, PLEASE CHANGE THAT SHANAI TO SOMETHING ELSE!! The Shanai sound made the MIDI sound so bad - lousy choice! Anyway, if you could change that, the track would have an A rating, but I can't, in good conscience and fairness to all of you, give it an A (and that Shanai thing is the only thing wrong with it), not as it stands right now.
voltcatfish's rating: D

mm4cossack: OK, but the melody's tempo is off at times (especially in the very beginning), the echo effect is annoying, and there are a few off notes in the beginning, but the drums and bass are absolutely fantastic tempo-wise. All in all, it's alright, but it still needs a little work.
voltcatfish's rating: C

mm4cost2: Now this is more like it! It has the proper tempo for all of the instruments, the drums and bass are tight and accurate, and the piano change-up is very cool. The creator took a tiny bit of liberty in a few of the piano notes here and there, but they stay in key and fit really nicely. Compared to the last 2, this one is very refreshing, and rates right up there with the first one I mentioned. IMHO, this track alone is worth downloading the folder for, but the other A+-rated track above makes the deal twice as good, and these almost make up for the flaws in the other 2 aforementioned!
voltcatfish's rating: A+

Siberian_Skies: YEAH, BABY!! All instruments are in proper tempo with one another (none of that annoying off-beat stuff), and best of all, NO ANNOYING SHANAI! What I really like about this one is that it is intense where it needs to be, subdued when it matters, nice and longer (Its total length is 3:05 to be exact, so it goes through about 3 or 4 times all the way through, so it lets you get into it and enjoy it without an abrupt end after only about a minute, but it's not so long as to drive you nuts!)and the minor piano note liberty taken in the end part before the wraparound makes it unique and still a definite keeper!
voltcatfish's rating: A+

That's all of them. I give this set a high rating because of the 3 that I mentioned as the best. They more than make up for the other 2 (and the one with the C rating isn't the worst thing I've ever heard, it just needs some work, but that second one has got to be fixed, PRONTO!!) All in all, the midis available for this level in this folder are a mixed bag. The tracks that are good are really good, and the bad one is absolutely abysmal, and the other one is in the middle.

I hope that helps. All of these reviews are my own opinion of the tracks, and you may differ in your opinion, but I am just giving an honest review, so enjoy! - voltcatfish

voltcatfish's overall rating: A-

Mega Man 8: Arranged/Remixed tunes
"Mega Man 8 - Frostman MIDIs" (by voltcatfish, 23 Aug 2004) [9/10]
Hello again. It's voltcatfish, and this time I am giving my review on the midis available here of the most excellent Frostman tune. They will be short, sweet, and file by file. Here we go:

mm8-frostman: This one is pretty good, but has one major flaw: When the main melody plays, on what I believe is the trumpet, flute, and new age effects tracks, there is an annoying "chop" between each measure. It, if you listen to the way it sounds in the game, flows nice and smoothly, with no stops between measures (for lack of a better term - those who download and listen to the track will know exactly what I'm talking about and should be able to immediately pick up on it.) Outside of that, the track is very solid, and the tempo (except as aforementioned) is correct. Just fix that "chop" problem, and it's an A rating! As it stands now, my rating will be a little lower:
voltcatfish's rating: B


Frostman: This one is just plain AWESOME!! It sounds so much like the game track, it's a little creepy! It doesn't have the chop in the track like its brother version described above, so it flows very nicely. Whoever did this one, you have my praises and everlasting gratitude (For whatever that's worth), because on this MIDI you did a top-notch job!!
voltcatfish's rating: A+ (What else?)

Well, believe it or not, that's it - there are only 2 files of Frostman tunes in this folder, but they're both good (Frostman is better than mm8-frostman, but both are keepers), so my overall rating is below:
voltcatfish's overall rating: I give it a Low A (I'd like to give it a 9.5, but they don't offer that option here, but it is a 9.5 nonethless.)

I hope that helps. All of these reviews are my own opinion of the tracks, and you may differ in your opinion, but I am just giving an honest review, so enjoy! - voltcatfish

Mega Man 3: Arranged/Remixed tunes
"Mega Man 3 - Magnet Man midis" (by voltcatfish, 23 Aug 2004) [9/10]
Hi. It's voltcatfish again. I am now going to write a review of the Mega Man 3 Magnetman Midis in the Zip archive, file by file. I've always loved the Magnetman theme, and it's an honor to do this. Don't worry, the review on each file will be short, sweet, and to the point. So, here we go!

Mega_Man_3_-_Magnet_Man: Simply divine. Very cool, all the right notes in the right places, with the right tempo, and the drums are done correctly.
voltcatfish's rating: A+

MM3Magnet_Man: Decent. Not the absolute best version I've ever heard, but very solid and nicely done.
voltcatfish's rating: B+

mm3-Magnet-Man: Classic-sounding mix, almost identical to the one in the game. True to form, no fancy stuff added, just a simple piano melody and an additional piano harmony track with bass and drums. Whoever made this one took their time and did it right - no haphazard mixing here. The length of the song is justlong enough without being overwhelming, and it sounds just right! Sometimes less really is more.
voltcatfish's rating: A+

mm3magnt: It sounds OK, but it missing some notes in some places, a bit funky-sounding, as the countermelody sounds a bit screwy in some parts, so it's not the best one in the package, but the melody is solid and it has potential. It does, however, need some tweaking.
voltcatfish's rating: B

mm_3magnt: Now this one is better, sounds just like mm3-Magnet-Man, classic, piano-based, solid, and good! The countermelody piano is a bit louder than on the other one mentioned above, which makes it sound even better. All in all, no complaints here!
voltcatfish's rating: A+

MM3Magnet_Man: It's OK, but the choice of Distortion Guitar for the track wasn't the best choice. It took me a while to to find the problem, but the Distortion Gutar is it. I tried an Overdriven guitar instead of the Distortion Guitar in my Midi2WAV recorder program as a substitute, and it sounds much better. Except for that, the track is great. Solid tempo, nothing offbeat, proper drum sequence, just change the guitar and you're fine!
voltcatfish's rating: B+

Magnetman: Not too shabby. Nice hyperactive mix, but the choice of instruments (namely the contrabass and the synth bass 2) weren't the best choices - try overdriven guitar and synth bass 1 - now that sounds cool! Outside of that, all is great, with the proper tempo, right notes, and the vibraphone is a nice touch! With the changes, it's an A+, but my rating without my changes is below.
voltcatfish's rating: B

Magomega: What kind of title is that? I had to play it just to make sure it was a Magnetman MIDI. The good news is that the title is pretty much the only thing wrong with this one. It's a simple, yet extremely tight, trumpet and clarinet mix, which go very well together. Nice mix, and the fade instead of the abrupt end is a really nice change of pace!!
voltcatfish's A+

DG_MM3_Magnetman: I've truly saved the best one for last (Mainly because I forgot the name of it). This one blew me away. This is by far one of the best ones in the bunch (if not the best), aside from those already mentioned. It's a little different - the writer took some liberty with the track, and it's clearly their own interpretation of the song, but what a great version of the classic song!! Tight meoldy, great mix of instruments (Vibraphone, Acoustic Grand Piano, Brass Section, Orchestral Harp, String Ensemble 1, Synth Voice, Lead 2 (Sawtooth), Synth Bass 1, Standard Midi Drums (of course), and Pad 2 (warm) - this guy went all out!! I have one and only one complaint - it's too short! Another time all the way through would have been great, but just plain WOW otherwise!! You can guess what my rating for this one is:
voltcatfish's rating: A++

voltcatfish's overall rating of all the Magnetman tracks in this zip file: A (It would be an A+, except for those 2 B-rated tracks - the B+ rated ones are close enough to an A rating that they wouldn't take away from the overall rating).

I hope that helps. All of these reviews are my own opinion of the tracks, and you may differ in your opinion, but I am just giving an honest review, so enjoy! - voltcatfish

Mega Man 3: Arranged/Remixed tunes
"Review – Spark Man stage music" (by voltcatfish, 23 Aug 2004) [8/10]
Hi. It’s voltcatfish again. I am writing a review for the Sparkman stage music this time around.

Here’s the review, file by file:

1. Sparkman27kb: Fantastic! Correct tempo, right notes, no distortions, a lot of fun!
This is one of the best ones in here!! I can’t say enough good things about it.
voltcatfish’s rating: A+

2. Sparkman_Advanced: Another clear winner. It is slightly different, yet it is still awesome. The use of the xylophone as the countermelody instrument was a nice touch! I like it…I like it a lot. It is truly advanced and worth the download!
voltcatfish's rating: A+

3. Sparkman – Good midi, but the crystal shimmer in the background in the beginning of each go-round sounds distorted and it’s too loud, and the “Dooh” is missing, but other than that, it’s very cool. The drums are just like in the game, and the notes are correct and the tempo is, too. This one’s a keeper.
voltcatfish's rating: B+

4. Sparkman6969 – I like the tempo, but the lead instrument (I think it’s a shanai), has got to be changed! Except for the lead instrument’s melody, the midi is solid and sounds great!
voltcatfish's rating: B+

5. sparkman-1 – Yeah, baby!! This is another of the crème de la crème in this folder. This midi includes the “Dooh!” sound that so many forget to include. Solid midi! I love it!!
voltcatfish's rating: A+

6. sparkman(2) – This midi is OK, but not great. It’s low-key and subdued, just enough to get the job done. Decent but not dynamic like I’m used to.
voltcatfish's rating: B

7. sparkmm3 – it sounds good at first, but then all the instruments sound like one flat piece. There are no drums, no “Dooh”, and many other annoying discrepancies taint the potential of this midi. The job done on this midi needs more work.
voltcatfish's rating: D

8. xgmm3sm – This one’s decent. It is very dark and ominous-sounding, different but cool. The title doesn’t tell you that it’s Spark Man’s theme at all, though, but this midi’s cool nonetheless, except for the annoying cut-off ending – that I hate, but all in all, a keeper!
voltcatfish's rating: B+

9. mm3spar2 – I like this midi. It is obvious that the drums are the showcased instrument here, and it’s a bit subdued in the feel of the song, but it is cool, and the “Dooh!” is included, the tempo is correct, and the notes are accurate and clean. I call it a winner.
voltcatfish's rating: A

10. MM3SPARK – Decent midi, if oversimplified. It is a piano-based lead melody, and the drums are just enough to keep the song going, but some beats are missing in key spots (I play the drums, so I notice these things). All in all, this midi is OK, but it's not my favorite.
voltcatfish's rating: B

11.sprkmn(c-mix) – This midi’s got potential, but it has many inaccuracies that make it annoying to listen to. First, the melody in the beginning part has incorrect notes, and it sounds choppy and unorganized in some spots. The cut-off at the end is abrupt and annoying as well - you don't even get all of the last note! All in all, as midis go, it’s got potential, but it needs a lot of work.
voltcatfish's rating: C

I hope that helps. All of these reviews are my own opinion of the tracks, and you may differ in your opinion, but I am just giving an honest review, so enjoy! - voltcatfish

voltcatfish's overall rating: B

Mega Man X3: Arranged/Remixed tunes
"Mega Man X3 midis - Volt Catfish stage" (by voltcatfish, 23 Aug 2004) [5/10]
Hi. It's voltcatfish again. I just had to do a review on the songs for my namesake, I mean, come on! Here they are, reviews for the Volt Catfish midis from the rearranged/remixed tunes Mega Man X3 folder, file by file:

Volt_Catfish - Interesting and different. The creator used a piano instead of a guitar for the lead melody when making his midi instrument choice. It sounds cool, because it sounds very dark and gloomy. It's different and not all the notes are the same, and some of the countermelody (for lack of a better term) is altered in some places, but it stays in key, the changes fit very well, and this midi is VERY well done. I like this one a lot. Dark and ominous, yet a whole lotta fun, it is the best one so far. This one alone is worth the download!!
voltcatfish's rating: A+

Volt_Catfish(2) - It sounds OK at first, but as it plays, it becomes obvious that the creation of this midi was a rush job, as there are many off tempo moments (except for the drums, but even the crash cymbals are a little off at that) and many sour notes appear throughout the piece. It goes in and out of sounding correct. The tune is OK, but it needs work.
voltcatfish's rating: C

Volt_Catfish1 - Awful!! Sour notes and inconsistent tempos run throughout the piece. I was unbelievably glad when it was over and I hope I never hear it again! Total garbage.
voltcatfish's rating: F

I hope that helps. All of these reviews are my own opinion of the tracks, and you may differ in your opinion, but I am just giving an honest review, so enjoy! - voltcatfish

voltcatfish's overall rating: C

Mega Man X: Arranged/Remixed tunes
"MMX1 midis - Storm Eagle tunes" (by voltcatfish, 23 Aug 2004) [6/10]
Hi. My name is voltcatfish. This is my first time doing this review thing, so I'll do my best. This is my review of the Mega Man X Storm Eagle Midis (Storm Eagle is probably the best stage music in the game). Here goes, file by file:

mmx1eagle - Nicely done tune. A bit simplistic, and not quite like the original in the fine details, but very close and very fun to listen to.
voltcatfish's rating: B+

Airport - To me, this one's a bit too subdued, and it is missing the fine guitar solo wraparound bridge that brings the end of the tune back to the beginning again that makes the tune so fun and enthralling. This midi is also very short (34 seconds). Easily forgettable.
voltcatfish's rating: D-

IdiotStormEagle - The name says it all. It is the same melody we all know, but in an annoying slow-motion tempo. This tune would sound cool if they'd bring up the rpm to the proper level, but as it stands now, skip it.
voltcatfish's rating: F

mmxeagl - This is a very cool version of the Storm Eagle song! It is like Storm Eagle's music with a hyperactive tempo (a little faster than usual). It's only down side is that it is missing the electric guitar in important places where it is needed most, like the wraparound from end to beginning. But still worth keeping.
voltcatfish's rating: B

mmxeagle - It's OK, but there's almost no drums and it sounds a bit too flat - not dynamic and fun like the original.
voltcatfish's rating: C-

mmxEagle8 - Interesting version - It sounds kind of light and airy, like being up high in the skies as you are in the stage. Not quite what you'd expect, but I like it and think it's a real winner nonetheless.
voltcatfish's rating: A

MMXStorm - Yeah! This one rules!! Right tempo, fun and captivating, just like the original! KEEPER!!
voltcatfish's rating: A+

mmxstorm2 - Decent, but a little subdued (not dynamic) and way too short (only 31 seconds). It's OK, but not the best one here.
voltcatfish's rating: B-

Storm_Eagle - Not great. Many incorrect and sour notes throughout the song, so it doesn't sound right - actually, it sounds terrible to me. But it is different, so if you like a variation on the song, you might like this, but I like midis that have the same notes as the original.
voltcatfish's rating: D-

StormEagle6 - Ouch! This one hurts the ears! Delete! voltcatfish's rating: F

All in all, out of 10 songs, 4 are good, the rest are either mediocre or totally useless, but the 4 keepers are worth the download IMHO.

I hope that helps. All of these reviews are my own opinion of the tracks, and you may differ in your opinion, but I am just giving an honest review, so enjoy! - voltcatfish

voltcatfish's overall rating: C