Escaping Herod [Orchestral Cinematic] ... feedback welcome...

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I normally do a Christmas-themed offering this time of year.
Little late on this one, but here it is, based on Matthew chapter 2 in the Bible.
feedback welcome...
https://soundcloud.com/bansaw-843690132/escaping-herod

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VERY good =) Sounds like the soundtrack to a good movie! Mix is perfect. Little more to say =)

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Some people you just know it's gonna sound good before you even put it on.

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Enjoyed it - atmospheric stuff!!!

With that simple, eerie piano ostinato there are so many possibilities... I really wanted more harmonic variety from the orchestral parts...just a little bit too static for me in that area...I wanted it to 'go somewhere else'.

I agree - Mix is generally well balanced, but maybe a little bit muddy at the bottom end at times in the fuller sections - a lot of energy around 80 -250Hz at times which can stodge up a mix of orchestral sounds very quickly.
Mark Taylor, Chameleon Music - Professional composition and sound design for all media since 1994.

https://www.chameleonmusic.co.uk/

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@Angel - thanks for the comments, appreciate it!
@wags - thanks too, good to know I'm getting a decent reputation,... at least with you!
@Chameleon - agree with the harmonic variety, I did want to take it somewhere, but didn't want to make the piece very long. i.e. laziness. I also didn't EQ the instruments so it did get a bit messy in the heavy sections. I should have at least EQ'd the Timpani rolls. I appreciate specific comments like yours. :tu:

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I could just reciprocate for the generally positive reviews you have given my tracks but that would be less than sincere. While there is nothing inherently wrong with the track it does not raise the holiday spirit for me.

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Karma_tba wrote: Sun Dec 29, 2019 10:07 pm I could just reciprocate for the generally positive reviews you have given my tracks but that would be less than sincere. While there is nothing inherently wrong with the track it does not raise the holiday spirit for me.
Thanks, I appreciate sincerity and honesty over politeness. What Herod did was part of the Christmas story, but true, its not as uplifting as the other aspects of it.

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I think it’s a good production, sounds good, mixed well, the gestures convince as orchestra.
There is a moment just before it ends, a tasty little sonority unlike the rest I wanted to become something, but it fizzles out.

In terms of ideas, it’s kind of vaporous IME. It strikes me as a good impression of orchestral writing. But the craft is solid.

Woulda thought from the title it’d be... dark, and more action.

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thanks @Jancivil, the tasty sonority is courtesy of Spitfire LCO Textures, my newest toy. Very beautiful.
I was hoping to end satisfyingly on a major chord. If I'd have been less lazy, I might of extended it.

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Well no, it’s what you did with the orchestration

Be less lazy, it pays off sometimes

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Hey Bansaw

I like the piece overall.

Its very challenging to write orchestral music, even though the samples are more or less perfect (with the use of spitfire) it still seems like a puzzle to me layering the different instruments, and as I understand there are rules to follow, which are (as I'm told) simple, but hard to execute!

The main idea of the track is great, the build ups and the ending (my fav with the chord change at the end). A little criticism, the buildup from 1:00 onwards might warrant a violin/viola counter melody. After the build 1:30 onwards I would try a solo violin also playing a counter melody to the lush lower strings to see how that works out!

Maybe try to be slightly more aggressive on the panning of certain instruments (above 1000hz maybe?)

Overall, great job, and better than I have done in the past. I have spitfire Albion and haven't learnt it properly yet!

Lewis

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jancivil wrote: Tue Dec 31, 2019 11:07 pm Well no, it’s what you did with the orchestration

Be less lazy, it pays off sometimes
Now there's some sound advice! (me takes note too)

As mentioned before, this is very nice and could lead up to either some great intro music for a movie, or a game or with some courage even to a small symphony.
And with that I just wonder what would come of it if the lazy were left behind and some proper time went into further developement.

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Moonracer wrote: Wed Jan 01, 2020 9:58 am The main idea of the track is great, the build ups and the ending (my fav with the chord change at the end). A little criticism, the buildup from 1:00 onwards might warrant a violin/viola counter melody. After the build 1:30 onwards I would try a solo violin also playing a counter melody to the lush lower strings to see how that works out!
Maybe try to be slightly more aggressive on the panning of certain instruments (above 1000hz maybe?)
thanks Lewis, appreciate the mixing comments.
Solo instruments are sadly not really in my arsenal. I have a lot of ensembles. I'll have to look at getting some solo instruments in the future. I do actually have a violin but its an ethnic one.

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Bansaw wrote: Wed Jan 01, 2020 3:32 pm
Moonracer wrote: Wed Jan 01, 2020 9:58 am The main idea of the track is great, the build ups and the ending (my fav with the chord change at the end). A little criticism, the buildup from 1:00 onwards might warrant a violin/viola counter melody. After the build 1:30 onwards I would try a solo violin also playing a counter melody to the lush lower strings to see how that works out!
Maybe try to be slightly more aggressive on the panning of certain instruments (above 1000hz maybe?)
thanks Lewis, appreciate the mixing comments.
Solo instruments are sadly not really in my arsenal. I have a lot of ensembles. I'll have to look at getting some solo instruments in the future. I do actually have a violin but its an ethnic one.
Keep it up! Vienna strings have good solo instruments!

Regards,

Lewis

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Its very challenging to write orchestral music
- 100% agree! I've been doing it professionally for over 30 years + teaching orchestration up to degree level for 20 and I still totally f#ck it up from time to time and am still learning loads every single day I compose!
the samples are more or less perfect (with the use of spitfire)
NO! they are definitely not even close...having worked with real orchestras and chamber ensembles for decades, not a single sample library even gets close to the real thing. A lot sound absolutely wonderful, but not actually 'real'!

It still seems like a puzzle to me layering the different instruments, and as I understand there are rules to follow, which are (as I'm told) simple, but hard to execute!


The basic guidelines are pretty straightforward - see the link below, but they assume a vast knowledge of traditional music is already in place, which it all too often is not! Biggest, most important messages are: Only do something in terms of orchestration if you actually have a definite reason for it in your head + always consider contrast versus continuity in your use of the orchestra.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/121p254nr658t ... y.pdf?dl=0
my fav with the chord change at the end
Therein lies a potential issue when approaching this sort of orchestral work - thinking about it in terms of chords / harmony. The vast majority of successful composers (classical / film whatever) will be writing / thinking along melodic lines much more - they compose horizontally more than they compose vertically! Then the underlying harmonies simply embed themselves as the various melodies interact.
Mark Taylor, Chameleon Music - Professional composition and sound design for all media since 1994.

https://www.chameleonmusic.co.uk/

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