CINEMATIC, HYBRID-STYLE TRAILER INSTRUMENTALS

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Soundbed
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Re: CINEMATIC, HYBRID-STYLE TRAILER INSTRUMENTALS

Post by Soundbed » Wed Oct 19, 2016 10:02 pm

Good track!

I'd echo these points:

- longer breaks... actually let it go almost to silence between the acts?
- harder hits... on top of your rhythmic drums layer some blockbuster hits

I know what it's like struggling with gain staging and clicks!! Good luck!!

(I'll post my WIP for this one too, in a new thread.)
Cheers,
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Re: CINEMATIC, HYBRID-STYLE TRAILER INSTRUMENTALS

Post by MattCurious » Wed Oct 19, 2016 11:18 pm

All good feedback, thanks, guys. For better or worse, this is where I got to with it:

I'd over-egged the reverb on the original recordings (I use Reason, which doesn't play very well with Kontakt, so you end up printing each Midi track individually as audio). I went back, dried the track out and added reverb separately at mix stage. I think this gives it a bit more space.

I made the panning scheme a bit more obvious. I hate it when things sound lop-sided (eg you have a piano on the right while you wait for something to come in on the left) but I managed to use the reverb to get comfortable with that.

I didn't end up taking the piano out in the second act because it felt like a texture was suddenly missing. But I did automate it down a little to let the strings through.

Put some more obvious breaths into the horns. Aside from Edmond's (correct) point about realism, I think it gives the horns a bit more punch.

Gave the horns a variation on the main theme in the final run when the choir comes in.

Allowed the drums to punch through more, using a sidechain compressor to duck the main mix.

I didn't add more bottom end, after all. I really wanted the drums to rumble in the lower frequencies and I'm not good enough yet to pull that off with a bass AND keep all the detail in the upper registers. Also, I was having major headroom problems despite some (for orchestral stuff) fairly aggressive filtering. I'm still not entirely happy with the overall level, next to the references. Any thoughts on this would be welcome for next time!

Will let you know how it goes.

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Re: CINEMATIC, HYBRID-STYLE TRAILER INSTRUMENTALS

Post by edmondredd » Thu Oct 20, 2016 12:46 am

I hope you did submit it!
Good luck with that one!
There will always be room for improvement, and you'll learn more with each track you do.
One of the things I usually do for orchestral, is to create 3 aux of reverbs, on short, one medium and one long, and feed them with the various sections at different levels. It gives a feel of cohesion, glued track. I'm not a sound engineer, and I'm still learning the craft, but I could hear, in your cue, your drums upfront, and dry. But that's my opinion!
Anyways, enough talking, and good luck with this submission
edmond redd
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Re: CINEMATIC, HYBRID-STYLE TRAILER INSTRUMENTALS

Post by Cruciform » Thu Oct 20, 2016 2:07 am

Hey Matt,

It's come up well. Edmond's advice was on point too.

Just a couple of little things. The transition between the intro and second section feels clunky. Maybe use a bass fall from 0:29-0:34, or something else to more smoothly connect there. The break at 1:04 is fine - that works.

From 1:35 I'm missing another layer. If you have time, think about adding some high fast tiki tiki metallic percussion.

The change up on the brass in the end section is good. That adds an extra something and breaks the repetition.

And lastly, just an idea - maybe a riser starting from around 1:47 to really push up the final intensity.

Great job overall. Worth the submission. Good luck!

Afterthought: it's really tough figuring out how to balance size, density and space. It takes time and experimentation until you figure out an orchestration style and mixing flow that provides it. You're progressing well.

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Re: CINEMATIC, HYBRID-STYLE TRAILER INSTRUMENTALS

Post by MattCurious » Thu Oct 20, 2016 2:15 am

Thanks, guys - that's very encouraging and very helpful.

Ironically, I had a bass fall in the first break and took it out - I'll give that another look. There's actually a riser where you mention, Rob - just obviously not very well mixed! :lol: I'll give that another look too.

And I did wonder a bit around the drums, both in terms of some pace in the upper frequencies and whether I'd dried them out too much / made them a bit too prominent.

I've whipped the track in to Taxi this morning, as I think the day job could take me right up to the submission deadline today, even with the time difference. But if I get time I'll see what else I can do.

Every little helps - thanks, everyone!
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Re: CINEMATIC, HYBRID-STYLE TRAILER INSTRUMENTALS

Post by Cruciform » Thu Oct 20, 2016 2:20 am

I was listening at low volume (where I typically mix), but I'll put headphones on soon and have another listen and see what I missed. :)

I think you've got a shot here as is, so take my comments as feedback for the future.

Edit: ok, I do hear a little riser right at the very end.

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Re: CINEMATIC, HYBRID-STYLE TRAILER INSTRUMENTALS

Post by edmondredd » Thu Oct 20, 2016 2:57 am

Cruciform wrote: think about adding some high fast tiki tiki metallic percussion
is that another way, more musical way, of calling the high hats?
I agree on this one too along with the other comments Rob added.
I also rushed to the submission yesterday night, or actually this morning at around 2
Couldn't make up my mind but anyways
I'd also say take these for future references, don't go back.
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Re: CINEMATIC, HYBRID-STYLE TRAILER INSTRUMENTALS

Post by Cruciform » Thu Oct 20, 2016 3:11 am

edmondredd wrote:
Cruciform wrote: think about adding some high fast tiki tiki metallic percussion
is that another way, more musical way, of calling the high hats?
It's my way of saying it. Not sure how that would be notated on a score. :lol:

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