Hi All

So I decided to through my hat into the ring on this one too. I've been working on this one all week and have been mixing for hours now. Looking for some new ears to give some feed back.

Top-Notch Music Placement/Licensing Company needs INSTRUMENTAL HYBRIDS OF ROCK AND ORCHESTRAL music for a Hollywood Feature Film Trailer. Quoting the listing company: "We need INSTRUMENTALS that must be EPIC and ANTHEMIC with a MASSIVE sound," a la: E.S Posthumus - Unstoppable - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvV-SE3dDZ0 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvV-SE3dDZ0> --- PARTICULARLY from 2:06-2:42! As always, do NOT copy or rip off the referenced artist or track in any way, shape or form! Instrumentals ONLY, please. Quoting the company again, "We need to crank up the action and tension, building to a huge climax. Do you feel your heart rate quickening as you listen to this? A slow beginning is okay as long as it builds into something enormous. Instruments MUST sound natural and authentic. Your TRACK should have the force and magnitude of an orchestral piece with that extra added Rock element that takes it to the next level and keeps it CONTEMPORARY." Submissions should be at LEAST 2 MINUTES in length. The ESTIMATED fee for this placement is $15,000-$30,000. YOU WILL KEEP 70% of that fee, and you will NOT give up ANY of your master, publishing and writer's share! You must own or control 100% of the Master and Composition rights to submit for this listing. Broadcast Quality is needed (excellent home recordings are fine.) NO SAMPLES of other songs or artists can be incorporated into your track. All submissions will be screened on a YES/NO BASIS by a person Hand-Picked by the listing company. ALL submissions must be received no later than 11am (PST) Monday, January 30th, 2012. TAXI # Y120130IN

Its called "One Step From Glory" on my Taxi page

Here are my questions:

1) How's the mix?
2) Is it epic?
3) Does it make your heart race?
4) Can you smell the buttered popcorn?

Any feed back is appreciated

Edit:I have uploaded a new mix

Thanks,
Robbie

Wow, nice work!!! You've got an amazing sound library - very authentic sounding!!! What virtaul orchestra are you using if you don't mind sharing that info?

To answer your questions:
1) Mix is very well done.
2) Oh yeah, it's epic!
3) Heart's racing!!!
4) Eating the popcorn now

Best of luck to you Robbie.

Suzanne

Hey Robbie. Sounding great!!!! Epic in fact!!

Sometimes the guitar gets a little too much level. I guess there are times when I find the guitar tone not tough enough. For example around 2:00.
I would lose the pizz strings around 00:48
Make the "boom boom bah boom parts bigger. Taiko drums? Tymps? Gnarly guitar?
Love the ending....outstanding..

So to answer your Q's
1) Mostly yes
2) Mostly yes....Ending absolutely kick butt epic.
3) Yep. Check that
4) *slobber slobber" mmm popcorn...

Best of luck to you Robbie

Derek

I think it sounds really good. Couple notes on the mix.

The rhythm guitar that comes in around 0:40 is a little low in the mix. I think it definitely needs to come up. It feels lost in the mix.
The last build up at 2:30. When it rises, it sounds like the high impact build is hitting a compressor or limiter really hard. Too much to my taste.

Other than that, it sounds pretty damn good.

@ Suzanne - I use quantum leap east/west symphonic orchestra gold. The drums sounds are coming from Stylus RMX for the rock drums and storm drum 2 and percussive adventures for some of the other big drums. The guitar and bass are real

@ Derek - I struggled with the guitar sound for several hours. I'm not entirely happy with it but I needed to just move on

Thanks for the input guys

The guitar coming in low was intentional. They come in very quiet in the center and gradually get louder and pan out to the sides as the piece reaches the first climax. I did this to try and add to the build. As for the limiter being hit, yeah, it is. You are hearing where my engineering chops are weak. I'm not really sure how to get something like this to be big, powerful and loud with out hitting the limiter. Any advice on this?

Thanks again,
Robbie

Wow Man that's a good one! Might I suggest the guitars a little wetter and a little less bite in the eq on them. The orchestral stuff is awsome!

Very cool, definitely high energy, epic, action packed! Seems like you need to tame the high end a bit, I think mostly guuitars and highhat, it's sounding pretty crispy and brittle and it sounds like maybe those are the elements hitting your limiter so hard and kinda distorting.

Great stuff!

eo

Hi Robbie,

Typing my feelings as I listen...

0:01 the bowed cymbal might benefit from more lush reverb. Piano is gorgeous
0:40 the pizz strings lighten the mood, keep the line but maybe pick a different instrument, even something electronic?
1:02 more verb on the bell would soften and lushen (is that a word?) it
1:20 I agree with eo here. The guitar sounds a bit harsh and brittle, check the eqing there
Great final section!

Well done, overall. Good luck.

Thanks for all of the input guys.

I remixed this a bit. I a little more reverb to the start of the piece and pulled back some of the orchestral chime hits in the begining as well. I also tweaked my guitar sounds and re-equed a bit trying to get a more pleasant yet harsh sound. I decided to leave those pizzacato strings however. Those were my way of musically trying to say that even during our hero's darkest hour, no matter how beaten and battered his exterior may be, he still has a good core

Anyway, thanks again to everyone who took the time to listen and give feedback. Good luck to all of you who submitted to this one as well. Our fate now rests in the hands of the screener gods at Taxi

-Robbie