Dark Dystopian Christmas Piano

[Merryband1]

Hi TAXI Family!

I've been working with this listing for a while, going for similarity to the first reference track, not the other two.
DARK, DYSTOPIAN INSTRUMENTAL CUE COVERS of PUBLIC DOMAIN CHRISTMAS MUSIC are needed by a Music Library that’s always hustling and landing placements for TAXI members in TV Shows, Film projects, and Movie Trailers!
All submissions should be about 60 to 90 seconds long, give or take. Non-faded, buttoned/stinger endings will work best. Please do NOT copy the referenced examples in any way, shape, or form. Use them only as a general guide for tempo, texture, tone, and overall vibe. Broadcast Quality is needed.

This Library offers a NON-EXCLUSIVE, 50/50 Deal. This Music Licensing Company splits sync fees 50/50 with you. You must own or control your Master. Please submit as many Instrumental Cues as you’d like, online or per CD. Time permitting, someone from the Library may screen some or all of the submissions. Submissions must be received no later than 11:59 PM (PST) on Friday, December 3rd, 2021. TAXI # S211203PD

This Library is on the hunt for dark Instrumental Cues that could fit in the general stylistic ballpark of the following references:

"Jingle Bells" by Myuu You should listen to this before my tracks, if you haven't already heard it, to give you a feel for the sort of eerie emotion I was trying to emulate.

I have two versions of "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabelle," one that I squished down from the original 1:40 to 1:30. I'd like your opinions on both. I think squishing the track in SoundForge affected the timbre of the notes and made the piano sound just a bit wrong, but that might actually work with this spooky listing.

I'm putting the link to the squished version first, followed by the original.

Dark Bring a Torch 1:30

Dark Bring a Torch 1:40

I'm also a little concerned about broadcast quality. I think when I recorded this take, it may have overmodulated a little... I have time to redo it, and I welcome your input! I'm thinking that if I do redo it, I could play it a little faster than the original version, so it would be closer to 90 seconds. Then again, slower sounds eerier... I'm in a quandary!

Thanks,
Merry

[eandersonmusic]

Hey Marion!
Yeah the un-squished version definitely sounds better. But also I think there may have been some distortion as you started to play louder.
I have gotten a forward that was :24 seconds over the requested time frame, so it may be ok ?
Personally I would say try to record another take, you can always keep the one you have at 1:40 in case the re-record doesn't work out, so maybe just a few bpm faster so that it gets closer to the 90 second mark, and watch those levels as the dynamics build.
Very cool though great job!

[Merryband1]

Thanks, Erik! I appreciate your thoughts. Glenn Letsz and Kristen Knight Michaelson gave me similar input. I think I will rerecord it, faster this time. I was using a click track because it was hard for me to play it that slowly, anyway! I always seem to have a tendency to speed up as I play! Setting the click just a tiny bit faster should work. I also need to adjust the gain on the interface, make sure the piano itself is at the correct volume, and try not to overmodulate it. In an earlier take, you should have seen how it clipped! And the distortion would have been appropriate for an old rock guitar!

I'm also not going to record it dry from the Clavinova (I have an ancient, early model a friend gave me when she was combining households with another friend who had a piano and who knew our old acoustic piano was in sad shape). It has several settings, even in its primitive state: "room," "hall," "big empty hall," and "cosmic." I'm going to relisten to the Jingle Bells track again and then choose whichever setting sounds the most like that. I was recording it fairly dry and just adding reverb in the DAW, so I could have several versions to cut & paste together. At least it's easier digitally than back in the old tape days!

It's good to know that you once had a forward that was 24 seconds longer than the listing! I guess a lot depends on the screener, but I'd just as soon make it as easy as possible for them to say yes!

I'll post links once I get the new version recorded.
Thanks again!

Merry

[Merryband1]

On the advice of counsel ( ) (AKA my TAXI family!), I rerecorded Bring a Torch at a faster tempo. It now fits the 1'30" time frame. I also added some window dressing by way of Chorus, Compression, and RAUM. I think it sounds better now, and eerier. I look forward to your opinions!

Dark Bring a Torch

Merry

[RickBourassa]

Hi Merry,

I still hear clipping. :36 - :38, and a few other spots, but far less than the earlier versions.

I like the vibe of the track. I think you captured that well.

Rick

[Merryband1]

Thanks so much, Rick! I'm going to play around with the track and see if I can't eliminate that distortion and add a little more depth to the bottom end. I'm glad you like the arrangement! I went through several versions before realizing I didn't have to include the same set of notes every single time. I think Screener 416 is getting through to me about not sounding too repetitive!

Merry