Orchestral Electronic Hybrid

[andygabrys]

cool track - good luck and thanks for posting.

[Cruciform]

Hey Dave, sounds good through my headphones. Haven't had a chance to listen out loud. The percussion really seemed to kick through this time and I don't remember thinking that on the last listen. Did up the basses? They sound more in-your-face than I remember. Cool stuff and good luck.

[Cruciform]

Hey Salty,

I've listened to your piece a couple of times. You have some good ideas but it sounds more like score. A trailer cue generally has a major motif that is repeated and/or developed over the length of the track. Your piece jumps around as though it's following on-screen action but trailers are often cut to the music. Now I've struggled with the same thing myself and it's taken me ages to really 'get' the trailer formula because it is deceptively simple: basic chordal movements and fairly simple melodies but giving it all freshness.

If you want to pursue this style my suggestion would be the same as what one publisher suggested to me early on: take some great trailer cues and duplicate them. Sit down with your DAW and build the piece from scratch. Copy all the orchestral phrases, match the synth sounds (as much as possible), replicate the percussion and sound design. The exercise is to figure what's going on. You won't have a usable piece at the end of it, but you will learn a lot and that's just as valuable as practicing scales.

Ps. I fully expect to get returned on this listing. My mix ended up dreadful.

[Salty]

Thanks Rob-

Thats a great suggestion and analysis.
I listened a bunch to the first 2-steps in hell trailer they gave- which I thought was an incredibly well done piece.
Was less impressed with the other ones, so I tried to get closer to that one- but you are right on bout it.
Sorry to hear you didnt get the mix how you wanted it- very tough on tight deadlines.

[dschreiberjr]

Dave, (sorry I wrote dan earlier, I know a Dan Schrieber)

Glad you posted.- and Rob, excellent comments.

I got in also but think my effort is gonna fall a bit short for 2 reasons.

1. my Wobble thingy wasnt workin for me so had to go away from the DubStep stuff
2. Didnt quite get to finish everything in such a short amount of time, but my attitude is that hopefully if it dont work here, itll work elsewhere...anyway, Ill post when I get it up on the cloud of sound-itude.

But I appreciate hearing what you did.


Salt

Okee heres it is: http://soundcloud.com/saltysalt-1/fools-errand

AHHH. That's why I was so confused. Ha! I was wondering why you were telling "Dan" all of this stuff.

On to your track.

It really is a nice piece that has a solid form, great melodies and chord progressions. Like Rob said, it feels like more of a film or game score piece. It doesn't feel like "trailer music". Everything Rob said is spot on. It's amazing how stupidly simple the formula is once it clicks. The tough part with music in this genre is execution. I still struggle with it (as you can hear from my older versions and asking for the invaluable advice you folks provide).

The production, composition and everything have to be 100% complete by the time it hits the music supervisors/editors ears. Otherwise it's a no-go. IMO, the rule of thumb is that the track has to be 'theater ready' when you send it off. Meaning, if they like it, they can cut it into their trailer and send it out to theaters around the world for the masses to consume.

I'm rambling a bit. Rob hit all of the big points and I just want to reinforce what he said. Trailer tracks are very formulaic, and trying to duplicate music you, ultimately, want to write is the most effective way to become familiar with that genre.

[dschreiberjr]

cool track - good luck and thanks for posting.

Thanks! Did you, by chance, submit anything for it? Love to hear it if you're willing to share.

Dave

[dschreiberjr]

Hey Dave, sounds good through my headphones. Haven't had a chance to listen out loud. The percussion really seemed to kick through this time and I don't remember thinking that on the last listen. Did up the basses? They sound more in-your-face than I remember. Cool stuff and good luck.

Added lots more percussion in this. I don't totally remember what and how much. Finding the right rhythm was difficult (I'm still not 100% satisfied with it, but I think it does the job). The sprinkles of the low end percussion (per your suggestion) really helped put it over the top. I think I layered some strings on the guitar melody towards the end, and I believe some lower range double bass stuff is in there. I put some verb on the brass per your suggestion. Probably hitting a few compressors and limiters a little harder (read: smacking the crap out of it), as well.

There's also a bit more electronic/dubstep elements in the new version. As long as it has more bawlz, drive, and you guys can picture hearing it in a movie theater, I'm happy.

Dave

[andygabrys]

cool track - good luck and thanks for posting.

Thanks! Did you, by chance, submit anything for it? Love to hear it if you're willing to share.

Dave

Hey Dave,

Didn't do this one. Was working on other stuff. Next time!

[Cruciform]

Fair's fair. Since I got to critique you guys, here is my sub. The mix and production needs way more work, I simply ran out of time. Oh well, the silver lining is Threat assessed was snapped up to be included in my collection so it already has a home when it's finished.

http://soundcloud.com/cruciform/threat-assessed/s-dfWbg

I also sent in two existing tracks which fit the brief fairly well.

[Salty]

Thanks for putting it up

I think you hit most of their marks- its different than what I had conceptualized by a bunch- but that in no way means I got it anywhere close, because I think you are a lot nearer to what they want than what I did.
Anyway- its really interesting piece, think Id want the strings up in the mix because I like the way they help it build.