Need your opinions

[guest4254]

Had the following song forwarded for 1 listing, and returned for another...similar listings...dramatic, scary, tense etchttp://www.taximusic.com/song.php?song_id=1525 ... m=truewhat do you think about both the music, and the quality of the song?ThanksHK

[remmet]

Please take what I say with a grain of salt. Since it was forwarded at least once, and since Taxi has very high standards, it obviously worked for that listing. But just commenting on the music and the production, I have a few reservations. I'm new to these forums, so please forgive me if I'm being inappropriately blunt.There's a fine line between an original idea and a clichéd idea, and I think this occasionally blurs that line. The main motif and the chromatic ascending and descending lines sound a bit corny, like something you might hear in a Roger Corman movie from the 1950s with Vincent Price. The quality of the piano sample and the reverb could use some updating too.The music begins to explore some interesting textures (the waterphone and the chorus, for example), but it stops short of developing them. The result is a thinness in the overall sound and a sense of drifting. But I think you have the elements (tools and talent) to go further with this style of music.Just my 2 cents. I'd be interested to know what the Taxi critiques(s) said.Richard

[guest4254]

Hey Richard,No, you're not being too blunt. Your observations seem to be quite on the money, actually. This was my first foray into this type of music, and I was just going with whatever popped into my brain, and whatever instruments sounded interesting to me. I didn't spend a whole lot of time on it, and maybe I liked it because it sounded somewhat familiar, though I'm not really familiar with Roger Corman...As for the Taxi critiques, for the listing that got the forward, there was no critique, but looking back, they were asking for "horror" as one of their needs.The listing that it got returned on was asking for more of a "dramatic" piece. As for the critique:"Strong sense of drama and some good ideas here, especially later in the piece. The synth shadowing the piano via MIDI is a bit outplayed as a technique. Sound quality was borderline and on the thin side.""OVERALL COMMENTS:Harry -Hi there and thanks for sending in The Occurance. As mentioned, I thought there were some good ideas here and the end got downright scary, in a good way, musically. The use of voices was especially effective. there was plenty of in-built suspense and drama in the writing.That said, two elements held this piece back, for me. Crucially, the overall sound quality was thin and scratchy, lacking richness and depth. Secondly, the beginning of the piece used the have-the-strings-follow-the-piano MIDI trick a bit too transparently. You should know that's been used too often!"--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----Listening back to the song, I'm not really sure I get that the sound was on the "thin" side. I listened to it on a few different systems, and it sounded pretty full to me...Any suggestions on what you would do the "thicken" the sound?

[remmet]

First, what sample libraries were you using? I think the overall sound feels a little dull and could use some updating. Yes, this will cost money, but if you want to be competitive in this arena, sound quality is important. I think you combat thinness and add richness by a combination of good orchestration, good stylistic choices, and good sound sources, processing, and mixing. How you interpret and incorporate these things into your music is up to you, of course.If you're interested, here's a recent submission of mine for a Horror listing:http://www.richardemmet.com/Haunted.mp3Richard

[guest4254]

First, what sample libraries were you using? I think the overall sound feels a little dull and could use some updating. Yes, this will cost money, but if you want to be competitive in this arena, sound quality is important. This is most perplexing. I'm using a Boesendorfer 290 Piano, with some reverb added for what I thought would be a nice eerie effect. I use East West Symphonic Choirs for the voices, and finally EastWest Symphonic Orchestra Platinum for the rest. I can't imagine upgrading much past these programs...they are top shelf! Outside of some minor articulation changes, and some detuning, the orchestral instruments are the same ones I've used on some of my other works, and never a complaint...and just for good measure, my speakers are JBL LSR 4300. So, I really don't know why this sounds "thin".If you're interested, here's a recent submission of mine for a Horror listing:http://www.richardemmet.com/Haunted.mp3Again, here I'm a bit confused. I listened to your piece above, and then listened to mine, and while yours is a wonderful track, with the exception of the strings stab at the end, I'm not seeing, or should I say hearing how it's fuller, or lusher.The only thing I could think of was that maybe my song didn't upload correctly? so I re-uploaded it...maybe give it another listen if you have a chance. If there really is something wrong with the tonal quality of this piece, I need to find exactly where it is, and fix it.That said, this song was also forwarded for this listing D080821IN, sadly there was no critique, so I have nothing to compare why it got forwarded here, and returned on the other listing.Richard, I hope you can find the time to give another listen as I do respect your opinion, and hopefully, maybe a few others would be kind enough to give a listen and then chime in.Thanks,Harry

[remmet]

Harry,I listened to the piece again. Yes, your sound sources are top notch. I also use Platinum Orchestra. I think the main problems fall under two of the categories I mentioned earlier: good orchestration and good stylistic choices. First, the 4-note motif is simply a killer, and not in a good way. Same for the chromatic ascending and descending lines. You just wouldn't hear these in a contemporary film score unless the idea was to do a parody of a horror film. As an aside, given the type of line the piano is playing, I don't think the reverb adds an eerie quality that works; it just sounds kind of cheesy.The orchestration could be developed a lot more. Even if you kept the piano/low string motifs, you could bring in brass swells, rushing wind lines, timpani/cymbal rolls, etc. And there seems to be an absence of mid and high strings. So the combination of a repetitive and clichéd piano/low string line with very little else to counteract it leaves the sonic space feeling empty and undefined. When you bring in the choir, it would be very helpful to support it with strings and other instruments. Listen, for instance, to Mahler's 2nd and 8th symphonies, Faure's Requiem, or Stravinski's Symphony of Psalms for examples of creative orchestral/choir collaborations.Again, I appreciate you being okay with my bluntness. And again, it's just my opinion. At this point, I would like to hear some other opinions.Richard

[guest4254]

As a musician, one must become thick skinned, if he's to get anywhere. Music is, and always will be a learning process, especially with new and improved products constantly evolving. Although some might take your bluntness as a slap in the face, I take it as a learning tool, just as I learn from Taxi critiques...I also have high blood pressure from all the grains of salt I've taken ...but all of it has led me to have around 40 songs placed in several music libraries and a Publishing Co.Richard, you may be new to the forums, but you are a wealth of information and I hope you stick around.Btw, I'm most likely going to the next Road Rally. If you happen to be going, maybe we could meet up at some point.Thanks again,Harry

[boobielive]

dgnatsYOUR PROFESSIONALISM FOR RECOGNIZING THE MARKET IS FANTASTICI PLACE YOYU IN ALL SI-FI ORIGINALS TO JAMES BOND YOU ARE THE BEST OF WHAT I HEARYOU ARE DOING FINE , NOT TO BE PRESUMPTUOUSBE A WINNER FOR ALL OF USRICHARD

[boobielive]

GO AHEAD BEAT THE DRUM HE IS GOOD IS GOOD HE KEEPS WORKING AND THINKING AS HARD AS HE IS DOING ,WE WILL BE CONGRATULATING HIS TALENT AND WORK/ETHICS TO DO MOVIE DEAL, NO DOUGHTY IN MY MINDI,M WITH YOU AND YOU GREAT TALENTRICH

[remmet]

Aug 30, 2008, 10:50am, boobielive wrote:GO AHEAD BEAT THE DRUM HE IS GOOD IS GOOD HE KEEPS WORKING AND THINKING AS HARD AS HE IS DOING ,WE WILL BE CONGRATULATING HIS TALENT AND WORK/ETHICS TO DO MOVIE DEAL, NO DOUGHTY IN MY MINDI,M WITH YOU AND YOU GREAT TALENTRICH? Um, okay then.Harry, it would be great to attend a road rally and meet up, but I don't know if my day job would make that possible. I'll check into it though. Richard (the new one)