TWO for Orchestral Composers

[briandavidwatson]

Hey all, I'm still pretty new with this kind of listing, this is maybe the 4th time I've done a cue like this so any advice is appreciated thanks!

https://soundcloud.com/mr-watson/mistakes-were-made

AND just finished this one...

https://soundcloud.com/mr-watson/head-rush

ORCHESTRAL COMPOSERS in the stylistic range of legends like Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard, John Powell, etc., are needed by a Giant Music Production Company with access to the some of the world’s biggest Film, TV, and commercial placements. ALL MOODS are welcome, from romantic and emotional, to action-packed and adventurous, and everything in between! It’s important that your cue has an energy, tone, and vibe that will play well cinematically. Your track needs to be at least 60 seconds long. Be sure that your compositions showcase a similar approach to score as the referenced Composers, with realistic orchestral samples, and great programming skills. Broadcast quality is needed (excellent home recordings are fine). This world-class company offers an Exclusive deal, so please be sure that any compositions that you submit are not already signed to another catalog. You must own or control 100% of your Master and Composition rights. All submissions will be screened on a Yes/No basis. No full critiques. Please submit one to three instrumentals online or per CD no later than Tuesday, October 29th, 2013 by 5pm (PDT). TAXI #D131029OC

[Cruciform]

Action Strings?

I'd say that's likely a forward though sometimes it sounds uncomfortably close to "Time".

Only suggestions are maybe a touch more reverb (the brass in particular could be a little more warm and lush) and let the ending decay a little more. Sounds a bit too abrupt.

Good to go, I'd say.

[briandavidwatson]

Rob, yes Action Strings it is! You're right I might've taken too much influence from the Inception score. But whatever!

Yeah I can add some more verb and maybe have that last note be longer, thanks!

-Bw

[Cruciform]

Hey Brian,

I'm going off-topic here but a discussion late last year completely changed my thinking and how I approach sound-alike stuff. There's a really great thread that everyone should read and it includes HZ's opinion on the topic. Some way down on page 2 Hans weighs in under the username RCTec. If you get the time read the whole thread. Much of it is noise but tucked in there is some real thought provoking content - http://www.vi-control.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22473 He responds a number of times through the rest of the thread.

It may not be as timely now he has openly stated he's moved on from the Inception/Dark Knight era but in general it's worth at least thinking about because the simple reality is that the names change but the same issue is played out daily in the media music world.

Anyhoo, it's all personal journeys.

Good luck!

[briandavidwatson]

Rob,

Interesting yes, I agree with HZ completely. Like I said, this is only my 4th attempt at big orchestral type piece, and I really just wanted to see if I could take a simple 4 chord progression and build on it and keep it interesting. And I will totally admit that I aped HZ, at the same time, I really just wanted to deconstruct that kind of a piece since writing this style of music is new to me.

When I typically write a "sound-alike" I'll listen to the ref material once or twice and then sit down and try to emulate the feel of the piece, and usually, it comes out sounding completely different from the ref. I typically go off on a different but related tangent.

That being said, the next pieces I write for this listing will sound completely different

-Bw

[Cruciform]

Oh, don't worry, I'm not criticising you or saying you shouldn't do whatever. Just be aware, that's all. The composing community is a smaller place than it might seem.

[briandavidwatson]

[funsongs]

Got no business commenting here, really; but listening in, and reading your dialog, is simply very interesting.
When I sat down to watch "Predator" when it first came out...and that opening sequence...was probably the first time I really sat up and took notice of how good and engaging a movie score was; my ears perked up. Alan Silvestri was the name that came up.
I cannot even now name another one of them, but I recall hearing other tracks from other films and thinking:
that's gotta be a Silvestri piece.

It wasn't that they all sounded alike; but there's an undeniable dynamic, intensity, grab-you-and-drag-you-in sensation that the music contained. His stuff, to my untrained ears, just seemed to come from "another place"; a cut above.

I got that similar impression listening to some of the tracks Rob O has posted...and feel like I'm getting a backstage look at another master...who is getting music to grab you. So hearing, reading...you guys who launch yourselves into that creative realm, here, in this forum format...is just fun, amazing, cool, awesome...what other superlatives?

How about just, "thanks guys"...for sharing your gifts.
Cheers!
fun
(excuse me while I go back to my comb and wax paper... )

[Cruciform]

Thank you, funsongs. That's very humbling, actually, because I feel like a student.

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Brian,

I listened again, this time A/Bing against "Time". Some mix issues stood out to me when doing that.

At 0:46-56, there is an instrument (could be guitar or a mallet ) that has undesirable resonance. Use an eq sweep to find that and notch it out. At the moment it overwhelms the mix in that section.

I think the brass through the second half could do with a little (just a touch) more compression to smooth it.

Overall, I think it could use more low end, whether that's putting a little more in the cellos or adding more contrabass.

The stacc strings are very bright against the brass. I'd tweak, maybe around the 1-2khz region, to make it sit a little more comfortably with the other
instruments. HZ limits the velocity of his players/VIs. In his words, "If you want things to sound big, make sure you limit your upper dynamic range. All instruments - especially percussion - sound bigger when played relatively softly. You can always turn it up. When you hit drums too hard, or any instrument is played too loud, they tend to sound only bright and thin and pingy. " IIRC, Action Strings only has one dynamic layer so working with EQ/ LPF is the only way to tone down its intensity.

I've run out of time to think of anything else but hopefully that will help.

Cheers mate.

[briandavidwatson]

Rob that is tremendously helpful! Especially the part about limiting your velocity to make things louder! I never thought about that. Thank you!

-Bw