DARK, DYSTOPIAN CHRISTMAS MUSIC

[DouglasKnight]

Hey friends --

Would love to hear your constructive feedback before submitting this piece for the listing below: https://www.taxi.com/members/Gjdf7sdFR5 ... -christmas

Thanks,
DK


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!

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h_6aRAxcwU

"Silent Night" by Peter Gundry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DXozZpLPlQ

"Carol of the Bells" by Lucas King

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URugFjhXHrs

Although one reference has lyrical vocals, please submit Instrumental only tracks. Some non-lyrical choral vocals are okay – think ahs, oohs, etc.

Please submit well-composed Instrumental Cue Covers of Public Domain Christmas Music that have a gritty, dystopian sound and vibe. Craft your Cues with eerie arrangements that create a sense of forward momentum and dynamics by layering instrumentation in and out as they progress. Orchestral or Orchestral Hybrid instrumentation with Christmas-y accents like glockenspiel, jingle bells, tubular bells, etc. would suit your submissions best. Please be sure your production and any virtual instruments or samples you use are high-quality and modern. Now is the time to bring out those super dark versions of holiday music that could send shivers down the listeners' spines!


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.

[teleblaster]

Nice job on this! Some cool re-harmonzations and just enough changes in the melody to make it dark, but still recognizable. The mix is balanced, all the parts have their space. You kept to one theme and built in and around it.

I'm thinking that groove puts this track in a different space than what I heard in the references; but it still stays dark and distopian.

Great track, Best of luck with this.

[rob3rto]

Man, this is really fun, I wish I had time to submit to this one. Your track sounds really good to me. The only thing that I thought, and it's personal preference, so take it or leave it: I felt like the intro could have the keys even further in the background, and affected even more (delay?), as if the listener is hearing from the hallways of a creepy Christmas castle, finding his way toward the music. The reference tracks are pretty atmospheric, so maybe that would help build some mystery.

Like I said, just my take.

-rk

[DouglasKnight]

Nice job on this! Some cool re-harmonzations and just enough changes in the melody to make it dark, but still recognizable. The mix is balanced, all the parts have their space. You kept to one theme and built in and around it.

I'm thinking that groove puts this track in a different space than what I heard in the references; but it still stays dark and distopian.

Great track, Best of luck with this.

Thanks a lot for your feedback - really appreciate it. I am going to re-mix the piece without the drum track so it matches the references better.

Many thanks,
Doug

[DouglasKnight]

Man, this is really fun, I wish I had time to submit to this one. Your track sounds really good to me. The only thing that I thought, and it's personal preference, so take it or leave it: I felt like the intro could have the keys even further in the background, and affected even more (delay?), as if the listener is hearing from the hallways of a creepy Christmas castle, finding his way toward the music. The reference tracks are pretty atmospheric, so maybe that would help build some mystery.

Like I said, just my take.

-rk

Great idea about the intro -- I'm going to give that a try! Thanks a million, DK

[DennisPMusic]

Great work Douglas.
Small comments:
1. Like other have suggested, make the intro keys darker, use a very large reverb and delay for placing it in the background. Blackhole from Eventide is perfect for this.
You could also try to experiment with some reverse sounds of the main melody and blend it in some places, for some extra creepyness .
2. I also think that the drums are to dominating or should at least have more buildup troughout the song. It's maybe a little to trailerish right now.
3. Maybee add an extra layer on the melody at the end or change it for more variation?

Good luck with this one.

Dennis P

[DouglasKnight]

Great work Douglas.
Small comments:
1. Like other have suggested, make the intro keys darker, use a very large reverb and delay for placing it in the background. Blackhole from Eventide is perfect for this.
You could also try to experiment with some reverse sounds of the main melody and blend it in some places, for some extra creepyness .
2. I also think that the drums are to dominating or should at least have more buildup troughout the song. It's maybe a little to trailerish right now.
3. Maybee add an extra layer on the melody at the end or change it for more variation?

Good luck with this one.

Dennis P

Thanks for the thoughtful insights Dennis -- I'll keep working on it!

Much appreciated,
Doug

[karlhourigan]

I like the instrumentation you've chosen for this. The really high melody part (glockenspiel?) is nicely placed in the mix. If I were to change anything, I found one note around the 1:14 mark that sounded just a little too major key for this arrangement: "three french hens" notes are f a c, but maybe try f,a flat, c?

[DouglasKnight]

I like the instrumentation you've chosen for this. The really high melody part (glockenspiel?) is nicely placed in the mix. If I were to change anything, I found one note around the 1:14 mark that sounded just a little too major key for this arrangement: "three french hens" notes are f a c, but maybe try f,a flat, c?

Thanks a lot fo your encouragement and for the heads-up on that passage, Karl -- I've updated it with the Ab agree that it's much better. Much appreciated!
Doug