TAXI.com

http://soundcloud.com/saltysalt-1/les-oeil-dela-mer

actually this one too if you are so inclined...
http://soundcloud.com/saltysalt-1/leftofspring

I definitely could use some suggestions about mix down here- panning etc.
and if you have a comment about the piece itself- I guess let it fly...

thanks in advance, Ill try not to be too defensive...

PS-
Im very slow and just learned how to use soundcloud today...

Hey, Salty! Nice piece. I can't offer much in suggestions as this style is way outside my wheelhouse. Panning and levels didn't seem out of place to me though. I will say it felt pretty mechanical and very MIDI. Not really sure how you go about addressing that. Good luck with your track.

Ron

Hi Salty,

I really like the composition. I agree with Ron that it sounds quite MIDI as it is. I think once you start adjusting some articulations, velocities, and layering it will really come to life. Hopefully some of the orchestral guys will chime in with some suggestions. I look forward to hearing it develop.

Robert

Thanks both very much for listening...

Id be happy to hear more on how to improve it.
Also, if you listened to both of em, great, just let me know if you are hearing the same thing on both things...

Tell us a little bit about what you're using

Im using East-West Gold in Garage Band on a Mac.
Ive tried a couple other things that I like less- like Orch essentials and LASS- although I do think Lass has some great stuff- just not easy to get what I want out of it.

Recorded everything by playing it in, took a few passes for most stuff- but am not a pianist, and do not play one on TV very well.

Im still new at working the soft-ware (maybe this is obvious?) I do have Logic, but I find working in garage band a lot more comfortable for me right now.

Just had time to listen to the first one. It's a cool piece and kudos on writing it in 5/4, nice lilt. E/W Gold is good source material and I think you'll be able to whip this into pretty good shape with it.

The performance is very midi sounding, but this is a good piece to learn the E/W strings with as it's got a lot of cool repetitive motives that you can whip into shape and then just carry those changes out by almost copying and pasting.

From a kind of macro level I'd like to hear more of a breath between each measure, at the end of your five beat phrase. A slightly more pronounced lift would help the feel.

Your short short string articulations aren't really short enough for your phrasing. I'd recommend that you load the full articulation patch for each of these strings and experiment with the keyswitching feature to change articulations as the track plays. For the shorter bow strokes look into the "quick-up and downs", "staccato" and "Spic" and play around with those to see which one's give you the feel your are looking for. Hearing your piece I think the quick up and downs would work well in the higher strings. The staccatos in the lower.

The long sustained parts need massaging with CC11 controller to shape the sustains.

Don't have a lot of time to type now, but if this makes sense go for it. If not, I'll try to give more details later.

Nice piece though. I think a really good one to get to know your software better with for sure.

Hey Salty,

I'm in complete agreement with the other comments. Compositions are very nice. It's the production that needs work. Panning - I primarily use EWQL SO Gold as well and I never touch the panning as I assume the library producers know more about orchestral placement than I do. I only mess with the EQ on a very dense mix where I need to create space or accentuate lines. In something this straight-forward I probably wouldn't EQ anything unless I was writing to an 'a la' and they had a certain sound I was trying to emulate.

Now as for midi, well, it does sound very midi-ish. That comes from a few variables: velocity, expression and articulations. Now, I'm not an orchestral guy as such so I won't comment on what articulations to go for in a piece like this. Don't confuse the fact that I use orchestral instruments with the idea that I know what I'm doing with them. I like the sound you have though.

Velocity and expression are really your best friends. Get to know them well. It means lots and lots and lots of practice and A/Bing against reference material. There's no shortcut, sorry. With SO Gold you control the expression using CC11. I have it assigned to a fader. So I record a piece then go through and manually adjust any crossover on notes as needed, then adjust the velocities (as needed) to about where I think they sound right. Once the piece sounds 'right', I then record over the midi clip riding the CC11 fader to add expression which gives the breathing of the piece - the swells and ebbs.

What I often do is sit back with my eyes closed and breath and wave my arms in the flow that I want the music to have (no doubt hilarious to watch). It's then a matter of recording that flow as well as possible by playing with the expression.

Hope that helps a little and hopefully the real orchestral guys will chime in and get you on the good path!

Ps. I see Bryan has posted in the meantime. Listen to him.

Bryan and Rob-

Thanks a TON!
and please elaborate as much as possible...I have to figure out how to assign the midi controller I think to the wheel maybe?

and yes its in 5...glad someone heard that

As for the patches, Ive mostly used the Legato string sounds- am not fluent at all with the key switches- Im basically attempting to get the general sound I want that way- but your suggestions are excellent- and if I can figure out how to work it, might give it a whirl.

Its been a big sound-wise step up for me to use East West, but would be even better if I can get it to what you guys are talking about.

BTW- total aside, but my poor avatar wont load
How come no one makes people come to my house and implement my ideas, so I dont have to learn to do all the software work? ahhh, dare to dream...