Afternoon of a faun

[DavidK]

My arrangement of music by Debussy.

Afternoon of a faun

This is probably the most elaborate track I have attempted. All comments appreciated.

 

[ido1957]

Your hard work has paid great dividends....

The sound effects of the thunder is a little, muddy or something... The birds are okay...

Takes me back to some time in my youth. I remember hearing this type of music long ago...not sure where or when exactly. There's something special going on - a signature tone from the strings and the woodwinds... This is similar to the material on your first CD, very rich, and which I continue to enjoy. The violins are excellent especially around 7:45...The synth patches on this are outstanding...some of your best... Amazing playing as always. Mix has no issues for me....

 

[true-eurt]

Nice David...this reminds me of soundtracking for a movie...one of epic proportions that is..you know..where one has journeyed far with much hardship and finally found their valley of redemption...the dood kisses the chick and the sun runs away with the horizon...and all that stuff.

I love the thunder and rain...but ido is right...it is a bit muddied.

Good cover arrangement David...

 

[dementedchord]

once again hats off... minor nit... the flute legato is too cut and dried... a keyboard technique issue no doubt...

 

[DavidK]

Thanks for checkin it out Gerry, True and DC.

The sound effects of the thunder is a little, muddy or something... The birds are okay...

I havent cemented them in yet. I have lots of thunder to choose from. I cant decide if it is a good idea or a stupid one.

minor nit... the flute legato is too cut and dried... a keyboard technique issue no doubt...

Its more of a sample issue. It's begging for a real flute. I struggled with the flute part, I tried to make it a "synth" part at first but it didnt sound right. It has to be a flute sound or else the whole piece doesnt work.

finally found their valley of redemption...the dood kisses the other dude and the sun runs away over Brokeback Mountain

That's more like it, it's awfully gay music. It's my softer side.

 

[Yonce N Mild]

Nice! Can't comment too much on the mix since I'm listening on PC speakers but it sounds good to me.

I just got back from taking a walk by the riverfront on my lunch break. It's a beautiful day out and this beautiful song helped keep that relaxed feeling going. Thanks for sharing!

 

[eyema_believer]

Wow..... that's awesome! Truly a work of art David!
Bravo!
I agree about the flute.... don't you have a buddy that can play the flute out of all your associations?? The only other thing I think I would have liked to hear at times was a larger stereo sound-field. Maybe a little of your best reverb, and some strategic panning, and it would be like sitting in a big hall listening to an orchestra!
Please give us the low-down on the production, won't you? How many tracks of your sweet violin, for instance??

Peace!!

~Shawn

 

[mshilarious]

OK you know your stuff rules, so I will be merciless as you seek perfection. I know this piece pretty well; in college I wrote a textual analysis of the poem compared with Debussy's setting.

The problem with the flute is the attack; it sounds like each note is being tongued. Figure out a way to kill the attack; add some portamento or something. If you really want to be cool, switch it to a panflute patch. That is really what it should be, but I don't think Debussy knew Zamfir I like the detuned flute harmony parts (0:12); I would add more and make them more dissonant.

Overall; I dunno, it's missing an edge:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afternoon_of_a_Faun_(poem)

Fairly heady stuff. There should be an ominous undertone; try some very deep, but somewhat hidden bass notes. The "brown note", as it were. The thunder (8:18) should surprise with the intensity of its low lows; I don't get that right now. Maybe pitch shift that down an octave and mix in with the original.

I would go for a bit more rubato on the flute parts, and some more expression on the lyrical orchestral string parts (3:52, 5:14 for example). Go for extreme highs on the windchimy parts, like with fundamentals at least an octave above a piano--maybe two! (8kHz/16kHz). You're obviously going for the electronic symphony, so take advantage of all your opportunities. This has less dynamic range than an orchestra has, which I think you need for this style, but at the same time you should milk your full frequency range.

Something's wrong at 3:15; the decay gets cut off unnaturally or something.

What is the deal with the saxophone patch (6:09)? Kenny G does Claude? I like the organ afterward though; a bit of Saint-Saens in your Debussy How about some tuba to make that part a bit more circus-like? And that might make it clear that the Kenny reference is a joke.

OK I've been mean enough. Aren't you missing a final thump on the cadence?

 

[mshilarious]

Wait, I almost forgot: STOP POSTING COVERS IN THIS FORUM!!!!

 

[antichef]

I didn't study that in college. My wife made me take modern dance instead.

***VERY NICE**** -- I was listening with headphones while the wife and kids were doing chores around the house (I can only get away with that for about 30 seconds), but then I thought - -why not blast it through monitors! Then everyone in the house was moving along with the music. It was kickass. Then I had to take out the garbage.

 

[DavidK]

Thanks for the listens Yonce, Shawn and MS. Edit: Antichef snuck in, thanks!

The only other thing I think I would have liked to hear at times was a larger stereo sound-field.

Good suggestion, I am doing that currently, making it a bit wider.

Please give us the low-down on the production, won't you? How many tracks of your sweet violin, for instance??

36 violin tracks:

15 firsts
11 seconds
9 violas/cello doubles
1 solo
Lots of synth tracks, at least 75.

The problem with the flute is the attack; it sounds like each note is being tongued. Figure out a way to kill the attack;

The flute is the best it can be, trust me. It's a sample and a rather inflexible one. I've tried every flute patch I have in every way known to man.

don't you have a buddy that can play the flute out of all your associations??

Union stuff. I know plenty O good ones but I cant get a freebie on this one. It's a big deal for a flute player to play this. It would cost some serious union money.

Something's wrong at 3:15; the decay gets cut off unnaturally or something.

It's an effect that isnt working. (BTW there are more parts coming). The effect is supposed to be like changing a radio channel in midsong. It t'aint working right now but might with the other tracks.

I would go for a bit more rubato on the flute parts, and some more expression on the lyrical orchestral string parts (3:52, 5:14 for example).

Expression really equals volume in this situation. As you noticed, it's not quite like an orchestra where I can have huge volume differences. I am editing the hell out of this with fading in and out tracks, tapering, etc. In the end, hopefully it will be louder at parts or at least seem louder.

Rubato is a very slippery slope. It's quite a challenge. With 75 tracks of synths constantly moving, "rubato" ends up to be a big mess.
My main challenge is the lead line, there is still stuff I can do. More automation of volume levels.

 

[mshilarious]

The flute is the best it can be, trust me. It's a sample and a rather inflexible one. I've tried every flute patch I have in every way known to man.

If that's the case then I would move to a less realistic one that is somehow more interesting. At least blend something different in as a double. Right now, you're trying to be a realistic flute and not quite managing. I really liked your detuned flutes, and of course I'm emotionally attached to panflute

 

[bigbubba]

There should be a pro mixing clinic and a n00b mixing clinic. And you should be confined to the n00b one. Oh wait. You'd be in the pro....

Sound like one of those Chevy Chase movies driving thru the desert coming up a nice view all of a sudden.

The pro quality of playing and mixing is beyond my commentability. So on the mood of the rest of it, it is very nice. Very nice playing on the violins....

75 tracks on the synth? Do you play the same thing over and over and over and over * 75? or just repeat it. 5:38 those violins/violas/cellos (whatever they are I am not sure) sound just super. Just superb.

It's missing one thing. A guitar with a big amplifier and a distortion pedal.... j/k.

 

[rayc]

I hope not to present as fauning or sycophantic but this is coming along beautifully.
It does need some reinforcement in the bottom end: the foreshadowing before the storm, the storm & some of the basses.
But, then again I was listening with h/phones so it may have repro'd better in the air.
More to come - please keep us updated.
When do you get to stalk the darker path again?

 

[DavidK]

Thanks for listening, Bubba and Ray.

75 tracks on the synth? Do you play the same thing over and over and over and over * 75? or just repeat it.

Wanna see the score?

This is the sheet music.

Look at pages 17 and 18. It's a good example of how many things are going on at one time.

I dont use one cello patch, I mix 5 together. Same with basses. The piece is deceptive as there is always a bunch of stuff happening "behind the scenes."

It does need some reinforcement in the bottom end:

Check. Been beefin up the bottom all nite.

When do you get to stalk the darker path again?

The Sorcerer's Apprentice is almost done. It's wild, it's very dark and rather strange. It's been about 6 months in the making.

 

[eyema_believer]

It's missing one thing. A guitar with a big amplifier and a distortion pedal.... j/k.

hmmmmm..... I think it's an excellent idea.... might even be a non-union guy around here someplace willing to volunteer

 

[Rokket]

I wanna tackle the main theme from Superman. I don't have midi capability, though...

I like what you have done here, and my only nits have already been covered by others since I was LATE getting here.

 

[Xeries]

I'm enjoying this, David. Wish I could do the flute track for you, but it's probably beyond my capability. I don't site read, so I would be just as quick doing it by ear.

I get a nice tone, but I have some leaks that are bothersome. If I get some free time, I might mess with it and if I think I can contribute, I'll email you a sample.

It is dependent on the flute, unfortunately. With all your hard work, you should replace the flute eventually. It's a simple matter, since it is tracked separately.

I like where it's going. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Riffmaster]

Sounds damned impressive to me. Just the sheer amount of stuff that's going on is mind boggling to me. Outstanding work.

 

[DavidK]

Thanks for checkin it out Xeries, Rokket and Riffmaster.

I've made a lot of progress on this. I'm not ready for a reposting but I found that I can get a lot of the emotional stuff better simply by "riding the faders". It now has a lot more contrast in volumes.

It is dependent on the flute, unfortunately. With all your hard work, you should replace the flute eventually.

It's always an option. If I end up with any sort of "budget" for this album I will get a flute player and an oboe for another piece. I'm also using this as an exercise for my synth programming skills, I want to see if I can get some better sounds in several of the orchestral instruments. There's a lot more to do.