Classical Music- my first pieces in a long time

[LeeRosario]

Long story short, a few months ago, a cousin of mine approached me to score a movie he is working on. I haven't really written music like this since I was 17. Here are two songs from the movie:

I tried my best to make the horns sound real...and yes I did write the entire thing from scratch using Reason.

Return of the Calvary (to a scene where this epic battle plays out between two characters)
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=6705848



Death of a Soilder (self explanitory)
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=6705854


I hope you enjoy!

 

[rayc]

Hello Lee,
Cavalry -
Reminds me in part of the Killing Fields soundtrack by Mike Oldfield.
What's that grainy sound at & around 4.42?
The drum punctuates really well.
I like this - I'd love to hear it with better samples or REAL instruments.
Death -
Really good - still has a Killing Fields feel but your own too.
I can't make up my mind exactly what emotion this brings up without the reference to the title.
A big change in what I expect from you - not in quality just in content/format/style. Thanks for rattling my cage.

 

[LeeRosario]

Hello Lee,
Cavalry -
Reminds me in part of the Killing Fields soundtrack by Mike Oldfield.
What's that grainy sound at & around 4.42?
The drum punctuates really well.
I like this - I'd love to hear it with better samples or REAL instruments.
Death -
Really good - still has a Killing Fields feel but your own too.
I can't make up my mind exactly what emotion this brings up without the reference to the title.
A big change in what I expect from you - not in quality just in content/format/style. Thanks for rattling my cage.

hey thanks for the comments Ray. I'm not exactly sure what the grainy sound is, but probably a result of marginal quality samples.


Oh how I would love to do this with real instruments. Of course, the problem being musicians who can play it exactly (or better) than this don't come cheap.

You have me curious, I'll be checking out the Killing Fields soundtrack. Let's call it "research"

 

[DavidK]

Pretty good, some nice timbres. A few comments:

1. If you are trying to make this sound "real", the flute player needs to breathe. You need to literally make gaps, where new phrases begin and old ones end. Also, the register is pretty low for a flute. In the second one, it is really too low.

2. There is little dimension. It all sounds like one instrument. With the proper panning, reverb etc, you can make it sound like the horns are in the back, the flute is up front, the lower winds are in between etc.

3. Try to taper off the ends of notes. Nobody can hold a note at one volume, it is impossible. A wind player will run out of breath, and the note will get softer.

4. This reminds me more of an organ than a wind section. Try to automate the mix a LOT. Constant swelling and fading. Automate each part seperately. Dont even listen to the other parts. Each part has one player, and they do their own thing.

 

[LeeRosario]

Pretty good, some nice timbres. A few comments:

1. If you are trying to make this sound "real", the flute player needs to breathe. You need to literally make gaps, where new phrases begin and old ones end. Also, the register is pretty low for a flute. In the second one, it is really too low.

2. There is little dimension. It all sounds like one instrument. With the proper panning, reverb etc, you can make it sound like the horns are in the back, the flute is up front, the lower winds are in between etc.

3. Try to taper off the ends of notes. Nobody can hold a note at one volume, it is impossible. A wind player will run out of breath, and the note will get softer.

4. This reminds me more of an organ than a wind section. Try to automate the mix a LOT. Constant swelling and fading. Automate each part seperately. Dont even listen to the other parts. Each part has one player, and they do their own thing.

Hey David,

I know you're in the biz for this kind of the thing, so I really take this to heart. I think it shows how informal my training has been.

I'd like to start listening more and more to symphony pieces for these kinds of things. I secretly find doing this kind of work more satisfying than any other genre I'm used to working in.

Hey, any advice on good pieces to listen to for future reference? I figure I'm still young, so I can start learning what an orchestra is really about.

 

[DavidK]

Hey David,

Hey, any advice on good pieces to listen to for future reference? I figure I'm still young, so I can start learning what an orchestra is really about.

I would suggest going in person to various symphony concerts and seeing it happen. You get a better picture of how it all works. Colleges too, you can see various woodwind quintets, string quartets etc, often for free.

Of course, the problem being musicians who can play it exactly (or better) than this don't come cheap.

You could hire one. In this case, a flute player. Its done quite often for soundtrack stuff: sneaking in one real player with the synths would dramatically change the sound, and be affordable.