Old Gold

[Mart[1001]]

Here's an example of my warped genre. After posting a couple of the more dancy type tracks on the mp3 clinic, I now slow it right down with an orchestrated piano ballad.
The story behind this track is, after watching my football(soccer) team miss out on a playoff position(again) last season by just a single goal and whilst sitting at my keyboard in a depressed state the following evening, I keyed out a simple melody with one hand whilst supporting my sorry head with the other. I liked it and so added a left hand and then some strings.

Old Gold is a simple and repetitive tune, it was always meant to be and can be a good tune for anyone learning two handed piano to practise with. Btw, Old Gold is the color of my football teams jersey and just to finish the story, this year they won the league and have been promoted to the English Premier League.

Would love some comments on this mix as orchestration is a difficult thing to get right IMO. Does it sound authentic?
One thing I'm struggling to get right is the very last note, getting the realistic verb of when an orchestra all release their note and the hall reverberates for a couple of seconds. I don't really want to add more reverb to the track and I haven't had much success in trying to automate an ending reverb either...any suggestions here would really be appreciated.

Thanks for listening...

Mart.

 

[antichef]

Listening right now -- I didn't hear your other tracks.

The music sounds really nice when I walk around the house and look at stuff. When I'm in front of the monitors, I don't like the reverb, even on the piano -- it's not the amount of it, which is fine, it's the articulation -- a little grainy and artificial sounding. What are you using?

 

[zero00]

Hi, well i'll have to agree with antichef, there is something with the reverb that gives an annoying high frequency, i mean, i think that is made by the reverb.

Loved the melody, it could be use in a movie.

 

[guitar zero]

Very nice song, but I have to agree, the reverb is over the top. Cut it way back and it will sound better.

 

[Mart[1001]]

Thanks very much for listening guys.

Yea...the piano...well all of the intruments actually were recorded through midi into 'Reason' and at the time, I quite liked the reverb on the piano and so I exported it with the reverb on. Maybe this was the mistake but I didn't even have plugin reverbs back then as this was before I found 'Reaper' which I now use for mixing(I wrote and recorded this track over a year ago).

So maybe I will go back to tracking and export the piano totally dry. Have to say...I didn't really hear any problems with the verb but then that's how easy it is to get too familiar with your own stuff, that's why it's important to have fresh ears and that's where you guys have stepped in. Listening again now(with unbiased ears)...I agree, the reverb's crap.

Thanks again lads...I'll repost this in a few days time.

Mart.

 

[ido1957]

I'm a reverb junkie and so it all honesty I don't find the reverb to be too over the top. It sounds like a nice big room to me...

Sweet song - very relaxing and inspiring. The strings underneath really add some color to the mix.

 

[cybergord]

Sky Blues

Old Gold...where di I hear that before haha

Yah nice track Mart.....I vacuumed my room to it on my hifi

Then I felt sad for Wolves supporters

....kind of tune they will need after next season.

Personally....i'd like an uplifting 'Way up Sky blues kind of tune'

Speed it up and ramm it through some distortion when your drunk. haha

Just kidding. great composing mate

 

[Mart[1001]]

I'm a reverb junkie and so it all honesty I don't find the reverb to be too over the top. It sounds like a nice big room to me...

Sweet song - very relaxing and inspiring. The strings underneath really add some color to the mix.

Hey thanks very much Ido, I really appreciate the comment and am glad you mentioned color because at the time, that's exactly what I was trying to achieve with the strings and I remember even using that word myself. Thanks again.

Old Gold...where di I hear that before haha

Yep Gordon...and that's why I asked you about the reference to 'old gold' in your song 'Soul motion'...I was gonna point you to this link at the time but didn't in the end.
Anyway...cheers mate.

Mart.