Drake theme? (Volo Licens)

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IoN
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Drake theme? (Volo Licens)

Post by IoN »

Since I've mostly finished Silver Wind (at least the orchestration, and that's the hardest part for me), I decided to try my hand at a drake theme, which I've always noticed was missing from the Wesnoth soundtrack.

http://h1.ripway.com/alawemusic/volo.mp3

Thoughts?

EDIT: This is, of course, completely unfinished.

EDIT again: Unfinished as in unfinished in length, though of course I'll almost certainly change the beginning too.
Last edited by IoN on December 14th, 2008, 11:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Rain
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Re: Drake theme? (Volo Licens)

Post by Rain »

IoN wrote:Since I've mostly finished Silver Wind (at least the orchestration, and that's the hardest part for me), I decided to try my hand at a drake theme, which I've always noticed was missing from the Wesnoth soundtrack.

http://h1.ripway.com/alawemusic/volo.mp3

Thoughts?

EDIT: This is, of course, completely unfinished.
Hey man, I really like the eq work you've done on this mix. I was really into the song until I started hearing some of the midi sounding instruments 3/4 through. Also, the beginning, for a drake theme, needs to have a little more explosive bass, IMO. Maybe some lower strings can join the higher strings to create a more powerful orchestral effect.

Also, It could stand to be a bit creepier. The intensity is there but a bit of dissonance could really send it careening over the edge into really impactual territory.

That being, said. TOO SHORT. No development at all. Then again, a good start can always lead to good development so you have that going on. You have a good start. Try to really contemplate developing the piece.
IoN
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Re: Drake theme? (Volo Licens)

Post by IoN »

Hey man, I really like the eq work you've done on this mix. I was really into the song until I started hearing some of the midi sounding instruments 3/4 through. Also, the beginning, for a drake theme, needs to have a little more explosive bass, IMO. Maybe some lower strings can join the higher strings to create a more powerful orchestral effect.
Thanks! About the midish instrument (instruments?) I believe you were hearing the terrible solo violin sample I have. I'll replace that with West's from SSO (which, oddly enough, doesn't seem to suffer from the same instrument range problems I have with the other ones). As for the explosive bass, are you talking about the entrance of the low strings in the very beginning (after a few measures of flutes and piccolos)?
Also, It could stand to be a bit creepier. The intensity is there but a bit of dissonance could really send it careening over the edge into really impactual territory.
I'll put some dissonance in - thanks for the tip.
That being, said. TOO SHORT. No development at all. Then again, a good start can always lead to good development so you have that going on. You have a good start. Try to really contemplate developing the piece.
Yeah, of course I'll have to develop it. I edited the original post again too make clear that this isn't finished in terms of length.

Thanks for the feedback!
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Turuk
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Re: Drake theme? (Volo Licens)

Post by Turuk »

I held off saying this because I have a lack of any musical knowledge, thus rendering my comments not as important, but the violin that comes in a little over halfway through (which I know was already touched on) is very harsh on the ears. Just a player listening in, but I really did enjoy the piece, despite it's relative shortness.
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IoN
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Re: Drake theme? (Volo Licens)

Post by IoN »

EDIT: Disregard for the moment, working on some things.
IoN
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Re: Drake theme? (Volo Licens)

Post by IoN »

http://h1.ripway.com/alawemusic/volo.mp3

MIDIesque solo violin replaced by one from West's SSO, some other things tweaked.
IoN
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Re: Drake theme? (Volo Licens)

Post by IoN »

http://h1.ripway.com/alawemusic/volo.mp3

Updated again?

EDIT: Some static while the brass is playing; I dunno what caused that. Just ignore it for the moment.
Rain
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Re: Drake theme? (Volo Licens)

Post by Rain »

Nonnonono.

I couldn't listen to that. It's really impossible to ignore. You are redlining like crazy in THAT section. I think my speakers were crying and/or screaming. THAT section is WAY TOO LOUD.

Now here comes the hard part about composing with bad samples- you can't make them louder to be more effective. You can't just turn the volume up and expect it to work out. If you are going to use weaker sounding samples, you have to honor that. Sending the volume up too loud could seriously damage people's ears, speakers, headphones, etc.

For intensity and clarity, don't think LOUDER. Think EQ.

Don't think loud when you are mixing, think either warm or cold. You can make certain instruments, series of instruments/passages stand out more by adding eq in all the right places and cutting in all the right places, which brings me to my next problem with where this piece is... all the instruments seem to be blending together into a great cacophonous howl. My speakers cringed and my ears were not far behind them. I think you just cranked it up... NOT good.

Try to separate instruments and bring out the lead instruments and pull back the background instruments until you start hearing the logistics of the orchestration for the piece start to take shape. It really is an artform and I know it's hard to both balance EQ with orchestration. The more you can think of these things in advance, the easier it is to foresee problems and deal with them as they come.
Don't worry though. I have been where you are right now. It's frustrating and time consuming to keep all this information flowing but it's time well spent to understand and be very very clear, methodical and deliberate with the way you set up your music, the eqing and the orchestration for a given piece. Find out what makes the music tick. If you can't tell us as a composer/ sound engineer what you mean, we can't hear it.

This most recent piece is just too loud though. What software are you using to sequence this?
IoN
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Re: Drake theme? (Volo Licens)

Post by IoN »

I'm using Finale 2008.

Heh, I originally meant only to increase the strings' volume by a bit because I thought they sounded more realistic that way, but that led to balance problems, and I guess one thing led to another. :P

I'll try to do what you described.
IoN
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Re: Drake theme? (Volo Licens)

Post by IoN »

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Aleksi
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Re: Drake theme? (Volo Licens)

Post by Aleksi »

Interesting piece, but the cellos and double basses are way to loud. Strange for me to hear all of the string family on the left pan. Perhaps, try to space them a little?
IoN
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Re: Drake theme? (Volo Licens)

Post by IoN »

New version. I followed Aleksi's advice. Additionally, I made the woodwinds a little harsher.
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Re: Drake theme? (Volo Licens)

Post by Sapient »

User Account Exceeded Bandwidth
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doofus-01
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Re: Drake theme? (Volo Licens)

Post by doofus-01 »

IoN,

I also have trouble with this, I think a .wav may be too big. Ogg might work better.
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Temuchin Khan
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Re: Drake theme? (Volo Licens)

Post by Temuchin Khan »

IoN wrote:New version. I followed Aleksi's advice. Additionally, I made the woodwinds a little harsher.
I like it.
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