New Toys = New Music

[Tyler Johnson]

So here's something I started working on today, I don't think it's quite done yet, but it's close. These were made with my new percussion toys which I find very useful because programming percussion in a song like this is a hard task for me.

But again, after playing with VSL in Aleksi's studio the other day, I almost don't even want to post this because the strings and brass sound so thin compared to the beefy VSL Epic Horns and Appassionata Strings...grr well that's next on my list of expensive stuff I don't NEED, but WANT, to buy

I just called this one 'Action' since that's the only word that comes to mind when I listen to it. I'm open to suggestions, and I know there are already a couple of minor things I want to fix, but this is almost a completed version.

Action! (outdated URL)

Oh, and Turn the Volume UP on this one!

-Tyler

[Redeth]

Quite feisty! Me likes

[Tyler Johnson]

Thanks Redeth!

Actually, there were some phasing issues with the reverb I had to change.

Updated link is here:

Action! Update

[StandYourGround]

Some reason, I pictured Saurians mobilizing for battle while listening to this...

[Sangel]

Excellent. Thematically, this is very different from most of our current battle pieces, while still relying heavily on the same instruments to lead the melody (making it sound very "Wesnothian"). I think it lends itself very well to irregular forces engaged in more generalized heroic activities, rather than the a straightforward "clash of two shining armies" situation. It would fit perfectly with a chase scene, for instance.

[West]

That's some very impressive music Tyler! As Sangel says it does sound very much like a chase scene, the percussion is really cool and really drives the whole piece. Sounds like money well spent to me.

One thing that strikes me as a little strange though is that the percussion and the melodic instruments seem somewhat at odds with each other. The percussion is very intense and sets an adrenaline-pumping mood, a feeling of danger, but the rest of the arrangement doesn't quite reflect this. The melodic passages are actually quite mellow, both in terms of dynamics and harmonies. Working with contrasts can be very cool but I'd like to hear some stuff that makes the percussion blend better with the rest, something that bridges the gap between melody and rhythm. Some fat spiccato in the celli and basses (the detache samples you're using sound far too mf to really add much to the rhythm), some occasional stabs and/or rips in the brass. Right now I get the feeling that this is two pieces of music layered on top of each other, not a single piece where everything gels to form a unity.

Likewise, a little more tension in the melodic parts would really add to the sense of drama and action. The progressions are a little predictable. A few 'out' notes in places would help I think, or maybe some more adventurous chord changes. To spice things up even more, you could throw in some cool articulations in strategic places, like flute/piccolo runs, string trills or tremolo etc.

Aside from that, this is a very good piece. You're truly making great progress and it's a joy listening to your music.

[Tyler Johnson]

Thanks for your comments, West. I posted this song on a different forum and had a similar response from someone who said that the strings are moving a lot slower than the percussion is. I agree with that statement, but I also tried some stacatto passages with the strings, and it seemed too thin. As soon as I added some balloons (jazz term for whole notes ) it seemed to mesh better. It was as though the piece had an underlying sense of foundation, with bells and whistles added on top of it.

And actually I JUST recieved EWQL Gold yesterday, so when I wrote this using Silver, I had a VERY basic set of articulations, but now with the entire collection of articulations, I think I can work out some more realistic runs as you said, and add a lot more creativity to the mix.