[POST TO ENTER! Meet Uematsu! Win VGM! (July 29th deadline!)]

Nobuo Uematsu is my favorite composer. All the Final Fantasy music is amazing.

[My Renoise Files]

Overcoat said I should post these here so...

Here's my best stuff so far, all original stuff, no remixes yet. --------> http://www.mediafire.com/?n6j1qjzv38p

You can listen to them all from my youtube account. ------------------> http://www.youtube.com/user/stephenarnquist

The zip contains (all in Renoise format .xrns): beatdown, clouds, crystal halls, grief, hopeful, in pursuit, next beatdown, peaceful town, playful, race, spooky waltz, tribal, underground tunnel and undersea.

Any feedback is appreciated

[how am I doing?]

Well, I've made a few more songs since I switched to Renoise, so please check them out and let me know what you think, they're at youtube.com/user/stephenarnquist

I think I'm getting better, but I'm still frustrated when I try to move on to the "B" part of the song after the first part and a little variation. I keep making B parts that just sound like a completely different song :/

[Piano soundfonts/plugins]

I use evm grand piano and mda piano, both free.

[DSK Brass buzzing on high notes]

I'm using DSK Brass in this song, what can I do to get rid of those buzzes on those long F notes? Or maybe there's some other good (and free) VSTi that I could use?

Here's my setup

and here's the song youtube.com/watch?v=eGIFMGjzTdY

[how am I doing?]

well, I just figured out I can export to midi, so all I have to do is reassign the instruments since I haven't been using any fancy effects yet. Coolness =)

[how am I doing?]

Thanks for the responses everyone, good info. Hmm... Renoise looks nice, I've been looking for a new tracker actually. Did you used to use Mad Tracker? Is there some way to convert my mt2 files into something I could use in another program like Renoise?

[how am I doing?]

Hi, I've been having fun messing with Mad Tracker and various free VSTs and sound samples for a while now. I've got a bunch of random ideas for songs posted on youtube.com/user/stephenarnquist, nothing very well developed, but I'd appreciate any feedback.

Composing question.

I've been reading a bunch of stuff about music theory, but I'd like more specific information or advice about song construction. Does anyone know of a good book or online resource for that?

Instrument question.

Sometimes I'll hear an electronic instrument in a song that I really like and want to duplicate or at least approximate. It seems like a really powerful synth like Reason or Helix (I use Helix cuz I'm cheap) could make just about about any sound if you knew how to manipulate the sound waves, LFOs ASDRs etc. Does anyone know of a good book or online resource for that doing that? Thanks.