Calum

Hi everyone, This kind of thing may have been covered here before but perhaps not to my specific queries, so apologies if you feel as though you're repeating things. Will it work: At present I'm using logic pro 9 on my MacBook (not pro), it currently has 2gb of RAM but based on research i'm gonna need a little more - 4GB is the max for my MacBook, will this be enough to use multiple EWQL tracks? In terms of space, I have a pretty much empty 200GBish external hard-drive which I plan to load everything onto and run off - will this make a difference to how fast it is run or the RAM? About this mac tells me: PROCESSOR 2.4 HGz Intel Core 2 Duo, MEMORY 2GB 1067 MHz DDR3 Should I get It: At present I have all of the logic VSTs and instruments and a load of free soundfonts, some of which are really quite good and I use often so i don't necessarily feel like I NEED this to make my composition better (here's a link to where i've posted most of my music http://ocremix.org/forums/showthread.php?t=34709&page=2 and this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btDLrESwLy0 although it's not complete, is probably what i'm most proud of at the moment - using the sounds i've got) I do feel like I will need/want to get this at some point, so why not now? Also can anyone who has EWQL products suggest which products to go for - at the moment i'm thinking of going with the default. But I'm not sure if I will need PIANOS GOLD - as i have a few piano sounds which i'm pretty happy with and don't need a whooole CD of more piano sounds. Also I like to write orchestral music but would also love more ethnic sounds. RA is one of the defaults and looks great but can anyone suggest Silk or Gypsy as well as i'm interested in them? Well thanks for any help that anyone can offer in advance. Don't be afraid to tell me that I should scrap everything and buy a new computer, although i don't want to! Calum

music is always influenced by the medium in which it's created. So much composition in the last few hundred years has been hugely influenced by the dominance of the piano and a pianistic way of playing (and gee, rock music is influenced by the natural way of playing guitar) After all, if we don't sequence things, we, predominantly (and i know there are other midi controllers), use a midi keyboard. So most parts are subconsciously or not, hugely pianistic. But that's not something to complain about and neither is sequencing. There's nothing 'bad' about anything. I haven't noticed a constraint in music in the 'over-blockiness' of music because of sequencers. So I guess here's me saying, of course people are influenced by the tools they use to create but is it really complaint-worthy? Do you want sequenced music to sound like it's not sequenced? Or do you just want to listen to music that wasn't sequenced? Cos the second one's pretty easy. All of this said, i am a fan of instruments being played in non-idiosyncratic ways and find my own music locked into a pianistic way of playing which is often frustrating. Has all pop previously satisfied you before this waves of 'sequence domination'?

This is the single most arbitrary and descriptively defunct nothingness dressed up as a definitive checklist. The 7 facets - The great video games music manifesto! I am lost for words.

It took me a long time to hear where the hymn of fayth was, but i got a little hint eventually. Yeah, i enjoyed this. I'd definitely agree with one of the youtube comments to make the intro longer, have more dramatic structure. Nothing felt very firm and definite. I want to know specifically what the main melody is and when i am going away from it and when i'm returning to it. You don't have to be super duper obvious with everything but it felt a little lacking in structure. I only listened once though and i enjoyed it!

this is cool this is cool. I thought maybe you should change up the chords a bit but you switch things up quite a bit and it kept my interest. I'm not a huge fan of all of the sounds you're using. But that's alright really. Keep making more originals, i look forward to seeing them.

Yeah, it's certainly more cinematic and dramatic perhaps. I love that game but I was very aware of the original music, so i think I just tried to get as far away from that as possible. Plus it was the first trailer i have done so i was just going with whatever i'd written and seeing what would happen. As far as SFX are concerned maybe it's easier than you think. All you need is a mic and some imagination! A lot of sound effects only sound a bit crap when you know they're there. So it's really good to get a fresh set of ears on them in context - to see if someone notices that the sound isn't "real". But yeah - either record as many sounds as you can with objects around you. I used keys as a glass smashing sound (it sounds pretty convincing). You can use all sorts of effects to get things exactly how you want them. Slowing things down or speeding them up and playing with the pitch can also be good for explosions or crashes and things like that. If you pitch down screams or normal talking you get a kind of monster groan or roar type thing. If you dont have a mic then perhaps try sound design type stuff - play around with any synths you have on your DAW. Playing them really high or really low, adding effects and playing around with all of the settings until you can find some kind of laser sounds or other useful electronic noises! You can also download sound effects off the internet and play around with them - cut them up, reverse them, pitch shift them etc. I don't know what the professional opinion is on downloaded sound effects... but most websites with free sfx are fine with you using them for whatever you want. Ah, thank you. I usually come up with the idea after the tune is done. Maybe that's why it's accurate!

I love this! really relaxing, great productions as usual. I don't mind whether this is a remix or a ReMix... personally i dont have any problems with the amount of material you sampled, especially as it changes at 1.30ish. I get the feeling you wouldn't really be interested in submitting this so it seems like you've succeeded in what you set out to do! Congrats!

i'm not listening on very good speakers at the moment but one comment is that when the piano sort of improvises on the melody it sounds quite weak and unplanned. Particularly in the minor version. And it goes on quite a while with seemingly little direction. Perhaps it is the piano itself - needs more humanisation - the acciaccaturas (when you quickly move from one note to another with a "crushed" "jazzy" effect) are the most obvious! Because it sounded like they hit at exactly the same time, when the crushed note always comes a little bit before and perhaps the velocities could do with some changing too. Was this played in? That was all i noticed really!

the first melody sounds a little odd. It places its emphasis on the 5th beat of the bar (if you agree that this is in 6/8 ). I'm not against an "odd" melody, particularly in a piece of this style but because none of the other parts seem to acknowledge this melody, playing on 1 and 4 constantly. Timing seems to be an issue again, most of the parts could do with quantizing. Seems like drums would fit this tune. They could also be used to emphasise that odd melody at the start. When the guitar and trumpet lines are playing over the top of each other there are often clashing notes which don't necessary clash in the "right way". So i'd consider looking over them. OH YEAH, how the instruments sound together... they sound alright. You have guitar/trumpet/organ and choir? I see you were going for this sort of feel - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k1CMCIJB7A - ish. I don't know how accurate symphonic rock is of things that are actually considered symphonic rock so I don't really care if it's symphonic rock or not!

new track - unfinished:

To me, it feels like it just lacks a bit of direction. The overall structure isn't too bad, horn intro, everything comes in in the middle, horn ends it. But the melodies were quite unhummable. It felt a little (at least to me) as though you were kind of noodling the melody, as though it wasn't particularly planned. it feel like it was just going to this note, then to that note for no real reason and there was never really a particular phrase that was repeated. The whole piece was enjoyable and keep working on this stuff (i'm impressed by the free soundfonts), and i don't think the horn is all that bad. BUT, yeah, the melody seems to jump to unexpected notes and at times the horn plays multiple notes and it sounds quite unnatural. So I'd say, mute your horn and try and sing something over the top or when you're writing the melody be conscious of which notes seem to fit the best and find a distinct rhythmic and melodic pattern to repeat! hope this helps, keep it up, Calum

I recently re-scored the trailer for Ico - SFX + music! This isn't fully complete (the ending still needs some sfx and the music is yet to be mixed). but feedback is more than welcome: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btDLrESwLy0

Hey Mattias, I'm enjoying the music on your website and I must say i'm inspired by your success. Could you tell me what software/VSTs you are most frequently using (particularly in your orchestral stuff)?

thank you soundboard and archangel for your kind words! Ah, archangel i've always admired your arrangements and sound quality on the tracks you posted on the FFIX project! I can't claim anything for the recording of remnants of the day as that was done by someone else though!

Just posted an early composition which was recorded by the aurora orchestra and a sonic-sound-a-like track. I'd love some feedback!

Thanks man! I'm really into all the stuff you've been doing - loving those sci-fi pads and extended chords!

bumpy please, anything from anyone?

the kick drum is a little out of time the whole way through, could do with some quantizing!

i absolutely love this track from the FF7 soundtrack too and this arrangement is pretty gorgeous! I felt the violin was rushing when it was playing the solo and everything sounded a bit muddy with both a piano and guitar playing chords at the same time - that said, i'm only listening on laptop speakers. I'm really enjoying this arrangement anyway, i sometimes feel things get a little out of time against the strict quavers in the guitar, especially at the emotive moments. Did you record the instruments individually or were the live instruments played together? Keep up the good work!

The title of the post is now a little irrelevant, but oh well. Here's a few originals for imaginary games: Happy Street: The Journey Continues - quite cinematic track ICO TRAILER re-scored: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btDLrESwLy0 In the water garden: Remnants of the Day - 3 part orchestral piece recorded live by the aurora orchestra a few years ago: Sonic-style tune, I'm not sure if I made up this melody or not... it sounds really familiar (unfinished) Soul Calibur-type battle theme which goes electronic towards the end (update): Some kind of myserious/techno factory theme inspired by The Apprentice soundtrack/Daft Punk: Parappa The Rapper style house theme: A funny little town theme inspired by noby noby boy/animal crossing: Very sims-inspired building type theme (unfinished):

http://areyougonnalookaftermyboys.tumblr.com/post/4267441007/eurovision2011-interdit-lyrics-tout-le I was aiming for trashy eurovision productions with as much cheese as possible. This was for a eurovision night, our entry was for france, of course! Lemme know what you think! Calum

love this! great playing! very emotional!

i've posted a few more songs now any feedback'd be nice.

I suppose I'm listening to the update? The piano bass notes sound a little too loud/forced in the first few bars. Also the chromatic note in the 4th bar sounds hesitant and it made me think it was an unintentional wrong note the first few listens. I really enjoy this mix, don't think the piano sounds too bad other than the loud left hand at the start. Love the chords and the arrangement, I have to agree that there was not too much of a hum-able melody going on there. I can't help you on productions but it all sounds lovely to me. I'm a sucker for spoken word over music, I would have liked to've heard a little less reverb on it or for the spoken word to be a tiny bit louder. Yeah, love the key change 3/4 of the way through and the bass line is cool and interesting throughout. So yeah, i'd say sort out some of the left hand notes in the intro and the chromatic turn in the 4th bar which sounded to me a little hesitant. Also I'm not a huge fan of those cymbal samples at the start. And yeah, gimme some melody! Keep it up though, I'm really enjoying this track. Calum

in both of these songs you seem to have many "wrong" sounding notes. Not that they're out of the scale but they don't seem to be in the chord you are playing and they just seem a little random. I don't know if you agree but that's what strikes me most when listening to this that many of the melody's or accompanying figures feel a little random in note selection.