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H36T

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Posts posted by H36T

    Good instrumental Phrases VSTs?

    in Music Composition & Production

    Posted

    On 11/25/2021 at 6:01 AM, Gario said:

    Hmm, do you mind if I ask what you mean by pre-made phrases? Despite my experience in the field I've never heard of em', so perhaps I can learn something new. :)

     

    Basically if you press a button, a short phrase (a few measures) of music plays. For example, one of my favorites. 

     

    Here is a song where all the vocals are pre-made and what I simply did was find a key that worked, then spent some time listening and figuring out what would fit. Since I'm a singer myself I kind of sing what I'd think is cool and see if I can find something with that vibe. It's sometimes pretty obvious but a lot of times you just don't have anything that fits well so you are doing a lot of searching or just can't use any. That's why I scoop them up whenever they are on sale. More variety! 

     

    Good instrumental Phrases VSTs?

    in Music Composition & Production

    Posted · Edited by HarlemHeat360

    Hello~, I'm looking at getting some more VSTs for black Friday or christmas and I'm hoping to get ones with pre-made phrases. I actually use a lot of them in my music and I have a good collection but I always want more. Here is some of what I already have. 

    Sonuscore Lyrics Vocals, Violin, Ethnic Phrases 

    Shevannai

    Zero G Ethera EVI

    Zero G Ethera Gold

    Voice of the Wind Adey

    Heavyocity Vocals 1+2

    Heavyocity Guitars 1+2

    8dio Solo vocals (I think most of them except 1) 

    Vandria 1 (I'll buy 2 for Christmas I think!) 

    Damage 2

    Kontakt acoustic guitar, electric, and drums. 

    I have a few more but I'm at work and can't check. As you can see I like them a lot haha. If you have any recommendations I'm gonna be so happy! Thank you 

     

    MnP Round 128 - Spooktober Special!

    in Competitions

    Posted

    I have to go to work and I don't want to delay things any further. I also want to look at my results and feedback so I need to post this now haha. Just consider me disqualified! Good job to everyone this round. You guys really put something special up

     


    1st. Waiting for the Pounce - The Voudou Queen

    Haha, what a start to the track! I am always enamored by those who can sample quotes and lines from things and add them into music. It's not a skill I have or something currently used in my minds eye. I'm honestly not personally keen on the musicality of the opening part but that's really 100% a personal preference thing. I appreciate the heck out of it

    But once it gets into the groove of things. Yo... This is an actual Halloween party vibe. Like there is some real good melodic stuff going on and the chords are really effective. I think sometimes I want more. Like right before the last section there is some real fun and groovy chord progressions. Id love if it was expanded, had some like keyboard solos (like just runs and such) and maybe with some vibrato added in there just for funs sake. Like it's a whole groove and I think if it was dug into, I could dance all night long! The last section is very effective at what it does, like the first I think I am not one to comment too deeply because it's not my vibe but I do appreciate it and think it works. 

    All and all, I really really think this was a great effort. You should be proud of what came out of it. I only wish the middle was expanded on, there were some more fun chord progressions, and maybe some more playful dynamics as well. Great job! 

    2nd. Aeterni Inferni - Wassup Thunder

    Oooh that low synth hits really well. I'm enjoying it. The effects are really interesting as well. There was a modulation in the middle of the song and I'm not familiar with the source so I'm unsure if you added it or not (edit: seems like it's there in the original too) but I actually dig it. Personally I think I would have gone for a major modulation or at least something brighter like a minor 7th but that's my taste. 

    I enjoy the building of this overall. It's like I get to enjoy something new every few bars or so. It's always adding something. I think I wished for some more impact here and there but I think that's okay. Really I think what it needs was some shift in dynamics here and there. Something I struggle with when making music. The ending climax was very welcome though. That ending little effect there too! This really captured Halloween for me. I only wish that it had some more play with the sound field to really give the ears a treat (or a trick!)

    3rd. Rites of Autumn - Colorado Weeks

    Oh what is this? Now that's some spooky crap. There is like some kind of odd polyphony going on here. Almost like two different keys are being played it. Like it seems consonant but there is also something highly dissonant about this. I cannot put my finger on it. 

    I think it's a bit too short or not expansive enough but I do think it was effective at being both spooky but somehow... Celebratory? It is the rites of autumn I suppose so it should have that celebratory feel. However whatever they are celebrating is spooky as all hell! I'm creeped out and I think that's a good thing. Good job here haha. I only wish that there was some more variety or another section to explore these rites! Very curious indeed

    4th. That Desolate Field - Souperion

    o___o;;; lord you guys are creeping me out haha. This is really reflective of something you'd hear in one of the Ghost in the Shell movies. Have you ever heard of any of them? I think you'd find some interesting inspiration there. The middle was a bit surprising with the shakuhachi. Like I knew there would be one but it caught me off guard. 

    Here I think the problem for me is the song from a listening standpoint is a bit long. If this was for a scene for a movie I think this would fit but somehow for me it goes on a bit too long without offering much new as it continues to go. Overall though it is certainly interesting. You can send your sister this message from me! 

    俳句を読んでくれて、ありがとうございます！お兄さんの作曲に不思議な雰囲気を加えました！

    5th. What Lurks Below - Kat

    I really wish I got to hear a more complete version of this.. It has a lot of interesting things that I'd like to get to know how to do personally or at the very least to identify the sound. I think it has this sort of clown or carnival kind of feel without being silly. Like it's not exactly scary but a bit unnerving. I'm unsure how to put it exactly. I think the guitars are really good here. The mixing seems to be a bit uhh chunky but I think it's because of how I'm listening to it and less so the mix itself. Still I think it could use some breath. 

    Overall, this is good but I wish there was more! 

    6th. Austrian Spinal - General Grunt

    Oh lord. A polka? Hahaha, I can't say... It's my thing. But I think it does the polka well. It's a bit too little in terms of expansion is concerned and doesn't have enough to really keep my head in it, but I think what you went for you were successful in getting. Again, uhh, not a polka fan but it did right by the polka lol. I think though if it had more layers and some polyphony it could go beyond even polka lovers and into something even the polka haters would love. Darn those polka haters! 

    7th. The Mandela Effect - APZX

    Hm.. I think it's just too much here. I believe in your story and your vision. I think what you wanted to do was accomplished but it's a lot to ask for the listener and a lot to take in. That's not always a big deal to me. One of my favorite songs is a 50 minute mix of different tracks and vibes of 80s Japan. I think here however from a listening perspective it really wasn't effective for enjoying.

    However, I think as a piece of art, I'd disagree with myself. You really set it apart by not only length but the depth and effort for you to put in. For that, I have to applaud you. Still, I don't think it was... A great choice for the competition given the meat n potatoes aspect and from a personal listening perspective it isn't my thing. But, props to you for creating something special. Take a bow! 

    "The Last Days of Darkness" Shevannai and Symphobia 3: Lumina

    in Post Your Original Music!

    Posted

    Finally got a chance to sit down and listen on my computer.

    There is definitely a lot of different influences coming from different places I can see. Not in a bad way though, you make it your own and I never get the feeling that this is derivative. The children's choir you use is extremely pretty and I feel like you did a wonderful job with the balancing here. Never did I feel like any section overwhelmed any other section. I could finally hear Shevannai on my PC and I like how layered in it is. Never sounds like it stands out very much. It's like she was standing with the rest of the choir and she had a solo part! Very realistic sounding in that regard. Man you really have the balance between these instruments down quite well. I personally feel it is a skill that I'm lacking. I have a lot of libraries but finding their balance is a chore haha.

    Speaking more musically, I wouldn't personally find this as something I'd just tune in and listen to on the fly but I would really feel the atmosphere if it was in a film or tv series. Definitely would be a song that I could see in a score. I think the only like...critique I would have is that, as someone who enjoys music with strong melodies, I find the song a bit...like a wave? Always pulsing and waxing but never quite going to somewhere specific. Then again, it might kind of be the point. You are sort of wading in this darkness right? So maybe from a composition standpoint this works quite well. From a listening standpoint again, maybe it isn't something I'd go out of my way to put on, but I think it works well in the context of say a score or a scene from some form of media.

    Anyway, great stuff and good to see you put so much effort into your music. Once more, wonderful balancing with the choirs and I feel inspired to try and do better in that regard. Cheers!

    Creating Counter-Melodies and Additional (Parallel) Harmony Lines in VGM Remixes

    in Music Composition & Production

    Posted

    On 8/2/2021 at 3:39 AM, Gario said:

    If you're looking to learn how to write independent lines that compliment an existing lead, there's an entire compositional art dedicated to just that called "Counterpoint". You can read "Fux Gradus Ad Parnassum" for a fairly complete presentation on how to do counterpoint, but for the short-short version:

    Four types of motion (aka two notes moving at the same time) are used to create independence between lines, from "most" independent to "least":

    Counter Motion (notes move in opposite direction)
    Oblique Motion (one note moves while the other stands still)
    Similar Motion (notes move in the same direction but by different amounts)
    Parallel Motion (notes move in the same direction and by the same amount)

    All of this motion can (and should) be used, but be careful when moving in parallel motion to not move in parallel unison (the notes will sound like the same note, losing the independence), parallel octaves (same issue as moving in unison - you lose the voice), and parallel fifths (fifths discourage motion in music, moving in parallel makes the lines sound disjointed). Furthermore, do not move in similar motion into an octave, unison, or fifth. Oblique motion shouldn't lead into a dissonance, but it can lead out of one. Overall chord intervals shouldn't be dissonant, so don't lead into dissonance between your two notes, but decorative notes (like passing or neighbor tones) can be dissonant without too much issue.

    Aside from that, go nuts, the world is your oyster and all that jazz. This is a primer on traditional counterpoint, which kinda ignores some modern music (dissonance is generally more accepted nowadays, for example), but it should act as a nice guideline if you're having trouble making independent lines in your music in the first place.

    This has been a crash course on basic voice leading and counterpoint from yours truly. Hope it helps.

    *hug*

    Final Fantasy IX - Song of Memories

    in Post Your Game ReMixes!

    Posted


    Hello there! As I'm between projects, I'm just working on keeping my YouTube channel going lol. I been working on this for a week and I think it had some nice ideas going for it. I wrote some more details in the description but basically, I wanted to do some FFIX stuff in honor of a vtuber I like watching LOL. Anyway, I hope you find something enjoyable about it. It was fun to work on.

    Creating Counter-Melodies and Additional (Parallel) Harmony Lines in VGM Remixes

    in Music Composition & Production

    Posted

    I'm hoping I can come up with something more instructive like Wassup when I'm less sleepy but my tip for now is to listen to some true classical music (as in music from the actual classical era like Bach or Mozart). If you can read sheet music then going on YouTube and seeing the versions uploaded with sheet music to follow along may help too. 

    If you don't like classical music (please don't force yourself haha) then I think learning some basic theory stuff if you don't know any (which is 1000% fine!) and try just playing things in thirds. Like insert the notes in your daw or however you like in thirds and just see how they sound. Use your ears and maybe move them around a bit. Have fun and see what sounds interesting! 

    Although I'm classically trained, I still suck at remembering a lot of complex theory things so a lot of the time I rely on my ear and just fiddling around to see what may work. Some of the best things I've made were mistakes haha. So don't be shy and just see what works!

    Last tip I have is to find midis of songs you like and literally just one to one them. Like find out which instruments are what (if they arent labeled) and load some VSTs and watch it play. Look at the notes or the midi blocks while the song is being played and see what is doing what. Isolate tracks on solo if you need to as well. And honestly if it sounds hot? Copy it. Add it to something else and see how it fits. Sometimes you'll be surprised at how well it does and when it doesn't, try and move parts of it around to force it to fit. Essentially what you are doing is learning about melody and harmony by deconstructing already made ones and hearing how they sound while seeing what they look like in your DAW. I know the word copy sounds like a no no, but at first that's all we are doing is copying. Later you can make it your own or even sometimes just copy it straight up if it's just a snippe of a basic harmonic or melodic progression and it fits your piece. Plagiarism in music starts when you are really straight up taking a whole musical line along with its placement in a piece and the other musical structures around it. But if it's a few notes or chords, then lord knows it's been done infinite times. As you become more skilled. You'll be able to do this less and rely more on your instinct. Which may still include things you like that you first heard from other places. But that's music imo. That's your heritage and you gotta own it sometimes. 

     

    Anyway, sorry I'm rambling. I hope you find a path that leads to stronger melodies and harmonies! 

    MnP 125: Xenogears - Bonds of Sea and Fire

    in Competitions

    Posted

    Feedback time! Sorry I wont press the button so fast next time lol.

    Wassup Thunder - What Fire Taught the Sea

    Everyone's titles are so cool! I think as with Vodou, I have to say I wished the guitar here was backed off jusst a bit. The main lead guitar that is. Honestly, this mix though is uhh, fire lol. I am really enjoying the energy you got going on here. These drums too are really doing it for me. Maybe I want a bit more from the samples but dude you are working them. 

    OOOOOOHHH the drums right before the last section where you kinda break it down right before the guitar kicks back in?! Now that was sick. This last section works well enough for me but maybe I wish there was somne more energy? Hmm, no, I think what I'm looking for is maybe its a bit too dry for me in the mix. Like there isn't enough air to the overall sound. Honestly though, I have a problem keeping my tracks from being too wet sounding so this could be personal preference ya know? Still, I think the mix sometimes sounds too robotic and straightforward and could use some life somewhere. Unfortunately how to do that is uhh, beyond me! 

    Still, this was such a fun listen and you put a lot into the different instruments and their place within the enemble. What a pleasure to hear.

     

    TheVideoGamer - Bonds of Kick and Hi-Hat

    Off the cuff, this mix is too loud for my tastes. Like its really loud even for an electronic song. But once I put it down, I'm finding a lot I enjoy. Firstly, I love that rhythm with the low synth. I think its just really interesating to take this song and switch the genre up but still keeping the original DNA somehow. Its not something I'm too great at and I could learn a thing or two from this. 

    I will say this song sounds like one of the older OC Remixes I've heard but I can't quite put my finger on which one. I suppose thats a good thing but it also maybe takes away from some of the uniqueness? Going to the outro, I'm wondering if you could have taken the opportunity to bring something new into right before fading out. One problem with the song I think is the amount of repitition? Sometimes it just felt like it all blended together. Still, that rhythm had me moving throughout so its hard fro me to be too negative haha. 

    Another thing I really wanted more of was this polyrhythm feel. I really suck at rhythmic sections and such but there were parts where it felt like it was touching polyrhyhtm and others where it felt full on poly. But everytime it would hit that sweet spot, the beat would seem to even out? I'm wondering what I'm hearing there. Anyway, good job!

     

    TheVodouQueen - Seafoam and Brimstone, Upon the SHores of Tallon IV

    First of all, what a gorgeous name haha. Thats some real artistry. So we start here with these lovely sea and waves samples. I adore this type of stuff so I'm digging it. 

    Oooh some interesting work with the panning and the different instruments. I think the percussion is just a tad harsh sounding? It could be the time of night that I'm listening to this. I'll see in the morning if its the same.

    I am wondering about these samples for the strings you got. They sound really close to the original to my ear. Moreover, they work very well.

    Okay, more samples with the thunder. Super dig it. I wonder which samples you used? The choir coming in after is a nice touch. Still a bit harsh for me I think. 


    I think going through this song you had some really lovely ideas with the effects and the approach to atmosphere. I think though, personally I was a bit underwhelemed with the melodic and harmonic aspects of this song. Partially it is the VSTs being used maybe but I think there was a consistent harshness to them or rather, a lack of subtlety when I wanted it. I think I would have really enjoyed this more if this was laid back and the song explored more of the melodic and harmonic aspects than the effects since this was meat and potatoes. That being said, I'm a sucker for the effects so I would adore to see this expanded upon one day if you ever choose to. Good job!


    Souperion - Dream of Flowing Fire

    Once again, everyone had lovely titles. Even the bonus! As you said in the description, you kept it really simple. Some interesting choices with the melody. going for the dotted quarters and dotted eighths instead of the more straight forward original. It gives it a nice little pulse that I'm enjoying. What a pretty koto and yangqin though! If I had any cash I'd be interested in getting a VST with some. Unfrotunately a lot of stuff with those instruments seem to be a bit more than I'm willing to pay for. Anyway, you use them well here. I think my only wish is if there was some more exploration here, but I think you just wanted to keep it really chill here and laid back and let the original arrangement work for you. Not a bad decision imo!

    MnP 125: Xenogears - Bonds of Sea and Fire

    in Competitions

    Posted

     

    Unfortunately the original project file is lost due to an accidental overwrite so the only thing I have left is my compressed YouTube version. I want to post it on the website but I only have a YouTube link :(

     Regardless, I wanted to channel some of the flavor of Xenogears and some of that "ethnic" vibe that is sort of non-descript yet everyone kind of knows haha. I suppose at this point its a mix of things. Anywho, I choose to bring that out in the choir sections and added some percussion in inclusion to the original. Lastly, there are two different soloists. One is a lady vocalist and the other is a Xin Di I think. I can't remember which Chinese flute I used haha. There is an outro I used for this version which I would have cut for this competition since its meat and potatoes so I won't comment on that. So just a nice conservative approach with some added goodies here and there. I wish I had a non-YouTube version to share! 

    Chrono Trigger - Corridors of Time (RESUB)

    in Post Your Game ReMixes!

    Posted

    I think there is a time when we reach the end of our journey with a song and I believe I have here. I did want another evaluation but I ended up just kind of going with my gut, putting on the finishing touches, and calling it finished. I'll be submitting this version and whatever may be, may be haha. But I'm happy with how it came out and am ready for my next project. 

     

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