Orion Posted July 9, 2013 Author Share Posted July 9, 2013 Chip https://soundcloud.com/ryanreilly/frogattodreamadventure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timaeus222 Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Perhaps a bit too much reverb on the lead and harmonic backup. The harmonies are great but hard to distinguish. Gets really loud at 0:48-1:02 and panning would have helped. It also would have been nice to get some more dynamics into this with velocity edits. Sounds pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 This was actually my first effort for the MegaMan competition. https://soundcloud.com/crystalkingdom/megamedleyman What you will hear here is many different themes from megaman 2, all kinda serenaded into a large musical burrito. I had initially included the BubbleMan theme into this medley before realizing that the song had become morbidly obese and that basically 80 % would need to be cut. This version contains the Megaman 2 opening + various permutations via modulation of the opening, a brief and super obvious split into other themes from the game as well. I originally had a sort of storyboard set up that would play all the sequential music that one would hear booting up the game; the intro, the menu theme, the stage select screen, the boss fanfare, the stage theme, the boss theme, and then the victory theme. Ambitious but not practical for the purposes of this competition. While I completed a few of these themes, I hadn't worked enough on integration of bubble man theme and had little time til my due date for handing my bubble man theme in. A day or so after realizing this, DarkSworde had clarified the position by trying to keep tracks on the source as much as possible so the choice was wise not to include various themes found in this version which spends very little time on the Bubble man theme. Anyways this was a lot of fun. Megaman 2 was my first video game music love and I played the game so much growing up that the music is a permanent part of my memory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 Working on an arrangement for Secret of evermore. https://soundcloud.com/crystalkingdom/ebon-keep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 Some music I was writing for a train simulator... A little too Rpg-battley for a train simulator... unless it's transformers, masters of disguise... anyhoo https://soundcloud.com/frogattosound/rainydaytrainjazz Forest theme for a platformer https://soundcloud.com/frogattosound/myster-rioso2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted August 1, 2013 Author Share Posted August 1, 2013 So much work to get done. Orchestral melody. Working to get a better brass sound of my brass samples. Any tips for compressing and eq'ing brass? https://soundcloud.com/crystalkingdom/tacticalstrategymelodyfin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timaeus222 Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 (edited) To be honest, the brass isn't too far off tonally. The bite is there, but it shows up pretty spontaneously. For compression, try these settings off a brass section preset I made once before: Threshold: -21.6dB Ratio: 4.8:1 Gain: 3.5dB Attack: 69.7ms Release: 800ms Mix Level: 45% (if applicable) Edited August 1, 2013 by timaeus222 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted August 2, 2013 Author Share Posted August 2, 2013 The bite is there...Threshold: -21.6dB Ratio: 4.8:1 Gain: 3.5dB Attack: 69.7ms Release: 800ms Mix Level: 45% (if applicable) Mwahaha. Good good. /rubs hands maniacally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted August 10, 2013 Author Share Posted August 10, 2013 RPG exploration theme. https://soundcloud.com/crystalkingdom/sadpianoenvironment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Levasseur Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 RPG exploration theme. https://soundcloud.com/crystalkingdom/sadpianoenvironment Love this. Everything there is to like about Chrono Trigger and Secret of Mana! You definitely have a lot of talent. Is it enjoyable working on indie projects? I've been too busy studying music and taking care of my family to try and getting any work scoring games. I'd like to in the future though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted August 13, 2013 Author Share Posted August 13, 2013 I've been too busy studying music and taking care of my family to try and getting any work scoring games. I'd like to in the future though. That's good! Personally I have made the decision at some point in my life to try to do this. I've had to make many sacrifices to make it work. Is it enjoyable working on indie projects? Is it enjoyable? Loaded question. LOL. It's incredibly enjoyable. But it's also a pain in the ass. There is good and bad in everything. It's great but.. Quite simply don't expect to get paid for putting in long hours of work slaving over something that is most likely going to be overlooked and underappreciated. People look at the indie game scene and musicianship and probably don't respect the process much. I am sure few indie musicians are as impoverished as me but... here I am. I continue writing and it's great. Granted, I am extremely frustrated with nearly every avenue I've pursued in the indie dev scene, financially speaking, and it's been very very frustrating trying to make something of it and/or trying to make that change. But I still do it. It's a source of amazing joy. It's remarkable in the strength of its breadth and simplicity of enjoyment that occurs when one joins a creative force beyond what that one person can achieve by themselves. Seeing a project come together is pretty orgasmic. I spend long hours doing something that makes me feel valid as a human.. it's not something I can give up so easily because of the sense of joy and fulfillment it brings. It's hard but those long tedious hours that are spent developing for indie projects are some of the most rewarding moments I have yet experienced creatively. But it can be painful. Sometimes you won't have money. And while it brings happiness to contribute definitely don't tell that to people who are contracting you if you want to get paid. It's very easy to get taken advantage of. I have a life I want to live and lead much like you seem to be doing but always have a back up plan. I'm not sour about my choice to do something I love but I have to work knowing that nothing is going to happen with it. Do it for the enjoyment that it brings and it will be about as rewarding as you could possible imagine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Levasseur Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 So basically, you have to be a hardass business person or you get fleeced? I've scored some animations for free through school but I don't know how many dues must be paid before getting $$$s becomes a requirement. For me, I could only slave for so many hours before some sort of payment had to be guaranteed. How do you go about networking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted August 13, 2013 Author Share Posted August 13, 2013 I don't know how many dues must be paid before getting $$$s becomes a requirement. Me neither. Let me know when you find out. For me, I could only slave for so many hours before some sort of payment had to be guaranteed. That's really a good rule of thumb. It just comes down to what you think your time is worth. Only you know for sure. Don't let other people dictate that. How do you go about networking? I have a few very close friends who watch out for me. They are usually prominent developers in the indie scene and luckily that allows me to get some great gigs here and again that wouldn't otherwise be possible. My game making friends are seldom strictly musicians. But they are always of like-mind and serious creative demeanor. The important part is finding people that are good people. The world of musicians is a very small tight knit group and everything you do comes back to you thricefold. TBH, It sounds like you might be in a better place to get some success as you surely have taken some classes in college that deal with educating musicians on business and all that. Also common sense helps. It's all about learning. The ethics of the business are important to note. The politics of the industry also worthy to note for one who wants to make some headway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted August 14, 2013 Author Share Posted August 14, 2013 Chip with some crazy nonsense https://soundcloud.com/crystalkingdom/chiphero Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted August 18, 2013 Author Share Posted August 18, 2013 Anyone else a big fan of the SNES game Secret of Evermore? Anyone interested in doing an arranged album with me? No? Okay. WELL WHO ASKED YOU https://soundcloud.com/ryanreilly/ebonkeeparranging Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derpmax Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 Some really nice stuff you've got here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted August 20, 2013 Author Share Posted August 20, 2013 (edited) Gracias mi amigo Game Ending and credits staff roll featuring harpsichord, orchestra, and almost all the themes from the game sequentially. https://soundcloud.com/ryanreilly/frogattoharpsichordfinale Plus other stuff for frogatto. https://soundcloud.com/ryanreilly/frogatto-village-or-chill-or Edited August 20, 2013 by Orion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Levasseur Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Man, clocking in at over 14 minutes this is an extremely ambitious undertaking. I'll try and offer some constructive feedback based on my experience working with large forms. Overall, the best thing a composer can do with large scale work is to establish some sort of musical narrative. I'll try and give some tips on how to do this. i. Adding textural variety is helpful. There is some of this but add more. Varying instruments and density can add a lot of space. I find the texture to be dense throughout. ii. Adding variation in tempo. Basically, we have a 14 minutes of 8th and 16th notes. Having some slow sections in the right places will help retain the listener's interest. Like even REAALLLYY slow in one part. You can also do something faster later on, like twice as fast as what you have. iii. Harmonies. There are two things to think about with harmony. a) Key relationships. It is not advisable to have a 14 minute piece in the same key i.e. with the same tonal centre pretty much the entire way through. If you can make it work, great. But having some different keys will be very helpful. b)Harmonic rhythm. I can say that without question, you have a new chord pretty much every measure for most of the piece. There are only a few spots where you will maybe change chords every 2 measures instead. The role of harmonic rhythm in a composition is a huge one. Just look at a blues form. In the key of C major, we have C for 4 measures, F for 2 Measures, C for two measures, then G for one measure, F for one measure, C for one measure, and then G for one measure before repeating. Faster harmonic motion = more energy. Slower harmonic motion can = more tension. Imagine sitting on one chord for like 12 measures or even 16? Then when you move, it's a big deal. iv. Register. Everything is in the midrange with deep / phat lows basically throughout. You can do many things with register. You can have only high, high and low but no midrange, midrange but no high and low, low only, midrange and high, or midrange and low. This is just a basic idea bout this. Transitioning between registers can also sound really cool. Like starting really high and progressing down, down, down, down sounds rad as does starting low and climbing, climbing, climbing. For an example of a piece with shape in the VGM realm, listen to the overworld theme from FF VII. There are distinct sections and you can hear the one LOW section with the piano and brass with the much more extended harmonies as well as a key change partway through. Pay attention to the various harmonic rhythms too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted August 23, 2013 Author Share Posted August 23, 2013 Lots of great thoughts there Paul. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timaeus222 Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 (edited) Gracias mi amigo... Plus other stuff for frogatto. https://soundcloud.com/ryanreilly/frogatto-village-or-chill-or Harmonically, this actually sounds really good. Harpsichord can be tough to make sound humanized. The reverb helped, but careful velocities help even more. The only thing I'd say is to work on working around free orchestral material some more to make them sound as realistic as possible, and that involves volume swelling automations, using more articulations, and sequencing with regards to the attack of the instrument (for example, strings). You've improved a lot with what you're using, from what I can hear. The sounds you used here actually work very well together. Bring this level of dedication to the WCRG! Edited August 23, 2013 by timaeus222 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted September 4, 2013 Author Share Posted September 4, 2013 (edited) The only thing I'd say is to work on working around free orchestral material some more to make them sound as realistic as possible, and that involves volume swelling automations, using more articulations, and sequencing with regards to the attack of the instrument (for example, strings). Good points. You've improved a lot with what you're using, from what I can hear. It's because of guys like you that I have improved. Bring this level of dedication to the WCRG! ... Oh BOO. lol. (u poophead) Dedication is making a 15 minute Megaman remix track that you know will never make anyone's playlist. Tbh, I wrote this piece in a few hours. It took me several days of writing for the megaman competition. lmao Edited September 4, 2013 by Orion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted September 4, 2013 Author Share Posted September 4, 2013 (edited) Man, clocking in at over 14 minutes this is an extremely ambitious undertaking. I'll try and offer some constructive feedback based on my experience working with large forms. Overall, the best thing a composer can do with large scale work is to establish some sort of musical narrative. I'll try and give some tips on how to do this. i. Adding textural variety is helpful. There is some of this but add more. Varying instruments and density can add a lot of space. I find the texture to be dense throughout. ii. Adding variation in tempo. Basically, we have a 14 minutes of 8th and 16th notes. Having some slow sections in the right places will help retain the listener's interest. Like even REAALLLYY slow in one part. You can also do something faster later on, like twice as fast as what you have. iii. Harmonies. There are two things to think about with harmony. a) Key relationships. It is not advisable to have a 14 minute piece in the same key i.e. with the same tonal centre pretty much the entire way through. If you can make it work, great. But having some different keys will be very helpful. b)Harmonic rhythm. I can say that without question, you have a new chord pretty much every measure for most of the piece. There are only a few spots where you will maybe change chords every 2 measures instead. The role of harmonic rhythm in a composition is a huge one. Just look at a blues form. In the key of C major, we have C for 4 measures, F for 2 Measures, C for two measures, then G for one measure, F for one measure, C for one measure, and then G for one measure before repeating. Faster harmonic motion = more energy. Slower harmonic motion can = more tension. Imagine sitting on one chord for like 12 measures or even 16? Then when you move, it's a big deal. iv. Register. Everything is in the midrange with deep / phat lows basically throughout. You can do many things with register. You can have only high, high and low but no midrange, midrange but no high and low, low only, midrange and high, or midrange and low. This is just a basic idea bout this. Transitioning between registers can also sound really cool. Like starting really high and progressing down, down, down, down sounds rad as does starting low and climbing, climbing, climbing. For an example of a piece with shape in the VGM realm, listen to the overworld theme from FF VII. There are distinct sections and you can hear the one LOW section with the piano and brass with the much more extended harmonies as well as a key change partway through. Pay attention to the various harmonic rhythms too. Thanks for your thoughts, Paul. I will try to keep refining Edited September 4, 2013 by Orion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Levasseur Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Awesome, and I want to hear what you do with it!! You have talent so just keep working. Every composer has to do that work and the unfinished projects are often things that are humiliating to show to others. At least I find this to be the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted September 27, 2013 Author Share Posted September 27, 2013 Here's some stuff. It's more built upon the idea of a cue than a piece of music that loops. I can't really figure out what I want to do with it. It's kind of like a "spelunking for treasure in a mummy's tomb" sort of vibe. thing. stuff. https://soundcloud.com/crystalkingdom/cemetaryevil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted September 29, 2013 Author Share Posted September 29, 2013 greenlights are pretty. http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=181850301 also some more stuff. https://soundcloud.com/crystalkingdom/things1-wip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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