Halo Orchestral Arrangement

[Pl511]

In one of the longest development times for a track I've worked on yet, this remix was conceptualised just over two years ago, and it hasn't been until recently that I picked up the perfect software to finish the arrangement. I also wrote three extra counter-melodies to play off of the main melody. Hope you guys enjoy it, it's been a crazy journey finishing it off!

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[djgalvanization]

I'm typing while I listen to it.

Very nice. The swells that happen over time make this track shine.

And the intro makes the theme have a totally different emotional soundscape, sort of like "this is how it was when there was peace, before all the fighting... now look at us". Ends a little too abruptly for my taste though.

Listening a second time:

There is a part where the high lead (flute or clarinet, not sure still learning my orch instruments) kinda resonates more than it should around 2:40.

Enjoyed the track though. Heard it a 3rd time just because I wanted to.

Technically speaking:

I thought the mix sounded pretty good overall. Well rounded, covered the spectrum nicely. Decent samples too. Wonder what piano that was. Was it a Steinway?

The ending remains my only gripe. I think if you gave it a descent wind down, something that warns the listener that the track is about to end, you'd significantly improve it.

I didn't hear any obvious "midi machine gun" action so that's great.

I'm new to this site, but not new to music at all. Take my observations with a grain of salt, since I'm still learning the ropes around here, but this was my take on your piece. Good job.

[Slimy]

I think the piano at the very beginning might sound a bit too perfect. Maybe you could humanize that beginning part a bit, and stretch those chords out without changing the tempo.

I think the chords sound good, the lead instruments sound good, and everything seems well-balanced. The bass sounded really nice at the beginning, despite it's simplicity. And the strings are beautiful when they come in.

It does end too abruptly. Maybe you could start taking instruments out until just the piano is left?

A great song, overall.

[Neifion]

I thought this was pretty good overall. Strings sound nice and warm. Woodwinds could use a lot more dynamics. When you have solo woods that exposed doing legato sustains, they could benefit from detailed breath control, like arcing through the note to give a sense of ebb and flow. They are completely static right now. Also, the legato transitions need to be smoothed over. They sound mechanical, especially the oboe that comes in at 0:55. Speaking of which, that entire passage from 0:55 to 1:30, the oboist does not take a single breath!

[Pl511]

Thanks a lot for all the advice, guys! I always love getting feedback on every aspect and it seems like you've all covered pretty much everything. ^^ On the end of the mix, I know I really should've put a coda or a little wind-down at the end, but I was running out of ideas quite badly by that point unfortunately. Glad you all enjoyed it!