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Ocarina of Time Suite - Part 4 - the Door of Time


FM
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The orchestration is really good along with the composition. Incredible arrangement of mutliple sources. Some more drastic variation in the velocity could add some flava to the mix.

There is something about the soundscape that feels a lil odd. The low end could use a boost in volume. This feels very thematic but the power in the low end is lacking to give the mix the power it needs. Bass drum could use a rais in volume.

Prob some more harp in the beggining, the harp def sounds awesome in other parts of the song.

2:18 to 2:23 the background crescendos to quickly it drowns out the melody.

Nice choir and expansion, great part. :shock:

4:07 those last notes cut off waaay to fast.

4:50 was a great part.

IMO from 1:24 on is def the best part. The first minute, especially the intro needs some more attention to really grab the listener and keep them interested. There is some great writing writing in the first minute but everything form 1:24 on packs a much more significant emotional punch to really pull in the listener.

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Thanks for the feedback! I do agree that it starts off slow, especially compared to what comes after, but I dunno, I think it's just a matter of taste as far as whether it detracts from the quality of the whole.

And yeah, something's not quite right with the orchestra sound - something that sounds like it'd be infuriatingly easy to fix, but I'm using a new set of samples, so I think it'll take some more experience before I can fine tune it. Even something as simple as raising the timpani volume can change the mix in strange ways, when dealing with something as dense as an orchestra. Still, this isn't the final mixdown yet, and I'm still tinkering with it as we speak.

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Although the bass line is great in the opening 30 seconds, it now needs to be doubled even more to become stronger. Double basses should be playing an octave below the cellos. Bassoon with cellos, contrabassoon with double basses (if desired), tuba optional. At 0:36, if there is a bassoon there, it's not loud enough. Bass line not loud enough at 0:45 either.

Remember, an orchestra is about balance. I know at first it's easy to get caught up in the treble line, which is where most people hear melody, but the bass is so important, just listen to any orchestration.

During the fuller/louder sections there isn't enough deep bass to sustain the timpani. At 1:01 the timpani is sounding a little fake. Find the free Timpani SAM was giving away all those years ago, it's great (msg me 4 giga). Also, the timpani is climbing in a melodic way it usually doesn't do. Keep it on the same note (the first one it plays) and continue the ostinato until it is double forte, and double it with your basses down the octave. I know the section is climbing harmonically, but one of the most awesome sounds an orchestra makes is any movement above a static bass. As it gets louder, add trombones or bass trombones to the ostinato to give it that punctuated brassy texture. Get the horns to do some cuivre.

Awesome use of pizz bass.

At 2:17, again you need a deep bass to sustain the timpani, either with pizz bass or arco.

Awesome crescendo at 2:30, needs trombones playing just as loud, if not louder than the trumpets (trumpets should be able to pierce through, with piccolo's help.) Do you have any samples that sound more brassy? Try trombones playing in fifths or any other open chord.

Things are okay at 3:00, but one thing I would watch out for is having too regular a rhythm. It's hard to explain, but it seems you chose to do more timpani-based ostinato instead of counterpoint to the top melodic voice. Counterpoint is much better at 3:30. Agan, need that deep bass as things build.

At 3:50, try to keep that timpani confined to two notes, it seems like it's all over the place. Not needed if you can get the basses to play that quarter note ostinato in octaves.

The ending really needs a better timpani set and louder trombones.

Good work overall. Big improvement on your past movements too.

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