Recently with the OMG moment of Rebecca Black and the constant shitstorm of new and bad artists and shitty songs stacking onto eachother its a refreshing thing to hear an actually good(i mean awesome) song/track. Its really this great, i havent heard anything this good in a while!
The very beginning had a creepy feeling so i wasnt sure where the song was gonna go but then it turned into soothing track, i was amazed at this point. This song is very solid throughout, it has no so-called "boredom points" etc. where you lose intrest in the song for some time...
Im really digging the choice of the instruments, this should be in a really cool RPG game (something in ancient China or something :P), and back to the instruments, they all fit together very nicely.
One thing i would complain about would be the hats that hit too hard (one at 1:00) and it kinda breaks my listening for second...
Otherwise, im impressed, and im not easily impressed to be honest so good job!
There is future in you!!!!
10/10 5/5 -Minor Light
(PS! Review my song plz :P)
"Recently with the OMG moment of Rebecca Black and the constant shitstorm of new and bad artists and shitty songs stacking onto eachother its a refreshing thing to hear an actually good(i mean awesome) song/track. Its really this great, i havent heard anything this good in a while!"
Wow, thank you!
"The very beginning had a creepy feeling so i wasnt sure where the song was gonna go but then it turned into soothing track, i was amazed at this point."
Yeah I know the intro isn't exactly as uplifting as the rest of the track :P. It was Echo's idea to add the ambiance there at the beginning, and initially we had also thrown in a 'birds-chirping' effect at the beginning, but the person who was making the game didn't like them so we killed the introduction birds :3. But yeah it can be a bit misleading.
"This song is very solid throughout, it has no so-called "boredom points" etc. where you lose intrest in the song for some time..."
That's great to hear! I always try my best to make sure there's enough variety to keep the listener interested.
"Im really digging the choice of the instruments, this should be in a really cool RPG game (something in ancient China or something :P), and back to the instruments, they all fit together very nicely."
Glad you liked the instrumentation! Like I said in the Author's comments, this was actually going to be in an RPG. We lost contact with the game artist for some reason though :S.
"One thing i would complain about would be the hats that hit too hard (one at 1:00) and it kinda breaks my listening for second..."
Oops lol. We tried to make that transition all epic and stuff so we might've made the reverse cymbal/cymbal hit a bit too loud. Can't change it now though - I lost the project file...
"Otherwise, im impressed, and im not easily impressed to be honest so good job!
There is future in you!!!!
10/10 5/5 -Minor Light
(PS! Review my song plz :P)"
Thanks a lot for the supportive and lengthy review! I'll see if I can review back, although it's going to be a bit hard because I'm currently studying for my o-levels which means 11 subjects to study for...
Wow, this piece is so well mixed, it's like coming alive or something!
First off, those twinkly pads you used in the beginning remind me of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, yay! I won't bother to explain, but it's a good thing, I assure you.
The flute lead is very soothing, super job there.
The transitions are so fluid, and they do their job wonderfully.
All the percussion gives the lower end a cool, solid foundation, which really gives the track some substance.
The guitars sound really nice, I gotta check those out as well.
Overall, I'm gettin' a "Lion King" kinda feel from this song, which is strange because I never saw any of those movies >__< but I imagine that's what they'd be like. Keep up the good work; I'm happy to drop by and leave a review anytime.
Thanks for reviewing! I can always count on you for a detailed review with helpfulness and short paragraphs of course.
"Wow, this piece is so well mixed, it's like coming alive or something!"
IT LIVES!!! :D
"First off, those twinkly pads you used in the beginning remind me of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, yay! I won't bother to explain, but it's a good thing, I assure you."
I never really played Metroid before so I can't relate to what you're saying, but if it's a good thing, then thanks I guess!
"The flute lead is very soothing, super job there."
So that makes 2 votes for me to leave it in the song as it is and 2 votes for me to take it away or change it :P.
"The transitions are so fluid, and they do their job wonderfully."
Thanks, glad you like them! I'm always happy when I see that people enjoy the transitions I make :3.
"All the percussion gives the lower end a cool, solid foundation, which really gives the track some substance."
Great! I was worrying that the percussion was a bit too bassey, actually.
"The guitars sound really nice, I gotta check those out as well."
Yeah, they're quite realistic. By the way, here are some free guitar libraries for Kontakt if you have it: http://www.pettinhouse.com/html/downl oad.html
I didn't use them in this song but I used them in others (like my song Dancing Flame if you remember it) and they sound excellent. Just thought I'd mention them in case you didn't see me link to them before in Dancing Flame's Author's Comments :P.
"Overall, I'm gettin' a "Lion King" kinda feel from this song, which is strange because I never saw any of those movies >__< but I imagine that's what they'd be like. Keep up the good work; I'm happy to drop by and leave a review anytime."
Thanks man, I'm really grateful for that. Glad you liked the song!
"I AM THE KING OF SHORT PARAGRAPHS RAWR"
YEAH WELL I AM THE KING OF QUOTING YOUR SHORT PARAGRAPHS AND RESPONDING TO THEM RAAAAAAWR.
Wow, I'm flabergasted by what I'm hearing, I honestly wasn't expecting something nearly as good when I clicked your link on the RRC!
It's got a classic 80's feel with the sound quality and the choice of instruments, I wouldn't have chosen the pan flute for this, but it does really give a clear refference to that era.
Speaking of wich I should mention that the song is awefully similar to Vangelis' style, more precisely this very song : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYeDsa 4Tw0c
I guess it's ok, just sayin', and it IS one of Justin's favorite composers afterall...
Next on the list is the most evident I believe, The song either ends too abrubtly or, in my opinion, is simply not long enough. The last idea you had was great and could have been much more developped, perhaps by adding more instruments, mostly brass (but then that's just my biased opinion :P) to really bring the song to a climax.
But as a concession to that very thesis, I've got alot to learn from you in orchestration, as you've mastered the art of manipulating themes in such ways that you can use a basic melody and devellope it through an array of instruments.
I myself am going to get myself a book on the subject you might be interested in, Samuel Adler's Study for Orchestration, wich explains in detail everything you need to know about every orchestral instrument and theoretical composing.
Second to last point: Choice of instruments. While most of your choices I approved, some are in my opinion open for discussion, and I'm mostly speaking about the pan flute.
I'm thinking that you enjoy the pan flute (having put some in our collab), and I'm fine with that, but I find it's use in this song a bit incoherent, in the way that the approach you used felt more like one of a normal flute, wich then have been much more lyrical, instead of the straightforward approach of the pan flute.
The instrument that most tired me thought is the "exotic drums" you used. Being a latin drummer myself (amongst a few other things), it really tires me to hear the western conception of that very drumming, and I can't help but feel the need to make them take consciouseness of their misconceptions.
the djembe sounds you use are used as tenor drums, and the bongos are used as high-pitched drum-rolls, and are simply not used at their full potentials.
You can always PM me (or just call me, you know the drill) if you want any info, I'd be glad to help!
And finally, last point : choice of chords. I must say, never in my life would I have thought the most overused chord progression in the last 40 years could possibly sound so fresh used in a completely different context! Seriously, if it wasn't for the fact that guitars plucked those chords in the beggining, I would never have thought it out, and overall it simply sounds great.
Still, it really is the most overused chord structure ever used, so I don't really suggest straying along those lines for too long, espetially considering the classical nature of the song.
Wow, that was a ridiculously long review that lasted my entire evening... Oh well, gotta love helping out fellow composers, and YOU are most certainly worth that time!
Once again, congratulations for making such a great track, and work on those endings!
Wow dude, this is one of the largest reviews I've ever received. That makes two massive reviews after one day. That's awesome, so THANKS!
I'd do my usual 'quote paragraph 1 - respond - quote paragraph 2 - respond' style of responding to reviews but your review is just too darn big :P. I'll quote certain parts of it then...
OK... so... where to start.
...
That's not how you spell flabbergasted xD.
But thanks. I rarely request in the club but when I do I make sure it's one of my best.
"I wouldn't have chosen the pan flute for this"
Yeah, that's the thing... Some people like the pan flute in here and some people don't. I pretty much only used it to carry a melody in certain parts and since I use flutes too much I thought it's a good idea to go for a pan flute instead :P. In any case I can't really change anything in this song because I lost the project file, even though all of these helpful reviews are making my gut instincts literally scream at me to edit this track.
"Speaking of wich I should mention that the song is awefully similar to Vangelis' style"
Cool, I'm being compared to Vangelis :D.
Yeah I noticed the approach is quite similar actually.
"The song either ends too abrubtly or, in my opinion, is simply not long enough."
I agree that it definitely needs to be longer, but hey, Echo and I had to make this for a game which required like 20-30 songs like this so cut us some slack xP. I ended it like that because I had to make it loop with the ambiance at the beginning, and I couldn't think of any other way, except by just slapping on a fade-out.
"perhaps by adding more instruments, mostly brass"
Psh, says the trumpet player :P.
"I've got alot to learn from you in orchestration, as you've mastered the art of manipulating themes in such ways that you can use a basic melody and devellope it through an array of instruments."
That's exactly what makes this song stand out from my other songs in my opinion. It's a good thing Echo and I used so many instruments to keep the melody going or this would no doubt become repetitive.
"While most of your choices I approved, some are in my opinion open for discussion, and I'm mostly speaking about the pan flute."
Yeah, the pan flute... I think some people might not like it because of the sample we used. I have a better sample as a soundfont and an even better one in Ethnoworld 3, but like I said, I can't really edit this track :C.
"the approach you used felt more like one of a normal flute"
I see what you mean. Generally whether I'm using a flute or a pan flute I still compose the same way, which is a bad habit I guess lol.
"The instrument that most tired me thought is the "exotic drums" you used."
Yeah I'm no export at using exotic drums and all that stuff. I'll have to message you on MSN (if I ever find the time to sign in...) so you can help me out on that, if it's OK with you.
"I must say, never in my life would I have thought the most overused chord progression in the last 40 years could possibly sound so fresh used in a completely different context!"
Haha, it was Echo who wanted to use that chord progression. He was all excited because we managed to make an overused chord progression fit well in a song like this, and whenever we joke around and I tell him that it was my editing which made the song so good he'd say 'no it wasn't, it's my chord progression' xD.
But OK I have to admit that if it wasn't for Echo this wouldn't be nearly as good as it is.
"Still, it really is the most overused chord structure ever used, so I don't really suggest straying along those lines for too long"
Got it, I'll keep that in mind.
"Wow, that was a ridiculously long review that lasted my entire evening..."
Wow man, I really appreciate that. Thanks!
"Once again, congratulations for making such a great track, and work on those endings!"
Will do. Thanks a million for such an awesome review, I'll keep all of your suggestions in mind! Thanks again!
Oh and in case you didn't get the five times I already told it to you, THANKS!! :D.
This song is very relaxing, and I really love the pan flute. It adds more ambience to... wait... ambient! I would put this song in Ambient genre... Well, that's not important.
This is definitely going to be in my favorites. Downloaded to add it to my playlist (because I need some chill-out music, since my playlist is filled with madness-like songs, punk rock, and industrial...)
Voted with 5 / 5. And thanks for telling me about it. You and Echo did a great job. ;)
"This song is very relaxing, and I really love the pan flute. It adds more ambience to... wait... ambient!"
:D
Actually some people don't like the pan flute and others do. Can't please everyone I guess.
"I would put this song in Ambient genre... Well, that's not important."
Yeah I hate it when people give low scores just because the name or genre of a song is badly chosen.
"This is definitely going to be in my favorites. Downloaded to add it to my playlist (because I need some chill-out music, since my playlist is filled with madness-like songs, punk rock, and industrial...)"
Ah well I'm glad that you like this even though you're used to hearing those type of songs ^^.
"Voted with 5 / 5. And thanks for telling me about it. You and Echo did a great job. ;)"
