Review!

Hi Phil,
The melody you've written here is really lovely. Hearing it repeat many times in different instruments, I couldn't help feeling I might have liked you to vary it a little bit more. Even some small, almost arbitrary changes might make for a special moment which stands out.

The harmonies seem unsettled, ambiguous, and anxious. All the suspensions make me feel nervous and excited, although you linger (beautifully I might add) on some very lush chords for your strings. As none of the harmonies ever seem to reach consonance this track has the ability to loop easily. But you've marked this as a "miscellaneous song" which suggests that you want it to stand alone as a piece--if this is the case, I think it might be very satisfying to end with a slow, deliberate Eb major chord (which I more or less came to expect... and never got!). Also, I agree with what David said about the low end, and want to add a suggestion: perhaps you could save the really powerful low notes until the second half of the track. I think this might give the ending a sense of purpose and inevitability... two attributes from which I think this music could benefit!

Nice work

You've got a nice piece here, Phil. Very atmospheric sounding - would do great on a newage soundtrack!

Your sound samples are passable, but I think you'd do well to purchase something of higher quality such as Garritan Personal Orchestra (a moderate step up), or something like VSL Special edition/EWQLSO Gold (both a large step up). Your budget will speak for itself, but it will reflect well in your music.

Also consider doing a little EQ work. Most of the instruments sounded very thin and airy - which is suitable for the atmosphere you set. However - you're severely lacking your low end, which is an important element and tool you can use to shape your piece. I firmly believe that even ambient and ethreal music (like this) should still have a progression. You have just shy of 3 minutes of material, but at the end of the piece I wasn't quite where I was. There is some development of the theme you introduce at the beginning throughout - but I think you're only sratching the surface of what you can do. It's a very pretty theme - don't be afraid to play with it!

All in all a nice piece of work, hopefully I gave you a couple of thinking points (if nothing else). You have a good feel for the orchestra - make it do what you want it to.

5/5
David

This is...

REALLY GOOD! I love it. I a fan of orchestra type music obviously :D