Wow very nice

This is some really good stuff here the piano is amazing the quality is really good aswell, I love how calm this is its pretty amazing stuff, it does have a dark touch to it, so its a nice job welldone you really have some good depth into this one, so nice work indeed.

~~THINGS TO IMPROVE ON~~
Honestly this is awsome and does not need any changes at this time.

~X~

Official AIM2018 Review!

Can't tell if it's just me, or if your key synth in the intro has a really low 100 Hz or so hum on each attack. It gradually grows as sections get bigger. Sounds like reverb needs serious lo-cut.

As we progress, I find I really like the section up to the ritard. Changing up your instrumentation was a big leap of faith here, but I find it works, even though your synths ring pretty seriously outdated to my ear. I'm hearing what almost sounds like distortion in your low strings with each stab.

Arrangement definitely works. Technical aspects seem to be most of what's killing this piece. I'm actually surprised that East West sounds so machine gun. I may have to look into it myself. Meantime I'd recommend Synful Orchestra if you can score a copy. Much more natural.

Sounds also like a lot of reverb is clouding your mix. I'd say it could use some mastering compression too, but I'm aware cinematic doesn't always make much use of this, and film scores can be much more subtle.

Enjoyed this piece. Lack of variation aside, theme was clear, creepy, pounded home, and really matched your choice of artwork well. Nice work!

Thanks for turning out to the competition!

Definitely getting a pretty creepy vibe from this one. :) Love the strings, the slowness, the heavy steps in the background, the chorus, and just how everything builds up after that initial, softer, phase of piano. It's like walking through a house, and you start noticing something strange, something moving, some darkness closing in, and you start walking faster, and further, and the strangeness starts amounting and closing in on you... it really takes all of this at the right pace too. :) Feels larger than just the doll, like the image was just the first minute of this, and then it starts growing; going elsewhere, but I do love the mood! Classy haunted house vibes and a flawless orchestral build-up. It doesn't stress it either. It goes all the way, but then... bit anticlimatic end! Feels like there would've been room for something more there. Almost perfect. Good sound levels too.

-cd-

Awesome work man, Love the ominous feeling it gives off.

I like the ominous mood at the beginning. The melody at :12 is beautiful and haunting. The progression is a little slow after a while, though, and the texture remains pretty thin despite the reverb for the first minute. Once you add some of the lower frequencies at 1:03, the texture becomes much fuller and well-balanced. I liked the ritardando into 1:28, although I thought the decision to change up the instrumentation so significantly at 1:32 was a pretty risky decision compositionally. On the one hand, you’ve created a kind of variety in the texture that’s quite welcome, but you also haven’t done much in the second half to expand the harmonic themes of the piece imo. There is some additional counterpoint, of course, but overall I’m a little bit confused about the role of the sound design overhaul that occurs halfway through the piece. Excellent use of melodic content and progression within the two halves, though. I also didn’t notice any major problems with the mixing. Some of your orchestral samples during the latter half of the piece sound pretty inauthentic, notably the choir and the stringed instrument at 2:10. Overall, pretty solid work. I’m looking forward to seeing what else you come up with.

7.5/10