Superb is all i can say really.
The beat is solid and the instruments all sound pretty good. I think i recall renting that game once but it was so long ago that i don't remember any of it.
The only thing that i'd change in this piece is the long silence at the end. I think it could be a little bit shorter. The rest is simply fantastic.
There isn't really much more that i can say here except for good work, keep it up. And thanks for dropping by my page and leaving me a review.
Actually, This isn't attached to the old RPG game, The first time I heard about it was from you now.
This IS my own work.
Anyways, Thanks for all your feedback.
Apprieciated.
Christian S (Arbiter)
very professional!
Sorry for not getting back to you so late :P
I really like this a lot. Your string samples are pure amazement, and the sound quality just blows me away. The part near the end where the strings do that thing that they do.. hmm. I would call it an orchestra hit if it was crappy, but it isn't. I think you might know what i'm talking about. Sounds very much like a lot of soundtracks that I listen to. Great job, I think you'll do well here. Keep up the awesome work!
~cornandbeans
(thanks for the review as well :D)
Weird you should say so, because this isn't one of my professional songs.
This is merely doodling around making soundtrack to fit my novel.
I thank you for your comment on the soundquality, as it's a very time-requiring process which I happened to use alot of time at.
It's actually an Orchestra hit, but a conducted one instead of a sampled one.
Thanks, and I hope I will do good here.
Best of Wishes, Chris.
Well done.
Hey man, thanks for your review.
Lots of things have been said about this already, it's definitely a strong piece.
I must agree with DavidOrr though - it doesn't really progress, which to me kind of degrades it to Heroes of Might and Magic style battle music. I say "degrade", not because HOMM battle music isn't awesome and cleverly made, but because you clearly have the talent and the equipment at your disposal to make music that speaks more for itself.
The melody is good, try using that as a theme and make different variations. Different in dynamics, in harmonies, in instrument configuration (damn, I wish I could write my reviews in Dutch)... you'll end up surprising yourself and you'll have a lot of fun, too!
I'm listening to "Dark winds" now, basically the same story... it sounds awesome and you have a great way of arranging, a definite knack for orchestral percussion, and a tendency to write heroic melodies a la (quote DavidOrr again) Hans Zimmer. Just work on the overall development of a tune.
Both fifened!
No, thanks for YOUR review.
I do actually agree, It doesn't progress as it's the effect I wanted on this song, (besides, I'm lazy) Though, I do agree this song tend to get boring after a while.
I'll probably be using some themes in my next song which should be up in some time.
This tends to get old, but Thanks for your comments, they are all read and apprieciated, and you have all valid points that shall be put into consideration.
Best of Wishes, Chris.
Incredible!
Hello _Arbiter_ I see you are a new comer to the portal like myself. I hope you won't take TOO much of the spotlight now, leave the other people some light ;).
Anyways onto the review.
I think this song can be cut up into 3 segments, the intro, the sad middle, and then of course, our finale.
My first comment goes to those low contrabass spiccato's you have stabbing away at the very beginning with the determined, yet simple percussional beat. That sole tremelo strings was a good way to introduce the song.
When 0:15 comes in, you introduce the choir to us. Now I love choirs, choirs and bells are my fetish. I can't live without them, and yet people seem to be able to do the same... crazy people.
Anyways, I feel the choir, though effective in its own style, was a tad bland. I would have preferred to hear a countermelody choir on top of that, perhaps in another octave, depicting both sides of war. The fear, the bold determination, and above all that, the firey rage.
No at 0:35 you bring in those chords. Oh those glorious chords. I found them very moving, so alone, and yet it was the fact they were so alone that gave them that power. That power of loss, of hesitance. Those slowed, drums really gives the thought of powerless struggle, as if they were thrown into a fight they could not escape. Effective.
My only thoughts concerning this segment, is perhaps joining those chords with an equally lonely instrument. I feel the addition of a high octaved flute, gently weaving itself with those chords (or just really using the prime notes of those chords), may have furthar pushed that feeling.
Leaving that behind, lets talk a bit about after wards. 1:04 you bring in some crazy epic strings. This is the very soul of the piece, I absolutely adored it, and wish you had extended that part. maybe loop it again and add in a French Horn section? I just think the French Horns and Epic strings go together very well.
I love the percussional work, now I felt that the percussonal works with those clangy metal hits made it feel like a very industrial feel. As if Lothian was a kingdom, a very powerful kingdom, preparing for some really rightous ass whoopage.
Whoo, long review. I hope you find some of this helpful, or at least amusing ^^.
With all that said. 5/5 from me _Arbiter_, keep them coming.
I'm indeed new, and you seem to be doing rather well yourself compared to alot of other artists, but let's see the rest of your review.
The tremolo was actually meant as a builder of tension at the beginning, only to be "Overpowered" by the percussionals, drawing the attention to that.
0:35, Alot of work put into those strings. I hope that the rest of the people liked them.
1:04; I introduced the C-Minor and the F-Minor (Inversed). (I think that was what I used)
They were there to create a certain "drive", and I see your points of the choir, and respect them.
But I felt that it's simplicity was actually something required to keep alot of the feel of that moment.
I only like the "clangy metal hits" at the end.
Thanks for your review, this took time to write, so I can understand your time was much put into this.
All comments apprieciated, this one above alot of others.
With best of Wishes, Chris.
Hahaha
I was half expecting this to be a Pirates of the Carribean spin, the beginning had me thinking "Oh great, here we go". You possess some of the same qualities as Hans Zimmer, but have your own style, too. You certainly love the percussion, that's for sure.
My biggest issue with this piece is that it doesn't develop. I try to ask myself "Is the piece bringing the listener somewhere?". This would be perfect for an intro to a movie, or even a trailer (if made slightly more intense at the end, with a signature orchestral hit at the end, haha). At the end, I could see you going to a Bb major chord, with a choir in there, introduced by a suspended cymbal roll, and perhaps a tam-tam hit? Now I'm just telling you what I would have done though, that's not what reviews are really for.
Percussion still has that reverb a little strong, but not quite as heavy as Dark Winds. Still, I would follow the same advice and increase the reverb size, but dry it out almost completely.
Great work once again, I'm going to be checking for more stuff soon!
Now that our pal Winterwind has taken a stab at orchestral libraries, it couldn't hurt for me to make my guess, too :).
I'm thinking Reason Orkester, simply for marcato basses, the sound very much like your samples. And the percussion also sounds similar, but that may just be my ears. I am pretty certain it isn't East West Orchestral Samples or Garritan, but perhaps some Gigastudio package? I'm not too familiar with the "Giga-sound", so that is basically a complete guess. Whatever you use, your samples are alright, but your music could benefit from better ones.
Again, great work, I can't wait to hear more from you! I would check out Winterwind's stuff also if you havn't already. If you go and check the classical page, you will find all sorts of great arists there, it wouldn't hurt to take a look!
5/5
David Orr
www.davidorr.net