The Tide Has Turned

Long time no see, YC!

Here is something I started a few days ago. How am I doing? Anything that could use improvement? Any idea on what I should do next (though it's not my prime concern)?

I'm sorry I cannot provide a score at this time, but maybe soon. I have (since recording) removed the Piano and given its motif to a Marimba, as well as other things. I will post an update sometime soon.

untitled1.mp3 - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

I'll start of by asking if you could please post a score.

I definitely enjoyed the opening and that carol of the bells-like theme that is soon introduced, don't know if you would want to organize it more..it seems that you have a certain style in your compositions this wild not necessarily unorganized..but wild and dark feeling within your works. If there is anything I would have to suggests, I would say to ensure that you end the piece major..or atleast major sounding..it would actually fit will with the title. I must say though, i did think that woodwind entrance at :41 was a bit loud actually, but overall i thoroughly enjoyed this piece :thumbsup:

1. What is the instrumentation for this piece?

2. How long did it take to compose..and if you aren't uploading the score, what's the key?

Aha! I managed to get the score off my Backup Files folder, so it is now attached.

Hm. I never thought about that. I feel That it's organized. I have some things that I use, passing them from instrument to instrument to create interest. Perhaps a look at the score will help give you an idea behind the meaning of your description. I'm curious to see what makes this feel "wild," as you called it. :)

It is my hope that this piece will evolve to the point where it will attempt to end in a major key, but having never finished something like this, I will do my best to try. ;)

Yeah, thank Kontakt Gold for that Oboe volume! Sorry about that. :D

1. The instrumentation for this recording is Symphony Orchestra, plus a Piano. It was all I could do to keep from adding a Harp.

... either that or I ran out of staves on my paper. :P

2. This actually took me a surprisingly short amount of time... two hours? I started on paper, and I moved to the comp after thirty minutes and worked from there. As you will now see, the key is E-flat minor.

The Tide Has Turned Recording Version.pdf

Very nice! I'm a fan of anything that opens with a horn melody!! All I can say is this: when i close my eyes and listened to this, I felt like a movie was about to start! Would you like to be called Danny Elfman or John Williams? Excellent!

Thanks Sam! That was the idea of this. I felt I was long overdue for a movie theme, so that is what I wrote.

I would much prefer to be called Eric Korngold. ;)

I am working on the transition I have in mind as we speak.

It would fit into a movie well, like you said. The orchestration is nice, and the piano/marimba motif holds the section you posted together well, imo. It's tonal, but not the way I usually think of when I think "tonal," which is baroque diatonic tonality lol. The piece has that epic feel about it that a lot of film scores have. XD I'd like to see it again when you have more of it done.

I'm glad this is getting good marks! Thanks for the comments everyone!

I am going to post the next section right now, as soon as Box.net uploads my file. In the meantime, let me explain some things I have changed now.

In order to accommodate the possible performance of this piece by a local Youth Orchestra, I am changing the Piano to a Marimba.

On the first repeat of the melody, I have arranged the percussion to give the section the feel of a sort of "gallop." Tell me what you think!

I have added some Cymbal crashes (thank heavens!), but unfortunately I still don't have a suspended cymbal sound like I want. I can't wait until I get enough money for GPO!

Enough rambling. Here it is!

... I don't really like the way this recording mixed. I hope it's all right...

Orchestral Piece.mp3 - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

Alan

Orchestral Piece1.pdf

As I was listening to your piece, I got the most hilarious yet interesting impression of it breaking into an insane metal riff... I don't know why lol.

As for the piece, it's off to a great start! I will say that somewhere along the way, the overall sound should become more full, because right now it is a tad hollow sounding, if you know what I mean. I like it though! It sounds like a good soundtrack to a video game. :)

(By the way, your updated link isn't working. The one in the above post)

I will say that somewhere along the way, the overall sound should become more full, because right now it is a tad hollow sounding, if you know what I mean.

Actually, I don't know what you mean. I'm trying to think of what you are implying... do you mean more full as in slower and more beautiful, as oppose to the fast nature of the section you have heard?

(By the way, your updated link isn't working. The one in the above post)

I will try posting it on Box.net again and see if it will work better.

*Screams at the thought of Box.net's upload speed*

Thanks for commenting!

Alan

PS- LOL, a metal riff? Please; I have never written Rock, nor do I intend to. :thumbsup:

I am beginning to like your compositional style..you have improved quite a bit, your organization and progressions have improved as well. I love the use f that solo woodwing towards the end..still I have only one comment...try if you can to put the meoldy into Major, I think it'll be fitting for a finale or something like that anyway. Please continue to update..

Thanks for your comment Roman! I appreciate it a lot!

If you could hear, I have an E-flat diminished chord, which will lead straight to my new melody in B-flat Major.

As soon as I can think of it. :P

Thanks for commenting as always!

Alan

towards the end you mean? I'll have to see how you'll pull that off..I shall view the score..:)

What I meant by full is more instrumentation and harmony in areas. Right now, it feels like there are some empty areas... that's what I meant by hollow. That's the only thing I would change.

(And the metal riff was just a quirk of my imagination, lol)

:)

Jiar- OK, I get that now. I find that rather funny since most times I am only a single section away from a full tutti. I'll take a look though. ;)

Thanks for the continuing comments!

Alan

I have the same problem a lot of the time with my orchestral stuff. Even when everybody's in it sounds a little hollow. I don't have the score, but it seems like a lot of your parts are simply doubled. You obviously want more instruments on strong thematic material, but it's almost too focused on the melody at some spots. It might just be your recording though; it seems to be balanced a little strangely. :shifty:

I love the piece though. You have some cool stuff going on. :)

P J- That was DEFINITELY the recording! Now that I hear that I am certain that it was the recording. I think that is what it was.

And as for the doubling, I don't really have much. I have harmonies that follow it, and the Strings and WW's are holding chords (minus the motif). By looking at the score it looks quite full, so I'm just about certain that the problem is in the recording. I SUPPOSE I could master it with Adobe... ;)

Thanks for the comments!

Alan