pirate theme-rejected sketch

another failure to satisfy the client...

i think the last part was too funky rhythmically, or it might be something else too, love to hear comments gangs...

http://www.box.net/shared/sluf6nhzmx

this took me exactly 4 hours from scratch, compose and record.

Im loving the little motif in the beginning. Well done! You definitely are capturing the PoTC sound. Staccato notes with the tom tom hits and crashes placed here and there. Nice. It sounds great, but it just doesn't sound that 'pirat-y'. The choral shouts bring some of the style in, but the melody just isn't quite there. I wish I can help you, but I believe the 'pirate scale' is using just old fashioned minor and major scales.

For a piece on its own, it rocks!

indeed a minor major(which i used lol)! this is the first time i've ever composed something like that, but no excuses. i went through your pieces jon, (needless to say they still excite me-what energy!) i heard alot of counterpoint also in the main themes, kinda when the long notes stay the other voice moves(otherwise its too complex to listen if they both move).

i'll probably have to sit down without the pressure and figure out the correct feel, but you give me alot of inspiration :P

i have alot more to say about this, choral is too simple etc.. but i'm glad someone like it at least so thanks jon ;)

You know what I think the problem is? You were too influenced by the standard that Klaus And Hans set in the PotC franchise. To me the score to the PotC doesnt sound very piraty at all. I love it, but sometimes it just doesn't make me think of ships, ocean and stuff that go along with pirates. There are some good ones like the first part of Drink Up me Hearties but the rest not so much. I think you need some exotic instruments, those evil male choirs (monks? You have them in voices of the apocalypse I think), lots of brass, brass with choirs makes me instantly think of the ocean for some reason. And of course the melody... the hardest thing in this business, coming up with a good melody, sometimes it can take days... but u just need to have it, there's no other way around it.

It's a good piece, but it does lack some piratishness to it.

I once heard that a lot of pirate sounding music (arrr me hearties) comes from the dorian mode. That might kinda go with what adamich said cause the dorian mode is like the minor scale except with a sharped 6th so there could be a minor feeling with the 6th offering a majorish tinge???

I hope that's helpful and not nonsensical.

I like the piece too. I think the problem here is melody don't stick with the harmony. I would modify to melody.

Well the colors are very good. But it is OVERORCHESTRATED. I think Jem's terse comment points to it. The harmonic - melodic relation is blurred by that great rhythmic figure reminiscent of Holst's Mars and the overly thick brass - and even the low men's voices though a good idea I think get lost in the mix at times. You need to learn how to thin out your tuttis and plan in advance your employment of the choirs.

ON another point - the rhythmic figure implies a large organized and formidable force. Pirates band in small groups, very independent and suspicious of each other. Let us say you had a movie where say a group of former pirates transcend their suspicions for a greater cause (think of later in Lawrence of Arabia) then this music would be great (well you'd have to make the last gesture heard a bit longer with greater build. So, I think you were close to getting the pirate feel but your overly thick orchestration and the lack of nuance in the mood (you basically thought - pirates - terrors of the sea) could have hamstrung you. Possibly the vague reference to Holst's Mars has been used often so the client may have been looking for something a little different (but usually clients do not have such musical knowledge of classical works).

Good stuff mate. Pirates certainly did not pop into my head whilst listening to this. For some strange reason it reminded me of the cool Saturday morning cartoon themes that I always loved to watch (Conan the Adventurer's opening theme is still one of my favs). It kept screaming 'adventure' instead of 'pirates' for me at least. I really liked it though !

Good stuff mate. Pirates certainly did not pop into my head whilst listening to this. For some strange reason it reminded me of the cool Saturday morning cartoon themes that I always loved to watch (Conan the Adventurer's opening theme is still one of my favs). It kept screaming 'adventure' instead of 'pirates' for me at least. I really liked it though !

thanks!