Music, please.

I’ve a whole backlog of String-y compositions that I’ve always avoided mocking up in virtual software instruments because I’ve never been able to get the Strings patches to sound right. Well I’ve been making friends with Logic Pro and the EXS24 instruments. I think it’s definitely getting there and would really appreciate some feedback from additional ears. I’ve been tweaking knobs and buttons for what seems like days now that I’m not sure I’m the most objective person when it comes to reviewing the results.

Anyway, here’s a little medley featuring bits of three compositions titled: The Story Begins; Arise, Sir and This Is Me.

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I write contrapuntally for parts so no block chords and most of the resulting harmony is a consequence of individual part-writing for the orchestra.

As an orchestral player I’ve really tried to use my experience of real orchestras to physically lay out my orchestra in sonic space. So if you were sitting in the audience listening to an orchestra in front of you, I’ve actually arranged the strings (from left to right):

Violins I (front left)
Violins II (mid left)
Cello (mid off-centre/right)
Violas (front right) and
Double Basses (far right, behind cellos and violas)

Physically this is a very common orchestra layout because you achieve the maximum sonorous and darker-tones of violas.

As usual. Comments, please.

Audio:

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Score:

Fire any questions and comments about this orchestration using the comments facility for this post.

Audio:

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Score:

Fire any questions and comments about this orchestration using the comments facility for this post.

So to kick things off, here’s the score for Mischief Managed.

Audio:

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Score:

Fire any questions and comments about this orchestration using the comments facility for this post.

I really do not know what’s wrong with me at the moment. I seem to have swallowed a happy pill by mistake. I can’t stop writing jolly music at the moment. Could this cue get any more infectious? Featuring sleigh bells; horses; chimes; things that go ting and other things that flutter – it’s all in here. Is it all too gratuitous? Leave comments and let me know.

Enjoy the moment while it lasts:

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I promise the next few posts are definitely going to feature compositions of much darker moods.

Along the same lines as Comedic Antics, I’ve revised the previous Mischief Managed cue to incorporate some more ideas.

Here is the revision:

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This is a cue intended for an animation with no dialogue. It is written and orchestrated in the ilk of the old Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes cartoons where the music is often required to carry the slapstick and plot forward.

By far the most frequent comment I get from visitors and those who lend me their ear is that my audio samples are too short and they want to hear longer developed pieces. For a number of reasons—usually down to time and the fact that many are simply exercises, these samples are kept short. That said, SMN required me to send a longer sample track for panel review so I revised Comedic Antics in to more of a ‘piece.

Here is the revision:

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In time, I’ll work out a way to incorporate some of my longer-format works, including music for concert platform into this blog. However, first things first, I need to better organise my audio player. Coming soon…