Honestly I don't find it that bad.

Well what I meant is this:

You should have things technically correct as far as timings and harmonics, etc.  But, as far as following a certain genere or classical style like a prelude or a fugue or whatever... you know what I mean.  Don't be afraid of trying new things and mixing weird sounds or ideas into your music.   

Don't worry, I understood exactly what you meant, and I agree 100%. However, I still maintain that although you don't have to follow a traditional approach to composition or arrangement, if you don't know what the tradition is, then you are trying to re-invent the wheel.

Oh, I really like those "religious" wars on questions "which music is music" etc.

Since you don't apear to have an answer on your question (as far as your were not just fishing for compliments), so let's try this one:

I think there might have been a misunderstanding on the remarks you got from the first listeners and your own judgement:

What the people hear (as far as I am concerned and what was said before) is a cover version that does not sound "odd" - just like something extremely relaxed - which COULD have been your intention - the style of the vocal track fits OK to the "backgroundish" - why not doing it all with pad-like "strings" and "woods".

But maybe you had a different approach to this song originally: If you wanted something like DM's "Little 15" (album "Music for the Masses") or even the final part of their "Home" (Album "Ultra"), you will have to arrange VSL in quite a different way.

Try to use compression as insert on every single VSL voice for a start and experiment with attack / decay controls - those chorus effect things make the sound "broad" on the one hand, but there is no "bite" any more on the other. You can imagine: What's James Bond wothout attack? (Yes, I'm thinking of that great "Die Another Day" string samples!). Holy compressor!

The other thing is arrangement, of course. If you want orchestral manoevers (not only in the dark), try to arrange a sting quartet for a start (imagine "Eleanor Rigby" (Beatles) background sting quartet: They do bite!), and learn to use quartet sounds in backgrund and how they change the expression of your song in contrast to a full- blown-and-hard-to-mix-into-pop-symphony-orchestra. Quartets like to "move" and not not "pad".

And for the pizziato stuff, see how e.g. ENYA is doing it to make it move (if you Americans know her anyway  ).

Of course one can spend thousand of years until symphonic sounds fit to electronic or pop music like Mike Batt or Alan Parsons do.... Still you could of course leave yourself to your own devices and make some more "relaxed" works... there is nothing wrong about - not every CD is the right a ambience for your tea time

My opinion: At least the instrumental in the third minute could really take a slight takeoff to keep the listeners attention unbroken. "You gotta move it, move it!"

Ah yes - and there is something irritating with the very second chord... But maybe this is what it should be and it is all a matter of taste and religion...

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to listen and their comments and suggestions. I realize that a majority of VSL users do it for scoring and more classical arrangments (and i  myself have recently gotten my first film-scoring job, too!!!) But in the "Pop" realm of music (and i use that term to encompass EVERYTHING , not just top40 radio, but  modern "songwriter/ verse-chorus/ songs less than 6 minutes long" type music) has had a good amount of Orchestral arrangements in them. From smashing pumpkin, to aphex twin, to the Verve, to Pink Floyd, to Dead Can Dance (the list goes on) i feel there is a considerable amount of popular rock/pop music that has incorporated orchestration, who have influenced me a great deal.

Every musician has his style. me having grown up on 80's new wave, can not exorcise the origins which subconciously became the roots of influence in me from a very early age. Hence, i do what i do best and what comes most naturally. And although to many i am sure it sucks, and to others i am sure it is repulsively juvenile and uncultured, still i feel im at least moderate at what i do; and thankfully  i at least have discerning enough tastes to search after unique as well as elite sound material to try and make my music sound as good as i can.

Im babbling... what was my point>? well, anyhow... expect more of this non-classical rubbish to come from me in the near future... ;)

thanks again, friends...

>michael 

Sounds very good !

Cool! I like it. I've only heard one or two Depeche Mode songs, and neither were Enjoy the Silence. But nevertheless, this is a cool rendition. If you consider this to be bad, then chances are you'd take a drill to the ears if you heard my stuff. (btw, I really liked Our Secret Blood)