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  4. Captain's Excursion (scoring bundle) + new demo

  • Captain's Excursion (scoring bundle) + new demo

    G
    G
    last edited
    last edited

    This summer when I got back from vacation, I was looking for some inspiration to write something new, this demo is inspired from the trip.

    Captain's Excursion

    New demo added: Omen

    Instruments: Scoring Bundle
  • A
    A
    Wow....I have nothing to say except that this is by far the best demo of original music I've heard in a while. I just listened to it once...somehow reminded me of Saint Saens' Baccahale. Certainly of that class of a composition. But I will surely need to listen to it many more times before making more intelligent comments. This is even more amazing given I suppose you scored this almost impromptu! Just fantastic and inspiring. I can imagine leading orchestras could be interested in playing this work. The one comment I have is about the (at times) ' tinny' sounding strings. I know many people here including me have mentioned this problem before. But if even Guy Bacos has this problem too, VSL should do something about it, For such an amazing, near perfect library for classical music, why is it that we can't get more realism out of the strings when they are sustained or legato at high pitches? I do not believe they VSL samples are anything less than perfect, then why do we have this problem during performance? Cheers Anand
  • W
    W

    That is a nice piece, really well scored and orchestrated and with a huge amount of skill in the programming.  

    The high string problem mentioned is a result of sampling in general, not anything wrong with VSL samples.  All samples try to represent the entire range of the instrument with 100% accuracy.  However, when hearing a violin section in an orchestra, one does not hear that accuracy.  The fact is the violins have very low amplitude in the high range that dies out very quickly with distance, but this is never represented in samples because the engineers are doing everything in their power to capture everything the instruments do.  So there is an artificial heightening of amplitude in every sample of violins in the high range.  The solution is very easy - EQ the shit out of the high range.   Because that is the only way you will ever get sampled violins playing high to sound anything like live violins.  I was at an orchestra concert listening for this very phenomenon as a direct comparison with samples, and noticed to a shocking extent that the REAL violins were so dark, there was absolutely no comparison to sampled violins.  In reality violins never sound that bright and it is totally an artifact of the recording process that can be dealt with fairly easily.  Engineers may not like that extreme EQ because it is playing with their beautiful recordings of every frequency possibly produced by the instruments, but the reality of live performance is something very different. 
  • W
    W

    I don't mean to divert from the thread with that general discussion - it is a really great piece by Guy.  
  • Xander S.X
    Xander S.X

    I'm in awe. This is just wonderful. I'd give anything to have my strings sound like that. Great, great work, great composition, great mix!
  • A
    A
    William, what you are saying is very interesting, I didn't think before about the damping of high frequencies and how to would affect the listener sitting far away in the audience. Fascinating. In physics we call this the low pass filtering effect which happens for all natural phenomena. I am now tempted to model this, given my background in physics. Btw I don't feel this is entirely off topic as we did hear this issue in the piece. But that doesn't take away from the fact that this is an outstanding piece of music. Thank you Guy. Anand
  • G
    G

    Thanks a lot for your comments guys!

    I guess this piece would be program music. 

    About the string sounds (Appa strings) in certain passages, William makes some good points, but I think this was also attributed to me at the last minute boosting the overall vol sound, and in normal circumanstances, when I do this, I make adjustments here and there, to readjust to my ear. I confess, I could of spent a bit more time tweaking this.

    I appreciate the kind words, it was a fun playful piece to work on, glad you enjoyed it!
  • J
    J

    Hi Guy,

    Great composition. Is this a corrected recording? I can't hear any string problem. I would say that the string section is to my ears rather 'loud' in the mix. Not too much, but more than what I'm used to from you.

    Thanks for sharing,

    Max
  • G
    G
    last edited
    last edited

    Thanks Max! When I get a chance I'll tame a bit certain loud string sections.

    Meanwhille here is another demo for Scoring Bundle, more cinematuc genre:

    Omen
  • muziksculpM
    muziksculpM

    Hi Guy,

    Very well done.  Interesting compositions, and very nicely orchestrated.  

    Love the way the Synchron Perc. sounds. , but... Not too fond of the way the Stirngs sound in these tracks.  I find them harsh sounding/brittle.  I'm eagerly waiting for the release of VSL's Synchron Strings. I'm confident they will sound amazing !

    Cheers,

    Muziksculp 
  • J
    J

    Hi Guy,

     

    Omen is totally different, but a piece of art. Very nice orchestration and chords indeed. A pity that it is so short...

    Max
  • P
    P

    I truly enjoyed "Omen" and the mood created in that piece. It ended too soon. I want to hear more.
  • PaulP Paul moved this topic from Orchestration & Composition on