To Boldly Go (Star Trek reference)

[Paul McGraw]

It has been about 9 or 10 months since I started work on "A Summer Symphony." Finally, the composition and an acceptable (to me) midi-performance are finished. So now here is the final movement, which is all about the end of boyhood and embarking on the adventure that is adulthood!

 

@Another User said:

"A Summer Symphony" – Fond memories of summer days of youth and coming of age in the 1960s.

@Another User said:

Mvt. IV – To Boldly Go– "Star Trek" captured our imagination in 1966, the year I turned 13. It was a year of transition from boyhood toward becoming a young adult. The summer of my childhood ended, which seems sad in retrospect; but it also marked the beginning of new adventures and new personal frontiers to explore and experience. It was a time “to boldly go” where every man has gone before.

 

Hopefully, you will like this, but please comment, even if negative.

 

VIs used:

• Woodwinds - VSL (using MIR Pro Teldex)

• Brass - Berlin Brass

• Percussion - VSL (using MIR Pro Teldex)

• Strings - VSL Synchron Strings and Spitfire Symphonic Strings mixed 50/50

Here is a link to the score:

Score in PDF

 

https://soundcloud.com/paultmcgraw/mvt-iv-to-boldly-go

[crusoe]

Hi Paul,

Quite fabulous, if I may say so. I'm not familiar with Stark Trek series, perhaps the main motive is somehow related to it? It does create associations with some cinematic grandeur. I liked how you developed the main theme, and how you used brass instruments to assert their statement. It sounded very natural and believable musically.

About the MIDI performance. Brass and woodwinds were all spot on, zero complaints. Percussion is actually fine, too. I just paid less attention to it, because my attention was captured by everything else. Strings were very good, too, but if I'd give 10 for brass, 9 would go for strings. I'm guessing this was no simple matter to blend the two libraries the way you did (I don't have Spitfire). 

Even in the last, busy part of the piece where you've got heavy brass and strings going at the same time, they are very clearly audible on their own. You achieved that in part by panning, which did work out in all of the piece, in my opinion, but also the voicing is pronounced so that there's no problem in hearing everything. 

I also listened to the previous parts of this symphony, and this is, in my opinion, a culmination in every sense.

Anyway, really impressive work. I'll check the score later (many thanks for publishing it!), I'm interested in that loud ending in particular.

Cheers,

Crusoe.

[William]

That sounds excellent Paul!  Congratulations on getting the entire work finished.  

[stefan_telser]

Hi Paul

Very enjoyable piece. You really captured the spirit of the Star Trek motifs and their orchestral patterns beautifully und quite originally.

A few times I wished the dynamics where a bit stronger (e.g. after the intro at about 0:24).
I would consider to give the bass section a bit more Tuba and Bass Trombone Power in the forte sections.

But anyway. Fun to listen.

Best Stefan

[Paul McGraw]

Thank you, William. Your comments mean a lot to me.

Stefan, thanks for listening and for your comment, which intrigues me. I was worried that the mix might be bass heavy. I will have to relisten again, possibly with some different speakers. Thanks for your feedback.

Paul McGraw

[stefan_telser]

Hi Paul, the bass sections is certainly very prominent. For that matter I would have made it sometimes a bit more  brassy. The doublebasses seemed very dominant.  But I might be totally mistaken.

I will give it another listen tonight. Worth listening to anyway. Really enjoyed it, because it was so playfull with the whole Star Trek sound  world without getting cliche.

Stefan

PS

0:40 might have a bit more brass punch in my opinion.

[jasensmith]

Well Paul glad to see you completed your symphony.  9 or 10 months of work?  And here we thought computers and technology were going to make things go faster😕 yeah right.

Anyway, it's a beautiful piece full of dynamics and deep emotions to savior from start to finish.  As I was telling William about his Romantic Symphony it's pieces like his and, your Summer Symphony, that have put virtual orchestras on the map of serious music composition.  Let's hope the major players in this game can keep an open mind with regard to how folks like us express our musical ideas.

There was one thing in your piece that did bother me a little but it might have been my listening environment (my car) The timpanis seemed blury to my ears.  Like I could hear a rumble but no punch.  Unless that was intentional?

Virtual Orchestral percussion can be tricky and one trick I do is parallel compression or processing.  Basically, you copy the timpani track and mix it in dry with the wet one.  That will bring out more detail. Of course the timpanis will be louder so you'll have to link the two volumes together and reduce the gain considerably.

Thanks for posting.

[stefan_telser]

Hi Paul

it's a great peace and very well done. Sections like the ones in 0:50, 1:17, and 1:50 are so convincing (Hope I got the timemarkings right).

Sometimes I would consider doubling the melody of violins 1 with flutes (e.g. 1:50. or 2:20). If you haven't done so and I missed it. The Bass line sometimes a bit more rythmic and snappier with shorter notes and the supporting harmonic background a tad bit more present.

Hope I can listen to your symphony soon.

Best Stefan