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  • Feedback on my music

    L
    L
    Hi,

    I have just purchased Opus 1 and currently waiting for it to be delivered, I would really appreciate any feedback on my music

    Many Thanks!

    Liam

    http://homepage.mac.com/liamboyle/FileSharing24.html
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    @Liam said:

    Hi,

    I have just purchased Opus 1 and currently waiting for it to be delivered, I would really appreciate any feedback on my music.Many Thanks!Liam



    So which of the seven tracks do you think is the best, Liam?
  • L
    L
    I think Never lose hope is probably the best but the styles do differ between tracks, so it depends on what you like, my frustration has been having quality sounds, hence the reason I purchased OPUS 1, I also need to work on my mixing skills, I have no musicial education and have learnt by ear over the years inspired by the likes of Hermann, Howard Shore, Williams, etc.

    Any tips would be welcome
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    @Liam said:

    I have no musicial education and have learnt by ear over the years inspired by the likes of Hermann, Howard Shore, Williams, etc.

    Any tips would be welcome


    Herrmann?!?!?!

    What sort of tips?
  • J
    J
    Maybe you should focus on more modulation.
  • L
    L
    Thanks I will, I now have the OPUS 1 and will post some new material soon
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    @Jaibulu said:

    Maybe you should focus on more modulation.


    That is certainly one way to change what you have already written, however, I think that the relatively simple music (and I mean no disrespect) that you are producing needs very careful mixing. Sometimes the most simple ideas work extremely well, but only if the production values are high enough. I'm sure that you will notice an immediate improvement with better samples.

    DG
  • G
    G
    I'm not going to be too technical in my mini-review of your stuff - as I'm a 20 year old student still learning my trade! But I'll just give you some opinions - and pass on some stuff I've been taught.

    1) Your blending of soundworlds together is good (it sounds good).
    2) One of the guys above said modulate (this is something I was told by my tutor last year as well!) and I agree to one extent - but you don't have to modulate in everything you write.
    3) In your electronic pieces - (it may be me after a LONG day in the studio) but your drum & guitar parts sound over-compressed and in some of your pieces they appear a little bit too far back.
    4) You have battle pieces - INVEST IN NSG STORMDRUM (my favourite sample library). It costs £250 and for the work it sounds like you're doing - you'd benefit enormously.
    5) Melodies - some of your electronic riffs are great (I quite liked the one about 2:20 into your Matrix piece) - but in terms of melody - there doesn't seem to be a particularly strong one in the 5 pieces that I've listened to. If a prospective employer looks at that selection - he might ask 'Yeah, but where's the tune." - I know not all of those pieces are designed to have tunes. But your Never Lose Hope - is supposed to be a theme - and the melody just doesn't sound strong enough.
    6) If you have the money - get a sound engineer to mix your stuff - it's worth it (if you know a good sound engineer - I just use the university sound engineer)
    7) Work on different chord progressions - study some jazz harmony - it will help enormously. Your work seems to go as far as 7ths with tonal harmony, and then nothing in between before we get to dissonance. I'm similar to you in that respect but look around the different chords and your work will improve enormously.

    I hope I wasn't too patronising. Overall - I liked your stuff - for having no musical education it's pretty impressive. Mixing skills are acquired with time. I'm rubbish at mixing - I'm getting better all the time - but not good enough at the moment.

    One more thing - it sounds like you're using software synths for some of your sounds. I would HIGHLY recommend getting one or two hardware synths (Novation Supernova II /Access Virus / Korg MS-2000) - there's something distinctly powerful about those hardware synths that I just love. I also use Absynth as well - but mainly for pads & FX.

    Hope all this helps. I will be ordering VSL Pro Edition when my new laptop computer eventually gets here (only another 33 days to go).

    Best wishes.

    Gareth C
  • L
    L
    Gareth,

    Many Thanks for your advice!!

    Liam
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