Non-Guitar Centric Music

Clarky

Snap said:

@clarky hi mate, how's it going? The New year will see a full home studio clear out and reset. Getting a new PC, streamlining and tidying my kit and set up. Looking forward to it, and not looking forward to it at the same time!

haaa... that is so cool...
I know what you mean though.. can look like a bit of a mountain to climb..

the reason I'm not posted new music in here is that all of my most recent media music briefs and been band format music..
Funk, Ska, Rockabilly, Stoner, Blues
the last orchestral pieces I did were the nature documentary pieces I posted yonks ago..
and my next big studio job [which has been on hold for too many years] will be my next album..
that'll be prog rock.. will have a few nice synthy moments in there though which I can post clips of..
so it may be a little while before my next orchestral piece..

Snap

All cool then Clarky.

Clarky

Snap said:

All cool then Clarky.

so... although I've not done any orchestral stuff for a while..
Santa Crimbo is getting me the Native Instruments Symphony Series Orchestral Percussion

Snap

oh that will be nice. V cool set of kit.

I bought the Ultimate 11 upgrade about 18 months ago, and STILL haven't installed it!!!!

Clarky

Snap said:

oh that will be nice. V cool set of kit.

I bought the Ultimate 11 upgrade about 18 months ago, and STILL haven't installed it!!!!

you may want to start downloading that now if you want it before 2020 cos it'll take a while.. lol

Snap

I did this simple track with the aim of it being a romantic, gentle piece, written with a particular sentiment. Thoughts appreciated! I'd like to make it part of a series, hence the number 1

Clarky

Snap said:

I did this simple track with the aim of it being a romantic, gentle piece, written with a particular sentiment. Thoughts appreciated! I'd like to make it part of a series, hence the number 1

very cool... lovely vibe....
times like that when CS2 strings coming in and some high French Horns would be beautiful too..

Snap

@Clarky thanks. Maybe some horns/strings in the second piece then! Wondering whether I do it in the same key, or a related one?

Clarky

Snap said:

@Clarky thanks. Maybe some horns/strings in the second piece then! Wondering whether I do it in the same key, or a related one?

I did a couple of atmospheric piano pieces with strings and Fr Horn...
I posted them in here too..
When Angels Sing on page 7 and Floating on page 8
note the absolutely enormous reverb on the piano.. lol

Snap

I'll have a listen, I remember those
Done track 2, you think there is too much bass on the mix? I'm not sure

Clarky

Snap said:

I'll have a listen, I remember those
Done track 2, you think there is too much bass on the mix? I'm not sure

not too much bass at all.. 
through my monitors it sounds lovely..
I like this one a lot

Snap

cheers Clarky, yeah, I'm pleased with it. Came out how I wanted it, which was fortunate as it was done in one take mostly. I added the synth after the main strings. The synth patch is quite warm and woolly so I was tweaking around 3-400 Hz to try to balance that, with a cut below 40 too. 

Now to think what to do for number III. Possibly some brass/woodwind. 

Clarky

Snap said:

cheers Clarky, yeah, I'm pleased with it. Came out how I wanted it, which was fortunate as it was done in one take mostly. I added the synth after the main strings. The synth patch is quite warm and woolly so I was tweaking around 3-400 Hz to try to balance that, with a cut below 40 too. 

Now to think what to do for number III. Possibly some brass/woodwind. 

when you're handling brass and winds together try to be mindful of parts occupying the same pitches
especially in the lower sections [tromb, Fr Horn, Contra Bassoon, Basson etc]
and them getting in the way of the bass instruments that are already there [synth, cello, contra bass etc]..
they don't play nice together

Snap

In the meantime, here is a cover of a New Order track I've started work on. At the moment, it's very much a demo to test out sounds, mix, parts etc. It will have a vocal, so at this stage is a bit repetitive. Pleased how it's going though. Vocal will be the acid test, that could easily be cocked up.

Not strictly guitar centric, but there is guitar and bass prominent. Lots of synth though.

Clarky

Snap said:

In the meantime, here is a cover of a New Order track I've started work on. At the moment, it's very much a demo to test out sounds, mix, parts etc. It will have a vocal, so at this stage is a bit repetitive. Pleased how it's going though. Vocal will be the acid test, that could easily be cocked up.

Not strictly guitar centric, but there is guitar and bass prominent. Lots of synth though.

I really like it except for the drums.. love the vocal line too.. beautiful..
I don't know the original so I can't compare etc.. but they [particularly the snare] sound a bit loose for my tastes [personal thing]..

Snap

hey no accounting for taste!! I really like the drums!! But now you've got me thinking...…..

The vocal in the intro is from Vocalise. Not used it for a long time, but it's a neat plugin. Certainly worth 40 odd quid when it's in Heavyocity's sale. 

New Order are good. Peter Hook, bassist decided that when he started playing the bass, he wasn't having it low in the mix and adopted a lead bass style so he could be heard over guitar and drums. 
This is a track I promised I'd do with my daughter, so all bass duties will be handed to her. As for the vocals - I have a very different voice to the original singer, so dunno how that will pan out.

Snap

a bit of techno that was in my almost finished folder. Dusted off, finished. No samples, all done on battery/alchemy/omnisphere/massive. Even used a sequencer

Clarky

Snap said:

a bit of techno that was in my almost finished folder. Dusted off, finished. No samples, all done on battery/alchemy/omnisphere/massive. Even used a sequencer

loving the sounds you've got going on in here... very cool...
great mix too... really thick, tight and wide...

Snap

cheers @Clarky had to tame the arps a bit using a spatial tool and some reverb. Initially, some of those sounds were very broad and they all clashed.Taking on some of the stuff we've talked about here for mixing and positioning. tbh, I think it's a bit easier with synthetic instruments as the frequencies seem (to me at least) a bit more predictable and controllable.

At the end section, there is a bass patch from Massive, very early house sort of sound, rolled off everything above about 200, boosted around 60 I think. Lot easier than a bass guitar.

Clarky

Snap said:

cheers @Clarky had to tame the arps a bit using a spatial tool and some reverb. Initially, some of those sounds were very broad and they all clashed.Taking on some of the stuff we've talked about here for mixing and positioning. tbh, I think it's a bit easier with synthetic instruments as the frequencies seem (to me at least) a bit more predictable and controllable.

At the end section, there is a bass patch from Massive, very early house sort of sound, rolled off everything above about 200, boosted around 60 I think. Lot easier than a bass guitar.

makes a big difference don't it when you put things in the right places and make space...
made a massive different to my orchestral pieces