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Thank you. That means a lot to me as someone who knows jack about a drum kit. XD

I don't have anything on that bass. To be honest I do not know much about mixing (shh). That is just the preset. I just fiddled around in Audacity and put the notch filter effect on the track (whatever that means).  I really should Google that or something. 

Hey, I trust you guys. How's this bass? I think I like it better because I can hear some of the other parts more clearly in the chorus. I think it comes in a bit heavy in the very beginning though.

(Link for the lazy) https://soundcloud.com/maireadgamemusic/pop-version-edge-of-a-cliff

@Ms Littlefish:

Bass is much better now; definitely less obtrusive in the chorus. Like you mentioned, it is still a bit strong in the beginning since it is so exposed. I would either lower it a few dB or do some slight EQ on the mids and mid-highs to soften the bite. If you're not confident on EQ yet, I'd just go ahead and lower it a bit.

Other than that, definitely sounding real good! :)

Geez, I haven't posted here in some time, eh? But there's been so much that I've missed! I can't go over everything, so I'll just make a few mentions:

@Ms Littlefish: There's something very poppy and bubbly about that version of Edge of a Cliff. It reminds me of something, but I can't quite put my finger on what...I feel like it BELONGS somewhere, but I don't know where. That's killing me...but it was upbeat and catchy. It's certainly a change from your regular style (not that that's a bad thing). I like it!

@Lars Ulkira: Dat Ragtime...it reminds me SO MUCH of Maple Leaf Rag...which is, quite possibly, my favorite track of the genre. Needless to say, I like it and think it's quite cool.

@Neifion: Welcome! I listened to a few of your tracks. My word, the editing on them is fantastic! Seriously, they sound so crisp and clean and HD-like in quality! How in the blazes does your wife get them to have such clarity?? I tip my hat off to you both. They sound great.

I decided to roll out a recent commission I did for someone. A boss theme of sorts, he wanted an emphasis on the organ and harpsichord. I gave him one version of the track and made changes as he asked for them, balancing levels and adjusting volumes as he saw fit. In the end, he was quite satisfied, which was my ultimate goal...nothing gets under my skin like leaving someone less than 100% satisfied with a track I've made for him/her. Anywho, here it is:


I'm thinking of also uploading its original version, as the two sounds are very different...and I like comparing the before and after products!! XD

Hello Clydous, thanks for the welcome!

I actually do the mixing and mastering (she edits my compositions; probably should make that clearer, lol!) Anyway, I'm glad to hear you say that, as I've been trying to get better at mixing as I go along! The clarity comes from careful EQ and light compression on an individual instrument basis, as well as selecting, mixing, and panning instruments so that they don't interfere with each other frequency-wise. Getting used to the instruments after a while also helps with knowing what to adjust EQ-wise and compression-wise. Her vocals turned out to be very easy to mix, but I think that's because she's just plain awesome! XD

I really like the boss theme you did; the harpsichord adds both energy (definitely a must for a boss fight!) as well as elegance, the string staccatos provide good rhythmic support for the harpsichord, good sense of dread and danger from the organ, and the timpani, brass, and choir all add dramatic flair. I got the feeling of a fight in a dark castle complete with chandeliers and ornate statuary, lol! Definitely painted a picture. Reminded me of some of the whimsy of Grant Kirkhope's work for Rare, which is a good thing. :)

Grant Kirkhope! That was what I was looking for too. This definitely has N64 Rare Game boss awesomeness to it, Clydous. I like that pitch bend at :10. Such a small detail but I love it every time I hear it. I think something on the sound cloud said something about it being completely unmastered but I wish the strings came through a little more clearly. That is my only complaint. Also, love the title. Very punny. :)

And thank you. This week's Art Challenge really gave me an opportunity to experiment with different music genres. Before I even thought of drawing a picture (which I'm still working on) my first though was to dress up some of my more classically inclined music in a bunch of synthesizers. XD

No worries! I think it was a really cool idea to use the challenge to revisit your music in a different genre. I've been thinking about revisiting some of my own, but then I get a new melody in my head, hehe. XD

Speaking of revisiting old themes, I miss the good old Rare days, though it is good to see David Wise back in action with Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. Almost makes me wish I had a Wii U now (waiting for more games to come out first!)

Might I ask your guys' opinion on my latest commission? It's the forest theme I did for Engr. Adiktuzmiko's upcoming RPG:

https://soundcloud.com/kekopro/the-forgotten-weir

Oh man, I absolutely adore how airy that bassoon is. The melody is very Zelda to me. I could easily imagine this in one of the many incarnations of Faron Woods. I really cannot think of anything to add to this piece. It's fantastic.

@Ms

Glad you liked it! I was going for mysterious and ambiguous; not distinctly dark but also not cheery. Once I heard the bass flute featured in the Journey soundtrack, it quickly became a favorite of mine. Very earthy, so I found it appropriate for a forest theme. ;)

I really like how it starts out soft and pretty, adds in a few beats, and then goes into this huge swell of awesome. I also really like that little flutter that pokes above the other synths. I think some dynamic variation can be added to bring out more rich expression and I think you could layer in some more detail work or a counter melody as the motif continues to repeat itself. Overall I enjoy atmosphere of this piece.

Ok, guys. This song is way down on my SoundCloud but I've never posted it here before and I tried some new things on it so it feels different to me now! It's (you guessed it) a theme. https://soundcloud.com/maireadgamemusic/dr-rhomthierces-theme

@Cyreides

I'm with Ms on this. I really like the almost choir-like pads in the intro, and the synth work and beat later on. But I do think it could use some more variation, as it mostly repeats with the same chords, albeit with nice background textures like the aforementioned "flutter". Also, I think you could pop that drum kit a bit more. Keep up the good work!

@Ms

Nicely eccentric and full of character. Love the whimsical, sparkly beginning, and then into the introduction of the snare, strings, and choir. Nice switch back to the plucking at 1:20 as well; sudden without being abrupt. I also like that you have a lot of movement in your pieces, and this is no exception. It captures the feeling of a scientist jumping excitedly from one idea to the next, and it keeps me as a listener on my toes. Nice job!

I just finished a new piece today, just in time for Easter. It was inspired by classic John Williams and Alan Silvestri scores, and I tried to capture a sort of bombastic Dickensian holiday feeling. Let me know what you think!

https://soundcloud.com/kekopro/heart-and-hearth

@ Neifion The beginning is very reminiscent of Earthbound's Sound Stone melodies for me. I love the jovial almost Christmas carol it builds into; spirit and just a hint of mischief. I can see this being used in a lot of scenes actually. I went from holiday scenery to commencement ceremonies. I love it when music creates a picture as I listen! And the pizzicato is wonderful. It's my guilty pleasure as a string player.

@Ms

Haha, I say that exact same thing about pizzes as well; they're my guilty little pleasure! :)

In celebration of my absolute FAVORITE holiday of the year (Even moreso now) I present a very very old synthesied arrangement of the gorgeous hymn, Easter Alleluia.  Has nothing to do with an RPG, but I love it so much I want to share with y'all anyway. ^_^

@Ms Littlefish: This was actually the first track of yours that I heard. Of course, being a waltz, it was an instant win for me (well, that's not entirely true...there are some bad waltzes out there.). The pizzicato strings and that clarinet(?) make a lovely beginning. It sounds like a song of discovery! When the motif is presented again by that full string ensemble at 1:11, though, it sounds so fitting as a theme for a character. I can't quite describe it, but it certainly gave me a good first impression of your music from the get-go. It's quite lovely. Awesome work.

@Neifion: Geez, the clarity of these things gets me every time! It sounds like it has some sort of Christmas influence in it. For some reason, I get the sense or feeling that it belongs in like...the Full Metal Alchemist soundtrack or something. But no joke, it seriously sounds like a Christmas-related theme. It BELONGS to the winter! XD Great work.

@Iron Croc: Ahhhh, we didn't sing this one at mass today, but I know it well, and it's a lovely one (especially with a full-blown chorus and organ going for it)! I can tell this was made a long while back...your samples have yet to improve to what they are today! XD Still, it's pretty accurate to the song, and I was able to sing along to it. It's a nice piece, and you did well with it. Consider remaking it now that you have better samples and make it really shine! XD

I haven't posted anything here in a while. I've been busy with a lot of stuff. I'll have to see what I can make during the week. I'll likely post something else up later, though...an older piece. I think we can all agree that we have a ton of older stuff laying around that has yet to be posted up! =P

@ Iron Croc. I've never heard this song and I know it's an arrangement but the melodies are gorgeous. It has a very English folk sound to it, and I really adore that style of music.

Ok, so I've decided to start the hard work that will be remastering and spiffing up ALL of my old compositions. While this theme does make an appearance in my soundtrack (the school) I consider this piece here non video game work. This one has been revived all the way from 2006 and was one of the very first I wrote. So, it does sound dated against my new work but I think it is still a decently strong piece of mine. I did this for a grant in high school I was nominated for. I wish I could push the dynamics more and the Garritan strings in Finale leave much to be desired for me (the viola sounds like it's stuffed with rubber ducks) but it's what I'm working with right now. 

Can you tell that I am a string player? https://soundcloud.com/maireadgamemusic/allegro-1-because-thats-how-you-name-songs-right

I have this other bandcamp

www.nilxnil.bandcamp.com

not for the faint of heart.

I was really inspired by the work of Motoi Sakuraba and Aivi Tran for this project. This is a JRPG inspired random battle theme. I also love feedback so hit me with it ^_^

https://soundcloud.com/schematist/jrpg-battle-theme-concept-azure-wings

It's also good to GIVE some, too. (Preferably to the one above you) ;)

I'll admit, I fail in that department.... That's why I'm not uploading anymore for awhile! ^_^

My forum etiquette is so bad! I will work on that with you :)