Post Your Music

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Started by Archeia 1771 posts Page 58 of 89 View original ↗
  1. Shuji
    #1144 Source
    Tirian said:
    The most important things:

    • Reverb; without it, it sounds like the instrument is right in your ear, which is never the case IRL.
    • Velocity; playing with volume and velocity makes thing more believable, as a musician will never hit each note with the exact same volume.

    I'd suggest you watch Varien's videos for Razer Music, they're short and very helpful!



    Thanks for the advices, I'll work on on them. 


    @mettwurst That's a really nice battle theme! It has a sort of arabic feeling to it


    @chungsie The last one ( Failuer - Sorrow ) reminds me of the old final fatnasy musics. Very nice :)


    @Phil32 Don't worry! I just started composing and I'm really embarassed to post my music here, however it helps because the great people here always offer good advices :D  


    I made a short piano and strings loop. I think the volume is too high, I didn't notice when it was on cubase :/ 


    http://www.mediafire.com/file/7787vy4poa7e8iv/Piano+Strings.mp3


    A question: should I make a soundcloud account? I know it's the easiest way to show people your music, but I'm a bit embarassed xD
  2. Tirian
    #1145 Source
    MysteryCorgi said:
    I made this piece last year, but I'm still very proud of it.

    The sound you used is too dry, you should add some reverb.
    Instead of the pause at the begining I would make that note a sustained one, because as a listener if you don't actually count the beats you'd think it's just an awkward pause.
    The left hand is too repetitive, either make a new chord progression or add some variation if you want to keep one chord.

    chungsie said:
    I'm so undermotivated....

    I really like the chords on this one!
    The guitar is too dry though, so same as MysteryCorgi, add some reverb.

    mettwurst said:
    If you would give me your opinion, i would be grateful :D

    This time I find there is too much reverb, makes the background a bit blurry in my opinion. ^^
    There aren't any drums, I don't know whether it's an artistic choice but it sounds more like a pre-battle than an actual battle theme.
    If you do intend to add drums (maybe make two versions of the song, one with and one without the drums), make sure they don't come around too late, so that by the time they arrive the battle isn't over.
    Other than that I really like it, very catchy!


    Sounds happy for a song called "Sorrow" (except for the few dissonant notes here and there)
    It was very strange, but I liked it. :)

    Phil32 said:
    I'm almost scared to share my stuff. (Okay. I AM scared, since I don't think I'm at you guys' level.)

    @HexMozart88 felt the same, but as an artist critical feedback is one of the most valuable things you can get, so anytime you can ask for it.
    Even if you don't agree with the feedback you get, you don't have to listen to everything people say and do it, but it helps to hear your music in a different perspective.

    Shuji said:
    I made a short piano and strings loop. I think the volume is too high, I didn't notice when it was on cubase :/ 

    You should continue this one, sounds like a really good intro for a song that could be really really good.
    You're nowhere near a begginer, I really don't see how you're embarrassed.


    It's not too loud, as long as it doesn't clip you can make your song as loud as you want (generally as loud as you can, when it comes to mastering)

    Shuji said:
    A question: should I make a soundcloud account? I know it's the easiest way to show people your music, but I'm a bit embarassed xD

    Well it' would definitely help us so we don't have to download your music every time :p
    Just kidding, but I'd go for it. While the guys who run Soundcloud don't give a damn about their users the community is nice, and when you get past the bots and spam messages you can meet other artists who are willing to collaborate and stuff.


    It's free, doesn't take long, and can only help you build an audience.


    Quick tip: if you don't want bots, avoid groups. They don't help anyways.
  3. SuperPhillip
    #1146 Source
    Yeah, I definitely agree that it's great to get a fresh perspective who might hear something you don't or whatnot! :)


    I have a lot of songs composed so far for my game on my Bandcamp page, but would it be better to post a link to the soundtrack or individual songs?
  4. HexMozart88
    #1147 Source
    Tirian said:
    @HexMozart88 felt the same, but as an artist critical feedback is one of the most valuable things you can get, so anytime you can ask for it.
    Even if you don't agree with the feedback you get, you don't have to listen to everything people say and do it, but it helps to hear your music in a different perspective.

    He's not wrong. Go to page 44. @Saltwater Croc and I had a bit of a dispute about that. Anyway, yeah. Post your songs. I did get some feedback on mine (heck, you can even give me some feedback on it, if you want, especially since I think if you have this mentality, your songs are better than mine). My songs are literally the most simplistic things on the planet, and I don't really feel as though I got shot down over it (even though I may have deserved it from these supreme lords of music  :rswt: ) So go ahead. I want to hear how much better it is than my own.  ;)

    Tirian said:
    The sound you used is too dry, you should add some reverb.

    Can you even add reverb to piano? 

    Tirian said:
    The left hand is too repetitive, either make a new chord progression or add some variation if you want to keep one chord.

    I found the whole thing too repetitive, although I shouldn't really talk about repetitive (*cough cough* Mettle *cough cough*). Change it up. I don't feel a difference in this song, and it's very neutral in tone, so you need something to bring in character and feeling. And I have to second @Tirian on the pause at the beginning. It sounds like a mistake, so maybe add a fermata or a tie so people know that was meant to be there.  
  5. Tirian
    #1148 Source
    HexMozart88 said:
    Can you even add reverb to piano?



    You can should add reverb to anything!


    Reverb is more or less a simulation of your instrument being played in a bigger room, and using reverb can lead to very interesting stuff (for example a bass with short decay but huge dampening won't sound realistic but still results in an interesting sound)


    Reverb is actually what happens when a sound is reflected on a surface, which is why the bigger the room, the bigger the surface and thus, the bigger the effect.


    The reason I say you should use reverb on everything is because that's what happens IRL. Even in your bedroom reading this sentence out loud, you may not hear it but there is some reverb in a way. Adding reverb will make your song more believable, as long as you don't overdo it.


    Alex Moukala has a video on the subject of reverb, where he explains another technique for mixing: instead of adding reverb on every instrument (which is usually what I do), he likes to put reverb on the final mix. I suggest watching the video, I found it very helpful:
  6. chungsie
    #1149 Source
    Ya I can add reverb. for some reason the reverb effect in Finale isn't working proper, but I can always do post production edits.


    I wanted to do some music for a hawk, so here it is. I don't like how the piccolo came out. I had immagined making it sound like a Hawk's cah, but that did not work out.
  7. defunct-user
    #1150 Source
    Be careful though. TOO much reverb can make your song or track sound like mud.
    And for those who don't read music, What Hexy is sayin' is to add a pause or longer notes. 
  8. SuperPhillip
    #1151 Source
    Okie dokie! I'd like to share a song from my RPG, Legends of Adrigal. This song is actually called Concrete Jungle, so I'll need to reupload the song as its name isn't that on my Bandcamp page currently. This theme plays while our heroes walk through a city setting on their way home from school.


    https://philstortzum.bandcamp.com/track/the-trading-town-of-dorter-2


    EDIT: Oh, no! I'm at the top of a new page! The pressure's on! ;)
  9. Sami-Fire64
    #1152 Source
    Hello, everyone. I'm trying to get back into composing, so I thought I'd set up camp here and collect advice as I go. And, of course, I'll give feedback to the rest of you where I can- I won't be the most useful for technical notes, but I'll try my best to help.


    First, a round of comments:


    @Chungsie: Desert Passing has a very nice, relaxed feel to it, though I'm not terribly fond of that horn sound. It feels jarring relative to those "chill" guitars. I can see Failure - Sorrow being a Game Over theme, but I can also see what Tirian says about the song being a bit happier-sounding than its title implies. I think it's that flute-like instrument that comes in towards the second half that does it. Battle - Hawk seems more "hawklike" than "battle-like" to me; it definitely gives a "soaring" feel. I actually don't think the piccolo is that bad; what feels off-putting to me is the cymbal crashes. They feel out of place. Maybe it's a timing thing.


    @Mettwurst: I really like this! It has a good, driving sound to it. The primary instrument (it sounds like a harpsichord, but I'm probably way off) sounds very nice. Others have already given you the useful technical feedback, so that can only make it better.


    @Phil32: (Nearly missed you, oops!) I like this song too. Has a very relaxed, almost jazzy sort of sound to it. I see it as more of a shop theme than a town theme, but that's just my view. No complaints here, but keep an eye out for what the others say.


    Now, here's my offering for today... they're old pieces and they definitely have issues (I'm cringing a little just listening to them... probably a bad sign), but I'd like a fresh perspective on them so I can keep the advice in mind as I move forward. Consider this the "before" of a "before and after." (Apologies for the embeds being so huge... can't figure out how to shrink them...)




    This was a character theme made for a friend. Right now I'm aware that those attempts at a backing sound (not sure of the technical term) aren't very good. There are also probably reverb issues due to me not being aware that reverb was needed at the time...




    Another character theme. I was told about a lack of reverb by someone else; I'm sure you folks will agree. Not as fond of the backing choir as I was when I first made the song. The glockenspiel (I'm thinking that was the instrument I used) sounds a bit excessively sharp (not in the musical sense, more in the "how it feels on my ears" sense).


    Before I move on, some questions.


    - What do you recommend for the "backing" of music? Like what I tried to do with the choir in the second song.


    - Does anyone have any tips on harmony? I can never seem to figure out what notes go together, so my songs get wildly dissonant very quickly.


    Thanks!
  10. SuperPhillip
    #1153 Source
    If you cringe listening to your older pieces, then I don't know how you even liked mine! These are fantastic, Sami-Fire64! I enjoyed the first one a lot, as it has a wonderful harmony and sounds heavenly, soft, and sweet! The second one sounds like a church or library theme, though I know you said it was a character theme. What kinds of characters are these themes for, Sami?
  11. FroggyGames
    #1154 Source
    Here is a character theme I finished up today: 
  12. J-Ray
    #1155 Source
    Phil32 said:
    Okie dokie! I'd like to share a song from my RPG, Legends of Adrigal. This song is actually called Concrete Jungle, so I'll need to reupload the song as its name isn't that on my Bandcamp page currently. This theme plays while our heroes walk through a city setting on their way home from school.


    https://philstortzum.bandcamp.com/track/the-trading-town-of-dorter-2


    EDIT: Oh, no! I'm at the top of a new page! The pressure's on! ;)

    Nice playful tune.
  13. J-Ray
    #1156 Source
    Luiishu535 said:
    First time scoring a game (yay). This one's a solo piano piece that plays in a cold and lonely park area.




    Here's an image for reference:

    Spoiler
    CaH_Park_Bright_2.png

    It sounds lonely and cold enough to reflect the image and it's mood.


    If you have some douts about this piece, maybe you could try develop an arrangement a little more as the song progress.


    For example, you could add a little touch of very quiet, sad and low strings, like cello, in the second part or add some irregular SFX, like wind chimes, to emphisize atmosphere.
  14. Strato
    #1157 Source
    @Sami-Fire64: I'm sure you made good pieces! Now trying to answer your questions:
    1 - This usually works well. 'Atmosphere' and 'Ambient' presets are other alternatives
    2 - Are you aware of the harmony theory? I'm not too sure on what level you are...


    My turn, some random pieces:
  15. Housekeeping
    #1158 Source
    It's late and I'm about to zonk out, but I wanted to post a new song here.  I'll try to give a little feedback first!


    @Strato: The melody on My Sword Shall Break the Rules meanders a bit occasionally, but it's a  kinetic piece; I like how you trade off the lead melody to different instruments in rapid succession.  That sounds really seamless.  I found it to be a super engaging piece.  It reminded me a bit of Star Ocean's battle arrangements, and then I listened to your other two tracks, and I'm getting Star Ocean vibes from all of them.


    @FroggyGames: Vocals!  That's a pretty bold choice for VGM.  It's a fun little number.  I've probably told you this before, but you could benefit from better samples.  Some more reverb on that piano, for instance, would make the mix meld better with the vocal samples.


    @Sami-Fire64: If you want to improve your note choices, the big thing is that you keep everything in the same key (assuming you don't want to create dissonance).  You can go outside of the key if you're smart and have a good ear, but if you're fairly new at this, that might prove difficult.  It seems like--from the two songs you've included--you're writing things using pentatonic scales to create a more oriental sound.  This is a good starting point, as pentatonic scales only have five notes, so they're pretty simple to harmonize with.  Just make sure that all of your notes, including any backing chords, use one of those five notes.  Also, since I'm not sure how much you know about music theory, I want to mention that when I say "five notes," I mean you can go up or down octaves as well.


    Here's my new track:
  16. chungsie
    #1159 Source
    @Strato the orange song, I think it would work well for a casual forest theme :)  I like it. I could even see it work for a city theme that has a lot of trees or something. The pizzicato works really well with the woodwinds.




    it's from a while ago, was just messing around with my violin, wanted to play with harmony and rhythm :)
  17. Shuji
    #1160 Source
    Alright guys, I made the SoundCloud account. This is my new track I just finished


    I'll post feedback about all of your musics after lunch :)  
  18. HexMozart88
    #1161 Source
    @Shuji That sounds like something out of a Disney movie. Very nice piece. 


    (I was a little baffled at first when you said you were going for lunch, because I forgot you were Italian, and for me it's only 9 AM. :p ) 
  19. Shuji
    #1162 Source
    @Phil32 The idea is very nice, however the piece is very repetitive. I'd try adding some variation on the melody and the chords ;)


    @Sami-Fire64 Both of your tracks have nice atmpospheres, however being character themes I think you should focus more on the melodic lines.


    For your questions


    - It dependes on the music, but usually the strings are a good choice. Also you could use synthesizers 


    -I'd suggest searching for a course or lessons about music theory on google. And studying a lot 


    @FroggyGames Wow I didn't expect the voice at all XD It's cool, however, as I suggested for Phil32, you should add some variety changing the chords or the melody.


    @Strato All your music sounded very nice!  ;)


    @Housekeeping Very nice music man, good job! 


    @HexMozart88 Thank you! :D  ( ahah well it happens in a community like this where people are from all the world ) 


    @Tirian Thanks a lot for your kind words! I'll surely work on that piano piece, but coming up with a good melody for piano is really really hard for me ( and I'm a pianist .-. ) XD


    Wow 15 minutes to write all of this XD 
  20. Tirian
    #1163 Source
    Spoiler
    Phil32 said:
    This theme plays while our heroes walk through a city setting on their way home from school.


    https://philstortzum.bandcamp.com/track/the-trading-town-of-dorter-2



    The bass is too muddy, too much low end that makes the bass not clear enough.
    The trumpets should be louder, and perhaps a bit more reverb?
    Also it gets a bit repetitive after a while, I'd try a bridge with a slight chord variation.

    Sami-Fire64 said:
    This was a character theme made for a friend. Right now I'm aware that those attempts at a backing sound (not sure of the technical term) aren't very good. There are also probably reverb issues due to me not being aware that reverb was needed at the time...



    Feels very MIDI, you should play with the velocity to make it feel more "human".
    As for the reverb, I think there is just the right amount, overall a good song.

    Sami-Fire64 said:
    Another character theme. I was told about a lack of reverb by someone else; I'm sure you folks will agree. Not as fond of the backing choir as I was when I first made the song. The glockenspiel (I'm thinking that was the instrument I used) sounds a bit excessively sharp (not in the musical sense, more in the "how it feels on my ears" sense).



    I think the problem with this one isn't the reverb, but the sounds you used. I'd suggest looking for more soundfonts until you find one that you like (that might involve having to invest a little bit in VST ;P )
    I agree that free choir soundfonts are pretty hard to find, right now I'm thinking of saving to buy a high quality one, but they are very expensive...

    Sami-Fire64 said:
    Before I move on, some questions.


    - What do you recommend for the "backing" of music? Like what I tried to do with the choir in the second song.


    - Does anyone have any tips on harmony? I can never seem to figure out what notes go together, so my songs get wildly dissonant very quickly.



    You want your "backing sound" to be moving, not just a single note that drones in the background.
    And the only valuable tip I can give you on harmony is to learn the theory. There is no way around it, and it will definitely help you in the long run.
    Plus we live in 2016, with this wonderful tool known as the Internet, where you can find FREE TUTORIALS basically anywhere :D
    I don't know if you've ever taken music class but whether you have or not I'd suggest having a look at http://openmusictheory.com/contents.html and read from the beginning.

    FroggyGames said:
    Here is a character theme I finished up today:



    You should add a bass, the low end is only occupied by the kick (which, by the way, I don't really like, you should look for another sample)
    I've never dealt with vocals so I don't really know how to mix them, but the least I can say is that it needs some...
    ... you guessed it.


    reverb

    Strato said:
    My turn, some random pieces:



        > My Sword Shall Break The Rules
    Really good! I think the only criticism I can give would be to make the drums a tad louder, would make the track "move" more.

        > Capital of Royal Family
    Again, very shy on the percussion.

        > Orange Sunlit Trees
    The end was a bit... abrupt ^_^

    Seriously, I really like your style! What software/plugins do you use?

    Housekeeping said:
    Here's my new track:



    I want to hear that clavecin more, you should raise the volume of that.
    Same as Strato, the ending is just a straight 'cut'.
    I don't know if you want your song to loop but I'd be careful and make sure it works well when looping from the start, cause right now you can hear a distinct cut when replaying the song.
    The trick is to take the "tail" of the song, which is the decaying sound after your cut, and play it at the same time as the song starts. That way when you play the song on repeat it loops flawlessly.

    chungsie said:
    it's from a while ago, was just messing around with my violin, wanted to play with harmony and rhythm :)



    I'm getting Grizzly Hills vibes from this :)
    The fact that you play the violin is a strong asset, you should take advantage of that and use it in you songs!

    Shuji said:
    Alright guys, I made the SoundCloud account. This is my new track I just finished



    Distortion at 1:00 :headshake:


    You should be really carefull with that, it can kill a song very easily (when accidental, or when there is too much. For instance, it has nothing to do here)
    Other than that small accident, it sounds great!



    Added a spoiler because wall of text  :guffaw: