Dark March - Orchestra Epic Brassy Lord of the rings style song
6 replies, posted
[media]http://soundcloud.com/kylepetersonworks/dark-march-v2[/media]
Edited a huge portion of the song with some of Neon-Knight's advice, thanks man.
A nice concept for a piece. Well done.
Some thoughts about how I would approach this:
A march is at about 120 bpm - this seems far too slow to be considered a march. I guess it could just be a piece 'about' a march? Anyway.
Too many unisons and octaves, in my opinion. You want this to sound epic, clearly, but it's coming across rather thin. It's because your brass instruments are all playing the same notes and the same melodies. You need to flesh out the textures a bit more, fill in some harmonies, and then it'll have some punch. Try giving it pedal notes, or dramatic hit points with larger climactic chords.
Nothing really changes throughout the piece, instrumentally, texturally, or musically. That does have its own merit, it gives it a very static feeling, which can work. But perhaps you want to engage the audience more? An obvious suggestion, but have a listen to Gustav Holst's Mars: The Bringer of War from The Planets suite. It might give you some inspiration. Anyway, here's some things to try to generate interest -
Try using some more imaginitive orchestration. Yes, brass is nice, but when the music repeats, try adding more layers of instruments. I haven't heard any woodwind - try adding layers of woodwind over the top, as the piece progresses, to help build up. I wouldn't follow the rhythm or the motive-forms of the main part, I'd personally add a layers of contrasting little gestural inflections, little fluttery passages to fill out the top.
Your bassline and main melody are always being played by the same instruments - you could start with strings, and then progressively move over to brass as the piece progresses, or start with low woodwind (contra/bassoon+bass clarinet) and progress to any other combination of instruments.
Your actual main melody's quite nice, but it needs more, for me. I would personally add a countermelody maybe an octave higher. I'd use con sord violins, gradually fading in and out, with quite a chromatic line, introduced at maybe the 1:00 mark, ish. And then add more violins, higher up, a little while later. Could sound rather nice. Or you could have an imitation, transposed to a dissonant interval, say a tritone above, imitated maybe 7 beats behind or something, to subtly undermine the strong feeling of the bar line, and to toy with the tonality.
Just a few ideas, these are just the sorts of things that I would personally do. Obviously you have your own style and way of doing things. I do like the concept behind this piece, though.
Wow! Quite the response.
I'll admit, I spent most of the time trying to incorporate the Violin and some woodwinds but I found it really hard to do with the cookie cutter thing I had set myself up with. Which was pretty foolish of me.
Like you said it was more 'about' a march then a march. I forgot most marching music actually put 'march' in the name.
My main problem with this song, is as I said how I set myself up.
I definitely could of done more with this but I just wasn't feeling the whole song.
That and it was the first time I used this style.
With that said, I'm taking your advice and will keep it in mind.
Thanks!
I have edited a huge portion of the song so it sounds a lot different
[media]http://soundcloud.com/kylepetersonworks/dark-march-v2[/media]
Wow, I honestly can't even describe how much better that is.
Really, well done. I can tell you've really thought about what's going on orchestrationally, and I have to say it's totally brought the piece up by several levels. It builds really nicely, and has a great sense of direction. Your use of the trills really comes off very well too. I also really like the ambiguous tonality around the 1:15 mark (and elsewhere).
Good job!
Do you use a tuba/contrabass for the low end? It sounds amazing. As Neon said, the trills (such as the one around 0:37) are very well done. In fact, everything is well done.
I never had a chance to listen to your original, so I can't say how much of an improvement it is, but I really enjoy this version. The tenseness when the instruments can back around 1:45 is great.
Absolutely love the tension-and-release of the ending.
Very well done.
[QUOTE=Gmod4ever;34358440]Do you use a tuba/contrabass for the low end? It sounds amazing. As Neon said, the trills (such as the one around 0:37) are very well done. In fact, everything is well done.
I never had a chance to listen to your original, so I can't say how much of an improvement it is, but I really enjoy this version. The tenseness when the instruments can back around 1:45 is great.
Absolutely love the tension-and-release of the ending.
Very well done.[/QUOTE]Contra, Tuba and Dbl Bass to really get that oomph.
And thank you very much :) I think I made this one of my best pieces.
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