Congrats on your fine graduation from working only with loops. This is an
inspiring piece. I love the melody and the foreboding ambience
throughout. Very soundtrack, this. Well done!

Peace!

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Thanks so much for your kind words. I'm encouraged that you found the
piece inspiring--the notion that you found it so is inspiring to me.:) I
must admit I felt some trepidation in posting this (and another) piece here.
There are so many fine musicians at MJ, so I, a relative non-musician, was a
bit unsure about it. Thanks again for helping ease my mind.:).

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Oh, and by the way--I see you use a Yamaha PSR-170. I composed this piece
on an old Yamaha PSR-510.:)

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wow, you really have a feel for those horns! You've just inspired me to go
mess around with them myself! there's a real nice balance in this, though
I think the melody gets a tad repetitious as it's played throughout. It has a
bit of a celtic feel; maybe I'm crazy. The intro is sweet and builds to a
powerful cinematic resolution. did I mention how great those horns are?!
More of this!

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Thanks so much for the nice comments, MissChaos. They mean a lot coming
from someone so well regarded here at MJ. I was beginning to think I'd gotten
the only comment I'd ever get, so yours was a pleasant surprise.:) It's so easy
for a track to get lost in the unrelenting tide of new music here.

I'm glad the horns worked for you. Something about them felt really cinematic
to me--or maybe I was just feeling a little "horny" that day.:) As far as the
repetitious melody thing, you may be right, but then you should have heard it
before I added that little chord progression bridge.;)

Thanks for taking the time to listen and comment. I'm glad it moved you in
some way.

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Overall, I like this, it does have a grand, open rolling sound, and a nice
melody that caught my ear (actually sounds sort of Russian, reminds
me of something by Prokofiev I think, didn't Sting re-use that melody
in a cool Mother-Russia song long ago?) this melody reminds me a bit
of that, but now of course, I can't remember where it came from.
Anyway, I liked the orchestration, handing the melody to different
instruments to keep it from getting tooooo repetitive. A second
counter-melody would help give more interest here, and allow you to
make it longer (which it feels like it should be :-) Also, this is in 4/4
(get it, square-rigger?), and composers have found one of the secrets
of making music roll like the sea is to write in 3/4 or 6/8.
ttfn,
Drakonis

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I really enjoy the drama of this very well-done piece. I like the way you
orchestrated it. Nice idea start with a piano and flute stating the theme
over a drone, and building from there.

I'd call this composition a success. I believe if you added a contrasting
section, even a short one, you would add even more drama, and would
bring the piece to a level even higher than the one you achieved.

Overall, I think this is something to be proud of, and to build on.

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It takes a lot of courage to show up in the Cinematic Soundtrack category without using loops here on MacJams. But you've really pulled off a nice piece *entirely* on your own. :)

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...I go nuts! This was a great piece. The melody was indeed dark and ominous, and would go well to a scene of a pirate ship in treacherous waters. Awsome!

B.



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You're a natural. Very good use of colour, creates a majestic, powerful
feel.

I personally think you overuse your main theme, attractive and
catchy as it is. I hear this theme growing and evolving in all kinds of
wonderful ways. One of the composition guidelines I teach students is
the old 'less is more' axiom; don't allow a musical idea to wear out it's
welcome by overuse.

On the other hand, too much less is no good either; this is a
fine and (as already said) catchy tune, and I'd have been disappointed if
you'd given us only 2-3 playings of it!

Anyway, I'm rambling, but really good work, and I would encourage
you to do more of this stuff!

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epic for sure. movie soundtrack absolutely. high class artwork here........

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i'm envious. the build and choice of instrumentation here, is first rate. stellar mix and great progression.

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Dark Seas is a remarkably appropriate title--it really sounds like that. I mostly use loops myself, and I'm also learning to play software instruments despite my lack of training... so I think I can relate to the challenge you put to yourself. I think this could use some contrasting parts, big changes... but what is here really sounds good.

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I'm a Logic Express user too with a weakness for horns (although you wouldn't know it from the songs I've posted), and I know how tedious it can be to get them to sound "good".... Well, these sound GREAT!! You must've tweaked them a lot. I agree with the other comments about over-repetition of the theme, but that can be taken care of with editing; a really good feel for the arrangements can't be faked. Great great job.

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strong, intense, full of emotion!

has a familiar melody--can't remember where.

Really nice choice of instruments. bravo

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