Mors Ego Sum Mortis (FFVI inspired)

[Dean]

Thats alot of work,very impressive! Excellent composition,wonderful orchestration and dynamics.


Dean

[fongi]

The choirs sound good, but all those chimes are very cliched ! the string runs around 2.20 sound very synthy.

[derako]

Originally Posted by fongi

the string runs around 2.20 sound very synthy.

I didn't think so but thank you for posting your opinion

-Derek-

EDIT-I listened to the string run you were talking about more carefully under the bit ratio that I had to submit it to soundclick with 128kbs. It does sound very synthy but its only because of the quality of the mp3. the HQ version sounds authentic.

[diamondnuts]

this is very well done. I'm new here but I wanted to post on this first since I love final fantasy. Good job on the choirs

Tom

[Farmsteads]

Hi Derek,

Wow, this is very impressive. I like it a lot.

Excellent writing, very rich orchestration and kaleidoscope of styles and atmospheres (from Mediterranean to Nordic). Great grip on Choirs. Many enjoyable moments like the strings entering at 1:30 in a typical Wagnerian fashion and Mahleresque course and orchestration at 2:00 - 2:10. And there's a lot more. Great.

- Peer

[nickysnd]

Well-well, an over-pleasant choir of favorable opinions is playing a nice-sweet angelic tune here, may I spoil your fancy party, gals? (Kefka-esque laughter rolls down, arousing Kafka-esque fears... )

Now, how about some down to earth positive criticism, 'cause I see nothing constructive in "wonderful, bravo, mahleresque, wagnerian, north and mediterranean, excellent, congrats for the great job" etc. To my eyes, all these above makes the already thin line between childlike-awe and grotesque-masquerade kinda fuzzy...

So let's talk "business": Fongi is right but too kind IMO when he says the bells sound very cliché and the strings at 2:10 sound synthy. In fact, the strings sound like keyboard-played almost continuously, especially during fast runs. The passage at 1:45 sounds hilarious to me, like a 1907 comedy pic played at a too fast speed. The most flagrant flaw is the overall quantization of everything: velocities, timings, lengths, - in a word this piece sounds extremely midi, choirs included. Also, the placement of the instruments in the space is odd, the strings behind the WW being the most obvious one. There are cresc-decresc dynamic movements that sound mechanical, like displacing whole sections of the orchestra and moving them forward-backwards on the stage, like in an audio cartoon gag. The mix is very cluttered, it lacks transparency. And, sorry, but no - mp3 can't be blamed for any of these things. So all these above are things that, IMO, need serious improvement.

I am sorry that I am not as impressed as the others. I saw this thread bumped repeatedly the last couple of days, so I ended by saying to myself - there must be something worth listening there... I am honestly sorry that it isn't. Well, no big deal really - it just isn't to me, that's all, my opinion is as important as any other honest one.

Just one more thing: I liked the composition in itself and its unfolding - it is a beautiful story, and very well said too. It is only the sampling that doesn't do justice to the piece.

.02

[derako]

Originally Posted by nickysnd
I am sorry that I am not as impressed as the others. I saw this thread bumped repeatedly the last couple of days, so I ended by saying to myself - there must be something worth listening there... I am honestly sorry that it isn't. Well, no big deal really - it just isn't to me, that's all, my opinion is as important as any other honest one.

Well I'm sorry you feel my sampling effort was such a joke but you can't please em' all can you. At any rate thanks for listening to it once anyways. Maybe our next piece will be more pleasing to you. The whole idea of sampling is to get the best result out of the samples you use. I thought the final result turned out really good. And I don't agree with you that this sounds midi at all actually. Of course when you are using samples you have moments where you can tell it's not real but who are we fooling? It's all an illusion anyway right? But at least you found this worth posting about and I thank you for that. And one last thing. Every opinion posted here is an honest one. Opinions are opinions, yours just isn't the same as some others and that is just fine.

Cheers,

-Derek-

[nickysnd]

First, if you disagree with my points and everything sound "best possible" to you, well, there can be nothing more I can say than congratulations for bringing that piece to your ideal of sample-performance. Apparently, as you put it - you already got "the best result out of the samples you have used."

Second, it is not a question of pleasing me, I see it more like: once you are pleased, it can be useful for you to get as many honest opinions as possible. I can't really see how you can make use of the "bravo" type of comments. If one guy, or more of them - like fongi and myself in this case - find that there are some weak points to your piece, then you have two options: either you may consider him/them deluded, half-deaf, mean, bad mannered, whatever you want, or you may try to understand what the hell that dude was talking about. If, after listening closely to those said weak points, you still can't hear them as weak, then bad for me and good for you - you have done a masterful sample rendering and I was unable to appreciate it.

I was just pointing to what I think that needs improvement. From personal experience I have gathered this: praise can often be counterproductive, while in-your-face criticism is always helpful. But in order to be helpful, you first must be convinced that that criticism is right. If it doesn't seem right to you, then just forget it and be happy that it wasn't right.

Cheers to you!

[derako]

Originally posted by nickysnd
I was just pointing to what I think that needs improvement. From personal experience I have gathered this: praise can often be counterproductive, while in-your-face criticism is always helpful. But in order to be helpful, you first must be convinced that that criticism is right. If it doesn't seem right to you, then just forget it and be happy that it wasn't right.


Look dude I appreciate all posts on my music and like I said before all opinions are honest. I actually sent you a personal message asking you to tell me which parts specifically needed improvement. I can take critisism very well. Being in the entertainment business you have to accept that not everyone is going to like you and that there is always room for improvement. I also know when I'm being attacked and your post kinda felt like an attack so I responded as such. If that wasn't your intent than I am sorry. So please let me know specifically which parts you didn't think were up to par so I can improve future projects.

-Derek-

[nickysnd]

Originally Posted by derako

not everyone is going to like you

your post kinda felt like an attack

please let me know specifically which parts you didn't think were up to par

See, this is not about *me* liking *you*, and my post was not an attack, on the contrary. I think I was very specific about the elements in your piece which I think need serious improvement.

Just click here, download the firs piece "Action Adventure", then play it several times alternatively with your piece, paying attention to the elements I have pointed out. Pay special attention to how the strings runs sound at 1:20 in the EW demo piece. Notice also the variety of dynamics (velocities) among notes, everywhere. Also, notice the transparency of the mix. Etc. I am not saying that I know precisely how that guy did achieve everything, so I am not in the position to troubleshoot your piece. But, in the first place, you don't seem to admit that your piece has some performance/mixing problems. Again, if those things that I pointed out sound alright to you, then just forget everything I say, as opposed to taking as personal attack a friendly attempt to open up your eyes (ears).

Adios