Rik, I kept the midi track of that staccato cello too. :-)  I figured I could always have two versions.  :-)  Thanks for the tips.  I don't mind you being picky at all. :-)

Well, thank you, Steve.  I'm tickled that you like it. :-) I LOVE EW's percussion.  One midi note gets you the coolest timp or cymbal roll.  No messing around with tiny midi notes, etc. 

Thanks Radio.  Glad you like it.  I'd probably be tickled to have a piece of mine in a movie even if they didn't pay me.  lol (don't tell them that though!)  :-)

Thank you, equality.  Billion dollar movie?  Well, now THEY'D have to pay me!  lol  I'm still wondering if I took that hook from somewhere, but I can't remember where either.  I'll keep watching over my shoulder just in case...

Wow, truly awesome.  You're getting pretty good at this stuff.  Nice tones and instrument choices.  The fade-out at the end felt kind of short.  Would like to of been let down from the ride just a bit easier with a longer fade.

Janet


This is now getting a major overhaul by a pro magician/musician. 



 

The Great Bapuski hasn't been telling porkies to you, has he?

Nice...the is a wide-open feeling mix..

very nice Janet!

Very, very pretty. I really wish the bottom end of the strings could be separated out and brought out more.

Way to go Janet!  This is really impressive.  It's pretty darn good.

1st of all it's a really nice piece and the tempo and instrumentation really pull off the emotion of the piece.

That cello is still a problem to my ears... Maybe keep experimenting w/ samples?  Maybe play with the length of the short notes... IE select a bunch of them in the piano roll view and lengthen AND shorten them with the draw tool and see if it makes a difference in the sound.  I'd try giving the cello it's own reverb too... see if that smoothes it out.

The other thing is that the whole mix sounds a bit lo-fi?  RLD says he make a 192kbps mp3 and uses that for his upload version to soundclick... he says that soundclick makes the best hi-fi version that way... never tried it myself.  I just upload 128kbps.  But it's a suggesion.

Here's something else to try w/ the cello:
http://www.camelaudio.com/camelcrusher.php
Use a little bit of mechanical distortion and compression.  It gives any instrument a bit of punch.  If you don't use too much, your instrument will still sound like a real orchestral instrument, just different.  It's a great little tool.

This sounds just SUPER.  It's a great piece and you just keep getting better.

Peace,

Ian

A relaxing, easy listening, piece Janet.

I want those orchestral percussion samples!! :) Gimmee!!!

Very nice Mamabear Janet.

Well done.

I love the tune and the arrangement. I was listening on laptop speakers so can't comment on the mix although it did sound a little bit lower-fi than I was expecting.

Cheers,
Terry.

Janet, your talent has really blossomed. This is just a beautiful piece of music.

I could listen all night.

Wow, sounds great.  The song is nice, as is the arrangement.   Could definitely hear this on a movie soundtrack. 

OK. This is Southern Montana. I love Montana.
The strings are superb. They paint a lovely impression of big sky country.
The timpani and brass fill it out nicely, and add to the expansive grandeur of the scene. The crash cymbal seems to be the weak link.
My initial thought is to eliminate it entirely, but it might work if you dip it in some massive reverb.
This is quite cinematic.  You have captured the vastness of the West, and this begs for the wide screen.

Thanks Bob.  :-)  Montana, eh?  Yeah, I can see that.  I love the picture.  I'll see if I can dip those cymbals in reverb. 

Thanks Reece.  You and Bob are the first to mention the cymbals.  I'll get on that as soon as I can get in the studio again (why did I ever start such a humongous garden last year?  It's killin' me getting it ready this year.  :(  Oh well, I'll be happy later.  If I can keep those pesky deer out of it!) 

I would have replied yesterday, but it took me this long to get my jaw off the floor after reading that you thought the rest of the drums were good.  Wow!  ;-)

This is beautiful Janet! Well done! I really like the arrangement and the melodies. It has a great mood, a little melancholic but brave. Would fit an Oscar winning movie any day!

Just one thing, have you tried playing around with key switches and using different articulations for the different instrument sections? It could "naturalize" things a little, especially when the piece gets a little busier and the attack normally would get shorter in the different sections of the orchestra. Having the same attack through out kind of make it sound a little.... er, sampled?

-having said that, the piece is wonderful and I salute you for a great composition!

Janet


Thanks Bob.  :-)  Montana, eh?  Yeah, I can see that.  I love the picture.  I'll see if I can dip those cymbals in reverb. 

Thanks Reece.  You and Bob are the first to mention the cymbals.  I'll get on that as soon as I can get in the studio again (why did I ever start such a humongous garden last year?  It's killin' me getting it ready this year.  :(  Oh well, I'll be happy later.  If I can keep those pesky deer out of it!) 

I would have replied yesterday, but it took me this long to get my jaw off the floor after reading that you thought the rest of the drums were good.  Wow!  ;-)

yeah, I thought that would surprise you! 
 
I didn't even see bob's comment - looks like we posted pretty much the same time.