Hi gang,
 
I am struggling with the music for the 21CB splash screen.

I need a piece that is between 6 to 10 seconds long and that says "beginning". I have tried a dozen different styles and most of them say "end". The screen is modern and chic, and needs something that works on that level. I have tried synth "lead in" type sounds, but they all sounded like somebody else's. Already done.

I also have to be careful that the music (or simple sound pattern) does not set up the wrong mood. Something light and bubbly is not going to work as an intro screen for a vid that is dark and moody. Neutral is the key. The other "mags the dog" splash (see my channel on youtube) is an example of a visual and musical style that works for the light hearted doggy vids or animations, but not at all for the "Lost Hope" style vid.

The biggest challenge (this one is the hardest for me) is it needs to work with the motion and timings of the animations --->>> sort of a long flow in with a sharp increase in dynamics and speed then a soft flow out. All in 10 seconds or less.

It also needs to be "complete". This last try below is an example of "wrong", in that the song fades out instead of properly end with a natural reverb trail (the bit was a couple seconds too long for a natural tail and would have brought the length to 14 seconds).

(I strongly suggest turning the sound off or you risk being primed in the wrong way if you are interested in trying to help. This is 12 seconds long and really should be 2 to 4 seconds shorter at the end I think: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Efrw2G3bwgE )

I have been trying different things for a week now, and nothing is working. Let me know of you have any ideas.

Cheers
Shad

Is that you on the piano, Shad?

 I'm not sure if it's something you would want to use Shad, but I have a little audio segment that I did with my new access virus as an experiment.  It's not as good as that piano you have now though.
 
 http://soundcloud.com/grant-s/av-demo   3 instances of Virus, 1 zeta2 and 1 Kontakt free player

Hi Grant - that is pretty good. While it is a bit long, I am hearing some segments or sounds within it that might work. You have also given me a new idea... a singular, but fat bass tone. - Warren, no, that is a midi from a on-the-fly creation plugin for the Avid. I exhausted my abilities, and every licensed piece of music I possess and was trying to see if anything it had would work, which does not as it is pure fromage (that means cheese in french) with the exception of one or two bits like this one.

what you have there already, sounds pretty cool to me...

Shad I just watched it with the sound off (good idea.)  What immediately came to mind is just 4 whole notes, down in the bass....C, G, C, D. You could use chords played with a synth, single notes played by a whole orchestra, or several other variations.  Obviously different notes would work too...but anyway, that's what came to mind for me.  

OK, I just listened to the jazz piano.  Excellently played, but it doesn't signal 'dark and moody is coming' to me.  But I really don't know what is coming next.  

Hi Shad, 
It's been awhile!  The opening with highlights defines the hit points that climax with the "star" explosion.  The rest is the tail.  Do you want me to put an idea together for that?  

Rimshot

I dunno'... sounded pretty good to me, though Janet's suggestion sounds appropriate too.

Thanks Frank. It does work, I agree, though a suggestion by a composer friend not to end on the tonic does give me an idea how to fix this piano bit. Yet, I feel there is something better, but I am missing it. Maybe I am just being hyper-critical.

Janet- Great idea. I will give that a try. I will experiment with more synths. Maybe I just have not found the right sound yet.

Rimshot - Please do. I am thinking about cutting the last 4 seconds off, so if you want to work with the first 8 seconds, it would be ideal. Thanks!

Phil - I know. Aint she great? I keep asking her to marry me, but she says she loves her husband. Bah.
 
Thanks for all the input folks. I sincerely appreciate it.
 
(edit - this forum software really has some issues, jeeze)

Hi Shad,

I'd like to have a little go at this if you don't mind? Might take a couple of days though.

Do you have a copy of the file I could have, to put in sonar?

Mark.