Orchestral Tracks

Hello all,

Just want to upload one of my first full orchestra works (I can not come up with idea how to call those pieces so it will be just demos). Not so far ago I realised that I want to become a soundtrack composer, so I started to self educating myself. I really want to know is this any good.

Anyway, any kind of comments, feedback or suggestions will be appreciated.

Regards,

Vova

I liked 60 more than 55.A lot of energy suitable for action scenes. It has propulsion and even humor and builds nicely.

Very nice pieces, but it feels like there can be done so much more with the material, you already have.

Demo 55
Very heroic and epic beginning. Well orchestrated (for the ear, because I cannot open the score).

Demo 60
I like D55 more than D60.
Still very nice melodies and development.

Unfortunately, I am not able to open the scores.

18 minutes ago, Maarten Bauer said:

Unfortunately, I am not able to open the scores.

Strange, can not open them either. I've attached scores here. Hope it will work

Hello, if this is really one of your first orchestral works you have a lot of potential. There's a lot of good stuff going on here.

Demo 55

I liked 55 a lot, am I right in saying Hans Zimmer is an inspiration? A few motives sound very much like his style. Just a note on the score, the correct spelling is spiccato, not spicatto  and détaché, not detache, and I'm not sure I understand what you mean when you use one tremolo bar on a sixteenth-note figure: is this just me who doesn't know String techniques well enough (that's quite possible), or did you come up with that notation? I have doubts about it , because as I understand it, it encourages to detach the notes even more, and I'm not sure that's the effect you want, because it doesn't come through in the audio and the legato we hear is exactly what gives the string parts a very flowing sound. Besides, be careful with spiccato at that tempo, I'm not sure of what the effect will be - quick tempos will cause the bow to bounce more and ultimately you might end up with a sort of sautillé that would sound too comical for this piece.

During your whole B section, 2nd Violins are above 1st Violins all the time. Sound-wise this is irrelevant, but I would recommend switching the two parts  - might as well keep the score simple and consistent. This applies to m. 25 as well, bringing 2nd Violins to top G (and at that speed particularly) is a bit harsh and would not be necessary since the 1st Violins aren't playing anything.

Demo 60

Like Ken said, a lot of energy here. Good stuff too. However, I'm surprised by the difference in mood between this piece and the previous one - 55 is very serious and epic and hollywoodian, whereas listening to 60 the first thing that came to my mind was Tom chasing Jerry (absolutely not meant dismissively, I'm just pointing out an interesting difference). So if you did indeed mean this piece to be humorous, you did a very good job and I don't really have anything else to say, but if you didn't specifically, my advice is to be careful with staccato Tuba and Woodwinds, especially in their high range - this will immediately make anything sound comical and, if exaggerated, ridiculous. In section G I liked the contrast between the seriously menacing bass line and the quick rhythms above.

All in all, two very enjoyable pieces!

On 14-2-2017 at 8:11 PM, vovamusic said:

Strange, can not open them either. I've attached scores here. Hope it will work

I am not a professional composer, but I think you may have a chance to become a soundtrack composer. 

You have a good sense of orchestration and melodies. Of course things can be improved, but you are, as you say, a beginning composer.

I would recommend you to visit Open Days of local Conservatoria. Show the professors your work and ask for real and honest advice: 

''Do I have a chance to be admitted to the Conservatorium.'' Etc.

BUT also ask the students' opinions and experiences. Of course, employment and other important future elements should also be discussed.

Kind regards and good luck!

Maarten

Demo 55:

Amazing start! I don't really have complaints about it. I think the percussion there was extremely well done and guided the entire piece. My only thing was it was short. I know its a demo so that is understandable.

Demo 60:

The fast tempo really brings color to my ear. I love how the instruments work with each here. It seems that each instrument has their own voice and doesn't clash with each other. The length of the piece is better here as well. 

Really good stuff brother.

Hi vovamusic,

In listening to these, you have a really good feel for managing dynamics and orchestral texture to get the effect you want.

I think your next step is studying late 19th and early 20th century composition techniques in detail. The biggest shortcoming I hear in the two demo tracks is that they're too bound by the major/minor system (especially true in 60). If you can broaden your harmonic and melodic palette to be able to draw on other scales and harmonies, you'll find material that is much more in the soundtrack vein.

Some composers to look at: Debussy, Holst, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Copland

Ok, guys, thank you all for such a positive and inspiring feedbacks.

@Marc O'Callaghan Thank you for pointing out correct names for the strings techniques markings and overall detailed feedback. It was tremolo at first, but I found out that legato is much more suitable. Unfortunately, I forgot to make changes in the score. About the mess with violins at m.25 - I actually thought that it would be hard for violin players to jump from that upper G down to that C on a G string, so I gave that part to 2nd Violins. But I might be just overcomplicating things and such a jump isn't that hard. Creating humorous track was exactly what I was planning when I was creating D 60 - I'm glad that I've managed to do it so you and @Ken320 actually noticed that. And yep, you are right about Hans Zimmer - his tracks inspired me for creating D 55.

@Maarten Bauer Thanks for the advice, I will definitely do this. I'm also thinking of taking online courses in Berklee Universty.

@LostSamurai I honestly never though that someone will react to my pieces in such a positive way. Thank you for inspiring me for doing more.

@Adrian Quince Thank you for advising me a list of composers to listen. I'm listening to their pieces while writing this))).

I'm glad you all enjoyed my compositions.

Regards,

Vova