The Cursed Castle

Hello,
This is the new one. What do you think?

Wow this is very cool, as it started I heard quite a bit of John Williams / Harry Potter in there but by the end I was very impressed.
Is this a recording? If not, please tell me how this was made!
Dan

  On 9/30/2023 at 4:23 PM, DanJTitchener said:

Wow this is very cool, as it started I heard quite a bit of John Williams / Harry Potter in there but by the end I was very impressed.
Is this a recording? If not, please tell me how this was made!
Dan

 

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Thank you for your kind words! No, it's not a recording, I used the following sample libraries:
Orchestral Tools - Berlin Woodwinds
Audiobro - Modern Scoring Strings
Project Sam - True Strike
Audio Imperia - Chorus

It sounds incredible, is that with a DAW then? All I do is write my scores and export the audio with Noteperformer for Sibelius, so I'm very intrigued how people create audio sounding this good 

  On 9/30/2023 at 7:20 PM, DanJTitchener said:

It sounds incredible, is that with a DAW then? All I do is write my scores and export the audio with Noteperformer for Sibelius, so I'm very intrigued how people create audio sounding this good 

 

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Yes, I use DAW software for my work. I always work with Presonus Studio One as DAW.

  On 9/30/2023 at 7:42 PM, olivercomposer said:

Yes, I use DAW software for my work. I always work with Presonus Studio One as DAW.

 

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Ah, I was just about to ask if those VST 3 are compatible with NP 4 play back engine.  I do have Studio one, myself.  But since, I have always been taught to read music, and it easier for me to write music using a notation program than DAW.  However, I might use a DAW when I have actual studio...

  On 10/1/2023 at 1:17 AM, Kvothe said:

Ah, I was just about to ask if those VST 3 are compatible with NP 4 play back engine.  I do have Studio one, myself.  But since, I have always been taught to read music, and it easier for me to write music using a notation program than DAW.  However, I might use a DAW when I have actual studio...

 

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As far as I know Studio One has "score view", so you can use it as a notation software, and maybe it works with the Presonus Notion.

  On 9/30/2023 at 7:11 PM, olivercomposer said:

Audio Imperia - Chorus

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It's a shame this library is so expensive.

I've been looking for a better choral sound; but this one is unaffordable for me.

WOW, You have quite a selection of Audio Software .... Is  this the way you earn your living? 

Mark

  On 10/1/2023 at 6:16 PM, MJFOBOE said:

WOW, You have quite a selection of Audio Software .... Is  this the way you earn your living? 

Mark

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I'm not only a composer but also a programmer and a private teacher. I literally don't earn money from my art. 

I'd like to use a DAW someday but I'm very much a notation-first composer so I'd need to figure out how go from Sibelius to DAW... 

  On 10/2/2023 at 6:16 PM, DanJTitchener said:

I'd like to use a DAW someday but I'm very much a notation-first composer so I'd need to figure out how go from Sibelius to DAW... 

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This can be done by exporting your piece from Sibelius as a MIDI file, then loading this file into your DAW. 
It's then just a matter of assigning virtual instruments to each channel, and a whole load of tweaking to create a realistic sound!

  On 10/3/2023 at 2:48 PM, Alex Weidmann said:

This can be done by exporting your piece from Sibelius as a MIDI file, then loading this file into your DAW. 
It's then just a matter of assigning virtual instruments to each channel, and a whole load of tweaking to create a realistic sound!

 

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It's that last part of your answer which is the Great Unknown for me! 

Hi @olivercomposer, I really like this piece. I think it would be even better if you used more dynamic variation. For example, I think the beginning should be much quieter. This would create a more mysterious atmosphere, and make the climaxes later even more impactful.

Thanks for sharing!

-gmm

Hey @olivercomposer,

You are lucky that @gmm drops a review on your piece!

Another octatonic beginning starts well. There's indeed reminiscent of Harry Potter as @DanJTitchener noted at the beginning. You really love octatonic modulation as you also have one in 1:35 from G minor to E minor with the "Aah" vocal (again haha!), with hexatonal C minor flavouring. I like that you go for a dimineundo at the end rather than having the brass bombarding till the end as in your previous pieces. I think of this piece rather depicting a castle occupied by the evil party rather than itself cursed. Thx for sharing!

Henry