Space/Pirates (Easter Double Feature!!)

Retroblueman

Hi all

Recently finished cooking this one - used BBCSO Core and the amazing Total Performance Cello from Solo Strings. I suspect Taron is going to tell me off for using too much reverb again- but I had fun: ) This is for the (very informal) Ryan Leach composing competition, which is still going until 30 April (details in my description on YT - lots of really useful info on Ryan's channel and well worth a sub!). The brief is to write a 90 second piece to fit the rather moody picture of Mont St Michel - I went there when I was little and thought I was in a pirate film so tried to reflect that in the music (very hard to do pirates without treading on Hans' toes but, if nothing else, am particularly happy with the modulation in this- the idea was to have the E minor tonality at the start "drop" like a trapdoor had opened):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES3UQS67ReU

And, for part two, a sentimental little one from me using Aperture: The Stack, the solo trumpet from BBCSO Core and the (hyped) piano from Originals: Media Toolkit (plus some home brewed synths for the "pulses"). Back in Summer '21 I was looking for free samples and the YT algorithm must have picked up on that and served me up Christian's video (24/03/21) where he scores Spacetime using free samples (although I suggest that using Homay's voice was cheating; ) That led me to Spitfire and my current bliss (even if my wallet is not quite as blissful). C played the "mission" aspect of the video but I wanted to play up the "isolation":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-MUnNT3gLQ

(the video's on thecuetube.com if you fancy a go yourself)

Lastly, to celebrate one year since I started trying to write and produce music I have put a little anthology of (nearly) all my Spitfire inspired pieces (so far!) up on Soundcloud. Library details in the track descriptions:

https://soundcloud.com/user-463039046/sets/scores-and-sketches

Thanks for listening - hope you enjoy - all thoughts appreciated and welcome!

Best wishes!

R

88Freqs

That's super fun. Nice to listen to both. It's amazing to me that you only started a year ago. Well done.

Of the two, I really liked the first one.

Dave

Londoneye330

Yeah!! One year anniversary!!

Really loved both pieces, however, it seems that the competition video link you had in your video description doesn't work :( maybe the owner took it off -

But wow well done for both. Will definitely listen to the anthology of pieces you have there when I have time.

Retroblueman

Thanks very much @88Freqs and @Londoneye330!!

I have played an insane amount of piano music in my time - mainly Beethoven Sonatas and Rachmaninov (I am not particularly good, or close, but I have a good old bash: ) and got a bit obsessed with ear training about 10 years ago so I wasn't a complete fresher going in - the main inspiration this time last year was that my wife banished me to the box bedroom because I was getting under her feet working from home during her maternity leave: ) That meant no more piano: ( - so instead of that I squeeze in a bit of composing at the bookends of the day, last thing at night and sometimes at lunchtime.

Sorry link didn't work - here it is again https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ueIrzx10wg&t=3s - failing that have a look for Ryan Leach on YT- really been enjoying his channel!

Taron

Wooot, nooo, it's GREAT! I don't mind what you've done with the mix at all. Seems very fitting and not over the top or drowning in any way. The high cello solo may be a little brave, but somehow works out at the end (of it).

Does it fit the picture? Well, it certainly creates a certain expectation around it, that's for sure. Very dramatic, very ominous, very big. Makes me want to join in just to play with offering a different expectation just for the fun of it, hehehe. But what you've done is absolutely GREAT! 😃👍️

Sebastien Angel

Hey @Retroblueman :D

Both tracks are very cool !! You captured the essence of Mont St Michel like you pictured it ; it's very enjoyable (and I'm fond of pirates so : double pleasure :)

Spacetime is very deep and well mixed. Simple as it needs to be. And that's not easy to do at all with virtual instruments.

Very good job !

Sebastien

Retroblueman

hi again @Sebastien Angel - many thanks - you are a good man!