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I like it. The arrangement is clear n well balanced but perhaps a bit too thin imo. I d experiment with adding woodwinds and brass (brass not meaning trumpet fanfares rather subtle horn n trombone lines giving it warmth n depth), and at the end reintroduce the lower stringsection.

Btw, I noticed that all intruments was panned in centre. Panning is crucial to make it sound rich n real n I made a version available here:

(an ensamble is always positioned from the left to the right whereas in your version they d be sitting ontop or behind eachother in a single file)

http://w1.865.telia.com/~u86517124/Downloadable/BROKEN_PAN.mid

Another technical matter is volume envelopes. None was present in this version n makes it pretty flat n lifeless. No real instruments starts at one velocity n remains it constantly. So to make it more alive, use volume envelopes to fade in n out lines.

[scotch & GinnyW:]

scotch & GinnyW:

I take it from your posts that you re totally new to making music? So your ideal tutorial would also contain information how to set up a music-writing-program (sequencer)?

Could you tell me in detail what you d wish the tutorial/s would cover?

Archangel:

I ll send you a pm when I get some sort of picture of what s of interest.

Um... What does this actually mean?

Means that if you explain what they re supposed evoke in the audience, people can say in what areas they think you ve succeeded/failed and how to improve it.

For example, if the 'Ashes' song is supposed to be the maintheme it would probably benefit from using an arrangement that would not fit if used as subtle backgroundmusic ; if it s supposed to sound tragic some of the intruments would probably work better than other; and so on.

[(i) Beginner:]

I ve yet to come across a music composing/arranging/orchestration tutorial, n since I enjoy writing tutorials for some reason, I figured I d give it a shot.

What I m interested in finding out is if there s any interest for these things and secondly what it should cover.

Some example topics:

(i) Beginner: Creating a very basic rockstyled song from scratch

Would cover very basic things such as creating a standard drumbeat, bassline, chords and would be accompanied by some basic theory when dealing with the bassline/chords.

(ii) More advanced: Creating arrangements in different styles such as Jazz/Reggae/Latin

(iii) Experienced: Arranging/Orchestrating for a standard symphony orchestra

So, any thoughts?

(if you care to listen to some of my work there s a thread in the critics lounge:

http://www.agsforums.com/yabb/index.php?board=4;action=display;threadid=6016

Could you describe what they re ment for (scenes/milieus etc)? It would make it alot easier n more meaningful to give contructive criticism.

[Archangel]

Thanks for all the kind comments everyone.

Archangel :

What do you use for these? Soundfonts? VST sampler?

I use a softwaresampler called Gigastudio 160 with Cakewalk 9 as sequencer and various soundlibraries (yes Cakewalk is really old but it works best with Gigastudio IMO).

Rincewind:

Do you have midi versions of these works?

They re done in a midisequencer so I got the midifiles, but the problem is that the sounds are not GM (generalmidi) sounds so the instruments reffers to sounds from external soundlibraries.
Mm, what this means is that i d have to remap n redo a great deal of work to get them to play using a GM soundcard.

So in short: Not really.

[Orchestral themes]

Since the progress of my unannounced n pretty much nonexistent upcoming game is awfully slow, I figured I could use some project to work on simultanously.
 I write music n have been composing for about 10 years in various styles. From bossanova to breakbeat, my work has always been cinematic and often been intended for more or less unfinished movieprojects.

So if you re working on a serious game (i e some ambition involved) and you happen to like my musicstyle, I might be able to contribute with a soundtrack.

Here re some short examples of my work:

(praise, er, critizism is very welcomed)

Orchestral themes

Blue River Walk - 226 Kb - 0:39

Pretty old piece with a somewhat thin arrangement but I like harmonics although the melody line is somewhat uninteresting. Ment to sound a bit film noirish with a speakervoice ontop n background effects as heard in radio shows from the '50s.

Arr II - IV - 1136 Kb - 1:12

The present theme for my upcoming game. The arrangement could use some polishing aswell as the pianoperformance.

S - 608 Kb - 0:38

 An old theme of mine which I like but with an as old n clumsy arrangement which should be overlooked. (The first three chords are similar to the fellowship of the ring theme, but written 5 years prior to the movie.)

Sad ol Bernard - 356 Kb - 0:22

Inspired by the works of Bernard Herrmann, Hitchcock's faithfull composer. I m not too happy with this one but I wanted to show something in this style.

UWS - Small Arrangement - 700 Kb - 0:44

Fairly new arrangement of a pretty old theme which perhaps turned out a bit thin.

UWS - Large Dramatic - 997Kb - 0:42

Larger n older arrangement which I m not too fond of but I wanted to show a somewhat more dramatic piece.

Semi Orchestral

Kr - 860Kb - 0:54

New piece that I really like for some reason. I can have it on repeat for hours without being bothered (a looped version of it that is). Started out as a piano n string arrangement but then I added a bass n drums which made it less cinematic but more interesting imo.

Mellow Breeze - 861Kb - 0:36

I m not sure about the pianoline but I like the trombone one. Ment to sound a bit leasure-suit larry-lobbyish but with a perhaps too thick arrangement.

Non Orchestral

Not very serious little pieces

Tr - 941Kb - 1:00

Monkey Island kind of theme that I like. Ment to be looped at the end. The soundquality has been altered to sound like a oldtimerecord.

BF - 941Kb - 1:00

I m not too happy with this one but it was the only piece in the style that I could find recorded on my harddrive (that is, not in unrecorded midiformat).

Fg - 649Kb - 0:41

A very sloppy little piece that I really like for some reason.

FDS - 450Kb - 0:45

The reverb is horrible as well as the drum, but I like the harmonics n wanted to show the style. Kind of a cross between monkey island n DOTT.

Hu - 1170Kb - 0:49

A quazi-country-bluegrass sort of piece which I brought along only because it s a bit different from the rest.

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(Btw, please read the comments to forego some obvious comments.)

Edit: Added comments to all of them