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Space Quest

Discussion in 'Critique & Feedback' started by Duncan Formosa, Feb 4, 2021.

  1. Inspired by (you guessed it) Galaxy Quest, but also the Buzz Lightyear of Star Command theme.

     
  2. Do you compose directly in the DAW or do you write/sketch with notation first?
     
  3. Unfortunately I've always SUCKED at writing and reading music. Mainly understanding the rhythms. Although I have started getting better at it by using the "Complete Rhythm Trainer" app and using it every day.

    The way I do things now is record a baisic piano version first. Then I'll connect a mic into my DAW and hum out each part that I hear in my head, then start adding the VST's.
     
    David Healey likes this.
  4. This gives me total Police Academy vibes :D

    Nice one!

    For me however it sounds as if your trumpet has a bit of trouble getting the high notes right. You could try doubling them with flutes maybe.
    But could be just my personal taste.
     
  5. It's funny that you mention that actually! Cause I've never seen police academy, and then I let my mum hear the piece and she said the same thing as you haha. Ah well, what can you do?

    Do you think that's an issue with the samples or is this an orchestration issue do you think?
     
  6. Oh, I wondered if you did transcribe it and it sneaked up into this space quest theme. But seems that you've got the spirit of it nonetheless. :D

    My guess would be an orchestration issue, but maybe it is fine as it is and I'm just biased.
    But it won't hurt to try a flute doubling or something else. Flute and trumpet doubling is quite common I think. And then decide for yourself if it sound more like you have intended.
     
  7. Was there a particular point where the trumpet bothered you? There are flutes doubling the trumpet but so are the violins at points. Maybe they are deeply burried in the mix, or maybe I should take the violins out?
     
  8. 0:13 til 0:25 was I referring to.
    Also from 0:45 on the Horns get pretty high for my taste (I think it's the horns).
    Damn I couldn't hear any doublings, but my hearing isn't all that great (I need to do a lot more transcribing) plus I'm currently listening on laptop speakers.
    Probably it's just me since I am not very fond of the really high trumpet/horn sound.
     
  9. Ah, at that point the strings and flutes only accent certain notes in the first section, they don't play all the way through.

    I'd probably blame the mixing more than your ears, my mixing isn't that great at all and I'm using £25 headphones. Not the best way to work, but I don't make any money composing so I can't justify laying down a load of money for a good set of monitors. That and I'm still living with my family so there's not much room (family of 7, you can imagine how fun that's been during lockdown!)

    Maybe once I'm finally able to move into my own place I'll get some decent monitors and finally have a studio for composing/editing etc.
     
  10. Just had a listen again on my speakers and I think what bother me is the high horns at 0:13 and 0:45. Maybe too high for them or as I said my personal bias (I wonder what everybody else thinks). If I heared correctly and those are horns, what about replacing them with trombones?

    Good luck with that :)
     
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  12. I was thinking in the same octave
     
  13. Hey Duncan this is really cool.
    My first thought on this is that it loses momentum when you hit the main thematic section at 12 sec. Check out the same kind of section in the Galaxy Quest theme and you will see what I mean.

    At 18 sec's he brings in the staccato woods and strings to push the theme forward. this pattern stays with the rest of the track until it hits the main theme again at 46 sec, and then is doubled with some higher strings to add more oomph in the final. I think if you added this with maybe some "tinkeling" percussion like a triangle or chimes it would bring the sense of pace and movement that you need.
    Great work dude.
     
  14. Yeah it does seem to lose it's momentum. I was tempted to do it just like galaxy quest, but was worried that it would feel more like a knockoff so tried to stay clear (especially since I ripped off the opening already) but probably was a bad call. Should have just went for it.
     
  15. Yeah I feel ya, I get stuck in similar situations were I feel like I'm getting too close to something that was inspiring me. In this case i feel what's really missing is just a sense of "pace." doesn't have to be what the galaxy quest theme does, maybe just look at a couple other pieces in the same style and see what are the common ways that they all establish that. Or just think of what instruments your not using at the time and use those to create more rhythm. doesn't have to be complicated, I feel like your ideas are very solid you just need to fill it out a bit more.
     
    Duncan Formosa likes this.
  16. @Duncan Formosa You revisited one of your older pieces recently and it was really interesting to hear how your work had improved. I think it would be great to revisit this piece and apply some of those new techniques you've been working with.
     
  17. It's on my ever expanding to do list haha! Okay, so I make sure I actually get things done and not ditch the idea, this will be my next project after the one I'm currently working on which is an all 8-bit track (different melody to the last one as I'm a little stuck with that)
     
    David Healey likes this.

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