03-06-2017, 03:31 AM
Very good usage of your resources through the calm portion. Reminds me of the score to Age of Empires III through that portion.
All you need is some equalization and a little compression to clean up the samples, e.g.-
https://instaud.io/private/3b03392ec2209...93d779ab73
It might help to use a more intimate piano that was sampled up close, as they have a rounder sound (e.g. the upright from VSCO 2 CE).
One of the tricks you learn from doing a lot of this is sometimes more stuff =/= fatter. You can achieve a fatter sound by using a variety of tools- equalizers, compressors, and a range of orchestration techniques.
Chord choices, in particular, incorporating what are called "Tensions", can help thicken up a track, as can incorporating tight intervals (such as placing the third lower in the voices).
e.g. https://instaud.io/C9k?t=17.9s vs. https://instaud.io/C9k?t=22.8s
(they sound very similar, but you will notice the first is thicker due to the position of a third in one of the lower voices)
Violins in octaves also thickens things up without adding mud, as does doubling cellos an octave below by the contrabasses.
Ultimately you want to avoid mud (caused by an excess of lows and low-mids combined with excessive reverb). Clear highs can boost the level of the track without increasing mud, that's why tools like exciters are commonplace and regularly used. The risk is- on lower fidelity systems and through smaller household speakers, excessive highs can sound tinny and harsh, even if it sounds great in the "studio".
All you need is some equalization and a little compression to clean up the samples, e.g.-
https://instaud.io/private/3b03392ec2209...93d779ab73
It might help to use a more intimate piano that was sampled up close, as they have a rounder sound (e.g. the upright from VSCO 2 CE).
One of the tricks you learn from doing a lot of this is sometimes more stuff =/= fatter. You can achieve a fatter sound by using a variety of tools- equalizers, compressors, and a range of orchestration techniques.
Chord choices, in particular, incorporating what are called "Tensions", can help thicken up a track, as can incorporating tight intervals (such as placing the third lower in the voices).
e.g. https://instaud.io/C9k?t=17.9s vs. https://instaud.io/C9k?t=22.8s
(they sound very similar, but you will notice the first is thicker due to the position of a third in one of the lower voices)
Violins in octaves also thickens things up without adding mud, as does doubling cellos an octave below by the contrabasses.
Ultimately you want to avoid mud (caused by an excess of lows and low-mids combined with excessive reverb). Clear highs can boost the level of the track without increasing mud, that's why tools like exciters are commonplace and regularly used. The risk is- on lower fidelity systems and through smaller household speakers, excessive highs can sound tinny and harsh, even if it sounds great in the "studio".
Sample library developer, composer, and amateur organologist at Versilian Studios.