Ravnir's Saga [alpha state]

[Tod]

(07-05-2017, 08:23 PM)Mattias Westlund Wrote: Anyway. This is what I have so far. Not really sure where to go next. Nay or yay? Any thoughts are welcome.

Wow Mattias, there's a lot more to this then I saw and heard in Reaper.  However, I've already told you what I think of you 
and you certainly haven't disappointed me.    You actually have stories behind all of this.  I guess I shouldn't be suprised,
you not only have a gift, but a great talent.  

At any rate I finally found you here, being the old fart that I am, it can take some doing. 

Tod

[Viktor]

Where did you get the sample from the beginning of "A Raven among Hawks"? I can hear someone scream "You Coward!" in german think the Audio of using these little clips is pretty atmospheric though. I like the generell composition. I feel like the Solo Cello (if that what it is) could use a bit more reverb to be a bit above everything, while sounding pretty unrealistic and out of that world, I dunno, if thats what you want. The strings at 1:42 could maybe use more fading in with a little line starting before they get really loud or something like that. Or maybe some other kind of transitation marked with percussion?
I think your use of key changes is pretty effective. I like the "scape" the strings do in the beginning with the very high, very soft strings. Also the two harps seem really to pay off, especially combined with the low strings it seems to make a really nice sound. Are you basicly playing a power chord in the deep strings at 1:00 or are my ears deciving me?

[Mattias Westlund]

Tod, Viktor, thanks for your comments!

The intro sfx are from Freesound. I did notice some discernible words in German in there but I tried editing them out. Apparently I didn't get them all It's really hard finding suitable atmosphere sfx in the free realm so with no budget to record stuff like this myself, I kind of have to settle for what's available. I didn't do a ton of work on the intro though, so maybe I can tweak it more to make the spoken bits less clear.

As for the strings, I definitely intend to have some passage that leads into the following part. But right now I'm not happy with the strings at all -- they work well enough for the epic bits but for something more emotional like this... naah, they're going to need a lot more work.

The "deep strings" that you hear is just a drone/pad sound (I used it in many places on WoR as well) and yes, there is some hint of a 5th in there now that you mention it.

Like I said, this track is a sketch more than anything. It's kind of uninspired right now but I feel that it's better pushing on and jotting down all musical ideas I have for the existing chapters rather than getting bogged down in finsihing them one by one. Once I have a set of established themes it gets a lot easier going back and finishing stuff.

[Viktor]

Oh yeah, I think i went a bit overboard with my critique. Defintly it's better to have a lot of sketchy ideas and then flesh them out. Orchestral music is just so really unforgiving, when one ignores the details. Sometimes I really despise my ideas, till the point I finally begin to to tinker on the details and then it really changes the sound.

Thats a pretty neat sounding drone pad for this Bordun kinda things. I don't know to be honest, how distinguishable it is, if you don't speak the language. I hear it now very clearly, after I heard it once, but yeah, someone that doesn't speak the language might not even notice it. It's sounds pretty good, especially regarding that it's free.

[bigcat1969]

I liked some of the interesting rhythms at the beginning of Scourge. It kind of gave me the idea that the scourge was just coming ashore and finding his footing before the more driving rhythm kicked in. Also the sort of early middle build up and then backing off before the big ending was effective.

I didn't even notice any language. It just blended all together for me.

[Nayrb]

Admittedly, I've been absent more than I'd like for several months (I promise I've been hovering), but I sure hope this project is still in the works!

[Mattias Westlund]

(11-10-2017, 02:10 AM)Nayrb Wrote: Admittedly, I've been absent more than I'd like for several months (I promise I've been hovering), but I sure hope this project is still in the works!

Oh it is, though I haven't gotten very far since my previous post. I'm moving to a new apartment in about a month so almost everything music related has been put aside for the time being, and I won't be able to work on anything until I have my home studio properly set up again.

[Nayrb]

(11-11-2017, 10:58 AM)Mattias Westlund Wrote:

(11-10-2017, 02:10 AM)Nayrb Wrote: Admittedly, I've been absent more than I'd like for several months (I promise I've been hovering), but I sure hope this project is still in the works!

Oh it is, though I haven't gotten very far since my previous post. I'm moving to a new apartment in about a month so almost everything music related has been put aside for the time being, and I won't be able to work on anything until I have my home studio properly set up again.

I empathize (or rather: I will, come Spring). Well, looking forward to it, for sure.

[Mattias Westlund]

(11-14-2017, 12:48 AM)Nayrb Wrote: I empathize (or rather: I will, come Spring). Well, looking forward to it, for sure.

Yeah, it's going to be a pain (I hate moving) but at the same time I'm looking forward to it as this time around I will have a dedicated -- albeit small -- room for my home studio. For the past few years I've been working in the living room, the studio space partitioned off with some bookshelves. So I'm I'm going to take this opportunity to do it "right" this time, with proper room treatment and some careful planning of how to best use what space I have.

[Nayrb]

(11-14-2017, 02:21 PM)Mattias Westlund Wrote:

(11-14-2017, 12:48 AM)Nayrb Wrote: I empathize (or rather: I will, come Spring). Well, looking forward to it, for sure.

Yeah, it's going to be a pain (I hate moving) but at the same time I'm looking forward to it as this time around I will have a dedicated -- albeit small -- room for my home studio. For the past few years I've been working in the living room, the studio space partitioned off with some bookshelves. So I'm I'm going to take this opportunity to do it "right" this time, with proper room treatment and some careful planning of how to best use what space I have.

Nice! I'm glad you'll finally have a dedicated space. I too am relegated to the living room--or alternately, since I live in a studio, the bedroom (which is nothing new, really). Currently hoping to move to a different studio next year. But rents are extremely high where I live, so we'll see what happens. I wouldn't be the first full time employed 30 year old to move back in with his parents in these times