Undeserved Sins (Past Sins Tribute)

[Stars In Autumn]

This song took waaaay too long to make.

This is based off the fan fiction Past Sins by Pen Stroke and Batty Gloom. It's kind of suppose to be background music of the first 10 chapters, which makes it pretty long. I tried to cover a variety of moods.

http://soundcloud.com/starsinautumn/undeserved-sins

I'm pretty much done but I'm kind of unsure about some parts. Let me know what you all think.

And yes, I know the kazoo sounds terrible, but it's part of the story >_>. Not sure how to make it work.

[Makkon]

Your composition skills baffle me. Do you record a midi or just click in the notes?

I do think that your songs deserve better sound libraries, though. They're just too good.

[Dr_Dissonance]

I haven't read Past Sins, so I can't tell whether it fits or not...

I'm not actually sure what to say...on the one hand I did LIKE IT! But on the other hand, it bugged me...
I think it's because I just got back from a lengthy debate about harmonic worlds and the lack of harmonic movement in "hollywood music"...this kind of fits that description. Hollywood music (which is a good thing) that doesn't feel like it goes anywhere harmonically...
I can guarantee that that opinion will change once I've cooled down, so I'll come back in a few hours and listen again...
Colour-wise, it goes here, there and everywhere though and I liked that!
Oh and also, if you're using the Nightmare Moon Theme that Anderson wrote for MLP (it sounded like you did), then your note at 1.41 and so on sounded a little too low...perhaps just double check your transcription!

[ClutterTrot]

Oh, I'm going to have to keep an eye on this. I wanna use those first few parts for when the Nightmare Moon story gets told.

[Stars In Autumn]

Your composition skills baffle me. Do you record a midi or just click in the notes?

I do think that your songs deserve better sound libraries, though. They're just too good.

Thanks! Some parts are MIDI, others I plug in manually. The synth near the end was MIDI for the first part with some minor adjustments to note position and length. The part where it becomes nothing but 16th notes were all plugged in though.

What do you suggest in libraries? All I use pretty much Atlantis, Kontakt, and a huge drum sample pack I found awhile back.

I haven't read Past Sins, so I can't tell whether it fits or not...

I'm not actually sure what to say...on the one hand I did LIKE IT! But on the other hand, it bugged me...
I think it's because I just got back from a lengthy debate about harmonic worlds and the lack of harmonic movement in "hollywood music"...this kind of fits that description. Hollywood music (which is a good thing) that doesn't feel like it goes anywhere harmonically...
I can guarantee that that opinion will change once I've cooled down, so I'll come back in a few hours and listen again...
Colour-wise, it goes here, there and everywhere though and I liked that!
Oh and also, if you're using the Nightmare Moon Theme that Anderson wrote for MLP (it sounded like you did), then your note at 1.41 and so on sounded a little too low...perhaps just double check your transcription!

I am using the theme. I modified it slightly there and at the beginning so the 2nd playthrough the last note is a semitone up. The note at 1.40 is Eb when normally it's D, so the tonal note played afterwards might sound a little low. Could you explain more about it lacking harmonics? Or more specifically where?

Thanks for the feedback all!

[Dr_Dissonance]

I feel bad for writing that now, as I have to explain myself, which'll make me sound like a douche...
Also, I'd really need the score in order to confirm what the hell I'm on about...

So, I'm referring to harmonic worlds, not harmonics...this piece is fine without harmonics! When I say harmonic worlds, I mean the dominant pitches each piece is based on...so effectively, I mean tonal centers, except not, if that makes any sense? It's a combination of tonal center, key, pitch class, timbre etc etc...
Anyway, I feel that this piece doesn't have enough of a variation of harmonic worlds. As far as I can tell, it doesn't really shift very far harmonically...but my ears are pretty bad at picking that sort of stuff up...

Remember I am saying this because I think you have great potential and I'm much harsher with critiquing to good composers...
Also, as a normal listener, I wouldn't care about all this, so it's successful for your audience!

[ZAquanimus]

...
you sir...
...

Well I'm not one to critique on the actual workings of the song and how it can be improved.
But I can say that this fits the mood of the first 10 chapters exactly.
I absolutely loved it.

Just so you know, I loved it so much that I actually made an account so I could tell you myself!

[Stars In Autumn]

I feel bad for writing that now, as I have to explain myself, which'll make me sound like a douche...
Also, I'd really need the score in order to confirm what the hell I'm on about...

So, I'm referring to harmonic worlds, not harmonics...this piece is fine without harmonics! When I say harmonic worlds, I mean the dominant pitches each piece is based on...so effectively, I mean tonal centers, except not, if that makes any sense? It's a combination of tonal center, key, pitch class, timbre etc etc...
Anyway, I feel that this piece doesn't have enough of a variation of harmonic worlds. As far as I can tell, it doesn't really shift very far harmonically...but my ears are pretty bad at picking that sort of stuff up...

Remember I am saying this because I think you have great potential and I'm much harsher with critiquing to good composers...
Also, as a normal listener, I wouldn't care about all this, so it's successful for your audience!

Could you give me an example of a piece that exemplifies what you are describing? I change key several times in the piece (minor in the darker parts and major in the lighter parts), so I'm not fully understanding what you mean. So an example would help.

You don't sound like a douche for having an opinion I'm pretty sure you have more music theory than me under your belt as well.

...
you sir...
...

Well I'm not one to critique on the actual workings of the song and how it can be improved.
But I can say that this fits the mood of the first 10 chapters exactly.
I absolutely loved it.

Just so you know, I loved it so much that I actually made an account so I could tell you myself!

Haha, yes, I'm getting more people to stop lurking on the forum!

[ZAquanimus]

Wellllll
Technically, I was never lurking.

I just get sent here sometimes by my brother Pustulioooooo XD

[Dr_Dissonance]

Could you give me an example of a piece that exemplifies what you are describing? I change key several times in the piece (minor in the darker parts and major in the lighter parts), so I'm not fully understanding what you mean. So an example would help.

You don't sound like a douche for having an opinion I'm pretty sure you have more music theory than me under your belt as well.

Phew, that's a relief! It's always a bit of a coin toss when I critique on the net, as I usually just get hate spewed back at me, but not the case here! Huzzah!

And of course, major/minor was used to great effect!

Okay, these are probably rubbish examples, considering they sound nothing like yours, but these are the first examples I could think of...



This is Liszt's "Un Sospiro" and some shifts in the harmonic world are obvious, shown by the key changes...
But there are some subtle changes in harmonic worlds, such as at 1.22, 2.35 and 3.38 that aren't immediately obvious, but make such an impact! Something like that would make this piece just mind-boggling!



This is the 1st movement to Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra (or part of the 1st movement)...thinking about it, this isn't a good example, because the shifts on harmonic worlds are due to dissonance and lack of key in some places...which is obviously not what you want...
But I'll leave it here anyway, as it is a good example of shifts in harmonic worlds! I'm pretty sure only 3 or 4 keys are used in total, but it's written in such a way that you wouldn't know it!

So, in conclusion, I guess I'm saying to think outside the box of typical major/minor, as I imagine that you could get some really good (Nay, Great! Fantabulous!!!) music written if you do!
The music's great regardless, but I, as a classical nazi of doom, think that you're only scratching the surface of what you could potentially do!
I hope that helps!

[Pustulioooooo]

Wellllll
Technically, I was never lurking.

I just get sent here sometimes by my brother Pustulioooooo XD

Yes, It's all true.
______________________

And yes, this was very very well done. I especially liked the beginning!