A Slew of music from Macar

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 6:45 am

Here's my slew. I offer any of these to TR http://www.putfile.com/dalzay

Recordings of dubious quality
Wet cave
Pirates
The calif's daughter
tootheless vendor
Blury
Frontline

Recordings of better quality
Dawn
Eternity of sand
Wanderer
Hero
Mountains

El Scumbago · Post by **El Scumbago** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 2:07 pm

Until now I've only heard the second one, the Frontline. Very nice, especially the drums. That is were my only suggestion focuses if you plan to expand the track. Use the drums a bit more, and add more bass to them. Other than that, it's a very nice work.

Orix · Post by **Orix** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 6:36 pm

I like blurry, it sounds familier... although I'm not sure why. It sounds like it would fit perfectly into High Rock, since its a very Daggerfall style track. The track is quite peaceful, and flows well, has a slight mysterious feel to it.

Frontline is a good battle track, again, good intensity, it would seem to suit High Rock well for the same reason.

Pirates is quite fun fun track, I see you were aiming for Hammerfell, probabaly martime battle music, or in a pirate cave which it would be well suited for.

I've noticed all the tracks are quite zelda-esque.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 8:44 pm

Thanks for the compliments, orix. I have never played any of the Zelda games. Scumbag, I agree that these are a little short, but it's just hard to make them long enough without getting too repetative, I will try a bass boost though, I agree that it would sound good.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 8:45 pm

^ That was me above, I forgot to log in... oops.

Graff · Post by **Graff** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 12:50 pm

Because you're obviously quite a talented musician, I'm giving the full force of my honesty (tremble in fear!!), it's all constructive criticism, as I'm sure that any of the flaws listed below are easily reperable.

Pirates: Has the eclectic rhythm and edge that I've come to expect, the sound quality (in terms of realism) is a little off, but definitely one to watch out for.

Frontline: Good start, but the jump at about 14 secs is just a bit too much, despite the fact that the second section is very cool. The ending could do with some work, I think it's that high note that puts me off a little. Once again, actual sound quality could be better.

Toothless Vendor: I love the easy going melody (reminds me of the music from the Pharoah game

), but the percussion is a little jumpy in places, I'd suggest doing away with the shakers and cymbals and stick with that tom-like drum. Sound quality is far better than this, except for the drums. The ending leaves a little to be desired.

The Caliph's Daughter: There's some clicks and hums at the start which suggest bad recording quality. Good melody and feel, but some of the instruments (mainly the extremely bass and treble-ly(sp?) instruments) don't quite mesh, I would expect lowering or raising those instruments an octave would do wonders.

Graff.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 5:29 pm

Thank you for your honesty Graff. Firstly, there is the recording quality; I'm not shure how to remove hums, buzzes, and hisses. If anyone has any tips on that, please share. Secondly, as to the endings, I deliberatly made them have uninteresting endings, because the music isnt really supposed to grab your attention, the end will just fade into the next piece.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 7:08 am

sorry for double post... Here's my latest, I figure it for cave exploration. Let me know what you think.

Graff · Post by **Graff** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 12:03 pm

Fair enough on the recordings, the best thing that you can do is to make sure you're not powering your keyboard up as you record, avoid jogging the cable, and making sure the recording level stays out of the red. These should guarantee a higher recording quality, but the rest is up to the quality of the keyboard itself.

It wasn't that they were uninteresting, they were just a little abrupt, a simple fade out should solve that, for the most part.

Graff.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Mon Dec 26, 2005 4:31 am

Graff, as per your suggestions here is a new version of the toothless vendor. Is this better?

Graff · Post by **Graff** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 12:55 pm

Sorry dude, I downloaded this then completely forgot to listen to it

Some of those high toms sound unrealistically fast, and the bass-y drums sound a little dissonant in the first ten seconds or so. Apart from that, everything seems fine. Do you have each intrument saved as a seperate midi or wav? If so, could you send them to me so I can start mixing and normalising it?

Graff.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 2:12 pm

Yes I do have a midi. However, due to something wierd about my keyboard, the percussion tracks export as "piano". So I don't know if it would be any use. Let me know if you want me to send it anyway.

However, for my 21st B-day, I have a coppy of Sibelius 4 with kontakt player gold on the way. Once I have that, my compositions should sound a lot better.

Graff · Post by **Graff** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 2:42 pm

The percussion needs to be set to the GM drum map, that's why it exports as a piano, it's easily solved though.

If you wouldn't PMing me the midi...

Graff.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 4:45 am

Okay: I have a new program that will revolutionize my music making. Here's a little sample WIP. It's really quiet, I'm trying to figure out how to make it lounder, but for now, just turn up your speakers.

<updated below>

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 3:58 am

Update. I think it's finished. Unless there are any suggestions.

<updated below>

sirwootalot123 · Post by **sirwootalot123** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 7:39 am

Every last one of these is absolutely beautiful... all we need is some high-quality samples, and this would be professional-level.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 6:05 am

Okay. I'm thrilled with my new program! Please have a listen to these. PS. they should be loud enough now

Orix · Post by **Orix** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 3:24 pm

Nedic Ruins makes good tense/mysterious explore music! The only 2 problems I have with it are that it feels like it starts on too much of a "happy" note, but thats probabaly just the way I percieve it and I didn't like the little rattle thing at the end either, but again, just my opinion. Its a great tune however! Gives a good sense of danger.

Mountains sounds great, it actually sounds like real instruments and makes a superb travel tune. Good job!

The only thing with your tunes is that while providing a good idea of your abilities, when you make them for the game itself they need to be much longer, perhaps 2 to 4 times the length they are now.

I agree with wooty in needing those samples of real instruments for the first piece (nedic ruins), we could really make these tunes sound grand with the proper equipment... the only problem being the money it takes to get such equipment!

Mr. Sorry of Balmora · Fri Jan 20, 2006 5:04 pm

IMO blurry would make a great theme for TR oblivion

frontline is good

i see nothing wrong with the realisim of pirates it gives me a feel of a sneaky little......nevermind

thoothless vendor 2 is a nice aribic style tune

i would rename wet cave to, Watch Your Back, and have it as a must for "smuggler" and other "suspicious" caverns.

Nedic ruins is too fast for the erie atmosphere you were going for bring down the tempo abit also the boom boom prucussion every 2 seconds feels like it slows the tempo of the music to the point of "drop-off, pick-up, drop off, pick up." consider changing that

Edit: Moutains is also another TR theme quality tune

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 6:11 pm

Thank you for the advise. I will certainly consider these suggestions and probably post new versions soon.

Orix: I'm not shure what you mean about Nedic starting on a happy note. I think it's creepy. I agree about the jawbone at the end, it'll be gone in the next draft. As for greater length: I agree that some of them are too short. The average explore track in Morrowind is about 3 minutes and the average battle track is about 2. My earlier stuff in this thread is mostly too short, but I'm working toward longer stuff. However, the Morrowind title theme, for example is only 1:54.

Mr Sorry: I like the title "watch your back"! As for nedic, the rythm sound wierd to you because it's in 7/8 meter. I picked that to give it an off-kilter feel. Most music is counted like, "1,2,3,4" but this is counted as, "1-2, 1-2, 1-2-3".

Orix · Post by **Orix** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 2:24 am

Yeah, I suppose "happy" was the wrong word, maybe slight upbeat, until it turns creepy... As for the length, I admit I also compared them to Morrowind tracks and saw that they were around the same length too, but then the music in Morrowind became far too repeptitive, according to many, and I think that may be in part due to the short track length, as well as the short selection of tracks too.

X3:The Reuinion, a game, has the same problem and it's tracks are around 6 minutes long, and theres quite a lot of them too. Guess everyone's going to have their work cut out for them in this project, hopefully me too!

Thanks for taking my critiscism into account

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 3:14 am

Okay, as much as I like it; I'm going to scrap "nedic". I think it's just not right. It's the same samples as the other peice, but the way I orchestrated just gives it an elecronic sound.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 7:17 pm

Here's a WIP. I like it so far and it is going to be realy long.

Orix · Post by **Orix** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 7:34 pm

Wow, nice tune! I hadn't noticed the title and was about to write that this would make an ecellent morning tune if Oblivion has time/situation based music (which I'm getting the feeling it does). Good job on it so far!

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 2:14 am

Okey, here is a longer one of dawn's beauty (which is what "tamriel" means)

I'm not compleately happy with the later half, but I dont think I'll work any more on it, unless someone has a great suggestion, or if you realy want me to.

<updated below>

Mr. Sorry of Balmora · Mon Jan 23, 2006 3:54 pm

Dawn's beauty gives me the in town at night feeling like in Arena. its always good to have some old school in a game

Dawn's Beauty is *tries not to cry* beautiful. i know is sounsd corny. i take it that it's the beat at the end you dont like just think of that as the moments leading up to the break of dawn you know that it's comming you just dont know when.

3 cheers 4 beers and an order of Fish 'n' Chips for you mate

Raincatcher · Post by **Raincatcher** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 5:23 pm

Macar wrote:Okey, here is a longer one of dawn's beauty (which is what "tamriel" means)

I'm not compleately happy with the later half, but I dont think I'll work any more on it, unless someone has a great suggestion, or if you realy want me to.

Nice work! The beginning is very nice, and the arrangement is okay, but I still have something to say..

What is this rock hihat crash is doing there? =8( ) BTW try to use softer strings, when using strings as pads.
In the end of the first minute where the drum comes, I would suggest another sample for stings, which are playing bass together with drum. And in the same place I would use Ton. -> Subdom. thing more carefully. 1min11sec - for my taste you cut string solo too sharp (the high d-note).
1.47. in what style did you land?

I mean J.S.Bach liked such things =) but I am not sure that that it matches the whole mood of the track, it comes really unexpected.
2.14. Idea is good but try to fill the middle part of the spectrum.
2.35. The main theme comes back pretty unexpected, try to slow down before reprise, but not the reprise.

I like this track! some more work to do and it will be really good. Try to make sound more real. Don't be scared to use controllers to make every note a bit different from other note.
Regards!

Raincatcher · Post by **Raincatcher** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 5:30 pm

Frontline - Nice and funky!

If you wish - send me a midi file, and I will replace the sounds with better ones and propably add something.
Nice!

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 6:24 pm

Thank you for the beer mr. sorry. I'll pass on the fried fish, though, I'm on a diet.

Rain-catcher: thank you for specific advise, it's very helpfull since I've never had any composition training in my life. I'll be looking at your advise and trying things out. Right off the bat I can tell you that my program, while nice and easy to use isn't very flexable as far as tweaking goes. I can't really change the samples, I can only controll notes, dynamics, and so on- the samples are loaded automaticly.

As for frontline; I'd be glad to send you the midi. But it's on another computer, so I'll get it emailed to me.

Raincatcher · Post by **Raincatcher** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 6:41 pm

Macar wrote:Thank you for the beer mr. sorry. I'll pass on the fried fish, though, I'm on a diet.

Rain-catcher: thank you for specific advise, it's very helpfull since I've never had any composition training in my life. I'll be looking at your advise and trying things out. Right off the bat I can tell you that my program, while nice and easy to use isn't very flexable as far as tweaking goes. I can't really change the samples, I can only controll notes, dynamics, and so on- the samples are loaded automaticly.

As for frontline; I'd be glad to send you the midi. But it's on another computer, so I'll get it emailed to me.

Oki! BTW: what program do you use?

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 5:13 am

Here's another one.

<updated below>

Lud · Post by **Lud** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 9:46 am

Wow, flukey coincidence! I wrote book for BoT a few days ago with the same name. Great minds think alike, eh, Macar.

Orix · Post by **Orix** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 2:53 pm

Might not be a coincedence at all, humans are good at seeing things and unconsciously registering them, only for them to crop up somewhere in their conscious without even realising where it came from... or it could be a coincedence!

I love this piece Macar! Perfect for Hammerfell, nice and long too! The arabian style playing of the guitar is atmospheric, and the violins really add an air of mystery. Great job

.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 2:59 pm

No coincidence, no subconsious. I deliberately stole the name

. I'm still planning to tweak the part where it crescendos near the end, but otherwise I think it's done. It's about 2:45

Lud · Post by **Lud** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 3:06 pm

I feel honoured. Did you like the book that much? (or hate it but like the name? :p )

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 5:11 pm

heh, well actualy I havent read it yet, it just caught my eye on the top ten posts.

Mr. Sorry of Balmora · Tue Jan 24, 2006 9:31 pm

wow another quality piece Macar

this reminds me of an egyptian sunrise

one problem, it stops suddenly.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 4:41 am

Here are 2 updates and a WIP

<Edit: I'm such a dork that I finished the WIP>

http://media.putfile.com/Eternity-of-Sand_Macar
http://media.putfile.com/Dawn_Macar
http://media.putfile.com/Mountains_Macar

PS. I did read eternity of sand. I like it, reminds me a bit of "the Last Words of Riniso Hawker" which I wrote!

Orix · Post by **Orix** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 2:35 pm

Amazing job Macar, desolation is quite a moving piece, and you did a great job of rounding off those other two.

Just out of interest, will you be recreating other tracks you've made using the same software, like Hero? Were Frontline, PIrates and Blurry made using the same software? Just wondering since they're all good pieces of music

.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 3:44 pm

No I used different stuff. Hero was recorded by dummyplug from my midi. everything else before "mountains" was recorded off of my keyboard. From mountians onward I have been using Sibelius 4 and Kontakt player.

[edit: oh wait, I missunderstood the question. I dont know about redoing. I might redo blurry or hero since those where both composed in sibelius 2- thus, easy to import. but so far I havent gotten them to sound right.