Escaping Herod [Orchestral Cinematic] ... feedback welcome...

[Bansaw]

Therein lies a potential issue when approaching this sort of orchestral work - thinking about it in terms of chords / harmony. The vast majority of successful composers (classical / film whatever) will be writing / thinking along melodic lines much more - they compose horizontally more than they compose vertically! Then the underlying harmonies simply embed themselves as the various melodies interact.

How do you define Horizontal vs Vertical development?
I'd always thought (after watching a few Mike Verta videos, and simplifying) is that Vertical development is adding instruments (and volume/dynaimcs), and Horizontal development was evolving the melody.

[ChameleonMusic]

There are various ways of looking at 'vertical' versus 'horizontal' when discussing composition...it can get seriously complicated and everything should always be interlinked!

I was just trying to differentiate between two different (but directly linked) areas of focus - 1) Harmony / Chords 2) Melody

1) Harmony Chords - by definition this is more 'vertical' as a simple chord is notes played simultaneously, stacked on top of each other.
When composing, if you focus too much on this simple 'vertical' element of the piece then other areas such as melody and rhythm etc tend to become add-ons and the whole thing can lack fluid development and consequently ebbs and flows much more clunkily at times.

2) Melody - if the main focus is on this more 'horizontal' element, then other areas of the process tend to evolve quite organically as the piece develops...put together two melodies successfully then the underlying harmonies start to appear as if by magic...effectively add a third melody and any underlying chords are then clearly embedded in the piece.

I'm NOT saying 'ignore' chords / harmony as you compose, but just experiment with the idea of it not necessarily being the main focus...

https://soundcloud.com/chameleon-music/ ... -the-cross

Listen from 1 minute 15 seconds - the 3 simple, underlying chords in this piece are very clearly etched, but I never even thought about them when composing it, I just wrote the various melodies that hopefully fit together and the harmony just evolved from those. Every single part is intended to be a carefully shaped melody in its own right.

Vertical development is adding instruments

- Yes, but not 100%, as exactly when in the piece you add / take way various instruments also gives the orchestration / texture a 'horizontal' factor as well.

[htcnext2]

I am not really in orchestral music, but, as far as I can judge, this sounds great for a programmed piece of music ( I assume). Great work!

[jancivil]

One simple way to look at it is block chords versus harmonies arrived at through part-writing, lines, like counter lines. More fluid than meeting blocks and that type of conforming.

[ChameleonMusic]

One simple way to look at it is block chords versus harmonies arrived at through part-writing, lines, like counter lines. More fluid than meeting blocks and that type of conforming.

Ha! So much more succinct than I was....boy, do I ramble on sometimes!

[aaron aardvark]

Bansaw,
Thank you for the review! Now your song: very nice audio quality! What did you use for the sounds? I actually got goosebumps! I don't listen to lots of orchestral music like this, but it was really good! I could see it in a movie, TV show or video. It is good you're not bashful about your faith.

[Allomerus]

I like this. Nice use of instruments and the very quiet section is my favourite section.
I agree with some other comments, focus on good melodies first.
Well done!

[Frantz]

I enjoyed it. I thought the brass/bassy parts were the most inspired. It sounded like something interesting was going to happen but then it ended kind of abruptly. The orchestral writng didn't sound very authentic but it did sound good.

Good job.