The Orange Tree, The Fountain and a Long Lost Love

[donkey tugger]

I can play the piano more than competently (hopefully anyway) but playing it 'like a guitar' is totally different and quite unnatural if that make sense?

If it's any consolation, playing piano with a guitar controller is no easier..stupid instrument can't play two of the same note at the same time, half my repertoire gone..

[ChameleonMusic]

I can play the piano more than competently (hopefully anyway) but playing it 'like a guitar' is totally different and quite unnatural if that make sense?

If it's any consolation, playing piano with a guitar controller is no easier..stupid instrument can't play two of the same note at the same time, half my repertoire gone..

Ha! Being one of those keyboard - centric people, I'd never thought about the reverse situation... Yeah, that's gotta be worse if anything!

[Frantz]

Beautiful and immersive. The development and flow of the piece was very satisfying. A great listen.

Minor nitpicks:
* The granular processing in the intro seems a little heavy handed.
* The xaphoon could use more round robins or alternate sounds. Certain pitches sound identical breaking the illusion that this a real instrument.
* 5:09 - I didn't like how the vocalist slid into that note.

[ChameleonMusic]

The dynamics, color, and depth... OMG

Glad you enjoyed it - thanks for listening and leaving a comment.

[ChameleonMusic]

Cool! Interesting track with different parts. Beautiful melody lines... nice soundscape. Pleasant ambiance.

Thanks for the listen and feedback - much appreciated.

[htcnext2]

I can remember a track you posted here some time ago, which is still in my mind because of the extrordinary, well, let's say quality (regarding sound design and musicality). This one is clearly on the same level. Enjoyed the bass drops in the beginning, and also the evolvement of ambiences throughout. All of a sudden the listener is casted into an Italian film of the seventies (regarding the original music), then, again, this piece fades away to other shores. Very well done. Exceptional sound quality, balanced mastering..

Great track!
NR

[Bansaw]

Enjoyed it, liked the journey it took me on.
The womans "elf"-like spoken word was a nice addition, the water in the background irritated me a little (because I have misophonia!) but I realise thats its probably the fountain.
Emotional cello was ear-catching too; liked the epic vocals also.

[layzer]

a detailed, exotic piece. well done, Mark. that is all

[tumbledown]

This is really good. I suppose the intro might burden the modern attention span (or lack thereof) but it resolves quite nicely into a rich vision. Well done.

[ChameleonMusic]

Beautiful and immersive. The development and flow of the piece was very satisfying. A great listen.

Minor nitpicks:
* The granular processing in the intro seems a little heavy handed.
* The xaphoon could use more round robins or alternate sounds. Certain pitches sound identical breaking the illusion that this a real instrument.
* 5:09 - I didn't like how the vocalist slid into that note.

Hi Frantz, hope you're doing OK?

Many thanks as always...

immersive

more than happy with that as it was very much at the top of my list with this one...almost envelop the listener in a sound world, if that make sense?

The granular processing in the intro seems a little heavy handed.

You'll be shocked to hear that I deleted 4 tracks from the final version of the soundscape intro!

I think I can get too immersed in my narrative ideas sometimes when composing...easy to lose perspective. Yeah, I think you have strong point here...noted for the future.

The xaphoon

Originally meant to be another live recording via my clarinet playing son, but it didn't work out for various reasons! It's a somewhat limited free library from FLUFFY AUDIO...I loved the sound of it and decided to go with its little idiosyncrasies! Spent nearly 2 hours re-tuning / tweaking the samples as it doesn't actually work in the equal temperament system! (This may have affected them as well in hindsight).

Yeah - the sound has its issues...so many lines of automation to give it some 'motion' as such!

5:09 - I didn't like how the vocalist slid into that note.

D's voice is an acquired taste at times...worked with him a few times. Makes his money in opera over in Italy but is at heart a more 'Celtic' style vocalist with some serious rasps at times.

That phrase is actually the same as at the end of the previous section where I think it is more hidden by the bigger mix...originally used his through - recorded version, but then edited it because of a slight glitch in the recording that I couldn't fix satisfactorily. (The original was probably more raspy to be honest).

ORIGINAL PLAN:
Live - guitar, vocals, clarinet of some sort, dulcimer, hang drum

Just the vocals, my own old battered dulcimer (and this has a synth layer added) + some hang drum rolls as it was too out of tune to use more melodically!

[VCA-089]

Great work! A dreams of summer and journeys made into music, that cold winter is getting worse than lockdown...

[Frantz]

Hi Frantz, hope you're doing OK?

Yes, I'm OK but between extra responsibilities at work and minor health issues, my time working on music and posting here has been somewhat reduced.

ORIGINAL PLAN:
Live - guitar, vocals, clarinet of some sort, dulcimer, hang drum

This could have been great live but it still worked a treat in its present form.

[enroe]

Well, the intro demands a bit from you. From about 1:30 min.
the song basically starts. Very beautiful, soulful. And the nice
thing: there is an increase in it, it is getting more and more
beautiful! Great, well done!

[ChameleonMusic]

I can remember a track you posted here some time ago, which is still in my mind because of the extrordinary, well, let's say quality (regarding sound design and musicality). This one is clearly on the same level. Enjoyed the bass drops in the beginning, and also the evolvement of ambiences throughout. All of a sudden the listener is casted into an Italian film of the seventies (regarding the original music), then, again, this piece fades away to other shores. Very well done. Exceptional sound quality, balanced mastering..

Great track!
NR

Thank you! Appreciated!

'Italian film' - pleased that came across as the original 'Orange Garden' field recording came from Rome!

[ChameleonMusic]

Hi Frantz, hope you're doing OK?

Yes, I'm OK but between extra responsibilities at work and minor health issues, my time working on music and posting here has been somewhat reduced.

ORIGINAL PLAN:
Live - guitar, vocals, clarinet of some sort, dulcimer, hang drum

This could have been great live but it still worked a treat in its present form.

Well I really hope that both work and health move in a positive direction - if nothing else I can then look forward to the next slice of retro 80s synth pop!

Live performers - I'm doing too little of that nowadays, really...

Got out of the habit ...for years my paid work has rarely used much live recording as it simply proves to be too expensive for clients at my level! NOTE: I'm not getting in the way of others who might use live performers either as at my level of media composer it has never been very much part of the process because of the lack of funding!