Each Face Retains the Mask it Wore

[ChameleonMusic]

https://soundcloud.com/chameleon-music/ ... sk-it-wore

A piece that evolved out of one simple melodic motif - a little melodic idea that is present in each and every section of the music.

Stylistically this is very much a bit of a hybrid creation - electronica / classical / ambient...maybe others as well for some listeners?

Composed June 2021 using various Kontakt 6 libraries and Reaktor Blocks

EDIT: Just remembered that one section heavily uses Omnisphere as well!

Any Reaktor owners who haven't tried out BLOCKs yet...go for it...great fun!

[vurt]

was wondering where you'd got to!?

first comment - that vocal
im assuming kontakt? but that was lovely!

nice motif, like the way each section offers it up in a new texture/context.
really nice flow throughout.
nice mix and lovely sounding instruments throughout too.
top marks from me!

just once could you mess up, so we have some advice to offer

and yup, blocks is great

[htcnext2]

Loving the rich harmony structure - vocals are nice, indeed. Great blend of styles, also - very engaging!

[shawshawraw]

Love it. Simply evocative.

Also really in love with that Dorian writing in the middle of the tune.

[ChameleonMusic]

was wondering where you'd got to!?

first comment - that vocal
im assuming kontakt? but that was lovely!

nice motif, like the way each section offers it up in a new texture/context.
really nice flow throughout.
nice mix and lovely sounding instruments throughout too.
top marks from me!

just once could you mess up, so we have some advice to offer

and yup, blocks is great

Cheers for the listen!

VOCAL - yeah, that was played live via the keyboard triggering a sample library in Kontakt...Key-switches for slightly different articulations and then two lanes of controller info for expression / volume and the vibrato.

BLOCKS is bloody awesome...don't know why I've never used it before....such a great system!

[tomtom1]

was wondering where you'd got to!?

good question... but: master-mark is back.

just once could you mess up, so we have some advice to offer

I agree with that. how about posting total junk at least once so we can all "attack" you (and feel better at the back of our cranky brains?)

A piece that evolved out of one simple melodic motif - a little melodic idea that is present in each and every section of the music.

that beginning is really awesome (what library is it?) !!

Stylistically this is very much a bit of a hybrid creation

this is actually something that some might complain about. for some listeners it could be too colorful - but that shouldn't be a criticism. it has a great cinematic flow - did you make it for a specific project (game, movie,...)?

[Bansaw]

Nice one Mark.
Liked where it turned more major at 2:27, subtle but I found it interesting.
The introduction of the human voice brings another dimension.
I think its because there's a level of connection in our brains to another persons voice, which makes us connect to the piece compared to if it was just an instrumental.
Anyway, well done...

[Frantz]

Expertly realized composition and mix! It holds up well to multiple listens (on my 5th now). It works as a nice Chameleon Music sampler as it encompasses many of your styles transitioning seamlessly between them.

I really love the section which begins at 3:28. It could work well as an extended, standalone piece.

I was a little surprised when the brass 2:56 first appeared but I guess the change in texture and dynamics is unavoidable when brass is involved.

Fantastic job as usual.

[eassae]

Nice, really like the section that starts at 3:28. The only complaint I'd really have, and this may just be a difference in mixing aesthetic, is that for me everything sounds too clean and lacks a certain amount of tone and distortion. I don't know exactly how to describe it, but it feels in parts like "Kontakt" and is missing a little warmth, pitch variance, and space.

[eassae]

I really love the section which begins at 3:28.

Jinx!

[aaron aardvark]

ChameleonMusic,
Thank you for the review! I just remembered: some guy I met on the internet said he ran into Alice Cooper at a Southern California mall while Alice was shopping for underwear, which I find comical when picturing it. Now your song: nice intro. Nice audio quality all around. Did you do the vocals? Or software? They are quite good. Sounds like you've got some high end orchestral plugin(s) happening. Very nice song, I like it! Nice melodies too.

[ChameleonMusic]

Love it. Simply evocative.

Also really in love with that Dorian writing in the middle of the tune.

Many thanks for having a listen and taking the time to comment - always very much appreciated!

Glad you noticed (and enjoyed) the Dorian mode section...that little switch of harmonic emphasis from the Aeolian mode is quite subtle really (just the Bb to B), but it does seriously change the overall mood!

[ChameleonMusic]

Loving the rich harmony structure - vocals are nice, indeed. Great blend of styles, also - very engaging!

Thanks for the listen and feedback!

Really glad you thought that the various styles blended together as that was my biggest worry with this one.

Yeah, the harmonic structure is quite rich in certain ways without a doubt...sort of had to be as I decided to use a pedal D all the way through the piece! Every single bar contains a D somewhere + the whole thing never really deviates from a D minor key centre...but that still left scope for plenty of variation.

[ChameleonMusic]

was wondering where you'd got to!?

good question... but: master-mark is back.

just once could you mess up, so we have some advice to offer

I agree with that. how about posting total junk at least once so we can all "attack" you (and feel better at the back of our cranky brains?)

A piece that evolved out of one simple melodic motif - a little melodic idea that is present in each and every section of the music.

that beginning is really awesome (what library is it?) !!

Stylistically this is very much a bit of a hybrid creation

this is actually something that some might complain about. for some listeners it could be too colorful - but that shouldn't be a criticism. it has a great cinematic flow - did you make it for a specific project (game, movie,...)?

KVR Music Cafe needed a break from me...and I mean it that way around!

No, seriously, I can't do forums for very long at a time...find they start to annoy me for whatever reasons so I just leave them alone for a while! I also actually started to earn some money again from my music...been a while for obvious reasons!

Note: That cello and piano piece - Ysabel's lament

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=563524&hilit=ysabel

I actually got a response from the company about the intonation issue - they're dealing with it this autumn and updating it all hopefully! I've also licensed it to a UK theatre company for live performance and mechanical use in online videos + they're interested in using live musicians, maybe... so that score idea of yours came through...just got to get the thing done now this week!

The Beginning section:

Kontakt library called RIFF GENERATOR...bought it very cheap in a sale last year. Not keen on the preset riffs etc - I just ignore them, but it is very easy to create your own from scratch...

Gen 1.jpg

The screenshot shows the main view where you can draw in note patterns + all the expected editing features - velocity, volume, pitch etc etc etc + you can create up to 8 variations on your basic pattern...I used just 2 for this piece, with very subtle little pitch and timing variations.

You'll see that the sound actually consists of 5 layers (each with their own independent editing channel) - Music Box Large / Music Box Small / Kalimba / Sine 1 / Sine 2

Gen 2.jpg

The above jpeg just shows the wide range of built in effects and processors, including which ones were actually active here.

Hybrid nature - yeah, it can get criticized at times and it was the one aspect that I wasn't 100% sure about despite the obvious musical thread through the piece. Glad you thought it worked! No it wasn't written for any particular project...just for fun...although it will go to a production library / publisher at some point maybe in one form or another if they think it's marketable!

[markkuja]

awesome music. Well done arrangement and orchestration. good mix and sounds.