Emptiness Inside

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Medvedium wrote: Thu Jun 23, 2022 12:20 pm
ChameleonMusic wrote: Thu Jun 23, 2022 10:27 am Thanks for having a quick listen - appreciated.
Always welcome!

And: I believe people love your detailed reviews, answers and comments! :tu:
Some do...some don't! :)
Mark Taylor, Chameleon Music - Professional composition and sound design for all media since 1994.

https://www.chameleonmusic.co.uk/

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I like the poetic nature of the movement, its a good pace.

It would be great to hear it inside a gorgeous natural reverb space.
That would make the flow even smother and take some digital edges off.

Excellent work!

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mediumaevum wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 6:48 pm I actually like the underlying harmonic ideas. It's quite inspiring.
Thank you!I think the effect of the extreme dissonances in there are reduced by the pedal note in the choir...as Thomas says elsewhere in this thread - pedal notes provide a lot of extra scope and flexibility regarding the harmonic content of a piece.
mediumaevum wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 6:48 pm However, what does not work for me is the sustain at the beginning and end. First, it's way too long, until something happens.
100% Fair enough, it is quite a static piece in certain ways this one, but I don't agree that nothing is happening during the sustained opening / ending...

1) There is an initial natural crescendo / final decrescendo (sung by the vocalists and not automated).

2) For total accuracy - It's not really one note - there are actually 3 sustained Cs in different voices / octaves and they weave around each other / fade in and out / ebb and flow...it's not at all static, although I do accept that it's all very subtle without a doubt! :) :oops: :help: :ud:

3) There is natural rise and fall of vibrato on each voice, although, again, it is deliberately VERY subtle and controlled...again, all natural from the singers and not automated.

I can see how it's not to all tastes - understood 100%, but I've heard a lot more lengthy and minimalist sections that this over the years! :) :borg:
Mark Taylor, Chameleon Music - Professional composition and sound design for all media since 1994.

https://www.chameleonmusic.co.uk/

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tomtom1 wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 2:11 pm Your music goes very well with the title. It conveys emptiness. (For some this will probably be a bit too little action ;))
ChameleonMusic wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 12:24 pm this one was entirely written 'horizontally'...
First i thought: Woah... that's gonna be interesting.
ChameleonMusic wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 12:24 pm The sustained pedal note in the choir was actually laid down first
Then i thought... oh, uh, this is a bit of cheating :D

You know that over an "organ pedal point", you can do everything and anything. It will never sound bad. And if you go too far away again, it acts like a vacuum cleaner that sucks you back on track. (Btw. it is a very popular technique for improvising or some organ pieces - if you are interested...). Your track reminded me of that. Not in the style but principles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCkDKCLUoms
Yeah, a little bit too static for some tastes! :) No doubt at all!

PEDAL NOTES ARE AWESOME and you describe their musical significance perfectly!

Very interesting piece that...I'd never heard it before as far as I can remember and I've always had a keen interest in Berio!
Mark Taylor, Chameleon Music - Professional composition and sound design for all media since 1994.

https://www.chameleonmusic.co.uk/

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Rene Asologuitar wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 4:28 pm Hi ChameleonMusic,
Very peaceful.
I like the relaxation I get from your composition.
High quality recording, and well composed melodies.
You are right, quite short, very enjoyable music!!!
Rene
Thanks for having a listen, Rene.

Very interesting how people are reacting differently to this one...

You used the word 'relaxation'

Others have said: melancholy... deeply sad... disturbing...uplifting...soothing! :ud:

Good to hear that it's NOT bland! :oops: :help: :ud: :help:
Mark Taylor, Chameleon Music - Professional composition and sound design for all media since 1994.

https://www.chameleonmusic.co.uk/

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This is just gorgeous!
Beautifully played and composed.
Bandcamp
Music with progressive intent.

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ChameleonMusic wrote: Sat Jun 25, 2022 10:11 am Very interesting piece that...I'd never heard it before as far as I can remember and I've always had a keen interest in Berio!
Maybe that was a bit misleading with the picture. The piece is actually from Philippe Boesmans (taken from a CD with pieces from "famous" modern organ composers like Berio etc...).
Okay famous is maybe a bit too much ... :lol:
it is better to have a track with some mistakes than a track without any soul
myself in 2022

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A very though-provoking composition.
I can definitely hear it underneath a U.K. TV drama. A dark period piece set in northern England in 1905, something like that.

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markkuja wrote: Thu Jun 23, 2022 11:48 am Pleasant tranquil soundtrack. A little melancholy but still beautiful mood.
Thanks for having a listen.

Yes, it's come across as melancholy for quite a few listeners without a doubt (from the reaction across various forums) but others have reacted very differently which I find really interesting.
Mark Taylor, Chameleon Music - Professional composition and sound design for all media since 1994.

https://www.chameleonmusic.co.uk/

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guitarmiester wrote: Thu Jun 23, 2022 7:34 pm This was the perfect track to stumble across after a pretty exhaustive workday. When you've gotta handle and resolve an excessive number of things on a daily basis, listening to a song like this really brings you back to earth so thank you for sharing this. You've done a great job of slowing down time to create an actual space of nothingness which I mean in a very positive way. Liked this track so I can come back to it again in the very near future *cough* tomorrow *cough*.
Glad you enjoyed it!

Yes, I agree about 'emptiness' or 'nothingness' not necessarily being negatives at all...it can be quite a positive move sometimes to totally clear out the headspace!

Although everyone can obviously respond to my music in whatever way works for them, this was never meant to be a totally negative piece in my own head...far from it in fact!
Mark Taylor, Chameleon Music - Professional composition and sound design for all media since 1994.

https://www.chameleonmusic.co.uk/

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:tu:
mediumaevum wrote: Thu Jun 23, 2022 12:00 pm
mediumaevum wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 6:48 pm I actually like the underlying harmonic ideas. It's quite inspiring.

However, what does not work for me is the sustain at the beginning and end. First, it's way too long, until something happens. Secondly the sustain/pedal note needs more dynamic expression. You have 20 seconds for one note to appear and one note only. That's too long, for my taste.

When you're working with just one single note, make sure it at least has some kind of dynamic movement to it, it could be vibrato, or moving slightly up and down in dynamics. Otherwise it's just a single note "saying" nothing.
I forgot to say:

Btw. set aside my critique it was a nice listen.
:tu:
Mark Taylor, Chameleon Music - Professional composition and sound design for all media since 1994.

https://www.chameleonmusic.co.uk/

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seismic1 wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 10:01 pm The opening 50 seconds was slightly reminiscent of "Birth of Liquid Plejades" by TD (a much under-rated, and much longer piece of music).

This is minimal (in a very pleasant way), and the dissonances are very enjoyable.

I don't have a problem with any resonance here. Acoustic instruments feature many resonant characteristics whose removal could make those instruments sonically unrecognisable. Synths are a different kettle of fish.

It was a very satisfying listen which certainly lives up to the titular billing.

Good work :)
Hi Tim,
Thanks for the detailed feedback - very useful.

Had a listen to that TD track you mentioned...yes, it does have a slightly similar feel to the opening; and you're right, that's a very good bit of TD without a doubt...didn't know it at all.

As I've said to others - the resonances don't bother me here and (as you say) they're a necessary part of the sonic package with real instruments. Obviously they sometimes need to be controlled, but I don't think any intrude detrimentally here...

To be honest, I was more worried about the bloody squeaks, scrapes and other incidental noises from the bloody bowing / vibrating old cello strings! :)
Mark Taylor, Chameleon Music - Professional composition and sound design for all media since 1994.

https://www.chameleonmusic.co.uk/

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ChameleonMusic wrote: Tue Jun 28, 2022 11:27 pm To be honest, I was more worried about the bloody squeaks, scrapes and other incidental noises from the bloody bowing / vibrating old cello strings! :)
That's always an issue for me... Some annoy me so much I just have to get rid of them, others I keep because it's real. All you need to do now is to run the Cello through a distortion pedal, to really highlight these! ;)
Bandcamp
Music with progressive intent.

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Allomerus wrote: Wed Jun 29, 2022 12:31 am
ChameleonMusic wrote: Tue Jun 28, 2022 11:27 pm To be honest, I was more worried about the bloody squeaks, scrapes and other incidental noises from the bloody bowing / vibrating old cello strings! :)
That's always an issue for me... Some annoy me so much I just have to get rid of them, others I keep because it's real. All you need to do now is to run the Cello through a distortion pedal, to really highlight these! ;)
:ud: :ud: :ud: :) :) :)

I do love cellos with a bit of distortion, but yeah, it does tend to enhance all those little sonic foibles! :)

This one had the mixing and mastering pulled back at least a couple of times...particularly the use of compression which lifted a few squeaks n creaks to the forefront of the sound field!

Eventually had to use the dreaded multiband compressor...a tool that I usually avoid if at all possible as it can cause more trouble than they're worth in my hands! :help: :help: :oops:
Mark Taylor, Chameleon Music - Professional composition and sound design for all media since 1994.

https://www.chameleonmusic.co.uk/

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PatchAdamz wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 11:22 pm I like the poetic nature of the movement, its a good pace.

It would be great to hear it inside a gorgeous natural reverb space.
That would make the flow even smother and take some digital edges off.

Excellent work!
Thanks for having a listen...yeah, I like the pacing as well, but I do also know that it'll be a little too static for some listeners (and that's fair enough). there are a lot of subtle elements in here - particularly in the ebb and flow between the 3 vocal lines (all simple sustained Cs at different octaves), but they might be a little too subtle at times, maybe? :) :borg: :oops:

Agreed - A natural ambience is almost always the best way if you can find the sweet spots in the space, but sadly my little studio is not really ideal for this sort of work! :) As always - have to record things pretty dry...at least it gives me a bit of reverb flexibility! :help: :ud:
Mark Taylor, Chameleon Music - Professional composition and sound design for all media since 1994.

https://www.chameleonmusic.co.uk/

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