''Silence & Tears: 17 Musical Short Stories''...couple of tracks from my new album:

[ChameleonMusic]

Released on 27th August 2025, ''Silence and Tears: 17 Short Stories'' is an album of duets, trios, mixed ensembles, choirs and electronics; all combining to create melody-driven miniatures that (hopefully) take the listener through a wide range of atmospheres and emotions.

Here's a couple of tracks from the album if you get the chance to have a quick listen:

https://soundcloud.com/chameleon-music/ysabels-lament-6

https://soundcloud.com/chameleon-music/crucifixus-8

[tomtom1]

Ha the master is back ... Hi Mark!
The first track is very nice. If i remember correctly you posted that piece already some years ago?
But my brain gets older...

The second track is a very nice piece for choir. I'm missing a bit the "real" sound of a human choir here. But that's due to the circumstances, of course. I would also like more in-depth lyrics. But that's obviously related to the first point. Have you ever considered creating sheet music and selling it, for example, via SheetMusic+? In my opinion, there's a shortage of modern choral pieces that aren't too difficult. But that shouldn't diminish the quality of the composition. It's more a question of performance... Well done. But that was to be expected.

[ChameleonMusic]

Hi Thomas

If i remember correctly you posted that piece already some years ago?

Yes - rerecorded it as I grew to hate the mild tuning issues on a few notes with the cello library. I've tried (and failed) a few times now to get the damn thing recorded with a cellist...maybe one day.

I'm missing a bit the "real" sound of a human choir here.

Ditto - I would love to record these with a real choir....looked into it a few years ago...just impractical at my level and VERY expensive!

Have you ever considered creating sheet music and selling it

I shall think about that one...interesting. Sold Jazz 'heads' to groups over the years, but never actual formal scores!

there's a shortage of modern choral pieces that aren't too difficult.

No doubt about that....as an ex-music teacher I 100% agree!

I would also like more in-depth lyrics

I know what you mean! The sampled choir can actually do lyrics pretty well, but this one was part of a silly challenge I did to create a short sacred piece using just 1 / 2 Latin words!

Other choir pieces on the album have multiple words...

https://soundcloud.com/chameleon-music/ ... mourning-5

https://soundcloud.com/chameleon-music/ ... -fallen-16

Far from perfect but they work!

Thanks for the listen and feedback!

[enroe]

"Ysabell's Lament": Here a piano starts – and the cello plays along very delicately.
I have to say: I'm amazed – well done! You develop a melancholy of great depth
and strong expression here - incredible! This song is extraordinary!

"Crucificus": Here, too, the special thing is that "the song" starts with the choir.
The expression and depth are fantastic — I really enjoy this song.

Mmm... a "real" choir could sound more authentic - but honestly, I first listen
to a song - almost with my eyes closed - to even grasp its overall effect. And the
song – with this choir adaptation – sounds pretty convincing.

I also admire your compositional consistency in creating the song with just one
instrument - or, as in "Ysabel's Lament," just two instruments.

Overall: Fantastic works, very deep expression! Keep it up, I look forward to
more compositions like this!

[seismic1]

Hi Mark,

I remember Ysabel well (which is quite something, as I'm not getting any younger). I presume you resolved your differences with Tina.

Great composition/arrangement/production as usual. Definitely not lamentable.

I'll check out some of the other pieces later.

Good work

[eassae]

Hello and welcome back!

I listened to the whole thing the other day with only a short pause after track 10.

The production sounds great of course—all the tracks were emotionally complex—I enjoyed the whole thing.

Good to hear from you

[markkuja]

Ysabel’s lament : beautiful melody with peaceful soundscape and mood.

Crucifixus: peaceful choir mucik … beautiful harmonies

[seismic1]

Crucifixus - I remembered this one from quite a long time ago. I was hearing some resonance on the earlier version (400-800Hz-ish). I tried this version on my HiFi via the Audioengine, and didn't notice it. Then I tried it on my monitors (a 2-year old pair of Rokit 5s which have replaced a 13-year old pair of equivalent Rokits) and couldn't hear it on those either. I doubt whether it was the monitor replacement which facilitated the improvement. I think that you have remixed this. Sounds great.

Good work

[ChameleonMusic]

"Ysabell's Lament": Here a piano starts – and the cello plays along very delicately.
I have to say: I'm amazed – well done! You develop a melancholy of great depth
and strong expression here - incredible! This song is extraordinary!

"Crucificus": Here, too, the special thing is that "the song" starts with the choir.
The expression and depth are fantastic — I really enjoy this song.

Mmm... a "real" choir could sound more authentic - but honestly, I first listen
to a song - almost with my eyes closed - to even grasp its overall effect. And the
song – with this choir adaptation – sounds pretty convincing.

I also admire your compositional consistency in creating the song with just one
instrument - or, as in "Ysabel's Lament," just two instruments.

Overall: Fantastic works, very deep expression! Keep it up, I look forward to
more compositions like this!

Thank you very much indeed for taking the time to have a listen and leave such detailed (and positive) feedback.

If you want to check out other tracks from the album (most are very short):

https://soundcloud.com/chameleon-music/ ... rt-stories

[ChameleonMusic]

Hi Mark,

I remember Ysabel well (which is quite something, as I'm not getting any younger). I presume you resolved your differences with Tina.

Great composition/arrangement/production as usual. Definitely not lamentable.

I'll check out some of the other pieces later.

Good work

Hi Tim,
Thanks for having another listen to Ysabel's Lament...glad you remembered it!

''resolved my differences with Tina'' - yep, sort of! Company never actually got around to releasing the library update, so I found a workaround using mainly the legato sounds for that wonderful smooth overlap combined with just 3 notes on a 2nd track using the sustain sounds in the library!

Sacrificed a little touch of fluidity in 3 small moments to correct the intonation issue that had been bugging me!

Also remixed it all to cut out some resonance / artefacts deep down in that cello sound...better than it was!

It is a piece that has generally been well-received although a few 'real cello' purists have attacked me over the years! My response each time - feel free to meetup with me for a recording session...I'll play the piano part and bring the mics etc!

They have all declined the opportunity so far!

[aaron aardvark]

ChameleonMusic,
Thank you for the review! Now your song "Ysabel's Lament": assuming it is software: it sounds very realistic! I am more of a rocker, but this is really moving. Very well done!

[Frantz]

"Ysabel's Lament" is a perfectly realized gem. Emotional motifs with plenty of space for the notes to breathe.

"Crucifixus" is kind of a miniature Bach piece. Pretty effective although it occasionally crosses into the uncanny valley where the choir performing religious music turns out to be robots with a limited sample library. It works very well given the limitations of choral libraries.

[ChameleonMusic]

Hello and welcome back!

I listened to the whole thing the other day with only a short pause after track 10.

The production sounds great of course—all the tracks were emotionally complex—I enjoyed the whole thing.

Good to hear from you

Thanks very much for having such a thorough listen!

''Got through 10 tracks without a break' - more than I did, I think!

[Jesse Gorter]

i also found ysabels lament to be super beautiful, i was wondering who this tina was. Perhaps your previous piano player, but seems not the case

the cello is lovely, although it does feel a bit strong compared to the piano, or maybe they sound like in a different room. composition wise i have no complaints, it feels emotional and deep

[ChameleonMusic]

i also found ysabels lament to be super beautiful, i was wondering who this tina was. Perhaps your previous piano player, but seems not the case

the cello is lovely, although it does feel a bit strong compared to the piano, or maybe they sound like in a different room. composition wise i have no complaints, it feels emotional and deep

Thanks for having a listen, Jesse - much appreciated!

Tina = https://store.cinesamples.com/products/ ... llo-legato
No, she's not the pianist - that's played live by me!

Glad you enjoyed the piece and found it emotional!

Mix-wise - always tricky with such a simple piece...and it'll never be perfect / work for everyone.

They are in the 'same' room as such as they both go through the same reverb via auxiliary sends. (although at different levels of 'verb)

The cello has been very slightly narrowed image-wise and pushed to the front of the mix in various ways as the solo instrument...

Then the piano was slightly widened / pushed back a touch and 'wrapped' around the cello.

I think for some tastes the cello here might be a little too 'in yer face' as such...fair enough!