HoboKa: ++|+|+| (4) Cryora: (0) Steven Kelly: +++|+++|+| (7) Bak.R: +|+| (2) xRisingForce: +|+++| (4) ------- Abadoss ------- First place: Steven Kelly Honorable mentions: HoboKa and xRisingForce ------- HoboKa ++ ------- Cryora - There's a ton of feedback and/or clipping??? It's very distracting man. The trumpet samples leave somethng to desire for more, and the piano is very robotic in a bad way. When the lower end and drums come in heaviery it's not bad, but not a winner either. Steven Kelly - Wow this has that Warcraft ll feel to it, very awesome. Great samples and nice choirs. Ending was kinda weak though :P Bak.R - YEAH full bars there for using an organ :D. This has a very sweet castle vania-esque feel to it, in a good way ;) Thouuugh, it feeels more like an evil enemy lair than a last battle. It doesn't have the epic quality of a huge battle unfortunately :( xRisingForce - The starting is very ethereal, even though you're using normal instruments. The halo pad thingy u used is a nice touch too, same with the change up of the piano. Very sweet drums :D ooo man that saw-y synth is sexy. Again though, this is suffering from Bak's problem, it doesn't feel very final ish. And a fade out ending??? COME ON man, we all know you could do better than that :( sheesh ka bob. First place: Steven Kelly Honorable mentions: Bak.R ------- Scott Lord ------- HoboKa - I like some of the subtle chord changes. However, I'd like to hear more emphasis on melody; the parts that are whistlable. I have a hard time focusing on melodic content because there really wasn't any of this, other than some dominating arpeggiations. Room for improve, I think, because there is plenty of desirable rhythmic content, although variations might be desired. Cryora - Very nice job in restating some of the themes you use. Some advice on writing melodic lines that involves 2 notes moving at once, such as the trumpets throughout the piece, moving both voices in the same direction /all/ of the time is not desirable to the average listener. If you are truly interested in reading more about this, try googling the word "musical counterpoint", notably first species philosophy, because those "rules" apply to just about anything in music theory. Steven Kelly - Sounds like some higher end sequencer work. From a technical aspect of production, the reverb sounds very natural and convincing. If you have different articulations available for some of the brass (staccato, marcato, in addition to legato forte) I believe the piece could take a whole new existence. This applies to any instrument used. The most desirable aspect of this piece is the many sections it contains, moods and deliverance. The choir section in the middle demonstrates you know how subtle changes to individual notes of a chord produce dramatically different sounds; this is something I enjoy a lot in all music. Bak.R - At the beginning I might suggest an oblique option in some notes... you /do/ apply this when you add the faster, rhythmic strings and sit on the note B for two chords. I have a remembrance for "Rock Music", which I came to the conclusion has another meaning of having rocky chord progressions that "don't have anything to do with the previous chord". Some rock tunes may simply go from C chords to D chords to C chords, etc etc.. the notes these chords are comprised of are slim to none. So in short, my main advice is to make sure the chords you intend to have played aren't missing key notes (the 3rds, sometimes 7ths) and that similar tones are used when able (Using a B in two different chords, and making sure the instrument plays both B's). For example, sit at a keyboard and play C-E-G a few times, then switch to C-F-A a few times, back and forth. The C is the common (oblique) tone between the two, and provides a unifying bridge of sound between them. At any rate, something to think about probably after you play out, or write out, your ideas. "How can this section sound more fluid" or such. xRisingForce - Funny that I previously listened to Bak.R's piece before yours, and the example I put forth was a C to D progression. The left hand piano part is exactly what I was talking about.... /however/ the disguising unification is the right-hand piano which stays constant, so it masks it.. and later on, the oblique, drone bass of the piano keeps things familiar. Good job with the bass line, as it really drives the piece, otherwise many of the melodies and harmonies would truly be lost. With the bass line that is sensible and consistent, it works pretty well. First place: xRisingForce Honorable mentions: HoboKa, Steven Kelly, and Bak.R