Joseph Poch: ++++ (4) Abadoss: +++++++ (7) Joseph Liao: +++++++++ (9) Magister ZZ: ++++ (4) stephenspies: ++++ (4) ------- Abadoss ++ ------- Joseph Poch - You did an effective job of creating a nautical feel right from the beginning. A very solid use of binary form. I think your first and last sections were the strongest, which is pretty typical of that form, but it could have used a stronger middle section in this case. You lost a lot of momentum going into the middle section. Joseph Liao - I liked a lot of the sections that you brought in. There was a very nice jazz-ish presence. A good groove. It did feel like it floated around the same set of chords most of the time. However, there's enough variation to make it not be that big of an issue. There's some really good stuff going on in here. I think it could have been a little shorter, but overall I enjoyed this piece. Magister ZZ - Your piece made me think of Final Fantasy VII a lot while I was listening to it (mostly in section VI). You created a lot of good material and varied it up a lot. I always appreciate effective use of silence (section IV). It's clear you've got a lot of talent in arrangement. I think you could've ended the piece at 5:20, though. I'm not entirely certain that those last several second were all that necessary. There were several sections in which I had difficulty connecting back to the theme. That's always an issue, though, since I encourage interpretation of the theme in the competition. stephenspies - You've got a lot going for you. This is excellent work for someone of your age. Just a few technical notes. First, you may want to check the keystroke on the strings. I'm not sure that the tremolo sound was a good choice (especially around 3:25 and following). Also, balance is something which could've been adjusted. For example, the cymbals and the clarinet tend to overwhelm everything else in the soundscape. You clearly want them to be noticeable, but not so much that they block out everything else. Dealing with virtual instruments isn't the same as with a live orchestra. I would've definitely preferred the latter, but you've got to deal with what you have. Most of this stuff will come in time, but there's a chance it won't unless someone lets you know about it. I could've used less cymbol action. I know that you had a specific purpose for it, but it tended to distract from the rest of the piece. As a final comment, you repeated the theme several times over the course of the piece. My suggestion would be to make each occurance different from every other occurance. It's not necessary to repeat the theme verbatum each time. When using variation, be aware that you can mess with all sorts of different things (ie. rhythm, key, harmonies, even the notes themselves, etc.). There's nothing saying that the theme has to go the same way each time. Overall, you have a good piece. I hope you continue to work on your skill. First place: Joseph Liao Honorary mentions: stephenspies and Magister ZZ ------- Bundeslang ------- Joseph Poch - Horrible bell, but for the rest a good intro. I don't think all samples are placed well in the section around 0:50 - 1:00. The silence at 1:35 is too long, the switch should be faster. The song never lives again. Abadoss - I like the beginning, it's mixed well. The string becomes boring after a while. It's a nice song, but there's not much variation. Typical for this theme. The ending sounds not nice in my eyes. Joseph Liao - Totally different intro, but not bad. Just like Abadoss' entry, it becomes boring after a while and it's all the same. Magister ZZ - Tasty intro. I like the switch around 1:21, which is done very well. This song lives and I like it better. I also like the 'Enterprise' section. The variation is very good and it's mixed very nice. Only the end is a bit weird. stephenspies - Again, nice intro. Good section around 1:15. The ending is like the intro, soft. The last section is a bit too long. Reaktorz0 - This is a living entry, but too short. The middle section is a bit too long. I don't like the cut of ending. First place: Magister ZZ Honorary mentions: stephenspies ------- Reaktorz0 ------- First place: Joseph Liao Honorary mentions: Joseph Poch ------- yyoppp (stephenspies) ++ ------- Joseph Poch - A great piece with a beutiful melody. Only problem is that the melody never changes and the piece gets a little tedious. Other then that it's a great piece. Abadoss - I like how mysterious it is and I like the instrumentation. Joseph Liao - A nice piece with a cool drum beat. I think the string instruments got a little annoying at times. Magister ZZ - A good piece with a beautiful beginning, although I think it gets a little to random. First place: Abadoss ------- robinjessome ------- First place: Joseph Poch Honorary mentions: Abadoss ------- Chickenwarlord ------- Joseph Poch - I like the little duet sections. I think this would have been better if everything was clearer and not so cluttered when you have the full ensemble. Abadoss - Enjoyed the ambiance that the piece gave off, but the piece emerged itself too much in that very same ambiance to leave any memory of the themes contained within. Joseph Liao - I like the bouncy, sunny atmosphere this starts with. It seems to have a nice energy throughout. I thought a little more drum variation would've helped, but I thoroughly enjoyed the piece. Magister ZZ - Definitely hearing these events as you describe them. Definitely needs an upgrade in sound quality and expression. I think it had a little too much in the high end of the register (namely the bells). stephenspies - Everything seems a bit swallowed. Definitely reminds me of a prelude to a swordfight, rather than a sea battle. Heroes creeping around in tombs and such. The second half sounds like a love theme rather than one of sorrow. There was too much use of the gong and crash cymbal was just a bit too much. That triangle coming in happens just a bit too much and is harsh on my ears due to the high register. First place: Joseph Liao Honorary mentions: Abadoss