Author Topic: New Music Preview!  :.  (Read 4079 times)

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Offline Kattywampus

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« on: April 10, 2003, 12:36:16 pm »
Okay, check this out y'all!
I entered a contest to write a theme-song for a Manga-Zine called Shonen Jump.

..Yeah, I thought it was weird to write a theme song for a magazine, too..  but anyway...  I wanna share it with ya before I link it on my page.  Tell me what you think.   It's called POUNCE!  <--- Click there.

Thanks,

CBK
NYA!  =^_^=

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Offline DrakonianDanceR

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« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2003, 04:21:20 pm »
The first thing that strikes me is that the drums are way too loud in the mix.  I'd suggest turning them down quite a bit.  I find the bass rather inaudiable, so that could do with a boost in volume.  I think the sweep pad chords could do with some thickening up, as at times I find it hard to make out the implied harmonies.  I think this is also because of the bass being quiet, and the piano part consisting of only weak chords, struck once at every change.  Another suggestion I'd make is to thin out the pad texture at the start, as the wider dynamic range of parts are making it sound a little muddy.

Composition wise, it's not too bad - though I feel some harmonic development would have been a good idea.  The same chords going around throughout do not make for a very interesting listen.  Also, I'd reconsider having your tonic minor chord not a 7th.  The i (tonic minor I) is always a i7 in this song, and I'm not sure it's always appropriate.

The part starting at 0:31 has a good melodic idea in it, but is lost in the poor mixing of the piece.  The orchestra hit counter-melody overtaking the too-quiet main melody, which is a shame.  The ending isn't too bad, with that virtuoso-style harp part.

Anyway, I hope what I've said here is helpful to you for your future music.
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Offline WhiteShepherd

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« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2003, 06:28:08 pm »
Reminds me of a anime/intro or a game.  I can just see these game characters running down a halway with some critter comming after them.  '<img'>   That may not of been what you had in mind.  Myself I did not hear a problem with the drums.  Though I am using my favorite head phones.  Amplified higher it might use a few adjustments.  But game junkie that I am I liked the little tune.  '<img'>

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Offline Kada-Ru

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« Reply #3 on: April 10, 2003, 07:30:40 pm »
Hey, Katty! (great big hugs!'<img'>

Glad to see you are still alive girl!

I listened to your tune and loved it! The only thing I would suggest is a slower ending, like tapering off at the end instead of the sudden 'drop off'. You know what I mean? (giggles)

Offline Kattywampus

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« Reply #4 on: April 10, 2003, 10:38:36 pm »
Quote from: DrakonianDanceR,April 10 2003, 4:21 pm
Hehe, WOWjeez, this is the kinda stuff I'm wantin' to hear!

I'm gonna attempt to respond to all the posts thusfar.  Okay, check it out..  
I'm happy my attempt to sound like an anime/videogame song was spot-on, 'cause Shonen Jump is a collection of Japanese action comics.  Seriously, the action never stops.  
What they said was "Write a song about Shonen Jump", so I'm like..."ohh kay.."  I went to school and talked to a friend of mine who happens to be a fan of the Yamaha DJX, and said, "Hey, there's this contest I read about.  They said 'this'.  You wanna help me, cuzzin?"  He sez "sure.  Come up with some chords you like, and I'll come over and help you."  But he never showed up.  So, like a week before this thing is due, I start foolin' with it.  Here's what I wanted to accomplish:
1.)  Shonen Jump is a collection of manga.  They are all fairly different, yet they fall under the same genre.  So, how to capture the feel of 5 different titles under one song?  That is one reason I didn't do the "verse-chorus-verse-bridge-chorus" thing.  That repetitive group of chords was the string to tether the sections of the song.
2.)  Gotta make it sound anime-ish.  Gotta leave room for lyrics!  I'm not a lyricist.  I thought my pal was gonna help me come up with some definite lyrics.  But then, he didn't show up...  
C.)  Gotta make it catchy.  Long explanation..

So anyway, about my percs..  Hehe, I'm a percussionist, so I tend to get carried away.  ':blush:' But that's another thing.. The percs *are* the melody, 'cause I didn't write one.  All the melodic-type stuff you heard was my attempt at backup instrumentation.  The variations in percussion, and the SLIGHT variations in the bassline and piano were representing the multiple titles.
You're right.  I did notice the bass and some of the other stuff being a bit smothered out.  I had actually planned to fix that before I sent it in. But damn my luck..  During this week that I had to write this tune, I had an accident and knocked myself senseless.  I had a concussion during the last couple days of working on this, and was COMPLETELY drugged up.  (I've come out of the confusion almost completely now) The day of the accident, I had planned on going in and fixing the volumes.  But..then I had an accident.  So I forgot.  ...hahaha.  ^^;;;  While I was drugged heavily, I added all those funky sound effects like the lighting, rain, jetplane, reverse suspended cymbal, and the explosions.  (I like the explosions)

Oh yeah, so Drako's technical stuff about my choices of chords--the weaknesses and the lack of having a 7th and all that.  Hehe, you'll love this explanation...
Okay.  So, being completely self-taught, I have no idea what the heck you're talking about...hahaha.  But I wish I did.  =T.T=  Actually, I think I remember some of what someone tried to explain to me about 7th's and different chords and whatnot.. I have all that written down somewhere.. but ah well.  I can't read music anyway.  Haha.   ':blush:'   I do wish that I had someone with your knowledge watching over me to knock some sense into me.  (Not as hard as I knocked my own dome the other day, when ever that was) Ah, I'm confused.  
But yeah, you were somewhat helpful.  I'm sure it would have meant a WHOLE lot more, had I known what you were talking about.

Shoot.  I'd type some more now, but I have to write a 1-2 page essay and email it before 24:00....  ^^;; I'm all about sliding around deadlines and stuff.
NYA!  =^_^=

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Offline DrakonianDanceR

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« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2003, 01:19:56 pm »
Right, I'll try to address all the points in your post there.  Firstly, I would not consider the percussion in the song, your melody.  Mainly because a melody is (usually) pitched, and the percussion you're using is not of that sort.  Also, the drum part is a strict rhythm part, not melodic, if you know what I mean.  It's hard to explain.  The "melodic-type stuff" as you put it should NOT be considered as "backup instrumentation", as you said.  The percussion in the piece is pretty sub-standard - nothing special, so that is not the main focus of the piece.  That is why the harmonic and melodic parts seem to be drowned out, when really they should be at the forefront of the song.

I'm sorry to hear about your accident.  Though, drugs do sometimes improve a musician's work - this may be evident in this song you've done here.

As for the music theory, and other points I made that you didn't understand, I'd strongly suggest reading up on them.  It is impossible for me to write every part of music theory and recording technology here, so I say try to find out about it yourself.  Then, I will gladly answer any specific questions you may have.  It's just at the moment, it's way too general.

About what I said in my previous post about your tonic chord being it being i (minor tonic [in maj = iv]) 7.  Basically, the roman numerals refer to chord numbers in a key.  Often (but not always) minor chords are written in lower-case (i ii iii iv, etc) and major chords in upper-case (I II III IV, etc).  I was saying that your tonic chord (the root chord of the key you're using) is i (minor root chord in a minor key [chord vi in a major]) but with always with a minor seventh (interval) extension.  I was suggesting that you should leave the tonic unaltered in places, as making the tonic chord a 7th constantly does not help aid the rules of functional harmony (if you're wanting your piece to follow that) when wanting to create a perfect cadence (V - i in minor [V- I in major]), as it does not give the harmony a sense of it being final, or 'finished' sounding.

I hope that's made some sense to you, and that it'll aid you a little with your music.
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