# Theme and 11 Fantasy Variations (New Mix)



## Guy Bacos (May 23, 2013)

This demo is dedicated to the tenor trombone (solo) with piano and orchestra. I wanted the piano to be featured as well, similar to a double concerto. There are 11 variations. Hope you enjoy them!

Theme and 11 Fantasy Variations

Guy


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## rgames (May 23, 2013)

*Re: Theme and 11 Fantasy Variations (For Tenor Trombone, Piano and Orchestra)*

Great writing! Very fun listen.

Only part I didn't like was the reverb - sounds a bit too tinny to my ear, like maybe you need to roll off some highs on the reverb.

But the writing was great. Sounds like bassoon in the first few bars! Sacre du Printemps...

rgames


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## Guy Bacos (May 24, 2013)

*Re: Theme and 11 Fantasy Variations (For Tenor Trombone, Piano and Orchestra)*

Thanks Richard!

This room is a recording studio, Weiler. I had plan to make the demo more intimate but got carried away with some orchestration.


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## TGV (May 24, 2013)

These are some good variations, moving through the genres. And the trombone sounds really convincing. Enjoyed it.

Wrt the reverb, it sounds boxy rather than thin to me, but mostly it seems as if the different instruments have been recorded differently.


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## Guy Bacos (May 24, 2013)

*Re: Theme and 11 Fantasy Variations (For Tenor Trombone, Piano and Orchestra)*

Thanks TVG!

Maybe it gives this impression because I had to make sure the tenor trombone stood out clearly for the sake of being a dedicated tenor trombone demo. Ordinarily, I'd prefer to have it blend more among the instruments, but then people might confuse the trombone with other instruments. Maybe I could move it slightly more back.


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## Guy Bacos (May 24, 2013)

I replaced the mix. Now the trombone is further back and blends in better.


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## freddiehangoler (May 25, 2013)

Marvelous writing. I think the brass are too close reverb wise. you seem to extract some beautiful sounds from the samplemodeling. fantastic


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## dcoscina (May 26, 2013)

Great writing Guy. Do you sketch out a piece like this on paper or a notation program then bring it into your Daw or do you just compose in the daw? There's so much shaping of lines and attention to phrasing that it would seem like a tall order to do this as a daw metronome is clicking away.


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## Tatiana Gordeeva (May 26, 2013)

Bravo Guy! Very expressive piece and absolute mastery of what I assume is VSL Trombone and other instruments. Virtuoso work!


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## Guy Bacos (May 27, 2013)

Thanks freddiehangoler, dcoscina and Tatiana!

Dave, I quickly sketch it out in my head, one variation at a time, then let my fingers do their thing on the keyboard, shape it as I improvise around the idea, after a few tries I record. I'll often record it a few times until I like the feel. Once the feel is there, I tweak here and there with editing. But the shaping of lines and phrasing is just me wanting it to sound as lively as possible.


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## mducharme (May 27, 2013)

Nice piece. The only thing that bothers me is that the variation at 0:42 with those rapid arpeggios sounds to me like it is not possible to play on an actual trombone. I am not a trombonist, but if you intend to ever have this performed, I suggest showing that to a trombonist. They can't be moving the slide all over the place at this tempo to hit those notes - the slide movements would have to be minimal and logical, although it helps that you are using arpeggios that they would be practicing already.


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## Guy Bacos (May 27, 2013)

Thanks for your feedback mducharme. 

I know, that variation would have to be played a bit slower, probably. It will be a new challenge for trombonists.  

The first time I heard Alain Trudel play the flight of the Bumble Bee on the trombone I couldn't believe it. Yeah, it's easier because it's mostly semi tones. I should ask him.


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## mducharme (May 27, 2013)

I know, pieces like that and Rolling Thunder really show what the trombone can do. And as you mention, what makes those possible is the fact that they are basically moving only in semitones. Because the performer is always accessing the same harmonic, in terms of embouchure, it is like they are playing the same note over and over again, double or triple tongued, and just moving the slide up and down while they do it, causing different notes to sound. Therefore, the difficulty level is not as high as it seems. If, however, in a given piece, you have to have the slide jump positions all the time and have the player access different harmonics along the series, it makes it significantly more challenging.


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## michaelv (May 27, 2013)

Great, great piece, Guy: witty, virtuosic, brilliant, but, as always, tasteful. The hallmark of someone with sensitivity. And, of course, talent.

I don't see this as a particularly challenging thing for a top-class virtuoso, frankly. I know, I know: slide changes ,etc, but that's all in the wrist - speed, right?  Remember when ( I don't, personally) they said most of The Right of Spring bass parts were impossible to play, but these days, even a decent youth orchestra can dispatch it with ease. I think someone like Wycliffe Gordon would take a look at this and say: "Dude, I'd like to take the tempo _up_ a notch. " ! The only thing I might suggest, purely as an effort to further the illusion of reality , is one might introduce some judicious random detuning to that particular passage, to show that the guy was pushing his technique. Just a thought. There's always a certain amount of "blurring" going on in passages like this. Just don't tell a German brass player that he's blurring, though. 

Anyway, Guy, another characteristically engaging piece of pure music.


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## michaelv (May 27, 2013)

Oh, and thanks for the fascinating insite on your particular compositional approach....

And I agree with rgames on the bassoon similarity in the opening. That's not a criticism. I remember hearing a Vaughan Williams strings- only piece and both myself and my friend could swear there were French Horns in there! Something going on with the overtones between the celli and low violas, we reckoned.


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## Guy Bacos (May 27, 2013)

Thanks Michael! I always enjoy your feedback, and I agree a few fumbles on the trombone part here and there would of added. My player practices too much I guess.


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