# Escape to New York - First Orchestral Piece



## jononotbono (Jan 8, 2020)

Howdy,

So I've been working on an Orchestral piece and my intention was just to try and write using orchestral instruments using samples. Specifically, the Spitfire Symphonic Orchestra as I love the sound of it. I basically know nothing about orchestral composition as I have spent most of my life writing songs and Guitar based music but it's something I'm very eager to get good at and aware this is likely to take years and years (if I ever do).

I specifically avoided using big drums and stuff like that which immediately gave a challenge of keeping a piece moving etc but I've found it to be quite rewarding to not rely on Percussion (like many do - they use it as a drum kit with orchestral instruments on top). This is definitely a work in progress, balance of instruments is all over the place, structure is kind of all over the place but what can I say, it's been fun so far diving into the unknown. And it's been fun just writing a piece for the sake of fun instead of for someone else!

If at all interested in having a listen, then here is a link. Hopefully it doesn't offend your ears... too much! It's ok, if you think it's dogs brown, I can take it! 

Jono


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## D Halgren (Jan 8, 2020)

jononotbono said:


> Howdy,
> 
> So I've been working on an Orchestral piece and my intention was just to try and write using orchestral instruments using samples. Specifically, the Spitfire Symphonic Orchestra as I love the sound of it. I basically know nothing about orchestral composition as I have spent most of my life writing songs and Guitar based music but it's something I'm very eager to get good at and aware this is likely to take years and years (if I ever do).
> 
> ...



Sounds great, Luke, very dynamic and lyrical!


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## jononotbono (Jan 8, 2020)

D Halgren said:


> Sounds great, Luke, very dynamic and lyrical!



Ah man, you're too kind. I'll keep chipping away at it. Or start a new piece that actually has a main melody etc. This was just me going from the initial idea and seeing where it would go. Much like my current life. All over the place.


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## D Halgren (Jan 8, 2020)

jononotbono said:


> Ah man, you're too kind. I'll keep chipping away at it. Or start a new piece that actually has a main melody etc. This was just me going from the initial idea and seeing where it would go. Much like my current life. All over the place.


Well, if you dump that one, put it back on guitar! It has epic riff potential


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## Alex Fraser (Jan 8, 2020)

Cool, I like it a lot. I'd say it was more of an uplifting cue than your album art would suggest. I saw Macaulay Culkin running around Macy's, knocking things over. Nice work!

I know what you mean about writing "for fun" - I haven't done that in years. Not sure what I'd even write.


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## jononotbono (Jan 8, 2020)

D Halgren said:


> It has epic riff potential



I'm all about the Guitar riff. It shows huh!


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## jononotbono (Jan 8, 2020)

Alex Fraser said:


> Cool, I like it a lot. I'd say it was more of an uplifting cue than your album art would suggest. I saw Macaulay Culkin running around Macy's, knocking things over. Nice work!
> 
> I know what you mean about writing "for fun" - I haven't done that in years. Not sure what I'd even write.



Writing just for fun. I know, unheard of these days!


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## jononotbono (Jan 8, 2020)

I should also say, I was intending on completely re doing this, tapping out a Rubato Click track, then performing everything so nothing is quantized and everything is free flowing (at least to my own click etc), and then all short notes using Spitfire TM patches to vary every single note. But since it got critiqued on Mike Verta's Unleashed I'm not feeling that it's sensible use of my time. I guess I'm saying this just to make aware, I know what should be happening when it comes to getting a final version of a Midi mockup to sound good, or at least acceptable. Lot's of tweaking data. Actually, maybe I still will for practice.


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## gussunkri (Jan 8, 2020)

To me it brings to mind lesbian beekeepers…


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## jononotbono (Jan 8, 2020)

gussunkri said:


> To me it brings to mind lesbian beekeepers…



Shhhh. Saving that name for my next fictitious band!


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## Rasmus Hartvig (Jan 8, 2020)

Alex Fraser said:


> I'd say it was more of an uplifting cue than your album art would suggest. I saw Macaulay Culkin running around Macy's, knocking things over.



That depends on whether you're picturing kid or grown-up Macaulay Culkin 

I like the track Luke! Great vibe and you've succeeded in making it move with relying on drums.


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## DANIELE (Jan 8, 2020)

Great work Jono, the piece itself it seems to be going nowhere thematically speaking, it is a continuous change of ideas but under the hood I feel a great arrangement, you used well the instruments, a well balanced work. You should do some more tries and you could take out some great tracks.

I'm still trying to get this from my tracks and you managed to do it well at first attempt.


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## jbuhler (Jan 8, 2020)

I like this quite a lot. Very playful. The first part could definitely score good-natured comic hijinks. And I didn't mind the lack of a strong theme or somewhat chaotic form, as the vivacious rhythmic work kept everything pushing forward with great energy. It was only during the last thirty to forty seconds or so that I thought the piece lost its way a bit, as you seemed to be working to corral the energy into an effective close, but instead everything just kind of dissipates.


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## jononotbono (Jan 8, 2020)

jbuhler said:


> I like this quite a lot. Very playful. The first part could definitely score good-natured comic hijinks. And I didn't mind the lack of a strong theme or somewhat chaotic form, as the vivacious rhythmic work kept everything pushing forward with great energy. It was only during the last thirty to forty seconds or so that I thought the piece lost its way a bit, as you seemed to be working to corral the energy into an effective close, but instead everything just kind of dissipates.



Thank you for your honesty and I completely agree. I was in such a rush to "finish it" to be able to submit it for M Verta's unleashed I just couldn't end it how I kind of had in my head. I wanted to revise the first idea, but in half time, a different key (modulating and horizontal/ harmonic movement is something I just struggle with) and try and go out with some kind of resolved bang. But I guess that's the problem when there isn't a strong theme or melody. Your comment has made me glad I posted this on here because I wasn't going to bother after Unleashed. Thanks man.


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## jononotbono (Jan 8, 2020)

DANIELE said:


> Great work Jono, the piece itself it seems to be going nowhere thematically speaking, it is a continuous change of ideas but under the hood I feel a great arrangement, you used well the instruments, a well balanced work. You should do some more tries and you could take out some great tracks.
> 
> I'm still trying to get this from my tracks and you managed to do it well at first attempt.



Thank you! I'm definitely gonna keep on trying. One huge struggle is writing the music. Another is working with samples so things don't sound horrendous. Even if things aren't realistic. Writing with VIs is always so much work compared to just playing music. But I love the sadistic fun of trying to make something out of nothing so onto tomorrow then!


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## Zedcars (Jan 8, 2020)

I really enjoyed that. It had good contrast between the different sections, but still retained cohesive strength. Seems to move along quite breezily and kept my attention throughout. The main thing I wasn’t so keen on was the that the ending didn’t seem like it had reached a proper or logical musical conclusion. Just my opinion though - feel free to ignore me haha.

Thanks for sharing.


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## DANIELE (Jan 9, 2020)

jononotbono said:


> Thank you! I'm definitely gonna keep on trying. One huge struggle is writing the music. Another is working with samples so things don't sound horrendous. Even if things aren't realistic. Writing with VIs is always so much work compared to just playing music. But I love the sadistic fun of trying to make something out of nothing so onto tomorrow then!



I had the same problem, I felt very limited by sample libraries articulation system until recently.

Did you ever think about using more modeled or semi-modeled libraries? Just for fun. I'm getting very good results with them and a LOT of fun.

Now I can finally think about music and less about programming music.

The classic articulation system always pushed me to use legato or staccato (spiccato) patches in the end and I was subconsciously forced to write very even lines, i.e. 4 measures of legato, then 4 measures of staccato and so on.
So I composed less dynamic tracks even if in my mind I was full of running ideas.

With this new kind of libraries I feel free and I don't care about articulations, I care about music. I could also write a staccato part where every note has a slightly different length. I write trills, measured tremolo and so on...it is amazing and the funniest thing I ever made about composing music.


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## synergy543 (Jan 9, 2020)

Great first piece Luke! As you continue to work on form and orchestration, don't lose your playfulness. That's golden, and really establishes a character that seems to be connected to your personality. I'm sure Mike gave you lots of homework to work on. Look forward to hearing your next explorations.

I hope you also get Dorico or Sibelius and sketch out some ideas before commiting to DAW samples. Its a process that will drastically improve your writing skills.


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## jononotbono (Jan 9, 2020)

Zedcars said:


> I really enjoyed that. It had good contrast between the different sections, but still retained cohesive strength. Seems to move along quite breezily and kept my attention throughout. The main thing I wasn’t so keen on was the that the ending didn’t seem like it had reached a proper or logical musical conclusion. Just my opinion though - feel free to ignore me haha.
> 
> Thanks for sharing.



No man, the end is not right 😂 You are right to think that. I will look at it again and see if I can turn it around. Maybe this whole thing is just the intro? 😂


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## jbuhler (Jan 9, 2020)

jononotbono said:


> No man, the end is not right 😂 You are right to think that. I will look at it again and see if I can turn it around. Maybe this whole thing is just the intro? 😂


One other solution would be to add a comic tag to what you have. I think you have better directions you can take the ending (I liked the ideas you expressed upthread), but a comic tag would bring what you have to a more definite close.


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## IvanHuorMusic (Jan 9, 2020)

This was fun! Thanks for sharing.


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## MarcusD (Jan 14, 2020)

While listening to this and browsing social feeds, a picture of 'Home Stallone' popped up... I don't know how to feel anymore.. . 

Music was great, enjoyed it. More please


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## starpainter (Jan 14, 2020)

Very nice, and positive!
Wish I had the b***s to actually put something out there.


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## davidson (Jan 14, 2020)

jononotbono said:


> I should also say, I was intending on completely re doing this, tapping out a Rubato Click track, then performing everything so nothing is quantized and everything is free flowing (at least to my own click etc), and then all short notes using Spitfire TM patches to vary every single note. But since it got critiqued on Mike Verta's Unleashed I'm not feeling that it's sensible use of my time. I guess I'm saying this just to make aware, I know what should be happening when it comes to getting a final version of a Midi mockup to sound good, or at least acceptable. Lot's of tweaking data. Actually, maybe I still will for practice.



I couldn't see it listed on unleashed, did you submit it with a different title? Sorry for snooping, but I'm always interested to see what the vertman has to say!


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## jononotbono (Jan 14, 2020)

MarcusD said:


> While listening to this and browsing social feeds, a picture of 'Home Stallone' popped up... I don't know how to feel anymore.. .
> 
> Music was great, enjoyed it. More please



That Home Stallone Meme is brilliant!  

Thanks man. It's a work in progress and I'm sure it's meaningless noise to many but I'm loving being able to try and write music like this. Definitely going to write some more!


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## jononotbono (Jan 14, 2020)

starpainter said:


> Very nice, and positive!
> Wish I had the b***s to actually put something out there.



Thanks! You should get some music out there! You probably have a whole audience unknowingly waiting to listen to your music!


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## jononotbono (Jan 14, 2020)

davidson said:


> I couldn't see it listed on unleashed, did you submit it with a different title? Sorry for snooping, but I'm always interested to see what the vertman has to say!



I entered it under the name of Lesbian Beekeepers


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## Thundercat (Jan 14, 2020)

Jono, this is fabulous! Who told you you can’t orchestrate?!
You have a unique voice and I found myself falling into simple enjoy,ent of the music.

about halfway through it seemed to get a bit muddy; I think you don’t need the brass so loud - maybe lower the volume of the counterpoint behind a little. And at the last few seconds you changed to a different theme in the brass and I would have liked to have had a return to the opening theme.

but that’s just my opninion and you know what they say about opinions.

lovely, lovely, lovely!


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## davidson (Jan 15, 2020)

jononotbono said:


> I entered it under the name of Lesbian Beekeepers



Hahaha, of course you did!


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## Thundercat (Jan 15, 2020)

Hey Jono I saw that you replied to me (got an email) but can’t find it here!

in any case great work!

more please.


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