# Through your eyes



## Rob (Sep 29, 2011)

I'd like you to listen to a piece I just wrote, for piano with a soft strings accompaniment... it owes a lot to Ravel's "largo" from his piano concerto in G, but I feel it's "my" music nonetheless. I kinda like how it sounds, and probably for movies or tv it might work. For different usages probably the similarity to Ravel's could be a problem... 

thanks for listening


http://www.robertosoggetti.com/Throughyoureyes.mp3 (www.robertosoggetti.com/Throughyoureyes.mp3)


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## Kralc (Sep 29, 2011)

Love it, its got that perfect balance of sad and romantic. What is the piano?


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## lux (Sep 29, 2011)

yup, lovely piece. I have the suspect I told that already. I am so predictable those days..

yup, shoot that piano...

Luca


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## vancomposer (Sep 29, 2011)

nice one Rob and I listened at perfect time like half hour before I went to sleep so nice and relaxed I felt! :D


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## Gabriel Oliveira (Sep 29, 2011)

emotional piano?


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## zacnelson (Sep 29, 2011)

When the strings come in it's simply gorgeous, what an amazing arrangement. This would be perfect in a film, I wish there was more stuff like this on commercial film soundtrack albums, sadly not. Beautiful use of the sampled libraries too, there was no `jolt' that sometimes happens with odd sampled articulations or poor midi use which sometimes detracts from otherwise good compositions


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## noiseboyuk (Sep 30, 2011)

Lovely piece, and I agree with Zac that the strings sound gorgeous when the come in. However (could just be me) as the strings build more I'm aware that there's some pretty heavy HF roll off there... I like the muted effect you're going for and it was working great at the start, but it's just a shade over-done in that latter section for me.

Great composition.


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## Danny_Owen (Sep 30, 2011)

Agreed, lovely work, and the string arrangement is great, just the sound of them is really quite muffled, I'm not a big fan of how it interacts with the piano EQ-wise. I think you need a bit more mid-high frequencies in the strings, at the moment it sounds like you're almost scared it's going to overpower the piece if you let the strings lose. I think you can probably afford to bring them (or at least their high frequencies) up a touch. Really nice composition though


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## Rob (Sep 30, 2011)

thanks a lot guys, for your comments!
This theme is inspired by the beautifully simple and deep way my wife looks at things, and it's dedicated to her...
The piano here is a new library I'm beta testing, and since it's still in beta stage I've been asked not to give info, it will be announced in a while...
The general comment seems to be that strings should be a bit clearer and louder, and I think you're right. Here is an updated version, please let me know if it sounds better to your ears!
thank you again!


http://www.robertosoggetti.com/Throughyoureyes_more_stgs.mp3 (www.robertosoggetti.com/Throughyoureyes_more_stgs.mp3)


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## noiseboyuk (Sep 30, 2011)

Rob @ Fri Sep 30 said:


> thanks a lot guys, for your comments!
> This theme is inspired by the beautifully simple and deep way my wife looks at things, and it's dedicated to her...
> The piano here is a new library I'm beta testing, and since it's still in beta stage I've been asked not to give info, it will be announced in a while...
> The general comment seems to be that strings should be a bit clearer and louder, and I think you're right. Here is an updated version, please let me know if it sounds better to your ears!
> ...



Love the sentiment!

I think the level is fine, but to my ears still feels like it needs opening out a tad more... push the 10k-and-up a little? The first strings chord when it comes in is sublime, btw.


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## Rob (Sep 30, 2011)

Guy, how's it now? with a 2db push at 5khz and 3db at 10khz? Are strings "covering" the piano now?

http://www.robertosoggetti.com/Throughyoureyes_2db_5k_3db_10k.mp3 (www.robertosoggetti.com/Throughyoureyes ... db_10k.mp3)


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## doubleattack (Sep 30, 2011)

I thought, the string sound in your first posted track is fine (in your last one I find they get synthetic). For my taste the piano is too much upfront and bright, so the strings seems to play in a different room - and seems to get muffeled in the first track (IMHO they don't). I like a close piano sound too, but with strings you get problems in this way. I believe eq-ing don't help so much here. 

btw I find the use of the sustain pedal two times in the beginning a bit too "jazzy" - means a more classic feel for using it I would prefer. That critic goes in the same direction like your treatment of reverb. 

BUT: Three listeners - four opinions... Beside my grumbling, I find your peace very nice and I can enjoy it regardless of my propositions. Thanks for sharing!


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## jlb (Sep 30, 2011)

Beautiful Rob. Proper Music. 

jlb


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## Rob (Sep 30, 2011)

doubleattack @ 30th September 2011 said:


> I thought, the string sound in your first posted track is fine (in your last one I find they get synthetic). For my taste the piano is too much upfront and bright, so the strings seems to play in a different room - and seems to get muffeled in the first track (IMHO they don't). I like a close piano sound too, but with strings you get problems in this way. I believe eq-ing don't help so much here.
> 
> btw I find the use of the sustain pedal two times in the beginning a bit too "jazzy" - means a more classic feel for using it I would prefer. That critic goes in the same direction like your treatment of reverb.
> 
> BUT: Three listeners - four opinions... Beside my grumbling, I find your peace very nice and I can enjoy it regardless of my propositions. Thanks for sharing!



thanks doubleattack, can you point me to the jazzy pedaling, I thought my use of pedal was appropriate, for this melody... as for reverb, on the piano there's no reverb at all, it's the natural resonance of the original piano


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## Rob (Sep 30, 2011)

jlb @ 30th September 2011 said:


> Beautiful Rob. Proper Music.
> 
> jlb



thank you, jlb!


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## zacnelson (Oct 1, 2011)

I've listened to this multiple times now and I just think it's stunning and moving, rarely have I been moved so much by a piece of music.

I'd love to know what piano and string sample libraries were used. At no point was I distracted by the VI element I was just drawn into the music


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## doubleattack (Oct 1, 2011)

Rob @ Fri 30 Sep said:


> doubleattack @ 30th September 2011 said:
> 
> 
> > I thought, the string sound in your first posted track is fine (in your last one I find they get synthetic). For my taste the piano is too much upfront and bright, so the strings seems to play in a different room - and seems to get muffeled in the first track (IMHO they don't). I like a close piano sound too, but with strings you get problems in this way. I believe eq-ing don't help so much here.
> ...




Ah, that's really a matter of taste. I think, with this kind of pedalising you've tried avoiding the harmonies becomes blurred and to get to schmaltzy - but for this romantic melody maybe a l i t t l e bit more pedal would be nice. Your more jazzy touch for the articulation of the melody is very well played, but in this style of music it has an undecided effect to me. Why not taking it r e a l l y romantic? 

For the overall sound your 3rd track is a big improvement, the seperated build in room of the piano (I've supposed this) isn't so obvious anymore, but still there. 

Btw naturally the pedal noise would be much louder with this close mics for the piano. I love samples for the possibility to damping this sometime annoying noise in a easy way, but even under headphones I couldn't hear anyhing except at the very end. Can you manipulate the loudness of pedal noise in this library? The sound of the piano itself is really lovely. 

Best

Frank


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## noiseboyuk (Oct 1, 2011)

Rob @ Fri Sep 30 said:


> Guy, how's it now? with a 2db push at 5khz and 3db at 10khz? Are strings "covering" the piano now?
> 
> http://www.robertosoggetti.com/Throughyoureyes_2db_5k_3db_10k.mp3 (www.robertosoggetti.com/Throughyoureyes ... db_10k.mp3)



Yeah Rob, that sounds much nicer to me now. Congrats on this piece!


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## BoulderBrow (Oct 1, 2011)

Some lovely changes in there, like the revised versions too!


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## Rob (Oct 1, 2011)

zacnelson @ 1st October 2011 said:


> I've listened to this multiple times now and I just think it's stunning and moving, rarely have I been moved so much by a piece of music.
> 
> I'd love to know what piano and string sample libraries were used. At no point was I distracted by the VI element I was just drawn into the music



wow Zac, you made my day! 
Piano, as I said above, is a beta I'm testing, and it will be announced in a while...
Strings are Cinematic Strings blended with VSL chamber strings SE, an excellent marriage- Then I've added a vsl solo strings track plus just a hint of London solo strings, to add some detail...
again, thank you for your kind words!


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## Rob (Oct 1, 2011)

doubleattack @ 1st October 2011 said:


> Ah, that's really a matter of taste. I think, with this kind of pedalising you've tried avoiding the harmonies becomes blurred and to get to schmaltzy - but for this romantic melody maybe a l i t t l e bit more pedal would be nice. Your more jazzy touch for the articulation of the melody is very well played, but in this style of music it has an undecided effect to me. Why not taking it r e a l l y romantic?
> 
> For the overall sound your 3rd track is a big improvement, the seperated build in room of the piano (I've supposed this) isn't so obvious anymore, but still there.
> 
> ...



hi Frank, yes, you have a separate knob for the pedal volume, and many others, like piano body resonance, sympathetic res, random noises, vel response etc...
as for pedaling, it really is a matter of personal taste. I like a sober use of pedal, even when playing Chopin... btw, you might know me as a jazz musician, but I've seriously studied classical music, with good teachers...


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## Rob (Oct 1, 2011)

noiseboyuk @ 1st October 2011 said:


> Rob @ Fri Sep 30 said:
> 
> 
> > Guy, how's it now? with a 2db push at 5khz and 3db at 10khz? Are strings "covering" the piano now?
> ...



thanks Guy, for your advice!


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## Rob (Oct 1, 2011)

BoulderBrow @ 1st October 2011 said:


> Some lovely changes in there, like the revised versions too!



thank you, BoulderBrow!


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## samvoltaire (Oct 1, 2011)

Philippe Sarde touch 

Tres beau J'aime beaucoup !!!

Sam


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## George Caplan (Oct 1, 2011)

thats great rob. the strings are synthetic sounding a bit but it all works well.


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## Cookmposerie (Oct 1, 2011)

nicely done ! lovely mood ! :D


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## Rob (Oct 2, 2011)

samvoltaire @ 1st October 2011 said:


> Philippe Sarde touch
> 
> Tres beau J'aime beaucoup !!!
> 
> Sam



Merci beaucoup, Sam! J'aime Philippe Sarde...


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## Rob (Oct 2, 2011)

George, cookmposerie, thank you!


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## impressions (Oct 4, 2011)

nice one rob, definitely feels like a personal touch. 
the strings addition are really great support, its as if they're live players. i can hear influences all over the place, plenty of bill evans touch and mood, also that ending harmony reminds me of the intro for "you're my everything"/corea. 

i'd love to hear even a more minimalistic piece of you.. 0oD


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## Rob (Oct 4, 2011)

impressions @ 4th October 2011 said:


> nice one rob, definitely feels like a personal touch.
> the strings addition are really great support, its as if they're live players. i can hear influences all over the place, plenty of bill evans touch and mood, also that ending harmony reminds me of the intro for "you're my everything"/corea.
> 
> i'd love to hear even a more minimalistic piece of you.. 0oD



hey Impressions, thank you, for quoting bill evans... a true love of mine since my teens.. not to be pedantic, but it's You're everything... you're my everything is a different song. What a song by the way! Hard to find a singer able to sing it as it should!


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## impressions (Oct 5, 2011)

Rob @ Tue Oct 04 said:


> not to be pedantic, but it's You're everything... you're my everything is a different song. What a song by the way! Hard to find a singer able to sing it as it should!



oh i did it again hehe, you don't know how many mistakes in names i do with players, one time i asked a player if he knows the piece "AVE PAHRIVAV" (au privave). blues for alice in wonderland and all that...


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## Rob (Oct 5, 2011)

impressions @ 5th October 2011 said:


> ... "AVE PAHRIVAV" (au privave). blues for alice in wonderland and all that...




this made me almost fall laughing! thank you!

talking about lyrics mistakes, a friend told me of a singer that, in "lady is a tramp" used to sing: "tickets to Hungary - for dinner at 8..." pure genius


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