# What do you think of my piece so far?



## Dan Mott (Nov 18, 2010)

I decided to write a string piece (try to write) since I now have 24GB of RAM and I haven't used HS since I purchased it when it first came out.

So, yesterday I did this.

I tend to over express the strings in my pieces because I Really like that sound. This isn't a mockup, just want to know what you think of the sound.

Here's the link http://soundcloud.com/destaana/hs

Popping and clicking is the bug in HS. Sorry.


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## realstrings (Nov 18, 2010)

Sounds great! Maybe too much dynamics, or maybe the rise and fall of the dynamics could be a little more gradual? (Especially the fall!)


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## rabiang (Nov 18, 2010)

very nice. for me it feels like the beginning of a long piece.


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## Dan Mott (Nov 19, 2010)

rpaillot @ Fri Nov 19 said:


> Hi Dan
> 
> Yeah I think too that this was good !
> What I liked the most in your composition is the nice voicing you got in the strings writing.
> ...



Thank you.

Yes I do agree.

I'd like to ask you what you mean by the voicing?


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## hbuus (Nov 19, 2010)

I like the part from around 0:57. That sounds great!
HS can sound really nice, wow.

Best,
Henrik


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## rpaillot (Nov 19, 2010)

Voicing is how you balance a chord between all the string sections. And this is pretty important. Can change the emotion, and sound of a piece.


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## Guy Bacos (Nov 19, 2010)

Nice so far.

You could fine tune it a bit.

I agree along the lines of "too much dynamics" mentioned earlier. There's a lot of pfp, which is fine, but you need more variety within this pfp, it gets annoying towards the end of that section rather than effective. Or you could break in the middle with a more extended dynamic and then come back to it. Well, that's my opinion.

I love where it goes at 1 min to the end. The thing I don't like is that the repeated note is a bit loud and too mechanical. I would have it more transparent at the start, you could really increase as it moves on though. I would maybe try that repetition part an octave lower, but you may be attached to this sound now. But try to play it with more expression, probably by accentuating the right notes will help.

Between 58 sec and 1 min there's something that doesn't sound natural in the dynamics, or the release of the dynamics rather, maybe an abrupt release?

You've got some nice warm sounds, just fine tune a bit, should sound great.


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## Dan Mott (Nov 19, 2010)

Hello guys.

Thanks.

It seems as though you all like the sound which is great, but ofcourse you cannot really go further into commenting because this piece really doesn't have any direction yet.

I agree with the following...

1. The staccato notes are too loud and mechanical. They are infact quite annoying, and I knew this before I uploaded to soundcloud after listening through headphones.

2. The dynamic range is a bit over the top. Yes this could be tweaked in a way that the loud to soft is alot less, but more gradual so that it's not doing these really quick loud and soft parts through out the track. IMO, In some spots it actually sounds ok, but I think I can point out which sections just don't need such a big effect of dynamics.

3. The part at 57 sounds very strange. Yes it does indeed, but I think it's because the listener isn't expecting the big change from the first violins to play staccato notes so quickly after that rise, which makes the change sound really quiet and weird. I should infact introduce the staccatos later, and lower the volume as more of a fill in than anything which can cause a nice effect.

So yes. I have actually changed it alot. The start is completely different because in my opinion, I thought the start was a little boring, don't you??

Dan.


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## Dan Mott (Nov 19, 2010)

So. Now I decided to start it like this. I feel it will capture the listner more.

http://soundcloud.com/destaana/nice


Ill post back when Im done. Hopefully.

Need to work on those 1st violins and violas though.


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## Guy Bacos (Nov 20, 2010)

Oooh, I like this! Not many people are willing to make this much change in a piece, this is very important to not get too attached to what you write. This will help you to reshape it when needed.

Strings are nice, a bit too creamy for my taste, but no big deal.


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## Dan Mott (Nov 20, 2010)

Guy Bacos @ Sun Nov 21 said:


> Oooh, I like this! Not many people are willing to make this much change in a piece, this is very important to not get too attached to what you write. This will help you to reshape it when needed.
> 
> Strings are nice, a bit too creamy for my taste, but no big deal.



Hello. Thanks for liking it. What do you mean by creamy strings?=D

Unfortunately I do tend to get too attached, but generally it all depends on how it starts and sounds.


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## Guy Bacos (Nov 20, 2010)

Creamy, I mean rich, or too rich in texture. Just one line is how many players?


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## Dan Mott (Nov 20, 2010)

Guy Bacos @ Sun Nov 21 said:


> Creamy, I mean rich, or too rich in texture. Just one line is how many players?



I see now what you mean, Guy.

Well, all of the sections are playing in 4th position, which is causing this creamy romancy sound which I like 

I suppose your taste would like them brighter?? Is this what you mean?

It's pretty much all thr ensembles playing from Hollywood strings. 1st Violins, 2nd Violins, Violas, Celli and bass. Each are playing a different role as you already know. I haven't doubled any ensemble patches if that's what you're asking.

I generally always put my strings in 4th pos because it makes it atmospheric, would you agree?

Interesting.


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## Guy Bacos (Nov 20, 2010)

No, I'm referring to the number of players. Are these strings 15, 20, 25 players?
Cause say it's 20 players and you have 6 notes playing, that's 120 violins, the timbre is getting pretty thick, so sometimes it's better to balance this with some chamber strings,
like some of the inner parts. But is a personal thing, you may be happy with this way.


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## Dan Mott (Nov 20, 2010)

Guy Bacos @ Sun Nov 21 said:


> No, I'm referring to the number of players. Are these strings 15, 20, 25 players?
> Cause say it's 20 players and you have 6 notes playing, that's 120 violins, the timbre is getting pretty thick, so sometimes it's better to balance this with some chamber strings,
> like some of the inner parts. But is a personal thing, you may be happy with this way.



Oh yes. I see.

It's umm. 16 1st violins, 14 2nd violins, 10 violas, 10 cellos and 9 basses. They are all playing seperate sections.

I suppose an EQ could thin it out if it becomes a mixing issue with other instruments.


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## Guy Bacos (Nov 20, 2010)

What the most notes you have playing together within the same section? 1,2,3,4 notes?


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## Dan Mott (Nov 20, 2010)

Guy Bacos @ Sun Nov 21 said:


> What the most notes you have playing together within the same section? 1,2,3,4 notes?



Umm. I don't understand. Within the same section, you mean the same notes, but different octaves?

I only have 1 note playing within sections. The bass is playing the lowest, hamonised by the cello with a long sustain note through the whole thing. Then the violas are playing a little susained mini melody whihc consists of three notes. On top of that are the 1st violins which are playing even higher now, the first part they do a sustained note, then they swap and do staccato, then they swap again to sustained, taking it in turns. On top of the 1st violins are the 2nd violins, which are playing one high sustained note and not changing through out the section, but much higher than everything else.

Pretty much everything is spread out differently.


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## Guy Bacos (Nov 20, 2010)

Dan-Jay @ Sun Nov 21 said:


> Umm. I don't understand. Within the same section, you mean the same notes, but different octaves?



No, I just meant, example, for the violas, do you ever have 2 or 3 notes playing together, or is it always not more than 1 note? Same question for the cellos and the other parts.


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## Dan Mott (Nov 20, 2010)

Guy Bacos @ Sun Nov 21 said:


> Dan-Jay @ Sun Nov 21 said:
> 
> 
> > Umm. I don't understand. Within the same section, you mean the same notes, but different octaves?
> ...



Always one note. You think I shoudl EQ, Does it bother you from a listening perspective that it's too thick?


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## Guy Bacos (Nov 20, 2010)

Ok, well that surprised me. I can't really say much more because it's not in front of me, just what my ear tells me. But you have a good sound anyway.


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## Dan Mott (Nov 20, 2010)

Guy Bacos @ Sun Nov 21 said:


> Ok, well that surprised me. I can't really say much more because it's not in front of me, just what my ear tells me. But you have a good sound anyway.



Thanks.

Prehaps I can thin it out and experiment, or pehaps a second opinion.

Thanks again.


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