# My first (proper) attempt at a fully orchestrated piece!



## SimonCharlesHanna (Jan 24, 2017)

Hey Friends.

It feels weird saying this but this is actually my first fully orchestrated piece. 
Haven't worked on the performances yet but I would love some feedback on the orchestration.


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## Rob (Jan 24, 2017)

It's very well done, in my opinion... if I have to nitpick it's a bit incoherent as for the musical material used, more like the juxtaposition of different moods than the development of an idea... but that could be irrelevant


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## muk (Jan 24, 2017)

Agree with Rob. Impressive for a first piece. Great composition and mockup! What I would have wished for is a more coherent musical structure to lock onto. Did you write it to picture?


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## SimonCharlesHanna (Jan 24, 2017)

Yes I agree 100% about the thematic material.

My goal was to write something as if it were locked to picture. I wrote the sequence as if themes had already been established and were being recalled for small segments (I hope that makes sense).

Perhaps I could have worked harder at incorporating them.

The heroic theme is played by the oboe at the beginning and then octave strings in the end sequence but they are so far apart and fleeting that I feel no body probably could notice.

The evil theme I took inspiration from Lutoslawski.

Thanks for the comments  Really appreciate the feedback


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## douggibson (Jan 24, 2017)

Well done ! I wish my first orchestration was this successful. As others have said my feeling was like listening to 
a overture prelude. It all sounds nice.... I think more varied repetition of ideas would do it. (Varied repetition basically means you take what you stated in the opening and change enough for the listen to feel that it is both familiar but yet different. ie. development.) Look towards to usual suspects. Change the instrumentation the second time, sequences, inversions, modulations etc......

Bravo. Hope to hear more from you


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## SimonCharlesHanna (Jan 24, 2017)

douggibson said:


> Well done ! I wish my first orchestration was this successful. As others have said my feeling was like listening to
> a overture prelude. It all sounds nice.... I think more varied repetition of ideas would do it. (Varied repetition basically means you take what you stated in the opening and change enough for the listen to feel that it is both familiar but yet different. ie. development.) Look towards to usual suspects. Change the instrumentation the second time, sequences, inversions, modulations etc......
> 
> Bravo. Hope to hear more from you


Thank you kindly 

Perhaps for my next piece I will focus in on a single motif and develop it


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## Architekton (Jan 24, 2017)

Excellent, well done! Which libraries did you use?


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## SimonCharlesHanna (Jan 24, 2017)

Architekton said:


> Excellent, well done! Which libraries did you use?


Thanks for compliment!

Spitfire for everything except the solo oboe (because spitfire's solo oboe legato is quite bad)

Solo Oboe from Orchestral Tools expansion package


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## Elephant (Jan 24, 2017)

SimonCharlesHanna said:


> Thanks for compliment!
> 
> Spitfire for everything except the solo oboe (because spitfire's solo oboe legato is quite bad)
> 
> Solo Oboe from Orchestral Tools expansion package



Nice sound. I also like the opening very much - which Spitfire libraries did you use for what ?
Rgds
E


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## mac (Jan 24, 2017)

Agree with the others, it sounds well produced and definitely has the vibe, but it could also do with a hook. I'd recommend watching any of the @mverta unleashed videos, they're gold dust.


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## SimonCharlesHanna (Jan 24, 2017)

Elephant said:


> Nice sound. I also like the opening very much - which Spitfire libraries did you use for what ?
> Rgds
> E


Thank you . 
Just used SSO + harp


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## SimonCharlesHanna (Jan 24, 2017)

mac said:


> Agree with the others, it sounds well produced and definitely has the vibe, but it could also do with a hook. I'd recommend watching any of the @mverta unleashed videos, they're gold dust.


Thanks for the input. I must admit, i didnt really go into this piece with the idea of achieving a memorable melody that I would develop. I was aiming more at a set action piece using melodic fragments.

I bought one of Mikes classes and unfortunately got nothing out of it. To be fair he did stress in the video that getting the most value out of it would come from watching it live and interacting, which I did not


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## Dave Connor (Jan 24, 2017)

That's the work of someone with a whole lot of talent.


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## SimonCharlesHanna (Jan 25, 2017)

Dave Connor said:


> That's the work of someone with a whole lot of talent.


Wow thank you Dave 



douggibson said:


> I used to write in exactly the same way for the first 5-8 years of composing. It's perfectly valid as any other way. However I simply did not have the craft to expand small ideas into larger pieces. This may not be true for you.
> 
> Doug



It's definitely something I need to work on. Although I am conscious of trying to work with a motif, I deviate too far too often I think. Thanks for taking the time!


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## mverta (Jan 25, 2017)

SimonCharlesHanna said:


> I bought one of Mikes classes and unfortunately got nothing out of it. To be fair he did stress in the video that getting the most value out of it would come from watching it live and interacting, which I did not



Which class?


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## JPQ (Jan 25, 2017)

Really nice oboe. also otherways really nice tune.


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## Hanu_H (Jan 25, 2017)

Really nice orchestration and composition. I don't know why but it really reminds me of the Princess Mononoke soundtrack by Joe Hisaishi, one of my favorite composers. I think with the ingredients you got here, you could make a lot longer piece and it would have a better flow. Good job!

-Hannes


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## SimonCharlesHanna (Jan 26, 2017)

Thank you all for the kind comments.

Mike, it was an orchestration class I believe.


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## SimonCharlesHanna (Jan 26, 2017)

Hanu_H said:


> Really nice orchestration and composition. I don't know why but it really reminds me of the Princess Mononoke soundtrack by Joe Hisaishi, one of my favorite composers. I think with the ingredients you got here, you could make a lot longer piece and it would have a better flow. Good job!
> 
> -Hannes


Ill take that comparison as a compliment haha! Thanks for the feedback


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## mverta (Jan 26, 2017)

SimonCharlesHanna said:


> Thank you all for the kind comments.
> 
> Mike, it was an orchestration class I believe.



In all the years I've been doing classes, nobody has ever said they got nothing out of multiple hours of instruction, so your comment is concerning. Please send me your purchase details so I can get you refunded, a different class, or gain a better understanding of how this is possible!

_Mike


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## dannymc (Jan 30, 2017)

> In all the years I've been doing classes, nobody has ever said they got nothing out of multiple hours of instruction, so your comment is concerning. Please send me your purchase details so I can get you refunded, a different class, or gain a better understanding of how this is possible!



fair play to you mike. to be honest i have only ever seen your free classes to date on youtube (my fault i just haven't got round to starting some classes as i'm still learning the basics) and the amount of stuff i gained from those videos alone makes me wish i had to pleasure of owning all your classes. i think you are one of the best online teachers i've come across out there especially as i have no musical theory background so i am equally surprised my this comment.

Danny


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## SimonCharlesHanna (Feb 6, 2017)

mverta said:


> In all the years I've been doing classes, nobody has ever said they got nothing out of multiple hours of instruction, so your comment is concerning. Please send me your purchase details so I can get you refunded, a different class, or gain a better understanding of how this is possible!
> 
> _Mike



A refund is not necessary. The class just probably was not what I was expecting that's all. The community love your work. But thanks none-the-less. I didn't mean to slander you on the forum - In hindsight I should have shut my mouth.


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## mverta (Feb 7, 2017)

Expressing dissatisfaction over a class purchase is NOT slander. It also isn't necessary. PM me and let's get you your $30 worth!


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