Extensive freelance classical and retro videogame music composer, currently retired from the internet.
Age 40, Male
composing and things
when i was still a little cal
Netherlands
Joined on 8/11/09
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wandschrank
I enjoyed the compositions a lot. Overall the songs were rather easy to listen to, nothing too complex, but very solid. :)
However, you should really work on your mixing and mastering skills. I didn't notice it before because I only listened to your 8bit stuff (and enjoyed it a lot), but this sounds really awful with decent studio monitors, and even with normal, cheap headphones. I do not know if you have problems finding good soundfonts (there are many free ones which sound really good, you don't need to buy the fancy stuff :)), the equipment (studio monitors / headphones?) or just the mixing & mastering skills. Stray wolf grace is a perfect example, it sounds like a song out of a budget PS 1 game, qualitywise. The strings, for example, have 0 "expression" (velocity??), a 90s Yamaha Keyboard for 100 bucks would probably deliver the same results.. Overall those songs sound like you composed one of your epic 8bit songs and just replaced the 8bit stuff with low quality virtual instruments.
As usual, and as mentioned before, I liked the compositions themselves, though. :) Very solid, keep up the good work. If you ever need help with VSTs, mixing & mastering, feel free to contact me, I'm always eager to help. :)
Calamaistr
I do have trouble finding good soundfounts actually, anything you or anyone else can suggest is welcome.
I only recently started equalizing anyway as i told you just yet in a pm. So that should increase the 'soundquality a tad.
Stray wolf grace isnt all bad but yes i am aware that its not 'hyper realistic', some of my choices for instrumentation are intention, but more importantly i intentionally often 'cut' the sound because i personally cant stand crisp sounds, i find that it always puts way to much weight on the track overall, and i rather keep as much of the layers muffled so i can bring out the instruments that matter manually. (at least up till now, with equalizing tools this process is more effective).
So yes you are right about the sound quality being less than optimal, but far from problematic.
As for it not sounding good on cheap headphones, get better headphones.
I compose with sennheiser so i cant know what kind of sound is emitted from bad equipment and frankly i dont want to know. (you cant compose with 'bad equipment' in mind or you're going to lose alot of possibilitys in composing just because it wont come out right on a eh, phone jack or something.
Thank you for posting, always welcome. :)
-cal.