Ahzoh's Music and Audio projects

[Ahzoh]

Thread for projects.

[Ahzoh]

Been working on projects again, one for battle, two for ambience...

This one I have so far is just a chorus: https://m.soundcloud.com/ahzoh/ashahijar-chorus

And an ambient one: https://m.soundcloud.com/ahzoh/akrideas

I don't know how to expand on them

[MetalRenard]

Ashahijar - I'd take that guitar and turn it into a bass, throw in string hits to highlight the beats and then for the next part I'd keep the string hits and change the bass to something simpler and have guitar or woodwinds play a melody depending on the genre I was trying to write for.

[Ahzoh]

Oh and how is this?
https://soundcloud.com/ahzoh/ruined-city
It is ambient track played while heroes explore a city destroyed by meteor impact.

[MetalRenard]

Right now I won't give you critique on the mixing and quality of your tools or instruments, but you will have to work on that side of things if you decide to take this seriously.

This one has a good atmosphere, the complexity of a bell sound (i.e. it plays clashing harmonics that aren't in sync with its fundemental note) works well in creating the off-kilter feel of a destroyed city/city after a disaster. Your other main instrument, the kind of synth is a ok but could be more atmospheric. Right now its sound isn't doing the song any favours and you might be better off replacing it with some soft string-like sound to take the focus off it.

Right now your composition remains quite simplistic but I can see some of the ideas are there. You just have to stick with it, analyse and compare your work with others to see where you need to go next.

:)

[Ahzoh]

Right now I won't give you critique on the mixing and quality of your tools or instruments, but you will have to work on that side of things if you decide to take this seriously.

This one has a good atmosphere, the complexity of a bell sound (i.e. it plays clashing harmonics that aren't in sync with its fundemental note) works well in creating the off-kilter feel of a destroyed city/city after a disaster. Your other main instrument, the kind of synth is a ok but could be more atmospheric. Right now its sound isn't doing the song any favours and you might be better off replacing it with some soft string-like sound to take the focus off it.

Right now your composition remains quite simplistic but I can see some of the ideas are there. You just have to stick with it, analyse and compare your work with others to see where you need to go next.

:)

I don't know what "atmospheric" sounds like.

The synth is called "Eerie Combo Organ". Shame, I really liked it, but I don't know how I can make it more "atmospheric", but I think strings would be more suitable. Perhaps a harpsicord?
Others? I don't who's to compare to.

EDIT:
Which one is better?

OR
https://soundcloud.com/ahzoh/ruined-city-v3

Though I find neither of them sound like the instruments in with the kind of pixel style you'd find in RMXP.

[MetalRenard]

These both work a lot better from a sound-design perspective though.

"Atmospheric" in terms of music means the sound isn't "in your face", it's in the background, floaty, lofty or softer. Imagine the difference between plucking a string with a piece of metal and then rubbing your thumb gentle over the same string. The metal would have a sharp "attack", an initial more percussive sound and would accentuate the higher frequencies. The thumb on the other hand would have a softer "attack" and the frequencies would be "rounder" or have less high end and more low-middle frequencies.

Here's a chart to explain frequencies to you:
http://www.independentrecording.net/irn/...tivity.htm

[Ahzoh]

I want to make my tune better.

These both work a lot better from a sound-design perspective though.

"Atmospheric" in terms of music means the sound isn't "in your face", it's in the background, floaty, lofty or softer. Imagine the difference between plucking a string with a piece of metal and then rubbing your thumb gentle over the same string. The metal would have a sharp "attack", an initial more percussive sound and would accentuate the higher frequencies. The thumb on the other hand would have a softer "attack" and the frequencies would be "rounder" or have less high end and more low-middle frequencies.

Here's a chart to explain frequencies to you:
http://www.independentrecording.net/irn/...tivity.htm

I like it and it is befitting a destroyed/poisoned or otherwise ruined city.
I should consider the " mixing and quality of tools or instruments" thing now.

Right now your composition remains quite simplistic but I can see some of the ideas are there. You just have to stick with it, analyse and compare your work with others to see where you need to go next.

Do you have any song specifically to compare to? And perhaps simplistic is best suited for game?
There is this I'm looking into:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nswfLcROs-0

[MetalRenard]

The song you showed me is far from simplistic. It has a lot of evolution, different sounds, interesting rhythms, the notes are of different lengths plus it has a definite structure, sometimes bringing sections back kind of like a chorus but with changes.
For someone less versed in music it may appear simplistic, but that is the genius of Nobuo Uematsu, the Final Fantasy composer. His work can be quite intricate! :) Here's a break down for you:

0- Rhythm and atmospheric pad with an evolving sound
15- fast rhythmic percussion, introduction of a synth
40- loses the synth but introduces a simple rhythmic string sound.
49- introduces the main melody played on the bells and the backing played on a choir-like pad
1:10- modulated upwards (up a couple of semi-tones) to increase tension
1:40- modulated back down to re-introduce the synth from 40 seconds
Repeat until
2:15 when the bell is reintroduced but this time with an ominous evolving sound like an evil wind
Outro- modified melody

As you can see, there's a lot going on. Perhaps your understanding of "simplistic" is actually "atmospheric"?! Because this song, albeit complex, is quite atmospheric. Many of the sounds are in the background (although some synths and the bell are not). Food for thought...

Every song creates an atmosphere or mood even if it is not "atmospheric" anyway. ^_^

[Ahzoh]

MetalRenard Edit: No need to keep quoting my entire reply. :)
You misinterpret, those were two thoughts; maybe simplistic is good, and hey, here is an interesting song for inspiration since you mentioned comparing my music to others. They are not connected thiughts.
I didn't say that was simplistic at all