Anyone ever tried to make a musical "piece"?

[misk]

I've been working on something lately, that is not dubstep, but rather more of a composition in the vein of something more symphonic, with the intent to communicate a dream i recently had. It's a major step away from what i've always done - with almost no repetition, and a progression that feels more like a story than a "song". I've set no time limit on when i'd like to be done, and i have no idea where the piece is headed.

I've found that the piece dictates it's own composition rules, even though i've not predefined any "rules" (i.e. sub bass at 140bpm). I anticipate that it will be about 10 minutes long though...

anyone have any experience with this? I'm not using orchestral romplers or samples or anything, it's all synthetic and sample-based sound design...

[slim]

First thing i did when i got Ableton with all the orchestral multisamples was sit and make one of those.

I basically just had three parts playing interlocking melodies which i played in chunks of 16 bars, there was a bit of repetition, but not a lot. Ended up sounding almost through-composed

I'd love to try something like that with synths and samples like you said actually. Would be interesting to hear the final result from you, always rated your stuff and good to hear something different

Is there any drums/percussion in it?

[deadly_habit]

definately
venetian snares - my downfall has to be one of my favorite lps to date
that man knows his orchestral stuff

[misk]

yeah theres drums and percussion in it, and im thinking of including some sub as well. It would be cool to hear what could be done with sub frequencies with regards to musical expression in an orchestrated piece of music beyond its mor superficial use as a method of carrying the groove, or simply being "cool" to hear/feel.

I'll probably give it away when im done with it. I'll probably post up various other attempts as well.

[jblake]

yeah theres drums and percussion in it, and im thinking of including some sub as well. It would be cool to hear what could be done with sub frequencies with regards to musical expression in an orchestrated piece of music beyond its mor superficial use as a method of carrying the groove, or simply being "cool" to hear/feel.

I'll probably give it away when im done with it. I'll probably post up various other attempts as well.

Sub accompanies piano beautifully i've found. Especially when experimenting with two sine waves bouncing against eachother, creating all sorts of rythms and pitches between pitches. I've got a bit of an obsession with sub that didn't stop at dubstep, and I put it underneath my piano improvs nowadays. Like, i'll have a few, come home, press record and play piano for a bit, and then the next morning i'll put a warm sub line under it (not even rythmic, almost like a sub-pad).

[jonjon]

This sounds really interesting. Especially if you end up putting sub in there to accompany some strings or other orchestral stuff.

Would be good to see how this works out if your up for posting it up here?

[daft cunt]

definately
venetian snares - my downfall has to be one of my favorite lps to date
that man knows his orchestral stuff

I found My Downfall to be a bit disappointing compared to Rossz Csillag Alatt Született.

[deadly_habit]

definately
venetian snares - my downfall has to be one of my favorite lps to date
that man knows his orchestral stuff

I found My Downfall to be a bit disappointing compared to Rossz Csillag Alatt Született.

well they're both killer albums i mean to me nothing tops Szamár Madár
but as a whole i like my downfall just a lil bit better
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PBeKzVhWHY

[sqwol]

I've made some ambient tunes that are sort of symphonic and don't repeat or loop much at all. I've found that it is best to set your flags shortly after what was just created, and then work forward in very small sections, creating something different off of each new element.

I found that doing things in very small sections makes it easier to focus on making the song move and flow in different directions as oppossed to being tempted to making it groove. I hope that makes sense.

[marlow]

i've just started another project funnily enough - think it's kinda like the stuff you guys are talking about.

you can check the first track out here:
http://www.myspace.com/chrismarlowmusic

[hugh]

i've just started another project funnily enough - think it's kinda like the stuff you guys are talking about.

you can check the first track out here:
http://www.myspace.com/chrismarlowmusic

feckin gorgeous mate

[spanmalaise]

this is cool, it can't be denied that branching out/experimenting will always be a good thing, even if just to learn what not to do...I'm studying classical composition at a music college so I do a lot of...well all sorts really.

anyway my one suggestion would be DON'T get MIDI orchestral samples involved...they never sound as good as the real thing, they're always going to be inferior imitations. What's wrong with sound design and sample processing? Trying to make some tuned samples you've got sound like strings will create way better (and more original) results than even the most expensive orchestral sample pack. Well, if you're good at it.

[hxdb]

The tech nerd in me is almost orgasming