Hi Doug, first of all I WANTED to review your work because I feel beyond honored to do so. It is amazing to see you digging in this classical genre. To me, working in IT for more than 30 years, Classical is to Music what machine language is to computers. It takes theory and raw skills to be exposed.
When I received your track, I have listened to it maybe 5 times in a row in my car on the way to the office, and it left me pensive, especially after the intro. The opening is clearly doing its job perfectly. Single piano notes full of reverb are killer for the atmosphere you need to settle down.
Then at timer 1:00 the string works fit very well to set the verse mood, you start the story there. Great. Then at 1:40 there is this series of foreign chords (a modulation in major) that relieves a bit the tension of sorrow and renew the audience's attention, which I love very much, making me thing of some Mark Isham's compositions. This contemporary classical track is in the vein of poignant movie soundtracks that makes a story remembered of.
That being said, I understand that you are willing to work more on it, and if I dare (you asked me to), here are a few suggestions:
- on classical pieces, when performed electronically (very hard to hide), it always sounds better if individual instruments are played as solo on separate tracks ESPECIALLY on pads, long and sustained notes. You will see that it makes a big difference when all play together. Unfortunately, this kind of technique explodes the number of required tracks and the time spent to work on them individually as well (each note and midi parameter). 2 violins playing the same part never have the same attack, same decay, same sustain and vibrato delay. But that's the price to pay when we, poor indies, cannot afford involving full symphonic orchestra's services like Hans Zimmer
- I was expecting more contrast between the different section (if there are what we call chorus/verse), just may be add a few transitional orchestral percs (timpani rolls / cymbals crash, with finesse of course)
- the solo violin is hauntingly beautiful, and it can be very hard to make it sound even more real. But if you could save a budget and pay a human soloist for his performance... wow, it would really be worth it.
It now all depends on you and what you want to do with this jewel. Polish it, or keep it dormant.
I am sincerely wishing you the best my friend, and feel very humbled to have been solicitated directly by you.
Thierry