It's a nicely structured composition, but not one of my current genres of listening. Took me back to the early 90s when I did get into more ambient and new agey styles. The sounds, other than the drums, were very appropriate to the genre and the composition. I only listened over computer speakers, so I can't get too nitpicky, but the drums felt dark in timbre and a bit out of place. I would suggest a snappier snare sound a bit further back in the mix with a nice reverb. Overall, I consider it very pleasant background music.

Just not my genre, so much so, I can't listen objectively. It reminds me of that gentle background music I hear in the doctor's office while I'm experiencing white coat syndrome. But that's a me problem.

Thanks for replies.

I played around with a "snappier" snare but it felt too harsh for this particular ethos. As it is, I can't reverb it alone for its a one-track MIDI drum track, though I could probably split them (I use EZDrummer) but haven't figured out how.

As to style, indeed, music is very personal taste, and yeah, not your modern pop or rap stuff, for sure. My age is probably showing too, I'm 59. I admit that on one level it is a bit "musak"-ish and not what I really want to compose ideally -- I want to go for a more edgy Pink Floyd thing..

But it was a way to get my feet wet back in the creating music again. A practice piece. :)

I spent two years of my life working for Muzak and that bought back some bad memories.

I can't comment on the composition as I'm bereft from birth of any musical skills but I can comment on how it sounds. Yes, I too only listened on PC speakers but no doubt so too will the intended audience and I do know how other modern music sounds as a reference on the same speakers.

This piece of music fails to capture the timbre of any of the instruments, there's no impulse sounds from the drums, in short every high frequency harmonic is gone. It sounds distant, muddy and muffled, like the music from a distant neighbour's party in the early morning that you just wish would go away and let you get to sleep.
The composition isn't really my cup of tea however how the notes on the page have been turned into sound for the ear does the composition no justice.

I doubt this could be fixed with Eq, it already sounds "fuzzy" and more HF will not help at all, there's a limit to what can be put back through Eq. This is the problem with the older MIDI synths and samplers compared to the modern versions. Today listening to music out of modern synths and samplers I can hear the gut on the strings of the violins, the wood on hide of the drums, everything is up close and intimate not distant and muddied.

Bob.

Thanks for response, Farss, though certainly not a pleasant one.I worked really hard to pan and EQ stuff, incl. left-right "travels" of some of the lead guitar/string sounds -- and it all sounds reasonably well separated on my system -- the one I created in on, that isn't studio quality as explained in the OP.

Anyway, I got what I asked for - feedback.
I don't want anymore.

There is only so much trashing of something as personal as one's musical expression -- especially after the life nightmare I went through back in December. Hence the title. With that crapiola that passes for music these days, this is no worth listening to for its so --whatever?

It may not be a pro mix by any means, but It's got more melody and movement than much of so called popular music.

Have I taken offense and gotten a bit defensive here? Yes, I have and own it. And I repeat: I don't want any more comments..

In fact, I'm asking a mod to nuke this thread.
Thank you.

This is not a comment on the original subject, but sometimes we all need reminders... Keep in mind that in any communication, whether verbal, musical, written or visual, there are two major terminals: The communicator and the audience.

The audience has no choice but to perceive through the filters of personal experience, taste, etc. That has no effect whatsoever on the idea being communicated. If you feel that you have succeeded in saying what you intended through your composition, the listener can't change that. If their personal filters have altered the reception of your message - that's on them, not you. Be proud you communicated something at all. Many never do.

I wanted to stick to not saying anything, but your reply, atom12, deserved one.
Thank you for its elegant and IMO compassionate objectivity.

If one can't say anything good, then best not say ..... Naa - just joking.

But I will say that the chuffy synth does sound soooo dated and cheesy though. Maybe some other patch would excite me more ;-)

geoff

May i contribute to this, in the hope that it reassures you a little.
There are a lot of music folk on this forum, surprisingly so. So any music you post is going to be 'analyzed' to its fullest extent :)
On top of that, you also have very knowledgeable professionals and enthusiasts all willing to comment. I think you can see where this is going.. It going to get brutal. Even though chances are its not meant to be anything personal at all.

Well, take me as an example. I've been in the music writing scene for 20 years or so... with my own compositions, performances and writing. Believe me, you have to be thick skinned to be able to accept opinions from all kinds of people out there. Make your songs public, and be ready to hear good and bad opinions. Its also part of the deal and comes with putting anything out in the public domain, not just music.
My music has generally been received well over the years. But then some reporter or magazine comes along and decides you're total crap and writes a terrible review.. It happens. And its normal. No matter how good you are. Never take comments personal. Thats my advice. Listen to them, learn and move on. Not always easy with a bad feeling in your stomach is it? I know too well. But, that's how it is.
The very best of luck with your music! Its not easy to meet the level of expectation these days. The quality needs to be exceptionally high due to the amount of 'bedroom competition' out there.

Paul.

I think a composer always should look at criticism in context of his initial intentions with the piece. If the work is intended to be "commercial" then obviously, the listeners perception needs to be considered, and criticism can be quite helpful.

Other times, a composition is just a snapshot of the motions and emotions of a particular instant in time for the composer. Quite personal and unique. Many times I've written a piece that was meant to be cathartic, similar to screaming into a pillow. Or I needed to blow off the emotions of a personal loss of a loved one. In those cases I didn't care if anyone else "got it". Is was more important to me that I said it.

I hope you didn't take my comment too personal. I grew up in rock, then blues and ultimately jazz bands. Then gave it up for a career where I could make a living. I like most stuff from rock to classical. But I don't like techno, muzak or stuff like Pat Metheny. And I hate oldies cause I heard them too many times.

You need to determine if you want an audience or not. If you love what your doing and you don't care about money, you don't need an audience. If your hoping to make a living, you may need to tailor your style to peoples taste. A good example would be the band Journey... Before they got Steve Perry, they were a really good band without commercial potential. Then they hired Steve Perry. Music changed to complete lowest common denominator crap and they got extremely rich and popular. It's all up to you....

Thanks for further replies. I cannot t respond more at length due to having to recover from another shallower but still not-pleasant relapse of my condition. So I may or may not be able to reply point by point; irregardless know that I read all of your posts, appreciated them-as well as agree with many points made. ~ Philip

Philip, what's a "shallower"? Is it medical?

Cheers

Grazie

Loved John222's Journey comment. I still think their first album is one of my favorites of that era. Got to see them once with the original lineup and it was a phenomenal show. "Of a Lifetime", "To Play You Some Music." There just wasn't a commercial slot you could fit them into. Bought one album with Steve Perry and couldn't go any further with them. If their songs come on the radio, only the Neal Schon solos bring me any enjoyment.

Edit: Flashback! My first day on the job in the film business I walked into the post session for Journey's "Separate Ways" video, made famous by being trashed by Beavis and Butthead. "Just kill me now, Beavis." Google "worst music video ever" and I think you'll find it at the top of the list.

"Philip, what's a "shallower"? Is it medical?"

Yes, Grazie. I've had a form of chronic anxiety condition most of my adult life. In 1991, I imploded (almost successful suicide attempt) and left the work force and its been a long and winding road since, been subsiding on fixed Social Security disability since then. Which brings me to the issue of what has been brought up by others -- if I want to make a living and issues of production quality:

I don't have any realistic ambitions to make a living at either video or music due to how unstable I am in terms of being able to commit to anything due to never knowing when the next, at times really brutal inner tsunami hits (kind of like a form of perceptual-existential epilepsy where everything "goes black" - hopelessness, etc.).

The fact that I even finish a song or video is rare. Everything video and music is self-taught and hence imperfect and in ways, limited. And in the end, job #1 for me is to stay sane and functional, all the rest is secondary. So it's all more or less just a hobby, and self-expression.

This particular musical piece was far more a statement of trying to do exactly what the title reflects (giving G/grace a chance) than pulling off something sellable, though still following basic verse/chorus structure, albeit over 6 min. And my only "instrument" is a 21 years old Korg Trinity music workstation, hence why some may feel it doesn't have the more modern sounds or sound quality though I've tweaked/created some of the instruments/patches myself. I can't afford to buy a new music workstation, and equivalent VSTs are not cheap either.

This piece was in part also created for a 52 years old neighbor with cerebral palsy who I help on occasion fixing stuff for him -- he basically lives in his wheelchair, has to be lifted on to his bed. So the song's subtitle is actually "A Song for John". It's painful to at times see this soul essentially entombed in his body, and part of me (with absolutely no authority whatsoever) wishes he was able to let himself "go Home". He has to go to the hospital for one condition or another on top of his cerebral palsy once or twice a month.
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Way TMI, but perhaps this explains why I took offense at the more or less lethal technical critique* of this personal musical expression (*which was not all wrong by any means; one of the traps of making one's own music is to over-produce, over-layer, and I'm guilty of that and so it can get muddy or to thick with too much).

As I said in my OP, while I like the overall song, it's not really the style I want to do - I want to do a bit more minimalist, Pink Floyd stuff. It just felt good to do something new in years -- as an expression of hope/release from suffering for myself and John, and by extension others (kind of like the ancient Buddhist practice/prayer of Metta or Loving Kindness).

The piece may kind of suck as pointed out, but it has acted as a form of Metta chant or whatever for me to put me in that space. As do other forms of artistic expression at times too. Call it a form spiritual-esque in-the-Zone-ness... (OK, this all is way too out-there/woo-woo for most, but it's part of why I do artistic stuff, when I am able to do so.)

And next time I create some more music, I'll try to make things less muddy (just because part of me can feel miffed and dejected by critique doesn't mean I don't learn from it... :) After being here at the forum for almost 8 years, I should have been better prepared for the nitty-gritty responses. I've been rather brittle, and it showed. Live an learn.
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NO need for anyone to reply to this - I've gone way-way OT with this confessional stuff .I simply wanted explain why I reacted as I did, however unprofessionally so or not. Whatever the case, I'm 100% responsible how I react to criticism or critique, no-one else.

Thank you for your honesty.

Graham

Best wishes to you, Philip.

ILLEGITIMI NON CARBORUNDUM

@atom12 - Thanks. Though I was forced to study Latin in elementary and late high school for several years, had to Google that one....lol. Thanks for that too. Though in one sense, I am often also my own most carpet-bombing critic, as some of us can be.

Hey Phillip:

As you may know, I work on a scuba diving boat. I make a weekly trip BD/DVD and offer it for sale on Friday night. Each week we may have have good water or bad, good divers or bad. Nevertheless I always try to make each video my best ever.

I've had guests tell me that my video is one of the most professional they've ever seen for its genre. And I have guests tell me it's hopeless and pathetic and they can't believe we're charging $60 for it (of which I only get $48).

I just thank everyone for the feedback. This is my thing and the feedback, painful or not, helps me improve. Yes the negative comments are hurtful, but I take it for what it is and those guests are gone in a few days and then I start anew.

Keep doing what you're doing. You will have good days and bad but you should just keep on keepin' on : )

Regards,

Kimberly

Philip, thanks for sharing with us all. Keep your creativity going.

Toodles

Grazie

Thanks again to all who replied after my last two posts -- and it's about time to put this thread to rest. Bottom line: as my Italian stepmother used to say to me, "Pazienza, pazienza, Filippo." With everything, and especially my first priority - my mental health challenges.

If something becomes a draining struggle to make myself do even what I like to do (i.e. music and video), it's just not worth the overall life stress. Having to drop this natural elan can be frustrating, but priorities are priorities. I'll be 60 next year and I'm simply not the young man with creative stars in his eyes and ambition or drive that I once had (I used to play my guitar to the point of my fingers bleeding at times back in the mid 70s...:)

Hasta la whenever next time.
NRN.

~ Philip

Wait, wait! I wanted to say something before the thread goes away!

I liked the piece. I liked the creative expression. I happen to think contemporary composers like Hans Zimmer and James Horner are amazing, and yet there is a lot of variability in their work. So, hey, don't take critiques too seriously. Satisfy your OWN inner need to create and experiment. Heck of a lot better performance than I could create, and I think I'm a pretty creative guy.

Okay, done.

EDIT: The wife says I'm reasonably attractive, too. What a perceptive woman.