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Post by Dave Dexter on Mar 22, 2019 16:50:31 GMT
Most of you probably know that I started recording with players a couple of years ago to prepare for the fabled Real Session, and last November I got to do it - 6 hours with a Czech scoring orchestra. Some of the pieces were written for the session months or days beforehand, others date back years to the start of my attempts at traditionally notated work or even earlier. The earlier pieces required substantial fixing and re-orchestration. Aside from the help kindly offered here, I did this all solo - no orchestration or notation help, no real safety net with the studio unlike previous session where everything is checked. Risky, but I also felt confident - and that going in cold was something I had to be ready for. On the day the problems rising from this cavalier approach were limited to a couple of out of range notes, an un-transposed english horn, a few rhythm errors and only one or two wrong notes - all manageable. There was an entire piece the studio had to hurriedly re-transcribe the previous day thanks to my beaming, but blame was assumed by them for not looking at it earlier and it was difficult enough that I abandoned it quickly anyway. Hit this link because I couldn't embed the playlistI could go into exhaustive detail about it all, but since there's 20+ minutes of music and I can't expect to hold everyone's attention for anything near that, I'll save anecdotes/issues/interesting facets for later. Please query anything about the process if it can help though. This should have been ready around January, but there were issues with mixing and mastering that wasted 6-8 weeks. The upside was using that time to resurrect sections that hadn't quite worked in session, recording extra horn, trumpet and harp to strengthen a few pieces. Warning: occasionally hazardous levels of Lydian.
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Post by Bob Porter on Mar 23, 2019 15:24:33 GMT
Jeez Dave, what an old romantic softy you are.
Excellent stuff. What are your plans for it all? It would be interesting to hear how a few of these compare with your virtual versions. I couldn't help but notice that the concert mistress was bowing different from the other players, quite often. Not a big deal as I'm sure there wasn't a ton of rehearsal time. And there was a close-up of a poorly carved bass bridge. Sorry. I can't help noticing a few things because I apprenticed in a violin shop for a few years. There's other things, but none of these have anything to do with the wonderful music you have written and recordings you produced. Excellent work. Thanks for sharing with us.
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Post by Tim Marko on Mar 23, 2019 16:31:09 GMT
BRAVO!!!!!!
I just spent an enjoyable 25 minutes with your music. You've got some great stuff in there, Dave. I'm extremely impressed with the growth of your voice since we met on Ning.
I'm with Bob, I'd like to hear some of these along side your renderings. (Some we already have)
Great Job!
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Post by Dave Dexter on Mar 26, 2019 18:49:20 GMT
Thanks so much, both of you - it's a big chunk of time to put by for a stranger's music. Bob - I haven't yet checked through to see how accurate my bowing was, but bear in mind that a lot of the video isn't from the audio take that I used - if it's from an earlier attempt, the odds are bowing will be a bit more freestyle but I had limited choice with the footage and chose the best-looking angles even if they don't quite sync up. As you said, not much time. We averaged about four minutes per hour and that was pushing it. As for the bass bridge, I like my artistic shots My plans are a bit vague, but generally: arrange into portfolio(s) and contact everyone I can think of. Agents, choirs and orchestras with a history of commissioning, directors, studios. It may be obvious that I was trying to get a good few genres down to show versatility. I'm finally ahead of the game this year and have four UK composition/bursary contests to enter; normally I discover them a week after they close. Not that I can bank on them. Tim - whilst I think I've grown in some ways, I think in others it's just improved orchestration and the confidence to not immediately self-dismiss my writing as silly, over the top, etc. I default to a certain style and I'm trying to simply own it. I will try and upload some of the mockups, but I've put less and less work into them as the project went on so they don't sound that good, very much sketches - I want to get used to much more basic VSTs so my workflow is even more streamlined.
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Post by fuguestate on Mar 29, 2019 18:02:33 GMT
I listened to this half in the background while doing something else, occasionally glancing at the titles just for amusement. It's very nice; you have a lot of interesting music, and I think in various ways you achieved your goal of showing versatility. You do have a strong tendency toward the Lydian, with the associated predisposition towards the I-#IV chord progression, which I suppose shows the strong influence from the soundtrack genre. But you also show the ability occasionally to handle other interesting forms of harmonic movement, which I'd encourage you to develop. (Not that my advice counts for anything -- I'm just a random nobody with no portfolio. But just to put in my $0.02.) I particularly liked the ominous pp violins in "get my lawyer" -- one of the many little gems in this suite of yours. I'd encourage you to explore an even wider variety of expressions, outside of the already impressive variety you already show here. More solo writing, perhaps, to show off your skill with individual instruments. More different varieties of moods. Perhaps more contrapuntal stuff? (Though I'll openly admit heavy personal bias here. ) More adventurous uses of rhythm. Etc.. In any case, I quite enjoyed listening to each piece. None were boring, all had their own points of interest. I found a few a little on the short side for my tastes -- but I understand the goal here isn't to write a concert suite per se. Still, I'd love to hear something of a little more substantial length from you. I think you have the chops needed to pull it off. Thanks for sharing this with us.
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Post by Mike Hewer on Mar 31, 2019 8:11:27 GMT
6 hours wow Dave...jealous. It is wonderful to see you did this on your own and with only minor problems coming to light (which I bet wont happen again).How was the spelling?... The only way to avoid beaming issues of course is to learn notation which you are more than capable of doing - even just basic rhythmic notation will help (it only involves simple ratios with a few squiggles). The music sounds lovely on my big speakers and it is a treat to watch the performance - so much can be gleaned from the just the bowing. There is real sophistication here with sometimes many layers contributing to a satisfying whole. Foreground and background are clear and tuttis are solid and rich and yes, all right, JW looms here and there, but there are Dexter moments too I feel. Your fast paced music is immensely exciting and uplifting and has a superb epic filmic quality. Orchestral effects too...yes, learn more and more of those and no cue will be too difficult and your timbral imagination will fire up even more so. Taken as a whole, for me listening in sequence, one could easily be listening to an epic (not a pejorative) soundtrack with the exception of 'The long Trick's Over' (curious title Dave!!). This is a deeply moving elegy that needs no other medium imv. Dave, you need to get this work to film producers, you are ready and deserve to have the opportunity to take on the biggest work imo. They will have every confidence in you and your work because of these and other recordings as most can only send in sample demos and there is always an element of doubt in their minds if big bucks are involved. Super impressed (as the young ones might say).
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Post by Dave Dexter on Apr 1, 2019 16:50:05 GMT
FS - I really appreciate the time, I think I've used up my tokens by dropping 15 pieces at once. We all joke about lydian, but it's just a tool in the box - the masters had their own favourite progressions as well, but since lydian betokens cinema and low pleasures the brush gets tarred The trills? That was fun to hear played as I'd hoped, even though so much else got abandoned. I agree, these are mainly the "safer" pieces - I had to choose on the day and sacrifice some spares that had more adventurous aspects because they'd be a time sink. For the same reason, extensive solo writing isn't the most economic use of an orchestra, but I kept my parts full of enough movement that almost every instrument had a moment. Remember I've got my previous recordings which fill in some of those gaps, like solo string writing. I can only apologise to basses, tuba and contrabassoon. Part of me wishes I'd done a single 15-minute piece, I so far haven't gone above ~four minutes orchestrally. But as you said, compromise between variety and duration. One day! Thanks again. Mike - you cheered up my day, and no need for jealousy given your session experience. You know, I think it was solid - helped immeasurably by the chord sheets you made me, which were generally in the background when working. They dealt with about 95% of uncertainties. I even got my transposed parts right, or at least no-one complained. The suspect beaming was one of my many "I got it right before, how did I not see that" moments from the last four years, not that it devalues your advice. I won't harp on your compliments, suffice to say it adds a measure of confidence to my self-promoting persona and is deeply appreciated. I know you don't mean epic in the modern usage That title derives from a Masefield poem called "Sea Fever" that was read at my dad's funeral - him being a keen sailor, the final couplet is the sad payload: "And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover, And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over."So I stole it. I'm making a list and checking it twice. No producers on there yet - there will be - but I hope someone shares your enthusiasm when I stop procrastinating and hit send!
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Post by gx on Apr 1, 2019 18:38:13 GMT
Dave, this is marvelous, powerful and exciting! Your command of orchestral technique brings a most convincing realization of the material. Just fantastic! Great Work!
You gotta get this stuff out there! Push that 'send button' Today! They're (actually) waiting!
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Post by Mike Hewer on Apr 5, 2019 8:57:03 GMT
I know you don't mean epic in the modern usage That title derives from a Masefield poem called "Sea Fever" that was read at my dad's funeral - him being a keen sailor, the final couplet is the sad payload: "And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover, And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over."So I stole it. Dave, that is a very moving piece of prose as is the music. Walt Whitman was set by Vaughn Williams in his Sea Symphony and these lines always move me when I hear the work....also about sailors. "O my brave soul! O farther, farther sail! O daring joy, but safe! are they not all the seas of God?
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Post by Dave Dexter on Apr 5, 2019 11:58:49 GMT
Dave, this is marvelous, powerful and exciting! Your command of orchestral technique brings a most convincing realization of the material. Just fantastic! Great Work! You gotta get this stuff out there! Push that 'send button' Today! They're (actually) waiting! Thanks so much - I know, I need to get moving, but if I don't move I can't fall over! I'm kidding. It'll be done. Mike, I think you've linked to the RVW piece before and I recall it's glorious.
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Post by BootHamilton on May 22, 2019 20:59:07 GMT
Holy S#%t. I'm not worthy. This is too good for 'Dave.' You have to start going by "David." btw, do you know the blonde violinist's name? (betcha' do).
You should feel rightfully proud, Mr. D. This is quite an accomplishment.
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Post by Dave Dexter on May 26, 2019 19:44:00 GMT
Holy S#%t. I'm not worthy. This is too good for 'Dave.' You have to start going by "David." btw, do you know the blonde violinist's name? (betcha' do). You should feel rightfully proud, Mr. D. This is quite an accomplishment. I appreciate that a lot - so far, no-one's bitten. Eventually the wheel will come around and this will be popular again. I don't have the details of any musicians from that session, sadly - I do have extended footage of the blonde 1st violinist chewing gum and looking bored, if that's your thing? But you'd have to travel to Prague if you wanted to say hello.
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