Critiques/comments wanted on my new piece

[MDesigner]

I think this is my first finished piece since I got my GigaStudio setup. It\'s 99% GigaStudio.. had to plug my XP-80 in to get the winds. Thanks for listening!

http://www.samhulick.com/portfolio/The_Journey_Begins.mp3 (\"http://www.samhulick.com/portfolio/The_Journey_Begins.mp3\")

Genre: high fantasy role-playing game

Libraries used:
GOS
SAM Horns
SAM Timpani
Roland SR-JV80 flute, oboe
VOTA
Xsample harp

[Paulh]

Sam,

I like the composition, it´s excellent for the stated genre. The beginning presents a nice and epic theme, which, from \"using samples\" point of view, could be a little more \"fatter\", but then again your the composer and it propably sounds just the way you intended. Overall, the whole piece doesn´t have \"too many ideas\" and it advances nicely. I liked it and am glad that I listened to it! images/icons/smile.gif

[karimelm]

Hi,

I like the music - it sounds exactly like a hero starting off on an epic journey. Nice entry of the horns. I too have sam horns - are those the sustain samples?

I love the sudden tbones entry around :45 seconds into the piece. Immediately afterwards, very nice harp + oboe though I thought the oboe could use a bit more expression and vibrato at the sustained high note.

Overall, I think the piece shows talent on your part and lots of interesting ideas that will no doubt be explored as the journey continues?

- K

[MDesigner]

karimelm,

Thanks! Actually those aren\'t trombones.. and the fact you should say that is a bit funny.. I just had a discussion with some people here how it\'s hard (for me anyway) to identify different brass instruments. But maybe it\'s not just me after all! images/icons/smile.gif (no offense, by the way)

As far as the horns, it\'s the MW Sustain samples. I use that about 90% of the time. In warmer, more sensitive pieces, I like working the horns into the piece so they kind of just \"appear\" or arise out of some other instrument.

Also, the oboe was a Roland sample.. I don\'t have a lot of flexibility with expression there, unfortunately.

Thanks, both of you, for listening and commenting!

[MDesigner]

*cough*