Sea Dogs - Adventure on the High Seas

[Plowking]

Here's a short little number I cooked up - inspired somewhat by the Pirates of the Caribbean theme by Hans Zimmer.

Lot's if IO banging and short string use in this...LOTS! :-)

http://www.indabamusic.com/asset/show/1663292

For the last 12 bars or so, I used the percussion to create a kind of 'cannon fire' boom.

Also on youtube - with footage of the actual DAW playing the theme.

Sea Dogs

[jaynkate01]

Hey Graham! This is very cool. It is one heck of a rousing piece. At the end, I thought a cannonball was going to come thru my window. The crash cymbal usage at the beginning and end part made me think of salty sea water rushing on the deck of the ship. The middle section was a nice contrast. I pictured calm waters and a sunny sky. This was fun for me to listen to. Thanks for posting.
Jay

[Plowking]

Hey Graham! This is very cool. It is one heck of a rousing piece. At the end, I thought a cannonball was going to come thru my window. The crash cymbal usage at the beginning and end part made me think of salty sea water rushing on the deck of the ship. The middle section was a nice contrast. I pictured calm waters and a sunny sky. This was fun for me to listen to. Thanks for posting.
Jay

Thanks for listening Jay. I really enjoyed putting this one together - with that big booming sound. I wanted to compose something exciting/rousing - so glad it's had the desired effect for you! I learnt a few things about using the samples at speed too, that I think will help future pieces. Particularly the string runs during the last 24 bars or so.

[sd cisco]

Thanks for listening Jay. I really enjoyed putting this one together - with that big booming sound. I wanted to compose something exciting/rousing - so glad it's had the desired effect for you! I learnt a few things about using the samples at speed too, that I think will help future pieces. Particularly the string runs during the last 24 bars or so.

Hi Graham;
I found this very exciting and adventurous sounding! Swashbuckling it is!! (can't believe I spelt that right the first go!).
Thanks for posting!

All the best,
sd cisco

[sanyarem]

From the first note, I could immediately pick up on the influence from Pirates of the Caribbean (which took me 3 tries to spell correctly ) I've always enjoyed that soundtrack, and this is truly awesome. I've been impressed so far at the capabilities of IO, and this has just added to it. The use of brass in here is great, something I have always had a difficult time writing for. Great show, thanks for sharing!

[Plowking]

Thanks for listening guys! I keep telling myself I'm going to do something quiet and intimate next - then I start banging away in my percussion template and this happens... :-)

[rbowser-]

Oh boy! More high flying cinematic sounds from Graham - Aaah, my friend, you completely succeeded in what you set out to do. It's zippy, breathless, movie style for sure, and certainly shows off the Big Sound that Instant Orchestra can provide. Some distortion in the recording?--or that could just be the sound that happens with such big fat layers, especially with percussion.

The short string patches sound great - Reminds me of how often I've heard people trying to get that sound with the softer string patches, and of course that doesn't work.

Really nice - Thanks for the mini-trip to the cinema!

Randy

[Plowking]

Thanks Randy - glad you found it suitably cinematic and it's pretty much what I wanted to do, no more no less. Boom!

Actually I'm 100% sure there is no distortion on the original track itself, but I did notice (only much later) that the 'cannon' booms are compressing everything around them when they 'go off' - but that kind of works, the boom should be overpowering for that split second. Is there time reference you can mention? I do actually think the youtube compression may have knackered my levels a bit.

Or it could be as you said, mega layer boomness...

[rbowser-]

...
Or it could be as you said, mega layer boomness...

I think that's it, Graham. I listened to the version at your site, not the YT one. It sounds fine - I think I'm catching what you described about the "cannon" booms squashing things momentarily. Donworryaboutit.

Randy

[fastlane]

I don't think I've ever heard the POTC theme so I also listened to it. I can definitely hear the influence but you do create something new.

You really get into the grand movie music that sweeps over the listener and takes them on musical ride.

Great post!




Phil