Hey guys, just finished a new orchestral track called "Departure".

You can listen to it here:

https://soundcloud.com/youngprodigymusic/young-prodigy-departure

Feedback on this piece is welcome.

Nice! Classic "let's get this show on the road"-vibe here. Works well, I like it :)

As for some feedback:
- I think loads of people mentioned this already, but the sounds are really obviously low grade. Doesn't always have to be a problem of course, but in this case it distracts me from listening to the actual musical content; it's not a good enough simulation to make me believe that the brass for example is actually brass, and the snare in particular sounds like a synthesized plastic cookie jar, so I tend to lose focus. Has nothing to do with your musical skills, obviously! Either make all of the sounds sound as fake as possible (so that it feels like it's supposed to be like that), or try to get your hands on a more high quality orchestral product.

- I'd wait with introducing the snare until 00:13. It's a bit sudden at 00:06, and after a while it drags on because it keeps hammering out the same line. Maybe some more variation, to accompany the build up of the overall theme? For example, how about dropping the snare altogether at 00:39 and maybe throw in some ethereal harp-arps or tubular bells or something similar, and make the theme less rhythmic? It could help with progressing the piece forward while keeping the same themes.
- At 00:26, maybe some cymbals or higher register instrumental hits (for example the brass hits that you used a few seconds before)? Could make the melodic violins sound more resolute I think. I can hear there's some brass added to the string hits, but it's a bit too subtle to have any real effect.
- At 00:40/41 the lead plays in a major scale while the accompaniment plays a minor chord. If that was intentional, I could definitely get behind it, but if not, I'd cut out the third note in the chord (so the F) or change the lead's F into an F#.
- I like the brass coming in at 00:49! Feels like the perfect way to lead up to a final climactic hit that could turn the whole song into a loop.

Keep up the output of tunes, I enjoy listening to them! Very clear style you've got; if you got your hands on a good orchestral engine it'd be a wonderful thing.

There's not much I an do about the "low grade samples". Until I save up for a better library; I'm stuck with those sounds. The brass doesn't sound realistic because the samples lack the round-robin samples and velocity layers needed for a convincing brass section. Same thing with the snare.

I think most of the other critiques are mainly just personal taste. Things I could change that wouldn't really make a big difference.

The main problem is the samples, but good sample libraries aren't free. Hollywood Orchestra for instance costs $299.00. Until I get that, I'll have to stick to what I already have.

The main problem is the samples, but good sample libraries aren't free. Hollywood Orchestra for instance costs $299.00. Until I get that, I'll have to stick to what I already have.

You do know about Composer Cloud, right? $30 a month and would get you a whole lot more than just Hollywood Orchestra Silver (which is the price you referenced). Probably something you should look into if samples an issue for you. Granted, there are plenty of other libraries out there which have better sounds/scripting than East West but this could get you really going and help your overall sound, if you produce them well enough.

I think most of the other critiques are mainly just personal taste. Things I could change that wouldn't really make a big difference.

Sorry, I'm going to be annoying for a bit :P

Yes, my perceived lack of impact at 00:26/the dissonance between harmony and melody at 00:40/the non-stop snare drum are matters of taste, but that goes for any kind of feedback. If you disregard constructive feedback solely on the basis of it being "personal taste", then you're basically saying "I don't want feedback", because feedback IS nothing more than a matter of taste; however, it's the taste of your audience, and if you don't want your audience's opinion, then maybe you shouldn't ask for it on a music creation forum :P To put it bluntly: it would make a big difference if you'd change the things I pointed out. Of course there are loads of reasons to disregard feedback, but "that's just your opinion" isn't a particularly good one I'd say - as if you haven't even bothered to consider it.

K, done with being annoying. Keep at it, I look forward to hearing your next composition!

"Non-stop snare drum" is not a inherently a problem. It really is a matter of personal taste.

This is "Enter The Galaxy" a piece from Mario Galaxy played by a real orchestra:

It has the "Non-stop snare drum" you speak of.

Listen to :50 onwards in this song played by a real orchestra, it also has the non-stop snare until the ending:

Or maybe listen to this song also played by a real orchestra, which has the non-stop snare:

Perhaps lack of variation in the snare rhythm would of been more valid.

The fact of the matter is that your criticisms really are personal taste. I could drop the snare at a certain section or keep it. Either one could played by a real orchestra, as you can see in the examples.

I could name hundreds of things I "could of done", but did not because of stylistic choice. I could've added a countermelody behind the first French Horn melody. I could've doubled the Trombone with the French Horn melody. Instead of the trumpets answering the string melody, I could've had the woodwinds answer it.

A lot of songs have dissonance and in this song, the average person wouldn't even notice.

Making a rule of "dropping the snare" each other section does not help me become a better composer.

It really is a matter of personal taste. You're acting like the way you would do things is the end all, when it's not.

I must agree with Lost OST on this YoungProdigy. You say you're asking for feedback and then when someone posts feedback you often completely disagree with them. Or you don't respond to any of the critical feedback and only respond to the positive points. Based on listening to your pieces over the past several years and offering my own input... you seem to rarely apply any of it. At least based on what I'm hearing from your shared links. Then you go on this rant against Lost OST.

Why ask specifically for feedback in your posts then get upset when someone offers it?

You seem to be taking critical feedback on your piece way too personally. The only way you're gonna get better is by having your work reviewed by others with more experience and/or higher in ability than yours, taking in what they say, seeing how you can apply it while still being YOU and growing. I didn't feel that anything Lost OST said was off the mark.

And to be blunt, yes, you have crappy samples. We all know this and you've acknowledged this yourself. But even with crappy samples, you could be doing A LOT more to produce your music and therefore raise the level of your music. There's very little production on this track. I hear little to no automation on your track. I don't hear much reverb or FX (especially evolving FX) to help your song have more progression. Some of the volume in your tracks drop way down and makes it seem more like a mistake than an intended effect. I could go on for quite a while.

Now, believe it or not, I'm not out to beat you up. But I am going to say that you probably need to take a few steps back from your own work and objectively look at it. See how you can make it better. You state that you want to grow and become a better composer. Well, this is part of the way you do it!

So again, don't ask for feedback then bash that feedback and the person giving it. That just doesn't make much sense.

I must agree with Lost OST on this YoungProdigy. You say you're asking for feedback and then when someone posts feedback you often completely disagree with them. Or you don't respond to any of the critical feedback and only respond to the positive points. Based on listening to your pieces over the past several years and offering my own input... you seem to rarely apply any of it. At least based on what I'm hearing from your shared links. Then you go on this rant against Lost OST.

Why ask specifically for feedback in your posts then get upset when someone offers it?

You seem to be taking critical feedback on your piece way too personally. The only way you're gonna get better is by having your work reviewed by others with more experience and/or higher in ability than yours, taking in what they say, seeing how you can apply it while still being YOU and growing. I didn't feel that anything Lost OST said was off the mark.

And to be blunt, yes, you have crappy samples. We all know this and you've acknowledged this yourself. But even with crappy samples, you could be doing A LOT more to produce your music and therefore raise the level of your music. There's very little production on this track. I hear little to no automation on your track. I don't hear much reverb or FX (especially evolving FX) to help your song have more progression. Some of the volume in your tracks drop way down and makes it seem more like a mistake than an intended effect. I could go on for quite a while.

Now, believe it or not, I'm not out to beat you up. But I am going to say that you probably need to take a few steps back from your own work and objectively look at it. See how you can make it better. You state that you want to grow and become a better composer. Well, this is part of the way you do it!

So again, don't ask for feedback then bash that feedback and the person giving it. That just doesn't make much sense.

If you think I'm ranting or upset; you're taking it the wrong way. If I come off as taking it personally or angry; I'm not.

He stated that the "non-stop snare" was a problem. In my previous post, I gave examples of songs played with a real orchestra that use a non-stop snare.

My intent was not to come off as a rant. The whole purpose of that post was to clarify why, I think his critique was "personal taste".

The arrangement of my compositions are based on what I hear in real orchestra recordings. If I hear a song by a real orchestra use the so called "non-stop snare", I'm going to use that in my composition.

To me; the actual composition sounds fine and I don't agree that following most of that feedback will improve it. The only thing I could slightly agree on is the "dissonance" thing.

I already do agree that the samples aren't great. But guess what? Those samples are from Sampletank 3 which I paid $299 for. So until I get some more money; they'll have to do. Money doesn't grow on trees.

Perhaps I just shouldn't reply to feedback I don't agree with. I'll just be accused of going on a rant or not being able to take feedback.

But please, before you assume I'm just ranting, read my entire post.