Music from Night Blaze (afan a.k.a [BC]afGun)

[afan 10]

Next work of "Times of Dissonance" MLP-tribute album.
Actually,  was a little difficult work.

 

 

Edited October 25, 2017 by afan

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

6 minutes ago, afan said:

Next work of "Times of Dissonance" MLP-tribute album.
Actually,  was a little difficult work.

 

 

Ok

It's a good song. However, watch your harmonies. You have consecutive perfect 5ths in your upper string line, which can clash with other harmonizing lines. It's best if you leave perfect 5ths to the lower instruments. Also, the electric guitar would've been better running on power chords. You can't have too many instruments playing the melody. 

 

All in all, good listen but it could use some work on orchestration and humanization. 

[afan 10]

@C. Thunder Dash,  

1 hour ago, C. Thunder Dash said:

It's a good song

But not fully what I expected, actually. Thanks anyway.

Quote

 You have consecutive perfect 5ths in your upper string line, which can clash with other harmonizing lines. It's best if you leave perfect 5ths to the lower instruments. 

Not fully understand, what do you mean.

Quote

Also, the electric guitar would've been better running on power chords.

No. 

And also, tere were already some of them, just not always and never leading. 

Quote

You can't have too many instruments playing the melody

I know. But there was a constant feeling that something is missing. But the more I corrected and added, the less I could understand this feeling. In the end, I just stopped understanding what's wrong - I could not even express what I needed.

The project was already on working stage for too long. So at some point I just decided that it's time to finish.

Anyway, I guess a virtual orchestra of voices was collected here. He-he... -_-

Edited October 25, 2017 by afan

[afan 10]

Meanwhile, it's time to remember the good forgotten old (at the feeling of 10 years of music writing and this melody aswel).

P.S. It's not a actually pony song, but now an exception is made...  

Old final (2010) version for comparison is here

 

Also:

Cover version

Light instrumental cover (most guitars and agressive drum beat are muted)

 

Edited October 29, 2017 by afan

[afan 10]

For the first time in my life, I managed to do something short. Unbelievable xD

P.S. Finally, I've connected my synth to PC. The first experiments of live writing have already passed. But so far not so noticeable on hearing. For now.

 

 

[Shadow Beam 1,179]

Lovely work afan, although I should tell you to consider creating a different topic for non-pony music within Non-Pony Art if there're no great inconveniences.

Do keep it up and lovely day!

[afan 10]

7 minutes ago, Shadow Beam said:

Lovely work afan, alhough I should tell you to consider creating a different topic for non-pony music within Non-Pony Art if there're no great inconveniences.

I was just thinking about this (more than a half of my work is non-pony, wich I usually didn't publish here, not counting some exceptions, like the last two)...

There is a special section for it? Sorry, didn't knew about it. Thanks and information (and feedback)!

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

2 hours ago, afan said:

For the first time in my life, I managed to do something short. Unbelievable xD

P.S. Finally, I've connected my synth to PC. The first experiments of live writing have already passed. But so far not so noticeable on hearing. For now.

 

 

Ok, 

It's a good concept. However, those drums could use some depth and reverb to give it more of an atmospheric sound. 

[afan 10]

@C. Thunder Dash,  

Which ones?

They all at reverb. Some of them (bright snares) under significant effect.

2 hours ago, C. Thunder Dash said:

could use some depth

It is possible more in detail, please?
 

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

10 hours ago, afan said:

It is possible more in detail, please?

Depth is referring to EQ. It represents the low end of the frequency spectrum, the bass range. . 

[afan 10]

7 hours ago, C. Thunder Dash said:

Depth is referring to EQ

At this point, the question of equalization for me is extremely complex and difficult. 

I know the theory, but in practice, every single case is being decided individually, and I do not have a proper sense of what and how to equalize. As a result, up to now, in most cases, it turns a mess. Of course, I'm constantly experimenting with this. But not everything comes at once.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

Just now, afan said:

At this point, the question of equalization for me is extremely complex and difficult. 

 

 I can help you with basic EQ.

[afan 10]

41 minutes ago, C. Thunder Dash said:

I can help you with basic EQ.

That is the problem: I'm already know the basics and even have alot of the tables. But they are not enough.

Your recommendation is individual situation which can not be solved by template.

To do this I need:

1. To know which exactly drum needs equalization.

2. Do it really need this (don't forget, that people have much different points of view. And especially, that sometimes sound taken is much is different from expected and not every time organically fits into the overall sound picture)

3. Determine the exact frequency range for this current sound to equalize, and the shape and amplitude of the curve. 

 The last one is an underwater stone, which is insurmountable most of the time. So I need not just info. I need experienced man who will control the whole process online, to get a really clear understanding of the process. Until then, I'm moving blind. Even with theory and templates.

Edited November 19, 2017 by afan

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

1 minute ago, afan said:

That is the problem: I'm already know the basics and even have alot of the tables. But they are not enough.

Your recommendation is individual situation which can not be solved by template.

To do this I need:

1. To know which exactly drum needs equalization.

2. Do it really need this (don't forget, that ponies have much different points of view. And especially, what sometimes sound taken is much is different from expected and not every time organically fits into the overall sound picture)

3. Determine the exact frequency range for this current sound to equalize, and the shape and amplitude of the curve. 

 The last one is an underwater stone, which is insurmountable most of the time. So I need not just info. I need experienced stallion who will control the whole process online, to get a really clear understanding of the process. Until then, I'm moving blind. Even with theory and templates.

The drums that need the depth are mainly your lower toms. The lower toms could benefit from a 7-band equalizer. Raise up the lowest band by 5db, then the next lowest by two. Raise the 3, 4 and 5 (midrange) by only 1 or 2, 1db to be safe. Finally, raise the high end (6 and 7) 2db. You want to have almost an equilibrium of low and high. 

[afan 10]

37 minutes ago, C. Thunder Dash said:

The drums that need the depth are mainly your lower toms.

Which toms?

There are two kits of them and two parts of melody where they are playing: beginning-ending (0:00 - 0:30; 1:13-1:18) as main and epic part (0:47 - 1:12) as background.

 

Quote

The lower toms could benefit from a 7-band equalizer.

I have minimum 10. 

Tried with second-part drums. Can't hear much difference exept rised overal drum loudness which strongly selects from the background (just rising the volume by 1-2 db gives a similar result). Just in case: I'm working in studio headphones.

Edited November 19, 2017 by afan

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

11 minutes ago, afan said:

Which toms?

The first set are the ones that need more of the low end. 

[afan 10]

16 minutes ago, C. Thunder Dash said:

The first set are the ones that need more of the low end. 

The same result. Only see difference. Not hear - only rised loudness.

Here the comparison pictures: without EQ and with it.

 

Edited November 19, 2017 by afan

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

13 minutes ago, afan said:

The same result. Only see difference. Not hear - only rised loudness.

Here the comparison pictures: without EQ and with it.

 

Hmmm, maybe the sample doesn't respond well to that type of EQing...maybe...

[afan 10]

10 minutes ago, C. Thunder Dash said:

Hmmm, maybe the sample doesn't respond well to that type of EQing...maybe...

I don't know. Another EQ gives the same results.

As far as i can understand, the sounds of this drum are already heavily edited. Or may be my ears still not experienced enough to notice that kind of details.

So that's why I said that the problem is complicated and difficult to me for now. And it seems that is demands to live learning with experienced people and over each from many different individual cases. But unfortunately, I have no such opportunities so far.

[afan 10]

Finished first of a new wave of experiments. Track was abandoned half-year ago for complicated reasons. Anyway, still not yet concluded my personal opinion on this work.

P.S. Started further education in music in order to expand my knowledge and skills. Drastic changes should not be expected. But minor changes highly likely will be.

http://soundcloud.com/bc-afgun/night-flight

Edited May 28, 2018 by afan

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

8 hours ago, afan said:

Finished first of a new wave of experiments. Track was abandoned half-year ago for complicated reasons. Anyway, still not yet concluded my personal opinion on this work.

P.S. Started further education in music in order to expand my knowledge and skills. Drastic changes should not be expected. But minor changes highly likely will be.

http://soundcloud.com/bc-afgun/night-flight

Some of the transitions in this piece seem a little awkward. 

[afan 10]

@C. Thunder Dash,  may be. There were problems with two. I was unable to find acceptable solutions.

 I guess, it may not always be a bad idea to remain such things abandoned, instead of persist with a dubious result.

[afan 10]

Experimental collaboration work (with KennyDash and Mr. Cupcake) has been finally done.
It was surprisingly difficult project, delayed for a whole year. Was near abandoning, but perseverance supported by some of my listeners, prevailed at end (and for that I say thank you very much).
Now is only hope that it was worth it

The style turned out to be something between Epic Rock and classical action music.

 

 

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

5 hours ago, afan said:

Experimental collaboration work (with KennyDash and Mr. Cupcake) has been finally done.
It was surprisingly difficult project, delayed for a whole year. Was near abandoning, but perseverance supported by some of my listeners, prevailed at end (and for that I say thank you very much).
Now is only hope that it was worth it

The style turned out to be something between Epic Rock and classical action music.

 

 

Ok

It's unfortunately too repetative...with the many transitions and all. It is best to use a steady changing 4 chord progression. The wind in the beginning could use more reverb to make it more atmospheric, which is one of the biggest weaknesses of the piece. It should have less percussion and more ambient feeling, with the low end keeping the drive, the mids serving as the sustaning pads and the upper ends serving as the melody. 

All in all, I feel this piece could use quite a bit of work in variance, atmosphere, instrument assignment, and idea development. 

[afan 10]

@C. Thunder Dash,  

Quote

It's unfortunately too repetative...

There were several failed collaborations becouse of dynamics. So there was a request for simple base of work. I choose an old (from 2001-2002) guitar melody which for a long time wanted to realize, but there were no ideas.

In other words, this melody was exactly what we needed for work. As I said, there were many organizational factors.

Quote

 It is best to use a steady changing 4 chord progression.

Sorry, but guitar motive was wrote as it was created before from real playing. I would not change the chords that are the central idea. And chosen it as best option of simplification. 

Quote

 The wind in the beginning could use more reverb to make it more atmospheric, which is one of the biggest weaknesses of the piece.

It already had it.

Quote

 It should have less percussion and more ambient feeling, with the low end keeping the drive, the mids serving as the sustaning pads and the upper ends serving as the melody. 

You know, when I left the drums, people demanded percussion. Now you tell me that it would be better to have less perc...

For better or worse - the decision was taken. I'm just glad the work was completed at all.

Edited July 24, 2018 by afan