Hi Rory,
now as I have listened to your piece for more than three times I can post my comments here. So, it's now my turn to be critical!
Composition. Great , and no critic points. 5/4 is cool, and it doesn't sound by any means too complex - well done. I ' ve managed it, to remember the melody from the very first listening. And the chord progressions are also great.
Keyboard Sounds / Arrangements. Surely every keyboard player / composer has his own favourite sounds. I would say I truly liked your choice, only what I would maybe do in a bit different way - I would try to put an emphasis on some sounds that are now trendy . These are good old Hammond patches and analog leads - the stuff which is now once again very popular first and foremost thanks to NI and other plug-ins; they sound really cool and bring more live to the recording, and the critics seems to like them, too.
Maybe I would also use the orchestra simulation software where you do use the synth strings ( f.e. as at 01:16 ).
Well, this is actually only a matter of taste , however, and not a critic - maybe you would find it useful somehow.
Now, if you would have declared the piece to be your solo work , then I would just end my post on this note ( once again saying :"Great work, Rory!! "
). But if you mean it to be a
Protos stuff ( thus, of a band ), then I want to put here a question -
is it a final mix or are you still intending to add some tracks here? I do actually strongly miss the presence of the BAND in this recording - f.e., you have put a guitar lead sound ( 02:22 ) where a guitar solo is rather expected; other stuff ( power chords, drums, bass ) does sound for my ears rather programmed as recorded by live musicians. WHY?
This is more a question than a critic - I absolutely liked your composition, Rory, and with a BAND involved it could be a really great recording.
Hope you'll find it all useful -
best regards and good luck,
Andrew
