Posts by curtisschweitzer

I do my best to write 2-minutes of music per day, and upload 1 track per day. Recently I’ve been busy with other composition for a video game (Starbound), but with that wrapping up I’m starting to get a lot more time, and have been doing pretty well this week.

Blinn said

Art-of-Sound said
Go ahead, there’s no ban for that. Not much demand for this type of files here tho.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

You’ll find that musical soundscapes sell much better, in my experience.

I use modulations fairly often. In my experience there really isn’t a difference between tracks that have them and tracks that don’t. Bottom line, use your best judgement—you can’t base every decision off of the idea that it might be “harder” to edit.

A few tracks from my own portfolio that might meet your needs, listed in order based on how well they seem to fit the needs of your project. Descriptions included:

“Epic Modern Trailer” http://audiojungle.net/item/epic-modern-trailer/3598368

“Trailer music in the modern vein, featuring pulsing synths underneath an epic orchestral track. Builds from a simple figure in the low strings to a full-throated statement that includes epic synthetic percussion blended with traditional pounding drums. Built for modern cinematic promotional material, this piece clocks in at exactly 2:00 to give you and your editors flexibility and ease of use.”

“Modern Noir Intro” http://audiojungle.net/item/modern-noir-intro/3523115

“Short, modern intro piece perfect for projects that want a mystery/noir feel in a contemporary setting. This piano-driven piece begins with a mysterious theme played on a piano, and evolves into a contemporary/rock climax. Designed with dramatic webseries/television intros in mind, this piece gives your editors flexibility and several option for length and style. Included are 2 versions of the file: Modern Noir Intro (Standard): 1:15 Modern Noir Intro (Punchy Ending): 1:18 The “punchy ending” version features a minor guitar riff that cut off by percussion. (Perfect for intro credit stingers). The “standard” version features the same ending without the guitar riff or percussion, simply holding an ominous, low tone. (Perfect for projects that need a more mysterious and ominous feel).”

“Epic Cinematic Trailer” http://audiojungle.net/item/epic-cinematic-trailer/3562644

“Epic music designed for trailers and other promotional materials in the style of Hans Zimmer. Featuring full orchestra mixed with electronics, this loud and cinematic piece is perfect for trailers of heroic proportions. With a loud, pulse-pounding ending built on a triumphant theme, this piece will give your project that extra adrenaline it needs.”

“Nobile Cinematic Trailer” http://audiojungle.net/item/noble-cinematic-trailer/3650664

“Trailer music that is action-packed and written in a contemporary style, featuring a noble, rising theme that ties the entire piece together. Beginning with a solemn string/brass him and accelerating into an adrenaline-fueled ride to a dramatic and epic conclusion, this piece gives you flexibility in style, length, and timing. Perfect for projects that need that big, modern hollywood orchestral sound.”

If none of the above descriptions strike your fancy, the rest of my cinematic/trailer music is listed below:

“Rise of the Ancients”: http://audiojungle.net/item/rise-of-the-ancients/3624142

“Dies Irae”: http://audiojungle.net/item/dies-irae/3238928

“Acropolis”: http://audiojungle.net/item/acropolis/3141306

“Cataclysm”: http://audiojungle.net/item/cataclysm/3550876

“The Attack”: http://audiojungle.net/item/the-attack/3065742

Really nice work, Crian. I particularly like how original so much of your music is. I find your mix of synthetic elements and more traditional orchestral writing to be very refreshing. Definitely deserving of a featured spot!

I’d agree with Sphonic that the biggest area you need to focus on is the trailer/promotional style of cue. You’ve got some really nice sentimental writing in here, but I’ve found that such a style doesn’t typically sell very well (probably because most authors looking for that style of music have hired a composer to do a complete score for a longer project).

Additionally, I like the “Heroic Decision” track, but it would be nice if the horns had less pitch bend/glissando, especially during the solo sections. The percussion in that track works really well, but the horn sticks out as a bit artificial because of those odd glissandi. I’d also work to write a more simple, memorable melody for that kind of track, because it gives the work a nice “hook” for buyers to latch on to. Remember, many shoppers aren’t ever going to hear your tracks more than once as they browse through the market, so you’ve got to get their attention with a nice catchy tune or motif that they’ll enjoy and remember—because that’s what their audiences will probably want too. “Heroic Decision” tells a good musical story, and I like the interesting harmonic choices you’ve made, but it rambles because there’s no hook to pull the piece together.

You clearly know your way around an orchestra pretty well, and I’m excited and interested to see what you’ll upload in the future. You’ve got a new follower here!

Congratulations! Great work!

I’ve spent the last few years building up VST/AU sample libraries, the high-end of which are all at 24/48, and so I’d chime in that, while I’ve loved my experience here at AJ, it would be nice to be able to deliver my customers a higher-quality product that utilizes the full range of samples that I’ve spent years acquiring. If it costs more in server space, I’d hope that there was a way AJ could charge more per track for the increased quality in order to cover their costs.

I like this work, but my biggest suggestion would be to allow it to evolve over a shorter period of time—remember, a LOT of editors are looking for works in the 1-3 minute range, so having a track that evolves over 6+ minutes limits your audience.

This track is awesome as it grows and gets bigger—I love how truly massive it is around the 4 to 5 minute mark, but it takes so long to get there that I worry that you’re cutting yourself off by limiting your market. If I were you, I’d produce a version that is shorter and include both in the main file so that you give your potential customers two ways to use your music.

Great work, especially since it seems that your library might be a little bit limited (trust me, this is not a criticism—I’ve uploaded many a track to a library based on samples that I wasn’t particularly proud of, so I’m in the same camp!). Every time I hear a track like this, I’m reminded of the TAL episode wherein a professor tells his students “never blame your tools”. You’ve clearly used yours to their fullest, and it is nice to hear it here on AJ!