2 tracks as exercise in sparingly playing, soundscape and finding basic themes
Hi Peter,
I received Soundcloud notifications that you’d posted new tracks so listened to them last week. For me, your soundscapes are an interesting example of less is more. Like watercolours. Sparingly played and gently evolving themes may sound like less, but hint at big soundscapes and demand more in terms of attention, or listening without distraction. (Whoa, calm down Steve)
Good for my blood pressure too! Almost like guided meditation or mindfulness. I enjoyed them.
Steve.
Really liked both tracks Peter and echo Steve’s less is more point. Spot on there.
For me, Solitude needs a bit of light and shade with the dynamics of the rhythm. A nice pattern but there were times when it was bit obtrusive. And, rather than cutting it abruptly when the piano came in towards the end I would have preferred it to fade out.
Quiet (did you mean to spell it with a ‘g’?) was beautiful.
Jonathan
Good stuff - I like the panning with the light percussion sounds.
Peter, listening to the first one (Solitude). Maybe I’m just in a good mood, but this is one of your best. The spatial impression is just beautiful. I so love the sound of the piano finishing it off. I’m wondering what piano you’re using, it sounds like a film score. The stereo placement and movement is highly effective. The sounds are wonderful, and the way they evolve from one to another makes the piece evolve. You have put a lot of effort into this one. I love ambient; if I could make it I would! I like Steve’s analogy: watercolors. The only thing I can imagine you would change is the overall loudness to make it match other ambient albums. Off to the next one.
really appreciate the feedback, working on my own in the studio always create blind ( or better deaf ) spots.
It worried me a little since it’s quite long and a ’ niche ’ type of music.
I am using the keyscape grand piano ( Yamaha C7). A very nice spectrasonics vst , as usual very stable, uses a lot of cpu but stunning samples en very playable also working in Omnisphere.
For the delay I am using the Replica from NI. A very nice FX plugin, I finally found it before I was tempted to buy the Strymon Big Sky. Very happy with it because it has this diffusion settings , very useful in this type of music.
In the intro you can hear the effect very well combined with a reversed ’ una corda ’ chord .
I will tweak on the loudness, that is a good tip, I tend to mix very low level in my studio aswell. ( mind the ears)
regards Peter
Listened to the second one (guiet, which I think you mean “quiet”), it also has a wonderful ambient appeal, not quite as alluring as Solitude, but belongs on the album. The loudness comment applies here as well. It’s beautiful stuff.