Turmoil

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jeanette_c
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Turmoil

Post by jeanette_c »

Hey hey, Turmoil tries to express just that using elements from progressive metal.
https://youtu.be/0VDbDtPkPqE
I'm afraid the best I can say about the resulting sound is that it makes a good preproduction awaiting the guitarist(s) and bass player to come into the studio. It was as much an experiment in how far I could take certain guitar libraries as an emotional necessity. This is by way of being my belated festive song. It was written, recorded and mixed on 23rd and 24th of December. I kept it back because my difficult relationship with that time of the year is no reason to interrupting seasonal high spirits.
Tools used: LinuxSampler for drums, bass, guitars and harpsichord. Yoshimi for bells and pad, analogue hardware for the leads. Guitar treatment courtesy of Guitarix, CAPS and TAP plugins.
Enjoy and best wishes, Jeanette
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Rainmak3r
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Re: Turmoil

Post by Rainmak3r »

Cool track! I particularly liked the transitions at ~0:52s and ~4:30s, as I'm always fond of a heavy part that transmutes in a slow one and viceversa. The track in general feels more neoclassical metal than progressive to me, maybe because of the harpsichord and the counterpoint that is more typical of the former (even though not "strict" neoclassical metal à-la Yngwie Malmsteen, of course).

I have to say though that, as a guitat player, the lack of an "actual" guitar is noticeable, even if the parts are well written. I see from the description that you do mention Guitarix and others for processing, but what did you use to generate the "raw" guitar sound? In case they're completely syntethic, you may want to have a look at these samples instead, which were taken from real guitars: those might help you get a more realistic sound to start from, that distortion can then mask more later. Rakarrack has a lot of cool effects too.
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Re: Turmoil

Post by jeanette_c »

Hi @Rainmak3r , I think my influences for that genre are mostly taken from Symphony X, with a little bit of Dream Theater thrown in. So neoclassical probably comes a little closer.
I did use guitar samples, I'm not exactly sure, but I think both guitars were taken from the No Budget Band (NBB) project. They aren't bad as such, but when it comes to that music, that is the limit. I have only heard two convincing guitar libraries that could fool me and they use a lot of trickery and - I suspect - hard work. In the end, I may have faired better by including some clever synthetic layer. It's a moot point for me now. I tried and found my working limits in this context.
I think the guitars shone best in the slow and quiet passages as well as in the section beginning around 3:21.
Rackarack has been mentioned a few times now and I have heard that it can be run with a preset, even without using its GUI. I will have to investigate that.
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Re: Turmoil

Post by oscillator »

You got some brilliant songwriting skills @jeanette_c!

MusE DAW running on Debian 11 Testing/XFCE4.
https://oscillator.se/musik

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Re: Turmoil

Post by OccinticLady »

Yikes! What a storm!
Nicely done!!!
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Re: Turmoil

Post by folderol »

Very effective!
The Yoshimi guy {apparently now an 'elderly'}
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Loki Harfagr
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Re: Turmoil

Post by Loki Harfagr »

This is a very impressive "draft"!
And I say "draft" only because of the impatience to hear it mixed after the bass and guitar players'll have actually played it :)
I agree with Rainmaker that trying different samples *and* adding up some beef with plugins of preamps⋅OD⋅variousstuffers⋅wotnot would increase their "makebelieve" factor, though, that already quite fine in the slow arts and as for the speedy/shreddy runs it's already quite self-finicky to find one's own adapted (to ones' limits and to the actual aim) sound when in real act and almost uncanny when using a midi run (unless of course spending months and loosing nerves on chiseling every articulation/legato/attacks/moods/volume which would be the path to go if you wouldn't have any IRL players before the end line)
Now, if you actually want to titillate them you still can try Rainmakers suggestion (I'd add to also have a try with adding some punch with WolfShaper or Kapitonov-Plugins-Pack)
And keep on playing and writing, that certainly was a good use of the fake solstice night ;)
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Re: Turmoil

Post by Rainmak3r »

Loki Harfagr wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 5:44 pm This is a very impressive "draft"!
And I say "draft" only because of the impatience to hear it mixed after the bass and guitar players'll have actually played it :)
I'd love to hear this played by real guitars! And I'd even volunteer to play them, if the guitar riffs weren't more than I can handle... :lol: (you wrote some TIGHT Michael Romeo style riffs in there!!)
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Re: Turmoil

Post by jeanette_c »

Rainmak3r wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 6:07 pm ...
(you wrote some TIGHT Michael Romeo style riffs in there!!)
Now I wonder why that is! :) Thanks for the compliment, I feel very honoureed @Rainmak3r !
I'd love to take you up on the offer some day and perhaps collaborate?
Best wishes, Jeanette
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Re: Turmoil

Post by milo »

This is a well-written track. I love the variety and transitions. It is also harmonically complex, and sounds like it was written by a guitarist. The only part that didn't really work for me was the first uptempo section, which sounded a lot more like video game music than metal. The lead synth also sounds a little out of place in metal, but would be right at home in prog.

You have gotten some pretty good guitar sounds in previous tracks by running a clavinet through guitarix.

I would also offer to guitar for you, but @Rainmak3r is so much better on a fretboard than I am. But there is an old piece of yours (The Lonely Journey, I think it was called) that really deserves a nice guitar recording. I'll PM you about it.
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Re: Turmoil

Post by jeanette_c »

milo wrote: Sat Jan 22, 2022 9:39 pm The only part that didn't really work for me was the first uptempo section, which sounded a lot more like video game music than metal.

Agreed, it does, though the guitar riff is the same as later on in the piece. It's too much quantising perhaps and the combination of guitar and effects. The effects aren't bad, but I am not a guitarist and only know about proper guitar pedal and amp chains second hand.
...

You have gotten some pretty good guitar sounds in previous tracks by running a clavinet through guitarix.
Yes, that is true. I'm not sure though I could have played these lines at that tempo in realtime. :)
...
Thanks again for your kind and frank words. This is, as always, very much appreciated.
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Rainmak3r
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Re: Turmoil

Post by Rainmak3r »

milo wrote: Sat Jan 22, 2022 9:39 pm I would also offer to guitar for you, but @Rainmak3r is so much better on a fretboard than I am. But there is an old piece of yours (The Lonely Journey, I think it was called) that really deserves a nice guitar recording. I'll PM you about it.
I can definitely try, but they're definitely NOT easy parts :lol:
@jeanette_c in case you think it's worth a shot, feel free to ping me privately: if I can get access to the stems of the project, I can study the guitar parts and try to replace them, so that you can work on a new mix.
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Re: Turmoil

Post by Basslint »

Very nice! The composition is top-notch. The guitars sound like 90s PC soundcard music, which is not a bad sound, it has a nice retro vibe. :D
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Re: Turmoil

Post by jeanette_c »

Thanks for the compliments! I dislike the guitars exactly for that soudn, but I'm very glad that it found takers. :)
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