Track description: A new and fateful dawn heralds a final battle to the death! The heroine raise her sword up high and calls the brave to follow her one last time. A calm, but sombre, preparation leads to heightened tension before the final onslaught.
My creative vision: I wanted to create a crescendo from a peaceful but subdued beginning to an epic climactic finish, that depicts a warrior’s prelude to battle and its powerful ending.
Composition overview: 4/4 in D minor, with almost constant ostinatos in the piano and string sections. There are 2 repeating motifs - the descending ostinato piano opening, copied by the solo violin and then main violins through the piece up until the epic battle melody. The duduk theme is repeated by the piano, also in the mid section before the battle. The ostinato string rhythm is echoed in the war drums and provides the rhythmic mainstay.
Main sounds: Although the majority of sounds are orchestral-based, I used 8Dio’s Aura2 to provide the rhythmic pulses in the more meaty mid section, to provide added bite, gravity and rhythm. Piano, strings, brass and Damage’s Apocalyptic drums form the instrumental foundation, with 8Dio’s Lacrimosa and Ethera Gold 2.0 providing the vocal parts.
Mixing this thing was also an epic battle and my ears have not forgiven me yet!
Do you hear “battle” when you listen to my piece, or does something else come to mind?
Hi Adrian,
I am amazed! I really loved the epic crescendo. Also, the vocals seemed so realistic from what VST did you get them or were they actual voices you recorded? Finally, in my opinion, the piece works better as an army uprising/preparation more than a battle itself with the two leaders looking at each other ready to fight at the end, but then I might be wrong. Again great job, also thought it had a TwoStepsFromHell (Thomas Bergersen) feel don’t know if you’ve listnened to his compositions!
Regards,
Alexis
Hi Alexis. Thanks very much for your comment. I can see your point about preparation for battle, rather than a battle itself. I follow Thomas Bergersen closely, having listened to much of his works. Ivan Torrent and Armando Morabito are also a part of my listening mix and their pieces act as standards for what I would like to achieve at some point in the future.
The choir sounds are from 8Dio’s Lacrimosa and the solo voice is Clara Sorace from the Ethera Gold 2.0 VST.
Many thanks and regards,
Adrian.
I loooooooooooooooooooooove it. Perfect combination of orch, synth and voice. Huge work @romeosapien
A doubt: To my ear, female chorus from 1:25 seems to sound a little late on the beat. Am I right?
It is beautiful
Thanks, Vicente! I’m pleased you enjoyed it.
The Lacrimosa legato vocal part is indeed fashionably tardy. I have a habit of not using any negative delay for solo/lead parts, in order to counter any mechanical, computerised feel to my pieces. But the fact that you have spotted it makes me think I should whip those female altos back into line!
Regards, Adrian.