DudeSpirit's music

[DudeSpirit]

Hello, been a while since I've updated my intro here on my thread, was a time to do so.

First question usually is, what program do i use? Well i used FL Studio 3 for a long time, until i found it reasonable to update, so now the software i'm using is Reason 4.0, Logic Studio 9 and Sibelius 5. I also have a MIDI-piano, I've played piano for like 8 years. I also play a little guitar, drums and sax. Actually, since jazz has grown up on me, so has sax, so been playing alot of saxophone lately. I like to mix electronic and acoustic instruments to create the perfect blend

I've now worked as a full-time studio technician for the last 1.5 years, making a living out of it, and i love it! I've picked up quite alot along the way. King's College (London), gave me alot, met alot of musical people.

I ask kindly that my works don't get linked anywhere without my permission. Thanks! (Creative Commons)

Latest News:
19/8/2011 - A total revamp to the thread, creating it all over again, new tracks, old tracks, good tracks, shit tracks - added. Also, people asked for me to make the pieces downloadable, so there you have it now, feel free to download!


Tracks 2008-2011 (non-chrono)

Detach - This is an emotional piano-driven track with some strings to it. Made it with with heart, there's a story to it, but enough about that!

 

[Tank-Commander]

I like them in genral, but they're a little too calm for my taste, so I dont think my opinion would help out much. but they are quite relaxing imo
gj

 

[DudeSpirit]

Thanks for the first comment!!
I usually don't start composing something specific, i just get a feeling or a mood, and i start playing melodies around my piano, everything that's happening around me, affects my composing and the outcome of the songs.
May sound a bit cliche but that's how it is really.

 

[Eccho]

They still sound alittle 'Midi-ish' if you know what I mean. It's nothing wrong with it tho, if you like chiptunes. But the orchestra ones would probably sound better if not

I like them in general though, keep up the work.
The first song, is it inspired by a certain game, or just the Sega Genesis chiptune in general?

Anyways, they are quite nice to listen on even though this is your first attempts

 

[DudeSpirit]

Thanks for the comment, the first is just mainly influenced by SEGA, nothing specific really.
Yeah, i understand they sound a bit 'amateurish' in a way, MIDI-ish in other words then.

I'll upload a new song this evening or tomorrow.

{EDIT 1}
Added a new track, Dreams Without Sunlight.

{EDIT 2}
Added a new track, Morning Assassin.

 

[LelouchviBritannia]

Request? Maybe.

I really like The Tribe of Meskwaki song, and i was hoping i could request a 1-2 minutes song? If so..

It's for a naga/invasion type map, if you want more details just PM me, the map is around 35% completion (terrain, ideas)

Maybe you could create a naga type invasion track for me?


PM me back if you do Thanks!

 

[Mulgrim]

oh your morning assasin fits perfectly for a sim's game building mode

what did you use to record? it sounds very clean.

 

[DudeSpirit]

Well it's all about the room, mic, and the distance between the mic and the instrument.

There's some tutorials out there in the web on making your recordings sound as clean as possible.
For the mic i used Audio Technica's 4047, and i did some room placement.


Thanks for the comment, it actually might fit quite well in The Sims

 

[PatruX]

I find them really good. Keep uploading!

 

[DudeSpirit]

Cheers, yeah, I'll be taking a few day break soon, i want to get something else done, since this is quite time-consuming.

 

[DudeSpirit]

New track, Hybrid Highway added!
Taking a break again, i wanted to finish this one though.

{EDIT, original date 25-Nov-2009}
New track added, Hanging on to 8bit.

 

[De.Facto]

Discoveries is my favourite. Very chilled tune. (;

As well as i love these ones ..

 

[DudeSpirit]

Thanks for the comment!
I really enjoyed those you posted, full of inspiration too.

 

[Mr.Chaos]

Nice but not my style

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

Wow, the hanging on to 8bit song sounds like it belongs in an old Megaman video game, just wondering at one part did you use like a bubble sound effect at a few parts? It seems to sound like that.

 

[DudeSpirit]

Don't give too much credit to that song Its just a remix, and not much was done there. I agree that it sounds nice though.

Can you point the bubble sound out? In what part of the song does it play, i'm not exactly sure what you mean.

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

hmmm for some reason your music refuses to buffer........

 

[DudeSpirit]

Worked just fine for me :/

 

[Sheeva]

I'm not really a person for midi music, it just doesnt carry any emotion or any of that lovely stuff across. Anyway, I think Discoveries is an awesome track. Really gets the theme across.

 

[Chizume]

I've said it before and I say it again. Awesome music! I'm patiently waiting for some cool updates. Keep the spirit up!

Your Friend,
Chizume

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

Just got too listening to Hanging on to 8bit to pick out the "bubble" sound:
1:05 the bass part kinda sounds a bit like a bubbling sound - I don't think this is what I originally heard though

2:58 - the bass part here also sounds a bit like a bubbling sound (probably just from using a hard attacking sound with staccato notes)

3:45 - once again bass part

Listening to this again yeah - that just is probably because of staccato notes on a sound with high attack

 

[DudeSpirit]

Just a little update, I'm currently working on the piece for the Music Contest.. Progressing slowly but i think i can make it before 3rd of march which is the end of the contest.

 

[Sephalo]

I like your music!
Nice use of various chords and volumes. Perfect balance, really perfect.
Unfortunatelly I have to go now (Only listened to Discoveries now) but will listen the other songs soon!

Keep up the good work!

 

[Here2Help]

These are just. AWESOME. I'd like to use them for a StepMania song. ^_^

 

[DudeSpirit]

(Next week possibly) I'll be uploading my late piece that was originally planned for the music contest.

 

[DudeSpirit]

Added: Run To The Merri Hills

 

[Waldbaer]

Nice thing, this "Run To The Merri Hills". Should have had good chances in the contest, I suppose. A very good mood and nearly perfect mixing, much better than mine.
I really have to learn how to get the sound of my music better...

The only thing I had to complain about is that I'm missing a characteristic melody here. The overall mood is very good, but I find it difficult to remember anything from it as soon as it stops, so I think it's useful as underscoring music or a middle part of a bigger work, but works not so well as long as it is completely alone. Oh and it's really quite "avatarish" (do you also own the soundtrack?)...

 

[DudeSpirit]

Thanks for the comment.

I think i would agree that it's missing some 'characteristic melody', what do you think about the other pieces I've put there?

As for Avatar, I've been a great fan of James Horner since Titanic, the guy who composed for Avatar.
So yes, i do own the soundtrack.

 

[Waldbaer]

I'll comment at least some of your pieces during the next days, I think, since you seem to appreciate my comments.

I'm a movie score lover, too. Not especially James Horner but he has done some nice things... I own Titanic, Avatar and Braveheart by him. If you have any other recommendations for me or just want to talk about score music, just PM me (this thread is not to talk about other peoples' music than yours, is it?).

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

I can definitely hear the Avatar influence on your new track, and I can definitely hear the movie influence too.

Being inspired by Movie music, I would think that a main melody isn't necessary, you can't focus on the melody when there's important action going on on screen right?

 

[Waldbaer]

I don't know if you wanted to say this in general, but if the melody is not important, please explain to me how the scores of Star Wars (any episode), Schindler's List, Harry Potter, Pirates Of The Caribbean, etc., etc.... work.
Of course the melodies are important for a film score. They are one of the most characteristic thing of a movie score, if they are done well. They are capable to make connections to characters and or even other movies; if there is a musical thing the watchers will keep in mind on the way back from the cinema, it's in very most cases a melody, I suppose. Melodies are one of the most important things in music and in film scores especially, because they are the things everybody has a connection to.
They don't have to be heard always though, so there are often pieces, sometimes whole soundtracks without much melodical passages, e.g. War Of The Worlds (brilliant score in my opinion, but without a theme or anything like that, just 100% atmosphere). But do you remember it? It's quite difficult to memorize music that does not have a good melody, isn't it?

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

Well yes a melody is important to music in general, but the melody can't take importance over the own screen action. A good melody can definitely improve a piece, but sometimes a simple chord progression can be the most effective in a situation where the music is simply to enhance something else.

And no I didn't mean that sound tracks don't need melodies period

 

[Waldbaer]

And no I didn't mean that sound tracks don't need melodies period

Pooohhh, this calms me down a lot.

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

Lol, I don't think I would have any understanding of music theory if I thought that melodies weren't required at all - that's like saying Drumming doesn't require timing and soccer doesn't require a ball

 

[DudeSpirit]

Check out this musical thread at the SCII -section.
http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/starcraft-ii-408/starcraft-ii-inspired-futuristic-music-162074/

{EDIT}
Symmetrical Space added!

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

I really like the new one, the one part with the brass section crescendo was a bit surprising, not bad, just a little difficult to understand at first.

What program are you using for the drums/where did you get those drum sounds? I really like the vibe they have, I just don't have a very good percussion VSI at the moment.

The song kinda reminds me of Spore music in a few places

 

[DudeSpirit]

I have actually recently updated my software, now using Reason 4.0 with Logic Studio 9 (On Mac), i also use Sibelius 5 for more classical themes.

I find it easy to create these glitchy drums with Reason 4.0

 

[Waldbaer]

Interesting thing, this "Symmetrical Space". You definitely know how to create and arrange sounds in a way that they sound as well as possible, the mix really sounds brilliant! I'd really like to learn that from you...
Again, your melody is way in the background, but it's enough there to pull the piece together. I think you wanted this to be ambient music and it does this job brilliantly: It's perfect background music with a gripping atmosphere, although not defined enough to be really enjoyed in the foreground, I think. E.g. the ending is very undefined to me, I just don't realize that it's the ending in the moment it is played, but only in the moment when nothing follows anymore. Do you understand, what I want to say? There is nothing that marks a really inevitable ending for me.
A little technical note in the ending: there are more than 30 seconds of silence in the ending of your file, this is not intended, is it? Forgot to adjust the end of the piece before bumping?
Anyways, great work!

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

I find it easy to create these glitchy drums with Reason 4.0

Dang thats definitely not an option for me (I already have a DAW that works fine). Well I can really hear the difference, that music sounds incredibly professional - I'm assuming you had this upgrade when you made Run to Merri hills too, as that also has the improved sound.

 

[Svenski]

So I randomly stumbled upon your music.

And I listened to the first song (Surfing Jaguars) and the last song (Symmetrical Space) and I gotta say, sweet beats mate.

Totally hear the SC2 influence on that last one, so good.

I'll have to listen to all of your songs up here eventually. I'm just really impressed.

 

[DudeSpirit]

Interesting thing, this "Symmetrical Space". You definitely know how to create and arrange sounds in a way that they sound as well as possible, the mix really sounds brilliant! I'd really like to learn that from you...
Again, your melody is way in the background, but it's enough there to pull the piece together. I think you wanted this to be ambient music and it does this job brilliantly: It's perfect background music with a gripping atmosphere, although not defined enough to be really enjoyed in the foreground, I think. E.g. the ending is very undefined to me, I just don't realize that it's the ending in the moment it is played, but only in the moment when nothing follows anymore. Do you understand, what I want to say? There is nothing that marks a really inevitable ending for me.
A little technical note in the ending: there are more than 30 seconds of silence in the ending of your file, this is not intended, is it? Forgot to adjust the end of the piece before bumping?
Anyways, great work!

Thanks for the little 'review' there.
I was aiming for something ambient, i agree with the melody being in the background again. I'll try something different on my next piece.
I rushed this a bit too much i think, you can see it in the ending too, the 30 seconds of silence is not intended either.

Dang thats definitely not an option for me (I already have a DAW that works fine). Well I can really hear the difference, that music sounds incredibly professional - I'm assuming you had this upgrade when you made Run to Merri hills too, as that also has the improved sound.

Thanks for noticing the 'improvement' on the quality.
I had few months of break because i was studying my new software, but now i'm ready to make stuff again.
Merri Hills was my first piece with the new software yes, too bad i couldn't make it to the competition.

So I randomly stumbled upon your music.

And I listened to the first song (Surfing Jaguars) and the last song (Symmetrical Space) and I gotta say, sweet beats mate.

Totally hear the SC2 influence on that last one, so good.

I'll have to listen to all of your songs up here eventually. I'm just really impressed.

Thanks
The other tracks there in the middle are more classical, but for my next song i'm going back to the retro-feeling of Surfing Jaguars.

 

[drhunter]

Hey could you possibly make some songs for my map? It would add a realistic effect...

BTW I loved Merri Hills, and the beginning I recognized was a bit related off of WC3...oh and do you mind if I use some of your current songs for my map?(You would receive Full Credit for it)

 

[DudeSpirit]

Well unfortunately i can't focus my composing on creating for someone, but i'll keep making some classical tracks too.

You can use the music, but i would like to see/test the map first, and also know more that in which parts/scenes would you use my songs.

E: Added the new song, Retro Never Let Go!

 

[drhunter]

Well unfortunately i can't focus my composing on creating for someone, but i'll keep making some classical tracks too.

You can use the music, but i would like to see/test the map first, and also know more that in which parts/scenes would you use my songs.

E: Added the new song, Retro Never Let Go!

Well, I do not really have an idea of when yet but i will notify you when.

 

[Svenski]

Retro Never Let Go - awesome.

I love music that makes me dream of 2D sidescroller PC games from the DOS era.

And as I type this I'm listening to Merri Hills and I am further impressed - simply excellent.

 

[DudeSpirit]

Hehe, thanks.
I also love playing with retro sounds because they are so nostalgic.

 

[drhunter]

None of the links are working anymore...I even tried in a different browser and they werent found...wats up with that?

 

[DudeSpirit]

Oh, sorry for the late answer.
I don't know what's up with them, i obviously still have all the songs, seems that i'll have to re-arrange the links to some other site, upload-mp3.com (or such) have sent me no information about deleting my account.

 

[DudeSpirit]

Going to post a few new tracks soon.
Also going to fix the broken links of the previous tracks.

 

[drhunter]

Okay, good. Been playing WoW lately, so couldn't reply very quick.