Geist theme - advise

[Hugget Sukker]

The arrange is now finished: View attachment Geist Theme Arrange.mp3

Piano only

View attachment Geist theme.mp3

This is not going to be piano, but I can't figure out how the midi instrumentation should be. I've tried various orchestral sets and synth, but nothing I've tried seems to lift it, except piano which is a little unrealistic for some of the parts. Cello sounds nice for some of it, but that isn't enough. Some brass should theoretically make it bombastic, but the brass instruments I have are too... cheesy.
Maybe you can suggest some work-around. Would I have to change something in the rhythm to adapt it to other instruments?

Other feedback is also quite welcome. I'm going to work on variations and an ending later, once I have found a good instrumentation.

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

Hmmmmm I wonder what this would sound like put through a percussive instrument, maybe like a Vibraphone or a Marimba. Of course it'd sound unrealistic, but it could give an interesting result.

Pretty nice composition though, It almost reminds of the Zelda theme (the part in the middle, with the rolls and such sounded VERY similar to the original Zelda theme). Almost has a flanco flare to it in a few places.

 

[Hugget Sukker]

Heh. I ADMIT. I'm a sucker for Nintendo compositions, and this track is almost too closely inspired

Glad, though, you could hear it. I'll take it as a compliment

I've actually tried both marimba and vibraphone. It worked okay, but well, still too unrealistic. Perhaps the now-piano has to be split over different instruments to achieve a little bit of realism.
Vibraphone best supports the long nodes. Maybe a staccato string bass, some strings and some other melodic support instrument that can take the rolls. Don't know which one that would be.

Thanks

Edit: Maybe I should alter the rolls to not sound like a complete copy of Zelda.

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

Well one thing you could try seeing as realism is a bit difficult to get could be to just go for something completely unrealistically sounding, maybe even some synths or something like that. I mean it's not like your going to be performing it anyways (if you are going to perform it sometime you could make an unrealistic one just for the fun of it anyways)

 

[Hugget Sukker]

The arrange is now finished. Thanks for the tips, Wherewolf. Even though I'd tried some of the instruments you mentioned, I had to give them a second try which you made me realize. There's still some piano left, and I changed the middle part a little bit. It's in the top.

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

The instrumentation kinda reminds me of the sound-scape for the more recent Pokemon games. Interesting how the change in music can change around the feelings of the music - the original piano theme seems a bit more mysterious while the new one with multiple percussive and other type instruments is a bit more playful in sound. Sounds good though, were you making this for a project or something?

 

[Hugget Sukker]

Pokemon...? Have never intently listened to Pokemon music. But wha naht?

I made it for fun. I've made a load of Zelda-covers, but I thought it was about time that I picked up that experience and made something original in that style. Idk if it's catchy enough. Haven't had it on my brain yet, but that was the intend. I wanted it brainshticky, energetic, and yet not too primitive.

 

[WherewolfTherewolf]

Well it's not the composition itself, it's just the instrument choice kinda reminds me of the music:

Example

(Hmmm I know one of the songs from that had a more similar instrument choice but whatever, no big deal)

Overall the composition is definitely more Zelda style.
It sounds like a sort of traveling theme - like for a train or something