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Course of the Empire [HOST SUMBISSION: Disregard Placement]'s itch.io pageResults
| Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
| Overall | #5 | 3.987 | 4.053 |
| Correlation to Theme | #9 | 4.263 | 4.333 |
| Listenability | #11 | 4.001 | 4.067 |
| Execution | #13 | 3.869 | 3.933 |
| Overall Uniqeuness | #13 | 3.869 | 3.933 |
| Composing Quality | #17 | 3.935 | 4.000 |
Ranked from 15 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
Link to Streaming Service, such as Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Youtube, etc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddqV58nLZsM&ab_channel=Arete
Description
I didn't have a ton of time to work on this, so there's less to describe. Life really got in the way this time around, lots of stuff I've been dealing with lately.
1. The Savage State - I was going for something that felt primal, so I used my jaw harp, and improvised on a theme I had in mind.
2. The Pastoral State - I improvised and sang this on my lyre.
3. Consummation (incomplete) - I had no time to finish this - I came up with it in the last 30 minutes and hacked it together, but I want to continue with this composition.
4. Destruction (incomplete) - also want to continue this one. I'd build up the arpeggios. I started out with war horns and drums, like you can hear the armies outside of the gate, amped up on the sounds of their instruments, while the people inside dread the invasion.
5. Desolation - this was another imrpovised track that I layered a few times. Somewhat inspired by Shostakovich's symphony 11 mvt 1. I used my talharpa for this one.
This was done with mostly live instruments, except for Consummation and Destruction, including my Talharpa and Lyre - both of which were made by me.
Screenshot of DAW
https://imgur.com/a/ZF14Kiz
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Comments
Better late feedback than ever. Its very nice to see that you're using every new organic instrument you made yourself or bought at some point. Thats also why I like the very piece the most since its very "primitive" and organic which fits the enviornnement, i think i'll repeat myself but I would like the percussion to be a bit more boomy and bassy, it can be subtle but just to give a "oomph" to the tracks. You'll also need to fix some tempo and rythm playing I know you're playing yourself everything but still i'll go hard on this one, record again and again if need be XD. The third painting was unexpected if possible I think its a nice beginning for a flute concerto or something that you can probably expand later with a full orchestra. Also 4th painting boom those percs and some playing has to change also, I know eerything was rushed and incomplete so you did what you could in the time allowed. Desolation is also very cool like the first one I can recognized your style over all on this one going back to the beginning. There we go hope you enjoyed the critique :)
I always love hearing your feedback man! Thank you!
Great vocal stuff as always!
Really liked the jaunty feel of the Savage State track, sort of made me wanna sway from side to side while listening😁.
Good stuff! And when you get time to work more on these, they're probably going to be even better 😉.
Those chants on are awesome! gives extra soul to it
I really like the composition overall, but I felt the consumation piece to be too little, it is pretty no doubt, but I was expecting more grandeur on it, I see its incomplete but it shows, didn't feel it so much on destruction (wanted more yes, does it feel incomplete, not really).
Desolation was my favorite, and one of my favorites in the whole jam tbh.
Good job, take care :)
Congrats on using live instruments. These give unique vibe to these pieces.
For of all, I want to say thank you for hosting this great Jam! I have had a blast working on it.
I am in awe of your musical talent! And even more so that you used real instruments! So impressive! I loved the first and last songs best (though I liked what you had for the incomplete ones also.) I felt like I was there in the empire as it grew and built. Great feel and tone to the music.
Great work!
First of all thank you for hosting this jam, it's been great fun working on it and I've learned loads through the process, and just as fun listening to all these great entries!
For something you produced in such little time it's terrific, that opening track is absolutely a TV theme as it is, with just a little polish it would be right at home on a big budget Game of Thrones / Vikings type drama. Great stuff. And the same goes for the other tracks too, even if incomplete the skeleton is clearly there and I'd love to hear the finished pieces!
The live instruments and vocals and good choice of expressive virtual instruments 100% make these minimalist tracks sing. Love the thin shaky sound of that violin/violin-type instrument (you mention a talharpa, not familiar with that instrument but a quick Google suggests maybe that is what I'm hearing?). Super cool.
Really hope we get to hear the finished compositions at some point, following you so I don't miss them if you do get round to it!
I'm so glad you had fun with this jam! :)
This is telly ready. Wow. I can see why you organise this:
1) A jaw harp! YES! What a great voice you have!
2) Just beautiful. Wow.
3) I love a wind piece - just wish there was more!
4) I just wish there was more conception here!
5) Now. YES! So good - is that you singing the low F#? Oocha, so good!
Thank you so much, not only for this music but for organising this jam. It’s been awesome!
All the singing is my vocals. I am a bass/baritone generally. Yep... I did the woodwind piece in the last 30 minutes, like the composition I wanted for it clicked. When I get back around to it, I'll make it a fully orchestrated piece. I'll probably have a "refurbish an unfinished project" jam with this jam in mind, not just for myself, but many others lol.
Thank you for your awesome feedback. :)
I love “Pastoral State” it feel like it can be city building game, and “Desolation” one it was very eerie I like it, sadly that “Consummation” still a concept, thank you for hosting the jam and sharing this awesome work!
Thank you! :)
The host has few ratings and no comments? This must be remedied! Thanks for hosting this jam. It's been a fantastic experience!
Savage State: Wow! Those vocals really speak to the title of the track. What did you use for those? The atmosphere here is spectacular. It really feels like I'm out in the boonies somewhere.
Pastoral State: I love the feelings of peace here. Very tranquil. I could see this track being used in a game like Civ.
Consummation: It's a shame you weren't able to get more than the concept. I would love to see how you would have orchestrated it. But I get it. Time is a harsh enemy to contend with.
Destruction: Ahh, the drums of war. I like your use of horns here. The way everything grows is very nice. It's like you're standing on a hill watching as the enemy draws closer. A great feeling of looming dread.
Desolation: Oh those strings in the beginning! That haunting, scratching sound as the bow slowly moves across the fragile strings. A great opening to this somber track.
This entry was at times haunting and visceral and at others beautiful. But it was all very real and emotional.
Thank you! Making me feel better about running out of time. :)
The vocals were just my singing in all of it. The strings were my talharpa and my cello. For the deep bass strings I just pitched my cello down one and two octaves simultaneously for that last track.
I really appreciate your thoughtful feedback! Thank you again.
Edit - listening again - those bowed strings are me bowing the talharpa strings open. It makes me think I should make a proper viola da gamba, which is sort of like a cello but with frets, so the strings sound more open. When I made my talharpa, I made it have holes shaped like a viola da gamba, and even put in bracing to simulate the walls of the viol so it would sound more like a viol. It sounds super viol-like and hence it's giving me that itch to make another instrument. Those are gut strings that make that raspy sound.