Score: 9

"Very cool dude"

submission: Diurnal Lackluster

date: March 16, 2009

Don't take my 9 srsly. Nowadays I just give 10's to those which blow my socks off.

Anyways. You know I'm not that good at electronica. But I know you well enough to tell when you've put a lot of effort into a track. And in this one, it shows. Also, I definitely see tons of imagery. It's very kaleidoscopic, as I've said, yet in a more mundane way. Which is where the title came from lol.

I don't know what the guy below me was talking about. Imagery is not all blatantly. In fact, often imagery in literature and music is abstract, obscure, and ambiguous, and often defined more by emotions than visions. There is tons of imagery in here. Trust me.

Good jarb dude.

-Rocky

Score: 6

"Hmm"

submission: Percestra!

date: February 1, 2009

When I saw the title, I expected to hear something as complex and intricately composed as an orchestra, using only percussion. In fact, I was excited at the prospect.

However, this sounds like nothing more than someone hilariously messing around on a keyboard drumset. There's no rhyme or reason or emotion concerned. (It reminds me of the first time I attempted to utilize percussion in a composition, which was about 7 staves or percussion and one violin lol).

Hmm... Rimsky-Korsakov himself once said that strings are the most expressive of the instruments, followed by winds, then brass, and lastly percussion, which should be used rarely and provide only color. Percussion like this especially (untuned percussion) is not going to get a very good response from the listener, apart from a rhythmic appreciation, which, as I said, this song lacks because of its randomness.

If you want to try to use only percussion (from your comments I assume this is a work in progress), try using tuned percussion (marimbas, xylophones, mallets, glockenspiels, tubular bells) as the main melody carriers. That will give the piece some emotional weight.

Best regards,

Rocky

(I hope you don't take my score too harshly)

Score: 10

"Awesome job"

submission: Violin solo - Lonely Poem

date: January 26, 2009

I always love the idea of a musical voice being akin to a voice in conversation, expressing what is on the performer's (or composer's) mind. You did a very good job in portraying the emotion that you were attempting to through the tone of the composition, rather than a mood (as most music does).

I have to say, when I saw this title (not knowing who you were, of course), I was didn't have very high expectations of the piee. Nor did I know it was a human performance, of which I was surprised. Anyway, as a fellow violinist, I can tell that your tone is very well-developed and mature to suit the composition. Very emotional in your performance, which, again, aided in bringing out the effect you were intending to portray.

As a violinist, I always love to utilize the effectiveness of violins, sometimes in solo form, but I don't know if I've achieved this sheer power of a single violin's voice. I applaud you for that.

Keep making great music.

Rocky

Score: 10

"Great"

submission: Hopeless Yearning

date: December 29, 2008

The buildup of intensity at the beginning is just great. The thing about it is it could go anyway. It builds up the tension, and the piece needs the melody and the key to define what that tense emotion is. With the entrance of the melody, that definition arrives, as a wistful and sad longing.

I hate to keep talking about one part, but I think that buildup of the string at the start does more than that; it adds a sense of fragility to the piece and to the emotion portrayed that really adds to the overall feeling.

You used the different instruments effectively, noting their timbres. One thing I like is when you introduct that slight happier melody (you know what I'm talking about). And it had that triplet in there that adds an effect on the theme that is trademark Winterwind lol. I love it when you do stuff like that.

What really brings this piece out, as I've said, is the fragility and poignancy of the melody and the emotion. The instrumentation is strong in that it further strengthens both these.

You did a great jarbs. Do some more lol.

-Rocky

Score: 10

"So amazing"

submission: Largo for Full Orchestra

date: July 17, 2008

I'm not really sure how to start this lol.
Are you aware how grandly awesome this is?
As I said on AIM, the way the moods are various and flow seamlessly, yet with unity, just like dreams, is quite awesome.
The instrumentation is so EPIC LOL jk. It's so grand, and with the whole reverb, great production, plus panning (plus probably my sound system lol), it really sounds like i'm at a concert with a symphonic orchestra on stage playing this for me.
This theme is truly unique, especially for you. Equally dark, mysterious, childlike, innocent, magical, grand, versatile, and beautiful. I'm tryin not to sound like a noob here, but this theme is really one that can speak to everyone on the inside, make them recall their childlike dreams. Seriously.
The orchestration is truly brilliant. The celesta sounds so magical, just like looking down into a bed/crib, like you said.
Balance is good as well, especially important in this piece too, because overwhelming instruments would create an odd sense of one section being more prevalent than the others.
I really can't think of anything to change lol.
You set out to make something huge in scale, and succeeded, with more than you expected probably. Great job dude.

-Rocky

Also MJ-Bot, you're conclusions are idiotic. Winterwind here is far too popular to stoop to something as stupid as giving himself a review, much less making an account just to do it. He has fans galore, who would only be to happy to give him reviews. If you couldn't tell, this piece was amazing enough to garner such. Thanks, that's all.

Score: 8

"Very nice!"

submission: Later Mosaic

date: June 23, 2008

This has a nice, upbeat, kind of joyful feel to it that could energize you, or brighten your day even. It's uplifting and has a somewhat inspirational feel.

Mosaic is a good word to describe this. It's a bunch of imagery flowing together, and I like that. I would've liked it to have a uniform theme though, a melody to hold it all together, that is present throughout to provide familiarity and a comfortable sense of resolution. That's just me though.

The instrumentation sounds large but I think it's actually simple. There's quite a percussion line to drive the piece rhythmically, but the melody lies in what sounds like it could be a synth violin solo (if so, I wonder what VST you used for it...). There are other synthetic harmonies in the background which provide nice mood for the piece. Also the synth choirs were a nice touch.

Overall this does have a very video game feel, as it should! Techno? Definitely. Neo-romantic? A bit, yeah. Epic sountrack? Aided by that choir stuff. New-age rock--the chord progressions lend to that.

It's a nice blending of styles that turned out well. :] Maybe you should have more hangovers. :P

Haha,
best of luck with the next piece,

Rocky

P.S. 8 is a good score from me. ;]

Score: 10

"DUDE"

submission: Requiem for the Great Citizen

date: June 7, 2008

This is amazing.

I love how strong the melody comes in after a calm, ambiguous opening that's reminiscent of Howard Shore lol. I also love how nonmodern all your themes tend to be. This melody is so beautiful, and I love how it doesn't do that like. Half cadence -> Full cadence like most melodies. (That's what they're called right?) Your instrumentation is good as you weave the theme through out the orchestra, creating different emotions.

I can't get over this song man. You were seriously inspired. I can definitely hear Shosty in this.

I don't really want to talk about sound production, cause that's annoying to hear. As I said before, the strings could've sounded more emotive lol. You are awesome with Edirol though, way better than I ever was.

I don't think you made a score to this, but I think you could've written the string harmony a little better, when it has the melody I mean. Like you could've written some nice harmonies underneath with the lower strings. It just sounds like the entire string family is playing the theme lol. You know what I mean >:[

For some reason my favorite part is 1:50ish lol, after that oboe note fades, and the strings play the theme more calmly, and sadly, with some nice harmony that is barely audible, but that's a good thing. I like that part haha.

The ending owns! With that high strings, then the lower instruments play the tonic lol. Classic. And I'm glad you didn't go for like one of those endings where the strings hold out that strong note, then the orchestra joins in for a long tonic, which suddenly cuts off sforzando in an attempt to sound powerful. That's not what this piece called for.

Awesome dude. Write more pieces like this lol. I love it.

10'd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Rocky

Score: 10

"I told you ;)"

submission: Prelude No.3 in Bb Minor

date: March 30, 2008

I told you it pwned, you didn't believe me :P

The motif is wonderfully emotional, simple, and as I've said before, highly flexible! Use it to great variety when you expand this piece, Tristan!

I always knew you were a great composer, silly. Now you have proof, look at everyone's comments.

Almost 3,500 downloads, you beast, way past my record :P Now go do something else great :')

Congraduations (lol) on weekly best, and stuff, and other stuff. :D

-Rocky

Score: 10

"Wooowww!"

submission: Slovakian Lullaby - strings

date: February 22, 2008

10 10 10 10 for sure.

This is amazing. Hold on, let me calm down.

What is it with you and lullabies, Simon? ;) Seriously.
What a beautiful language, first of all. The words themselves have such a deep meaning!

Strings are so amazing. They are sooo expressive. You handle them so expertly, really. Your harmonies were very interesting to listen to--truly your own style. Quite beautiful to say the least.

I love how you seemed to match the tone with the changing tone of the lyrics (at least so it seemed to me). Awesome.

I'm trying not to sound all sentimental here, but this is really almost saddeningly beautiful. Touches me quite deeply, I'm not gonna lie.

What can I say but keep it up? Of course, you always do. Strings are amazing. I'll never tire of your pieces like this.

Amazing job,
Rocky

P.S. Que lastima that no one has reviewed yet!

Score: 10

"Wow, just wow"

submission: Drifting...

date: January 21, 2008

Sauron has tears coming out of his eye :(

I can definitely hear some Dario Marianelli in this ;) And Glass, as I've said before.
It's sooo beautiful. It's the simplicity that does it, I swear, just like in "Once upon a moonlit eve..."
Is that a solo cello in the background? I think so, and it's playing a very calm, almost background" melody, just a hint of a theme really, and it really brings another layer of depth into the piece. I loves it.
This has looped for about 10 times since I started this review. Each time only adds to the beauty.

I might just go see Atonement because of you haha.

-Rocky