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My First SacredSymphonics Piece-- "If God Be For Us"

PostPosted: Fri May 24, 2013 1:40 pm
by DaddyO
With no formal training I have dabbled in computer based orchestration for years, "dabbled" being the operative word. Over the last year or so I have tried to work around health issues, duties, etc. to try to improve what little skills I had. I finally have come up with a piece I can share, though it is still a work in progress and not really mixed in any way, just exported as audio from Notion 4 using included LSO samples and quickly run through a compressor to eliminate audio issues in the loudest portions.

It is called "If God Be For Us," and it's an arrangment of a choral anthem by Clifford McCormick I recently remembered from my youth in church.

YouTube has a choral performance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8yNV0vfyV8

Here's a link to my arrangement on my SacredSymphonics SoundCloud page: https://soundcloud.com/#sacredsymphonics/if-god-be-for-us

Let me know what you think. I aim to improve it and work on another piece.

Re: My First SacredSymphonics Piece-- "If God Be For Us"

PostPosted: Sun May 26, 2013 4:11 am
by fabiolcati
Hi John.
You did a very nice work, both for the arranegment and the performance.
I also enjoyed the vintage sound of it: it is like it coming from a 50s record.
Only, the piece ends assertively but abruptly. I feel some extra work here.
Best regards

Re: My First SacredSymphonics Piece-- "If God Be For Us"

PostPosted: Mon May 27, 2013 10:15 am
by DaddyO
Thanks for your kind and constructive comments, Fabio.

Re: the ending, the abruptness of an assertive phrase, followed by a moderate final phrase, with a light, faster coda was by design. I guess it could be viewed as an attempt to be artistic that went too far, or perhaps what I tried required some further preparation. I was trying to do something unexpected and make the climax of the arrangement end before the end of the chorus's final phrase. Sometimes in doing so, it might not work.

I'm happier at this point with the light coda by the woodwinds than the moderate final phrase by the strings and woodwinds, which I think does not serve as well as I want for a transition from the assertive climax to the coda.

Again, thank you for your comments. Feedback helps us grow.