[Ambient] Elements (MP3)

[bvanoudtshoorn]

I listen to a fair bit of ambient music, but I never really write any. So I thought I would. I wanted to do something fairly disquieting, mainly because I don't feel particularly "quieted" at the moment.

Download it here.

Coverart:

[Sam_Zen]

I couldn't find disquieting elements in this.
Of course there are several types of ambient, but to me this lacks a bit of 'environmental' things presence, compared to the strict chord harmonics.

[uncloned]

This is a more adventurous piece for you - I rather like it.

The dove-tailed sections share a sense of tension though I think I like the 2nd part better when the counter melodies start back up. The 2nd section sounds like a psychological thriller movie sound track.

[bvanoudtshoorn]

Thanks for the feedback, S_Z and Clones.

@S_Z: I think that you're right - it's not quiet at the point of being called "ambient" yet. I guess I'll just have to do some writing in the genre.

@Clones: Glad you liked it! I also like the second section more.

[Harbinger]

Immediately taken with the aural brushstrokes.
Then was seduced by the unconventional musical scale!
About 2:30 in, i thought it was about to end, and was left hanging, and even when it actually did after 4 mins, i wanted more.

There as so much left unexplored and undeveloped. This music needs to go wander outside of the wall-less room it brought me to!

Consider developing this theme.....

[bvanoudtshoorn]

I'd quite like developing it, Harbinger. As I said, it's my first real attempt at ambient, so hopefully you'll be hearing more of this style from me in the future, hopefully with some improvement.

[Harbinger]

If i may offer some maybe helpful advice....

Space music and ambient music is often confused with experimental music. Experimental implies that anything goes, the listener should be ready for the unexpected. But ambient music (including space music) has a definite (but not necessarily defined) sense of flow. It doesn't have be predictable, as in the circle of fifths, but you probably don't want to jerk the listener around aurally....

However, you seem to have a sense of this already. The problem i always seem to have is the development of something that's already good. I tend to fall back to my comfort zone, but sometimes a composer needs to consciously force himself to imagine where the music is leading. Don't forcefully move it; let it go. It will do just fine by itself...

Another problem is that the reality of your perceptions can interfere with letting the music compose itself. Specifically, the visuals of filling in patterns, choosing tones, and analyzing possible chord progressions can actually sterilize music. How many times have you relied upon music theory to help you develop a song? That's good if you're composing classical-style music, but New Age music (the genre of this type) requires a READINESS to redefine or undefine all that you know, and all that you're used to, and all that you want in music. For me, as creative and innovative as i like to think i am, i actually find it difficult to leave what i've learned. For a type of music that requires no melodic structure, no aural form, no chord progressions or voice-leading, you would think it would be easy to compose and develop ambient themes.

The scale you're using is captivating; stick with that or perhaps change it over time, in and out of classical scales maybe. If you're trying to succeed at ambient music, don't use a melodic line too much or too predictably unless it's meant as an arpeggiation (space music is the subgenre that uses melody). Ambient music also always has a form of ostinato throughout, but as you've figured out, you can suspend it for a few bars to keep the attention of the listener (you did mine!). And my final piece of advice: the less concrete, the more abstract....

I can't wait for version 2!:wink:

[mrvegas]

The sound quality is good, and I liked the break in the middle.  To be honest, though, I've never been a big fan of ambient music.  I'm always waiting for something to happen and it never does.

[bvanoudtshoorn]

Thanks for listening, mrvegas, particularly if you're not really a fan of the genre. I know what you mean about waiting around for something to happen, and I think that the best ambient composers can go one of two ways with that: they can leave you hanging on purpose, or they can appear to go forward whilst still maintaining the essence of the track.