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Drifting Horizons's itch.io pageResults
| Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
| Composition | #1 | 5.000 | 5.000 |
| Challenge | #1 | 5.000 | 5.000 |
| Overall | #1 | 4.636 | 4.636 |
| Creativity | #1 | 4.727 | 4.727 |
| Mixing | #2 | 3.818 | 3.818 |
Ranked from 11 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
Title
Drifting Horizons
Description
Drifting Horizons is a JRPG-inspired solo piano piece which takes the listener on an adventure through a fantasy world. This was created in Cubase 12, using the Intimate Grand Piano from Spitfire Audio.
In this piece, I explored combining aspects of RPG music with classical piano techniques to create a narrative piece that's nice and fun to listen to, but also fleshed out. I mainly drew inspiration from Ravel and Chopin, since their styles work quite well with 'fantasy' style music.
I made sure the piece is playable on piano, but some parts are really tricky!
The key is in D minor, with a transposition to A minor, and the structure is roughly:
Intro - A - B - Interlude - A' (Am) - B' (Am) - Interlude (Am) - B (Recap with Variation) - Outro
The piece transposes to A minor in the development, where I explore variations on the A and B themes. In the recapitulation, I went with the B theme since the more open nature of its melody made for a stronger finale. I decided to not fully resolve the music at the end, since the end of one journey is the beginning of another, right?
The time signature starts in 4/4 to give it a stable feel, then shifts to 6/8 to create more forward momentum and a sense of adventure starting in the exposition. The time signature goes back to 4/4 in the outro to make for a nice, calming ending.
For effects, I used some reverb to mimic the sustain pedal, and some tempo automation to simulate rubato to help the performance sound more life-like.
Thanks for listening, I hope you enjoyed the music!
Plugins used
Intimate Grand Piano from Spitfire Audio with some Reverb added on
Link(s) to your submission
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma5FPrhxa6g
https://soundcloud.com/yujisatomusic/drifting-horizons
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Comments
I'm completely in awe!
It's beautiful, it's superbly composed, it's sublime.
I love the left-hand accompaniment variations. It's not simple arpeggios or 1-5-1 or even just octaves. No, the hand actively participates in the melody. You've mastered the jam!
Awesome
I loved it so much, it matched the image, I felt what I wanted to convey and interpret, I remembered final fantasy if in a way lol, it's very pleasant to listen to. I also liked the structure, modulations, how it all went together. I just think I would do something in my opinion just around 2:35 when more movement starts to continue even with it for something more steadfast with more energy without fear, because I expected to hear that and nothing returned to the delicate. And also at the end, I would take advantage of this bunch of possibilities to emphasize another end with notes with longer tempos and a movement that indicates the end, even an accentuated cadence, perhaps mistaken or imperfect, with a few notes in the middle and low ending. Congratulations, I loved it!
this is so beautiful, especially the part at 1:20
the only thing that could really be improved is the mix as it feels a bit muddy at times but other than that, the composition is amazing :0
Absolutely beautiful and well-composed! It definitely feels fitting for a JRPG game and I can hear how some of the other inspirations you mentioned are present in the piece.
The themes presented are very strong and well-written. The piece flows very nicely and feels connected. The accompaniment is also very satisfying and I love how you use different textures to get more versatility. The key change is very tasteful. I feel like you managed to present a lot of different things while still having a completely coherent piece.
I think if I had any comments on the composition itself it might be to extend the ending a bit, and maybe add a coda. It works perfectly fine as it is now and choosing to not resolve is a choice I wouldn't necesseraly change. With the structure, it works very well as a loop making it perfect for a video game etc. But if anything maybe have another transition/coda/ section from the last B section to the outro.
My main feedback, or maybe more request, would be in regards to the mix/producing/programming. Not gonna go on a tangent but so far I feel like there are almost three different categories of submission for this jam:
1. Submissions that try to write a realistic solo piano piece.
2. Submissions that use the piano more as a sketch for a larger piece, treating the piano-less of a solo instrument and more of an orchestra.
3. Submissions that are more atmospheric, and focused on the sound itself (often with a ton of reverb).
For me, I try to judge and give some kind of feedback for the kind of style the piece tries to fit into (of course this is all subjective to me and the categories exist more on a spectrum). For your piece, the composition seems very piano-like and I'd put it into the first category. But, the mix/producing makes it feel more fitting for category 3 and this for me clashes a bit. I'd love to hear this piece with way less reverb and maybe a different piano. Especially some low parts gets a bit muddy which is I find sad since it's so well written! There are also many parts where having more staccato or just a more accented feel (both for the melody but especially some of the left-hand parts) would elevate the final product to an even higher level. I also think less reverb (and pedal in general) would give more contrast between the piano and forte sections. For example, the beginning works perfectly with a lot of pedal, the around 2:31 this part would I'd love to hear with almost no pedal (maybe even use the una corda pedal) and then when the left-hand joins in add a tiny pedal and lastly have a grand climax in the end. There are a lot of great pianist to listen to but to recommend something less classical (kinda) listen to Animenz Unravel rendition and pay attention to the use of pedaling/phrasing.
Sorry for a bit long comment and of course these are just my thoughts and not necessarily the "truth".
In the end, I find your piece insanely well composed and I love it. I'll make sure to listen to more of your stuff. If you ever remake this piece or get it recorded, please let me know!
I love your song. It has an incredible epic adventure atmosphere.
Amazing! Definitely 5/5 for composition. This may be a basic review, but I simply love everything about the piece, it seems so full (I strive to write something like this...) Other comments have mentioned this, however I do agree that a brighter piano would've been better. Either way I loved it!
I think this track is really "complete". It has a good mix, good dynamic range, it has a story, all sorts of variation. One could hardly do more than this with a piano only, so really well done!
The delay - it was delay? I'm not sure, but whatever it is really brought out a sound of hammer strikes prominently in the beginning. It was a really nice sound that worked to give a far off tone. The dynamic volume even between L and R sounded great.
Very nice! 5/5 on composition for sure :)
I agree with purpleskky that the piano is muffled,
kinda weakens the lower frequencies & removes the dramatic clicks from the mid / high keys.
I think you could have sent the Piano to a parallel reverb (If you didn't since it sounds like it, and if you did just send the level less or automate it to your needs) and make the Reverb very dominant but still keep all the properties of the Piano which make the playing just much more dynamic and emotional.
You telling me Intimate Grand Piano doesn't have a sustain pedal??
Hey, thanks for the feedback! Yeah, I agree the reverb could be tweaked a bit more, I couldn't find a good balance between resonant and clean before the deadline, so I went with the safer choice of less reverb and more clarity in this case. And as you and purplessky mentioned, you guys are right that the piano does kinda lack power and clarity for parts of the piece, unfortunately I just couldn't find a good way for it to play at ff without sounding a bit harsh. If I ever really flesh out this piece, I'll probably use a brighter piano for the climax like you guys recommended.
I do think Intimate Grand Piano has a sustain pedal feature built into it, but to be perfectly honest, this was the first time I used this VST so I have no idea what kind of features it comes with haha.
Wow! I'm finding it hard to find anything specific to compliment because I was sorta lost in it. The left hand work is great, and the figurations and chord progressions bring back all that JRPG music I've listened to...
I think a brighter sounding piano would've made sections like the one starting at 2:31 stand out more - the sound is a bit muffled. Great job
NOOOO! It's so good! How am I meant to compete with this!!?! :'(