MacJams.com - Song: Quixotic Dreams (first draft) by drakonis

Quixotic Dreams (first draft)
by drakonis

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Submitted on: Apr 21, 2008 - 09:45:46 PM
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Keywords quixote (1), dream (99), dulcinea (1), music box (2), cervantes (1), hoffmann (1), la mancha (1), windmills (1), drakonis (56)

Description Story (Cervantes meets ETA Hoffmann):
Our beloved Don Quixote has returned from an evening of drinking, after telling anyone who would listen about today's great deeds done for his love, Dulcinea. He knows Dulcinea has been captured by demons and trapped inside a music box. Up in his room, he now winds up the music box beside his bed, and falls asleep with the image of the figurine dancing in his dreams.

As the music starts, he is now playing his guitar for the beautiful dancing Dulcinea, who has broken free of the music box. As he plays his guitar, she hears his music and looks for him, dancing closer... until... the music box slows down, and he awakens as the demons return her to the music box, leaving him with the only memory of her music.

Composer's Notes: As always, this started as a melody I couldn't get out of my head, then I wrapped the other instruments around it and began crafting it into shape. Partway through, the above story line came to me, and propelled me to finish this first draft. It feels like a lot more can be done with it, but I'll offer this preview of my first draft for your critiquing. Any thoughts on instrumentation, tempo, mixing, story, etc... all welcomed. Already Magnatone, Anne, and Roxylee helped with early previews... Roxylee suggested that I could do a lot more with my early simple ending. So per her suggestion, I more obviously slowed the music box at the end. Then as a final touch, I added the wisp of the tune as a final waking memory.

Hardware Mac Pro Dual Core Intel Xeon

Software: Harmony Assistant for 6/8 composition, GarageBand (Jampack 4 instruments) for playback.

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magnatone said 213 days ago

Quixotic Dreams
Yeah, FIRSTIES!! This has undergone major improvements since the preview I got a couple of days ago (or was that just yesterday?) Like I told you before, I'm amazed at what you're able to get out of the nylon string guitar on GB. I know you're doing some neat trick to make it sound so plucked, and I also know that's hard to do! I think the mix works very well. I wouldn't mind hearing more instruments- but as you know, I don't know when to stop either, so maybe you shouldn't listen to me.

But I think maybe more instruments coming in, letting it get a little bigger than it ultimately does could further the impact the song already has. That being said, it's fabulous just the way it is. You're so good at the slow build, backing off, starting the build over again. Your skill at that really shines through here.

I love the new ending, so glad I obeyed and listened all the way to the end! Great work drakonis!

drakonis said 212 days ago

Secondsies!
Thank you for previewing and suggesting it is worthy of posting... I really appreciate you taking time to listen to my little ideas here.

I probably over-obsess on trying to get clear instrument sounds (and in the case of the guitar, probably totally MISS the fact that nobody would actually play it this way, since I don't play guitar.) But I'm hoping to assault the many guitarists' ears here enough that they just grab the GB file from me in disgust and say "oh for goodness sakes, gimmie that! THIS is how it should be played!" and record a cool bunch of Spanish-style strumming over it, and then I'll study what they did.

I did try to do some builds, but I think more needs to be done, both with more dynamics, and with more variation and instruments coming/going. Thank you for the ideas, they fit nicely with what I'm thinking about.

The ending is *close* to what I want, but still needs tweaking... perhaps move the haunting repeated melody out a little further so it doesn't tangle with the ending chord as much.

ttfn,
Drakonis

	Feter said 213 days ago
	Quixotic Dreams (first draft) this is way cool Draki ..just fabulous dreamy tune ..havin trouble with the guitar chords .. have you tried harp ?the pianolike tinkling just wonderfull .wil be looking forward to the next draft!! thnx for sharin !!

guitapick said 213 days ago

You're a talented man...
...blows me away that you can do this note by note like that. Really shows that you're hearing it and putting yourself in there. Bravo, drak!

I would offer only one suggestion (well:2), as this is in it's infancy and needs room to grow within you:

1) That ending is perfect. Really, really beautiful. Just as I was thinking that some changes in dynamics and texture would work well, there it was. Maybe you could work a bit more of that sort (or some varient) of change at different points of the piece. Give it a bit more 3 dimensionality.

2) Maybe a subtle melody that weaves in and out of view. Sometimes hiding behind the theme, then coming out and back again. Sustained notes. They'd provide a nice contrast with the staccato.

As I said, though: you know what's best for your li'l one. Very fine work, drak. Looking forward to more.

drakonis said 212 days ago

noted
It's all I know how to do. Now if I had piano lessons, maybe I could pour music into the computer faster.

Ooh, suggestions, yes please! 1. Yes, I wish to go off on a variation tangent in the middle, and as you and Paul Page keep urging me to do, actually try a DEVELOPMENT section... I need to do that. 2. Doh! Yes, I need some sustained notes behind the staccato chords, I actually totally forgot to do that! Maybe I'll have the brass do a sustained counter-melody here and there. Excellent points, thank you! I'm writing all this down for the update.

So Bob, what are you doing next week with your guitar? Got plans? (Evil grin.)

ttfn,
Drakonis

	Dee1962z said 213 days ago
	Quixotic Beautiful drak its gorgous I can just picture it Beautiful carnival spirit in this or flamenco dancing. Wonderful great Job And further more you know I Simply adore your music I bought the CD did I not/ :) Quixotic and Psychotic Rymes. lol Peace Dee xxx

paul f. page said 213 days ago

I like this...
...just the way it is. Um. Is there some left-over material after the little flourish at the end? Sounds like it shouldn't be. You've got this south-of-the-border thing down. Cervantes? Well, maybe; but a Peruvian adventure of some sort for sure. There is such a comfortable feeling here and your use of percussion is really engaging...You are using4 chords, mainly -- not unpleasant... but I hear in my inner ear some pan pipe melody flowering out of the repetition of your pattern that could give this whole thing more breadth. But, of course, you already know I go for melody before just about everything else. I'll bet you could really go somewhere with this and still retain the comfortable, relaxing style you've already created.
Peace.
Paul

drakonis said 212 days ago

type-cast with pan pipes...
Uh oh, I better switch back to Eastern European styles on my next piece, so as not to get stuck forever in the Andes! ;-) Yes, there is intentional left-over artifacts of the melody at the end... however, if you did not read the story that goes with this (since this is programmatic music) it probably doesn't make sense. Which means, since not everyone would read the story, that this music doesn't really stand well on its own... so you make a very good and useful point here. I must think about how to adjust the ending so that it doesn't sound accidental, but more intentional.

I worked a lot on the percussion, lots of little experiments, and I think I like the pattern of the jingle-bells best in this :-) Thank you for noticing!

The Celesta/guitar melody that flows over this might need a little counter-melody, more legato under them... Guitapick suggests that too... I totally forgot to add a countermelody, and agree it is missing! Thank you for picking up on that.

And as for "going somewhere", yes, this is missing any development, and I intend to fill that in. Very helpful pointers and ideas, Paul, as always! I want to thank you again for your help and insight, they are invaluable to me.

ttfn,
Drakonis

	dirigent said 213 days ago
	Quixotic Dreams Wonderful work with the mallet sounds and the guitar. This character goes very well with the imagination of the windmills and a Spanish scenery. Great arrangement full of atmosphere, bravo! Nice postlude ...

	LunaTrick said 213 days ago
	A piece that somehow manages to be quirky yet somewhat dreamy at the same time - a feat! I like the question /answer in different voices - and the alteration in tempo at the end. And sorry Paul - I like the afters - sort of meanders off. But I did want to hear some variety in the main descending progression - ever so slightly though. Very nice piece!

drakonis said 212 days ago

Quirky dreams
YES! This is what I was striving for, especially with the opening raw "walking" melody, glad you picked up on it. Glad you liked the ending idea too. And as for your idea of some more variation in the sequenced melody, yes, I want to have a little more variation within the sequence, but also then launch into a whole development area where I play with the melody and build on it, in a Dvorak-ish folky/orchestral way. Wish me luck, because that is a HUGE endeavor for this dragon-of-such-little-brain. I'm learning slowly about music theory on my own, and hope someday to find out that FUGUE is not a four-letter word. :-)
ttfn,
Drakonis

	WeAreNotPerfekt said 213 days ago
	Nice and charming Really nice and charming piece. Like Magna I am fascinated by the nylon guitarish sound. It is way charming in it's strange way. (Reminds me of the nylon guitar sound in Melody Assistant. Johannes

drakonis said 212 days ago

Haunted by Melody Assistant!
Hehehe, Curry, thank you for listening and putting up with my terrible attempt at trying to mimic a guitar, note by note. Sometimes Henrik (Henke) will chastise my music for sounding like "Melody Assistant", and he is correct when he says this... I learned that it means the music is too exact and "mechanical" sounding (not imprecise and human-played.) In this first draft, I have not blended notes together and "humanized" the writing or playing yet. So I think the guitar (writing and playing) is still too regular, repetitive, and not enough dynamics applied yet. And I need to add my magic touch to the guitar chords to make them strummed like a real guitarist would do (up and down.) Or of course, I could just give it to a master to actually play real guitar over. Let me know if you can think of anyone who might like to play this when I get further along. (big smile.)
ttfn,
Drakonis

mikey_d said 213 days ago

Wow!
Nice track Drak! The mix and instrument sounds are perfect to my ears. Now as you know I'm not the greatest at an actual critique, but I'll give it a try :)

At the beginning you've got the guitar and bells/music box playing off of one another. I liked that and wished it would have gone one more round before the piano came in.

The slowing tempo was good, I thought. I think I would have preferred everything to come back in for 4 or 8 measures then have the ending you've got. I very much like the fade out at the very end, too.

composerclark said 213 days ago

Neat and tidy!
Cool ending! And fun piece! The basic challenge for me in this kind of piece is figuring out how to sustain the listener's interest while the chord progression never changes, and you have done a fine job of this through colour changes (bringing instruments in and out) and some melodic changes.

It doesn't need much more, IMO. If you like to tinker, you could try to build to a bigger climactic moment, then gradually come away from that in an ever-thinning texture (which essentially is how you end).

I would vary the harmonic pattern somewhat too in order to shake up the predictability a bit, and maybe start modifying some of the chords (for starters, adding 7ths), but there's no need to do this, because it's very neat and tidy just the way it is!

drakonis said 212 days ago

Yay Clark!
Always such a rush to have you look over my shoulder here, thank you for your comments!

Usually the way I overcome the challenge of sustaining the listener's interest is to just write a really short piece. :-) There should be a new music genre... "Laconic"

Needless to say, this first draft has no development section yet, but I wish to add one, and work on adding more variation in the repeated bass/chord patterns too... you noted I did *some* of that. Anyway, In the development section I will bring everything to a big climax as you suggest, then relax back toward the ending. I do have a couple of E7 chords in there, but they go by quickly, I may need to modulate into the development section... I hate doing that, it is so hard to do! Then I have to figure out how to get back to my native key. But the practice will be good for me... I can hear you telling me :-) OK OK, I'm on it!
ttfn,
Drakonis

	MarkHolbrook said 213 days ago
	YEAH!!! I'm saved! New fresh music! Awesome Drak! Simply Awesome! 6/8 huh... ok I'm lost already... I've tried to play to that a few times and well... I get lost after a few bars... I agree with one post below... Well actually with most... The intro is so cool... I would swirl that around a little longer before the piano comes in. Thank you so much Drak!

drakonis said 212 days ago

Mark... just for you...
Thank you for being so interested in my musical stuff, and letting me be interested in yours too! We software engineers should start a NerdNote club, maybe call it "Music of the Nerds" :-)

6/8 is much like a waltz, all you need is two left feet (and one right foot), perfect for me!

OK, longer intro (for us insomniacs who don't go to sleep right away)... got it, perfect helpful critique, thank you Mark!

Now it is my turn... tap tap tap... you ready with a new one yet? (smirk)

ttfn,
Drakonis

MarkHolbrook said 211 days ago

You are most welcome!
Drak, your music has been a source of inspiration!

No insomniac here! I listen with peeked ears!

I have been working on three pieces, none of which is worthy of even a remote listen. All are not what I want at this point so sorry... will be a little while. I'm trying really!

I started on a piano ballad that has been pinging in my head for sometime. But what I'm finding is that I don't like my style of piano playing. I'm untaught and when I play it live I enjoy it, but listening to the MIDI playback I find it stunted and very poorly timed.

Unlike Gail60 who seems to have this wonderful flowing piano style, mine is junky, jerky, stunted and feels off time. The funny thing is when I play it live it seems not that way. It's making me wonder if the MIDI capture is not quite perfect somehow. Who knows...

Lots of work to do. Basically I have a ton of cool melodies and ideas in my head but lack the skills and time to get them out into the software. Only one thing to do... Get better!

	davisamerica said 212 days ago
	hello drak right then just a few major nits ... naw.. lol ... some valid suggesstions made by greater than me ... so i will simply say i loved it ... and the ending was pure fun!

Roxylee said 212 days ago

Ahhh. yes...
The ending is perfect now- the slow wake up, the lingering dream traces, just perfect. I've been humming this all day yesterday and this morning, so I can see why you had to develop this guitar melody into a story song. It just had to get out there and dance with the other instruments. Amazingly clear and realistic nylon, and as usual, your impeccable timing and build. It will be interesting to see if this turns into an Emberesque project, with many interpretations. Wonderful composing.:-)

drakonis said 212 days ago

Happy Birthday Treat!
Yay, thank you for previewing this and telling me to work on the ending, it got me thinking about how to finish it, and that was the result.

Sometimes I'll be driving or walking somewhere and invent and start humming some little tune, and it will stick with me for days... that happened here. I could hear the guitar playing it, and had to go home that night and start writing it all down. This is the first step. Glad you like the guitar sound, just the stock GB acoustic guitar, but with some (Harmony Asst.) dynamic markings and some (GB) EQ work.

I never thought of Ember-izing this... I already spoiled it by divulging my own story. But, perhaps, dare I even mention this out loud... it would make a really cool music video? Soooo many projects, so little time.

As always, thank you for your friendship and help.
ttfn,
Drakonis

	chipan said 212 days ago
	mood maker This piece is really good at setting the mood. I can see Don Quixote on a horse or imagining himself on one. Lots of fun and beauty here. Well done! chip

	MidiOrleans said 212 days ago
	Enjoyed! Wonderful Drak. Your music is always enjoyed as I find color & clarity and well recorded. scotty MO

	Motu said 212 days ago
	Great work Love the sound of the bass, all the sounds mix together really well.Very dreamy an story like all in one.

	VicDiesel said 212 days ago
	Poor Sancho Panza He has to carry a whole grand piano with him to play for his master! Good thing that it's only a badly sampled one.... No seriously, this is a fun tune and quite charming, evoking whatever pastoral Iberic mode you were going for.... until that piano comes in. Ditch it. Right now.

drakonis said 208 days ago

Always so correct, Victor
You are right, of course. I was battling with the piano through this whole piece, wanting something to fill in the mid-range, but it is too busy. I need a slower countermelody, but a softer instrument, clarinet or flute (though the flute may interfere with the guitar.) Anyway, you confirmed my concern, and much to Sancho Panza's glee, I have left the piano at the tavern, and I'll be looking for a woodwind player now. Thank you for your emphatic suggestion!
ttfn,
Drakonis

VicDiesel said 208 days ago

Busy busy, as we Bokononists say....
Actually, it's not the business of the piano part as such -- I think I'd tolerate a banjo part of equal business. To me it's the electronicness of the sound, in the middle of the more acoustic sounds. Now, a good sounding grand piano might work with other acoustic instruments, but not this particular piano, hence my comment about it being a "badly sampled" one.

Unless by "busy" you mean another thing that bothers me about the piano: the sound is too dense. It fills up too much of the spectrum.

Looking forward to the next revision.....

	Reinholt56 said 211 days ago
	Hi Drakonis.... Overall I think it is a great little piece. Well constructed and it all seems to fit together very well. One comment though, the first time the pseudo guitar comes in, there is a bird-like chirping that doesn't appear on any other section of this instrument/effect. Take care. Paul

Henke said 211 days ago

Quichotte
was the name of a 1980 Tangerine Dream live recording (also?) released as Pergamon and (I think) most well known in the studio version as Tangram. Only that does not sound at all like your more "latin" sounding Quixote. With your piece I can find myself under a parasol shading the sun with a cold beer in my hand watching the street life and listening to the escapados of the Don himself.

Nice composition, as always, which I am sure you will enhance even further with future versions, maybe even polishing off a teeny bit of the Harmony Assistant tinge ;-)

Thanks for sharing in the process!

/Henke

drakonis said 208 days ago

TD is everywhere...
For some reason, when you said you could imagine yourself holding a "beer" and watching the Don, a bad bi-lingual bit of wordplay suddenly hit me... I heard you saying to the waiter... "Mas Cervantes, por favor!" (uh... instead of "Cervesa"... never mind, it was a bad joke.)

I am madly working on a new version of this, and I am DEFINITELY going to remove the HarmonyAssistant mechanical aspects of it, I now always remember to work on that before I finish a piece, by flowing sections together and working on dynamics and sometimes nudging notes around a bit to sound "human." I appreciate your careful listening and critiques, thank you!
ttfn,
Drakonis

	slumbering said 211 days ago
	Sweet Charming and so spirited! I haven't been to MacJams for a while but wanted to stop by and see what new music you might have. I'm very glad i did!

	Birdman Wayne said 210 days ago
	Great! Now this is truly fantastic work Sir Eduard. The composition is very fine and I'm in love with that guitar sound.... Wonderful by all means! Thanks a lot for sharing.. Take Care - Yeman A. Al-Rawi

	Alannah said 209 days ago
	Riba Riba Babee .... ... you have such a vivid imagination .. I always enjoy how you can wrap more than just a story .. but visions of a history and a future around your tunes .... the imagery is definitely there ....

	gail60 said 208 days ago
	hey stranger! What a wonderful job here. So sorry I am late to the party but looks like I still got a nice surprise! You are just the most creative gentleman I know. I seriously believe that you could take a tin can and make it sound good one way or another. :)You have loads of talent and I always enjoy listening to your music. (Thanks for being you Eduard. That in itself is really awesome.)

	kassia said 207 days ago
	What fun! I love the background story. The music box sound is great and of course the guitar playing is top notch. It's a very fun quixotic little piece. See you at tomorrow's meeting!

	Micheal_Wark said 203 days ago
	There you go Drak... ...tilting at windmills again! Ha ha... Way cool! Has a very ethnic feel. I was wondering though, if you could get eanbardsley to add some authentic Spanish guitar riffs here and there? Not that you don't pull yours off nicely...you DO. But it might add some more texture! Anyway, very nice piece of work Drak. Very nice! Be well!

	drakonis said 203 days ago
	You got it and oh yes, I would love to have somebody come up with a real guitar performance for this (although I would like to extend this some more first, it was just a short sketch for now.) Thank you very much Micheal for seeing what my latest musical folly is, glad it didn't knock you off your horse! ttfn, Drakonis

	Micheal_Wark said 203 days ago
	Off my horse? Off my HIGH horse? Me too...it's a long way down and I have porcelan bones!

Warren Smith said 202 days ago

process
The creative process you write about sounds familiar. I went through similar steps when developing a recent drawing, which started out as a simple scribble (melody), then took on shape and form as color was added, and suddenly a specific title (storyline) manifested itself, which gave it a clear direction. That's always a great point to arrive at when developing an original piece, when clarity overcomes uncertainty.

I like the mix of marimba, music box, piano and guitar and how the music box and guitar trade leads with each other. At times it really feels like they are dancing together.

The ending (the sudden flourish after the winding down, followed by the distant melody) is the only thing not working for me. (I realize I'm in the minority on this - but that's feedback for you.) I think I'd prefer the slow fade ... as the dream dies ... to continue to ... the last ... note ....

drakonis said 202 days ago

the Tao of discovery
I enjoy the journey, and finding how others pick their way through the creative mine field too.

As for the ending, I toyed with a few ideas, and settled on the wisp of melody (after the sudden awakening) lingering faintly in the air... but for a stand-alone piece with less emphasis on the program/story (which people may not have read prior) and my lack of skill at really doing this justice, you may be right that a slow winding down to the last note would be more metaphorical and satisfying... hmmm. Thank you for such specific and useful thoughts/critiques, this is what I love about Macjams, much appreciated, Warren!
ttfn,
Drakonis

	rschletty said 195 days ago
	big music box sound Delicate yet substantive. Has a nice momentum. A Swiss music box on steroids.

	Diviner said 194 days ago
	Really nice esp goes well with the story. Lovely, well composed tune. It sounds simple and yet the harmonies of the different instrument make it quite complex. Sweet track Drak.

	caroline said 190 days ago
	i LOVE this... the tambourines!!! the jingly bits!!! (i said JINGLY ;)) and that twangy guitar - sheesh bluedragon... you are sooooo clever - bravo and more to come yet? wow - big loves xoxoxoxo ps - the bear says hi - maybe someone should record that little story for you - whatcha think?

	Bowman said 188 days ago
	Very nice sounds... and a catchy grove Eduard. Found myself toe taping all the way through. Liked the slow down at the end and your fading finale. Enjoyed! Best, Charlie

drakonis said 188 days ago

heading in to a beautiful weekend
Always a delight to have you listen to my little pieces. I sorta like this one, but wanted to trot this early sketch past Macjams to see if it was worth polishing up... hey, if you're tapping your toes, it's working! I'll wind up the music box again and work on it some more! Thank you for commenting on what works... very helpful, as always!

And don't you know it, as soon as I buy my first wetsuit for this spring, somebody gets eaten by a shark off our coast, sigh... Guess I'll stay inside and write music instead! :-)

ttfn,
Drakonis

	Robert Rayner said 187 days ago
	So Dreamy Loved the music and the story too

	lengold said 186 days ago
	Very catchy melody that is still spinning around my head as I write this. Lovely. Cheers Len

	tutti said 176 days ago
	Hmm Keep working on this.

	LaLa_Divina said 157 days ago
	I am so pleased This is such a unique and great idea -- Latin and Music Box. I am a huge fan of latin music and contrasting those heavy passionate melodies with the magical tinkle of a music box ballerina . . . it just makes my day!

drakonis said 156 days ago

unique, in a way
I'm sure others might see it as a cliche, but at least it is my original music and hopefully an evocative story idea (I don't think anybody has thought of melting Cervantes/Hoffmann together). This was one of those "Ooh, I have an idea for story/music and HAVE to write it down" things, and this is the captured sketch. I hope to revisit this soon and flesh it out into something more substantial.

Thank you for listening and commenting, it's great to hear your thoughts on it. Perhaps this could use some ethereal singing in its final version? :-) It is great to have you here at Macjams... I'm loving your music too!

ttfn,
Drakonis

	LaLa_Divina said 156 days ago
	Listening Again I had to listen again. And I think my favorite part is right in the middle when you pass the melody back and forth between the guitar and music box. Of course I think etheral vocals are a good idea -- vocals are always a good idea ;) Have you ever seen Offenbach's opera the Tales of Hoffmann?

drakonis said 156 days ago

Tales of Hoffmann
Yes, long ago (I might have been 14?) I need to see that again sometime, hasn't played at the San Diego Opera for awhile. I've also read a number of english translations of original Hoffmann stories, intriguing stuff... the original "Nutcracker" (that Tchaikovsky stole the idea for) is a dark tale indeed! I'll do more interplay with the melody between voices in the next version. Thank you for pinpointing the part you liked. More later.... off to lunch for me!
ttfn,
Drakonis

	guygrooves said 140 days ago
	Very nice composition I really enjoyed this one. You are a very talented fellow.

	catsoundspub said 46 days ago
	Sounds great so far... I love the relationship between the melodic instruments, although I do agree that it could possibly build a bit more. Other than that, I think it's beautiful. The song (as a baby) already has the ability to evoke emotion... I just can't wait until it's full grown!

	Enrique Gil said 46 days ago
	Anda hombre! Casta�uelas included! I am amazed on how well the guitar sounds. Which one did you use? Lovely sound. Agree with Roxy that you need to extend the ending a little.

Char said 46 days ago

Have a female voice singing:
Es yo, su Dulcinea.
Debo bailar como los juegos de la m�sica.
Y cuando termina,
Debo volver de nuevo a sus maneras del negro de echada.

It is I , your Dulcinea
I must dance as the music plays.
And when it ends,
I must return back to its pitch black ways

Adi�s, adi�s

Goodbye, goodbye.

or...something like that. I am not too good at Spanish, but I have a friend who is and she could write something.

It was spell-binding. I enjoy your stories in words and music. Thank you.

drakonis said 45 days ago

Ah, there you are...
If there were a female singer in this, it would be wispy-ethereal, since it is a dream. I could definitely imagine opening up a little area where her voice comes in on the Spanish Jasmine breeze... the only thing I would need, would be somebody with a sweet female voice to sing. Dang, where would I find somebody? Any ideas? (hint-n-smirk) I will come back to work on this in a bit, and will send you a note, if you are interested. I would be absolutely delighted if you wished to add to this!
ttfn,
Drakonis

	Char said 45 days ago
	Oh, Hell, yes! Ay, el infierno, sí!

	TracyVosh said 29 days ago
	Blown away I've listened to several of your tracks now and what amazing talent you have! This is wonderful. I look forward to listening to more.

	drakonis said 212 days ago
	Dancing Dee Thank you Dee for listening and commenting on this. I'm glad my music dances in your mind. May it always be a happy place! ttfn, Drakonis

	drakonis said 212 days ago
	Tales of Hoffmann Thank you, Sir, always glad to have you stop by and listen! I'm happy to know that it evokes a Spanish feel. My orchestration still needs help (more variation in the bars for piano and marimba), and a nice big development section to play in, but at least I grabbed this melody and pinned it on the page for now. Now to build on it. ttfn, Drakonis

	drakonis said 212 days ago
	what then? Hey Jack, thank you for listening and suggesting improvements by proxy from others :-) I completely agree, and will work to improve this per those excellent suggestions! And, I'm ecstatic to know you loved the music and ending... makes my week! I appreciate your thoughts a great deal. ttfn, Drakonis

	drakonis said 208 days ago
	imagery So glad to know that this injects the images of humor and beauty. Off to polish my armor some more, and revise and improve.

	drakonis said 208 days ago
	the orchestrator... Hi Scotty, I admire your ability at keeping your orchestrations clear, and that is what I always strive for... glad this stays out of the mud! I've got some great suggestions here to work on, and I will keep your clarity in mind. Thank you for peeking at what I am up to, I always love your music and comments. ttfn, Drakonis

	drakonis said 208 days ago
	I always like a good bottom-end I try to pick my bass carefully, in this case, something strong but acoustic-sounding. Glad you liked the story-music! ttfn, Drakonis

	drakonis said 208 days ago
	Birdsong? Hi Paul, thank you for critiquing... I'll go see what flew into the guitar, and let it out. Perhaps it's the "f" (Forte) marking on the guitar when it first starts, I've lowered the dynamics to "mp" during the intro, hopefully that de-squeaks the guitar. ttfn, Drakonis

	drakonis said 208 days ago
	Always a delight! It is always a wonderful day when you stop by! Thank you for listening to my latest work-in-progress. I know that you usually hang out elsewhere, and I must make a point of returning the favor, and listening to your latest music now too! ttfn, Drakonis

	drakonis said 208 days ago
	You like the guitar? So nice to hear a great guitarist say that... well, I intend to keep the guitar sound then. I am working on some more "strumming" on it, as well as flowing dynamics so that it sounds even more like a real guitarist. Hopefully when I am done with this, you will like it even more. Good to see you again Yeman! ttfn, Drakonis

	drakonis said 208 days ago
	more than voices in my head I have all these stories, and music... mostly little snippets, but sometimes they start melting together into some big inspiration that I have to jot down... this one was doing that to me, practically screaming to get out. There's still a lot of it up there, not done yet. I'm happy you are enjoying the whole experience I'm putting together, Alannah. ttfn, Drakonis

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	drakonis said 195 days ago
	such things as dreams are made of Glad you stopped in to listen to my first pass here, Richard... always good to see you. On the next pass, I hope to maintain the delicate balance without losing the momentum (otherwise I fall off my horse!) ttfn, Drakonis

	drakonis said 194 days ago
	foreshadowing Thank you Keith for letting me know the story fits... the music still has a way to go, but I guess I am on the right track. Sometimes I listen to the piece I'm working on too much and have to let others listen to see if I've just lost my marbles. :-) ttfn, Drakonis

	drakonis said 189 days ago
	OK! The bear likes it! Well then, if you like it too, I'm definitely going to polish it up for a final version! So glad you stopped in to listen to this too, m'lady! From one story-teller to another, I will come up with a good ending! ttfn, Drakonis

	drakonis said 187 days ago
	musical stories Glad you stopped in to listen and comment. Not only does it help me decide to work on this some more, it brought me to discover YOUR song for your daughter (I commented back)! A rather belated welcome to Macjams! ttfn, Drakonis

	drakonis said 140 days ago
	Quixote lives Thank you for listening to some of my music and commenting! Very glad this catches your ear. I appreciate you sampling my works, and I'll be off to do the same for you in a bit! ttfn, Drakonis

	drakonis said 46 days ago
	build it more, and they will listen Great suggestion. When I first jot the melody down and build stuff around it, there's not much lead-up. This has some lead-up, but I will work on sneaking up on it more, not hitting you over the head right away :-) Thank you for the listen and thoughts! Glad you like it, and good luck on your great choral project! ttfn, Drakonis