Return Of The Dead King - EricMilligan

28th Nov 2017 15:45 - 8 years ago
Description : And now for something completely different. This is a very short cinematic piece. It started out as my attempt to make something that sounded like Enya, but I never quite got there. Actually, I never even got close. Enya apparently used many, many layered tracks particularly for her vocals.

Anyway, for this short piece visualize the following scene: This is a kind of Lord of the Rings scene. The battle is over. The king was killed, but his army was victorious. Heartbroken, unable to take joy in their victory, they sail back with his body to the Kingdom. Your perspective is that of a citizen standing on the banks of the water as the King's cortege slowly goes by.

The king lies in state, draped with a red and gold robe, on a wooden platform on a barge rowed by his victorious, but exhausted warriors. The first thing you hear is the approaching sound of the rowing, then the funeral theme comes in, then as the funeral barge passes you, the rowing sound is what you hear, slowly fading away as the barge continues on its way.

Comments (13)

If you have time take a listen and give EricMilligan some feedback.

Centrist
Centrist 15th Sep 2020 10:56 - 6 years ago
Hey Eric, thought I would pop by and return the favor. What you have arranged here is brilliant, the instruments you chose are great, I think the articulation of the vsti's you're using could be tweaked some to produce a much more organic sound and give you that really "sad" flow I think you might have been looking for. I think one of the biggest flaws with 99% of string vsti's is how they sound when played in close repetition without sounding synthy, that can be covered a little bit by reducing the amount of attack when each note is played, possibly quieting the strings down and layering the theme of your track with some horns with added reverb to give you that dreamy feel.

You did a great job though, brother. Keep at it!!
KooLKYLE
KooLKYLE 28th Apr 2019 07:16 - 7 years ago
thats really good i agree with bradosanz could easily imagine this in the witcher 3 and many other games
FullCapicityMuzic
FullCapicityMuzic 5th Mar 2019 15:36 - 7 years ago
Ugh! I shouldn't have read that description. Lol It's really sad. I really love this and your narrative puts it all in perspective. Great work. That voice crying out at 1:42..mwahh, so perfectly placed. Loved everything about this!
EricMilligan
EricMilligan replied 5th Mar 2019 - 7 years ago
Thanks, Patricia. It's nice to try different genres. I like all kinds of music. Sometimes I wonder if I'd do better if I just focused on learning how to do one kind really well. But, I'm just not that disciplined I guess! :)
BlancFroid
BlancFroid 27th Feb 2018 16:16 - 8 years ago
Wonderful piece here - well done.
EricMilligan
EricMilligan replied 27th Feb 2018 - 8 years ago
Thanks, man. I'm all over the place with the stuff I do. Never know what's going to come out next. Maybe an opera? :)
neuromancer56
neuromancer56 22nd Dec 2017 00:08 - 8 years ago
Sorry, I didn't realize it was Amazon that is doing LOTR TV series. https://seekingalpha.com/article/4133034-amazon-willing-risk-much-lord-rings-tv-series
EricMilligan
EricMilligan replied 1st Feb 2018 - 8 years ago
Thanks for the link. I wasn't aware of ANYBODY doing a LOTR TV series, so this is potentially very good news.
theHumps
theHumps 21st Dec 2017 11:48 - 8 years ago
Well crafted piece of music, your description helped to set the scene as a listener. It has highs and lows as far as emotion goes. The vocal pad or samples that you used added just the right touch, not too much just the right amount. Nice job putting this together!

Wayne
EricMilligan
EricMilligan replied 1st Feb 2018 - 8 years ago
Thanks, Wayne. Sorry for the delay in responding to you comment. Haven't been on for a while. (Working on a new track that proved to be a bit more of a challenge than I was expecting.) :)
DijamMusic
DijamMusic 10th Dec 2017 01:59 - 8 years ago
Hello Eric,
Mate, this is an epic production.
you really nailed the situation you described. I like the mix of emotional and the light/higher sounds and the way your composition conveys the sadness. A big well done to you mate.
This is an easy Fav’s for me.
Jamid
EricMilligan
EricMilligan replied 21st Dec 2017 - 8 years ago
Hi, Jamie! Nice to hear from you! I definitely felt the emotion as I was constructing this track. I guess "constructing" is a strange word to use, but as you well know there's a lot that goes in to developing a decent composition. I had no idea, when I first started out trying my hand at EDM, how complicated and detailed it would be. Doing cinematic pieces is no different. Actually, a bit harder I think because I really have no idea how to properly develop an orchestration/arrangement for this kind of music. I know I should be playing in each part (first violin, second violins, cellos, basses, etc.) separately in their own tracks in the project. Sometimes I've done that but it is a whole lot more work! :).

Anyway, thanks again for the encouragement.

Eric
Kargalar
Kargalar 9th Dec 2017 21:55 - 8 years ago
While the name "return of the dead king" kinda gives me the chills hehe , musically this is taken from an actual movie, i mean, it could start playing in any epic like flik and it totally would fit perfectly. Also, that desription ! man, are you some multi-talented person or something ? hehe, very clear and easy to follow ! Im way far from this type of music, but i can see the huge quality work. You rock Eric !
EricMilligan
EricMilligan replied 21st Dec 2017 - 8 years ago
Hello, Kargalar! Thanks so much for the positive feedback on this track. It's nice to hear that the music seemed to fit the scenario I set out. No, not multi-talented. Am a lawyer by training. Most of what I write in my day job is pretty boring. Music is my escape from the mundane world. Always has been.

Take care.

Eric
BeatMaker4real
BeatMaker4real 9th Dec 2017 16:42 - 8 years ago
I totally agree with what Danke just posted..Your description put me in the scene, the music made me see it...this was outstanding.
EricMilligan
EricMilligan replied 21st Dec 2017 - 8 years ago
Thanks for the vote of confidence, BeatMaker! The scenario actually started to emerge for me after the music was pretty well advanced. That's the opposite of how it would work if somebody was composing music to work with a film, I guess. It has just occurred to me, after reading you comment, that some time I should try to compose something to go with a scene that has already been filmed. Might find something on Youtube. A challenge! :)
neuromancer56
neuromancer56 9th Dec 2017 15:14 - 8 years ago
Very nice evocative track. I can definitely feel the LOTR vibe. Maybe you can get them to use it on the new Netflix LOTR series?
EricMilligan
EricMilligan replied 21st Dec 2017 - 8 years ago
Hi, Neuromancer. I'm happy to hear that the track connected with you. What Netflix LOTR series? Have I missed something?

Eric
Nodog
Nodog 9th Dec 2017 09:26 - 8 years ago
Hey Eric that is interesting regarding the track layering on the Enya vocals it is a very dark art to me dealing with vocals in general and in collaborating with others to integrate vocals into a mix. This is a very cinematic track fits perfectly into the scenario you have outlined. Thanks for sharing best regards Robbie.
EricMilligan
EricMilligan replied 21st Dec 2017 - 8 years ago
Hi, Robbie. Yeah. Vocals are definitely still a dark art for me as well. I'm glad to hear that you thought the track fit the scenario. I suspect I've actually seen that scene in a movie some time, some place.

Well, got that cinematic thing out my system for a while. Working on a pop/R&B track right now. Need Luther Vandross to sing on it, though. Or George Michael. Or Sam Cooke. Or Roy Orbison. Some things just will never happen. :(

Eric
BradoSanz
BradoSanz 28th Nov 2017 17:52 - 8 years ago
Yo Eric! It has been a VERY long time since I've seen you grace the LM scene. This song really does tell a story! I could totally imagine it being the backing track to a scene in my favorite game, Witcher 3!

Brado
EricMilligan
EricMilligan replied 28th Nov 2017 - 8 years ago
Hi, Brado. Yes, I've been on LM less frequently in the past while, that true. I did post another track recently, another 80's recreation. So, perhaps I'm on a roll! :)

I just read that Witcher 3 had some seriously good musicians involved in its production, including the Brandenburg State Orchestra That's a very high compliment.

Thanks again.

Eric
Danke
Danke 28th Nov 2017 15:56 - 8 years ago
This is truly an outstanding production Eric

could be used in any professional movie for soundtrack without shame...

standing ovation, Danke
EricMilligan
EricMilligan replied 28th Nov 2017 - 8 years ago
Thank-you, Danke. I do appreciate the kind words of support. Was just going through my many unfinished tracks to find a potential collab candidate for Looperman member ChadJ and re-discovered this one. Figured it was worth posting.

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