I took an anon's advice and extended the string section despite kind of not wanting to go through the effort of shifting everything, and I'm glad I did because I'm happy with it. It maybe needs some more mid layers, I don't know.

I'm still not 100% sure on the intro. On paper I like the idea of a slowly building augmented chord (it's a C(b6) chord I think?), to build suspense as the ship flies through space before the brass section (Mars finally comes into view from inside the cockpit), but it needs some work or it needs to be redone. What do you think? Either I could layer some brass halfway through that part so it doesn't end up sounding too empty by the end, or maybe replace it with an organ? But then it feels like I'm just ripping off Interstellar, and the rest of the track is already ripping off Gustav Holst - Mars lol.

And yes, I've come up with an autistic story behind the piece. I plan to write an entire movie in my head but only using the soundtrack because I can't actually make the film.

https://voca.ro/1bbUwP6Q2Lch

https://voca.ro/1o6nG0AYswpj

Main structure is pretty much done but I'm wondering if I should extend the strings section at 1:10? I'd just been making it as I go so I didn't really have any set plan for each section going in, but I don't know what sounds right. Also, what could I do improve 1:35 - 1:55? Sounds kinda empty to me, but I don't want to fill that part too much.

>>126781188
It sounds fine to me, it just comes off as very amateurish. I don't know where you're at in terms of experience, but if you're a few months in then I would say that's a good start. You already have an ear for what sounds right and wrong. Personally, I can't hear any deviation to another key, but maybe that's just me. Just keep listening to lots of music and practicing. And like the other anon said - keys are just a tonal guide. You can use any notes you like, all that matters at the end of the day is that your music sounds good.