#10 Boogers and Cheese

The Feeling:
       Written in 2006, this was a discovery of the "ahh" choirs in Finale NotePad, consisting of a female line, male line, and midi drumkit.  I wasn't going for much of anything, except that I had just written At A Glance, and that quarter note arpeggio chord idea was still strong.

Inspiration:
        Visual writing, At A Glance

Technical:
        This song builds a foundation from the first two spread out chords that happen in the bass line.  The top line running 8th notes outline the chord, alternating down to the root.  Each "subsection" repeats and a new top line idea was created with a new idea for the drums.

       The song really didn't have a direction to begin with, so it really didn't have a logical ending at the time, just a throw of chords and patterns that sounded awesome.  If anyone wants me to pick it back up and finish it...I might be able to get into that mindset again.  I don't know though, nothing will be able to touch the classic feel of the original now...every new idea is automatically inferior. :D

#9 Fandnamis

The Feeling:
       "Fandnamis"...a term I coined to mean greatest work to date, analogous to a Magnum Opus.  This was created in Jan 2007, on a very old desktop computer stashed in the basement using Finale notepad, while sitting on an upside down white wicker basket.  Very inspirational...

Inspiration:
       The goal was to write the longest song I could create, achieved by stringing together practically every idea that I came up within that time frame.  Inspirations probably include:
Kansas: Magnum Opus, Dream Theater: Octavarium/In the Name of God, The Offspring: The Kids Aren't Alright, Boston: Get Organized, KaW: Euphoria

Technical:
       This song can only be explain by it's immense number of time signature, tempo, and key changes.  So here they all are in their respective sections (which match the changing pictures)

Intro (0:00-0:10) 86bpm Ebm
15/8
2/4  2/4  7/8

Section I: Harpsichord (0:10-0:54) 86bpm Fm
4/4  7/8  4/4  4/4
4/4  7/8  4/4  4/4
4/4  7/8  4/4  4/4
4/4  7/8  4/4  9/8

Transistion A (0:54-1:01) 140bpm Fm growing sharper to Bm
7/8  7/8  7/8  7/8  9/8

Section II: Prednamis (1:01-1:13) 140bpm Bm
4/4  4/4  4/4  4/4
4/4  4/4  4/4  4/4

Transistion B (1:13-1:27) 140bpm Bm
4/4  4/4  4/4  4/4
4/4  7/8  2/4  2/4

Section III: Fast 15/8 (1:27-1:41) 160bpm Am
15/8  15/8  15/8  15/8  15/8

Section IV: Slower Cm (1:41-2:04) 144bpm Cm
part i: soloish
4/4  4/4  4/4  4/4  4/4
part ii: 5/4 dual
5/4  5/4  5/4  5/4
part iii: solo build
5/4  5/4  6/4

Break: Passing Chords/Bass Solo (2:04-2:21) 144bpm, 110bpm Bm
part i: passing chords 144bpm
4/4  4/4  4/4  5/8
part ii: bass solo 110bpm
4/4  15/8  17/8

Section V: PTN end (2:21-2:38) 110bpm Bm
4/4  4/4  4/4  4/4
4/4  4/4  4/4  4/4

Section VI: Harpsichord Solo (2:38-3:00) 110bpm Em moving flatter to Bbm
11/8
3/8  3/8  3/8  10/16
4/4  3/4
4/4  11/16
9/8  9/8  4/4

Section VII: Rev Verse (3:00-3:29) 110bpm Bbm
4/4  9/8  4/4  9/8
4/4  9/8  4/4  9/8
4/4  9/8  4/4  25/16

Drum Solo (3:29-3:36) 145bpm Key of Drums
4/4  4/4  4/4  4/4  5/8

Section VIII: Only A Matter Of Time (3:36-3:59) 145bpm C#m
*quick side note: this section is called OAMOT because it bears resemblance to the Dream Theater song of the same name off of When Dream and Day Unite, yet I had not ever heard that song when I wrote this)
4/4  4/4  4/4  4/4
4/4  4/4  4/4  4/4
4/4  4/4  4/4  4/4
7/8  4/4

Section IX: Slot 11 United Theme (3:59-5:08) 110bpm Ebm
*created earlier on Boss loop station with many layers (all built up here), saved into slot #11
7/4
4/4  4/4  4/4  4/4
4/4  4/4  4/4  4/4
4/4  4/4  4/4  4/4
4/4  4/4  4/4  4/4
4/4  4/4  4/4  4/4
4/4  4/4  4/4  6/4
4/4  4/4  4/4  4/4  4/4

#8 Helm

The Feeling:
        Written in 2006, this was yet another Fm experiment, this time trying out as many chords as possible where two of the notes were only 1 whole step apart, while also sliding the key around for darker effects.  Dark and gorgeous with drive was probably the goal.

Inspiration:
        Music we played in CYSO (I was playing string bass before I really switched to guitar).  I brought this piece in for all of us to play once.  It...went ok, I suppose, but I did manage to lose the extra copy of the second violin part and ultimately lost the Finale file in the great laptop crash.  For this version, it was recalled as best as possible from memory :(

Technical:
       Starting with a Dn in the basses (signaling EbM), it quickly dives into flatter keys in the next few measures with the cellos bringing Db's and even Cb's.  The key hits Fm when the 2nd violins enter as they try out their dissonant chords with Db and Eb pushed together unmercifully (which sounded nice and surprised me at the time).  Following is the running 16ths of the first violins which permeates the rest of the song.

       0:40 starts a different feel with the idea of very close notes (in pitch) alternating between the 1st and 2nd violins on and off the beat.  After messing with this, the running 16th notes pattern returns to an epic buildup over the rest of the song.  I like some of the chromatic scales that worked here with Gb, right into Gn to make an EbM chord, moving up to Ab to take it into Fm again.  And of course in Octavarium style, end with the beginning and have the basses close it out.

#7 At A Glance

The Feeling:
       Another oldie written way back in 2005, this was another Finale experiment in Fm to pull some gorgeousness

Inspiration:
       Not directly to any song, mostly visual freewriting

Technical:
       After writing the first two chords stepping through by quarter notes, I put in the bottom line to double the chord roots on the halves, and wrote the top line to make sure each note was within the chord (I still thought it heresy back then to have intervals out of the given underlying chord).

        The 2nd section, as I would call it, has just the middle line running 8th note arpeggios all starting on F and trying different chord or note combinations.  Top and bottom lines were added to this odd progression of chords to match where it eventually opens up into the 3rd section where all of the voices enter.

#6 Jot 12

The Feeling:
       This was written back in 2006 as a way to break the barrier with odd time signatures, while keeping it flowing and moving.  The drums were just added for extra kick.

Inspiration:
        I know I wanted to use Fm for the key, was and still is my favorite.  No direct inspirations here, this was mainly visual writing with a violin and cello track in Finale NotePad.  This certainly sounds better than the midi version I've listened to for so long...

Technical:
       The time of choice here was 13/8, with a 3+3+3+2+2 rhythm pattern, the bass accenting this, and the top just running a constant string of 8th notes.  One of my favorite moments early on is the first 14/8 at 0:15, where after the middle voice has just held a Db, the top dips to a Dn (natural) for one note before scooping up to the 4 Ebs in a row before the next measure with another F.  It creates a pretty nice sweeping scale.

       It's also neat to me when the odd time sigs break for two measures of 4/4 where the bass just holds a long, low Bb and the top builds up and up before hitting the high note C5 right as the low takes a quick dive to the low F0, pulling back into the 13/8 original feel.  Then the ending breaks back into 4/4 for power's sake and ends the song back on the tonic Fm.

       All drums were visually written, but mostly ideas heard in my head first.  I love the three cymbal crash types at 0:26 that ended up serving a pattern throughout.  Large crash...small crash...CHINAAAAAA!!... repeat.  Man...totally unexpected, but awesome.

#5 Large Orch

The Feeling:
       Still in the mood of writing movie soundtrack ideas, this is transitioning back and forth from the choppy bits to long drawn out chorded sections

Inspiration:
       Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack (woohoo cello solo!), The Bells of Notre Dame

Technical:
       The choppy was the first idea and in my head that note was an A, and so it was.  To give a foreboding feeling, I surrounded that A with close neighbors Bb and G for some awesome dissonance.  The jumps to high notes I head in my head and tabbed out as so.  To make matters progressive, there's a small 3/8 leading into the first big chord section to finish the scale that had developed and push into the first large Dm chord.

       All the following chords are total experimentation with a personal favorite: trusty, algorithmic, visual writing in the Cubase midi editor, looking for progressions to throw in or steps that work out nicely.  In these, I'd hear a quick 4 note theme sequence in my head and give it to the top middle or bottom line, then write the chords around it, not really telling the listener when they switch, or when two happen at once (sneaky).

       The piratey cello disturbed the running A notes further, throwing more close neighbors, while always returning to D for the assurance of Dm.  It dares to step into much flatter Cm for a bit, returning before the next large set of chordal experiments...which are sweet.

#4 Main Theme

The Feeling:
       The buildup into the title of a dark movie, followed by some background soundtrack.  Part of a trio with Completely Ominous and Sad Dark n Sweet below to write for the score of a potential post apocalyptic movie.


Inspiration:
       It always comes back to Linkin Park's papercut or Ozzy's crazy train with a riff like this, but I wanted to keep the C#m from the previous songs and this idea came to me as is, the rest just developed on itself.


Technical:
       Papercut and Crazy Train use the root of the key with the 4th, 5th, and minor 6th on top to create the riff, constant running 8th notes and alternating between the root and upper notes.  In here, the root is on top, flipping down to the other intervals, which make their way back up to the root in pitch.  The last 5/8 measure of the phrase was manually constructed (meaning visually done in Guitar Pro with many playbacks and small edits), knowing I wanted something progressive there with an odd time.

       The piano underneath puts a dark strength off of the 1st beat while the quieter strings in the back keep on beat atmosphere.  The speed up came from nowhere and was recorded immediately, then redone with distortion...after which the 7/4 low jam, also improvised first shot, was laid in with the new doubled tempo.  Once the energy was spread out from the heavy section, it cools into a keyboard representation of what the guitar was doing just earlier, keeping with the creepy.  All guitar was done with an Agile 8 String tuned down a 1/2 step.

#3 Absolutely Ominous

The Feeling:
       Going for the creepiest thing I could write

Inspiration:
       VHDBL soundtrack, use of newly created "Dark Strings" custom instrument in Cubase

Technical:
       Actually trying out this "computer keyboard as a pseudo midi keyboard" thing, which works well, but takes practice which I didn't bother with.  Top line done in a single take, focusing around C#m with notes half and whole steps apart branching of and walking along with no set tempo or time.

       Then the bottom piano was added in cementing in your mind that this will remain C#m regardless of the weird accidentals on the top line, also adding an almost consistent, pulsing, pushing feel to the song, like creepy slow dragging a leg walking.  Then the drum parts with alternation of the rim shot sound and bass drum with occasional tom runs was all done in one shot with the not so fancy keyboard.  Reverb like crazy and you have a creepy song.

#2 Sad Dark n Sweet

The Feeling:
       Title says it all.

Inspiration:
       Chord experiment, VHDBL soundtrack

Technical:
       This came together in Cubase 5 solely on the idea of taking an inverted FM (my notation for F major), down to Dm (minor), where that low D would just plow through with its mighty D-ness.  The following CM and Em walked the key into sharps territory, paving a nice chromatic scale (C,B,Bb) back to the staring FM.

       The top keyboard gave a daring Bb to the 3rd CM chord, making a creepier push into the top B for the Em.  As it repeats, a mid line emerges for harmonies, followed by the bass outlining the chords in arpeggios.

#1 MUSI 3450B hw4

       Well...here goes a first try for format.  And if blogger only wants video files, then videos it'll be!  Leaves room for interesting future posts...

       This was created during a music class here at Georgia Tech (the class, true to Tech style, heavily digital signal processing based, with a dash of freewriting thrown in...).  Created in Reason with only drum sound and a synth lead.