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Base theme by DesignModo & ported to Powered by Vanilla by Chris Ireland, modified by the "theFB" team.
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I studied piano, classical, through all the grades (Mum was a music teacher) from about 6 upto age 14. Then I decided pianos were too girly and I needed to play a guitar to get the girls!
Got into synths too (in a band as a teenager for many years), but tbh I was more into the noises they could make, rather than the actual music.We had some cracking kit for a bunch of teenagers too, as we all worked our asses off in Saturday, evenings, weekend jobs. We even had a Minimoog at one point, as well as a DX27, Korg Poly6, Poly 800, Roland SH101, drum machines, and never mind the PA and amps! Loads of gear I'd love to have now tbh (WEM copycat !)
It was at this point I started to forget all the musical stuff I'd learnt tbh. If it didn't make a big massive rawkin noise, I wasn't fussed. This means that whilst I can read music, I am slow reading for anything apart from the piano. There's a step needed to convert from 88 keys to 6 strings.
I was raised on classical music, my Mum had it on the go all the time, so if you'd asked me age 13 how a fugue works, or a minuet etc, I'd have had no problem. Not the case now! Whilst I may be able to tell you if a piece is Baroque, Romantic, maybe even the composer (at a stretch), beyond that I'm clutching at history and vague memories!!
So, this sort of stuff is a real shot in the arm and is making me wish I'd kept up with the theory.
Whereas my baby bro did a degree in jazz and then went to Berklee to do his postgrad in composition, now that boy can play.....(piano).
I studied music at Goldsmiths London
I was the only non-classical musician in our tutor group..
all the others were members of various conservatoires etc... cello, oboe etc....
for a quite some time they'd only talk amongst themselves.. the headbanger was a bit of an outcast..
that was until one day we had to write a short fugue.. teach said that I was the only one that not only followed all the rules, but the piece was musical, pleasant to listen to and pretty authentic to 18th century German style..
hahaaaa.... victory ! ! !
after then, the peeps started talking to the goon with the Strat.. especially when it came to counterpoint and composition..
I learnt so much about composition that I use what I learned all the time..
not only in my trailer works, but also in my regular song writing
Friend of ours did fine art at Goldsmiths. I can imagine you must have been a little "different" to the majority.
For me, the whole field of theory and composition is something that fascinates me, but frustrates me a little as its something I know if I'd not let go, i'd have enjoyed. WHeareas now, when I have the fascination and will, I don't have the bleeding time. Couple that with trying to get better as a player, still trying to learn the banjo, and get better on bass, learn my DAW and VSTs more, hey, its a lot to do!!
All good though,
So, for now, I will focus on following some of your composition suggestions, and write another.
Its on Spotify, but is hard to track down on YT
thing to remember is...
theory is not a means to an end..
the reason my piece was musical and got praise, whereas the others did not despite being technically correct..
is cos they simply completed the task as a technical exercise..
I always compose from intuition and musical instinct first..
so.. I wrote a piece of music that I thought sounded nice and felt right for the period
I used the rules to guide it's harmonisation and structure..
the rules will always allow for multiple possibilities..
your sense of art and creativity chooses those possibilities that feel right..
music is art first and foremost..
the science / math side of it simply explains / justifies your choices..
and that's what the other folks missed
they let the tail wag the dog
nice piece though.. very moody..
be careful with that reverb because it's very long and very strong to the point where it's burying the music at times..
long reverbs can be very nice and make beautiful effects
but maybe having the reverb a little less strong..
or maybe try eq'ing the reverb so it's a little less strong in the lows to allow more space for the music
@clarky - how am I getting on? Hmm, well, err, I've done naff all!
In my defence, we are in the middle of doing a house up, and selling this one, so its a bit frantic. My spare time is being spent shopping for stuff and co-ordinating builders etc. And crying at the bills!!!
Once we've moved, I will have a new recording setup - a better space, more privacy and a new PC with fresh install. I will also have all umpteen of my guitars out of storage and to hand in racks. Hopefully the clean new install and space will inspire me. Its more a question of time, not will.
and based on my last chat with him, I have another 5 to deliver in the style of "Fantasy Warfare"
these should be fun... crashing and banging and shouty
do you have anything you've done without guitars?
if so it'll be cool to check it out..