I cannot wait to get back to university and get started on new projects and assignments! Admittedly, it is quite difficult balancing job and university but the university work is fun so it is not really a chore to slave away every evening and weekend at my studies.
Here's to hoping the second term is as exciting and stimulating as the first!
Saturday, 7 January 2012
Thursday, 5 January 2012
12 tone jazz
Dave set us a tricky little project: Compose a piece that is 12 tone jazz (or serialist jazz)
I listened to the works of David Mack for inspiration and after a few listens I felt that the project was not in fact as daunting as I first thought it would be.
I started with a serialist bass line (all 12 notes of the scale are played before any note is repeated - this renders the music "key-less") and then added a swung beat, playing the drums with brushes. The melodies are played by piano, trombone section and a jazz organ which dip in and out of the piece and then there is a tutti at the end before the piece climaxes with a suspension chord.
The hardest part of this piece, for me, was creating an authentic drum track. There are sections where the drums are almost doing a solo and this took a long time to get just right. I am, however, happy with the final result!
I listened to the works of David Mack for inspiration and after a few listens I felt that the project was not in fact as daunting as I first thought it would be.
I started with a serialist bass line (all 12 notes of the scale are played before any note is repeated - this renders the music "key-less") and then added a swung beat, playing the drums with brushes. The melodies are played by piano, trombone section and a jazz organ which dip in and out of the piece and then there is a tutti at the end before the piece climaxes with a suspension chord.
The hardest part of this piece, for me, was creating an authentic drum track. There are sections where the drums are almost doing a solo and this took a long time to get just right. I am, however, happy with the final result!
Wednesday, 4 January 2012
Happy Birger!
Birger finally set us a "happy" scene to score just before we broke up for christmas. It makes a refreshing change from the morbid scenes we have had to score over the past term!
As always, my first instinct was to look straight at the orchestra and start playing with ideas. Strings are typically the happiest sounding section so I started there. After a short while of experimenting with the strings I realised that it just was not quite right for the scene. I decided that, being a modern film, it needed perhaps more contemporary instruments; so I started playing with an acoustic guitar...
This sounded perfect and I have now got a simple romantic melody that is picked by an acoustic guitar. Underneath there is a simple string section that plays swelling chords and a piano that subtly doubles the melody in places. I tried many times to expand the texture and take the music to new places but have eventually settled on "less is more." The scene does not call for a large ensemble and the intimacy between the couple is reflected in the simple, yet beautiful score.
As always, my first instinct was to look straight at the orchestra and start playing with ideas. Strings are typically the happiest sounding section so I started there. After a short while of experimenting with the strings I realised that it just was not quite right for the scene. I decided that, being a modern film, it needed perhaps more contemporary instruments; so I started playing with an acoustic guitar...
This sounded perfect and I have now got a simple romantic melody that is picked by an acoustic guitar. Underneath there is a simple string section that plays swelling chords and a piano that subtly doubles the melody in places. I tried many times to expand the texture and take the music to new places but have eventually settled on "less is more." The scene does not call for a large ensemble and the intimacy between the couple is reflected in the simple, yet beautiful score.
Monday, 2 January 2012
Christmas Break
So it's been a few days since I have had access to a computer and now I have a lot of blogging to catch up on!
Christmas was wonderful, as aforementioned I got a mic and a portable recorder already, and from my dear parents I got "Auralia 4"- an ear training software by Sibelius. I have been playing with it all evening and really hope that it improves my listening ability!
Whilst at home I could not do much in the way of music but I did enjoy playing on my dad's guitar (I can't remember the make, but it's a darn fine electro-acoustic) and came up with a few ideas for songs. I love picking up a new instrument, getting a feel for it and working with whatever ideas leap into your head that are drawn from the personality of the instrument. The problem is that they don't sound quite as good on my guitar! Oh well.
Absolutely loved listening to all the classic christmas songs on radio and tv! No matter how many christmases go by I will never ever cease to enjoy The Pogues, Chris Rea, Wizard, and all the other wonderful people that made christmas so musical! One day I will write a hit christmas song and be set for life due to consistent airplay from December 1st...
I shall continue to catch up with my absent blogging tomorrow. For now, I am tired and have to get up at stupid o clock in the morning so Goodnight.
Christmas was wonderful, as aforementioned I got a mic and a portable recorder already, and from my dear parents I got "Auralia 4"- an ear training software by Sibelius. I have been playing with it all evening and really hope that it improves my listening ability!
Whilst at home I could not do much in the way of music but I did enjoy playing on my dad's guitar (I can't remember the make, but it's a darn fine electro-acoustic) and came up with a few ideas for songs. I love picking up a new instrument, getting a feel for it and working with whatever ideas leap into your head that are drawn from the personality of the instrument. The problem is that they don't sound quite as good on my guitar! Oh well.
Absolutely loved listening to all the classic christmas songs on radio and tv! No matter how many christmases go by I will never ever cease to enjoy The Pogues, Chris Rea, Wizard, and all the other wonderful people that made christmas so musical! One day I will write a hit christmas song and be set for life due to consistent airplay from December 1st...
I shall continue to catch up with my absent blogging tomorrow. For now, I am tired and have to get up at stupid o clock in the morning so Goodnight.
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Rock of Ages
Saw Rock of Ages last night at the Shaftsbury Theatre... it was amazing!!!! I cannot tell enough people how incredible it was! You do not even need to love 80s rock to enjoy it (although I happen to love it) and I am definitely going again!
I left the show with that feeling of inspiration you get after experiencing a fantastic music experience and now I want to pick up my guitar again and take a short break from orchestral film scoring and just rock out! The best part about it was that they had a live band on stage playing everything, they were amazing! And to top it off, it was brilliantly funny as well! Basically my review for this fabulous musical is *****
(that is 5 stars, I was not swearing)
So I shall continue to rave about Rock of Ages until everybody has seen it!
Merry Christmas
I left the show with that feeling of inspiration you get after experiencing a fantastic music experience and now I want to pick up my guitar again and take a short break from orchestral film scoring and just rock out! The best part about it was that they had a live band on stage playing everything, they were amazing! And to top it off, it was brilliantly funny as well! Basically my review for this fabulous musical is *****
(that is 5 stars, I was not swearing)
So I shall continue to rave about Rock of Ages until everybody has seen it!
Merry Christmas
new song
wrote a fantastic (in my opinion) new song the other night, looking forward to getting a free couple of hours to properly record it in logic. Probably won't have time until after Christmas but we'll see. I want to quit my job! I have hardly any time for music anymore it seems! If only one could live without money!
I got a rather wonderful new Rode NT1a microphone for Christmas (bit early I know) from Sam's family. I cannot wait to start using it! I think people will be driven mad! Sam also got me a Zoom portable recorder; the exact same one, in fact, that I borrowed recently from Chris to do my sounds for Intruders. I am absolutely over the moon! Armed with this device I am dangerous!
It is going to be a very good Christmas!
I got a rather wonderful new Rode NT1a microphone for Christmas (bit early I know) from Sam's family. I cannot wait to start using it! I think people will be driven mad! Sam also got me a Zoom portable recorder; the exact same one, in fact, that I borrowed recently from Chris to do my sounds for Intruders. I am absolutely over the moon! Armed with this device I am dangerous!
It is going to be a very good Christmas!
Monday, 19 December 2011
Researching Composers
The other day I was feeling curious about the backgrounds of a few prominent film composers and wanted to find out certain things about them such as: where they studied, who they studied under, how old they were when they made their first successful filmscore.
It was comforting to find out that the majority were not widely recognised until they were at least 30 years old, there is plenty of time for me yet! However, the tutors that composers like James Horner had (Jerry Goldsmith) were amazing so I need to start networking and wheedle my way into an apprenticeship with a prominent composer!
Also, when I manage to get the funds together I would like to attend one of the big American composition universities or even the national film institute in England (I think it is in Bedfordshire) that Birger attended.
It was comforting to find out that the majority were not widely recognised until they were at least 30 years old, there is plenty of time for me yet! However, the tutors that composers like James Horner had (Jerry Goldsmith) were amazing so I need to start networking and wheedle my way into an apprenticeship with a prominent composer!
Also, when I manage to get the funds together I would like to attend one of the big American composition universities or even the national film institute in England (I think it is in Bedfordshire) that Birger attended.
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