Tanner Helland (dot) Com» Other

Song: Daybreak

Tanner — Mon, 03 May 2010 12:07:35 +0000

Way back when I first submitted this song to the video game team I was part of when I wrote it, I classified the genre as “Hoe-down…? Jig?! Barnyard dance?!?!”

That about sums it up.

Daybreak is the kind of song I’m glad I wrote, but I’ll never write another song like it. I’ve never been a big country music fan, so writing a fiddle jig was a bit outside my comfort zone.

I think a good summary of this song comes from one of the members of the original game project. After hearing this piece, he commented (slightly edited):

“Hoe down what? I’m not quite sure what square dances in america are like but this reminds me heavily of…well feck knows, but this is something real surprising from Tanner. Damn it’s catchy.

Also, that lead fiddle is real nasty sounding, DAMN. Any way of improving the sound of it would be greatly appreciated.”

Still makes me laugh. :)

On a final note, I got the original idea for this piece – strangely enough – from “Final Answer” by The Calling. I’m fairly certain no one on planet earth could have guessed that connection had I not mentioned it!

(last updated 3 May 2010)

Song: Unknown

Tanner — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 04:56:34 +0000

If you’ve read my explanation/confession/description for “Ominosity“, you’ll know how much I dislike naming songs. I’ve got no inspiration whatsoever for this song’s name, so it will forever exist as “Unknown”. If you can think of a better name, let me know.

This song is a byproduct of boredom in its purest form. Sometimes I find myself in a rut with the direction my composing is going, so I’ll force myself to sit down and arrange whatever comes out of my brain first. I’ve always loved “Hall of the Mountain King,” so I figured I’d slaughter it by converting it into MIDI with a groovy drumbeat and strange background synth instruments.

Grieg would definitely kill me if he heard this.

No offense intended, old buddy. Just trying to get myself out of a rut.

(Thanks for the help.)

BTW, the drums really are sweet on this one.

Song: Tiberian National Anthem

Tanner — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 04:46:31 +0000

Here’s the weird thing – even though you’ve never heard this song before, I guarantee that if you listened to it without hearing the title, you’d associate it with some kind of patriotic event. I don’t know why that is, but it’s a real phenomenon. Music association is a fascinating tangent in the “nature vs. nurture” debate, after all…

Regardless, the ocean sound effect at the start is because Tiberia is located on the ocean (obviously). Unfortunately, MIDI horns comprise most the song, but the mp3 version manages to hold its own.

I once had someone ask me if this song has words. It doesn’t. If you would like write words (so it could be a true national anthem), feel free. ;)

Song: Nevermore (Game Over)

Tanner — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 20:48:17 +0000

Game Over. You lose. Failure. Etc.

Hopefully this song doesn’t make you feel too bad, but it’s not exactly a happy song. It was originally a “game over” theme so I couldn’t make it too gleeful! Some unique instruments (including a celesta and glass bottles) make this a particularly unique one, so enjoy it…

…as much as it’s possible to enjoy a song this depressing. lol.

Song: Clowns

Tanner — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:39:14 +0000

As a “ha ha” (think Nelson Muntz) to music professors everywhere, I wrote “Clowns” – a song that breaks just about every traditional rule for songwriting. I feel the need to say that up front so no one thinks I wrote “Clowns” under the impression it was a harmonically sound piece of music.

Because it’s not. If I have to explain this song to Bach in the next life, I’m in big trouble.

The instrumentation of “Clowns” is completely arbitrary: organ, sawtooth, charang and timpani? Honestly! Parallel fifths and harmonizing errors run amuck (not unlike a good Foo Fighters album, heh)… and yet the song is almost clever. Some may even find it catchy. Personally, the song drives me insane but it fulfilled its role – to prove that music can be written while disobeying all rules of tradition. Sometimes it’s fun to bust out of the traditional mold and throw down something funky like this.

Just don’t hate me if “Clowns” gets stuck in your head for a lot longer than you’d like.