Music
Song: A Memory Away
As soon as I wrote this song, I realized it would be a perfect female character theme for the lead character of Defiance, one of the story premises discussed by the video game team I was working with at the time. The protagonist of the story was a girl named Cara, who I see being comparable to the main character in “Underworld” (if you haven’t seen the movie, you should – it’s good). Cara was a strong, action-oriented girl who ends up falling in love with a man she thought she was saving. Thus the song is a mix of electric guitar and other rock instruments but with a very mellow melody…
Song: Faith
Technically, I don’t know where this fits musically; the main melody isn’t even a melody – it’s a simple chord progression. The 2nd section is a 4-part harmony (even correctly harmonized for the most part), and the final section is distinctly modern. The instrument mix is all over the place but was designed to be largely “churchy” in nature (hence the organ and choir throughout). The percussion was added as an afterthought because I felt it added some oomph to the epic sections of the song in a way only percussion can do…
Song: Defiance
Ah, sweet “Defiance.” I’ve gone through hundreds of variations and modifications of this theme, but still I love the original incarnation of this piece. Yeah, it’s repetitive; yeah, the layout is awfully simple; yeah, that’s a weird techno-ish sound in the middle of what should be a solid rock song. But somehow it works. I don’t know how, but this song still rocks (and I’ve heard it probably a thousand times)…
Song: Remember
“Remember” is a simple remix of the 2nd half of “Cyaron’s Gate” – which tells you how long ago I wrote it (~1999). Despite its age, I still find it to be one of my more majestic themes. I’ve not done much to change it from the piano version to the MIDI version, and I don’t know that I’ll ever change this theme much. There’s something invariably nostalgic about compositions from early in your career, and messing with songs from that era just seems…wrong…
Song: Purgatory’s Mansion
This piece uses a really simple mix of instruments – four pianos and a drumset – to create a driving yet haunting theme unlike anything you’ve heard before. The simplicity of “Purgatory’s Mansion” is remarkable, and I think that’s why it’s such a dramatic piece despite its lack of orchestration. With the piano being my favorite instrument and the one I’ve studied the most, you’ll notice it shows up in almost every one of my compositions for at least a cameo appearance. “Purgatory” is one of the few pieces that really uses it front-and-center, and I like it…
Song: Nevermore (Game Over)
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. :)
Song: March of the Zargansk
“March of the Zargansk” is a very bass song. (That’s not the correct usage of “bass”, but I’m using it anyway. :P) Over 90% of the song takes place below middle C. There’s something ominous about the bass clef and I like exploiting that. And, MIDI instruments sound best in the low bass range because the human ear isn’t as precise in those low wavelengths – so the synthesized instruments sound more realistic than, say, a piccolo or flute in its natural range.
Song: Home
“Home” is short, simple, and peaceful. I hope that listening to it brings back a comforting feeling – like coming home after too much time away…
Song: Hidden Tears
“Hidden Tears” was originally designed as an a capella choir piece, but because it lost so much in transition to MIDI I added string accompaniment to the 2nd half and filled out the choir (to try and make it sound more full). For a MIDI choral number I’m impressed with how well the harmony is preserved. The emotion of the piece is striking (largely a by-product of the simplicity of the arrangement) and if I ever get the means to record a real choir doing the original version, you can bet it will show up here first…
Song: Halls of Despair
“Halls of Despair” was my first attempt at a fully mixed horror theme. Because of this, it was also the first effects-driven song I ever wrote. Part of me thinks the effects are almost too much, but another part of me kinda likes how they work together to totally disorient you. This song is best listened to at a quiet volume, so the effects are more subconscious than explicit…
Currently Listening to
by Incubus
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