add rowing

various james dever-related fixes & improvements

4 files changed, 141 insertions, 7 deletions

diff --git a/album/homestuck-vol-9.yaml b/album/homestuck-vol-9.yaml
index 421833bd..e4ba5df6 100644
--- a/album/homestuck-vol-9.yaml
+++ b/album/homestuck-vol-9.yaml
@@ -1181,6 +1181,7 @@ MIDI Project Files:
 Track: Red Miles
 Artists:
 - James Dever
+- Samm Neiland (composing assistance)
 Duration: '3:10'
 URLs:
 - https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/red-miles-2
@@ -1194,23 +1195,34 @@ Sheet Music Files:
   Files:
   - 'Red Miles - Purple1222119 (piano score).pdf'
 Commentary: |-
-    <i>James Dever:</i>
-    <b>History</b>
+    <i>James Dever:</i> ([Tumblr post](https://web.archive.org/web/20120726133000/http://funkeecephalopod.tumblr.com/tagged/music))
+    <b>History</b><br>
     Igor Stravinsky has been a gigantic inspiration for me for a long time. My favorite piece of all time is his Firebird Suite, and not far behind is his other ballet the Rite of Spring. The latter is the main inspiration behind this track!
+
     I listened to the Rite of Spring quite a bit throughout last year and I really was compelled to write something inspired by it. When the End of Act 5 flash came out, Andrew also revealed the now memetic Red Miles attack. I thought of no better way to elude to two of my favorite things than combining them this way! I set out on the concept of making a Rite of Spring-esque movement to fit the devastating attack.
-    <b>The Music</b>
+
+    <b>The Music</b><br>
     The direct segment I was trying to parallel is thesecond section. Staccato unbowed strings playing eighth notes on a single chord with an accent pattern. The difference here is that as crazy as that segment may get, Stravinsky wrote the whole thing in 2/4. Red Miles I just had fun and it alternates between 2/4, 7/8, 5/8 and whatever the hell I felt like/8. I had a whole lot of fun with time signatures is what I mean.
+
     The accent pattern I use has a bit of history behind it as well. I'm a band geek if no one had noticed yet, and was heavily into marching band during high school. Being a percussionist, I kind of had a love/hate relationship with drumline warmups. One in particular we played waaaaay too much was the accent to tap exercise. For people who don't know too much about drumline, it's just an exercise that warms up the extremes of playing. Most notes are steady pulse beats but then an accent pattern is introduced to differentiate height, sound and velocity between taps (normal strokes) and accents. Ours was called "Cinco de Mayo" because it was mostly in 5/8. I took the same pulse (12 123 12 123 123 12 123 12 12 - accents on 1) and applied it to the strings.
+
     I tried to fully orchestrate it, so the next section introduces an English Horn (oh man english horn I could go on for days about) and a bassoon (also could go on forever fuck yeah double reeds) trading off a little melody between accent patterns akin to Rite of Spring. Then I gave the accent to two timpani (yeah the piece would require two timpanist or an inhuman player) because it's my favorite instrument and I don't incorporate enough percussion into my pieces for a percussionist. The next section introduces the first real theme. I originally wrote these melodies messing around with four mallets on a marimba. I was intending on making something primitive like RoS (hence unmoving bassline) and then translated it to piano then full score. It alternates between d minor and D Major just by tweaking around with the F sharp. Fun stuff.
-    Samm Neiland influenced me in two ways in this piece. The first being the continuation of the accent pattern through the middle sections. I personally really enjoy the piece more because of it. It makes it really interesting because it brings so many different time signatures against each other. The melody is sporadically flipping between 7/8 and 2/4 while the accent pattern is mostly in 5/8. They don't quite match up either but I fix the problem with a few filler measures with the pulse.
+
+    [[artist:samm-neiland|Samm Neiland]] influenced me in two ways in this piece. The first being the continuation of the accent pattern through the middle sections. I personally really enjoy the piece more because of it. It makes it really interesting because it brings so many different time signatures against each other. The melody is sporadically flipping between 7/8 and 2/4 while the accent pattern is mostly in 5/8. They don't quite match up either but I fix the problem with a few filler measures with the pulse.
+
     After the middle themes are presented it returns back to the beginning with just the solid accent pattern and the return of the simple trading melody (this time with oboe and bass clarinet). The timpani returns triumphantly afterwards. This time, however, I change it up by immediately jumping back into the strings having the pattern. At this point, the brass and woodwinds are given simple versions of the accent pattern. They all come in at different times creating a really uneven spread. Eventually the upper lines start to contort the line and break into competing dotted rhythms to give a feel of chase. It builds more and more through the ending section up until a sudden cut off.
+
     The final addition by Samm was the diminuendo final chord to ease the listener out of the piece!
-    <b>Concept</b>
+
+    <b>Concept</b><br>
     As stated earlier, the whole concept is suppose to be giving the terrible fear inducing attack "Red Miles" a soundtrack. The attack is devastating and annihilates all in its way. As we all have heard countless times: you can't escape the miles. Originally, there was to be a whole lot more to the piece (multiple movements!). I didn't have anything else in other movements concrete at the time for finalization of Volume 9 so I released the abridged version you have now! Therefore, I like to think of this version as the Diamonds Droog version of the attack. Smaller scale but not any less deudley.
+
     I originally wanted to name it Red Miles (Abridged) but that ended up falling through. It sounds perfectly fine as is anyways. Eventually though, I would love to completely finish the whole work (I'm talking 5-6 movements, all inspired by RoS).
+
     The last section that I described as sounding almost like a chase is purposeful. The concept is that Diamond Droog is releasing the miles upon the universe and the different musical sections are the different scenes of destruction. The final scene where everything becomes hectic is suppose to be Dirk flying through crumbling towers and crazy red death tentacles trying to escape a painful death. The sudden cut off was suppose to be kind of a cliffhanger like "where did he go???" but then the final resolution was supposed to sound similar to a big sigh of relief as he narrowly avoids doom.
+
     <b>Art!</b>
-    Originally, the art was to be done by everyone's favorite person. Because of silly reasons (really silly, the silliest) it didn't end up happening though. I freaking loved the art too. Instead though, we have a panel from the comic. It just so happens to be the panel where the miles are about to wreck shit at the abode of my favorite Alpha character. I didn't know this at the time otherwise I'd never make a reference to such a horrible event :P
+    Originally, the art was to be done by [[artist:robert-j-lake|everyone's favorite person]]. Because of silly reasons (really silly, the silliest) it didn't end up happening though. I freaking loved the art too. Instead though, we have a panel from the comic. It just so happens to be the panel where the miles are about to wreck shit at the abode of my favorite Alpha character. I didn't know this at the time otherwise I'd never make a reference to such a horrible event :P
 ---
 Track: The Changing Game
 Artists:
diff --git a/album/more-homestuck-fandom.yaml b/album/more-homestuck-fandom.yaml
index 73ee5bbe..465734c8 100644
--- a/album/more-homestuck-fandom.yaml
+++ b/album/more-homestuck-fandom.yaml
@@ -1023,6 +1023,11 @@ Artists:
 Duration: '1:28'
 URLs:
 - https://youtu.be/gbiS4WkCOVo?t=26954
+Commentary: |-
+    <i>James Dever:</i> ([Tumblr post](https://web.archive.org/web/20140820055220/https://squidshanties.tumblr.com/))
+    Right around when Cherubim came out in March, I got a few requests to hear what the original sketches were for Red Sucker and Green Lolly. These were the skeletons that I gave the team. I worked with them through the process with input and suggestions on the pacing and structure, but they really took these simple ideas and ran in the best possible direction!
+
+    The cherubs are bizarre creatures, and everything about them is pretty far out there, so I focused on chromaticism in the themes to give it some off kilter base. Caliborn is (pardon my French) a little shit. He’s diabolical and selfish. I decided to base this skeleton on a minor triad to give it a darker tone right off the bat. Mirroring it on the Calliope sketch accidentally gave it a Kuja’s Theme tone to it, which I ended up loving. I immediately approached [[artist:kalibration|Kali]] about adding his own personal flare to it. I’ve always been a monumental fan of his compositions, especially [[album:tomb-of-the-ancestors|TOTA]], which was the sound I was looking for. He nailed it exponentially!
 ---
 Track: The Uranian
 Artists:
@@ -1032,6 +1037,11 @@ URLs:
 - https://youtu.be/gbiS4WkCOVo?t=27042
 Referenced Tracks:
 - The Undying
+Commentary: |-
+    <i>James Dever:</i> ([Tumblr post](https://web.archive.org/web/20140820055220/https://squidshanties.tumblr.com/))
+    Right around when Cherubim came out in March, I got a few requests to hear what the original sketches were for Red Sucker and Green Lolly. These were the skeletons that I gave the team. I worked with them through the process with input and suggestions on the pacing and structure, but they really took these simple ideas and ran in the best possible direction!
+
+    The cherubs are bizarre creatures, and everything about them is pretty far out there, so I focused on chromaticism in the themes to give it some off kilter base. Caliborn is (pardon my French) a little shit. He’s diabolical and selfish. I decided to base this skeleton on a minor triad to give it a darker tone right off the bat. Mirroring it on the Calliope sketch accidentally gave it a Kuja’s Theme tone to it, which I ended up loving. I immediately approached [[artist:kalibration|Kali]] about adding his own personal flare to it. I’ve always been a monumental fan of his compositions, especially [[album:tomb-of-the-ancestors|TOTA]], which was the sound I was looking for. He nailed it exponentially!
 ---
 Track: Three In The Morning (Davekind)
 Artists:
diff --git a/album/rowing.yaml b/album/rowing.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bc9ac884
--- /dev/null
+++ b/album/rowing.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+Album: Rowing
+Artists:
+- James Dever
+Date: March 12, 2013
+Date Added: January 13, 2024
+URLs:
+- https://tylerdever.bandcamp.com/album/rowing
+Cover Artists:
+- Worthikids
+- Robert J! Lake (title)
+Color: '#db4e09'
+Groups:
+- Beyond
+Banner Artists:
+- Worthikids
+- Robert J! Lake (title)
+- Niklink (edits for wiki)
+Banner File Extension: png
+Additional Files:
+- Title: Bandcamp Banner
+  Files:
+  - banner.png
+Commentary: |-
+    <i>James Dever:</i> ([Bandcamp about blurb](https://tylerdever.bandcamp.com/album/rowing))
+    Rowing is the first of two small compilations of works by James Dever. After the second is released, the entire compilation will be released with additional pieces.
+
+    This compilation is meant to showcase the audio only. My actual objective is to sell the sheet music to my new compositions. This album is meant only to allow audio downloads and sharing.
+
+    Thanks to the following people for support in getting a new computer over the summer of 2012:<br>
+    Noah Champoux, Sarah Stidmon, Colin Stanfill, Alexander Pollock, [[artist:charles-neudorf|Carlie Neudorf]], [[artist:brad-griffin|Brad Griffin]], James Ewan, Denise Cabrera, Tyler MacNabb, Howard Haynes, Maria Traxler, Kalia Pickett, Linn Vennerholm, Kathleen Hurley, Kathryn Greetham, Ashley Jones, Joy Fleet, Liam Fratturo, Wilhelm Geier, Rachel Hestilow
+
+    <i>James Dever:</i> ([Tumblr release post](https://web.archive.org/web/20130606180539/http://funkeecephalopod.tumblr.com/post/45198586959/rowing-the-first-half-of-my-solo-effort), excerpt)
+
+    <b>Good news, everyone!</b>
+
+    My long discussed piano album is finally (slowly) being released! Rowing is the first of two short compilations of my recent compositions. Originally sketched for only piano, similar to my first album [[album:sburb|Sburb]], it has now opened up quite a bit in instrumentation!
+
+    Rowing features four compositions by myself. If you follow my music blog, you’ve most likely heard each one! The reason is because they were all works in progress toward this album. Two tracks, Adagio and Icarus, are the result of commissions I received over the summer. Meadows was originally a piece I thought of for Homestuck but later readapted for a solo release. It’s a much larger ensemble than the other three. Valse is a piano and cello duet that I am quite proud of!
+
+    In the (hopefully) near future, I will release the second half of the album in another short release similar to this. Shortly after that, I’ll combine the two into a larger work with added material! There are specific reasons that influenced me to cut the album in half and release this first portion very prematurely! I’m actually very excited about this:
+
+    <b>With each purchase of the album, I will be donating 2 dollars toward the <a href="https://www.stbaldricks.org/">St. Baldrick’s Foundation</a> in support of researching a cure for childhood cancer.</b> This is only for the rest of March, though. Specifically, I will be donating toward the <a href="https://www.stbaldricks.org/teams/dollars4dalton">Dollars for Dalton</a> project run by friends of mine from my university. You’ve probably already heard about this from my constant sharing, but I really support this cause and I hope you can help me support it further!
+
+    <b>About the “quality”</b>
+    I put a lot of emotions and create a strong personal connection with my works, which isn’t uncommon for musicians. Because of this, it gets pretty difficult for me to finally confirm that I find something ready to release. These compilations are tricky for me, because on one hand, they are technically audio releases, but in my reality, they are actually large advertisements for the sheet music.
+
+    In this album you won’t find pretty EWQL Symphonic Orchestra samples leading your ears to bliss. Instead, you’ll find the stock Sibelius Sounds that I’m fairly fond of. I put more time into composition and schoolwork than production at this point in my life, because the importance to me is getting my work out to the people, and not how it sounds on a computer. My music is meant to be performed, which is why I try to put the emphasis on sheet music! Production is slowly being added to my projects as I learn more.
+
+    <i>[Wiki note: The album referred to as the 'second half' of Rowing never materialized.]</i>
+---
+Track: Adagio
+Directory: adagio-rowing
+Always Reference By Directory: true
+Duration: '4:13'
+URLs:
+- https://tylerdever.bandcamp.com/track/adagio
+Commentary: |-
+    <i>James Dever:</i> ([Bandcamp track page](https://tylerdever.bandcamp.com/track/adagio))
+    Adagio is a calm etude for piano written as a commission for Alexander Pollock.
+---
+Track: Valse
+Directory: valse-rowing
+Always Reference By Directory: true
+Duration: '5:26'
+URLs:
+- https://tylerdever.bandcamp.com/track/valse
+Commentary: |-
+    <i>James Dever:</i> ([Bandcamp track page](https://tylerdever.bandcamp.com/track/valse))
+    Valse is a duet for piano and cello.
+---
+Track: Meadows
+Directory: meadows-rowing
+Always Reference By Directory: true
+Additional Names:
+- Our Hope is Lost (WIP name)
+Duration: '3:39'
+URLs:
+- https://tylerdever.bandcamp.com/track/meadows
+Commentary: |-
+    <i>James Dever:</i> ([Bandcamp track page](https://tylerdever.bandcamp.com/track/meadows))
+    Meadows is an anthem for a chamber ensemble of brass, woodwinds, strings and a harp. It was originally written to be a reflective piece on death. The harp opens the piece by stating the two main themes over each other: a lyrical moving passage and slow, somber pulsing chords.
+
+    <i>James Dever:</i> ([Tumblr post](https://web.archive.org/web/20121123114741/https://squidshanties.tumblr.com/))
+
+    Hi guys! I found this old piece that I had set aside for a Homestuck project. I have since realized it really doesn’t fit that and has no real place in any of my projects currently! So I thought I’d share it with you guys until I find a place for it.
+
+    I originally wrote this to be an anthem for Jake’s dream death. It’s WIP name was “Our Hope is Lost”. I have since felt like it doesn’t really fit. Now I like to think of it as a background piece for a scene in a game or a movie. Something forested. Which is why I decided that it would be a really great meadow theme in my fake video game OST I was planning on making. Since that’s postponed indefinitely, I decided to show you guys it!
+
+    The main comments I’ve gotten on it is that it lacks a melody (which I don’t agree with) and is too pulsed but I feel like it’s pretty much exactly how I wanted it to come out. The only addition I haven’t put in is string runs up into the second phrase (0:52, 1:24). Once I finally figure out how to do that in Sibelius I’ll do it hahaha.
+
+    I hope you enjoy <b>Meadows</b>
+---
+Track: Icarus
+Directory: icarus-rowing
+Always Reference By Directory: true
+Duration: '2:52'
+URLs:
+- https://tylerdever.bandcamp.com/track/icarus
+Commentary: |-
+    <i>James Dever:</i> ([Bandcamp track page](https://tylerdever.bandcamp.com/track/icarus))
+    Icarus is a piano solo commissioned by Colin Stanfill. A brief but powerful piece, it features changing mixed meter passages and fast technical melodies.
+
+    <i>James Dever:</i> ([Tumblr post](https://web.archive.org/web/20121123114741/https://squidshanties.tumblr.com/))
+
+    Icarus is the first of a few commissions from my summer donation drive to get this new computer. It was commissioned by forumgoer and fellow Homestuck Colin “Geekthras” Stanfill. He was one of many who really helped me out when I was in a very bad place over the summer and this is my way of showing gratitude!
+
+    Icarus is a solo piano work that is reflective of the old Greek myth about flight. It features some of my favorite things: fast tempos, mixed meter, and dorian modes! I had a fantastic time writing this and it has quickly grown to be one of my most favorite tracks I’ve ever written!
+
+    This is the first full length piece from my upcoming collection of compositions album I plan on releasing! Stay tuned for some more little pieces of it as it gets closer! I plan on releasing it before the end of the year!
+
+    Thanks for listening.
diff --git a/album/the-wanderers.yaml b/album/the-wanderers.yaml
index c3630e5d..43b0255a 100644
--- a/album/the-wanderers.yaml
+++ b/album/the-wanderers.yaml
@@ -239,7 +239,8 @@ Commentary: |-
 ---
 Track: Requiem for an Exile
 Artists:
-- Solatrus
+- James Dever
+- Solatrus (production)
 Duration: '2:01'
 URLs:
 - https://youtu.be/aAphwUVKFm4