diff options
| author | (quasar) nebula <qznebula@protonmail.com> | 2023-08-11 21:09:24 -0300 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | (quasar) nebula <qznebula@protonmail.com> | 2023-08-11 21:09:24 -0300 |
| commit | f35c2c25e82929263c8e2aa41db2f9cef0a08a21 (patch) | |
| tree | a30e2a9904f71d8dadfbf4c6f23ca1c048b7cd26 /album | |
| parent | ab2698eb5000f783fd4819f9ac4eaf1f131c6926 (diff) | |
clean up "fancy" characters throughout data files
Diffstat (limited to 'album')
63 files changed, 1699 insertions, 1752 deletions
diff --git a/album/7th-gate-project.yaml b/album/7th-gate-project.yaml index b4f881a9..6d9d19c7 100644 --- a/album/7th-gate-project.yaml +++ b/album/7th-gate-project.yaml @@ -8,29 +8,20 @@ URLs: Color: '#00fcf8' Groups: - Fandom -Commentary: "<i>Catboss:</i>\nThe “Seventh Gate Project” - as I like to call it -\ - \ is something I have been planning for a while now. At least like half a month,\ - \ I’d say. I started it for more or less the same reason I started this blogthing\ - \ - I mentioned that I felt that my music was gaining a sort of “direction” to\ - \ it, and I guess this project is basically to see where it’s going, and to develop\ - \ my own style. \n\nThis project will involve remixing (at least) the four kid’s\ - \ Land Themes, along with adding my own touches to it. Whether I will do the troll\ - \ Land Themes or not, we’ll see. I don’t want to make any particular commitment\ - \ to that yet because that means another 12 songs, and I wasn’t intending for\ - \ this project to take too long. Plus I’ll have to use mainly original stuff since\ - \ with the exception of [[track:phaze-and-blood|Pulse and Haze]], none of the\ - \ trolls lands have official themes. \n\nMaybe I’ll just do it as an on-and-off\ - \ thing after I’m done with the 4 lands.\n\n<i>(commentary redux)</i>\nCompleted\ - \ around June 2011, the 7th Gate Project was a series of remixes of songs from\ - \ webcomic and internet sensation Homestuck.\n\nThese remixes were done in an\ - \ attempt to find my own \"sound,\" as it were, and they have contributed greatly\ - \ to my growth as a musician. Recent developments in the comic have also led me\ - \ to consider extending this project; it will be interesting to see how far my\ - \ ability has developed since a year ago.\n\nEnjoy!\n\n<i>Niklink:</i>\n(Technically\ - \ speaking, this release doesn't have any actual cover artwork. However I would be remiss if I did not mention\ - \ that on skaia.net, which has hosted a copy of this album for many many years,\ - \ this release is represented by slightly modified artwork:)\n<img src=\"media/misc/7th-gate-project.png\"\ - \ width=\"400\" height=\"400\">" +Commentary: |- + <i>Catboss:</i> + The "Seventh Gate Project" - as I like to call it - is something I have been planning for a while now. At least like half a month, I'd say. I started it for more or less the same reason I started this blogthing - I mentioned that I felt that my music was gaining a sort of "direction" to it, and I guess this project is basically to see where it's going, and to develop my own style. + This project will involve remixing (at least) the four kid's Land Themes, along with adding my own touches to it. Whether I will do the troll Land Themes or not, we'll see. I don't want to make any particular commitment to that yet because that means another 12 songs, and I wasn't intending for this project to take too long. Plus I'll have to use mainly original stuff since with the exception of [[track:phaze-and-blood|Pulse and Haze]], none of the trolls lands have official themes. + Maybe I'll just do it as an on-and-off thing after I'm done with the 4 lands. + + <i>(commentary redux)</i> + Completed around June 2011, the 7th Gate Project was a series of remixes of songs from webcomic and internet sensation Homestuck. + These remixes were done in an attempt to find my own "sound," as it were, and they have contributed greatly to my growth as a musician. Recent developments in the comic have also led me to consider extending this project; it will be interesting to see how far my ability has developed since a year ago. + Enjoy! + + <i>Niklink:</i> + (Technically speaking, this release doesn't have any actual cover artwork. However I would be remiss if I did not mention that on skaia.net, which has hosted a copy of this album for many many years, this release is represented by slightly modified artwork:) + <img src="media/misc/7th-gate-project.png" width="400" height="400"> --- Track: Through the Seventh Gate ~Land of Wind and Shade~ Duration: '4:33' @@ -44,25 +35,22 @@ Art Tags: Referenced Tracks: - Warhammer of Zillyhoo - track:doctor -Commentary: "<i>Catboss:</i>\n<i>(original commentary)</i>\n“Through the Seventh Gate\ - \ ~Land of Wind and Shade~” is a song that contains many things that I am a complete\ - \ sucker for. Soaring string melodies? Check. Piano solo with lots of reverb?\ - \ Check. Chorus? (I know it’s synthesized eh who cares) Check. Running notes,\ - \ lots of them? Check. Dramatic piano octaves? Check. Mash them all together with\ - \ a bunch of windy sounds and you get this.\n\nOne odd thing though is I’m using\ - \ a Battery preset meant for dance songs. I, uh\ndon’t actually like dance that\ - \ much\nso it’s a bit of an oddity that I actually use it a lot. \nI guess you\ - \ would describe this song as a weird mishmash of dance-electronic-orchestral\ - \ stuff.\n\nWhich is cool. I think I would quite like that, actually. I would\ - \ definitely like to fiddle around more with electronic stuff though\n\nAlso,\ - \ I find that this song is weak in the bass, which isn’t really a weakness for\ - \ this particular song but is more one of my weaknesses in general. So yes note\ - \ to self: improve.\n\nThat’s enough ramblin’ from me.\n\n<i>(commentary redux)</i>\n\ - The Heir of Breath enters the Tower of the Tempest...\n\nAlthough many seem to\ - \ prefer [[track:through-the-seventh-gate-land-of-frost-and-frogs|Land of Frost\ - \ and Frogs]] more, this is my personal favorite from the set. For one, it strays\ - \ furthest from the source material. For another, I experimented much more heavily\ - \ with dynamic changes in this song, and I'm honestly quite happy with the outcome!" +Commentary: |- + <i>Catboss:</i> + + <i>(original commentary)</i> + Through the Seventh Gate ~Land of Wind and Shade~" is a song that contains many things that I am a complete sucker for. Soaring string melodies? Check. Piano solo with lots of reverb? Check. Chorus? (I know it's synthesized eh who cares) Check. Running notes, lots of them? Check. Dramatic piano octaves? Check. Mash them all together with a bunch of windy sounds and you get this. + One odd thing though is I'm using a Battery preset meant for dance songs. I, uh + don't actually like dance that much + so it's a bit of an oddity that I actually use it a lot. + I guess you would describe this song as a weird mishmash of dance-electronic-orchestral stuff. + Which is cool. I think I would quite like that, actually. I would definitely like to fiddle around more with electronic stuff though + Also, I find that this song is weak in the bass, which isn't really a weakness for this particular song but is more one of my weaknesses in general. So yes note to self: improve. + That's enough ramblin' from me. + + <i>(commentary redux)</i> + The Heir of Breath enters the Tower of the Tempest... + Although many seem to prefer [[track:through-the-seventh-gate-land-of-frost-and-frogs|Land of Frost and Frogs]] more, this is my personal favorite from the set. For one, it strays furthest from the source material. For another, I experimented much more heavily with dynamic changes in this song, and I'm honestly quite happy with the outcome! --- Track: Through the Seventh Gate ~Land of Heat and Clockwork~ Duration: '4:36' @@ -79,24 +67,18 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:atomyk-ebonpyre Commentary: |- <i>Catboss:</i> + <i>(original commentary)</i> Sometimes songs come to me more or less fully formed - this was the case for [[track:through-the-seventh-gate-land-of-wind-and-shade|LOWAS]]; some fidelity is lost in the transition from imagination to audio, but that song is more or less how I imagine it. - - Other times, though, I have far less to work with. In this case all I had was the opening and a rough idea of where I wanted the song to go. Dave is the perennial coolkid so I figured the Seventh Gate song for LOHAC would be far more casual than [[track:through-the-seventh-gate-land-of-wind-and-shade|LOWAS]]. Sort of a “herp derp gonna waltz in and slaughter the denizen all cool-like”, but other than that I didn’t have anything else. So I don’t really do my own thing like I did for [[track:through-the-seventh-gate-land-of-wind-and-shade|LOWAS]], barring some improvisation on the bass (I like bass solos). Later there was [[Tribal Ebonpyre]], because I was using bongos already anyway. - + Other times, though, I have far less to work with. In this case all I had was the opening and a rough idea of where I wanted the song to go. Dave is the perennial coolkid so I figured the Seventh Gate song for LOHAC would be far more casual than [[track:through-the-seventh-gate-land-of-wind-and-shade|LOWAS]]. Sort of a "herp derp gonna waltz in and slaughter the denizen all cool-like", but other than that I didn't have anything else. So I don't really do my own thing like I did for [[track:through-the-seventh-gate-land-of-wind-and-shade|LOWAS]], barring some improvisation on the bass (I like bass solos). Later there was [[Tribal Ebonpyre]], because I was using bongos already anyway. So yes. - - It’s also a tribute to Castlevania music, to an extent. - - I also have a heck of a lot more percussion in this song than I otherwise would have; 1x drum kit, 1x sample set full of metallic-ish sounds, and bongos. I would have added record scratches too (it’s Dave after all) if I had satisfactory ones, but I don’t. Not now, anyway. If I ever revise this song I might find some and add them in. - + It's also a tribute to Castlevania music, to an extent. + I also have a heck of a lot more percussion in this song than I otherwise would have; 1x drum kit, 1x sample set full of metallic-ish sounds, and bongos. I would have added record scratches too (it's Dave after all) if I had satisfactory ones, but I don't. Not now, anyway. If I ever revise this song I might find some and add them in. Key changes: there are 2. The second one, I think, actually works out better than the first despite the fact that I never intended for it to be there. - - Annnnd finally we end with a simple drum riff and a fadeout. That’s all folks! I’ll probably work on [[track:through-the-seventh-gate-land-of-light-and-rain|LOLAR]] next. + Annnnd finally we end with a simple drum riff and a fadeout. That's all folks! I'll probably work on [[track:through-the-seventh-gate-land-of-light-and-rain|LOLAR]] next. <i>(commentary redux)</i> The Knight of Time enters the Forge of Flame... - This song was heavily inspired by the music of the Castlevania series. More specifically, I tried to emulate the style of one particular song - "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyXRV7wkeyoAn">Empty Tome</a>," from Order of Ecclesia. I think it's possibly one of my favorite songs from the series! --- Track: Through the Seventh Gate ~Land of Light and Rain~ @@ -113,30 +95,21 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Black Rose / Green Sun Commentary: |- <i>Catboss:</i> + <i>(original commentary)</i> Slow songs are NOT my forte. Welp. - In any case this song demonstrates the things I like to do with slow songs - ramp up the reverb and delay, strings, background vocals. Orchestral percussion. Lots and lots of long notes. Music-box-ish ending (and even an interlude!). - - This was supposed to be ambient-ish, and vaguely creepy. I actually quite like the opening! I tried to give it a sort of underwater alien feel because Rose’s denizen did kill everything in the water after all. So yeah. On the other hand, I think it ended up sort of relaxing instead. Welp konec0 what are you doing. - - It’s not as if final dungeons can’t have relaxing themes though. - - Also: Now I’m wondering if I should have added rain sound effects. - - Oh I remembered something else: I keep feeling like I have to get over my aversion to weird minor keys, so I decided to do this one in C# minor. Riiiight at the very end though I gave up; the music-box-ish part at the end was done in D minor and then I just transposed it down. I’m lazy, whatcha gonna do about it. - - Anyway that’s about it for this one. - - Next up is [[track:through-the-seventh-gate-land-of-frost-and-frogs|LOFAF]]!… actually no. I think I’ll let [[track:through-the-seventh-gate-land-of-frost-and-frogs|LOFAF]] sit for a while, because I don’t really have any good ideas for it and I want it to be good. We’ll see. - + This was supposed to be ambient-ish, and vaguely creepy. I actually quite like the opening! I tried to give it a sort of underwater alien feel because Rose's denizen did kill everything in the water after all. So yeah. On the other hand, I think it ended up sort of relaxing instead. Welp konec0 what are you doing. + It's not as if final dungeons can't have relaxing themes though. + Also: Now I'm wondering if I should have added rain sound effects. + Oh I remembered something else: I keep feeling like I have to get over my aversion to weird minor keys, so I decided to do this one in C# minor. Riiiight at the very end though I gave up; the music-box-ish part at the end was done in D minor and then I just transposed it down. I'm lazy, whatcha gonna do about it. + Anyway that's about it for this one. + Next up is [[track:through-the-seventh-gate-land-of-frost-and-frogs|LOFAF]]!... actually no. I think I'll let [[track:through-the-seventh-gate-land-of-frost-and-frogs|LOFAF]] sit for a while, because I don't really have any good ideas for it and I want it to be good. We'll see. Meow! <i>(commentary redux)</i> The Seer of Light enters the Sea of Silence... - Slow songs are definitely not my forte. As such, Land of Light and Rain was the hardest of the four songs for me. I tried using sounds such as the bowed waterphone to create an unsettling atmosphere, but I think the song still ended up sounding too relaxed and even a little sluggish. - Slow songs are definitely something I have to improve on. --- Track: Through the Seventh Gate ~Land of Frost and Frogs~ @@ -152,41 +125,24 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:frost-vol6 - track:dissension-original - Sunsetter -Commentary: "<i>Catboss:</i>\n<i>(original commentary)</i>\nRemember when I said I’d\ - \ sit on LOFAF for a bit? I lied.\nokay not really\nmore like I got an idea, but\ - \ then I was going to do other stuff, but turns out it’s one of those ideas that\ - \ cripples your creative output unless you do it first, so yeah I was pretty much\ - \ forced to do it\nthem’s the breaks\n\nANYWAY.\n\n[[track:frost-vol6|Frost]]\ - \ is one of my favourite Homestuck songs. Go listen to it because it is fantastic.\ - \ I could probably leave it on loop all day and not get tired of it. It’s also\ - \ Jade’s land theme so there’s pretty much no way I wasn’t going to put it in\ - \ here.\n\nThe original idea for this song was always to use [[track:frost-vol6|Frost]]\ - \ as a “backdrop” and then link it to other songs, but to be perfectly frank I\ - \ wasn’t expecting to use [[track:dissension-original|Dissension]]. I was intending\ - \ to transition straight to [[Sunsetter]], but then I played a bunch of stuff\ - \ and was like “hey this sounds like a Homestuck song” and it turned out to be\ - \ [[track:dissension-original|Dissension]] so I used it. My subconscious is a\ - \ thief sometimes. Turned out for the better, really, it’s one of those happy\ - \ little coincidences that happen sometimes. =3\n\nAlso: [[track:dissension-original|Dissension]]\ - \ doesn’t get remixed enough. Needs more luv~~\n\nLet’s see, where was I.\n\n\ - [[Sunsetter]] might seem like an odd choice really, but since its cousin [[Sunslammer]]\ - \ (by [[artist:seth-peelle|Beatfox]]) was [[flash:3001|featured in the comic itself]]\ - \ it’s become more or less linked to Jade, despite the fact that [[Sunsetter]]\ - \ was originally supposed to be a Dave strife theme if I remember? And that is\ - \ why I chose it! Which makes [[track:frost-vol6|Frost]] + 2 strife themes, which\ - \ I think actually makes for a decent seventh-gate theme.\n\nStylistically I went\ - \ for something between [[track:through-the-seventh-gate-land-of-wind-and-shade|LOWAS]]\ - \ and [[track:through-the-seventh-gate-land-of-heat-and-clockwork|LOHAC]]. It’s\ - \ not as dynamic as the former in terms of… dynamics (-_-“) and tempo, but I went\ - \ for stylistic shifts instead; the sudden orchestral [[Sunsetter]] was completely\ - \ intentional though, as was the slower, more ambient ending. As a result this\ - \ actually ended up more complex than [[track:through-the-seventh-gate-land-of-wind-and-shade|LOWAS]]\ - \ did. It was quite fun to compose.\n\nAltogether it’s a fun romp to end off the\ - \ Seventh Gate Project, and I’m quite satisfied with it.\n\nNow what to do next\ - \ hmmmmmm\n\n<i>(commentary redux)</i>\nThe Witch of Space enters the Glacier\ - \ of Genesis... \n\nI really enjoyed pulling the sudden switch from what was\ - \ essentially house-inspired electronica to orchestral. I've used several more\ - \ times since, such as in [[Vodka Mutiny]] or <a href=\"https://soundcloud.com/konec0/jackpot-birthday-bash-mix\"\ - >Jackpot (Birthday Bash Mix)</a>. I'm not personally fond of the idea of pigeonholing\ - \ songs into genres, so making this song was a real treat for me; I like to think\ - \ of it as kind of genre-fluid, and that's interesting to me." +Commentary: |- + <i>Catboss:</i> + + <i>(original commentary)</i> + Remember when I said I'd sit on LOFAF for a bit? I lied. + okay not really + more like I got an idea, but then I was going to do other stuff, but turns out it's one of those ideas that cripples your creative output unless you do it first, so yeah I was pretty much forced to do it + them's the breaks + ANYWAY. + [[track:frost-vol6|Frost]] is one of my favourite Homestuck songs. Go listen to it because it is fantastic. I could probably leave it on loop all day and not get tired of it. It's also Jade's land theme so there's pretty much no way I wasn't going to put it in here. + The original idea for this song was always to use [[track:frost-vol6|Frost]] as a "backdrop" and then link it to other songs, but to be perfectly frank I wasn't expecting to use [[track:dissension-original|Dissension]]. I was intending to transition straight to [[Sunsetter]], but then I played a bunch of stuff and was like "hey this sounds like a Homestuck song" and it turned out to be [[track:dissension-original|Dissension]] so I used it. My subconscious is a thief sometimes. Turned out for the better, really, it's one of those happy little coincidences that happen sometimes. =3 + Also: [[track:dissension-original|Dissension]] doesn't get remixed enough. Needs more luv~~ + Let's see, where was I. + [[Sunsetter]] might seem like an odd choice really, but since its cousin [[Sunslammer]] (by [[artist:seth-peelle|Beatfox]]) was [[flash:3001|featured in the comic itself]] it's become more or less linked to Jade, despite the fact that [[Sunsetter]] was originally supposed to be a Dave strife theme if I remember? And that is why I chose it! Which makes [[track:frost-vol6|Frost]] + 2 strife themes, which I think actually makes for a decent seventh-gate theme. + Stylistically I went for something between [[track:through-the-seventh-gate-land-of-wind-and-shade|LOWAS]] and [[track:through-the-seventh-gate-land-of-heat-and-clockwork|LOHAC]]. It's not as dynamic as the former in terms of... dynamics (-_-") and tempo, but I went for stylistic shifts instead; the sudden orchestral [[Sunsetter]] was completely intentional though, as was the slower, more ambient ending. As a result this actually ended up more complex than [[track:through-the-seventh-gate-land-of-wind-and-shade|LOWAS]] did. It was quite fun to compose. + Altogether it's a fun romp to end off the Seventh Gate Project, and I'm quite satisfied with it. + Now what to do next hmmmmmm + + <i>(commentary redux)</i> + The Witch of Space enters the Glacier of Genesis... + I really enjoyed pulling the sudden switch from what was essentially house-inspired electronica to orchestral. I've used several more times since, such as in [[Vodka Mutiny]] or <a href="https://soundcloud.com/konec0/jackpot-birthday-bash-mix">Jackpot (Birthday Bash Mix)</a>. I'm not personally fond of the idea of pigeonholing songs into genres, so making this song was a real treat for me; I like to think of it as kind of genre-fluid, and that's interesting to me." diff --git a/album/after-party-animal-ep.yaml b/album/after-party-animal-ep.yaml index 02e2b930..e315a492 100644 --- a/album/after-party-animal-ep.yaml +++ b/album/after-party-animal-ep.yaml @@ -39,11 +39,11 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Clark Powell:</i> concept ep where a virtual dog idol uses vocal synthesizers in her pop music because she has no voice - ~summer’s over but the bangers aren’t~ + ~summer's over but the bangers aren't~ - The idea for this “virtual pop star” came from my personal aspiration to create true pop music– of course, this would be impossible for me through normal channels. I’m trans, and my singing voice is decimated. + The idea for this "virtual pop star" came from my personal aspiration to create true pop music– of course, this would be impossible for me through normal channels. I'm trans, and my singing voice is decimated. - Undeterred, I’ve been experimenting a lot with vocal synthesis the last couple years, using tools like Vocaloid and sample-editing. The result is After Party Animal, the virtual idol behind these songs. + Undeterred, I've been experimenting a lot with vocal synthesis the last couple years, using tools like Vocaloid and sample-editing. The result is After Party Animal, the virtual idol behind these songs. --- Track: Dog Girl Summer Duration: '4:02' @@ -54,16 +54,16 @@ Lyrics: |- Blow south wind Pressing send, homing carrier I rue, I reap - I can’t keep hold of memory + I can't keep hold of memory Take my hand - Don’t let go, don’t say no to me + Don't let go, don't say no to me Blow south wind Pressing send, homing carrier I rue, I reap - I can’t keep hold of memory + I can't keep hold of memory Take my hand - Don’t let go, don’t say no to me + Don't let go, don't say no to me --- Track: Drifter (instrumental) Duration: '3:20' @@ -89,4 +89,4 @@ URLs: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jBqfj9pVIA Commentary: |- <i>Clark Powell:</i> - Synth tribute to Wolf’s Rain. + Synth tribute to Wolf's Rain. diff --git a/album/archive.yaml b/album/archive.yaml index d5959c23..dd5564de 100644 --- a/album/archive.yaml +++ b/album/archive.yaml @@ -319,10 +319,10 @@ URLs: - https://bowman.bandcamp.com/track/know-that-youre-mine - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag4cJj6lakM Lyrics: |- - I’ll pack a blanket, a handwoven basket + I'll pack a blanket, a handwoven basket Of red roses and wine Rest with me here on this bed made of grass - And I’ll know, know that you’re mine + And I'll know, know that you're mine In the cool of the evening the sound of your breathing Seems all that you dare need to say @@ -331,12 +331,12 @@ Lyrics: |- The sky turns from blue to an orange to black With the slow passage of time - We ought to be home, but you know that I’m yours - And I know, know that you’re mine + We ought to be home, but you know that I'm yours + And I know, know that you're mine We will look to the skies with our twinkling eyes - And we’ll write out our names in the stars - Though it’s dark here on land, when we’re both holding hands + And we'll write out our names in the stars + Though it's dark here on land, when we're both holding hands All the lights up above will be ours Commentary: |- <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> @@ -746,7 +746,7 @@ Lyrics: |- Hear me radio, play the song I know Take me where I long to go - 'Cause there’s nobody nobody now + 'Cause there's nobody nobody now Who can hear me or stop me now In this old buggy old buggy now In this old buggy old buggy now @@ -756,17 +756,17 @@ Lyrics: |- Somewhere in the sky a satellite on high Watches with its lonely eye - 'Cause there’s nobody nobody now + 'Cause there's nobody nobody now Who can hear me or stop me now In this old buggy old buggy now In this old buggy old buggy now - 'Cause there’s nobody nobody now - 'Cause there’s nobody nobody now - 'Cause there’s nobody nobody now - 'Cause there’s nobody nobody now + 'Cause there's nobody nobody now + 'Cause there's nobody nobody now + 'Cause there's nobody nobody now + 'Cause there's nobody nobody now - 'Cause there’s nobody nobody now + 'Cause there's nobody nobody now Who can hear me or stop me now In this old buggy old buggy now In this old buggy old buggy now @@ -794,7 +794,7 @@ Lyrics: |- For this moment A time to call my own, a place to call my homeland - It’s come here far too soon + It's come here far too soon I sit around my room Hatching my plans and schemes I mostly leave forgotten @@ -802,8 +802,8 @@ Lyrics: |- Amused but still deranged, divided on the inside Returning to the core - The place I can’t ignore - The wonder behind the fear I just can’t seem to shake off + The place I can't ignore + The wonder behind the fear I just can't seem to shake off Oo-ee-oo To dream or do @@ -820,7 +820,7 @@ Lyrics: |- To Ithaca I sailed And though I have not failed - My home is a fleeting camp, the journey’s just beginning + My home is a fleeting camp, the journey's just beginning Oo-ee-oo To dream or do diff --git a/album/bee-forus-seatbelt-safebee.yaml b/album/bee-forus-seatbelt-safebee.yaml index a3865242..052e2ad9 100644 --- a/album/bee-forus-seatbelt-safebee.yaml +++ b/album/bee-forus-seatbelt-safebee.yaml @@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ Commentary: |- Special thanks to [[artist:squid|Squid]] and [[artist:gilwing|Gilwing]] for letting us use their art, and [[artist:veritas-unae|VeritasUnae]] for hosting the tracks. <b>About this album</b> - The Cronus Seatbelt Safety meme was born during the livestream of the [[album:beforus|Beforus album]], during the track [[track:land-of-cruisin-and-bruisin|Land of Cruisin and Bruisin]] by [[artist:nate-tronerud|Nate Tronerud]]. Tumblr user princeskytoe remarked upon Cronus’ lack of a visible seatbelt in the track art, which resulted in various users joking about his disregard for road safety and the fact that he was “cruising for a bruising”. + The Cronus Seatbelt Safety meme was born during the livestream of the [[album:beforus|Beforus album]], during the track [[track:land-of-cruisin-and-bruisin|Land of Cruisin and Bruisin]] by [[artist:nate-tronerud|Nate Tronerud]]. Tumblr user princeskytoe remarked upon Cronus' lack of a visible seatbelt in the track art, which resulted in various users joking about his disregard for road safety and the fact that he was "cruising for a bruising". Bee memes made an appearance during the Beforus Album stream when album director and stream manager [[artist:blackhole|Blackhole (Not-Terezi-Pyrope)]] imposed various bee images over the booklet pages being shown in the stream, causing users to flood the stream chat with exclamations about bees. Soon after the Q&A session, the artists from the Q&A Skype group got talking, composing, and drawing. Six days later, we had an album on our hands. Ladies, gentlemen, and non-binary folks: Bee-forus: Seatbelt Safebee. diff --git a/album/beforus.yaml b/album/beforus.yaml index df9ab459..bee6b7a7 100644 --- a/album/beforus.yaml +++ b/album/beforus.yaml @@ -99,10 +99,10 @@ Referenced Tracks: - grrrarrr Lyrics: |- Your life was so miserable oh such a waste! - It’s all cause your friends had just spat in your face.<br>You used to be fearful that you’d make mistakes, but<br>your meekness and sweetness have faded away.<br>And under it all now your blood starts to boil;<br>You’ll make them all pay for your trouble and toil!<br>Your boyfriend was cheating and left you distraught.<br>But Meenah was meaner oh who would’ve thought<br>that her actions intended to help you along;<br>and you must know somehow that she wasn’t wrong.<br>The future is coming; they’ll just have to wait,<br>but you are determined they’ll all meet their fate. + It's all cause your friends had just spat in your face.<br>You used to be fearful that you'd make mistakes, but<br>your meekness and sweetness have faded away.<br>And under it all now your blood starts to boil;<br>You'll make them all pay for your trouble and toil!<br>Your boyfriend was cheating and left you distraught.<br>But Meenah was meaner oh who would've thought<br>that her actions intended to help you along;<br>and you must know somehow that she wasn't wrong.<br>The future is coming; they'll just have to wait,<br>but you are determined they'll all meet their fate. CHORUSx2 - Why do you feel that we’re always against<br>something that detriments good consequence?<br>Why do you try to advocate strife;<br>living an alternate life? - The Handmaiden comes as a beacon of doom;<br>she reshapes the past as you watch from your room,<br>and now looking back you can see what she’s done.<br>The battle is over but who really won?<br>You’re being controlled by a glimmering voice;<br>there’s nothing to do ‘cause theres really no choice;<br>You’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t.<br>You want to rebel but you know that you wont<br>be yourself if you do, how could you go on?<Br>You’re trying to help but what’s right is also what’s wrong<br>but you have to believe<br>that you are a person the world really needs. + Why do you feel that we're always against<br>something that detriments good consequence?<br>Why do you try to advocate strife;<br>living an alternate life? + The Handmaiden comes as a beacon of doom;<br>she reshapes the past as you watch from your room,<br>and now looking back you can see what she's done.<br>The battle is over but who really won?<br>You're being controlled by a glimmering voice;<br>there's nothing to do 'cause theres really no choice;<br>You're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't.<br>You want to rebel but you know that you wont<br>be yourself if you do, how could you go on?<Br>You're trying to help but what's right is also what's wrong<br>but you have to believe<br>that you are a person the world really needs. CHORUSx2 Commentary: |- <i>NEON SYSTEM 95:</i> @@ -1641,17 +1641,17 @@ Art Tags: Referenced Tracks: - track:sburban-jungle Lyrics: |- - Hello my darling dear<br>I’ve always been right here<br>Waiting for you, waiting for you<br>What’s that, my darling dear?<br>Suddenly I can’t hear you<br>Cat got your tongue? - Puppeteer, puppeteer<br>There’s no need to fear<br>Puppeteer, puppeteer<br>You're my love, the one I hold so dear - I’m known to be the one (you're slipping away)<br>Who’s always good with love (i can't hold on)<br>I make purrfect matches both red and pale (to you)<br>There's no room for mistake (we’re falling apart)<br>I never miscalculate (why won’t you hold)<br>I could never fail (to me) + Hello my darling dear<br>I've always been right here<br>Waiting for you, waiting for you<br>What's that, my darling dear?<br>Suddenly I can't hear you<br>Cat got your tongue? + Puppeteer, puppeteer<br>There's no need to fear<br>Puppeteer, puppeteer<br>You're my love, the one I hold so dear + I'm known to be the one (you're slipping away)<br>Who's always good with love (i can't hold on)<br>I make purrfect matches both red and pale (to you)<br>There's no room for mistake (we're falling apart)<br>I never miscalculate (why won't you hold)<br>I could never fail (to me) Right? - So what is this sinister feeling?<br>Why do you insist on disappearing?<br>Why do I black out on a whim,<br>Then wake some place I’ve never been?<br>Where are you, my darling dear?<br>Suddenly I can’t hear at all<br>Cat got your tongue? + So what is this sinister feeling?<br>Why do you insist on disappearing?<br>Why do I black out on a whim,<br>Then wake some place I've never been?<br>Where are you, my darling dear?<br>Suddenly I can't hear at all<br>Cat got your tongue? Puppeteer, puppeteer<br>What of you should I fear<br>Puppeteer, puppeteer<br>Suddenly nothing is so clear - Lapses in memory as<br>Your darkness takes hold of me<br>The screams of damned fall on deaf ears<br>A bittersweet melody only I can hear<br>Is this pity or is this love?<br>Or is my decision one I’m not a part of?<br>Logic begs for me to get away<br>But how do I live without you beside me? - Puppeteer, Puppeteer<br>Now you’re here, I see you crystal clear. + Lapses in memory as<br>Your darkness takes hold of me<br>The screams of damned fall on deaf ears<br>A bittersweet melody only I can hear<br>Is this pity or is this love?<br>Or is my decision one I'm not a part of?<br>Logic begs for me to get away<br>But how do I live without you beside me? + Puppeteer, Puppeteer<br>Now you're here, I see you crystal clear. jumbled mess :)) - Puppeteer, Puppeteer<br>I’m paralyzed with fear<br>Puppeteer, Puppeteer<br>You’re my love, the one I hold - You’re slipping away, I can’t hold on to you<br>We’re falling apart, why won’t you hold to me<br>You’re slipping away, hold on. + Puppeteer, Puppeteer<br>I'm paralyzed with fear<br>Puppeteer, Puppeteer<br>You're my love, the one I hold + You're slipping away, I can't hold on to you<br>We're falling apart, why won't you hold to me<br>You're slipping away, hold on. Commentary: |- <i>thesketchqueen:</i> This song has gone through three lyrical overhauls (the third was becuase the song I created got too personal), two instrumental overhauls, and a shift from "real" instruments to virtual instruments. It's a mess. I wanted to focus on something of the dynamic between Kurloz and Meulin, especially all the gross mind-control stuff. I wanted to give lots of double meanings to the text, too, because puppeteer, nothing means what you think it means, la-di-da. So. Puppeteer. The end. diff --git a/album/beyond-canon.yaml b/album/beyond-canon.yaml index 6a27b4b0..2442159d 100644 --- a/album/beyond-canon.yaml +++ b/album/beyond-canon.yaml @@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ Commentary: |- (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keoJTpGQxPE">YouTube</a>) <blockquote>Holy crap. Impeccable. I might transcribe this for my music project.</blockquote> This might make it a bit easier — I made a notated blueprint before I started producing it (notated on two piano grand staves, because that's easy for me to parse, but it's certainly not a playable two-piano score). It's not 100% accurate to how it wound up (and I'm not going to fix it, because I don't have any use for an accurate "score"), but if you take this as a slightly-flawed transcription you can probably get the rest relatively easily. [[media:misc/narrative-command-blueprint.pdf|(link!)]] - <blockquote>I don’t want to do this beautiful track a disservice by comparing it to music that’s already been made, because it’s one of the most original and creative songs ive ever heard, but it also does kind of sound like all the songs on [[album:cherubim|Cherubim]] had a brawl and kicked the shit out of each other</blockquote> + <blockquote>I don't want to do this beautiful track a disservice by comparing it to music that's already been made, because it's one of the most original and creative songs ive ever heard, but it also does kind of sound like all the songs on [[album:cherubim|Cherubim]] had a brawl and kicked the shit out of each other</blockquote> It intentionally sounds tangentially like a bit of OG Homestuck music (without quoting anything). Calliope's music is a little like some of One Year Older (like [[Firefly Cloud]]) and [[Voidlight]] (from HS Vol. 10). At the beginning of Homestuck^2, Dirk said "Finally, this story is back on the rails. Maybe we can get back to what things were like in the good old days," so his music sounds more stereotypically Homestuck, with the quasi-chiptune style that's in a lot of classic Homestuck music. <blockquote><blockquote><blockquote>have fun trying to transcribe dirk's 13/8 section lmao</blockquote><i>but consider: 13/4</i></blockquote>but consider: 13/1</blockquote> My notational thoughts aren't really consequential, since this is electronic, and the score was only for my own ease of composing, not for performance, but I've always thought of it as Calliope's section in 4/4 and Dirk's in 13/16, so when they start to combine, it's 4 (Calliope eighth notes) against 13 (Dirk sixteenth notes) @@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ Art Tags: - Green Sun Commentary: |- <i>qsleeper:</i> - I was pretty happy when I found out that I'd be drawing a piece for this song, since I've always had a soft spot for Tavros—he's an underappreciated boy! In the end, I didn't really do many different concept sketches for this one. I knew that I wanted a scene of Tavros, in his Peter Pan outfit, staring out as the friends and army they'd worked so hard to gather get eaten by the black hole. The ghosts are just as much the ‘Lost Boys' here as Tav is himself. I was going for a ‘wistful, but resigned' sort of feeling for this, since all Tav can really do now is watch. He knows he's unable to stop everyone from being destroyed—or, as we know now, getting pulled into the new HS^2 universe. So basically, he's just chillin'. + I was pretty happy when I found out that I'd be drawing a piece for this song, since I've always had a soft spot for Tavros—he's an underappreciated boy! In the end, I didn't really do many different concept sketches for this one. I knew that I wanted a scene of Tavros, in his Peter Pan outfit, staring out as the friends and army they'd worked so hard to gather get eaten by the black hole. The ghosts are just as much the 'Lost Boys' here as Tav is himself. I was going for a 'wistful, but resigned' sort of feeling for this, since all Tav can really do now is watch. He knows he's unable to stop everyone from being destroyed—or, as we know now, getting pulled into the new HS^2 universe. So basically, he's just chillin'. <img src="media/misc/adios-lost-boys-wip1.jpg" width="570" height="570"> <img src="media/misc/adios-lost-boys-wip2.jpg" width="570" height="570"> --- diff --git a/album/call-and-new.yaml b/album/call-and-new.yaml index fa39ed7a..05ae57b9 100644 --- a/album/call-and-new.yaml +++ b/album/call-and-new.yaml @@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ Lyrics: |- Here I stand beneath the warm and soothing rain The droplets falling gently down on the terrain (Oh, no!) Wash away the sorrow all the stains of time - (That's right, get noscoped!) But there’s no memory it’s only dry inside (Get noscooooooped!) + (That's right, get noscoped!) But there's no memory it's only dry inside (Get noscooooooped!) (Oh, no!) (It's the Nutshack!) In the mud and sinking deeper (Oh, no!) (It's the Nutshack!) Into a peaceful life @@ -679,4 +679,4 @@ Sampled Tracks: - Bowman's Credit Score Lyrics: |- (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks. Do you know what it is? It's my credit score, and it happens to be seven hundred and twenty. ) ---- \ No newline at end of file +--- diff --git a/album/cherubim.yaml b/album/cherubim.yaml index ae1b904d..3c0885c3 100644 --- a/album/cherubim.yaml +++ b/album/cherubim.yaml @@ -51,8 +51,8 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Reverie, Power Fantasy - Unknown.mid' Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> - i made this song its abou tcallpope shes the girl troll on the web cartonn ‘homsockers’ an she lives on the moon with her brother cazzbiborn baggin of rivendale were they play chess she isnt as good as it as cazbio l and he beats her this song is about when she was before he bit her le g fof - he is such a good goadlie and im tryhing to anticipate where hes going next i’m perfectly fine where i am im like where where wheere s your move tell me why im wrong + i made this song its abou tcallpope shes the girl troll on the web cartonn 'homsockers' an she lives on the moon with her brother cazzbiborn baggin of rivendale were they play chess she isnt as good as it as cazbio l and he beats her this song is about when she was before he bit her le g fof + he is such a good goadlie and im tryhing to anticipate where hes going next i'm perfectly fine where i am im like where where wheere s your move tell me why im wrong --- Track: Power Fantasy Artists: @@ -124,26 +124,26 @@ MIDI Project Files: Commentary: |- <i>Malcolm Brown:</i> <b>The Concept</b> - So with Cherubim, we tried something a little different to reflect the duality of the character/s in question. The album would be split into an even number of tracks grouped in pairs, and then finish off with Eternity Served Cold, to represent Caliborn’s dominance and unchaining. The pairs would represent a similar track done in two distinct styles for Calliope and Caliborn - Calliopes tracks would be considerably mellow, light, friendly, while Caliborn’s versions would be chaotic and angry. - Carne Vale mirrors RJ’s “Stellarum Salve" though only vaguely - I probably could’ve done a better job, but hopefully there’s enough recognizable lapses into SS that I treat as Calliope’s personality sorta coming back into the fray. The noticable sections are 0:00 and 1:58. Outside of that, anything pretty much went - The original ideas thrown about were a kind of crazy, OTT DnB. I ended up combining that with quite a bit of angry metal guitar, and a few spoonfuls of English (And Eternity, just for a bit of foreshadowing). - Originally I was looking into the Saw theme for inspiration, since there’s quite a lot of decent connections to be had there (Not least because of Caliborn’s escape sequence and the whole Lil’ Cal thing) - in the end I didn’t really use much of this, which is a shame because it’d probably work quite well… + So with Cherubim, we tried something a little different to reflect the duality of the character/s in question. The album would be split into an even number of tracks grouped in pairs, and then finish off with Eternity Served Cold, to represent Caliborn's dominance and unchaining. The pairs would represent a similar track done in two distinct styles for Calliope and Caliborn - Calliopes tracks would be considerably mellow, light, friendly, while Caliborn's versions would be chaotic and angry. + Carne Vale mirrors RJ's "Stellarum Salve" though only vaguely - I probably could've done a better job, but hopefully there's enough recognizable lapses into SS that I treat as Calliope's personality sorta coming back into the fray. The noticable sections are 0:00 and 1:58. Outside of that, anything pretty much went - The original ideas thrown about were a kind of crazy, OTT DnB. I ended up combining that with quite a bit of angry metal guitar, and a few spoonfuls of English (And Eternity, just for a bit of foreshadowing). + Originally I was looking into the Saw theme for inspiration, since there's quite a lot of decent connections to be had there (Not least because of Caliborn's escape sequence and the whole Lil' Cal thing) - in the end I didn't really use much of this, which is a shame because it'd probably work quite well... <b>The Name</b> - The name for this guy actually has more backstory than most. The working title was “Caliburninate”. Afterwards I thought “uNCHAINED” might make a nice name, since the progression of the song made it seem an almost alternative version of Caliborn’s freedom/leg-sawing. adventure. Trouble was, Eternity Served Cold already provided the background to that, and it’d make more sense to rename EsC to “uNCHAINED” than this one (as pointed out by Toby). So that idea was dropped and still no name. - (Also, while I considered renaming EsC to ‘uNCHAINED’, I figured that guy’d been renamed enough and people were already referring to it via the ‘Eternity’ name, so I figured just leave it). - Finally I looked to the whole ICP/Juggalo angle. Latched on to the name “Carnival”, but that on its own was a bit flat, so went looking into the etymology of the word. Dug up “Carne Vale" (lit. ‘Farewell Meat’) and that was that. - It bizarrely managed to be a sort of weird mirror of “Stellarum Salve”, and be almost appropriate to the whole leg-slicing shenanighens. + The name for this guy actually has more backstory than most. The working title was "Caliburninate". Afterwards I thought "uNCHAINED" might make a nice name, since the progression of the song made it seem an almost alternative version of Caliborn's freedom/leg-sawing. adventure. Trouble was, Eternity Served Cold already provided the background to that, and it'd make more sense to rename EsC to "uNCHAINED" than this one (as pointed out by Toby). So that idea was dropped and still no name. + (Also, while I considered renaming EsC to 'uNCHAINED', I figured that guy'd been renamed enough and people were already referring to it via the 'Eternity' name, so I figured just leave it). + Finally I looked to the whole ICP/Juggalo angle. Latched on to the name "Carnival", but that on its own was a bit flat, so went looking into the etymology of the word. Dug up "Carne Vale" (lit. 'Farewell Meat') and that was that. + It bizarrely managed to be a sort of weird mirror of "Stellarum Salve", and be almost appropriate to the whole leg-slicing shenanighens. <b>The Track</b> Now, there was quite a lot of DmC being played while I was making this, so a lot of of inspiration came from both the new Devil May Cry and the original ones. - We start off with a minor-ised version of a sequence from Stellarum Salve, before bursting into the rising power-chord section. This is you’re typical “transformation” section where Caliborn’s personality is beginning to take over. Of note for this song is the usage of Shreddage, which I’ve been fiddling about with after Toby posted about it a while back. My setup for using it isn’t brilliant, but the Amp sim it comes with is decent enough and the recorded strings and general setup (i.e. easy support for double tracking and the like) are probably better than anything I could do with a real guitar. - At 0:45 we bring in a direct reference to Eternity/English. (The melody is English, the music box in the background is referencing the beginning of Eternity). Can’t quiet remember what I was doing for the synthy-bass in the background, but I do remember it was fairly distorted. The laughing here I’ll talk about a bit later... - 1:10, and Shreddage is paying for itself with a meaty bit of rhythm guitar. Probably could’ve done a bit more variation around these sections, but it was doing a good enough job. - 1:57 gives us the second Stellarum Salve reference, sort’ve mashed two bits together. Here we have a brief reprieve from the chaos as Calliope’s personality resurfaces. Then however, we get to the noisiest bit of the whole song. - 2:27 and we get ready to go into full rave mode. Once the beat gets going, I decided to try a more complex riff for shreddage, a mix of power chords and lead. The synth bass also gets a bit more to do, adding a bit of panning and the then pitching it up to play a crazy arpeggiation. This bit was basically just “do something crazy”. Originally I had some laughter here too, but took it out since it was being drowned out by everything else. - 3:02 and we return to a bit of sanity. The guitar solo here is again provided by shreddage and sequenced - It’s actually fairly simplistic, but adding a few articulations helps fool it into sounding a bit more believable. - 3:26 and we bring our old friend Fruity Slicer back into the fray. He’s simply slicing the beat that was used throughout the song previously, while the rest of the song calms back down to another reference to English. Once that’s done, we bookend the whole thing with another reference to Stellarum Salve - Caliborn’s off back to sleep and we’re returning to Calliope again. + We start off with a minor-ised version of a sequence from Stellarum Salve, before bursting into the rising power-chord section. This is you're typical "transformation" section where Caliborn's personality is beginning to take over. Of note for this song is the usage of Shreddage, which I've been fiddling about with after Toby posted about it a while back. My setup for using it isn't brilliant, but the Amp sim it comes with is decent enough and the recorded strings and general setup (i.e. easy support for double tracking and the like) are probably better than anything I could do with a real guitar. + At 0:45 we bring in a direct reference to Eternity/English. (The melody is English, the music box in the background is referencing the beginning of Eternity). Can't quiet remember what I was doing for the synthy-bass in the background, but I do remember it was fairly distorted. The laughing here I'll talk about a bit later... + 1:10, and Shreddage is paying for itself with a meaty bit of rhythm guitar. Probably could've done a bit more variation around these sections, but it was doing a good enough job. + 1:57 gives us the second Stellarum Salve reference, sort've mashed two bits together. Here we have a brief reprieve from the chaos as Calliope's personality resurfaces. Then however, we get to the noisiest bit of the whole song. + 2:27 and we get ready to go into full rave mode. Once the beat gets going, I decided to try a more complex riff for shreddage, a mix of power chords and lead. The synth bass also gets a bit more to do, adding a bit of panning and the then pitching it up to play a crazy arpeggiation. This bit was basically just "do something crazy". Originally I had some laughter here too, but took it out since it was being drowned out by everything else. + 3:02 and we return to a bit of sanity. The guitar solo here is again provided by shreddage and sequenced - It's actually fairly simplistic, but adding a few articulations helps fool it into sounding a bit more believable. + 3:26 and we bring our old friend Fruity Slicer back into the fray. He's simply slicing the beat that was used throughout the song previously, while the rest of the song calms back down to another reference to English. Once that's done, we bookend the whole thing with another reference to Stellarum Salve - Caliborn's off back to sleep and we're returning to Calliope again. Now, a few other interesting things about this track (That a few people have already spotted) - firstly, it actually uses quite a few samples that come with FL Studio. Namely the percussion and the laughter. The percussion was pretty much the only example I had for the kind of drumline I was after, so it was fine. - The laughter was an interesting example - It’s from one of those collections of samples of voice that are usually terrible and added to 90s dance tracks (Shouting something random if its a male voice, like “CHECK THIS BASS!!” or “YEAH!” and moaning something incoherent if it’s female like “Oooahhhawoooahhayeah!”. Pitched up it sounded creepy enough when layered. It’s a bit cliched, but it works. - And that’s Carne Vale. An angry little shout from a little green, malevolent angel-baby. Grr. Argh. + The laughter was an interesting example - It's from one of those collections of samples of voice that are usually terrible and added to 90s dance tracks (Shouting something random if its a male voice, like "CHECK THIS BASS!!" or "YEAH!" and moaning something incoherent if it's female like "Oooahhhawoooahhayeah!". Pitched up it sounded creepy enough when layered. It's a bit cliched, but it works. + And that's Carne Vale. An angry little shout from a little green, malevolent angel-baby. Grr. Argh. --- Track: Green Lolly Artists: @@ -217,9 +217,9 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:doctor Commentary: |- <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> - I floated the idea for a UU + uu album last year in about June as a concept record divided in half with equal and analogous parts Calliope and Caliborn. While we really wanted to jump in and get to making more Homestuck music following Volume 9, we decided to wait and discover more of the two characters until December when Radiation re-organized the effort. He proposed the Jekyll / Hyde alternating pace of the album culminating in “Eternity Served Cold” and had the group split into pairs, each musician working with a partner on a track with the same themes and motifs. - I worked with Erik, who sent me the at-the-time unfinished Calliope composition “Constant Confinement" for me to base my Caliborn track around. Erik’s track was so meditative, it was actually difficult to recognize the slow-paced woodwind melody over the course of the piece, which pulses onward without any strict meter. This melody had to be expanded upon a lot to match the pace of "Constant Conquest" - it actually flies by at breakneck pace in the first measure of the piece before settling into its groove. - Conquest in many ways resembles [[Ruins Rising]], another electronic track based around one of Erik’s piano compositions. Like in my approach to “Ruins" I arranged the melody sparsely and created a very dense environment of drums and percussion sounds to convert Erik’s pulse into a groove. Same input, same solution, although this time I went much, much heavier than ever before. I had a handful of different drum kits going all at once, each with unique effects chains, to create more of an ensemble sound than a clean dance beat. + I floated the idea for a UU + uu album last year in about June as a concept record divided in half with equal and analogous parts Calliope and Caliborn. While we really wanted to jump in and get to making more Homestuck music following Volume 9, we decided to wait and discover more of the two characters until December when Radiation re-organized the effort. He proposed the Jekyll / Hyde alternating pace of the album culminating in "Eternity Served Cold" and had the group split into pairs, each musician working with a partner on a track with the same themes and motifs. + I worked with Erik, who sent me the at-the-time unfinished Calliope composition "Constant Confinement" for me to base my Caliborn track around. Erik's track was so meditative, it was actually difficult to recognize the slow-paced woodwind melody over the course of the piece, which pulses onward without any strict meter. This melody had to be expanded upon a lot to match the pace of "Constant Conquest" - it actually flies by at breakneck pace in the first measure of the piece before settling into its groove. + Conquest in many ways resembles [[Ruins Rising]], another electronic track based around one of Erik's piano compositions. Like in my approach to "Ruins" I arranged the melody sparsely and created a very dense environment of drums and percussion sounds to convert Erik's pulse into a groove. Same input, same solution, although this time I went much, much heavier than ever before. I had a handful of different drum kits going all at once, each with unique effects chains, to create more of an ensemble sound than a clean dance beat. What really sealed in the atmosphere of this track was the huge slather of pads that adorned the track, most of which were created using analog equipment. I fed the signal from an old Radio Shack keyboard with basic midi patches through a pawn shop guitar pedal to create the many layers of sound that fill the background. Some of the most excellent sounds on the track (especially that snarling synth at 2:57) were created by hammering the mod knobs and wah-wah pedal while playing atonal pitches. The result is distorted synth excellence. --- Track: The Lyrist @@ -294,38 +294,38 @@ MIDI Project Files: Commentary: |- <i>Malcolm Brown:</i> First off, a thanks to the folk who enjoyed EsC. - Secondly, the above question’s been asked by enough folk now that’s worth commenting on. Specifically, a) Will I release the original and b) Why is it different. - So let’s get a) out of the way: Most likely - I won’t release it right now though, as that’d diminish the album release. Somewhere down the line I’ll release the original version with the original mixing, and possibly the cut ending part (Which was cut because it sounded silly :p). + Secondly, the above question's been asked by enough folk now that's worth commenting on. Specifically, a) Will I release the original and b) Why is it different. + So let's get a) out of the way: Most likely - I won't release it right now though, as that'd diminish the album release. Somewhere down the line I'll release the original version with the original mixing, and possibly the cut ending part (Which was cut because it sounded silly :p). Now for b): - Getting the first bit out of the way, I’ve a long way to go with learning mastering properly. What sounds ok on Headphones A might sound too bass heavy on Headphones B, absolutely lightweight on Speakers C and generally terrible on earphones Q. With a bit of effort, understand and the right equipment or software the process can be considerably better (I’m using various Dynamic Range monitors to check loudness, for example). I’m still fairly naff at it. - Now, Eternity’s one of the more complicated tracks I’ve done - It’s got quite a few opposing voices: a synth orchestra, synth and heavy percussion, rhythm and lead guitar voices, pianos, wooden and metal toned percussion, timpanies, creepy sound effects, various choirs with various articulations and so on. Getting all these noises to sound halfway decent on top of each other might’ve been a bit beyond my current skill. - When I passed the first version to Rad, he noted it was a bit quiet compared to other tracks. A few variations later (Some bass reduction because a lot of my tracks are a bit bass heavy, I blame my default headphones which have very little bass), then it was a bit anemic. Brought the bass back, tried to bring in some of the voices that were being drowned out (This is the biggest problem people have with the newer version - Some of the strings have been reduced in favour of other voices, notably in the Revelawesome section). Long story short, I didn’t have a decent setup that lets me make any mastering decisions with much confidence. - There’s also a few notable mistakes in EsC in general - Firstly, there’s simply too much strings. In some sections, there’s a high string melody, with staccato strings, more strings below that, and a cello/double bass strings bit. And a solo violin on top of that. It’s simply too much string section fighting over control of what’s going on - This was the main reason for trying to bring the french horns and oboe back into the fold. Additionally, I’m not convinced I’m using panning to its best, resulting in a very squashed mix that’s very central and doesn’t sound “spacial”, which a bit orchestral track really should. - Mastering EsC highlights that there’s large gaps in my skill for music production that I need to brush up on. This is good - It’s always good to have targets for self improvement. I’ll say right now that both versions are still considerably better than Rex Duodecim Angelus :p And essentially it’s the same deal - A synth-orchestral romp through a Homestuck medley meant to sound mean and imposing and threatening, so I won’t say I’m not improving :D. - TL:DR: Yes the old version will be released at a later date. It sounds different because I’m wishy-washy at mastering. (I’m not actually sure if I’m using that term right, I’m basing it off Peanuts) + Getting the first bit out of the way, I've a long way to go with learning mastering properly. What sounds ok on Headphones A might sound too bass heavy on Headphones B, absolutely lightweight on Speakers C and generally terrible on earphones Q. With a bit of effort, understand and the right equipment or software the process can be considerably better (I'm using various Dynamic Range monitors to check loudness, for example). I'm still fairly naff at it. + Now, Eternity's one of the more complicated tracks I've done - It's got quite a few opposing voices: a synth orchestra, synth and heavy percussion, rhythm and lead guitar voices, pianos, wooden and metal toned percussion, timpanies, creepy sound effects, various choirs with various articulations and so on. Getting all these noises to sound halfway decent on top of each other might've been a bit beyond my current skill. + When I passed the first version to Rad, he noted it was a bit quiet compared to other tracks. A few variations later (Some bass reduction because a lot of my tracks are a bit bass heavy, I blame my default headphones which have very little bass), then it was a bit anemic. Brought the bass back, tried to bring in some of the voices that were being drowned out (This is the biggest problem people have with the newer version - Some of the strings have been reduced in favour of other voices, notably in the Revelawesome section). Long story short, I didn't have a decent setup that lets me make any mastering decisions with much confidence. + There's also a few notable mistakes in EsC in general - Firstly, there's simply too much strings. In some sections, there's a high string melody, with staccato strings, more strings below that, and a cello/double bass strings bit. And a solo violin on top of that. It's simply too much string section fighting over control of what's going on - This was the main reason for trying to bring the french horns and oboe back into the fold. Additionally, I'm not convinced I'm using panning to its best, resulting in a very squashed mix that's very central and doesn't sound "spacial", which a bit orchestral track really should. + Mastering EsC highlights that there's large gaps in my skill for music production that I need to brush up on. This is good - It's always good to have targets for self improvement. I'll say right now that both versions are still considerably better than Rex Duodecim Angelus :p And essentially it's the same deal - A synth-orchestral romp through a Homestuck medley meant to sound mean and imposing and threatening, so I won't say I'm not improving :D. + TL:DR: Yes the old version will be released at a later date. It sounds different because I'm wishy-washy at mastering. (I'm not actually sure if I'm using that term right, I'm basing it off Peanuts) Hope that answers ya'lls questions :) (<a href="https://dragonxvi.tumblr.com/post/28573051810/eternitys-shylock-a-short-commentary">Tumblr</a>) <img src="media/misc/04681.gif" width="650" height="450"> - I’ve been getting a lot of questions about this guy, so here goes: - It’s commentry time!!! + I've been getting a lot of questions about this guy, so here goes: + It's commentry time!!! <b>The track in general</b> - If you’ve been paying attention to this blog, I already hinted at the development of ES. It’s kind of a “Sequel” to Rex Duodecim Angelus in that it’s a gradual Medley of HS tracks arranged in some kind of sinister Boss Theme. - The track itself is split into 3 “Acts”. Act I acts as a kind of intro and goes from 0:00 to around 2:30 (As the Revelawesome section begins). Act 2 is the conflict, and ends just after “ the party is defeated” and the music turns a bit more sinister around 4:40. Act 3 is distinctly missing from the flash, but deals with the heroes comeback and eventual final conflict and resolution. The Flash ends just hope is beginning to peek through. - The obvious inspiration and basis for this track is <b>Toby Fox’s “English”</b> and it’s meant to be a track for LE ‘imself. As the act structure implied, it was designed for a battle with LE vs The Good Guys, but ultimately works as a “LE is doing something incredibly nasty and you guys better stay away!” + If you've been paying attention to this blog, I already hinted at the development of ES. It's kind of a "Sequel" to Rex Duodecim Angelus in that it's a gradual Medley of HS tracks arranged in some kind of sinister Boss Theme. + The track itself is split into 3 "Acts". Act I acts as a kind of intro and goes from 0:00 to around 2:30 (As the Revelawesome section begins). Act 2 is the conflict, and ends just after " the party is defeated" and the music turns a bit more sinister around 4:40. Act 3 is distinctly missing from the flash, but deals with the heroes comeback and eventual final conflict and resolution. The Flash ends just hope is beginning to peek through. + The obvious inspiration and basis for this track is <b>Toby Fox's "English"</b> and it's meant to be a track for LE 'imself. As the act structure implied, it was designed for a battle with LE vs The Good Guys, but ultimately works as a "LE is doing something incredibly nasty and you guys better stay away!" <b>The track in more detail</b> - I tried to be a bit more cinematic in my orchestral arrangement here. It’s far from perfect, but it’s better than previous attempts. Gotta keep pushin’ yourself I guess. + I tried to be a bit more cinematic in my orchestral arrangement here. It's far from perfect, but it's better than previous attempts. Gotta keep pushin' yourself I guess. Stuff you should be able to hear: - [[track:sburban-countdown|Sburban Countdown]] (At the start and occasionally in other places) - [[English]] (Should be obvious) - [[track:revelawesome|Revelawesome]] (ARound 2:40) - - [[Black Hole / Green Sun]] (Twisted a bit, but after the Revelawesome section. The music box makes it noticeable, and 'English’ is playing on top of it) + - [[Black Hole / Green Sun]] (Twisted a bit, but after the Revelawesome section. The music box makes it noticeable, and 'English' is playing on top of it) - [[track:endless-climb|Endless Climb]] (Subtly added at 3:37) - [[track:ruins|Ruins]] at 4:03 - [[track:penumbra-phantasm]] and hints of the finale of the SotDD section in [[Cascade]] at the end. - Stuff you didn’t hear because the track ends before it gets going: + Stuff you didn't hear because the track ends before it gets going: - [[track:doctor|Doctor]] - Quite a bit of guitar - So why make another Medley fest? Quite a lot of the HS themes blend really nicely together, and we can associate a lot of events and memories with past flashes (Revelawesome was used as a kind of gag, but here’s it more sinister). I do like a good Medley, and judging from the reaction of Descend, RDA and the latest Solo Album, you guys do too! + So why make another Medley fest? Quite a lot of the HS themes blend really nicely together, and we can associate a lot of events and memories with past flashes (Revelawesome was used as a kind of gag, but here's it more sinister). I do like a good Medley, and judging from the reaction of Descend, RDA and the latest Solo Album, you guys do too! The track was made in FL Studio. It mostly uses SoundsOnline EWQL VST libraries, namely: - Symphonic Orchestra - Symphonic Choirs (Shouty choir girls) @@ -333,16 +333,16 @@ Commentary: |- - Ministry of Rock (Guitar, some percussion and bass guitar) And a few soundfonts. <b>When is it available?</b> - Good question! I suspect you’ll be waiting for Volume 10 to show up, which'll materialize after the solo albums and once we’ve got enough Cherubim goodness for you. + Good question! I suspect you'll be waiting for Volume 10 to show up, which'll materialize after the solo albums and once we've got enough Cherubim goodness for you. <b>The Name</b> - “Eternity’s Shylock” is an odd one I’ll grant you. It’s alternative working title is “Eternity Served Cold”. - “Eternity” should be obvious. He’s a time travelling demon after all. "Shylock" is a bit more confusing and that leads us on to… + "Eternity's Shylock" is an odd one I'll grant you. It's alternative working title is "Eternity Served Cold". + "Eternity" should be obvious. He's a time travelling demon after all. "Shylock" is a bit more confusing and that leads us on to... <b>A bit of controversy with the name</b> - “Shylock”, as many of you know, is a character from “The Merchant of Venice”. Specifically, a rather antagonistic Jewish Moneylender. You can <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Merchant_of_Venice#Shylock_and_the_antisemitism_debate">read all about the antisemitism debate on the WIKI page</a> but long story short, the character of Shylock has quite a bit of controversy surrounding the portrayal of the Jewish. - Now, from the name “Shylock” it’s also a slang term for “Loan Shark” - One who loans money yet charges extraordinary amounts of interest and threatens those who cannot pay the return. It was used in 20th century gangster/Mafia slang, and that’s where I pulled it from as a nice fit to Lord English. Therefore “Eternity’s Shylock” - One who gives time, only to take it back with interest. It’s a bit of a stretch, but in the end it sounded like a nice name - Mildly sinister, yet grand. - Now, my use of the term “Shylock” in this context is that of a Loan-shark. There’s been plenty of portrayals of this profession, particularly in crime dramas where one character gets in deep with one and they send round “The boys” to break some fingers etc. The name “Shylock” in this manner refers to the profession and behavior rather than the character or his religious beliefs, but I can fully believe why some people would look at the name “Shylock” with disgust, given the controversy surrounding him. + "Shylock", as many of you know, is a character from "The Merchant of Venice". Specifically, a rather antagonistic Jewish Moneylender. You can <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Merchant_of_Venice#Shylock_and_the_antisemitism_debate">read all about the antisemitism debate on the WIKI page</a> but long story short, the character of Shylock has quite a bit of controversy surrounding the portrayal of the Jewish. + Now, from the name "Shylock" it's also a slang term for "Loan Shark" - One who loans money yet charges extraordinary amounts of interest and threatens those who cannot pay the return. It was used in 20th century gangster/Mafia slang, and that's where I pulled it from as a nice fit to Lord English. Therefore "Eternity's Shylock" - One who gives time, only to take it back with interest. It's a bit of a stretch, but in the end it sounded like a nice name - Mildly sinister, yet grand. + Now, my use of the term "Shylock" in this context is that of a Loan-shark. There's been plenty of portrayals of this profession, particularly in crime dramas where one character gets in deep with one and they send round "The boys" to break some fingers etc. The name "Shylock" in this manner refers to the profession and behavior rather than the character or his religious beliefs, but I can fully believe why some people would look at the name "Shylock" with disgust, given the controversy surrounding him. This was my bad in lack of research, and I apologize. There was certainly no insult meant if it was received. - However, it should be clear to anyone that Lord English, a time travelling threat to all existence, is not in any way implicated to be Jewish. No more so than the implication that he’s from England and has a seat in the House of Lords because of his name. He’s a green, skeletal Mafia pimp demon who flies through time in a crazy sarcophagus and vomits rainbow laz0rs. - I may be [mis]understanding the original controversy surrounding the issue, but from what I read it implied that Shylock the character and Lord English were one and the same, and that Homestuck was presenting a parallel to tMoV. The link is… Well I may not be the finest literary analyst in the world, but I don’t buy it in the slightest. And even if it was a genuinely well thought out analysis, I’d be delighted to be told exactly where in Homestuck it is implied that Lord English identifies himself as Jewish by his words or actions. Or at which point Shylock vomits lasers all over the dream ghost of Antonio. - See, it sounds absurd. Fan-speculation is a large part of the Homestuck community, but sometimes it can get a bit icky when it dives into issues of race and creed. You’re thinking about it too much, it’s a webcomic about some crazy stuff. Just chill. + However, it should be clear to anyone that Lord English, a time travelling threat to all existence, is not in any way implicated to be Jewish. No more so than the implication that he's from England and has a seat in the House of Lords because of his name. He's a green, skeletal Mafia pimp demon who flies through time in a crazy sarcophagus and vomits rainbow laz0rs. + I may be [mis]understanding the original controversy surrounding the issue, but from what I read it implied that Shylock the character and Lord English were one and the same, and that Homestuck was presenting a parallel to tMoV. The link is... Well I may not be the finest literary analyst in the world, but I don't buy it in the slightest. And even if it was a genuinely well thought out analysis, I'd be delighted to be told exactly where in Homestuck it is implied that Lord English identifies himself as Jewish by his words or actions. Or at which point Shylock vomits lasers all over the dream ghost of Antonio. + See, it sounds absurd. Fan-speculation is a large part of the Homestuck community, but sometimes it can get a bit icky when it dives into issues of race and creed. You're thinking about it too much, it's a webcomic about some crazy stuff. Just chill. honk HONK. diff --git a/album/coloUrs-and-mayhem-universe-a.yaml b/album/coloUrs-and-mayhem-universe-a.yaml index 7f881343..25ba222e 100644 --- a/album/coloUrs-and-mayhem-universe-a.yaml +++ b/album/coloUrs-and-mayhem-universe-a.yaml @@ -55,21 +55,21 @@ Commentary: |- The MSPA music team has made exactly 20 great albums since the beginning of Homestuck. For the next album, I thought it would be fun to open the music submissions up to everybody. - There seems to be a large number of musicians in the readership outside the music team, who often work on their own HS fan music or remixes. I’ve had quite a number of people express interest in submitting music to HS over the years, but to keep the team from ballooning out of control, I’ve had to draw the recruitment line somewhere. This strikes me as a nice opportunity to give a lot of other creative people a chance to contribute music. The music team was originally assembled just before HS began with the idea that I wanted MSPA stories to largely build and develop through contribution from the readership, and I think this album idea is very much in the spirit of that original premise. + There seems to be a large number of musicians in the readership outside the music team, who often work on their own HS fan music or remixes. I've had quite a number of people express interest in submitting music to HS over the years, but to keep the team from ballooning out of control, I've had to draw the recruitment line somewhere. This strikes me as a nice opportunity to give a lot of other creative people a chance to contribute music. The music team was originally assembled just before HS began with the idea that I wanted MSPA stories to largely build and develop through contribution from the readership, and I think this album idea is very much in the spirit of that original premise. <b>The challenge</b> - If you want to submit music, the idea is simple. Pick a character from Homestuck, and make a song for that character. It can be any character, particularly those in identifiable categories, like the eight human kids, the trolls, ancestors, agents, exiles, Midnight Crew, Felt. If you want to pick a character not in one of those groups, that’s fine too. Keep in mind there’s a decent chance that if your song is picked, it could be reallocated to a different character, since it’s expected we’ll get a lot of submission overlap, and it’s not going to be “The Album of 50 Karkat Songs!” So picking a character for your song is just a starting point for you, and we’ll sort it all out during the selection process. + If you want to submit music, the idea is simple. Pick a character from Homestuck, and make a song for that character. It can be any character, particularly those in identifiable categories, like the eight human kids, the trolls, ancestors, agents, exiles, Midnight Crew, Felt. If you want to pick a character not in one of those groups, that's fine too. Keep in mind there's a decent chance that if your song is picked, it could be reallocated to a different character, since it's expected we'll get a lot of submission overlap, and it's not going to be "The Album of 50 Karkat Songs!" So picking a character for your song is just a starting point for you, and we'll sort it all out during the selection process. - You can submit up to three songs. No more than that, or they will not be considered! They can be for three different characters, or the same character, whatever you want. You can do remixes, etc. of other HS songs, but we’ll have to run it by the original artist, and they’ll have some stake in the song’s sales. + You can submit up to three songs. No more than that, or they will not be considered! They can be for three different characters, or the same character, whatever you want. You can do remixes, etc. of other HS songs, but we'll have to run it by the original artist, and they'll have some stake in the song's sales. - I am hoping to include as much artist diversity as possible in the final list. Ideally, one artist per song. So while you may submit up to 3, if one of your songs is picked, it’ll likely be only one. If you have a lot of music you’re dying to send, hopefully the 3 song max will mitigate any agonizing decisions over which to send. + I am hoping to include as much artist diversity as possible in the final list. Ideally, one artist per song. So while you may submit up to 3, if one of your songs is picked, it'll likely be only one. If you have a lot of music you're dying to send, hopefully the 3 song max will mitigate any agonizing decisions over which to send. <b>The Prize</b> - If your song is picked, it will be included with the album! That’s pretty much the extent of the prize. You’ll get a cut of the album sales, in proportion with how many songs you have in the album to the total number of songs. + If your song is picked, it will be included with the album! That's pretty much the extent of the prize. You'll get a cut of the album sales, in proportion with how many songs you have in the album to the total number of songs. - Also, if this contributes any motivation for you, I’m going to try to make a point of using at least one song from this album in a future animation. + Also, if this contributes any motivation for you, I'm going to try to make a point of using at least one song from this album in a future animation. I think that should be all the info you need to get started. Everybody is already super psyched to hear what you come up with. Happy music makin! --- @@ -102,11 +102,11 @@ Art Tags: - The Handmaid Commentary: |- <i>Willow Ascenzo:</i> - If [[Violet Mariner]] was the elder child and [[Teal Hunter]] the middle child, then Rust Servant is the youngest child onto which I poured all my love and affection. This was one of my favorite pieces to work on and even today I’m still pretty pleased with how it turned out, from the striking staccato and col legno strings opening the song to the frantic violins, melancholic chromatic percussion, deep brass, and fast-paced drum grooves. I wanted the song to be big, epic, a little scary. If I may be so immodest, I think I succeeded. - Rust Servant was the only one of my three contest submissions to remain allocated to the character I had in mind while writing it, Aradia’s tragic ancestor and Lord English’s dreadful Handmaid (although the name was changed from the terribly uncreative Handmaid of Death to something more apt for the naming scheme of the album). - When I wrote this song, I had just taken an Intro to Hinduism class the previous fall and had written a short research paper on Kali, the Hindu goddess of time and death (more remembered for being related to death—those of you who have seen Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom must be familiar with the Thuggees, a cult of Kali-worshipers infamous for conducting human sacrifices—and, apparently, ripping people’s hearts out and setting them on fire as well). And, of course, because I am A SHAMELESS HOMESTUCK NERD, I immediately thought, “Time? Death? THAT REMINDS ME OF ONE OF THE TROLLS” (no I didn’t write my paper on that, i’m not that terrible). It doesn’t come through much in the song itself, but that’s where I got the inspiration from. And the moral of this story is, take a theology class (or two, or three) on a religion you know nothing about. It’ll give you all sorts of new ideas for Homestuck fanart. - Also when the album came out and this song was the first song on the album after Radiation’s intro I was all “HOLY SHIT RADIATION LIKED THIS SONG SO MUCH HE MADE IT THE FIRST SONG” and started pelvic-thrusting across my dorm room. Then I realized that it was only first due to all the tracks being organized from lowest to highest by the blood color of the troll they represented. I continued pelvic-thrusting across my dorm room anyway. - And to wrap things up, milkmanner’s art for the track is just perfect. + If [[Violet Mariner]] was the elder child and [[Teal Hunter]] the middle child, then Rust Servant is the youngest child onto which I poured all my love and affection. This was one of my favorite pieces to work on and even today I'm still pretty pleased with how it turned out, from the striking staccato and col legno strings opening the song to the frantic violins, melancholic chromatic percussion, deep brass, and fast-paced drum grooves. I wanted the song to be big, epic, a little scary. If I may be so immodest, I think I succeeded. + Rust Servant was the only one of my three contest submissions to remain allocated to the character I had in mind while writing it, Aradia's tragic ancestor and Lord English's dreadful Handmaid (although the name was changed from the terribly uncreative Handmaid of Death to something more apt for the naming scheme of the album). + When I wrote this song, I had just taken an Intro to Hinduism class the previous fall and had written a short research paper on Kali, the Hindu goddess of time and death (more remembered for being related to death—those of you who have seen Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom must be familiar with the Thuggees, a cult of Kali-worshipers infamous for conducting human sacrifices—and, apparently, ripping people's hearts out and setting them on fire as well). And, of course, because I am A SHAMELESS HOMESTUCK NERD, I immediately thought, "Time? Death? THAT REMINDS ME OF ONE OF THE TROLLS" (no I didn't write my paper on that, i'm not that terrible). It doesn't come through much in the song itself, but that's where I got the inspiration from. And the moral of this story is, take a theology class (or two, or three) on a religion you know nothing about. It'll give you all sorts of new ideas for Homestuck fanart. + Also when the album came out and this song was the first song on the album after Radiation's intro I was all "HOLY SHIT RADIATION LIKED THIS SONG SO MUCH HE MADE IT THE FIRST SONG" and started pelvic-thrusting across my dorm room. Then I realized that it was only first due to all the tracks being organized from lowest to highest by the blood color of the troll they represented. I continued pelvic-thrusting across my dorm room anyway. + And to wrap things up, milkmanner's art for the track is just perfect. --- Track: Bronze Rebel Artists: @@ -124,9 +124,9 @@ Art Tags: - Tavros Commentary: |- <i>Yan Rodriguez:</i> - This track is one I sure as hell put a ton of effort into, as it was my big chance to finally do something with my music. I was at a pretty good time of my life and I was able to work on this thing day in and day out, and so I did, but first I put a lot of though into what I wanted to actually do. I’m a bit of a contrarian when it comes to making music, always trying to figure out what everyone else does so that I could do something different, and so I wanted to make a theme for Tavros that looked at his character from a more serious perspective about what he was and what he wanted to do. It’s original title, “If I were like Rufio,” reflected the melancholy desire to be something or be in a world where he was great, where he was a hero but in reality he couldn’t really amount to much, and it was his own fault. - For the style of the song I ended up falling back on one of my main styles, which I called “orchestral cinematic/game with a hint of latin rhythms and harmonies.” I don’t really know what it might actually be called. Unfortunately, while this made the song accomplish what I wanted it to, it can be a bit hard to listen to at times, for being too dependent on situation and scenery. - However I’m very proud of it! I got to practice a lot of new and old things and combine them into what’s currently my longest song! Well, longest I’m not ashamed of. It ended up being allocated to the Summoner, and I had a feeling it would. I’d say close enough, but it feels a bit weird to say that! I wouldn’t change much about it, but I think it’s a bit bland, and I’ve learned a lot from that. + This track is one I sure as hell put a ton of effort into, as it was my big chance to finally do something with my music. I was at a pretty good time of my life and I was able to work on this thing day in and day out, and so I did, but first I put a lot of though into what I wanted to actually do. I'm a bit of a contrarian when it comes to making music, always trying to figure out what everyone else does so that I could do something different, and so I wanted to make a theme for Tavros that looked at his character from a more serious perspective about what he was and what he wanted to do. It's original title, "If I were like Rufio," reflected the melancholy desire to be something or be in a world where he was great, where he was a hero but in reality he couldn't really amount to much, and it was his own fault. + For the style of the song I ended up falling back on one of my main styles, which I called "orchestral cinematic/game with a hint of latin rhythms and harmonies." I don't really know what it might actually be called. Unfortunately, while this made the song accomplish what I wanted it to, it can be a bit hard to listen to at times, for being too dependent on situation and scenery. + However I'm very proud of it! I got to practice a lot of new and old things and combine them into what's currently my longest song! Well, longest I'm not ashamed of. It ended up being allocated to the Summoner, and I had a feeling it would. I'd say close enough, but it feels a bit weird to say that! I wouldn't change much about it, but I think it's a bit bland, and I've learned a lot from that. --- Track: Gold Pilot Artists: @@ -272,9 +272,9 @@ Art Tags: - 'cw: hanging (abstract)' Commentary: |- <i>Willow Ascenzo:</i> - Teal Hunter was sort of the middle child of my three Homestuck music contest submissions. Even now it’s still my least favorite of the three songs I submitted. Why Radiation picked it along with my other two, I’ll never know. I certainly wasn’t expecting it to be chosen. With over a thousand submissions I’m sure there was no shortage of Redglare songs for him to choose from. Maybe the $20 I slipped him when I submitted my songs had something to do with it But his ways are not our ways. - When Volume 9 came out, a lot of people looked at Radiation’s arrangement of Stress by Buzinaki and started noting similarities between it and Teal Hunter. Radiation wrote about why the two songs sound similar in his commentary for Stress. If we’re going to talk about “what sounds like what”, then I’ll lay my cards on the table and state that Teal Hunter was begun as pretty much a direct reference to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt_0Lg4-RkE">00 Gundam</a> from the Gundam 00 soundtrack (if you can’t tell by now, I really like Gundams). When I started the piece, the first draft was more or less a low-rent version of that song, in the same way a cartoon that wants to parody Indiana Jones would get a song that sounds close to John Williams’ Raiders March without being close enough to qualify as plagiarism. So I just kept fiddling with it until the two melodies sounded different. By the time I got to the final product and had added the buildup in the beginning, the two had nothing but their rhythm and syncopation in common. - Teal Hunter’s original title was Bête Blanche, a play on bête noire, a French phrase literally meaning “black beast” that the fan name “Bec Noir” is most likely a reference to. As evident, the song was originally allocated to PM, the one Exile powerful enough to battle Jack Noir to a stalemate. + Teal Hunter was sort of the middle child of my three Homestuck music contest submissions. Even now it's still my least favorite of the three songs I submitted. Why Radiation picked it along with my other two, I'll never know. I certainly wasn't expecting it to be chosen. With over a thousand submissions I'm sure there was no shortage of Redglare songs for him to choose from. Maybe the $20 I slipped him when I submitted my songs had something to do with it But his ways are not our ways. + When Volume 9 came out, a lot of people looked at Radiation's arrangement of Stress by Buzinaki and started noting similarities between it and Teal Hunter. Radiation wrote about why the two songs sound similar in his commentary for Stress. If we're going to talk about "what sounds like what", then I'll lay my cards on the table and state that Teal Hunter was begun as pretty much a direct reference to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt_0Lg4-RkE">00 Gundam</a> from the Gundam 00 soundtrack (if you can't tell by now, I really like Gundams). When I started the piece, the first draft was more or less a low-rent version of that song, in the same way a cartoon that wants to parody Indiana Jones would get a song that sounds close to John Williams' Raiders March without being close enough to qualify as plagiarism. So I just kept fiddling with it until the two melodies sounded different. By the time I got to the final product and had added the buildup in the beginning, the two had nothing but their rhythm and syncopation in common. + Teal Hunter's original title was Bête Blanche, a play on bête noire, a French phrase literally meaning "black beast" that the fan name "Bec Noir" is most likely a reference to. As evident, the song was originally allocated to PM, the one Exile powerful enough to battle Jack Noir to a stalemate. --- Track: Cobalt Corsair Artists: @@ -293,16 +293,16 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Hallowed Halls Commentary: |- <i>Max Wright:</i> - For those of you who didn’t know, Cobalt Corsair was originally a theme for Hussie. The song being given to Mindfang, while some find it hilariously ironic, I find to be a lot more fitting. I do have a tendency to write piratey sounding orchestral songs; this time it just happened to be accidental! For this commentary, I’m going to be dividing the song up both by sections and instrument groups. + For those of you who didn't know, Cobalt Corsair was originally a theme for Hussie. The song being given to Mindfang, while some find it hilariously ironic, I find to be a lot more fitting. I do have a tendency to write piratey sounding orchestral songs; this time it just happened to be accidental! For this commentary, I'm going to be dividing the song up both by sections and instrument groups. <b>SECTION I - REGAL</b> - I always wanted the piece to sound dominating and over-important, at least for this part. It begins with a solo flugelhorn playing its melody, providing an entrance for the rest of the orchestral. After not too long, the trumpets blasting out their fanfare in perfect 4th intervals, the lower brass backing them up with a strong chordal harmony - the brass works to create a very regal sound. Though Hussie as a character isn’t anywhere near this serious, I felt that it wouldn’t hurt to portray him in such a way - the way his character sees himself. The whole thing reeks of overlording and power, which, as it turns out, seems to fit the pirate idea nicely. + I always wanted the piece to sound dominating and over-important, at least for this part. It begins with a solo flugelhorn playing its melody, providing an entrance for the rest of the orchestral. After not too long, the trumpets blasting out their fanfare in perfect 4th intervals, the lower brass backing them up with a strong chordal harmony - the brass works to create a very regal sound. Though Hussie as a character isn't anywhere near this serious, I felt that it wouldn't hurt to portray him in such a way - the way his character sees himself. The whole thing reeks of overlording and power, which, as it turns out, seems to fit the pirate idea nicely. <b>SECTION II - BROODING</b> - This is where the piece changes from 12/8 to 4/4, and the solo flugelhorn returns to introduce the new section. I imagined this to be the other side of Hussie, calculating, always working, creating his world. The whole section is just a build up of instruments, as the lower string ostinato loops itself over. There isn’t really much to say about this section, but it certainly works as a contrast for the rest of the piece. + This is where the piece changes from 12/8 to 4/4, and the solo flugelhorn returns to introduce the new section. I imagined this to be the other side of Hussie, calculating, always working, creating his world. The whole section is just a build up of instruments, as the lower string ostinato loops itself over. There isn't really much to say about this section, but it certainly works as a contrast for the rest of the piece. <b>SECTION III - EXECUTION</b> - This is the final minute of the piece, just after the moment of silence. It explodes into a wall of sound, seeking to bring back the power of the first section in a more open way. I actually wrote part of this section before working on the rest of the piece, so naturally, it’s what set the general tone. My favourite melody is introduced in this section (played most obviously by the flutes), and I regret not being able to flesh the idea out more. The piccolo part rising above the rest is interesting - it fits perfectly in with the whole pirate theme, despite me never considering this to be a pirate song. I suppose I consider this section the execution of various plans, to a successful conclusion. + This is the final minute of the piece, just after the moment of silence. It explodes into a wall of sound, seeking to bring back the power of the first section in a more open way. I actually wrote part of this section before working on the rest of the piece, so naturally, it's what set the general tone. My favourite melody is introduced in this section (played most obviously by the flutes), and I regret not being able to flesh the idea out more. The piccolo part rising above the rest is interesting - it fits perfectly in with the whole pirate theme, despite me never considering this to be a pirate song. I suppose I consider this section the execution of various plans, to a successful conclusion. <b>INSTRUMENT GROUPS</b> - Now, as you can probably tell from listening, Cobalt Corsair is very dense texturally. To give you a visual idea, here’s a post from a little while ago showing the layout of the sequencer. <a href="https://imbrog.tumblr.com/post/23713453688/did-i-ever-mention-just-how-long-cobalt-corsair">It's big.</a> - So, I’ve decided to chop the piece up in terms of the instrument groups, for anyone who wanted to understand what the hell is going on underneath all that sound. + Now, as you can probably tell from listening, Cobalt Corsair is very dense texturally. To give you a visual idea, here's a post from a little while ago showing the layout of the sequencer. <a href="https://imbrog.tumblr.com/post/23713453688/did-i-ever-mention-just-how-long-cobalt-corsair">It's big.</a> + So, I've decided to chop the piece up in terms of the instrument groups, for anyone who wanted to understand what the hell is going on underneath all that sound. BRASS | STRINGS | WOODWIND | PERCUSSION AND MISCELLANEOUS <i>(dead dropbox links)</i> --- Track: Indigo Archer @@ -361,9 +361,9 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:showtime-piano-refrain Commentary: |- <i>Willow Ascenzo:</i> - Let’s talk about Violet Mariner. - I tend to listen to the kind of music I like to compose and compose the kind of music I like to listen to. Before I started composing this song I listened to a shit-ton of battle music from Koh Otani’s Shadow of the Colossus soundtrack, and it shows. Oh, boy, does it show, especially from 0:49 onward with the rhythm and percussion of the piece. - Violet Mariner was the first song I started working on for the Homestuck music contest that eventually became the coloUrs and mayhem dual album. It’s a song about Dualscar—but it wasn’t always a song about Dualscar. No, it started out as a song about John. This explains the harp/piano section, which plays with the opening melody to Showtime, vaguely darting near it without ever actually producing the exact notes from Malcolm Brown’s original song. I intended it to be more of a hint of John’s original strife theme than a direct reference. In hindsight, keeping the references to existing Homestuck leitmotifs subtle was a smart idea. If I’d been more overt in my references and just made it a straight-up Doctor remix or an explicit arrangement of Showtime, it would have been really hard to reallocate it to a different character. And I’m happy that Violet Mariner is a Dualscar song. Dualscar needs more songs. And also it gave Radiation an excuse to almost name it “Violet Seaman”. And besides, it means I still technically haven’t used the original title, Heirstrike, yet. + Let's talk about Violet Mariner. + I tend to listen to the kind of music I like to compose and compose the kind of music I like to listen to. Before I started composing this song I listened to a shit-ton of battle music from Koh Otani's Shadow of the Colossus soundtrack, and it shows. Oh, boy, does it show, especially from 0:49 onward with the rhythm and percussion of the piece. + Violet Mariner was the first song I started working on for the Homestuck music contest that eventually became the coloUrs and mayhem dual album. It's a song about Dualscar—but it wasn't always a song about Dualscar. No, it started out as a song about John. This explains the harp/piano section, which plays with the opening melody to Showtime, vaguely darting near it without ever actually producing the exact notes from Malcolm Brown's original song. I intended it to be more of a hint of John's original strife theme than a direct reference. In hindsight, keeping the references to existing Homestuck leitmotifs subtle was a smart idea. If I'd been more overt in my references and just made it a straight-up Doctor remix or an explicit arrangement of Showtime, it would have been really hard to reallocate it to a different character. And I'm happy that Violet Mariner is a Dualscar song. Dualscar needs more songs. And also it gave Radiation an excuse to almost name it "Violet Seaman". And besides, it means I still technically haven't used the original title, Heirstrike, yet. --- Track: Fuchsia Ruler Artists: @@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - twoward2 the heaven2 Commentary: |- <i>Kezinox:</i> - Obviously with a name like Witc)(ing )(our, this song is for the condesce/batterwitch/etc. I always figured a sexy psychotic space empress bent on universal domination needed an over-the-top evil, but also dance-able track. I’d actually been planning to do a song like this for her for quite a while since she’s one of—if not my favorite—characters. Every 30 seconds or so represents a time in the Condesce’s life as we know it up to now and, while the song is almost wholly original, I did pull a few minor, but very recognizable things from songs like [[track:liquid-negrocity|liquid negrocity]] and [[track:twoward2-the-heaven2|Twoard2 the Heaven2]] to help really nail the connection. + Obviously with a name like Witc)(ing )(our, this song is for the condesce/batterwitch/etc. I always figured a sexy psychotic space empress bent on universal domination needed an over-the-top evil, but also dance-able track. I'd actually been planning to do a song like this for her for quite a while since she's one of—if not my favorite—characters. Every 30 seconds or so represents a time in the Condesce's life as we know it up to now and, while the song is almost wholly original, I did pull a few minor, but very recognizable things from songs like [[track:liquid-negrocity|liquid negrocity]] and [[track:twoward2-the-heaven2|Twoard2 the Heaven2]] to help really nail the connection. (<a href="https://soundcloud.com/kezinox/witching-hour">SoundCloud</a>) This is my song entry for the Homestuck Music Contest--essentially a dark electro house song for the Condesce. On a technical level this song more or less represents the culmination of all the practice and knowledge I've gained from working with music up until now. --- @@ -417,12 +417,12 @@ Art Tags: - Aradia Commentary: |- <i>Plumegeist:</i> - Around mid-2011 I was at a Nippon Ichi binge. Disgaea 4 was my most anticipated title of yesteryear and I ended up clocking roughly 300 hours in it. Playing it was essentially what finally made me look at the bigger picture when it came to how Disgaea structured it’s entire universe, and if you know me, I love fictional universes with established rules and boundaries that are cleverly told. - During the time I was playing the game I had roughly three or four pipe-projects when it came to comics or visual stories in general, some of which I will delve into soon enough, but generally I come up with ideas for storytelling around one basic principle and I keep them in an idea bucket for whenever I plan on working on them. The projects are things I hope to blend audio and visual presentations to, and as such I often tend to compose music with these projects in mind. Playing Disgaea as such gave me a new idea for a story I since abandoned, and was basically a story of a witch traveling worlds. I decided eventually to experiment a bit with creating some music for a scenario I had in mind, and the only thing I would eventually get out of it was a clarinet melody. The original inspiration was to be Tenpei Sato’s compositions but I never really got to finish it since my laptop had a meltdown. - In 2012 I got my laptop back and had backups of all my music files at bay, and noticed that MSPA was having a music competition. The limit was three tracks, and as such I wanted to compose three original pieces just to have a shot at getting in. While I got to composing two however, I was stuck at figuring out where I was going to go with the third one, and I realized that I still had a completely unattributed, unfinished track at hand with this work in progress. After recovering the file, rearranging a bit and ultimately rendering it, I decided I’d send it to the contest since I wasn’t going to really get anywhere with the track. I figured the character it fit the most was Aradia, so I put it under her name and finished it. - The idea was to have it be a bit of a grim little insidious melody for a title character, but somehow it ended up being slightly more Grant Kirkhope-ish during the N64 era in retrospect, which is something I have to say I’m kind of proud of since he’s a massive inspiration. I eventually got the call back from Radiation during late February and was told that it won a spot. I was in shock and awe at that point, as it meant that I finally got somewhere substantial with my work. Immediately I re-rendered Rust Maid; then titled Apocalypse Maid, and Orange Hat, and sent it along What Pumpkin’s way. - Here’s a fun fact though. When Radiation contacted me, he told me that the song was to be retitled “Rust Servant”, and was to be the Handmaid’s theme. This was something I was okay with, but he immediately contacted me a while afterwards and reassigned the character to it’s original intended character. Between a few e-mails exchanged by me and him, we still referred to the actual track as “Rust Servant”, until I got my contract which had it titled “Rust Maid”. I thought this was a contract mistake of some sort, but imagine my surprise when I saw the first track on the album thinking it was mine and not realizing it was adhering to a color scheme. Rust Servant was fucking awesome though. - Another fun fact - there’s a cowbell right at the start that wasn’t supposed to be there. I don’t even know how it got there. The original sound file was a reverse cymbal. It happened sometime after I recovered the file and I didn’t notice it until after I listened to the remastered version again. + Around mid-2011 I was at a Nippon Ichi binge. Disgaea 4 was my most anticipated title of yesteryear and I ended up clocking roughly 300 hours in it. Playing it was essentially what finally made me look at the bigger picture when it came to how Disgaea structured it's entire universe, and if you know me, I love fictional universes with established rules and boundaries that are cleverly told. + During the time I was playing the game I had roughly three or four pipe-projects when it came to comics or visual stories in general, some of which I will delve into soon enough, but generally I come up with ideas for storytelling around one basic principle and I keep them in an idea bucket for whenever I plan on working on them. The projects are things I hope to blend audio and visual presentations to, and as such I often tend to compose music with these projects in mind. Playing Disgaea as such gave me a new idea for a story I since abandoned, and was basically a story of a witch traveling worlds. I decided eventually to experiment a bit with creating some music for a scenario I had in mind, and the only thing I would eventually get out of it was a clarinet melody. The original inspiration was to be Tenpei Sato's compositions but I never really got to finish it since my laptop had a meltdown. + In 2012 I got my laptop back and had backups of all my music files at bay, and noticed that MSPA was having a music competition. The limit was three tracks, and as such I wanted to compose three original pieces just to have a shot at getting in. While I got to composing two however, I was stuck at figuring out where I was going to go with the third one, and I realized that I still had a completely unattributed, unfinished track at hand with this work in progress. After recovering the file, rearranging a bit and ultimately rendering it, I decided I'd send it to the contest since I wasn't going to really get anywhere with the track. I figured the character it fit the most was Aradia, so I put it under her name and finished it. + The idea was to have it be a bit of a grim little insidious melody for a title character, but somehow it ended up being slightly more Grant Kirkhope-ish during the N64 era in retrospect, which is something I have to say I'm kind of proud of since he's a massive inspiration. I eventually got the call back from Radiation during late February and was told that it won a spot. I was in shock and awe at that point, as it meant that I finally got somewhere substantial with my work. Immediately I re-rendered Rust Maid; then titled Apocalypse Maid, and Orange Hat, and sent it along What Pumpkin's way. + Here's a fun fact though. When Radiation contacted me, he told me that the song was to be retitled "Rust Servant", and was to be the Handmaid's theme. This was something I was okay with, but he immediately contacted me a while afterwards and reassigned the character to it's original intended character. Between a few e-mails exchanged by me and him, we still referred to the actual track as "Rust Servant", until I got my contract which had it titled "Rust Maid". I thought this was a contract mistake of some sort, but imagine my surprise when I saw the first track on the album thinking it was mine and not realizing it was adhering to a color scheme. Rust Servant was fucking awesome though. + Another fun fact - there's a cowbell right at the start that wasn't supposed to be there. I don't even know how it got there. The original sound file was a reverse cymbal. It happened sometime after I recovered the file and I didn't notice it until after I listened to the remastered version again. --- Track: Bronze Page Artists: @@ -760,9 +760,9 @@ Art Tags: - Vriska Commentary: |- <i>Yan Rodriguez:</i> - Boy do I love this song. The situation I made was pretty much the opposite of the one for Bronze Rebel. I felt pretty good about Bronze Rebel, and I had a feeling I was only going to get one track on anyway I didn’t have high hopes for this one. In fact this one was the “let’s make something I don’t think others will like as much” song. And it might be true, I can’t really tell! - I had to fight myself to get this song done, since I wasn’t feeling good and I still wanted to put out something quality. I had really wanted to make something for Vriska, but I didn’t have great sounds to do it, but Solatrus convinced me to try a hand at it anyway, to see if I could do something different with Vriska. Unfortunately, what I had in mind still ended up being like what a lot of people already ended up having as “Vriska” ingrained in their mind from previous official homestuck music. I was a little disappointed about that, but after having spent days staring at the ceiling trying to figure out what I should do, I realized I just needed to make something. - The drums were the first thing I had in my mind that I knew I needed to make a certain way, and the way I made the guitar do 9th intervals was initially an accident that worked out for the best. I’m also pretty happy with this one, I only wish I had better samples or actual guitar instead of the weird twangy and low impact stuff I currently do. + Boy do I love this song. The situation I made was pretty much the opposite of the one for Bronze Rebel. I felt pretty good about Bronze Rebel, and I had a feeling I was only going to get one track on anyway I didn't have high hopes for this one. In fact this one was the "let's make something I don't think others will like as much" song. And it might be true, I can't really tell! + I had to fight myself to get this song done, since I wasn't feeling good and I still wanted to put out something quality. I had really wanted to make something for Vriska, but I didn't have great sounds to do it, but Solatrus convinced me to try a hand at it anyway, to see if I could do something different with Vriska. Unfortunately, what I had in mind still ended up being like what a lot of people already ended up having as "Vriska" ingrained in their mind from previous official homestuck music. I was a little disappointed about that, but after having spent days staring at the ceiling trying to figure out what I should do, I realized I just needed to make something. + The drums were the first thing I had in my mind that I knew I needed to make a certain way, and the way I made the guitar do 9th intervals was initially an accident that worked out for the best. I'm also pretty happy with this one, I only wish I had better samples or actual guitar instead of the weird twangy and low impact stuff I currently do. --- Track: Made of Time Artists: diff --git a/album/coloUrs-and-mayhem-universe-b.yaml b/album/coloUrs-and-mayhem-universe-b.yaml index 932265bf..1e196898 100644 --- a/album/coloUrs-and-mayhem-universe-b.yaml +++ b/album/coloUrs-and-mayhem-universe-b.yaml @@ -87,8 +87,8 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Green Ghost - adamus (piano).mid' Commentary: |- <i>Monobrow:</i> - So my song, Cosmic Surgeon? People told me to enter a contest that came up right around the time I finished it. It was for the Homestuck Fan Album, which actually turned out to be 2 albums lol. So yup, I entered, and I was one of the winners, in fact it’s actually the first track (track 1 is an opener)... I’m kinda astonished by that today, but I guess it fits! - About the song, I called it Cosmic Surgeon because of John and that big drill thing he did... And the whole cancer thing.. So I guess the song did kinda cater as a theme for him already. What a coincidence that as soon as I make a remix, I can enter it into a contest right away and it actually wins. When I wrote it, I just really wanted to capture how the entire comic made me feel at the time, especially after watching Cascade. It’s a theme for John, but I also think of it as kind of a real “Homestuck” theme for the entire thing, I guess, as a lot of people kinda obsess over Doctor... + So my song, Cosmic Surgeon? People told me to enter a contest that came up right around the time I finished it. It was for the Homestuck Fan Album, which actually turned out to be 2 albums lol. So yup, I entered, and I was one of the winners, in fact it's actually the first track (track 1 is an opener)... I'm kinda astonished by that today, but I guess it fits! + About the song, I called it Cosmic Surgeon because of John and that big drill thing he did... And the whole cancer thing.. So I guess the song did kinda cater as a theme for him already. What a coincidence that as soon as I make a remix, I can enter it into a contest right away and it actually wins. When I wrote it, I just really wanted to capture how the entire comic made me feel at the time, especially after watching Cascade. It's a theme for John, but I also think of it as kind of a real "Homestuck" theme for the entire thing, I guess, as a lot of people kinda obsess over Doctor... Anyway, I remastered this version of the song, and added a few other elements, and instrument balance, per a couple suggestions by Radiation Fox... So you can think of this as more of a Cosmic Surgen v. 0.1... --- Track: Orchid Horror @@ -166,8 +166,8 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Blue Atom - Unknown (piano).mid' Commentary: |- <i>David Ellis:</i> - When I started writing the pieces for the contest I knew I wanted one of them to be based around a theme that already existed. Running through a few ideas I landed on doing a kind of jazzy shuffle piece around the main theme from ‘The Beginning of Something Really Excellent’. As soon as I hit the first chord with the Rhodes piano it became smooth. The writing process was really quick and the piece was almost completely sketched out on the keyboard in one go. As the piece was intended for Jade - given the use of the earlier theme - I added in a little bass solo. - Technical note: Sometimes when I think I’ve finished writing something I’ll find that it’s a bit too long and something needs to change, this was one of those times. The sound you hear at 3:53 is the sound of me finding a way to avoid playing an extra intro/verse and tightening up the song a bit. Using almost the same build up heard earlier in the piece and changing the resolution at the end has the added advantage of (hopefully) making you think it’s heading back towards the intro riff until the key shifts in the last bar and the song jumps straight to the final chorus. + When I started writing the pieces for the contest I knew I wanted one of them to be based around a theme that already existed. Running through a few ideas I landed on doing a kind of jazzy shuffle piece around the main theme from 'The Beginning of Something Really Excellent'. As soon as I hit the first chord with the Rhodes piano it became smooth. The writing process was really quick and the piece was almost completely sketched out on the keyboard in one go. As the piece was intended for Jade - given the use of the earlier theme - I added in a little bass solo. + Technical note: Sometimes when I think I've finished writing something I'll find that it's a bit too long and something needs to change, this was one of those times. The sound you hear at 3:53 is the sound of me finding a way to avoid playing an extra intro/verse and tightening up the song a bit. Using almost the same build up heard earlier in the piece and changing the resolution at the end has the added advantage of (hopefully) making you think it's heading back towards the intro riff until the key shifts in the last bar and the song jumps straight to the final chorus. --- Section: Side 2 --- @@ -200,9 +200,9 @@ Art Tags: - Rabbit Commentary: |- <i>David Ellis:</i> - This piece started as an offshoot of a song that was very loosely based on John and Jade’s three year voyage between the two windows. I felt that the theme that became the chorus to this piece needed to be at a higher tempo than the rest of that song so I took it out and based this tune around it instead. It was originally titled ‘Heir of the Dog’ as I was still thinking it could be either a Jade or a John piece at the time and wasn’t certain who I’d end up submitting it for (also because terrible puns). + This piece started as an offshoot of a song that was very loosely based on John and Jade's three year voyage between the two windows. I felt that the theme that became the chorus to this piece needed to be at a higher tempo than the rest of that song so I took it out and based this tune around it instead. It was originally titled 'Heir of the Dog' as I was still thinking it could be either a Jade or a John piece at the time and wasn't certain who I'd end up submitting it for (also because terrible puns). Technical note: Although the piece features keyboard and guitar solos the bass was actually the hardest part to play, in particular during the chorus and the part behind the guitar solo. - Extra: This is no longer true since I recorded <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGLUBAgOS7E">the video</a>. For the original recording the two handed parts in the verses and the outro were originally done as 2 separate takes for each one. It wasn’t until I started the video that I thought ‘I could turn these into single parts’ and made things really difficult for myself. + Extra: This is no longer true since I recorded <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGLUBAgOS7E">the video</a>. For the original recording the two handed parts in the verses and the outro were originally done as 2 separate takes for each one. It wasn't until I started the video that I thought 'I could turn these into single parts' and made things really difficult for myself. --- Track: Pink Cat Artists: @@ -225,18 +225,18 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:carefree-action Commentary: |- <i>Ryan Ames:</i> - I don’t want to clog up the audio post so I figured I’d make a separate post for my reasoning behind the different parts of the song! - First off, the song itself was inspired by the mental image of Roxy jumping through fenestrated planes to get to a bunch of different places (hence the name Void Hopper). I tried capturing various aspects of her interests and personality through the different sections so it’s less of a Theme For Roxy than it is a Song About Roxy. There is still a particular melody that can be heard throughout all three major sections, so I suppose could be the MAIN THEME? + I don't want to clog up the audio post so I figured I'd make a separate post for my reasoning behind the different parts of the song! + First off, the song itself was inspired by the mental image of Roxy jumping through fenestrated planes to get to a bunch of different places (hence the name Void Hopper). I tried capturing various aspects of her interests and personality through the different sections so it's less of a Theme For Roxy than it is a Song About Roxy. There is still a particular melody that can be heard throughout all three major sections, so I suppose could be the MAIN THEME? ANYWAY...... ==> <b>Section 1. [0:00-0:56]</b> This section is meant to represent her childish and playful side. Roxy always seemed to have this child-at-heart quality about her, what with her infatuation with cutesy wizards and her bedroom in the beta session. - The beginning is an obvious nod to Harry Potter. She’s totally into wizards so I felt it was appropriate. It then turns into a waltz rendition of Jasper’s theme because she is also totally into cats. Then we have a neato transition that I guess could be her travelling through a window or something? I put a spacey sounding pad there to emphasize the VOIDINESS of it. + The beginning is an obvious nod to Harry Potter. She's totally into wizards so I felt it was appropriate. It then turns into a waltz rendition of Jasper's theme because she is also totally into cats. Then we have a neato transition that I guess could be her travelling through a window or something? I put a spacey sounding pad there to emphasize the VOIDINESS of it. <b>Section 2. [0:56-2:24]</b> - After the transition, it picks up speed and has a variety of computer-y and sci-fi effects to hopefully capture her HACKER attribute. The bassline to Aggrievance can also be heard here as a callback to the STRIFE! between Mom and Rose. After that, we have the main theme again, this time accompanied by a busy slap bassline because I love slap bass. This and the following parts were an attempt to convey her get-shit-done attitude and her assertiveness with what she believes in. It could also be a cool action sequence. I imagine her rushing to reach a destination in time by jumping through windows and stuff all badass-like and it’s a pretty fitting mental image for her I think! + After the transition, it picks up speed and has a variety of computer-y and sci-fi effects to hopefully capture her HACKER attribute. The bassline to Aggrievance can also be heard here as a callback to the STRIFE! between Mom and Rose. After that, we have the main theme again, this time accompanied by a busy slap bassline because I love slap bass. This and the following parts were an attempt to convey her get-shit-done attitude and her assertiveness with what she believes in. It could also be a cool action sequence. I imagine her rushing to reach a destination in time by jumping through windows and stuff all badass-like and it's a pretty fitting mental image for her I think! Anyway, after this, it all ends with a booze snooze. The song slows down and gets kind of tipsy sounding before glitching out into white noise. <b>Section 3. [2:25-END]</b> Roxy is asleep and we are now on Derse. This last section is meant to represent her sleepwalking around the void. We have a little sad sounding ocarina melody which then makes way for the main theme to play one last time on violin. The song finally ends on an ominous and spooky note as Roxy drifts further and further into the void. - Wow I did not expect to type this much. Anyway this song was a blast to make and even if it’s not accepted, I still learned a whole lot! I hope you all enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed making it! + Wow I did not expect to type this much. Anyway this song was a blast to make and even if it's not accepted, I still learned a whole lot! I hope you all enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed making it! --- Track: Orange Hat Artists: @@ -270,11 +270,11 @@ Sheet Music Files: - 'Emerald Terror - Phantasmicka.pdf' Commentary: |- <i>Elisa McCabe:</i> - First of all I have this unreasonably intense love of Jake that I can’t really entirely explain. Uh. So I definitely wanted to do a song for him. The main idea I started out with was that I’d do a song with two parts, the first part representing Grandpa Harley, then I’d have it morph into the second part, which would be for post-scratch Jake. I first thought of having a literal record scratch but man that sounded dumb :] I referred to the first part, to myself, as Grandpa Harley, and the second part as Hellmurder Island. + First of all I have this unreasonably intense love of Jake that I can't really entirely explain. Uh. So I definitely wanted to do a song for him. The main idea I started out with was that I'd do a song with two parts, the first part representing Grandpa Harley, then I'd have it morph into the second part, which would be for post-scratch Jake. I first thought of having a literal record scratch but man that sounded dumb :] I referred to the first part, to myself, as Grandpa Harley, and the second part as Hellmurder Island. For the Grandpa Harley part, I spent about half an hour listening to/watching ragtime piano and vaudeville acts on youtube, to refresh myself on the types of intervals and suchlike that they used. Then I just made it up. - I wanted to make Hellmurder Island really dramatic. I had some (not particularly complicated) scenes of Jake running around on his island that I was making it a soundtrack for. Like…the first section is just…running around in the jungle. Then there’s him standing at the top of this huge waterfall, and some birds take off, and the last part is him fighting something or being about to enter the SBURB session. Whatever shit is about to get real for him. :3 - The song is mainly influenced by ELO’s ‘Jungle’, haha. Mainly in the way it goes, “duh DUH, duh DUH!” I love how that sounds. I tried to do more jungley percussion but it didn’t end up sounding that good. I made the drum track in this app, which I pretty much use for all my drum tracks cuz it’s awesome. - I did everything except the guitar - which was my bandmate playing - in Garageband using my midi keyboard and various soundfonts. I’m so in love with the one that does the main melody. It’s a flugelhorn. It just sounded so much like Jake to me! + I wanted to make Hellmurder Island really dramatic. I had some (not particularly complicated) scenes of Jake running around on his island that I was making it a soundtrack for. Like...the first section is just...running around in the jungle. Then there's him standing at the top of this huge waterfall, and some birds take off, and the last part is him fighting something or being about to enter the SBURB session. Whatever shit is about to get real for him. :3 + The song is mainly influenced by ELO's 'Jungle', haha. Mainly in the way it goes, "duh DUH, duh DUH!" I love how that sounds. I tried to do more jungley percussion but it didn't end up sounding that good. I made the drum track in this app, which I pretty much use for all my drum tracks cuz it's awesome. + I did everything except the guitar - which was my bandmate playing - in Garageband using my midi keyboard and various soundfonts. I'm so in love with the one that does the main melody. It's a flugelhorn. It just sounded so much like Jake to me! --- Section: Additional Mayhem --- @@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ Lyrics: |- Commentary: |- <i>Maya Kern:</i> well i really love the squiddles? and the squiddles album is one of my favorite albums. - but i think a lot of it is because i’m not super great at writing music on demand? like, i write music all the time, but only when inspiration hits. and since there was a deadline, i didn’t quite have that option. i had tried writing a very different song before that with… not great results. i mean, it’s not a bad song, but it’s very unspecific and was not a good homestuck song. + but i think a lot of it is because i'm not super great at writing music on demand? like, i write music all the time, but only when inspiration hits. and since there was a deadline, i didn't quite have that option. i had tried writing a very different song before that with... not great results. i mean, it's not a bad song, but it's very unspecific and was not a good homestuck song. so then i just decided i would write something silly and the squiddle song came out! because silly, i can do --- Track: Pendulum @@ -638,14 +638,14 @@ Commentary: |- Dapper Dueling was inspired originally by a Steampunk band named The Cog is Dead - after listening to the song I just linked, I tried to take down the general feel and basic instrumentation, and then work on my own from there. Instruments used in the piece are: - Acoustic Guitars - Accordion - - Whistle Synth (fun fact, I’m pretty sure it’s the same one as used in Horchestra) + - Whistle Synth (fun fact, I'm pretty sure it's the same one as used in Horchestra) - Banjo - Harmonica (1:14, panned left) - Violin/Fiddle - Full string section (1:28) - Maracas, castanets, very very faint snare (you can hear it at 0:10, under the whistle), constant bass drum beat - bang bang wink - I also gave the original Showtime strife mix a few listens for the purpose of structuring my piece - after all, it’s meant to be a Strife theme. However, pretty much all sources of inspiration were only used in the parts before the banjo solo; the rest was just me having fun with music. + I also gave the original Showtime strife mix a few listens for the purpose of structuring my piece - after all, it's meant to be a Strife theme. However, pretty much all sources of inspiration were only used in the parts before the banjo solo; the rest was just me having fun with music. Let me also point out that it made me extremely happy to see in canon that Jake bounces from side to side before he is about to fight; it was the exact image of him I was hoping for. Also, while composing, I imagined Dapper Dueling to fit a fight scene similar to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGCMfprPJoA">this</a>, from Sherlock Holmes (2009). (<a href="https://youtu.be/clnLNQkB5O4">YouTube</a>) @@ -704,18 +704,18 @@ Sheet Music Files: Commentary: |- <i>Elaine Wang:</i> Fun facts: - “Dord” is a rather amusing typographical error that occured back in 1934 when someone in the Merriam-Webster editing staff misread “D or d”, intended as abbreviations for density, as “Dord” and... made up a pronunciation for it. (Whoops.) - Given Roxy Lalonde’s penchant for drunk typing^W^W lexicographical creativity, I thought it was appropriate. The accidentals, at least as much so. As for the waltz part of it... well, I have no idea either. + "Dord" is a rather amusing typographical error that occured back in 1934 when someone in the Merriam-Webster editing staff misread "D or d", intended as abbreviations for density, as "Dord" and... made up a pronunciation for it. (Whoops.) + Given Roxy Lalonde's penchant for drunk typing^W^W lexicographical creativity, I thought it was appropriate. The accidentals, at least as much so. As for the waltz part of it... well, I have no idea either. It was written as a Roxy song. It will now be a Roxy song until the end of the Internet. I came up with the title first and the music second. The accidentals were there the first time I put down the notes. (They are going to stay there.) The above is not normal for me. I have more recently taken to using random word generators to title my music, because I often struggle with that. I am told that the song has some similarities to Endless Climb. That part is most definitely not deliberate. Not going to rule out subconscious influences though. The album art is by merrigo. She (?) does cool work. Go look at her tumblr too. - “Dord” is a real thing that happened in the Merriam-Webster in the 1934 edition. Read the article for more information. - A dord is also a kind of instrument. There’s none of them in the song, just so’s you know. - Although if you’re willing to play Dord on a dord I can send you sheet music. - Full disclosure: I’m not actually finished with the Dord sheet music. Remind me in two weeks and I’ll probably have something. - The above two points also apply even if you aren’t going to play Dord on a dord. (I have no idea what the range of that instrument is, so whatever.) + "Dord" is a real thing that happened in the Merriam-Webster in the 1934 edition. Read the article for more information. + A dord is also a kind of instrument. There's none of them in the song, just so's you know. + Although if you're willing to play Dord on a dord I can send you sheet music. + Full disclosure: I'm not actually finished with the Dord sheet music. Remind me in two weeks and I'll probably have something. + The above two points also apply even if you aren't going to play Dord on a dord. (I have no idea what the range of that instrument is, so whatever.) --- Track: Rustless Fall Artists: @@ -772,4 +772,4 @@ Commentary: |- - 3:32 [[track:harlequin|Harlequin]] - 3:43 Zillyhoo/Toccata line - 3:56 I wrote in a Breath, (or whats called a Grand Pause!) since John was the Heir of Breath! - Thanks for all the overwhelming encouragement and support! I wouldn’t be here without you guys! + Thanks for all the overwhelming encouragement and support! I wouldn't be here without you guys! diff --git a/album/cool-and-new-homestuck.yaml b/album/cool-and-new-homestuck.yaml index 92162227..903c957c 100644 --- a/album/cool-and-new-homestuck.yaml +++ b/album/cool-and-new-homestuck.yaml @@ -83,11 +83,11 @@ Lyrics: |- (Backyard fun! Backyard fun! Backyard fun! Backyard fun! Backyard fun!) Commentary: |- <i>Bambosh:</i> - When it’s a month until release, you’re bored out of your mind, and you see the first slot in the album completely untouched, what do you do? Some would probably shoot a message back to the rest of the team, who are all no doubt more skilled than I am at composiion. Some would just leave it alone, rightfully assuming another team member would grab it. Or then you could just do what I did, max out microphone levels, and practically eat the thing for forty seconds. I’m ecstatic that this is the first thing people will see of Cool and New Homestuck, and I’ll probably find it hilarious if anyone closes the album because of it. It’s an incredible album, by the way. We’ve got some really talented people on the team, who went at it at full force. Great moves, guys. Keep it up. Proud of you. + When it's a month until release, you're bored out of your mind, and you see the first slot in the album completely untouched, what do you do? Some would probably shoot a message back to the rest of the team, who are all no doubt more skilled than I am at composiion. Some would just leave it alone, rightfully assuming another team member would grab it. Or then you could just do what I did, max out microphone levels, and practically eat the thing for forty seconds. I'm ecstatic that this is the first thing people will see of Cool and New Homestuck, and I'll probably find it hilarious if anyone closes the album because of it. It's an incredible album, by the way. We've got some really talented people on the team, who went at it at full force. Great moves, guys. Keep it up. Proud of you. Oh and shoutouts to <s>Simpleflips</s> Noisemaker for buying an otamatone and willingly giving me a sample of it, despite knowing exactly what it was going towards. - Bambosh here again. [[artist:413]] was too tired to write any commentary and told me to markov chain it for him. I don’t know why I’d do that though, when I’ve just been handed something like 22 boxes to shitpost in on a silver platter. Brace yourselves. If you see 413 as the artist [or composer] credit, it’s gonna be me in the box. It’s a Bambosh box. A Bambox. + Bambosh here again. [[artist:413]] was too tired to write any commentary and told me to markov chain it for him. I don't know why I'd do that though, when I've just been handed something like 22 boxes to shitpost in on a silver platter. Brace yourselves. If you see 413 as the artist [or composer] credit, it's gonna be me in the box. It's a Bambosh box. A Bambox. --- Track: Showtime (Marching Band) Artists: @@ -110,13 +110,13 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:showtime-original-mix Commentary: |- <i>Bambosh:</i> - I’m not sure what 413 did to make this song, but it sounds like he chucked the [[track:showtime-original-mix|original Showtime chiptune]] into a midi converter and changed some of the midi instruments around. I kind of unironically love this song though. Despite how chaotic it is, it’s inexplicably satisfying to listen to. + I'm not sure what 413 did to make this song, but it sounds like he chucked the [[track:showtime-original-mix|original Showtime chiptune]] into a midi converter and changed some of the midi instruments around. I kind of unironically love this song though. Despite how chaotic it is, it's inexplicably satisfying to listen to. - Oh and by the way this one was an absolute pain to sync to the video. You’d think it would be easy, just chuck it over the thing and call it a day but no. There’s only like 30 seconds of content in [[flash:90|the flash]], and no way to easily isolate the sound effects from the original song. As of writing this, I still don’t have a solution. But hey there’s still a week to release I’m sure it’ll be fine hahahahahahahaha oh god help + Oh and by the way this one was an absolute pain to sync to the video. You'd think it would be easy, just chuck it over the thing and call it a day but no. There's only like 30 seconds of content in [[flash:90|the flash]], and no way to easily isolate the sound effects from the original song. As of writing this, I still don't have a solution. But hey there's still a week to release I'm sure it'll be fine hahahahahahahaha oh god help <i>olkiswerve:</i> - So yeah, I worked on this one. It was a fairly simple GIMP shop where I just put some clip art, previously used assets and some text onto a picture of that one road that’s famous because of the Beatles.<br> - At this point I’d like to give a shoutout to skaia.io. Remember that shit? It’s still going. I got a code, fuckers, haha, SK-RIDDLE-SOLVE. If that isn’t a blast from the past, I don’t know what is, I mean yeah how about that album art. + So yeah, I worked on this one. It was a fairly simple GIMP shop where I just put some clip art, previously used assets and some text onto a picture of that one road that's famous because of the Beatles.<br> + At this point I'd like to give a shoutout to skaia.io. Remember that shit? It's still going. I got a code, fuckers, haha, SK-RIDDLE-SOLVE. If that isn't a blast from the past, I don't know what is, I mean yeah how about that album art. --- Track: Sburban Cascantdown Artists: @@ -136,10 +136,10 @@ Sampled Tracks: - Cascante Commentary: |- <i>Noisemaker:</i> - To be completely honest it’s just [[track:cascante]] from [[album:cool-and-new-voulem1|Voulem 1]]. I regret not using my otamatone but at least [[artist:bambosh|Bambosh]] got some [[track:backyard-dumb|sweet use]] out of it. + To be completely honest it's just [[track:cascante]] from [[album:cool-and-new-voulem1|Voulem 1]]. I regret not using my otamatone but at least [[artist:bambosh|Bambosh]] got some [[track:backyard-dumb|sweet use]] out of it. <i>Bambosh:</i> - I wasn’t the original artist for this piece. I stole it. I stole the rights to use this piece. 413 was originally meant to do it, he made a concept and everything. In fact, I think it was one of the first things that ended up even being made for the album, several months ago. But then it just sat there, and people forgot it wasn’t meant to be the final copy? So I just sort of swooped in and finished it off while nobody was looking.<br> + I wasn't the original artist for this piece. I stole it. I stole the rights to use this piece. 413 was originally meant to do it, he made a concept and everything. In fact, I think it was one of the first things that ended up even being made for the album, several months ago. But then it just sat there, and people forgot it wasn't meant to be the final copy? So I just sort of swooped in and finished it off while nobody was looking.<br> <i>Professionalism.</i> --- Section: Act 2 @@ -184,10 +184,10 @@ Commentary: |- Aggrieve! by wheals is licensed under a cc-by-nc-sa Creative Commons License. <i>groeuf:</i> - Anything that’s not rose in this art was done with my left hand and way too high of a jitter setting. the horse was originally maplehoof, but wheals had the amazing idea to turn it into luke’s symbol in redditstuck. of course, I’m talking about the one the only revered veteran Doctor Chestnut Gallopsy, Ph.D. Esquire the Third, Connoisseur of Fine Arts. speaking of fine arts, that face is fucking beautiful holy shit + Anything that's not rose in this art was done with my left hand and way too high of a jitter setting. the horse was originally maplehoof, but wheals had the amazing idea to turn it into luke's symbol in redditstuck. of course, I'm talking about the one the only revered veteran Doctor Chestnut Gallopsy, Ph.D. Esquire the Third, Connoisseur of Fine Arts. speaking of fine arts, that face is fucking beautiful holy shit <i>Wheals:</i> - All I did was give the horse Doctor Chestnut Gallopsby’s colors. I can use the bucket tool in Paint.net! + All I did was give the horse Doctor Chestnut Gallopsby's colors. I can use the bucket tool in Paint.net! --- Track: UPWARD REDVX Artists: @@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:beatdown-strider-style Commentary: |- <i>Minkt:</i> - I really enjoyed the original Upward Movement, and felt that the new one would have to be even better to do the original justice. I have been infatuated with music that is more synthesised ever since I gave the Hotline Miami soundtrack a listen, so there is some inspiration there. The first version of this redvx had base midi drums and a guitar synthesizer and seemed off, so I looked up how to make synths like those in Hotline Miami and similar synthwave creations. After throwing on a new drum kit and synth, the song surprised me by actually sounding good. I’d like to thank Makin and others for giving the original a listen and telling me how to fix it, and the rest of the music and art team for putting out this COOL and NEW masterpiece. <a href="../../media/misc/JaedAngery.png">:JaedAngery:</a> + I really enjoyed the original Upward Movement, and felt that the new one would have to be even better to do the original justice. I have been infatuated with music that is more synthesised ever since I gave the Hotline Miami soundtrack a listen, so there is some inspiration there. The first version of this redvx had base midi drums and a guitar synthesizer and seemed off, so I looked up how to make synths like those in Hotline Miami and similar synthwave creations. After throwing on a new drum kit and synth, the song surprised me by actually sounding good. I'd like to thank Makin and others for giving the original a listen and telling me how to fix it, and the rest of the music and art team for putting out this COOL and NEW masterpiece. <a href="../../media/misc/JaedAngery.png">:JaedAngery:</a> <i>Makin:</i> I thought of how the Cool and New version of this flash would go, and I remembered how Jhon moved around once or twice. The joke was obvious after that. @@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Sburban Cascantdown Commentary: |- <i>Noisemaker:</i> - To be completely honest it’s just Sburban Cascantdown from 10 minutes ago but it slows down at the end + To be completely honest it's just Sburban Cascantdown from 10 minutes ago but it slows down at the end (will music for food) @@ -269,12 +269,12 @@ Lyrics: |- Mayor, mayor mayor Commentary: |- <i>Interrobang:</i> - Ost didn’t give me any commentary, so I did it for them. + Ost didn't give me any commentary, so I did it for them. - I’m [[artist:aris-martinian|Ostrichlittledungeon]], and this is my Discord server. I work here with my musicians and artists, and my @Mod Assist, [[artist:miraculousavantgarde|Mira]]. Every song here has a story and a track art. One thing I’ve learned over the past 2 months? You never know what’s gonna be in that album. + I'm [[artist:aris-martinian|Ostrichlittledungeon]], and this is my Discord server. I work here with my musicians and artists, and my @Mod Assist, [[artist:miraculousavantgarde|Mira]]. Every song here has a story and a track art. One thing I've learned over the past 2 months? You never know what's gonna be in that album. <i>olkiswerve:</i> - This is another silly meme one I did, as I tend to do. It’s all about finding that perfect 「G O L D E N R A T I O」 of content to memes and meme spacing. Remember kids, you should read Jojostuck if you want to go to heaven. + This is another silly meme one I did, as I tend to do. It's all about finding that perfect 「G O L D E N R A T I O」 of content to memes and meme spacing. Remember kids, you should read Jojostuck if you want to go to heaven. --- Section: Act 3 --- @@ -308,10 +308,10 @@ Referenced Tracks: - licord nacrasty Commentary: |- <i>flagellumVagueness:</i> - It’s pretty much just Dead Shuffle with crappier instrumentation and a few deliberately wrong notes. To mix it up a bit I changed the bassline to the melody for Licord Nacrasty in the 3rd “verse”. Also, Heedful Fads is an anagram of Dead Shuffle, in case you were wondering. + It's pretty much just Dead Shuffle with crappier instrumentation and a few deliberately wrong notes. To mix it up a bit I changed the bassline to the melody for Licord Nacrasty in the 3rd "verse". Also, Heedful Fads is an anagram of Dead Shuffle, in case you were wondering. <i>olkiswerve:</i> - This is the best serious cover I’ve done so far. It’s fucking great. I love it and I’m super proud, even if it was a fairly simple job. I’ve also got a really nice version with the Vento Aureo gangsters, which I guess I’ll use somewhere else if there’s interest. But damn, this cover’s great. + This is the best serious cover I've done so far. It's fucking great. I love it and I'm super proud, even if it was a fairly simple job. I've also got a really nice version with the Vento Aureo gangsters, which I guess I'll use somewhere else if there's interest. But damn, this cover's great. --- Track: Smackdown Artists: @@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:beatdown-strider-style Commentary: |- <i>Noisemaker:</i> - This one isn’t all THAT special, I guess. It’s pretty much just a Beatdown cover. + This one isn't all THAT special, I guess. It's pretty much just a Beatdown cover. (stick around for round 2 for the gud stuff) @@ -354,9 +354,9 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Spider-Man Commentary: |- <i>Bambosh:</i> - I’m not really sure what to say about this one. It’s kind of just + I'm not really sure what to say about this one. It's kind of just - The rest of that sentence can remain blank. Man, commenting on someone else’s stuff is difficult. I’m sure there was like, a really interesting story behind the creation that I’ll never be able to tell because I’m a big ol’ dumbo + The rest of that sentence can remain blank. Man, commenting on someone else's stuff is difficult. I'm sure there was like, a really interesting story behind the creation that I'll never be able to tell because I'm a big ol' dumbo <i>Minish:</i> I made the track art for this song using a frame I screenshotted from the flash itself, which you can find <a href="http://i.imgur.com/9wrqRmx.png">here</a>. Also, the track art was actually cropped. If you want the original, you can find it <a href="../../media/album-additional/cool-and-new-homestuck/harleband.png">here</a>. @@ -382,10 +382,10 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Noisemaker:</i> dunnn duh-du-du-dun dunnn duh-dun du-dundah-dun-dah - (to bee honest this is one of my favorite tracks I’ve done) + (to bee honest this is one of my favorite tracks I've done) <i>Bambosh:</i> - Part ⅔! Haha, google docs just changed that fraction into a single character and I don’t even know if the program being used to create the PDF supports them. BEST OF LUCK + Part ⅔! Haha, google docs just changed that fraction into a single character and I don't even know if the program being used to create the PDF supports them. BEST OF LUCK <i>Interrobang:</i> ⅔ ⅔ ⅔ ⅔ ⅔ ⅔ ⅔ ⅔ ⅔ ⅔ ⅔ ⅔ ⅔ ⅔ ⅔ ⅔ ⅔ ⅔ @@ -407,31 +407,31 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:chorale-for-jaspers Commentary: |- <i>Bambosh:</i> - IT’S THE 413BOSH DOUBLE BILL + IT'S THE 413BOSH DOUBLE BILL - You know it’s actually really difficult to write stuff without any experiences to base it on. I’m an inch away from just pasting memes in. Urgh, how many of these do I have left to do? No you know what I’m not counting it’ll only make finishing these harder. Gotta stay strong. + You know it's actually really difficult to write stuff without any experiences to base it on. I'm an inch away from just pasting memes in. Urgh, how many of these do I have left to do? No you know what I'm not counting it'll only make finishing these harder. Gotta stay strong. <b><big>Fuck it</big></b><br> According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly.<br> Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground.<br> The bee, of course, flies anyway<br> - because bees don’t care what humans think is impossible.<br> - Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Ooh, black and yellow! Let’s shake it up a little.<br> + because bees don't care what humans think is impossible.<br> + Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Ooh, black and yellow! Let's shake it up a little.<br> Barry! Breakfast is ready!<br> Ooming! Hang on a second. Hello?<br> - Barry?<br> - Adam?<br> - Oan you believe this is happening?<br> - - I can’t. I’ll pick you up.<br> + - I can't. I'll pick you up.<br> Looking sharp.<br> Use the stairs. Your father paid good money for those.<br> - Sorry. I’m excited.<br> - Here’s the graduate. We’re very proud of you, son. A perfect report card, all B’s.<br> + Sorry. I'm excited.<br> + Here's the graduate. We're very proud of you, son. A perfect report card, all B's.<br> Very proud.<br> Ma! I got a thing going here.<br> - You got lint on your fuzz.<br> - - Ow! That’s me!<br> - - Wave to us! We’ll be in row 118,000 + - Ow! That's me!<br> + - Wave to us! We'll be in row 118,000 --- Track: Reveilleawesome- Sad Polka Mix (With Gong) (No Vocals) Artists: @@ -449,10 +449,10 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:revelawesome Commentary: |- <i>Discfortune:</i> - [[artist:bambosh|Bambosh]] said “BE CREATIVE” and this is the result. Also, I wanted to throw in something a little lighthearted to contrast all of the other TOP QUALITY songs in this album. + [[artist:bambosh|Bambosh]] said "BE CREATIVE" and this is the result. Also, I wanted to throw in something a little lighthearted to contrast all of the other TOP QUALITY songs in this album. <i>NyashAlex:</i> - I’m shit at drawing accordions but I hope it was worth it. + I'm shit at drawing accordions but I hope it was worth it. --- Track: Oh God Artists: @@ -479,12 +479,12 @@ Lyrics: |- (Oh, no! Oh, no! Oh, no! Oh, no! Oh, no!) (Oh man! Oh God, oh man! Oh God, oh man! Oh God, oh man! Oh God, oh man, oh God!) Commentary: |- <i>Griever:</i> - So in this song, I added a bunch of people losing their god damn minds because that is what John does in this scene. It’s fitting and it’s a short burst of memey fun. I won’t say more since otherwise this’d be longer to read than it takes to listen to the song. + So in this song, I added a bunch of people losing their god damn minds because that is what John does in this scene. It's fitting and it's a short burst of memey fun. I won't say more since otherwise this'd be longer to read than it takes to listen to the song. <i>Makin:</i> - THEY’RE MEMEING HER, AND THEN THEY’RE GOING TO MEME ME. OH MY GO-- + THEY'RE MEMEING HER, AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO MEME ME. OH MY GO-- - PS: The Office is actually a pretty good show, worth watching. Troll 2 isn’t. + PS: The Office is actually a pretty good show, worth watching. Troll 2 isn't. --- Track: The Beginning of Something Really Electronic Artists: @@ -578,7 +578,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Versus Commentary: |- <i>Noisemaker:</i> - I’m pretty happy with this one, but it doesn’t really work as a standalone song because it’s trying pretty hard to sync to the animation (maybe i’ll do an extended version wink wonk) + I'm pretty happy with this one, but it doesn't really work as a standalone song because it's trying pretty hard to sync to the animation (maybe i'll do an extended version wink wonk) <i>Bambosh:</i> its the third onee. youvea ll been waitti ng for it. @@ -598,10 +598,10 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:sburban-jungle Commentary: |- <i>sylvarn:</i> - Don’t give this man soundfonts and free time. + Don't give this man soundfonts and free time. <i>No Funny Name:</i> - Um okay so I didn’t do this track. Nor this art. Nor have I even listened to this track. But I’m sure at the very least you enjoyed listening to it, after all you cared enough to look at the creators commentary, but unfortunatly it doesn’t have any, so you get this shit instead + Um okay so I didn't do this track. Nor this art. Nor have I even listened to this track. But I'm sure at the very least you enjoyed listening to it, after all you cared enough to look at the creators commentary, but unfortunatly it doesn't have any, so you get this shit instead --- Track: Three in the Morning (4 1/3 Hours Late Remix; CaNon edit) Artists: @@ -677,7 +677,7 @@ Commentary: |- ...but in SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE. <i>cookiefonster:</i> - I wanted to throw in a tiny bit of my signature crappy art for this album, and I decided to do something for this song. I wanted to have Dave doing some sci-fi thing but I wasn’t sure what. Then someone suggested I should do naked Dabe in space, and that’s what I did. I think it almost looks good with somewhat decent shading and a convincing space background stock photo. + I wanted to throw in a tiny bit of my signature crappy art for this album, and I decided to do something for this song. I wanted to have Dave doing some sci-fi thing but I wasn't sure what. Then someone suggested I should do naked Dabe in space, and that's what I did. I think it almost looks good with somewhat decent shading and a convincing space background stock photo. --- Track: Venom Pools for Eons Artists: @@ -702,11 +702,11 @@ Lyrics: |- Archagent everlasting Commentary: |- <i>Cecily Renns:</i> - First song I made for the album. If you look hard into Black, the structuring is pretty weird. It goes 9 bars then it goes to normal 8 bars and it does THREE tempo changes. Thankfully, the MIDI I had covered all of these, so the syncing wasn’t too hard. + First song I made for the album. If you look hard into Black, the structuring is pretty weird. It goes 9 bars then it goes to normal 8 bars and it does THREE tempo changes. Thankfully, the MIDI I had covered all of these, so the syncing wasn't too hard. - Musically, it’s Black but with more COOL AND NEW MELODIES. Which consists of Archagent Everlasting, Unity of Thorns, and a bit of an original thing I composed in five minutes. + Musically, it's Black but with more COOL AND NEW MELODIES. Which consists of Archagent Everlasting, Unity of Thorns, and a bit of an original thing I composed in five minutes. - The ending is not synced because WHAT THE FUCK I DONT EVEN KNOW. I didn’t know how to solve it so I just made the ending a bit longer and there. Also it has “vaporwave go down” as [[artist:cookiefonster|cookie]] describes it replacing vaporwave [[track:sburban-jungle|Sburban Jungle]]. Thought it was a fun idea. + The ending is not synced because WHAT THE FUCK I DONT EVEN KNOW. I didn't know how to solve it so I just made the ending a bit longer and there. Also it has "vaporwave go down" as [[artist:cookiefonster|cookie]] describes it replacing vaporwave [[track:sburban-jungle|Sburban Jungle]]. Thought it was a fun idea. <i>Bambosh:</i> I AM DESCENDING INTO MY OWN PERSONAL HELL @@ -732,12 +732,12 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Noisemaker:</i> Oh Jesus, is this going to be the actual name now? - ...i’ll roll with it i like it anyway + ...i'll roll with it i like it anyway <i>miraculousAvantgarde:</i> - I just shittily redrew a scene from [[flash:1801|WV?: Rise Up]] and that’s basically it. I kinda lagged behind because of IRL shit but after 5 days and 29 pings from [[artist:makin|Makin]] I finally finished it. + I just shittily redrew a scene from [[flash:1801|WV?: Rise Up]] and that's basically it. I kinda lagged behind because of IRL shit but after 5 days and 29 pings from [[artist:makin|Makin]] I finally finished it. - PS: No, I’m not apologizing for using the same type of brush on every fucking thing on this art. Fuck you + PS: No, I'm not apologizing for using the same type of brush on every fucking thing on this art. Fuck you --- Track: How do I live? (Put the quality back in the album version) Artists: @@ -798,10 +798,10 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Bambosh:</i> Oh wow a box with my own name in it for once.<br> This is refreshing.<br> - The process of making this song was largely just seeing just how well I could wrangle this shitty ocarina I got for preordering Ocarina of Time 3D into doing what I wanted it to. I was originally going to sing the lyrics myself, but 413 was kind enough to lend TTS vocals, and there was no way I could look that gift horse in the mouth. The best you get is my shitty voice passed through seventy filters and used as a backing track. You’re welcome. + The process of making this song was largely just seeing just how well I could wrangle this shitty ocarina I got for preordering Ocarina of Time 3D into doing what I wanted it to. I was originally going to sing the lyrics myself, but 413 was kind enough to lend TTS vocals, and there was no way I could look that gift horse in the mouth. The best you get is my shitty voice passed through seventy filters and used as a backing track. You're welcome. <i>olkiswerve:</i> - I guess this is the best meme one I’ve done so far. The Con Air poster was a bit of a bitch to make into 1400 x 1400 but it worked out in the end. + I guess this is the best meme one I've done so far. The Con Air poster was a bit of a bitch to make into 1400 x 1400 but it worked out in the end. <br><br><br><br><br> meme --- @@ -850,14 +850,14 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Meet the Flintstones Commentary: |- <i>Interrobang:</i> - [[artist:413|413]] made some art for this, but it was waaaaay to small. We decided to instead use the original art for [[track:go-down-fanon-cut|Voul. 1’s Go Down]] ([[artist:difarem|Dif]] didn’t like it) instead. Did I mention we didn’t ask Mira’s permission to use it? No? Well, we didn’t. What do you think this is, Pixar? + [[artist:413|413]] made some art for this, but it was waaaaay to small. We decided to instead use the original art for [[track:go-down-fanon-cut|Voul. 1's Go Down]] ([[artist:difarem|Dif]] didn't like it) instead. Did I mention we didn't ask Mira's permission to use it? No? Well, we didn't. What do you think this is, Pixar? <i>miraculousAvantgarde:</i> <big><b>[[artist:bill-bolin|YOU DO NOT HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO TALK PROFESSIONALISM WITH ME.]]</b></big> <i>Cecily Renns:</i> go down is definitely my favorite vol 1 song. It is the complete opposite of [[track:descend|Descend]] - while Descend was loud, jam packed, filled with different motifs and sounds, and overall fucking crazy, go down is more simple, even... relaxing? Not *that* many motifs, but still enough to call it a great medley, combining different - at the time marginally related to CANWC - melodies.<br> - I’ve always wanted to remix it, while keeping that simpleness to it. You can probably see that in the beginning - just piano, bass and Upward Movement drums. But as I continued with the song, it became probably as loud as Descend. It has what, 20 or something melodies in it now? Can’t really keep track.<br> + I've always wanted to remix it, while keeping that simpleness to it. You can probably see that in the beginning - just piano, bass and Upward Movement drums. But as I continued with the song, it became probably as loud as Descend. It has what, 20 or something melodies in it now? Can't really keep track.<br> I think overall I did a good job of making a cohesive yet a diverse medley with different shit going on. Also I am keeping the fucking name. It is a good name 0:03 Flare by Clark Powell<br> @@ -961,12 +961,12 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:pokemon-center-pokemon-red-and-blue-versions Commentary: |- <i>MoreEpicThanYou747:</i> - I attempted to do something like this for the [[album:cool-and-new-volume-v|Doctor album]], but I found the Homestuck melody a lot easier to work with. This is also the first non-mashup musical project I’ve ever done, so congratulations to me for that. + I attempted to do something like this for the [[album:cool-and-new-volume-v|Doctor album]], but I found the Homestuck melody a lot easier to work with. This is also the first non-mashup musical project I've ever done, so congratulations to me for that. - I feel like I could’ve done a lot better with this one, so if any of you have any suggestions I’m up for listening. + I feel like I could've done a lot better with this one, so if any of you have any suggestions I'm up for listening. <i>Makin:</i> - I wanted to look for the original caliborn drawing so I said, hey let’s google “dave karkat yaoi”. The resulting PTSD caused what you’re looking at. + I wanted to look for the original caliborn drawing so I said, hey let's google "dave karkat yaoi". The resulting PTSD caused what you're looking at. --- Track: CAN'T WAKE UP Artists: @@ -1020,16 +1020,16 @@ Lyrics: |- Extraterrestrial Commentary: |- <i>Makin:</i> - Don’t let your memes be dreams. Don’t let anyone tell you “hey, memes can’t carry a song”, because it’s a dirty lie, just look at this masterpiece. + Don't let your memes be dreams. Don't let anyone tell you "hey, memes can't carry a song", because it's a dirty lie, just look at this masterpiece. Some say chanting BACK YARD along with the Horrorterrors will reveal ancient mysteries of the human psyche. /co/ probably hates me for making them listen to Extraterrestrial again. And multiple other reasons. - Shoutouts to <s>simpleflips</s> Vinesauce for their ROM corrupter, it’s how I messed up Fleenstones + Shoutouts to <s>simpleflips</s> Vinesauce for their ROM corrupter, it's how I messed up Fleenstones <i>NyashAlex:</i> - In the flash file for [[flash:2848|Jade: Wake up]], Jade’s sprite with this pose was green so I had to sit for ~15 minutes and recolor it while checking if I didn’t miss any pixel. + In the flash file for [[flash:2848|Jade: Wake up]], Jade's sprite with this pose was green so I had to sit for ~15 minutes and recolor it while checking if I didn't miss any pixel. --- Track: Umbrella Tomato Artists: @@ -1113,11 +1113,11 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Noisemaker:</i> Featuring guest composer [[group:toby-fox|tobacious foxx]] and the voice of steve from Blues Clues. Also cocomposed by [[group:michael-guy-bowman|Michael Bowman]] and [[group:tensei|Tensei]], with live piano work from [[artist:erik-scheele|Jit]]. - (not really, but it’s fun to pretend) + (not really, but it's fun to pretend) <i>Bambosh:</i> What am I looking at<br> - Is this what it’s like to die + Is this what it's like to die --- Track: I started a joke! Artists: @@ -1135,7 +1135,7 @@ Commentary: |- The secret is nobody knows what the joke is. <i>Makin:</i> - I haven’t even started working on this art yet but it’s probably amazing so you’re welcome for that. + I haven't even started working on this art yet but it's probably amazing so you're welcome for that. <a href="../../media/misc/wackyZany.png">:wackyZany:</a> --- @@ -1181,9 +1181,9 @@ Lyrics: |- These wounds they will not heal (Show me a good time, Jack!) Commentary: |- <i>Griever:</i> - This is just something to add hilarity to the whole GRIMDARK saga of Rose’s life, which was a weird but fun little thing that happened in Homestuck. Grimdark as a concept is kinda paradoxically making fun of itself but also completely serious, so I started thinking “man this reminds me of shadow the hedgehog”. So I added some edgy memes in there, and the thing about Advanced Darkness, because that’s some good shit. Metal Gear Rising, gunshots, and dog barks added oomph to the second half of it, and I love it. I like listening to this song and watching the video, even if it’s dumb. Hopefully you do too. + This is just something to add hilarity to the whole GRIMDARK saga of Rose's life, which was a weird but fun little thing that happened in Homestuck. Grimdark as a concept is kinda paradoxically making fun of itself but also completely serious, so I started thinking "man this reminds me of shadow the hedgehog". So I added some edgy memes in there, and the thing about Advanced Darkness, because that's some good shit. Metal Gear Rising, gunshots, and dog barks added oomph to the second half of it, and I love it. I like listening to this song and watching the video, even if it's dumb. Hopefully you do too. - Shadow The Hedgehog was a legitimately fun game for me, despite how dumb it is. That kinda goes for Sonic Adventure 2, now that I think of it. It’s weird to think how randomly edgy those two games were. There was a mad scientist ridden with grief because the government killed his dying daughter for no god damn reason, so he goes fucking crazy and has a plan to commit worldwide genocide because of it. That’s pretty fucking hardcore if you ask me. But then Shadow The Hedgehog seemed to not entirely get why Sonic Adventure 2 was reasonable while it wasn’t. Suddenly all the “edge” parts got played up to almost goofy levels (it’s like taking candy from a baby, WHICH IS FINE BY ME), as opposed to the “ridiculous” parts being played up (NO DON’T TOUCH THAT LEVER, AHHHHH!!!). There’s a difference between kids suddenly being confronted with a madman’s delusions and then going in to fight a lizard, and between kids suddenly meeting Goku Satan and doing odd jobs for him and/or fighting him. The thing is that Shadow The Hedgehog takes its edge too seriously, while Sonic Adventure 2 balanced it out with, well, not subtlety (it wasn’t an amazing story), but rather a half of the cast not really giving a shit about the edge. + Shadow The Hedgehog was a legitimately fun game for me, despite how dumb it is. That kinda goes for Sonic Adventure 2, now that I think of it. It's weird to think how randomly edgy those two games were. There was a mad scientist ridden with grief because the government killed his dying daughter for no god damn reason, so he goes fucking crazy and has a plan to commit worldwide genocide because of it. That's pretty fucking hardcore if you ask me. But then Shadow The Hedgehog seemed to not entirely get why Sonic Adventure 2 was reasonable while it wasn't. Suddenly all the "edge" parts got played up to almost goofy levels (it's like taking candy from a baby, WHICH IS FINE BY ME), as opposed to the "ridiculous" parts being played up (NO DON'T TOUCH THAT LEVER, AHHHHH!!!). There's a difference between kids suddenly being confronted with a madman's delusions and then going in to fight a lizard, and between kids suddenly meeting Goku Satan and doing odd jobs for him and/or fighting him. The thing is that Shadow The Hedgehog takes its edge too seriously, while Sonic Adventure 2 balanced it out with, well, not subtlety (it wasn't an amazing story), but rather a half of the cast not really giving a shit about the edge. --- Track: UPW4RD SN1FFM3NT Artists: @@ -1203,12 +1203,12 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Terezi Owns Commentary: |- <i>cookiefonster:</i> - This was the first song I made for Cool and New Homestuck. When I first learned about that project I decided to do music for a flash that probably wouldn’t be too popular, because I thought there would be a lot of fights over who gets to do music for flashes like Cascade and stuff. That turned out not to be true but whatever. Anyway, for this one I basically decided to make a piece to the likes of Terezi Owns out of multiple Dave motifs, so I used the classic drums from Upward Movement like in the original song and threw in some Atomyk Ebonpyre and some Beatdown, and later on I directly quoted Terezi Owns. + This was the first song I made for Cool and New Homestuck. When I first learned about that project I decided to do music for a flash that probably wouldn't be too popular, because I thought there would be a lot of fights over who gets to do music for flashes like Cascade and stuff. That turned out not to be true but whatever. Anyway, for this one I basically decided to make a piece to the likes of Terezi Owns out of multiple Dave motifs, so I used the classic drums from Upward Movement like in the original song and threw in some Atomyk Ebonpyre and some Beatdown, and later on I directly quoted Terezi Owns. <i>Bambosh:</i> - Okay, I’ve just got one left after this. I can do it. I’m strong. I’m a strong boy. + Okay, I've just got one left after this. I can do it. I'm strong. I'm a strong boy. - Nope I can’t think of anything. Guess it’s time to reconsider the markov chains. + Nope I can't think of anything. Guess it's time to reconsider the markov chains. --- Track: 'Deaf Injustice: Ignoration!!' Artists: @@ -1229,14 +1229,14 @@ Sampled Tracks: - Bowman's Credit Score Commentary: |- <i>cookiefonster:</i> - I wasn’t even originally going to do alternate music for this one. Originally this one was just going to use the existing song, “[[track:divine-justice-overload|Divine Justice: Overload]]”. But when it turned out that wasn’t allowed I decided to claim that one. It was originally going to be a collaboration between me and Shwan, where I would write the MIDI file and he would do glitch effects and add a transition between the beginning and main section and master it overall. But when Cerulean shared with me a mix of the intro in his musical style, I liked it so much that I let him [[track:deaf-injustice-ignoration-no-effects-ver|mix the whole song]] that way, and left Shwan to handle the glitch effects; the addition of Bowman’s Credit Score glitches was a very pleasant surprise.<br> - When I wrote this song, I wasn’t sure what to do at one point, so I just repeated the main theme and added the [[track:rollercoaster-tycoon-theme|RCT theme song]], which is good because mixing that song into stuff is sort of our signature thing. Turns out the glitch effects largely destroyed that section due to flash syncing. + I wasn't even originally going to do alternate music for this one. Originally this one was just going to use the existing song, "[[track:divine-justice-overload|Divine Justice: Overload]]". But when it turned out that wasn't allowed I decided to claim that one. It was originally going to be a collaboration between me and Shwan, where I would write the MIDI file and he would do glitch effects and add a transition between the beginning and main section and master it overall. But when Cerulean shared with me a mix of the intro in his musical style, I liked it so much that I let him [[track:deaf-injustice-ignoration-no-effects-ver|mix the whole song]] that way, and left Shwan to handle the glitch effects; the addition of Bowman's Credit Score glitches was a very pleasant surprise.<br> + When I wrote this song, I wasn't sure what to do at one point, so I just repeated the main theme and added the [[track:rollercoaster-tycoon-theme|RCT theme song]], which is good because mixing that song into stuff is sort of our signature thing. Turns out the glitch effects largely destroyed that section due to flash syncing. <i>Shwan:</i> It was really fun messing around with audacity,i love it. Also i love fucking things up <i>Bambosh:</i> - Okay I couldn’t find a way to do markov chains easily, but I’ve found a random sentence generator so that’s the next best thing. The capital bear undertakes the lifetime. The event handicaps whatever daytime northern. The sword storms into the overwhelming advice. The supermarket grabs the widest disclaimer beside the dance. And that’s it. I think this is the last piece 413 did for CANH. Writing these shitposts out has been an absolute journey. + Okay I couldn't find a way to do markov chains easily, but I've found a random sentence generator so that's the next best thing. The capital bear undertakes the lifetime. The event handicaps whatever daytime northern. The sword storms into the overwhelming advice. The supermarket grabs the widest disclaimer beside the dance. And that's it. I think this is the last piece 413 did for CANH. Writing these shitposts out has been an absolute journey. --- Track: 'Deaf Injustice: Ignoration!! (No Effects Ver.)' Artists: @@ -1271,10 +1271,10 @@ Referenced Tracks: - RollerCoaster Tycoon Theme Commentary: |- <i>Shwan:</i> - Since it’s ¾ beat so i decide to put in RCT since its our main theme. It was pretty fun. I also really love using music box as an instruments. + Since it's ¾ beat so i decide to put in RCT since its our main theme. It was pretty fun. I also really love using music box as an instruments. <i>VulkanShawl:</i> - Well. My first idea was “Edit a RCT image and put Gamzee and the other trolls of the flash” but i didn’t knew how so i put a Space Rollercoaster with Gamzee in while he’s launching Tavros’ head. Also a friend said Tavros’ blood looks like… y’know shit. + Well. My first idea was "Edit a RCT image and put Gamzee and the other trolls of the flash" but i didn't knew how so i put a Space Rollercoaster with Gamzee in while he's launching Tavros' head. Also a friend said Tavros' blood looks like... y'know shit. --- Track: Timestop Artists: @@ -1291,10 +1291,10 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Cascade (Beta) Commentary: |- <i>Noisemaker:</i> - In all honestly this is just a cover of Cascade, but it’s cool as well as new. Also Makin is my artist waifu. + In all honestly this is just a cover of Cascade, but it's cool as well as new. Also Makin is my artist waifu. <i>Makin:</i> - Noisemaker is my composer waifu and [[artist:griever|Griever]] forgot to add enough Jojo references so I thought I’d help him with that. + Noisemaker is my composer waifu and [[artist:griever|Griever]] forgot to add enough Jojo references so I thought I'd help him with that. --- Track: Flarezzzzzzz Artists: @@ -1379,11 +1379,11 @@ Lyrics: |- (Memes. The DNA of the soul.) (It's me, Austin!) (Aw, son of a bitch!) (What??) (It's me, Austin! It was me all along, Austin!) (I'm sorry that took so much longer than the others. But I haven't had much occasion to practice this one. This is what I call a Super Saiyan 3.) Commentary: |- <i>Griever:</i> - This song is supposed to really give you the sense that you first had when you saw this part of [[flash:4109|Cascade]]. It’s fucking beautiful, it all fits together, it’s hype, and there was probably some amount of crazy screaming. It’s also here to remind you that fucking Dragon Ball Z was the shit, and it really pioneered ascension scenes as a whole. + This song is supposed to really give you the sense that you first had when you saw this part of [[flash:4109|Cascade]]. It's fucking beautiful, it all fits together, it's hype, and there was probably some amount of crazy screaming. It's also here to remind you that fucking Dragon Ball Z was the shit, and it really pioneered ascension scenes as a whole. Anyways, I first made this song not knowing it would sync up to the video at all, actually. I just got lucky to be honest. Hopefully you enjoy! - Well, the scene that the audio is taken from is the Super Saiyan Three scene in DBZ, so I just used a frame from that and put Jhon’s head on it. I also added screaming things. This song is about creating something both cool and new out of nostalgic things - things that you’ve lived through your childhood with. Dragon Ball Z, Homestuck, they’re both big parts of my young life. So this song in all its shitposty glory, IS something cool and new and fun and fresh and exciting, in my opinion, even if it just throws a bunch of memes onto a good song. + Well, the scene that the audio is taken from is the Super Saiyan Three scene in DBZ, so I just used a frame from that and put Jhon's head on it. I also added screaming things. This song is about creating something both cool and new out of nostalgic things - things that you've lived through your childhood with. Dragon Ball Z, Homestuck, they're both big parts of my young life. So this song in all its shitposty glory, IS something cool and new and fun and fresh and exciting, in my opinion, even if it just throws a bunch of memes onto a good song. --- Track: Black Yard, Green Fun Artists: @@ -1406,7 +1406,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Crystalanthemums Commentary: |- <i>Shwan:</i> - I love fun, Blackyard, FUN (well, the song wasn’t actually fun since its intense af) + I love fun, Blackyard, FUN (well, the song wasn't actually fun since its intense af) <i>groeuf:</i> Take a seat and allow me to tell you a short tale of how this poor load gaper met anguish bladder brimstone.<br> @@ -1460,12 +1460,12 @@ Commentary: |- <i>cookiefonster:</i> For this one, Cecily was the one who did most of the work. I mostly just made draft versions of the Negastrife sections, and I also made the honk sound effects as follows. When Cecily sent me her mix of the song, he left out the honk sound effects and let me do those. Soon enough, I had the PERFECT idea for that: phrases associated with each of his soul components in a slowed down text to speech voice. And which voice could I ever do but the hilarious WillFromAfar?<br> - The honk sound effects are the following phrases combined: “Haa haa hee hee hoo hoo”, “I need a towel”, “I’m glasses”, and “Miracles”, for Caliborn, Equius, Lil’ Hal, and Gamzee respectively. The funny thing is, “I need a towel” and “I’m glasses” sort of blend together to sound like “I need glasses”, the same way those phrases’ associated characters combined to make Arquiusprite. Also, because of Caliborn’s signature laugh, it actually did end up sounding somewhat like a honk. + The honk sound effects are the following phrases combined: "Haa haa hee hee hoo hoo", "I need a towel", "I'm glasses", and "Miracles", for Caliborn, Equius, Lil' Hal, and Gamzee respectively. The funny thing is, "I need a towel" and "I'm glasses" sort of blend together to sound like "I need glasses", the same way those phrases' associated characters combined to make Arquiusprite. Also, because of Caliborn's signature laugh, it actually did end up sounding somewhat like a honk. <i>Makin:</i> - For those with no childhood or those who aren’t insane enough to look at this art, this is that one part from Little Red Riding Hood where the main character, I think she was called Vaska or something, discovers that the main baddie is cosplaying as her grandmother with a vore fetish. The details are fuzzy, but seriously, we already have a Bad Wolf villain, god damn it whoever decided this song name making me resort to centuries old stories in order to meme. + For those with no childhood or those who aren't insane enough to look at this art, this is that one part from Little Red Riding Hood where the main character, I think she was called Vaska or something, discovers that the main baddie is cosplaying as her grandmother with a vore fetish. The details are fuzzy, but seriously, we already have a Bad Wolf villain, god damn it whoever decided this song name making me resort to centuries old stories in order to meme. - Also I fucked up the line quality at some point while using the bucket tool, sorry for that. Hopefully it doesn’t look awful in your music player of choice. + Also I fucked up the line quality at some point while using the bucket tool, sorry for that. Hopefully it doesn't look awful in your music player of choice. --- Track: 『HOMESTUCK』 ~~END OF DISC 1~~ Artists: @@ -1479,12 +1479,12 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Homestuck Anthem Commentary: |- <i>Cecily Renns:</i> - [[artist:miraculousavantgarde|Mira]] came up with this idea of “act transitions” jokingly actually ; with just the names “Cool and New Act 1, Cool and New Act 2” et cetra. Then I just picked some major motifs from each act and made this. I was gonna do more than piano and bass, but this sounds good enough, The minimalistic nature accompanies the idea of it being just short transitions. + [[artist:miraculousavantgarde|Mira]] came up with this idea of "act transitions" jokingly actually ; with just the names "Cool and New Act 1, Cool and New Act 2" et cetra. Then I just picked some major motifs from each act and made this. I was gonna do more than piano and bass, but this sounds good enough, The minimalistic nature accompanies the idea of it being just short transitions. The very last one is ~~END OF DISC 1~~, which I made after all the other ones because I wanted a song with that name and it could serve as a gateway to the NEXT ALBUM WHICH WILL FEATURE ACT 6 AND YOU WILL PROBABLY SEE IT IN LIKE TWO MONTHS. <i>miraculousAvantgarde:</i> - This album was a waste of everyone’s time. + This album was a waste of everyone's time. <i>Cool and New Music Team:</i> How stupid do you feel now? diff --git a/album/cool-and-new-volume-2.yaml b/album/cool-and-new-volume-2.yaml index 3dac116b..3feedc57 100644 --- a/album/cool-and-new-volume-2.yaml +++ b/album/cool-and-new-volume-2.yaml @@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ Lyrics: |- (There's a balcony. Alright let's talk about Catholicism. There- there's so much about the Catholic Church that is, really is fascinating. The-it's a-it's a, interesting thing to study. They reach, they teach many orthodox things and then they teach so many non-orthodox doctrine. The relevant problem relates to— the relevant problem relates to forward. Now [clears throat] [clears throat] [clears throat] [coughs]. Within... the Catholic Church, there are multiple things that shape who they are, what they are, how they— [clears throat] [coughs]. Following the Pope, and— and by the way, the, the, uh, the top offices minus the priests are all considered bishops. Underneath him— lot of sweaty bodies dancing and moving and grooving. Underneath him would come the council of lot of sweaty bodies uh, not retracting. Most of us are like that, we're competitive, we like to do well, and, in terms of the- the priesthood, y'know-there-there are numerous things [clears throat]. Help us to be administrators of truth and help us to help people come out of darkness. We bless you and we thank you my God for your goodness and your grace and your mercy in Jesus name, amen.) - (Please free to use anything you find appropriate on this site, as we have been given great gifts freely from our LORD. Realize that material comes from a multiple range of sources including Charisma, sermoncentral.com, Jack Hayford, Logos Bible Software, Bibleworks, and a host of other reputable places. Please note that all sermon material isn’t always notated. God is good.) + (Please free to use anything you find appropriate on this site, as we have been given great gifts freely from our LORD. Realize that material comes from a multiple range of sources including Charisma, sermoncentral.com, Jack Hayford, Logos Bible Software, Bibleworks, and a host of other reputable places. Please note that all sermon material isn't always notated. God is good.) --- Track: Feel (Good) Artists: @@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ Lyrics: |- All I wanna do is stimulate All the feelings we could consummate - If you’d let your heart negotiate with me + If you'd let your heart negotiate with me All I wanna do All I wanna do @@ -518,7 +518,7 @@ Lyrics: |- All I wanna do is stimulate All the feelings we could consummate - If you’d let your heart negotiate with me + If you'd let your heart negotiate with me All I wanna do All I wanna do @@ -1120,7 +1120,7 @@ Art Tags: Referenced Tracks: - i am sititng in a buttock Lyrics: |- - I'm THINKING of a number between my buttocks. Do you know what it is? It's my credit score, and it happens to be seven hundred and twenty. The higher my credit score, the better chance I have of saving a lot of money. I'm thinking of a number; between four hundred and fifty and eight fifty. Do you know what it is? It happens to be seven hundred and twenty, which is my free credit score. This number is between my buttocks. This number, I am thinking, is between four hundred and fifty and eight fifty. The higher this number it is, the better chance I have at saving a lot of money. But the number is between my buttocks! Do you know what number it is? It happens to be between four fifty and eight fifty, and the number is between my buttocks. The number is seven hundred and twenty. But do you know what number I’m thinking of? I’m thinking of a number between my buttocks. It happens to be between four fifty and eight fifty, and it could save me a lot of money the higher it is. Fortunately that number is seven hundred and twenty, which is a number between four fifty and eight fifty. This number between four fifty and eight fifty happens to be between my buttocks. The higher the number is between my buttocks, the better chance I have at saving a lot of money. This number happens to be between my buttocks, which means I will save a lot of money. But do you know what number I’m thinking of? The number I’m thinking of is seven hundred and twenty, and it happens to be between my buttocks. It’s between four fifty and eight fifty. And it still happens to be between my buttocks. The higher this number is that’s between my buttocks, the better chance I have at saving a lot of money. Do you know what this number is? It’s my free credit score, and it happens to be seven hundred and twenty, and between my buttocks. The higher this number that is seven hundred and twenty is, that is between four fifty and eight fifty is, the better my chances at saving a lot of money. Between my buttocks. Won’t you reach in and grab it for me? I’m thinking that it’s seven hundred and twenty, and that it’s between my buttocks. Won’t you reach in and grab it? It’s a number between seven hundred and twenty and seven hundred and twenty, and it happens to be also between four fifty and eight fifty, and between my buttocks. Won’t you reach in and get it? I’m thinking that you can reach in and get it, because it is between my buttocks. Won’t you reach and and get this free credit report, that is between my buttocks. The number is between four fifty and eight fifty, and it happens to be seven hundred and twenty. The higher this number is that is seven hundred and twenty, the better chance I have at saving a lot of money between my buttocks. Won’t you reach in between my buttocks and grab this number? That is greater than four fifty, and less than eight fifty. This number is seven twenty, and you can grab it because it’s between my buttocks. It happens to be seven hundred and twenty, but do you know what number I’m thinking of? I’m thinking of a number that could save you a lot of money. It’s between my buttocks. It happens to be seven hundred and twenty, and it is between the numbers four fifty and eight fifty. It could save you a lot of money. A lot of money between my buttocks! But I’m thinking that this number is between four fifty and eight fifty. The higher this number is, although the highest can be eight hundred and fifty, the better chance you have of saving a lot of money. This number is between my buttocks. You can reach in between my buttocks and get a number. Hopefully this number is greater than four fifty and less than eight fifty. Otherwise it might not be your credit score! My credit score happens to be seven hundred and twenty, which as you all have noticed, is between four fifty and eight fifty. But do you know what number I’m thinking of? I’m thinking of a number between four fifty and eight fifty. Fortunately, seven hundred and twenty is this number, because it is between four hundred and fifty and eight hundred and fifty. But I’m thinking of a number between four fifty and eight fifty. Do you know what it is? It happens to be between my buttocks, and it could save you a lot of money. The higher this number between my buttocks is, the more money it could save you! I’m thinking of a number though, that is between my buttocks. It is still seven hundred and twenty. Won’t you reach in and grab seven hundred and twenty for me? Don’t grab four fifty or eight fifty, as these are the two extremes. These are not my free credit score. My free credit score happens to be seven hundred and twenty, but I’m thinking that you can reach in and grab it because it is between my buttocks. The number between my buttocks happens to be, well, I’m thinking that it’s seven hundred and twenty. But I could be wrong. Because your number could be anywhere between four fifty and eight fifty. I’m THINKING of a number... + I'm THINKING of a number between my buttocks. Do you know what it is? It's my credit score, and it happens to be seven hundred and twenty. The higher my credit score, the better chance I have of saving a lot of money. I'm thinking of a number; between four hundred and fifty and eight fifty. Do you know what it is? It happens to be seven hundred and twenty, which is my free credit score. This number is between my buttocks. This number, I am thinking, is between four hundred and fifty and eight fifty. The higher this number it is, the better chance I have at saving a lot of money. But the number is between my buttocks! Do you know what number it is? It happens to be between four fifty and eight fifty, and the number is between my buttocks. The number is seven hundred and twenty. But do you know what number I'm thinking of? I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks. It happens to be between four fifty and eight fifty, and it could save me a lot of money the higher it is. Fortunately that number is seven hundred and twenty, which is a number between four fifty and eight fifty. This number between four fifty and eight fifty happens to be between my buttocks. The higher the number is between my buttocks, the better chance I have at saving a lot of money. This number happens to be between my buttocks, which means I will save a lot of money. But do you know what number I'm thinking of? The number I'm thinking of is seven hundred and twenty, and it happens to be between my buttocks. It's between four fifty and eight fifty. And it still happens to be between my buttocks. The higher this number is that's between my buttocks, the better chance I have at saving a lot of money. Do you know what this number is? It's my free credit score, and it happens to be seven hundred and twenty, and between my buttocks. The higher this number that is seven hundred and twenty is, that is between four fifty and eight fifty is, the better my chances at saving a lot of money. Between my buttocks. Won't you reach in and grab it for me? I'm thinking that it's seven hundred and twenty, and that it's between my buttocks. Won't you reach in and grab it? It's a number between seven hundred and twenty and seven hundred and twenty, and it happens to be also between four fifty and eight fifty, and between my buttocks. Won't you reach in and get it? I'm thinking that you can reach in and get it, because it is between my buttocks. Won't you reach and and get this free credit report, that is between my buttocks. The number is between four fifty and eight fifty, and it happens to be seven hundred and twenty. The higher this number is that is seven hundred and twenty, the better chance I have at saving a lot of money between my buttocks. Won't you reach in between my buttocks and grab this number? That is greater than four fifty, and less than eight fifty. This number is seven twenty, and you can grab it because it's between my buttocks. It happens to be seven hundred and twenty, but do you know what number I'm thinking of? I'm thinking of a number that could save you a lot of money. It's between my buttocks. It happens to be seven hundred and twenty, and it is between the numbers four fifty and eight fifty. It could save you a lot of money. A lot of money between my buttocks! But I'm thinking that this number is between four fifty and eight fifty. The higher this number is, although the highest can be eight hundred and fifty, the better chance you have of saving a lot of money. This number is between my buttocks. You can reach in between my buttocks and get a number. Hopefully this number is greater than four fifty and less than eight fifty. Otherwise it might not be your credit score! My credit score happens to be seven hundred and twenty, which as you all have noticed, is between four fifty and eight fifty. But do you know what number I'm thinking of? I'm thinking of a number between four fifty and eight fifty. Fortunately, seven hundred and twenty is this number, because it is between four hundred and fifty and eight hundred and fifty. But I'm thinking of a number between four fifty and eight fifty. Do you know what it is? It happens to be between my buttocks, and it could save you a lot of money. The higher this number between my buttocks is, the more money it could save you! I'm thinking of a number though, that is between my buttocks. It is still seven hundred and twenty. Won't you reach in and grab seven hundred and twenty for me? Don't grab four fifty or eight fifty, as these are the two extremes. These are not my free credit score. My free credit score happens to be seven hundred and twenty, but I'm thinking that you can reach in and grab it because it is between my buttocks. The number between my buttocks happens to be, well, I'm thinking that it's seven hundred and twenty. But I could be wrong. Because your number could be anywhere between four fifty and eight fifty. I'm THINKING of a number... --- Track: A-M-A-L-G-A-M-A-T-I-O-N Directory: amalgamation diff --git a/album/cool-and-new-volume-ii.yaml b/album/cool-and-new-volume-ii.yaml index 2c756734..6bbf6fb9 100644 --- a/album/cool-and-new-volume-ii.yaml +++ b/album/cool-and-new-volume-ii.yaml @@ -639,38 +639,38 @@ Sampled Tracks: - GameBro (Original 1990 Mix) - The Nutshack Intro Lyrics: |- - It’s the Nutshack! (Yo!) - It’s the Nutshack! (What he say?) - It’s the Nutshack! (Oh Yea!) - It’s the Nutshack! (Hey, I'm in that shit!) - It’s the Nutshack! - It’s the Nutshack! (It’s the Nutshack!) - It’s the Nutshack! (It’s the Nutshack!) - It’s the Nutshack! - It’s the Nutshack! (Hey!) - It’s the Nutshack! (This beat's knockin'!) - It’s the Nutshack! (Wow!) - It’s the Nutshack! (HOOUGH!) - - Phil’s from the Soul, Jack’s from the P.I.! (P.I.) + It's the Nutshack! (Yo!) + It's the Nutshack! (What he say?) + It's the Nutshack! (Oh Yea!) + It's the Nutshack! (Hey, I'm in that shit!) + It's the Nutshack! + It's the Nutshack! (It's the Nutshack!) + It's the Nutshack! (It's the Nutshack!) + It's the Nutshack! + It's the Nutshack! (Hey!) + It's the Nutshack! (This beat's knockin'!) + It's the Nutshack! (Wow!) + It's the Nutshack! (HOOUGH!) + + Phil's from the Soul, Jack's from the P.I.! (P.I.) Horatio or Horat so big-eyed! - Tito Dick, “Dickman”, baby! + Tito Dick, "Dickman", baby! He raised Phil and loves the ladies - Jack’s is cool and he's lazy, he’s still learnin’ + Jack's is cool and he's lazy, he's still learnin' On the right, Cherry Pie, she's still a virgin (Oooh..) Chita, meet the freak of the week-ah! (Week-ah!) - Phil’s homegirl, got Jack wanna keep her + Phil's homegirl, got Jack wanna keep her - But it’s not happenin’, neither! (No!) Shake it like a seizure! + But it's not happenin', neither! (No!) Shake it like a seizure! Hold up, let me spark this, take a breather (Yeah-hahah!) Breathe the reefer in my lungs - I got grapes, what you watchin’, son-sa? + I got grapes, what you watchin', son-sa? - It’s the Nutshack! - It’s the Nutshack! - It’s the Nutshack! - It’s the Nutshack! + It's the Nutshack! + It's the Nutshack! + It's the Nutshack! + It's the Nutshack! --- Track: C R Y S T A L S Directory: crystals @@ -919,9 +919,9 @@ Lyrics: |- (The number I'm thinking of is seven hundred and twenty, and it happens - my buttocks) - (The number I’m thinking of is seven hundred and twenty.) (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) + (The number I'm thinking of is seven hundred and twenty.) (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) (And it happens to be between my buttocks.) (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) - (It’s between four fifty and eight fifty.) (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) + (It's between four fifty and eight fifty.) (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) (And it still happens to be between my buttocks.) (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) @@ -934,14 +934,14 @@ Lyrics: |- (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) Seven hundred and twenty, seven hundred and twenty, hundred and twenty (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) Hundred and twenty, twenty twenty twenty twenty - (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) (It’s a number between seven hundred and twenty and—) + (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) (It's a number between seven hundred and twenty and—) (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) (Seven hundred and twenty, and it happens to be also—) (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) (Between four fifty and eight fifty, and between my buttocks.) - (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) (Won’t you reach in and get it?) + (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) (Won't you reach in and get it?) - (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) (I’m thinking that you can reach in and get it.) + (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) (I'm thinking that you can reach in and get it.) (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) (Because it is between my buttocks.) - (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) (Won’t you reach and and get this free credit report.) + (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) (Won't you reach and and get this free credit report.) (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) (That is between my buttocks.) (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) Buttocks, buttocks, buttocks, buttocks buttocks (The number is between four fifty and eight fifty.) @@ -949,7 +949,7 @@ Lyrics: |- (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) Buttocks, buttocks, buttocks, buttocks buttocks (The higher this number is that is seven hundred and twenty.) (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) Buttocks, buttocks, buttocks, buttocks buttocks (The better chance I have at saving a lot of money between my buttocks.) - (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) Buttocks buttocks buttocks, buttocks, buttocks buttocks (Won’t you reach in between my buttocks) + (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) Buttocks buttocks buttocks, buttocks, buttocks buttocks (Won't you reach in between my buttocks) (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) Buttocks buttocks buttocks, buttocks, buttocks buttocks (And grab this number?) (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) Buttocks buttocks buttocks, buttocks, buttocks buttocks (That is greater than four fifty) (I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks.) Buttocks buttocks buttocks, buttocks, buttocks buttocks (And less than eight fifty.) @@ -971,8 +971,8 @@ Lyrics: |- (You can reach in between my buttocks and get a number. Hopefully this number is greater than four fifty and less than eight fifty. Otherwise it might not be your credit score!) (My credit score happens to be seven hundred and twenty) Between my buttocks, between my buttocks buttocks (which as you all have noticed, is between four fifty and eight fifty.) Between my buttocks, between my buttocks buttocks - (But do you know what number I’m thinking of?) Between my buttocks, between my buttocks buttocks - (I’m thinking of a number between four fifty and eight fifty.) Between my buttocks, between my buttocks buttocks + (But do you know what number I'm thinking of?) Between my buttocks, between my buttocks buttocks + (I'm thinking of a number between four fifty and eight fifty.) Between my buttocks, between my buttocks buttocks (Thinking of a number between four fifty and eight fifty.) Between my buttocks, between my buttocks buttocks (Thinking of a number between four fifty and eight fifty.) Between my buttocks, between my buttocks buttocks diff --git a/album/cool-and-new-volume-sx.yaml b/album/cool-and-new-volume-sx.yaml index 38258789..8e0a447c 100644 --- a/album/cool-and-new-volume-sx.yaml +++ b/album/cool-and-new-volume-sx.yaml @@ -1490,8 +1490,8 @@ Lyrics: |- ('tween my buttocks. It happens to be between four fifty and eight fifty, and the number is between my buttocks. The number is seven hundred and twenty. - But do you know what number I’m thinking of? - I’m thinking of a number between my buttocks. + But do you know what number I'm thinking of? + I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks. It happens to be between four fifty and eight fifty, and it could save me a lot of money the higher it is. Fortunately that number is seven hundred and twenty, which is a number between four fifty and eight fifty. This number between four fifty and eight fifty happens to be between my buttocks) diff --git a/album/cool-and-new-volume-v.yaml b/album/cool-and-new-volume-v.yaml index 10a25d58..f2d0e34c 100644 --- a/album/cool-and-new-volume-v.yaml +++ b/album/cool-and-new-volume-v.yaml @@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ Commentary: |- (don't even think about kinkyshaming me) <i>XenoZane:</i> - HEY ASSHOLE NICE WORK AND ALL BUT GUESS WHO'S THE ONE WITH A DIPLOMA HERE YEAH ITS ME SO YOU BETTER SHUT THE FUCK UP AND LISTEN BECAUSE I DONT HAVE TIME FOR YOUR BULLSHIT I WORKED MY ASS OFF IN MED SCHOOL TO GET THIS FUCKING DIPLOMA AND YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST FUCKING PULL THIS SHIT THINK AGAIN FUCKNUTS BECAUSE GUESS WHAT I CAN END YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW IF I WANTED TO YEAH REALLY GUESS WHOS ON THE OPERATING TABLE NOT FUCKING ME ITS YOU ASSHOLE SO WATCH YOUR FUCKING TONGUE BEFORE I PULL THE DAMN THING OFF YOU YOU SELFISH ARROGANT PRICK YOU CANT TELL ME HOW TO DO MY FUCKING JOB ASSHAT WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST FUCKING SAY ABOUT ME YOU LITTLE BITCH I’LL HAVE YOU KNOW I GRADUATED TOP OF MY CLASS AT MED SCHOOL FOR THIS DIPLOMA AND I’VE BEEN INVOLVED IN NUMEROUS SECRET RAIDS ON THE PHARMACY AND I HAVE OVER 300 CONFIRMED PERSCRIPTIONS I AM TRAINED IN MEDICAL WARFARE AND I’M THE TOP DOCTOR IN THE ENTIRE HOSPITAL YOU ARE NOTHING TO ME BUT JUST ANOTHER PATIENT I WILL PERSCRIBE YOU THE FUCK OUT WITH MEDICINE THE LIKES OF WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE ON THIS EARTH MARK MY FUCKING WORDS YOU THINK YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH SAYING THAT SHIT TO ME FROM ON THE OPERATING TABLE THINK AGAIN FUCKER AS WE SPEAK I AM CONTACTING MY SECRET NETWORK OF NURSES ACROSS THE HOSPITAL AND YOUR LIFE IS BEING SAVED RIGHT NOW SO YOU BETTER PREPARE FOR THE OPERATION, MAGGOT THE OPERATION THAT SAVES THE PATHETIC LITTLE THING YOU CALL YOUR LIFE YOU’RE FUCKING SAVED KID I CAN BE ANYWHERE ANYTIME AND I CAN PERSCRIBE YOU OVER SEVEN HUNDRED MEDICATIONS AND THAT’S JUST WITH MY BARE DIPLOMA NOT ONLY AM I EXTENSIVELY TRAINED IN UNARMED SURGERY BUT I HAVE ACCESS TO THE ENTIRE COLLECTION OF THE UNITED STATES PHARMACIES AND I WILL USE IT TO ITS FULL EXTENT TO SAVE YOUR MISERABLE ASS OFF THE FACE OF THE CONTINENT YOU LITTLE SHIT IF ONLY YOU COULD HAVE KNOWN WHAT UNHOLY OPERATION YOUR LITTLE “CLEVER” COMMENT WAS ABOUT TO BRING DOWN UPON YOU MAYBE YOU WOULD HAVE HELD YOUR FUCKING TONGUE BUT YOU COULDN’T YOU DIDN’T AND NOW YOU’RE PAYING THE PRICE YOU GODDAMN IDIOT I WILL SHIT FURY ALL OVER YOU AND YOU WILL DROWN IN IT YOU’RE FUCKING SAVED KIDDO YOU BETTER FUCKING BELIEVE I MADE MY OWN VARIATION OF THE NAVY SEAL COPYPASTA ON THE SPOT THATS HOW FUCKING PISSED I AM SERIOUSLY DO YOU KNOW THE SHIT I GO THROUGH ON A DAILY BASIS I BET YOU DONT YOU LOW LIFE PROBABLY WORKING AT MCDONALDS OR SOME OTHER SHITTY FAST FOOD PLACE BARELY SCRAPING BY WHILE I RAKE IN THE CASH FOR SAVING FUCKING LIVES IF ONLY YOU HADNT DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL AND DISAPPOINTED YOUR PARENTS YOU WOULDNT BE IN THIS SHITTY SITUATION BUT YOU PISSED ME OFF AND NOW YOURE GONNA PAY THE PRICE, YOU FUCKING MORON MY LIFE IS HELL AND I HAVE CRUMBLING MARRAIGE THATS ONLY HELD TOGETHER BY MY OVERLY HIGH INCOME MY WIFE HATES ME BUT SHE STICKS AROUND BECAUSE SHE DOESNT HAVE TO WORK FUCK MY LIFE BUT THE ONLY THING I HATE MORE THAN MY OWN LIFE IS YOURS, YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE THINKING YOU CAN JUST SAY THIS SHIT TO ME YOU CAUGHT ME AT A BAD TIME ASSHOLE AND NOW YOURE REALLY GONNA PAY FOR IT I AM SO FUCKING FURIOUS IF IT WERENT FOR MY ANGER ISSUE CLASSES IM TAKING AS A LAST DITCH ATTEMPT TO TURN MY LIFE AROUND YOUD BE FUCKING DEAD WHERE YOU LIE FOR SAYING THAT SHIT TO ME, FUCKASS. THIS JOB IS ONE OF THE MOST HARD AND STRESSFUL THINGS EVER AND MY WEAK HUMAN BODY AND MIND CANT TAKE IT FUCK YOU FOR BRINGING BACK ALL THIS ANGER THAT I WORKED SO HARD TO TRY AND FIX IM GONNA TAKE OUT MY ANGER ON MY CHILD AND WIFE WHEN I GET HOME BECAUSE IM ACTUALLY AN ABUSIVE FATHER AND SPOUSE BECAUSE THE FRSUTRATION OF MY OWN MISTAKES IN LIFE CAUSE ME TO DO FUCKED UP SHIT TO POOR LITTLE EMILY FUCK YOU YOU FUCKING PRICK YOU CANT SAY THIS SHIT TO ME YOU DIPLOMALESS RETARD THATS RIGHT RETARD YOU ARE A FUCKING MENTALLY RETARTED SHITSTAIN WHO THINKS THEYRE BETTER THAN EVERYONE BECAUSE YOU FUCKING KNOW SHIT GUESS WHAT YOU FUCKING DONT SO DONT EVEN TRY TO TALK TO ME YOU FUCKING SELFISH ASSHOLE LEARN SOME RESPECT FOR THE PERSON SAVING YOUR LIFE AND DONT EVEN TELL ME HOW TO DO MY JOB I FUCKING HAVE A DIPLOMA I WASTED YEARS OF MY LIFE IN COLLEGD TO EARN THIS FUCKING THING AND GODDAMNIT IF I WONT LET YOU KNOW IT OYU SELFISH ASSHOLE I WORKED MY ASS OFF TO BECOME A DOCTOR AND YOU FUCKING SAY THIS SHIT LIKE YOU RULE THE WORLD GUESS WHAT YOU DONT WAKE UP AND FACE THE MUSIC YOU FUCKING FUCK FUCKING FUCKITY FUCK FUCKER FUCKING FUCKIONG ASSHAT DONT EVEN TRY TO DEFEND YOURSELF YOU ENTITLED PRICK AND LEARN THE STRESS OF SAVING LIVES ON A DAILY BASIS (<a href="https://pastebin.com/V6Aw4qDb">http://pastebin.com/V6Aw4qDb</a>) + HEY ASSHOLE NICE WORK AND ALL BUT GUESS WHO'S THE ONE WITH A DIPLOMA HERE YEAH ITS ME SO YOU BETTER SHUT THE FUCK UP AND LISTEN BECAUSE I DONT HAVE TIME FOR YOUR BULLSHIT I WORKED MY ASS OFF IN MED SCHOOL TO GET THIS FUCKING DIPLOMA AND YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST FUCKING PULL THIS SHIT THINK AGAIN FUCKNUTS BECAUSE GUESS WHAT I CAN END YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW IF I WANTED TO YEAH REALLY GUESS WHOS ON THE OPERATING TABLE NOT FUCKING ME ITS YOU ASSHOLE SO WATCH YOUR FUCKING TONGUE BEFORE I PULL THE DAMN THING OFF YOU YOU SELFISH ARROGANT PRICK YOU CANT TELL ME HOW TO DO MY FUCKING JOB ASSHAT WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST FUCKING SAY ABOUT ME YOU LITTLE BITCH I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW I GRADUATED TOP OF MY CLASS AT MED SCHOOL FOR THIS DIPLOMA AND I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN NUMEROUS SECRET RAIDS ON THE PHARMACY AND I HAVE OVER 300 CONFIRMED PERSCRIPTIONS I AM TRAINED IN MEDICAL WARFARE AND I'M THE TOP DOCTOR IN THE ENTIRE HOSPITAL YOU ARE NOTHING TO ME BUT JUST ANOTHER PATIENT I WILL PERSCRIBE YOU THE FUCK OUT WITH MEDICINE THE LIKES OF WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE ON THIS EARTH MARK MY FUCKING WORDS YOU THINK YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH SAYING THAT SHIT TO ME FROM ON THE OPERATING TABLE THINK AGAIN FUCKER AS WE SPEAK I AM CONTACTING MY SECRET NETWORK OF NURSES ACROSS THE HOSPITAL AND YOUR LIFE IS BEING SAVED RIGHT NOW SO YOU BETTER PREPARE FOR THE OPERATION, MAGGOT THE OPERATION THAT SAVES THE PATHETIC LITTLE THING YOU CALL YOUR LIFE YOU'RE FUCKING SAVED KID I CAN BE ANYWHERE ANYTIME AND I CAN PERSCRIBE YOU OVER SEVEN HUNDRED MEDICATIONS AND THAT'S JUST WITH MY BARE DIPLOMA NOT ONLY AM I EXTENSIVELY TRAINED IN UNARMED SURGERY BUT I HAVE ACCESS TO THE ENTIRE COLLECTION OF THE UNITED STATES PHARMACIES AND I WILL USE IT TO ITS FULL EXTENT TO SAVE YOUR MISERABLE ASS OFF THE FACE OF THE CONTINENT YOU LITTLE SHIT IF ONLY YOU COULD HAVE KNOWN WHAT UNHOLY OPERATION YOUR LITTLE "CLEVER" COMMENT WAS ABOUT TO BRING DOWN UPON YOU MAYBE YOU WOULD HAVE HELD YOUR FUCKING TONGUE BUT YOU COULDN'T YOU DIDN'T AND NOW YOU'RE PAYING THE PRICE YOU GODDAMN IDIOT I WILL SHIT FURY ALL OVER YOU AND YOU WILL DROWN IN IT YOU'RE FUCKING SAVED KIDDO YOU BETTER FUCKING BELIEVE I MADE MY OWN VARIATION OF THE NAVY SEAL COPYPASTA ON THE SPOT THATS HOW FUCKING PISSED I AM SERIOUSLY DO YOU KNOW THE SHIT I GO THROUGH ON A DAILY BASIS I BET YOU DONT YOU LOW LIFE PROBABLY WORKING AT MCDONALDS OR SOME OTHER SHITTY FAST FOOD PLACE BARELY SCRAPING BY WHILE I RAKE IN THE CASH FOR SAVING FUCKING LIVES IF ONLY YOU HADNT DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL AND DISAPPOINTED YOUR PARENTS YOU WOULDNT BE IN THIS SHITTY SITUATION BUT YOU PISSED ME OFF AND NOW YOURE GONNA PAY THE PRICE, YOU FUCKING MORON MY LIFE IS HELL AND I HAVE CRUMBLING MARRAIGE THATS ONLY HELD TOGETHER BY MY OVERLY HIGH INCOME MY WIFE HATES ME BUT SHE STICKS AROUND BECAUSE SHE DOESNT HAVE TO WORK FUCK MY LIFE BUT THE ONLY THING I HATE MORE THAN MY OWN LIFE IS YOURS, YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE THINKING YOU CAN JUST SAY THIS SHIT TO ME YOU CAUGHT ME AT A BAD TIME ASSHOLE AND NOW YOURE REALLY GONNA PAY FOR IT I AM SO FUCKING FURIOUS IF IT WERENT FOR MY ANGER ISSUE CLASSES IM TAKING AS A LAST DITCH ATTEMPT TO TURN MY LIFE AROUND YOUD BE FUCKING DEAD WHERE YOU LIE FOR SAYING THAT SHIT TO ME, FUCKASS. THIS JOB IS ONE OF THE MOST HARD AND STRESSFUL THINGS EVER AND MY WEAK HUMAN BODY AND MIND CANT TAKE IT FUCK YOU FOR BRINGING BACK ALL THIS ANGER THAT I WORKED SO HARD TO TRY AND FIX IM GONNA TAKE OUT MY ANGER ON MY CHILD AND WIFE WHEN I GET HOME BECAUSE IM ACTUALLY AN ABUSIVE FATHER AND SPOUSE BECAUSE THE FRSUTRATION OF MY OWN MISTAKES IN LIFE CAUSE ME TO DO FUCKED UP SHIT TO POOR LITTLE EMILY FUCK YOU YOU FUCKING PRICK YOU CANT SAY THIS SHIT TO ME YOU DIPLOMALESS RETARD THATS RIGHT RETARD YOU ARE A FUCKING MENTALLY RETARTED SHITSTAIN WHO THINKS THEYRE BETTER THAN EVERYONE BECAUSE YOU FUCKING KNOW SHIT GUESS WHAT YOU FUCKING DONT SO DONT EVEN TRY TO TALK TO ME YOU FUCKING SELFISH ASSHOLE LEARN SOME RESPECT FOR THE PERSON SAVING YOUR LIFE AND DONT EVEN TELL ME HOW TO DO MY JOB I FUCKING HAVE A DIPLOMA I WASTED YEARS OF MY LIFE IN COLLEGD TO EARN THIS FUCKING THING AND GODDAMNIT IF I WONT LET YOU KNOW IT OYU SELFISH ASSHOLE I WORKED MY ASS OFF TO BECOME A DOCTOR AND YOU FUCKING SAY THIS SHIT LIKE YOU RULE THE WORLD GUESS WHAT YOU DONT WAKE UP AND FACE THE MUSIC YOU FUCKING FUCK FUCKING FUCKITY FUCK FUCKER FUCKING FUCKIONG ASSHAT DONT EVEN TRY TO DEFEND YOURSELF YOU ENTITLED PRICK AND LEARN THE STRESS OF SAVING LIVES ON A DAILY BASIS (<a href="https://pastebin.com/V6Aw4qDb">http://pastebin.com/V6Aw4qDb</a>) --- Track: Doctor Dies Artists: @@ -1283,7 +1283,7 @@ Lyrics: |- Omou yō ni sei! Sei! Sei! A-oh! (<i>True to myself as I dive! Dive! Dive!</i>) Jibunrashiku kick! Kick! Kick! A-oh! (<i>My own style in my kick! Kick! Kick!</i>) Tsukamitai nda pull! Pull! Pull! A-oh! (<i>I want to know that feeling, so pull! Pull! Pull!</i>) - Todoki-sō na deep! Deep! Deep! Splash free! (<i>It’s just within reach, the deep! Deep! Deep! Splash free!</i>) + Todoki-sō na deep! Deep! Deep! Splash free! (<i>It's just within reach, the deep! Deep! Deep! Splash free!</i>) [Unintelligible] Yeah! What up sluts it's ya boy NG diff --git a/album/cool-and-new-voulem1.yaml b/album/cool-and-new-voulem1.yaml index 84ddf598..8f226f3f 100644 --- a/album/cool-and-new-voulem1.yaml +++ b/album/cool-and-new-voulem1.yaml @@ -541,7 +541,7 @@ URLs: Referenced Tracks: - Bowman's Credit Score Lyrics: |- - I'm THINKING of a number between my buttocks. Do you know what it is? It's my credit score, and it happens to be seven hundred and twenty. The higher my credit score, the better chance I have of saving a lot of money. I'm thinking of a number; between four hundred and fifty and eight fifty. Do you know what it is? It happens to be seven hundred and twenty, which is my free credit score. This number is between my buttocks. This number, I am thinking, is between four hundred and fifty and eight fifty. The higher this number it is, the better chance I have at saving a lot of money. But the number is between my buttocks! Do you know what number it is? It happens to be between four fifty and eight fifty, and the number is between my buttocks. The number is seven hundred and twenty. But do you know what number I’m thinking of? I’m thinking of a number between my buttocks. It happens to be between four fifty and eight fifty, and it could save me a lot of money the higher it is. Fortunately that number is seven hundred and twenty, which is a number between four fifty and eight fifty. This number between four fifty and eight fifty happens to be between my buttocks. The higher the number is between my buttocks, the better chance I have at saving a lot of money. This number happens to be between my buttocks, which means I will save a lot of money. But do you know what number I’m thinking of? The number I’m thinking of is seven hundred and twenty, and it happens to be between my buttocks. It’s between four fifty and eight fifty. And it still happens to be between my buttocks. The higher this number is that’s between my buttocks, the better chance I have at saving a lot of money. Do you know what this number is? It’s my free credit score, and it happens to be seven hundred and twenty, and between my buttocks. The higher this number that is seven hundred and twenty is, that is between four fifty and eight fifty is, the better my chances at saving a lot of money. Between my buttocks. Won’t you reach in and grab it for me? I’m thinking that it’s seven hundred and twenty, and that it’s between my buttocks. Won’t you reach in and grab it? It’s a number between seven hundred and twenty and seven hundred and twenty, and it happens to be also between four fifty and eight fifty, and between my buttocks. Won’t you reach in and get it? I’m thinking that you can reach in and get it, because it is between my buttocks. Won’t you reach and and get this free credit report, that is between my buttocks. The number is between four fifty and eight fifty, and it happens to be seven hundred and twenty. The higher this number is that is seven hundred and twenty, the better chance I have at saving a lot of money between my buttocks. Won’t you reach in between my buttocks and grab this number? That is greater than four fifty, and less than eight fifty. This number is seven twenty, and you can grab it because it’s between my buttocks. It happens to be seven hundred and twenty, but do you know what number I’m thinking of? I’m thinking of a number that could save you a lot of money. It’s between my buttocks. It happens to be seven hundred and twenty, and it is between the numbers four fifty and eight fifty. It could save you a lot of money. A lot of money between my buttocks! But I’m thinking that this number is between four fifty and eight fifty. The higher this number is, although the highest can be eight hundred and fifty, the better chance you have of saving a lot of money. This number is between my buttocks. You can reach in between my buttocks and get a number. Hopefully this number is greater than four fifty and less than eight fifty. Otherwise it might not be your credit score! My credit score happens to be seven hundred and twenty, which as you all have noticed, is between four fifty and eight fifty. But do you know what number I’m thinking of? I’m thinking of a number between four fifty and eight fifty. Fortunately, seven hundred and twenty is this number, because it is between four hundred and fifty and eight hundred and fifty. But I’m thinking of a number between four fifty and eight fifty. Do you know what it is? It happens to be between my buttocks, and it could save you a lot of money. The higher this number between my buttocks is, the more money it could save you! I’m thinking of a number though, that is between my buttocks. It is still seven hundred and twenty. Won’t you reach in and grab seven hundred and twenty for me? Don’t grab four fifty or eight fifty, as these are the two extremes. These are not my free credit score. My free credit score happens to be seven hundred and twenty, but I’m thinking that you can reach in and grab it because it is between my buttocks. The number between my buttocks happens to be, well, I’m thinking that it’s seven hundred and twenty. But I could be wrong. Because your number could be anywhere between four fifty and eight fifty. I’m THINKING of a number... + I'm THINKING of a number between my buttocks. Do you know what it is? It's my credit score, and it happens to be seven hundred and twenty. The higher my credit score, the better chance I have of saving a lot of money. I'm thinking of a number; between four hundred and fifty and eight fifty. Do you know what it is? It happens to be seven hundred and twenty, which is my free credit score. This number is between my buttocks. This number, I am thinking, is between four hundred and fifty and eight fifty. The higher this number it is, the better chance I have at saving a lot of money. But the number is between my buttocks! Do you know what number it is? It happens to be between four fifty and eight fifty, and the number is between my buttocks. The number is seven hundred and twenty. But do you know what number I'm thinking of? I'm thinking of a number between my buttocks. It happens to be between four fifty and eight fifty, and it could save me a lot of money the higher it is. Fortunately that number is seven hundred and twenty, which is a number between four fifty and eight fifty. This number between four fifty and eight fifty happens to be between my buttocks. The higher the number is between my buttocks, the better chance I have at saving a lot of money. This number happens to be between my buttocks, which means I will save a lot of money. But do you know what number I'm thinking of? The number I'm thinking of is seven hundred and twenty, and it happens to be between my buttocks. It's between four fifty and eight fifty. And it still happens to be between my buttocks. The higher this number is that's between my buttocks, the better chance I have at saving a lot of money. Do you know what this number is? It's my free credit score, and it happens to be seven hundred and twenty, and between my buttocks. The higher this number that is seven hundred and twenty is, that is between four fifty and eight fifty is, the better my chances at saving a lot of money. Between my buttocks. Won't you reach in and grab it for me? I'm thinking that it's seven hundred and twenty, and that it's between my buttocks. Won't you reach in and grab it? It's a number between seven hundred and twenty and seven hundred and twenty, and it happens to be also between four fifty and eight fifty, and between my buttocks. Won't you reach in and get it? I'm thinking that you can reach in and get it, because it is between my buttocks. Won't you reach and and get this free credit report, that is between my buttocks. The number is between four fifty and eight fifty, and it happens to be seven hundred and twenty. The higher this number is that is seven hundred and twenty, the better chance I have at saving a lot of money between my buttocks. Won't you reach in between my buttocks and grab this number? That is greater than four fifty, and less than eight fifty. This number is seven twenty, and you can grab it because it's between my buttocks. It happens to be seven hundred and twenty, but do you know what number I'm thinking of? I'm thinking of a number that could save you a lot of money. It's between my buttocks. It happens to be seven hundred and twenty, and it is between the numbers four fifty and eight fifty. It could save you a lot of money. A lot of money between my buttocks! But I'm thinking that this number is between four fifty and eight fifty. The higher this number is, although the highest can be eight hundred and fifty, the better chance you have of saving a lot of money. This number is between my buttocks. You can reach in between my buttocks and get a number. Hopefully this number is greater than four fifty and less than eight fifty. Otherwise it might not be your credit score! My credit score happens to be seven hundred and twenty, which as you all have noticed, is between four fifty and eight fifty. But do you know what number I'm thinking of? I'm thinking of a number between four fifty and eight fifty. Fortunately, seven hundred and twenty is this number, because it is between four hundred and fifty and eight hundred and fifty. But I'm thinking of a number between four fifty and eight fifty. Do you know what it is? It happens to be between my buttocks, and it could save you a lot of money. The higher this number between my buttocks is, the more money it could save you! I'm thinking of a number though, that is between my buttocks. It is still seven hundred and twenty. Won't you reach in and grab seven hundred and twenty for me? Don't grab four fifty or eight fifty, as these are the two extremes. These are not my free credit score. My free credit score happens to be seven hundred and twenty, but I'm thinking that you can reach in and grab it because it is between my buttocks. The number between my buttocks happens to be, well, I'm thinking that it's seven hundred and twenty. But I could be wrong. Because your number could be anywhere between four fifty and eight fifty. I'm THINKING of a number... --- Track: can you give me a HAND Duration: '2:35' @@ -683,12 +683,12 @@ Lyrics: |- Hajimete deatta toki kara (<i>From the moment we met</i>) Yokan ni sawagu kokoro no Melody (<i>The melody of my heart has been ringing with premonitions</i>) - Tomerarenai tomaranai naze (<i>It can’t be stopped, it won’t be stopped— why?</i>) + Tomerarenai tomaranai naze (<i>It can't be stopped, it won't be stopped— why?</i>) Todokete setsuna sa ni wa (<i>Ring out</i>) Namae wo tsukeyou ka "Snow halation" (<i>Shall I name this heart-rending pain "Snow halation"?</i>) - Omoi ga kasanaru made (<i>I can’t wait for our feelings to resonate</i>) - Matezu ni kuyashii kedo sukitte junjou (<i>It’s frustrating, but it’s a pure-hearted devotion called love</i>) + Omoi ga kasanaru made (<i>I can't wait for our feelings to resonate</i>) + Matezu ni kuyashii kedo sukitte junjou (<i>It's frustrating, but it's a pure-hearted devotion called love</i>) Opopopop, Op— Opopopop, Op— Opop, Op— Opop Opopopopop Opopopop Op Op Op Op, Oppa Gangnam Style! diff --git a/album/electric-daydreams.yaml b/album/electric-daydreams.yaml index ffd09071..5606f422 100644 --- a/album/electric-daydreams.yaml +++ b/album/electric-daydreams.yaml @@ -146,75 +146,75 @@ URLs: Cover Artists: - Michael Guy Bowman Lyrics: |- - We don’t know anything about love - We just know what’s on the TV - We don’t know anything about life + We don't know anything about love + We just know what's on the TV + We don't know anything about life We just know what we like to see - We don’t read books + We don't read books We sometimes look But we always fall asleep We follow trends And lose our friends - We don’t know anything about truth - We just know where we’re going to stand - We don’t know anything about choice + We don't know anything about truth + We just know where we're going to stand + We don't know anything about choice We just get movies on demand - We don’t know how + We don't know how We just fell down From the fryer to the floor We lost our taste And went to waste - Oh, we don’t know anything at all + Oh, we don't know anything at all Not the strangers down the hall Not the numbers that we call - Oh, we don’t know anything at all + Oh, we don't know anything at all Not the date and not the year - Not the reason why we’re here + Not the reason why we're here - We don’t know when to sleep or wake up - We just know when we’re out of drugs - We don’t know how to date or break up + We don't know when to sleep or wake up + We just know when we're out of drugs + We don't know how to date or break up We just communicate with shrugs - We don’t know where + We don't know where We ought to stare - When the picture’s going black + When the picture's going black Nothing to do No hint or clue - We don’t know how it got to this point + We don't know how it got to this point We just forgot to turn the dial - We don’t know anyone in this joint + We don't know anyone in this joint We just know we might be a while What good are facts? - I can’t relax + I can't relax When the news is always bad - Don’t look outside + Don't look outside No matter what - Friends, we don’t know anything - And by now we can’t even tell + Friends, we don't know anything + And by now we can't even tell The food in the kitchen is rotten And so are we! - But at this point, it’s how we smell - So when you’re bored - And you’re hungry - And you’re tired - And you don’t want to go out - Well, there’s a screen in every room + But at this point, it's how we smell + So when you're bored + And you're hungry + And you're tired + And you don't want to go out + Well, there's a screen in every room And every pocket - So tune it all out, because you’re tuning in - To what we’re shoving right through your socket + So tune it all out, because you're tuning in + To what we're shoving right through your socket - Oh, we don’t know anything at all + Oh, we don't know anything at all Why the good things feel bad Why the music makes you sad - Oh, we don’t know anything at all + Oh, we don't know anything at all Not the right and not the wrong Not the meaning of this song --- @@ -463,39 +463,39 @@ Cover Artists: - Hieronymous Bosch (original artwork) Lyrics: |- Oh Muses guide me, please provide me with your hallowed song - I’ve been to Hell and back, I’m losing track of the road I’m on + I've been to Hell and back, I'm losing track of the road I'm on Help my recounting of this mountain rising in the dawn - I’ve been traipsing every terrace up in Purgatory - Crowded by sinner’s souls stripped of every dignity - Carrying the weight of what I’ve done and all the worst of me + I've been traipsing every terrace up in Purgatory + Crowded by sinner's souls stripped of every dignity + Carrying the weight of what I've done and all the worst of me - I’m taking the long road - I’m starting the fire + I'm taking the long road + I'm starting the fire Next time that you see me - I’ll be higher + I'll be higher I see the pride, I see the envy and the anger now I see the ones who wait, the ones who take, or just ate out I see the lovers without love are not without a doubt The days are long, we walk in circles while the sun is high - We look for answers if there’s chance for us in Paradise + We look for answers if there's chance for us in Paradise Heaven knows I will climb unto the stars to make things right - Oh man, it’s easy from the outside looking in + Oh man, it's easy from the outside looking in The stairs are not so tall for those who can begin - Oh, but I’ve been looking so far out of frame + Oh, but I've been looking so far out of frame I focus now upon my feet upon the path I make the distance, let the step stones do the math - I know the next half of life won’t be the same + I know the next half of life won't be the same - I’m not searching for a sliver of a silver lining + I'm not searching for a sliver of a silver lining I am taking what is left that I can say is mine - And if the road I’m on is long and winding - Well, you know, it’s fine + And if the road I'm on is long and winding + Well, you know, it's fine - I’ll be drinking from the river at the end of this + I'll be drinking from the river at the end of this And know that when I look into the eyes of Beatrice I will be purified of all that I no longer miss diff --git a/album/exceptis-excipiendis.yaml b/album/exceptis-excipiendis.yaml index 5479f35f..83ab7afc 100644 --- a/album/exceptis-excipiendis.yaml +++ b/album/exceptis-excipiendis.yaml @@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ Duration: '4:15' URLs: - https://nasqueron.bandcamp.com/track/under-the-earth Lyrics: |- - Bright-vowel open-mouth forced-smile lusting-doubt backless-dress distress-replies white-sheet on-camera sung-account;<br>Blinded-prophet scales-in-hand October-birth reveal-demand I must confess it’s no walk in the park to lead and tail the marching band!<br>To hand is a thin man with points to his teeth,<br>And he stamps his toothpick heels against the darkening beneath!<br>In ram-tam trials and old mout whisper-feel backdoor deals under Oxford brogue feet! - If I could only fold my stomach into itself<br>Lie supine in bed for days until my skin becomes as malleable as putty and all unheavenly physicality departs from me<br>A big love wouldn’t fit a body like mine:<br>It must be a little love,<br>It shies away when the cars honk and hiss,<br>But adores the bells on the horse-tram.<br>Eight,<br>Nine,<br>Ten. + Bright-vowel open-mouth forced-smile lusting-doubt backless-dress distress-replies white-sheet on-camera sung-account;<br>Blinded-prophet scales-in-hand October-birth reveal-demand I must confess it's no walk in the park to lead and tail the marching band!<br>To hand is a thin man with points to his teeth,<br>And he stamps his toothpick heels against the darkening beneath!<br>In ram-tam trials and old mout whisper-feel backdoor deals under Oxford brogue feet! + If I could only fold my stomach into itself<br>Lie supine in bed for days until my skin becomes as malleable as putty and all unheavenly physicality departs from me<br>A big love wouldn't fit a body like mine:<br>It must be a little love,<br>It shies away when the cars honk and hiss,<br>But adores the bells on the horse-tram.<br>Eight,<br>Nine,<br>Ten. --- Track: Coruscate Duration: '4:18' diff --git a/album/genesis-frog.yaml b/album/genesis-frog.yaml index 578a7ab6..45a23e7f 100644 --- a/album/genesis-frog.yaml +++ b/album/genesis-frog.yaml @@ -26,30 +26,30 @@ Art Tags: - Derse Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> - I’m uploading the commentary for Genesis Frog as text for those of you who could not buy my album but were interested in a composer’s thoughts and detailed descriptions on its concept and execution. This is Part 1 of 4. If you like the album I encourage you to purchase it if you are able, as it helps support me and it will be that much easier to bring you more music in the future! + I'm uploading the commentary for Genesis Frog as text for those of you who could not buy my album but were interested in a composer's thoughts and detailed descriptions on its concept and execution. This is Part 1 of 4. If you like the album I encourage you to purchase it if you are able, as it helps support me and it will be that much easier to bring you more music in the future! <hr> I, Alex Rosetti, intend to make this a pleasurable experience for those of you looking for additional insight on the long-winded and self-absorbed music of this album. I assure you the commentary will encapsulate those qualities as well, perhaps even more so! - So, what’s this all about? - Genesis Frog is an album about the eponymous amphibian’s journey from paradox slime to universe. Specifically, it is about the frog Jade Harley attempts to breed and grow so that He may reach His pond in Skaia and fulfill His role as the next universe created by SBURB. Some themes of the album also address the Genesis Frog that Earth already inhabits, while still other themes could be applied to any Genesis Frog in paradox space. In more general terms, it is an album about Sburb’s mythology, which is both and remarkable and hilariously ridiculous in its ability to tailor fit itself into each unique session it is in. - When I first envisioned Genesis Frog, I did not imagine the album’s focus would be on a single entity from Homestuck. In fact, my first idea was to create a sort of “Homestuck Bestiary” soundtrack, giving themes to all the creatures and citizens of Sburb. The seeds of the album’s current form were planted when I decided I wanted to make a “Frogs” theme at the beginning and transform it into “Bilious Slick’s Theme” by the end of the album, thus symbolizing the overarching purpose of Sburb. I gradually fell more in love with the concept while more information on the Genesis Frog was covered in the story such as frog breeding, the Prospitians’ and Consorts’ worship of the deity, and Derse’s detestation of it. - I began to realize how important the Genesis Frog was to Homestuck’s big picture: the goal of Sburb is creation, and the main conflict in the story is preventing destruction. The most intensely cinematic End of Act as of this writing involved the assassination of two of these frogs as the result of a beautifully intricate plot and pushing the story towards its climax. One of my favorite aspects of Homestuck is its world-building (in some cases world-destroying), and I thought it would be fun to compose an album about an entity that quite literally contains its worlds. + So, what's this all about? + Genesis Frog is an album about the eponymous amphibian's journey from paradox slime to universe. Specifically, it is about the frog Jade Harley attempts to breed and grow so that He may reach His pond in Skaia and fulfill His role as the next universe created by SBURB. Some themes of the album also address the Genesis Frog that Earth already inhabits, while still other themes could be applied to any Genesis Frog in paradox space. In more general terms, it is an album about Sburb's mythology, which is both and remarkable and hilariously ridiculous in its ability to tailor fit itself into each unique session it is in. + When I first envisioned Genesis Frog, I did not imagine the album's focus would be on a single entity from Homestuck. In fact, my first idea was to create a sort of "Homestuck Bestiary" soundtrack, giving themes to all the creatures and citizens of Sburb. The seeds of the album's current form were planted when I decided I wanted to make a "Frogs" theme at the beginning and transform it into "Bilious Slick's Theme" by the end of the album, thus symbolizing the overarching purpose of Sburb. I gradually fell more in love with the concept while more information on the Genesis Frog was covered in the story such as frog breeding, the Prospitians' and Consorts' worship of the deity, and Derse's detestation of it. + I began to realize how important the Genesis Frog was to Homestuck's big picture: the goal of Sburb is creation, and the main conflict in the story is preventing destruction. The most intensely cinematic End of Act as of this writing involved the assassination of two of these frogs as the result of a beautifully intricate plot and pushing the story towards its climax. One of my favorite aspects of Homestuck is its world-building (in some cases world-destroying), and I thought it would be fun to compose an album about an entity that quite literally contains its worlds. Alright already, I get it, but what about the music? - From the very beginning I decided I wanted Genesis Frog to have its own unified sound, even back when it was “Homestuck Bestiary”. To accomplish this, I treated the album as a sort of orchestral suite, and it could certainly be referred to as such. Of course, getting a real orchestra to record this music is well beyond my means as an amateur composer, but I think the samples used in the album are high-fidelity and well-sequenced enough to be enjoyable. - There is a lot of continuity between tracks on the album, which lends itself well to the idea that it is an orchestral suite. Genesis Frog is really a singular work rather than a collection of somewhat related songs—I paid very special attention to the order of tracks and when certain recurring themes appear. The album has three main recurring musical motifs: the “Pondsquatter” theme (the main theme of the album and most frequently used), the “Divine” theme (which first shows up in Our Glorious Speaker), and the “Folklore” theme (which first shows up in Prospitian Folklore). - There are also a handful of musical devices and ostinati that find their way into various nooks and crannies that help contribute a sense of unity and are certainly fun to spot if you pay attention. I like to think all these snippets of musical material are treated the same way that repeated dialogue, situations and every other kind of callback are in Homestuck. If you recognize them you will enjoy the experience that much more, though the callbacks in the album are not that difficult to spot in my opinion, so it shouldn’t take as much effort as noticing Colonel Sassacre’s Daunting Text of Magical Frivolity and Practical Japery was heavy enough to kill a cat, and then finally doing so several thousand pages later. + From the very beginning I decided I wanted Genesis Frog to have its own unified sound, even back when it was "Homestuck Bestiary". To accomplish this, I treated the album as a sort of orchestral suite, and it could certainly be referred to as such. Of course, getting a real orchestra to record this music is well beyond my means as an amateur composer, but I think the samples used in the album are high-fidelity and well-sequenced enough to be enjoyable. + There is a lot of continuity between tracks on the album, which lends itself well to the idea that it is an orchestral suite. Genesis Frog is really a singular work rather than a collection of somewhat related songs—I paid very special attention to the order of tracks and when certain recurring themes appear. The album has three main recurring musical motifs: the "Pondsquatter" theme (the main theme of the album and most frequently used), the "Divine" theme (which first shows up in Our Glorious Speaker), and the "Folklore" theme (which first shows up in Prospitian Folklore). + There are also a handful of musical devices and ostinati that find their way into various nooks and crannies that help contribute a sense of unity and are certainly fun to spot if you pay attention. I like to think all these snippets of musical material are treated the same way that repeated dialogue, situations and every other kind of callback are in Homestuck. If you recognize them you will enjoy the experience that much more, though the callbacks in the album are not that difficult to spot in my opinion, so it shouldn't take as much effort as noticing Colonel Sassacre's Daunting Text of Magical Frivolity and Practical Japery was heavy enough to kill a cat, and then finally doing so several thousand pages later. While the album does deviate somewhat from the orchestral sound in a few small instances, the instrumental ensemble remains relatively constant through each track, with the exception of percussion instruments that come and go and a short appearance by an electric guitar and bass, as well some much more eccentric instruments than those. <hr> - <b>Some final thoughts, thank you’s, and croaks of acknowledgement</b> - Wow, did I really make it through the entire commentary without typing the word “ribbit”? Those of you who know me and my love for animal-based onomatopoeia are probably as shocked as I am. Perhaps more shocking is that I composed an entire album and only included two tracks with ribbits and croaks in them. And one of them is a bonus track, it’s a new personal record of some kind! Of course you shouldn’t expect me not to put animal noises in any album I ever compose, so don’t even go there. Alright, enough of that. - I would like thank everyone who took the time to listen to Genesis Frog. The fact that I have an audience at all is something to be thankful for, and even if you didn’t enjoy it I appreciate you giving it a chance. Thank you to everyone anticipating the album for all their patience and support in the time before its release. Unfortunately I wasn’t ready to release it before the Homestuck Kickstarter happened, so it had to be delayed quite a bit. However, I believe the album is all the better for the extra time I had to work on it. Thanks to everyone on the MSPA Forums who voiced their excitement in the Homestuck music thread, or otherwise interacted with me or gave me advice of any kind. Thanks to all my Tumblr and Twitter followers for actually caring enough about what I have to say to follow me. I hope everyone who knows me or pays attention to what I do musically enjoyed this album, as well as people who were not familiar with me until now. I appreciate every single listener I have, and without you guys the only person listening to my music would be my mom and close friends, and somehow that doesn’t have the same sense of accomplishment to it. + <b>Some final thoughts, thank you's, and croaks of acknowledgement</b> + Wow, did I really make it through the entire commentary without typing the word "ribbit"? Those of you who know me and my love for animal-based onomatopoeia are probably as shocked as I am. Perhaps more shocking is that I composed an entire album and only included two tracks with ribbits and croaks in them. And one of them is a bonus track, it's a new personal record of some kind! Of course you shouldn't expect me not to put animal noises in any album I ever compose, so don't even go there. Alright, enough of that. + I would like thank everyone who took the time to listen to Genesis Frog. The fact that I have an audience at all is something to be thankful for, and even if you didn't enjoy it I appreciate you giving it a chance. Thank you to everyone anticipating the album for all their patience and support in the time before its release. Unfortunately I wasn't ready to release it before the Homestuck Kickstarter happened, so it had to be delayed quite a bit. However, I believe the album is all the better for the extra time I had to work on it. Thanks to everyone on the MSPA Forums who voiced their excitement in the Homestuck music thread, or otherwise interacted with me or gave me advice of any kind. Thanks to all my Tumblr and Twitter followers for actually caring enough about what I have to say to follow me. I hope everyone who knows me or pays attention to what I do musically enjoyed this album, as well as people who were not familiar with me until now. I appreciate every single listener I have, and without you guys the only person listening to my music would be my mom and close friends, and somehow that doesn't have the same sense of accomplishment to it. I have two very big thanks reserved for my two artists and collaborators, Marina and Rikuru. In a lot of ways this was a joint project, and their art is just as important to the album as the music. From the beginning I decided I wanted the album to be as unified visually as it is aurally, so I tried contacting two artists who were friends with each other and were capable of drawing in a unified style together. As it turned out I could not have made a better decision. Both Marina and Rikuru have knocked every piece of track art out the park the instant I saw them. Their artistic vision matched mine perfectly, and I truly feel that each piece of art they made was a faithful visual interpretation of my music in terms of color, tone, style and pretty much anything you could think of. - The three of us tossed around ideas a lot; I looked at sketches, I explained what each piece of music was about, the feelings the music conveyed were discussed. Amazingly the two of them were able to produce all the art necessary for the album and we didn’t end up needing any outside help. One of this album’s greatest strengths is definitely its unity, and working closely Marina and Rikuru ended up with a product I think we can all be proud of. Thanks so much for all your hard work, both of you. The album is that much better thanks to your artistic visions, and I hope you had just as much fun as I did working on it. + The three of us tossed around ideas a lot; I looked at sketches, I explained what each piece of music was about, the feelings the music conveyed were discussed. Amazingly the two of them were able to produce all the art necessary for the album and we didn't end up needing any outside help. One of this album's greatest strengths is definitely its unity, and working closely Marina and Rikuru ended up with a product I think we can all be proud of. Thanks so much for all your hard work, both of you. The album is that much better thanks to your artistic visions, and I hope you had just as much fun as I did working on it. You can find the work of the artists here: Marina - <a href="https://sylladexter.tumblr.com/">sylladexter.tumblr.com</a><br>Rikuru - <a href="https://quipster-rikuru.tumblr.com/">quipster-rikuru.tumblr.com</a> - I would also like to thank Toby “Radiation” Fox for being a constant friend and getting this album up and running. He’s always been a source of inspiration for me whether he knows it or not, and every time he’s given his input on my music it has helped me. Kudos to him taking care of so much business on behalf on the Homestuck music team and finding talented musicians in the community to help showcase their music in addition to the “official” (pfffahahaha) team’s. - Of course I would like to make an obligatory thank you to Andrew Hussie for creating Homestuck, the entirety of which inspired this album (even the bits of it that don’t have frogs). Without his story I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to grow and interact with similar-minded musicians the way I have. And without his permission, I certainly wouldn’t have this album to show for myself. - Genesis Frog has undergone quite the journey over the last couple of years, even if the larger portion of it took place inside my head as vague bubbles of inspiration. I was finally able to compose the music I had always wanted to compose and contribute my own voice and interpretation of Homestuck to its discography. This is an immense privilege and one I will always carry in my mind as one of the most important opportunities I ever had in my life. It’s an excellent time to be making music, and I will take everything I have learned in making this album with me as I continue to compose in the future. Thank you once again for listening, and make that a double thank you if you read through this extremely long-winded commentary. - I am Alex Rosetti and I am a composer who loves video game music, whether it is listening to it, studying it, or making it. If you’re interested in my music or any other projects I’m up to, feel free to check me out at any of the following: + I would also like to thank Toby "Radiation" Fox for being a constant friend and getting this album up and running. He's always been a source of inspiration for me whether he knows it or not, and every time he's given his input on my music it has helped me. Kudos to him taking care of so much business on behalf on the Homestuck music team and finding talented musicians in the community to help showcase their music in addition to the "official" (pfffahahaha) team's. + Of course I would like to make an obligatory thank you to Andrew Hussie for creating Homestuck, the entirety of which inspired this album (even the bits of it that don't have frogs). Without his story I wouldn't have had the opportunity to grow and interact with similar-minded musicians the way I have. And without his permission, I certainly wouldn't have this album to show for myself. + Genesis Frog has undergone quite the journey over the last couple of years, even if the larger portion of it took place inside my head as vague bubbles of inspiration. I was finally able to compose the music I had always wanted to compose and contribute my own voice and interpretation of Homestuck to its discography. This is an immense privilege and one I will always carry in my mind as one of the most important opportunities I ever had in my life. It's an excellent time to be making music, and I will take everything I have learned in making this album with me as I continue to compose in the future. Thank you once again for listening, and make that a double thank you if you read through this extremely long-winded commentary. + I am Alex Rosetti and I am a composer who loves video game music, whether it is listening to it, studying it, or making it. If you're interested in my music or any other projects I'm up to, feel free to check me out at any of the following: Email - <a href="mailto:awesomerosetti@gmail.com">awesomerosetti@gmail.com</a><br>Music blog - <a href="https://rosettimusic.tumblr.com/">rosettimusic.tumblr.com</a><br>Personal blog - <a href="https://albatrossthesoup.tumblr.com/">albatrossthesoup.tumblr.com</a><br>Twitter - <a href="https://twitter.com/albatrosssoup">twitter.com/albatrosssoup</a><br>YouTube - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MrAlbatrosssoup">youtube.com/MrAlbatrosssoup</a> Banner Artists: - Homestuck @@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Pondsquatter Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> - This is an album about growth, so I wanted it to start very quiet and exposed. The piece opens with a quartal chord in the harp, and after the atmosphere is established a solo clarinet introduces the main theme of the album. A portion of the orchestra comes in after that and there’s a small swell before tapering off into a cello solo. The ensemble is pretty scarce in this one due to its subdued nature. There’s not a lot going on in this track overall, but it does its job both as the prelude to Pondsquatter and the album as a whole. + This is an album about growth, so I wanted it to start very quiet and exposed. The piece opens with a quartal chord in the harp, and after the atmosphere is established a solo clarinet introduces the main theme of the album. A portion of the orchestra comes in after that and there's a small swell before tapering off into a cello solo. The ensemble is pretty scarce in this one due to its subdued nature. There's not a lot going on in this track overall, but it does its job both as the prelude to Pondsquatter and the album as a whole. --- Track: Pondsquatter Duration: '5:11' @@ -107,8 +107,8 @@ Art Tags: - Battlefield Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> - If Genesis Frog were a game, this would play at the title screen. It is a full realization of the album’s main theme, this time with the entire orchestra in tow and plenty of thematic development. I sort of have a love-hate relationship with this track. For one thing, it is the first piece I composed for the album and its melodic material served as its main groundwork, so it’s really important in that respect. But at the same time I had the least experience while initially composing it as compared the album’s other tracks, so I had to spend a lot of extra time fine-tuning it and developing it more (the original was barely under two minutes long). Still, considering the amount of work I had to put into it, it was one of the more rewarding tracks to work on. - The combination of Prelude and Pondsquatter to open the album with is something I thought about a lot, and in many ways they are one piece split into two parts. Consider this Movement II. Pondsquatter flows right out of Prelude and gradually adds to the orchestration. After a brief celesta interlude, the theme gets going in full. This piece has a sense of emerging, particularly out of the empty space of Prelude. There are plenty of woodwind trills and harp runs; I wanted them to feel like they were bursting out of the texture, and the openness of the quartal harmonies was eventually replaced by more triadic chords. Quartal chords retain some significance through the album, however, though they are certainly not prominent. I aimed to make the climax of this piece very satisfying, with the gong practically screaming “we’ve arrived!” but I was afraid of having too much of a sense of finality so I didn’t give the piece a proper ending. Instead it goes straight into the next track without only a hint at a cadence. + If Genesis Frog were a game, this would play at the title screen. It is a full realization of the album's main theme, this time with the entire orchestra in tow and plenty of thematic development. I sort of have a love-hate relationship with this track. For one thing, it is the first piece I composed for the album and its melodic material served as its main groundwork, so it's really important in that respect. But at the same time I had the least experience while initially composing it as compared the album's other tracks, so I had to spend a lot of extra time fine-tuning it and developing it more (the original was barely under two minutes long). Still, considering the amount of work I had to put into it, it was one of the more rewarding tracks to work on. + The combination of Prelude and Pondsquatter to open the album with is something I thought about a lot, and in many ways they are one piece split into two parts. Consider this Movement II. Pondsquatter flows right out of Prelude and gradually adds to the orchestration. After a brief celesta interlude, the theme gets going in full. This piece has a sense of emerging, particularly out of the empty space of Prelude. There are plenty of woodwind trills and harp runs; I wanted them to feel like they were bursting out of the texture, and the openness of the quartal harmonies was eventually replaced by more triadic chords. Quartal chords retain some significance through the album, however, though they are certainly not prominent. I aimed to make the climax of this piece very satisfying, with the gong practically screaming "we've arrived!" but I was afraid of having too much of a sense of finality so I didn't give the piece a proper ending. Instead it goes straight into the next track without only a hint at a cadence. --- Track: Our Glorious Speaker Duration: '5:10' @@ -126,8 +126,8 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Sarabande Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> - Much like Pondsquatter, the concept for this piece was conceived very early on in the album’s life before it became Genesis Frog. It was supposed to be a theme for the Prospitians, and it still mostly is, but now the piece focuses more on their devotion to the Speaker than the citizens themselves. The chess-people of Prospit are referenced a few times in Homestuck as worshipping the Genesis Frog, and it is through perusing their lore in various updates (mostly Seer: Descend) that I got inspiration for several tracks on the album, including this one. - The music was representing devotion, so I wanted it to have the warmest, most tranquil tone it could. There are two chorale-like sections, the first being the passage the strings play in the beginning, and then later in the brass when the rest of the orchestra drops out for a while. The style of this piece was inspired by Taku Iwasaki’s scores, which often feature very beautiful and lush string textures. I actually don’t think I captured that very well, and in fact strayed from that idea as the piece went on. But the core of the inspiration remains and I think one can tell if they are familiar with his style. Of note is the last third of the piece which is a self-indulgent, overly-romanticized arrangement of Erik Scheele’s Sarabande. It’s such a beautiful piece and I knew from the day I started working on this that I wanted to include it, no matter how schmaltzy I made it sound. Give me a break, it was fun, okay? + Much like Pondsquatter, the concept for this piece was conceived very early on in the album's life before it became Genesis Frog. It was supposed to be a theme for the Prospitians, and it still mostly is, but now the piece focuses more on their devotion to the Speaker than the citizens themselves. The chess-people of Prospit are referenced a few times in Homestuck as worshipping the Genesis Frog, and it is through perusing their lore in various updates (mostly Seer: Descend) that I got inspiration for several tracks on the album, including this one. + The music was representing devotion, so I wanted it to have the warmest, most tranquil tone it could. There are two chorale-like sections, the first being the passage the strings play in the beginning, and then later in the brass when the rest of the orchestra drops out for a while. The style of this piece was inspired by Taku Iwasaki's scores, which often feature very beautiful and lush string textures. I actually don't think I captured that very well, and in fact strayed from that idea as the piece went on. But the core of the inspiration remains and I think one can tell if they are familiar with his style. Of note is the last third of the piece which is a self-indulgent, overly-romanticized arrangement of Erik Scheele's Sarabande. It's such a beautiful piece and I knew from the day I started working on this that I wanted to include it, no matter how schmaltzy I made it sound. Give me a break, it was fun, okay? --- Track: Prospitian Folklore Duration: '3:38' @@ -145,9 +145,9 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Pondsquatter Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> - “Though we adore Him we shall never enjoy His beauteous Croak. We spill our blood on acres of black and white so they may cross the yellow yard. At last in Skaia’s reflection through broken glass He may find the pond in which He’s meant to squat.” – Book in Prospit Library (from Seer: Descend) - This piece is a musical retelling of the above passage. If you read it while listening to the music, the tone should match for the most part (as long as you are reading very, very slowly). This track’s melody appears several more times throughout the album, and represents the “folk tale” and more legendary aspects of the Genesis Frog as seen through His followers. Because of this I tried to make it sound like a genuine folk tune, and ended up with something vaguely resembling a tune out of Eastern Europe. It’s a melancholic sort of melody, which suits the grim tone of the text it is based on. It is passed through several instruments: first a solo oboe, then the violins, a soprano recorder, and a trumpet. - After the main section is over, the piece shifts into a short woodwind chorale, and then into what I can only call a cadenza made up of tense suspended figures in the strings with an out-of-meter pulse underneath. I kind of wrote this last section accidentally, since it somehow started flowing out of the chorale and I just went with it. It seemed to have an air of urgency and importance to me, so I kept it in to represent “Skaia’s reflection through broken glass”, which is such a fascinating image. Broken glass has been a recurring motif in Homestuck and seems to hold important consequences every time it occurs, and the text implies it will be significant in the Genesis Frog’s final destination. So the atmosphere of this final section felt significant and fitting to me. + "Though we adore Him we shall never enjoy His beauteous Croak. We spill our blood on acres of black and white so they may cross the yellow yard. At last in Skaia's reflection through broken glass He may find the pond in which He's meant to squat." – Book in Prospit Library (from Seer: Descend) + This piece is a musical retelling of the above passage. If you read it while listening to the music, the tone should match for the most part (as long as you are reading very, very slowly). This track's melody appears several more times throughout the album, and represents the "folk tale" and more legendary aspects of the Genesis Frog as seen through His followers. Because of this I tried to make it sound like a genuine folk tune, and ended up with something vaguely resembling a tune out of Eastern Europe. It's a melancholic sort of melody, which suits the grim tone of the text it is based on. It is passed through several instruments: first a solo oboe, then the violins, a soprano recorder, and a trumpet. + After the main section is over, the piece shifts into a short woodwind chorale, and then into what I can only call a cadenza made up of tense suspended figures in the strings with an out-of-meter pulse underneath. I kind of wrote this last section accidentally, since it somehow started flowing out of the chorale and I just went with it. It seemed to have an air of urgency and importance to me, so I kept it in to represent "Skaia's reflection through broken glass", which is such a fascinating image. Broken glass has been a recurring motif in Homestuck and seems to hold important consequences every time it occurs, and the text implies it will be significant in the Genesis Frog's final destination. So the atmosphere of this final section felt significant and fitting to me. --- Track: Consorts' Intermezzo Duration: 0:28 @@ -193,9 +193,9 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:atomyk-ebonpyre Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> - Where do I even start? This is one of my favorite tracks that I’ve made, and by that I mean to say I’m really amused I was able to come up with this in the first place. It originally wasn’t part of this album at all—it was supposed to be a short jingle for the LOHAC Stock Exchange! But it was too much fun to let go of and soon it morphed into a full-fledged character theme for everyone’s beloved, excitable consorts. The general idea behind the music was this: Jit may have made a silly arrangement of Atomyk Ebonpyre, but what could I do to put it in an even more ridiculous context? And so it was that it became the manic violin and xylophone old-timey television music-inspired (this was my only frame of reference for what I thought stock exchange music should sound like) tune that it is now. And wouldn’t you know it, this type of music turned out to fit the personality of the Crocodiles like a crocodile-fitted glove. - In terms of pacing, I thought it was crucial to place this as the first Consort track. The first four tracks of the album all range from relatively slow to moderately less slow, so I really needed something to break out. This is the most energetic and fast-paced of the four Consort themes, so for my money it was the best choice to introduce this section of the album and keep interest instead of having too many low-energy tracks in a row. However, this isn’t to say I was able to resist the temptation to put a slow middle section into this piece, which provides a little break from all the pandemonium. But more importantly, it set the stage for an incredibly silly idea I had to record a bunch of people nakking like maniacs to sound like the Crocodiles, and then have that gradually crescendo into the last section of the piece. - In what is of some note, I tried to feature each of the Kids’ instruments in their respective Consort theme. Dave’s usual turntable affair was impossible for me to consider for this style of music, though I’m sure some incredibly talented person could have pulled it off. Instead, the piece uses xylophone heavily, since I was operating under the logic that both turntables and xylophones sort of fall under the percussion category? I will admit it’s a bit of a stretch. + Where do I even start? This is one of my favorite tracks that I've made, and by that I mean to say I'm really amused I was able to come up with this in the first place. It originally wasn't part of this album at all—it was supposed to be a short jingle for the LOHAC Stock Exchange! But it was too much fun to let go of and soon it morphed into a full-fledged character theme for everyone's beloved, excitable consorts. The general idea behind the music was this: Jit may have made a silly arrangement of Atomyk Ebonpyre, but what could I do to put it in an even more ridiculous context? And so it was that it became the manic violin and xylophone old-timey television music-inspired (this was my only frame of reference for what I thought stock exchange music should sound like) tune that it is now. And wouldn't you know it, this type of music turned out to fit the personality of the Crocodiles like a crocodile-fitted glove. + In terms of pacing, I thought it was crucial to place this as the first Consort track. The first four tracks of the album all range from relatively slow to moderately less slow, so I really needed something to break out. This is the most energetic and fast-paced of the four Consort themes, so for my money it was the best choice to introduce this section of the album and keep interest instead of having too many low-energy tracks in a row. However, this isn't to say I was able to resist the temptation to put a slow middle section into this piece, which provides a little break from all the pandemonium. But more importantly, it set the stage for an incredibly silly idea I had to record a bunch of people nakking like maniacs to sound like the Crocodiles, and then have that gradually crescendo into the last section of the piece. + In what is of some note, I tried to feature each of the Kids' instruments in their respective Consort theme. Dave's usual turntable affair was impossible for me to consider for this style of music, though I'm sure some incredibly talented person could have pulled it off. Instead, the piece uses xylophone heavily, since I was operating under the logic that both turntables and xylophones sort of fall under the percussion category? I will admit it's a bit of a stretch. I would like to thank the following contributors for lending their beautiful, sonorous voices to this piece of music: - nyanface - Hayden Lombard @@ -222,9 +222,9 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Pondsquatter Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> - This was a difficult one to compose. The Turtles in Homestuck haven’t been given much characterization other than the ones quaking in fear of Rose, and even then that characteristic is basically the extent of it. I wondered if it was even worth writing a theme for them, since their importance to the story is minimal; what kind of music would I compose for them, anyway? But in the end I decided if I was going to do a set of Consort pieces I was going to do it right and that meant composing the whole package. There was going to be a cycle of fun, lighthearted pieces on this album regardless of characterization or story relevance. - Unfortunately, by the time I decided this I had absolutely no musical ideas. I knew I wanted to give the piece a sort of awkward, wooden sound, so I had a pretty good idea of what timbres I needed (wood blocks, marimba, bassoons, etc.). Then I decided to just outright make it as quirky as possible and added a contrabassoon, even giving it the melody at one point, because hey, I might as well have fun with a track where I’m making up 90% of a character interpretation. Violin was included to fit the theme of the Consorts’ music matching their kids’ instruments. I eventually settled on a tired-sounding little melody, and while it is appropriate it’s the not my favorite one I’ve ever written. You can probably tell too, since it never seems to go anywhere, and when it finally sounds like it is it drops out and a different variation starts playing. - The middle section is a very loosely based on the Pondsquatter theme, and the high register marimba interjection makes it obvious in case you didn’t pick up on it in the first five notes. This eventually leads back into the main melody of the piece, and a couple sequences later it ends. I wonder how much it shows that I was really short on ideas for this piece. Any time it was playing up the comedy in timing or shifting feel, it felt more like I had no idea what to do and desperately stuck something in so the piece could move on. Maybe I’m being hard on it; I still think it is enjoyable to listen to. But from a compositional standpoint, it is probably the weakest on the album. + This was a difficult one to compose. The Turtles in Homestuck haven't been given much characterization other than the ones quaking in fear of Rose, and even then that characteristic is basically the extent of it. I wondered if it was even worth writing a theme for them, since their importance to the story is minimal; what kind of music would I compose for them, anyway? But in the end I decided if I was going to do a set of Consort pieces I was going to do it right and that meant composing the whole package. There was going to be a cycle of fun, lighthearted pieces on this album regardless of characterization or story relevance. + Unfortunately, by the time I decided this I had absolutely no musical ideas. I knew I wanted to give the piece a sort of awkward, wooden sound, so I had a pretty good idea of what timbres I needed (wood blocks, marimba, bassoons, etc.). Then I decided to just outright make it as quirky as possible and added a contrabassoon, even giving it the melody at one point, because hey, I might as well have fun with a track where I'm making up 90% of a character interpretation. Violin was included to fit the theme of the Consorts' music matching their kids' instruments. I eventually settled on a tired-sounding little melody, and while it is appropriate it's the not my favorite one I've ever written. You can probably tell too, since it never seems to go anywhere, and when it finally sounds like it is it drops out and a different variation starts playing. + The middle section is a very loosely based on the Pondsquatter theme, and the high register marimba interjection makes it obvious in case you didn't pick up on it in the first five notes. This eventually leads back into the main melody of the piece, and a couple sequences later it ends. I wonder how much it shows that I was really short on ideas for this piece. Any time it was playing up the comedy in timing or shifting feel, it felt more like I had no idea what to do and desperately stuck something in so the piece could move on. Maybe I'm being hard on it; I still think it is enjoyable to listen to. But from a compositional standpoint, it is probably the weakest on the album. --- Track: Entrance of the Salamanders Duration: '2:56' @@ -240,9 +240,9 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Our Glorious Speaker Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> - This piece picks up where Buy NAK Sell DOOF left off, meaning it goes right back into a silly, dimwitted march. This time however, we are joined by John’s signature instrument, the electric organ! I also put some piano in there I guess, but baby, it is all about that organ. Maybe it gives it a bit too much of a “baseball flavor” but that’s okay, the Salamanders are sporting folks. Right off the “bat”, you will notice the opening ostinato bears a strong resemblance to Danny Elfman tomfoolery, which is entirely coincidental; not that I have any problems with Danny Elfman tomfoolery, in fact I enjoy it very much. - Like the Crocodiles, the Salamanders have gotten plenty of characterization in Homestuck, so it was pretty easy to write their theme. They actually have a lot in common with the Crocodiles (mostly that they are enthusiastically unintelligent), which is why I decided to give them the same kind of style. There is a primary theme and a secondary theme, and they are both developed throughout the course of the piece. I realize this is an incredibly simple and non-specific description, but it is a very straightforward piece in that regard, and I don’t know what else to say about it. The first theme is a bouncy little tune, and the second theme is more legato and chromatic, and they fit together in various ways when they interact with each other. - I sort of envisioned this composition as a dual piano/organ concerto in terms of how I treated the instruments. Both are featured over the orchestra, and play off it with plenty of silly textures and orchestrations. Stylistically, the oom-pah marching characteristics combined with the instrumentation may call to mind images of a circus, which is in fact how the piece got its name. It’s kind of a veiled reference, but if you know what the title is referring to then it’s easy to figure out why it resembles circus music. And of course in the spirit of things, for one last antic I finished it off with a slide whistle; an instrument I thought represented the salamanders’ bubbles pretty well. + This piece picks up where Buy NAK Sell DOOF left off, meaning it goes right back into a silly, dimwitted march. This time however, we are joined by John's signature instrument, the electric organ! I also put some piano in there I guess, but baby, it is all about that organ. Maybe it gives it a bit too much of a "baseball flavor" but that's okay, the Salamanders are sporting folks. Right off the "bat", you will notice the opening ostinato bears a strong resemblance to Danny Elfman tomfoolery, which is entirely coincidental; not that I have any problems with Danny Elfman tomfoolery, in fact I enjoy it very much. + Like the Crocodiles, the Salamanders have gotten plenty of characterization in Homestuck, so it was pretty easy to write their theme. They actually have a lot in common with the Crocodiles (mostly that they are enthusiastically unintelligent), which is why I decided to give them the same kind of style. There is a primary theme and a secondary theme, and they are both developed throughout the course of the piece. I realize this is an incredibly simple and non-specific description, but it is a very straightforward piece in that regard, and I don't know what else to say about it. The first theme is a bouncy little tune, and the second theme is more legato and chromatic, and they fit together in various ways when they interact with each other. + I sort of envisioned this composition as a dual piano/organ concerto in terms of how I treated the instruments. Both are featured over the orchestra, and play off it with plenty of silly textures and orchestrations. Stylistically, the oom-pah marching characteristics combined with the instrumentation may call to mind images of a circus, which is in fact how the piece got its name. It's kind of a veiled reference, but if you know what the title is referring to then it's easy to figure out why it resembles circus music. And of course in the spirit of things, for one last antic I finished it off with a slide whistle; an instrument I thought represented the salamanders' bubbles pretty well. --- Track: Thip of the Tongue Duration: '4:09' @@ -260,8 +260,8 @@ Referenced Tracks: Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> If you asked me what title on this album I am most proud of coming up with, it would be this one. Ever since the Iguanas were introduced I was terrified someone was going to use this pun before I had a chance to put it out in an official capacity. I wanted to be the thip king, and despite being nervous about it for almost two years no one usurped my throne. Even as of this writing, searching for that exact phrase on the internet will yield no results. Obviously if you are reading this, that is no longer true. But I digress. - As for the piece itself, I decided to separate it into two very distinct sections. The first depicts the Iguanas’ life in the Land of Frost and Frogs before Jade stokes the Forge (which, incidentally, is the name of a later track which takes this concept even further); the second part depicts their life after the frost has melted away. Due to this structure, the first third of the piece is subdued and establishes a calm atmosphere with the strings and woodwinds, with not a single brass instrument to be found. The opening motive that continues to be used throughout the piece is an almost exact repetition of the Salamanders’ main motive. All the Consort tracks are connected, but these two take it to the next level by building this piece’s base off the main material of the last. - The second part is where things get interesting. It is the only section of the album where I drop the orchestra shtick completely and use an ensemble of recorders, crumhorns, pipes, and an unconventional rhythm section featuring a dulcimer. I thought about what kind of music the Iguanas would make if given the opportunity. I figured they would have a lot of primitive instruments at hand and would produce simple, joyous music. This whole section is unabashedly a tribute to Kumi Tanioka’s work in Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles. It’s a sort of re-imagining of this world of ancient instruments that she created, and it was one of my earliest influences. There are also seeds of Yasunori Mitsuda in here; it is such a fun piece that I don’t mind citing very strong influences here if people want to hear similar music to this. + As for the piece itself, I decided to separate it into two very distinct sections. The first depicts the Iguanas' life in the Land of Frost and Frogs before Jade stokes the Forge (which, incidentally, is the name of a later track which takes this concept even further); the second part depicts their life after the frost has melted away. Due to this structure, the first third of the piece is subdued and establishes a calm atmosphere with the strings and woodwinds, with not a single brass instrument to be found. The opening motive that continues to be used throughout the piece is an almost exact repetition of the Salamanders' main motive. All the Consort tracks are connected, but these two take it to the next level by building this piece's base off the main material of the last. + The second part is where things get interesting. It is the only section of the album where I drop the orchestra shtick completely and use an ensemble of recorders, crumhorns, pipes, and an unconventional rhythm section featuring a dulcimer. I thought about what kind of music the Iguanas would make if given the opportunity. I figured they would have a lot of primitive instruments at hand and would produce simple, joyous music. This whole section is unabashedly a tribute to Kumi Tanioka's work in Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles. It's a sort of re-imagining of this world of ancient instruments that she created, and it was one of my earliest influences. There are also seeds of Yasunori Mitsuda in here; it is such a fun piece that I don't mind citing very strong influences here if people want to hear similar music to this. --- Track: Frogs' Intermezzo Duration: 0:14 @@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> This covers the Frog act of the album. One more Part to go after this! <hr> - After a lovely intermission from the Consorts, our story continues. The sequence of tracks was very carefully chosen for this album, and it is especially true here. Every track from here on out details the journey undertaken to create the Genesis Frog, as well as its ultimate fate. From the ectobiological breeding (Breeding Duties), to the unfreezing of the Land of Frost and Frogs (Stoke the Forge), to the hunt for frogs (Great LOFAF Expedition of 2009), to the mysteries and certain doom hiding in the frog temple (The Temple’s Withered Bloom), and finally to the destruction of the universe (Bilious), a story is told through music. As a conclusion, we bear witness to the fate the Genesis Frog is meant to fulfill: finding His pond in Skaia (Speaker), and signifying the creation of a new universe (The Vast Croak). + After a lovely intermission from the Consorts, our story continues. The sequence of tracks was very carefully chosen for this album, and it is especially true here. Every track from here on out details the journey undertaken to create the Genesis Frog, as well as its ultimate fate. From the ectobiological breeding (Breeding Duties), to the unfreezing of the Land of Frost and Frogs (Stoke the Forge), to the hunt for frogs (Great LOFAF Expedition of 2009), to the mysteries and certain doom hiding in the frog temple (The Temple's Withered Bloom), and finally to the destruction of the universe (Bilious), a story is told through music. As a conclusion, we bear witness to the fate the Genesis Frog is meant to fulfill: finding His pond in Skaia (Speaker), and signifying the creation of a new universe (The Vast Croak). This intermezzo changes the tone from the lighthearted Consort music to something more full of wonder to suit the story to come. It is a simple swell based on the Pondsquatter theme, and once it settles down, the texture becomes very sparse so as to lead into Breeding Duties. --- Track: Breeding Duties @@ -300,9 +300,9 @@ Referenced Tracks: Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> <code style="color: #008141">GA: But Regardless I Think Our Roles Are Approximately The Same Since We Are Both Stokers Of The Forge<br>GA: As Well As Holders Of Breeding Duties<br>GA: However I Should Clarify That My Earlier Counsel Was Mostly Academic<br>GA: It Takes Weeks To Do All Of It Properly<br>GA: You Wont Have Time</code><br><code style="color: #4ac925">GG: breeding duties?????</code> - This entire piece was inspired by Kanaya’s awkward phrasing. It’s a great line, and Jade’s dumbfounded reaction is even better. Naturally I wanted this to be an awkward-sounding piece, so in the beginning there is plenty of pizzicato strings, strange pauses and the like. Of course, more thought went into the mood than that; Jade has a small association with witches, even if it is only in title and costume. The idea that she is the Witch of Space and is dabbling in ectobiology with frogs put a lot of images in my mind, the most obvious connection being a witch’s cauldron. How would this type of music sound, exactly? Eventually I settled on the sort of faux-baroque feel mixed in with plenty of silliness, since this is a piece about Jade and frogs, after all. The orchestration is full of fast-decaying timbres like the aforementioned pizzicato and liberal use of harpsichord. I also included celesta since it adds a sort of whimsy to the piece, and it has the added bonus of calling back to the beginning of the album. - The main motive is a very baroque sort of device, and I used it that way a little, though I mostly put it in ridiculous contexts. The opening is very stately and lively; what a way to open the last third of the album! But after the first phrase it immediately drops out into a very spacious world, and it is during this section that I explore a variety of colors while playing with the motivic material. Then I prove how short my attention span is because the music goes a lot of places fast after that. First it takes a sweet tone with a celesta melody, and then feels majestic with a lyrical cello line and a call in the horns. If you were to think about this piece programmatically, then that might be the moment when Jade finally successfully breeds the frog with the right genes. In which case the rest of the piece is about hundreds of frogs hopping around or something, which is an explanation I like, but will not officially state since I wasn’t actually thinking much about a story when composing this. - But still, I did have a lot of scenes brewing in my head with this one, so I think it is totally appropriate to imagine a story going along with it. Anyway, the majestic section cuts off for a few seconds, then a booming section based on the opening stumbles in and leaves as fast as it entered. From that point on the material from Pondsquatter comes in and is given the same feel as the rest of this piece, and if there was any one word I had to describe this last section with it would be, “shenanigans”. Incidentally, I consider this and Great LOFAF Expedition of 2009 to be the heart of the album. There will be more on that later in the commentary. + This entire piece was inspired by Kanaya's awkward phrasing. It's a great line, and Jade's dumbfounded reaction is even better. Naturally I wanted this to be an awkward-sounding piece, so in the beginning there is plenty of pizzicato strings, strange pauses and the like. Of course, more thought went into the mood than that; Jade has a small association with witches, even if it is only in title and costume. The idea that she is the Witch of Space and is dabbling in ectobiology with frogs put a lot of images in my mind, the most obvious connection being a witch's cauldron. How would this type of music sound, exactly? Eventually I settled on the sort of faux-baroque feel mixed in with plenty of silliness, since this is a piece about Jade and frogs, after all. The orchestration is full of fast-decaying timbres like the aforementioned pizzicato and liberal use of harpsichord. I also included celesta since it adds a sort of whimsy to the piece, and it has the added bonus of calling back to the beginning of the album. + The main motive is a very baroque sort of device, and I used it that way a little, though I mostly put it in ridiculous contexts. The opening is very stately and lively; what a way to open the last third of the album! But after the first phrase it immediately drops out into a very spacious world, and it is during this section that I explore a variety of colors while playing with the motivic material. Then I prove how short my attention span is because the music goes a lot of places fast after that. First it takes a sweet tone with a celesta melody, and then feels majestic with a lyrical cello line and a call in the horns. If you were to think about this piece programmatically, then that might be the moment when Jade finally successfully breeds the frog with the right genes. In which case the rest of the piece is about hundreds of frogs hopping around or something, which is an explanation I like, but will not officially state since I wasn't actually thinking much about a story when composing this. + But still, I did have a lot of scenes brewing in my head with this one, so I think it is totally appropriate to imagine a story going along with it. Anyway, the majestic section cuts off for a few seconds, then a booming section based on the opening stumbles in and leaves as fast as it entered. From that point on the material from Pondsquatter comes in and is given the same feel as the rest of this piece, and if there was any one word I had to describe this last section with it would be, "shenanigans". Incidentally, I consider this and Great LOFAF Expedition of 2009 to be the heart of the album. There will be more on that later in the commentary. --- Track: Stoke the Forge Duration: '3:43' @@ -318,8 +318,8 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Prospitian Folklore Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> - Why did I compose this piece? Well, mainly because I wanted something bombastic to use an anvil as percussion in. But I also wrote it because of its importance in the role of each Space player’s planet and their frog breeding duties. Not only that, but it acts as a transition from the darker Breeding Duties to the lighter, more energetic Great LOFAF Expedition of 2009. More specifically, it extends the idea behind Thip of the Tongue to three tracks instead of one; it is a progression from the planet’s frosty beginnings to a sudden and beautiful spring, and this piece heralds that moment. In any case, I ended up with a pretty fun piece that may not be the most impressive on the album, but it definitely serves a purpose and keeps the flow intact. - The piece opens with a brass fanfare based off the Folklore theme interspersed with anvil and bass drum hits. The decision to feature the anvil came from Dave’s denizen, Hephaestus, who is referred to as “Lord of the Forge” with little explanation other than he desired access to Jade’s Forge to repair the Caledfwlch. In fact, the entire piece has the feeling of hammering, since harsh gestures in the brass and strings are common in combination with liberal usage of timpani and bass drum. The entire piece is in Dorian, which is a mode I can rarely resist composing in, and it lends a big sense of adventure to it. Formally there is not a lot going on, other than a melody being repeated several times with different orchestration and transposition. An interesting moment occurs when the entire ensemble drops out and a flute solo comes in playing a lighter, more humorous version of the tune before heading towards the climax. All in all, it is a pretty standard theme with a solid tune despite the fact that nothing extraordinary happens for its duration. But hey, we wouldn’t want overkill would we? I was saving that for the next track. + Why did I compose this piece? Well, mainly because I wanted something bombastic to use an anvil as percussion in. But I also wrote it because of its importance in the role of each Space player's planet and their frog breeding duties. Not only that, but it acts as a transition from the darker Breeding Duties to the lighter, more energetic Great LOFAF Expedition of 2009. More specifically, it extends the idea behind Thip of the Tongue to three tracks instead of one; it is a progression from the planet's frosty beginnings to a sudden and beautiful spring, and this piece heralds that moment. In any case, I ended up with a pretty fun piece that may not be the most impressive on the album, but it definitely serves a purpose and keeps the flow intact. + The piece opens with a brass fanfare based off the Folklore theme interspersed with anvil and bass drum hits. The decision to feature the anvil came from Dave's denizen, Hephaestus, who is referred to as "Lord of the Forge" with little explanation other than he desired access to Jade's Forge to repair the Caledfwlch. In fact, the entire piece has the feeling of hammering, since harsh gestures in the brass and strings are common in combination with liberal usage of timpani and bass drum. The entire piece is in Dorian, which is a mode I can rarely resist composing in, and it lends a big sense of adventure to it. Formally there is not a lot going on, other than a melody being repeated several times with different orchestration and transposition. An interesting moment occurs when the entire ensemble drops out and a flute solo comes in playing a lighter, more humorous version of the tune before heading towards the climax. All in all, it is a pretty standard theme with a solid tune despite the fact that nothing extraordinary happens for its duration. But hey, we wouldn't want overkill would we? I was saving that for the next track. --- Track: Great LOFAF Expedition of 2009 Duration: '4:55' @@ -337,10 +337,10 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Our Glorious Speaker Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> - Ah, frog-hunting music. I had the idea for this track brewing long before Homestuck Volume 8 was in the works, so you can imagine my horror when not one, but two tracks with this subject were on it. I have to give props to Jit and Bowman, those are a couple of great pieces and they both explore the idea in unique ways. I lamented however, worrying my track would be extraneous. How many times could we repeat the same, specific idea, after all? So I had to think outside the box a little bit. I would try to capture the entire experience of not just the hunt, but exploring LOFAF after the Forge had been stoked. This piece is programmatic in the same sense Breeding Duties is—it is meant to be a collection of musical ideas depicting any number of scenes the listener might imagine. Which isn’t to say the music isn’t thematically grounded; it is essentially based on one theme in addition to the Pondsquatter theme, which also has a large presence. - Earlier in the commentary for Breeding Duties, I referred to that and this track as being the heart of this album. It may sound hokey, but when I think of Genesis Frog I think of these two tracks. I think they exemplify the kind of music I’ve had in my head for two years and wanted to compose most. When I first thought of them, I knew Genesis Frog as an album would work, this was the kind of music I had always wanted to listen to but no one had quite made yet. This isn’t to say it’s anything new or innovative; merely that it is a specific sound I love that I wanted to hear. I think the album experience is purest during these two tracks, as ridiculous or pretentious as that may sound, but I don’t know how else to say it. Great LOFAF Expedition of 2009 is made up of so many of my favorite things to do in orchestral music, so for better or worse you can use this as a roadmap for my compositional output and ridicule me as I become more and more of a slave to my own style. + Ah, frog-hunting music. I had the idea for this track brewing long before Homestuck Volume 8 was in the works, so you can imagine my horror when not one, but two tracks with this subject were on it. I have to give props to Jit and Bowman, those are a couple of great pieces and they both explore the idea in unique ways. I lamented however, worrying my track would be extraneous. How many times could we repeat the same, specific idea, after all? So I had to think outside the box a little bit. I would try to capture the entire experience of not just the hunt, but exploring LOFAF after the Forge had been stoked. This piece is programmatic in the same sense Breeding Duties is—it is meant to be a collection of musical ideas depicting any number of scenes the listener might imagine. Which isn't to say the music isn't thematically grounded; it is essentially based on one theme in addition to the Pondsquatter theme, which also has a large presence. + Earlier in the commentary for Breeding Duties, I referred to that and this track as being the heart of this album. It may sound hokey, but when I think of Genesis Frog I think of these two tracks. I think they exemplify the kind of music I've had in my head for two years and wanted to compose most. When I first thought of them, I knew Genesis Frog as an album would work, this was the kind of music I had always wanted to listen to but no one had quite made yet. This isn't to say it's anything new or innovative; merely that it is a specific sound I love that I wanted to hear. I think the album experience is purest during these two tracks, as ridiculous or pretentious as that may sound, but I don't know how else to say it. Great LOFAF Expedition of 2009 is made up of so many of my favorite things to do in orchestral music, so for better or worse you can use this as a roadmap for my compositional output and ridicule me as I become more and more of a slave to my own style. It opens with a solo horn call to signify the beginning of the hunt. Normally these sorts of calls are based around perfect fifths, but I totally broke the rules like the rebel I am and used it as a way to introduce the main theme. After that, the piece is split into three sections, the first being a march featuring a piccolo playing a variation on the Pondsquatter theme. The orchestration gradually fills in, and an ostinato is introduced in the xylophone and santoor (a string instrument native to India) that is used throughout the piece. After the march, we dive into the undergrowth, represented by the next section. - The music makes a shift into 7/8, though no true pulse is really established. As a result, many different lines of counterpoint come in at disjointed intervals, lending to the image of a lot of different frogs hopping around in the depths of the forest. The pace picks up again when the music shifts back to simple meter and the march rhythm is brought back. There is more counterpoint here with the main motive of the piece; it is overlayed with itself in several different rhythmic rhythmic transpositions over the march ostinato. Then, after a brief interlude, the piece shifts back into 7/8 with more of a pulse, and the Pondsquatter theme is repeated in full followed by a coda based on this piece’s motive. This is one of the few pieces on the album that ends on an unambiguous tonic chord, which I thought was very refreshing at this point. Especially in light of this piece, which I promised would be overkill thanks to all the ridiculous directions it manages to go in for its duration of five minutes. + The music makes a shift into 7/8, though no true pulse is really established. As a result, many different lines of counterpoint come in at disjointed intervals, lending to the image of a lot of different frogs hopping around in the depths of the forest. The pace picks up again when the music shifts back to simple meter and the march rhythm is brought back. There is more counterpoint here with the main motive of the piece; it is overlayed with itself in several different rhythmic rhythmic transpositions over the march ostinato. Then, after a brief interlude, the piece shifts back into 7/8 with more of a pulse, and the Pondsquatter theme is repeated in full followed by a coda based on this piece's motive. This is one of the few pieces on the album that ends on an unambiguous tonic chord, which I thought was very refreshing at this point. Especially in light of this piece, which I promised would be overkill thanks to all the ridiculous directions it manages to go in for its duration of five minutes. --- Track: The Temple's Withered Bloom Duration: '2:55' @@ -358,9 +358,9 @@ Art Tags: - Frog Temple Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> - This is an interesting one, since it has probably undergone the most change in terms of concept and musical ideas before I finally composed it in earnest. It started out as a general Frog Temple theme, and all along I had the idea to explore sweeping chords in the strings and choir, which I did end up doing, albeit in a very different fashion than I expected. I tossed around the idea of including material from Jit’s Ruins, then I thought about adapting an old wind ensemble piece of mine. Conceptually I switched from the idea of the Frog Temple to the hieroglyphics inside, tentatively naming it “Temple Walls”, then “Glyphs”. + This is an interesting one, since it has probably undergone the most change in terms of concept and musical ideas before I finally composed it in earnest. It started out as a general Frog Temple theme, and all along I had the idea to explore sweeping chords in the strings and choir, which I did end up doing, albeit in a very different fashion than I expected. I tossed around the idea of including material from Jit's Ruins, then I thought about adapting an old wind ensemble piece of mine. Conceptually I switched from the idea of the Frog Temple to the hieroglyphics inside, tentatively naming it "Temple Walls", then "Glyphs". What ended up happening was that I ended up composing this and the next track as one whole, and then split them into two, so in a lot of ways the two of them combined could be considered a single piece. In fact, I would venture to say the last four tracks on the album could be considered four connected movements among the greater whole, since I added more continuity between them than any previous tracks on the album. Because of the connection to the last track, which is heavily about Jack Noir, I decided to have this music represent the Lotus Time Capsule he went through during Cascade. The lotus being in the frog temple was very convenient for me since I got to keep that idea without straying too much from the theme of the album. So this track ended up being the calm before the storm as it were, representing the menace hiding inside the temple for centuries before coming out to wreak havoc. - The piece opens with a major chord in the strings, as if to continue the train of thought left behind by the previous track’s end. However, the chord quickly changes into something more dissonant, and the tone shifts from light to dark. The choir answers the strings, and the piece progresses in this manner with the two sections being featured the most. A gamelan ensemble plays in the background, very out of tune with the rest of the ensemble, lending to the sense of foreboding. There is a musical device in here that represents Jack, a descending line that implies a tritone. It comes in quietly and at irregular intervals, indicative of the murderous asshole lying in wait among the confines of the temple. As the music progresses, this motive comes in more and more until it is an ostinato under the chordal strings and choir. Eventually the piece crescendos and leads into the next track, where Jack is finally the star of the show. + The piece opens with a major chord in the strings, as if to continue the train of thought left behind by the previous track's end. However, the chord quickly changes into something more dissonant, and the tone shifts from light to dark. The choir answers the strings, and the piece progresses in this manner with the two sections being featured the most. A gamelan ensemble plays in the background, very out of tune with the rest of the ensemble, lending to the sense of foreboding. There is a musical device in here that represents Jack, a descending line that implies a tritone. It comes in quietly and at irregular intervals, indicative of the murderous asshole lying in wait among the confines of the temple. As the music progresses, this motive comes in more and more until it is an ostinato under the chordal strings and choir. Eventually the piece crescendos and leads into the next track, where Jack is finally the star of the show. --- Track: Bilious Duration: '4:05' @@ -379,10 +379,10 @@ Referenced Tracks: - The Temple's Withered Bloom Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> - Poor Bilious Slick. Every iteration of Him we’ve seen in Homestuck has been brutally murdered in one way or another. As if that wasn’t enough, He is primarily known by the spiteful nickname Dersites have given Him. In composing this album, I would have missed a big opportunity if I didn’t take material from those in Derse that oppose creation, most specifically Jack Noir. The title of course came from the name Bilious Slick, but it also has the benefit of adding grotesque imagery to a piece of music about Jack slaughtering a giant universe frog. It is a continuation of The Temple’s Withered Bloom, and it picks up where it left off with Jack exiting the Lotus Capsule, escaping the session and eventually going on to destroy the universe he emerged from. + Poor Bilious Slick. Every iteration of Him we've seen in Homestuck has been brutally murdered in one way or another. As if that wasn't enough, He is primarily known by the spiteful nickname Dersites have given Him. In composing this album, I would have missed a big opportunity if I didn't take material from those in Derse that oppose creation, most specifically Jack Noir. The title of course came from the name Bilious Slick, but it also has the benefit of adding grotesque imagery to a piece of music about Jack slaughtering a giant universe frog. It is a continuation of The Temple's Withered Bloom, and it picks up where it left off with Jack exiting the Lotus Capsule, escaping the session and eventually going on to destroy the universe he emerged from. The piece opens right away in 10/8, and an electric guitar, bass, and drum set are added to the ensemble. I decided that among the pastoral and bouncy, lighthearted pieces in this album, there was no single track that felt like a hook to me. I wanted to attempt to compose something that just plain kicks ass, some climactic piece that could act as a reward for listening through the relatively calm album. Naturally I came to the decision to include guitar and drums and let more rock influence come through. The theme is based on the Folklore theme, which I thought was appropriate and somewhat ironic, since what represented creation before was now being used to represent destruction. The guitar takes over the melody as the meter goes through several changes, and after several consecutive contrasting sections that play with different motives, the guitar once again begins the next section by establishing a triplet ostinato. - At this point I figured, what the hell, I’ll quote Black. It actually fits quite well with the “Jack” device from The Temple’s Withered Bloom that I bring back here, thanks to the fact that they both emphasise on the tritone. My own Jack motive begins to take over from Radiation’s, and eventually the strings are playing it in canon as it gets more and more chaotic, until everything drops out and the lower piano register begins an ostinato based on it. The orchestra builds again into more chaotic textures, the tension drops briefly, and then the theme is recapped as the climax. All in all it is probably the most exciting piece on the album, and for my first foray into more action-like music, I think it does its job well. + At this point I figured, what the hell, I'll quote Black. It actually fits quite well with the "Jack" device from The Temple's Withered Bloom that I bring back here, thanks to the fact that they both emphasise on the tritone. My own Jack motive begins to take over from Radiation's, and eventually the strings are playing it in canon as it gets more and more chaotic, until everything drops out and the lower piano register begins an ostinato based on it. The orchestra builds again into more chaotic textures, the tension drops briefly, and then the theme is recapped as the climax. All in all it is probably the most exciting piece on the album, and for my first foray into more action-like music, I think it does its job well. --- Track: Speaker (Skaia's Reflection) Duration: '2:57' @@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Pondsquatter Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> - Out of destruction comes nothingness, and the only sounds are sparse and atmospheric. The nothingness persists for a bit, a result of the universe’s destruction in the previous track. If I were feeling really dark I could just end the album there, but I wanted there to be a sense of conclusion and returning to what once was. What better way than to have the music rise from the ashes and the solo clarinet come back to play a new version of the Pondsquatter theme? The idea behind the countless Genesis Frogs is that they propagate one another, each frog producing the next, and behind this lies the idea of infinity and repeated processes. So I wanted the album to do a Mobius Double Reacharound as it were, and end as it began. So the pairing of Speaker and The Vast Croak echoes the earlier pairing of Prelude and Pondsquatter. + Out of destruction comes nothingness, and the only sounds are sparse and atmospheric. The nothingness persists for a bit, a result of the universe's destruction in the previous track. If I were feeling really dark I could just end the album there, but I wanted there to be a sense of conclusion and returning to what once was. What better way than to have the music rise from the ashes and the solo clarinet come back to play a new version of the Pondsquatter theme? The idea behind the countless Genesis Frogs is that they propagate one another, each frog producing the next, and behind this lies the idea of infinity and repeated processes. So I wanted the album to do a Mobius Double Reacharound as it were, and end as it began. So the pairing of Speaker and The Vast Croak echoes the earlier pairing of Prelude and Pondsquatter. This piece even has the same structure and general idea as Prelude before going into a full statement of the modified theme. As a result it is difficult to talk about its composition, since it is virtually the same as Prelude only with varying material. The clarinet emerges out of the atmosphere just as before, and a texture-based section builds this time not into a false climax, but into a fuller orchestration of what the clarinet was doing earlier. It ends simply and quietly in the woodwinds, allowing the next and final track to proceed with its exciting start. --- Track: The Vast Croak @@ -430,10 +430,10 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Frogs' Intermezzo Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> - After six notes from the drumset, the grand finale begins. I still don’t have a clear idea what prompted this sort of conclusion to the album. For the longest time I intended to end it the way Speaker did, and that track indeed had a finality of its own. But I wanted something exciting at the end, and I felt like there was still momentum left over from Bilious that I could do something with. So despite only having a vague idea of what the Vast Croak probably was at the time of this composing it, I ran with my assumptions and based the album’s last hurrah around that idea. What little information existed implied the Genesis Frog will Croak once He has matured, and I can only assume it signifies the birth of the new universe in some way. I hope my interpretation does not end up conflicting with canon, and even if it does with any luck the music will still match the tone of it and my thoughts will remain hidden in this commentary. - Kanaya described the Vast Croak as the most amazing thing she had ever seen. I doubt anything I compose could possibly match the scope of such a cosmic event, but I at least attempted to capture the excitement of such a thing happening. When one thinks of the Vast Croak being put to music I’m sure bombastic orchestrations come to mind, like bass drum hits and gongs swelling, the brass going wild. Maybe that would have been the right direction to go in. Of all the tracks on this album this one probably puzzles me the most, since I’m not sure exactly why I decided to go in the direction I did musically. I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of people think it isn’t appropriate for its namesake, and maybe someone else could compose something more suitable at some point. All I can say is that I wanted to capture the excitement of the moment and create something that felt like joy spilling forth. I wanted the music to have a big sense of happiness and accomplishment, a feeling of “yeah, we did it!” Even if it did not capture the feeling of the Vast Croak in as literal a sense as it could have, the music has the kind of feeling I imagine players would have upon reaching this final, monumental goal. That is my defense, and I am sticking by it. - The sense of excitement is what prompted me to bring the drumset back. I thought the piece needed a percussive drive like Bilious had, so I employed the same method. And hell, if I’m going to bring drumset into an orchestral setting then I might as well do it a second time. The Dorian version of the Pondsquatter theme played by the horns and trombones is reminiscent of its use in Prospitian Folklore. In fact, the second phrase appears exactly as it did in that piece and after repeating it goes straight into the Folklore theme. At this point in the music I thought it was appropriate to quote some of the themes from earlier in the album as a sort of “B” section. I mixed together all the Consort themes once the Folklore theme ended and snuck in a little bit of Breeding Duties. I liked the idea of bringing all these themes back, since presumably all of them would have a role once again in the new universe being created. - The A section then returns in a transposed form before the piece ends in a very big fashion. When all appears to be said and done and the very last of the reverberation is dying off, the harp comes in. It is followed by clarinet, piano, celesta, and finally the violins playing harmonics; this is the instrumentation the album opened with. This small ensemble plays a subdued arrangement of Pondsquatter, and the album ends as it began in the vastness of paradox space. If you start the album over again, you will find that it flows seamlessly from the ending to beginning. Somewhere in this revelation lies my ultimate artistic intent with Genesis Frog, which probably involves something about infinity’s endless repetition, or life always finding a way forward, or something along those lines depending on how pretentious you want to think of me as. + After six notes from the drumset, the grand finale begins. I still don't have a clear idea what prompted this sort of conclusion to the album. For the longest time I intended to end it the way Speaker did, and that track indeed had a finality of its own. But I wanted something exciting at the end, and I felt like there was still momentum left over from Bilious that I could do something with. So despite only having a vague idea of what the Vast Croak probably was at the time of this composing it, I ran with my assumptions and based the album's last hurrah around that idea. What little information existed implied the Genesis Frog will Croak once He has matured, and I can only assume it signifies the birth of the new universe in some way. I hope my interpretation does not end up conflicting with canon, and even if it does with any luck the music will still match the tone of it and my thoughts will remain hidden in this commentary. + Kanaya described the Vast Croak as the most amazing thing she had ever seen. I doubt anything I compose could possibly match the scope of such a cosmic event, but I at least attempted to capture the excitement of such a thing happening. When one thinks of the Vast Croak being put to music I'm sure bombastic orchestrations come to mind, like bass drum hits and gongs swelling, the brass going wild. Maybe that would have been the right direction to go in. Of all the tracks on this album this one probably puzzles me the most, since I'm not sure exactly why I decided to go in the direction I did musically. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people think it isn't appropriate for its namesake, and maybe someone else could compose something more suitable at some point. All I can say is that I wanted to capture the excitement of the moment and create something that felt like joy spilling forth. I wanted the music to have a big sense of happiness and accomplishment, a feeling of "yeah, we did it!" Even if it did not capture the feeling of the Vast Croak in as literal a sense as it could have, the music has the kind of feeling I imagine players would have upon reaching this final, monumental goal. That is my defense, and I am sticking by it. + The sense of excitement is what prompted me to bring the drumset back. I thought the piece needed a percussive drive like Bilious had, so I employed the same method. And hell, if I'm going to bring drumset into an orchestral setting then I might as well do it a second time. The Dorian version of the Pondsquatter theme played by the horns and trombones is reminiscent of its use in Prospitian Folklore. In fact, the second phrase appears exactly as it did in that piece and after repeating it goes straight into the Folklore theme. At this point in the music I thought it was appropriate to quote some of the themes from earlier in the album as a sort of "B" section. I mixed together all the Consort themes once the Folklore theme ended and snuck in a little bit of Breeding Duties. I liked the idea of bringing all these themes back, since presumably all of them would have a role once again in the new universe being created. + The A section then returns in a transposed form before the piece ends in a very big fashion. When all appears to be said and done and the very last of the reverberation is dying off, the harp comes in. It is followed by clarinet, piano, celesta, and finally the violins playing harmonics; this is the instrumentation the album opened with. This small ensemble plays a subdued arrangement of Pondsquatter, and the album ends as it began in the vastness of paradox space. If you start the album over again, you will find that it flows seamlessly from the ending to beginning. Somewhere in this revelation lies my ultimate artistic intent with Genesis Frog, which probably involves something about infinity's endless repetition, or life always finding a way forward, or something along those lines depending on how pretentious you want to think of me as. --- Section: Bonus tracks --- @@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> This is the last of the commentary for Genesis Frog. It seems the hype wave has died down since its release by now. I hope people are still enjoying it and continuing to discover little nuances I hid in the music. Thanks so much everyone. <hr> - During my Junior year of college, I had the opportunity to have one of my pieces read by the acclaimed Talea Ensemble, a chamber group that was visiting my college and doing a performance there. They graciously offered to read through student works and provide commentary for us. I took advantage of this in an odd way and arranged Pondsquatter for Pierrot Ensemble, an instrumentation that consists of piano, violin, cello, flute, clarinet, and in some cases percussion. This recording was made during a runthrough they did of it, and what you should keep in mind is that this was all sightread. Obviously the performance is not perfect, and I’m slightly afraid of sharing this in case I embarrass the ensemble with it, but I can guarantee that had they prepared it beforehand, it would have been perfect. However, even without prior preparation, the performance is astounding and I thank them dearly. + During my Junior year of college, I had the opportunity to have one of my pieces read by the acclaimed Talea Ensemble, a chamber group that was visiting my college and doing a performance there. They graciously offered to read through student works and provide commentary for us. I took advantage of this in an odd way and arranged Pondsquatter for Pierrot Ensemble, an instrumentation that consists of piano, violin, cello, flute, clarinet, and in some cases percussion. This recording was made during a runthrough they did of it, and what you should keep in mind is that this was all sightread. Obviously the performance is not perfect, and I'm slightly afraid of sharing this in case I embarrass the ensemble with it, but I can guarantee that had they prepared it beforehand, it would have been perfect. However, even without prior preparation, the performance is astounding and I thank them dearly. In case you are reading this online and are unable to buy the album to obtain this bonus track, you can find it on both my website and my music blog, the URLs of which are provided at the end of this commentary. --- Track: Frogsong @@ -467,4 +467,4 @@ Referenced Tracks: - weird moody horse shit Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> - This was originally going to be in the album, but I excluded it because it didn’t fit enough with the orchestral feel and I didn’t really know where to go with it after the first minute. It’s still a very fun piece though, and I thought it was worth including as a little bonus. I may have employed heavy use of certain frog-related sound effects...it’s a bit of a weakness... + This was originally going to be in the album, but I excluded it because it didn't fit enough with the orchestral feel and I didn't really know where to go with it after the first minute. It's still a very fun piece though, and I thought it was worth including as a little bonus. I may have employed heavy use of certain frog-related sound effects...it's a bit of a weakness... diff --git a/album/gristmas-carols.yaml b/album/gristmas-carols.yaml index 58ea009e..ce7a04f3 100644 --- a/album/gristmas-carols.yaml +++ b/album/gristmas-carols.yaml @@ -90,8 +90,8 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Liquid Negrocity - Walk-Stab-Walk (R&E) Lyrics: |- - you’re a mean one<br>mr. slick<br>you are dark and tall and dumb<br>you’ve got arrows in your eyebrows, scotty dogs up in your bum<br>mr. slick - I hate a moral coward that lacks a manly spark<br>and god knows<br>you haven’t any heart + you're a mean one<br>mr. slick<br>you are dark and tall and dumb<br>you've got arrows in your eyebrows, scotty dogs up in your bum<br>mr. slick + I hate a moral coward that lacks a manly spark<br>and god knows<br>you haven't any heart you're a foul one, mr. slick<br>your chest is full of junk<br>your crew's composed of nitwits, and your ships have all but sunk<br>mr. sliiiiiiiiICK<br>if i were forced into a conversation with you, by the end of it i imagine i'd be flat-out druuuuuunk you decapitate me, mr. slick<br>you're a greasy greedy hag<br>you're a crippled crooked creeper, and you always prod and nag<br>mr. sliiiiiiiiIIIIIIIIIIIICK<br>the three words that best describe you are as follows, and I quote<br>"this, douche, bag" Commentary: |- @@ -182,13 +182,13 @@ URLs: - https://unofficialmspafans.bandcamp.com/track/end-of-act - https://youtu.be/JHUIiE86kjc Lyrics: |- - Been a long time coming for your happy holidays<br>And the winter air is resting on your skin<br>After all the year has brought upon your merry way<br>Take a look behind at everywhere you’ve been + Been a long time coming for your happy holidays<br>And the winter air is resting on your skin<br>After all the year has brought upon your merry way<br>Take a look behind at everywhere you've been From the seven gates of Skaia to the Battlefield<br>And the Land of Light and Rain you trode upon<br>Seven years of works Ascending, what it all revealed<br>Was a word that you could cherish standing on - Stuck at home as snowflakes fall upon your gilded land<br>Like a Witch of Space commencing Medium ground<br>You’re surrounded by a feeling something’s close at hand<br>While the world outside keeps turning round and round + Stuck at home as snowflakes fall upon your gilded land<br>Like a Witch of Space commencing Medium ground<br>You're surrounded by a feeling something's close at hand<br>While the world outside keeps turning round and round Scurry out into the alabaster as it spills<br>Step away from all that anchors you below<br>Every day brings you a Choice to make of as you will<br>Choose to be the Hero everywhere you go Will you find another universe to fall into<br>Are the other ones not pulling you away<br>Do you look back on the memories in that field of view<br>Did they turn you into who you are today - Were your closest friends a part of what you’ve loved so long<br>Would you play with them a Session of your own?<br>Are they standing right beside you as you sing this song<br>Don’t you leave them through this season all alone - And we’ll meet you for another happy holiday<br>When the twilight stars you built upon have gone astray<br>Take your chances, take yourself along and get away<br>For your Ultimate Reward awaits you, don’t delay + Were your closest friends a part of what you've loved so long<br>Would you play with them a Session of your own?<br>Are they standing right beside you as you sing this song<br>Don't you leave them through this season all alone + And we'll meet you for another happy holiday<br>When the twilight stars you built upon have gone astray<br>Take your chances, take yourself along and get away<br>For your Ultimate Reward awaits you, don't delay Commentary: |- <i>Sean Gorter:</i> Imagine me, young Flare, sitting at a piano when all of a sudden - BAM! Musical inspiration strikes! The melody always struck me from the beginning as rather festive-feeling, even if it didn't use the standard musical tropes for Christmas music, so I took this idea and set out to make the most Christmassy electronic music I could make. diff --git a/album/gunshow-singalong.yaml b/album/gunshow-singalong.yaml index 81b002ef..10ad2ac1 100644 --- a/album/gunshow-singalong.yaml +++ b/album/gunshow-singalong.yaml @@ -71,21 +71,21 @@ Lyrics: |- [TRUMP] I will take a bath later, whenever I please - Or I guess if I can’t stand the smell of dick cheese - Which I usually can, I’ve smelt cheese all my life - It’s smelt oft on me... it’s smelt on my wife + Or I guess if I can't stand the smell of dick cheese + Which I usually can, I've smelt cheese all my life + It's smelt oft on me... it's smelt on my wife [RECEPTIONIST] TM-TMI [NARRATOR] They said then as they sat at their desk - They were used to Trump’s ravings both mad and grotesque + They were used to Trump's ravings both mad and grotesque But a knock on the door interrupted their thoughts And a grunt could be heard followed by three gunshots [RECEPTIONIST] - Who’s there? + Who's there? [NARRATOR] The receptionist, with bravery unknown @@ -101,17 +101,17 @@ Lyrics: |- 'Tis I, Toby Fox, on the tiled White House floor [RECEPTIONIST] - It’s not actually tiled— + It's not actually tiled— [FOX] - I don’t care + I don't care [NARRATOR] Fox replied [FOX] - If this floor isn’t tiled by tomorrow you’re fried - I’m here to consort with the president Trump + If this floor isn't tiled by tomorrow you're fried + I'm here to consort with the president Trump He expected my hands on his flabby royal rump Let me into his room, I can hear his moans now @@ -121,29 +121,29 @@ Lyrics: |- Straight into my buttocks [FOX] - I think that you’ll find + I think that you'll find If you spread his cheeks open and look deep inside A mysterious number repeated aplenty That happens to be seven hundred and twenty [NARRATOR] - Fox’s stature was short, at least shorter than Trump’s - But he entered the room and grabbed Trump’s juicy rumps - He’d gained plenty of knowledge about how to screw - When rapidly he’d produced Undertale Two + Fox's stature was short, at least shorter than Trump's + But he entered the room and grabbed Trump's juicy rumps + He'd gained plenty of knowledge about how to screw + When rapidly he'd produced Undertale Two And his address was leaked, his identity grabbed And he sold his own body till it bruised and it scabbed But no matter, for Fox was intrepid as fuck A better man now, having gone through the muck - He inserted his groin into Trump’s waiting hole + He inserted his groin into Trump's waiting hole [FOX] - Ugg, I should’ve waited before selling my soul + Ugg, I should've waited before selling my soul To that damned Andrew Hussie, for here is a swan In the form of a chubby bald manwhore named Don [TRUMP] - I’m a naughty boy, Toby, Just before you came in + I'm a naughty boy, Toby, Just before you came in I was licking so gently my very foreskin Those acts which I lovingly call my self-fucks For which I got a small loan of a million bucks @@ -154,12 +154,12 @@ Lyrics: |- I got fifty one thousand, considerably less But what I did, dear Trump, I do have to confess Was I made a great game that the Pope even got - (MatPat’s my disciple whom I’ve often taught) + (MatPat's my disciple whom I've often taught) So I think that my prowess is greater than yours - Plus you’re the one under my dick on all fours + Plus you're the one under my dick on all fours [NARRATOR] He slid in and then out, the receptionist stared - As Trump’s greatest moment was live on Twitch aired + As Trump's greatest moment was live on Twitch aired For who was nearby and propped up on one knee Naught but a cameraman named Andrew Hussie diff --git a/album/heinoustuck-vol-1.yaml b/album/heinoustuck-vol-1.yaml index 162e8af2..29de22cd 100644 --- a/album/heinoustuck-vol-1.yaml +++ b/album/heinoustuck-vol-1.yaml @@ -20,17 +20,17 @@ Commentary: Heinoustuck Vol. 1, a music album entirely composed of things made by the fans of my Homestuck AU <a href="https://mspfa.com/?s=1018">Heinoustuck</a> [wiki maintainer's cw - body horror], is here! The reception I had for both the music submissions and track art submissions was fantastic! Thank-you all! - The first track is the theme for Heinoustuck, the second to ninth are themes for the four beta kids - two for each character, and the final lot are sort of bonuses, but still have characters they’re associated with. + The first track is the theme for Heinoustuck, the second to ninth are themes for the four beta kids - two for each character, and the final lot are sort of bonuses, but still have characters they're associated with. - A few of the submissions had their names and characters changed, and I’m sorry about that, but I hope you’re all glad with the result - I know I am! There may be future music contests and, if I find a few music composers whose work I really like out of these contests, I might even form a mini-music team, if they want. + A few of the submissions had their names and characters changed, and I'm sorry about that, but I hope you're all glad with the result - I know I am! There may be future music contests and, if I find a few music composers whose work I really like out of these contests, I might even form a mini-music team, if they want. The entire album is free, so you can download it if you like. What is Heinoustuck? - “A body horror Homestuck AU that started out as just a bunch of sprite edits, which has now evolved into a fully-fledged fanventure.” + "A body horror Homestuck AU that started out as just a bunch of sprite edits, which has now evolved into a fully-fledged fanventure." - Back in June 2012, it was the latest fad in the Homestuck fandom to create a bunch of creepy Homestuck sprite edits. I jumped on the bandwagon before it got its ‘fad’ status (a friend of mine initially came up with the idea and his sprite edits inspired me to make my own). My sprite edits, along with other sprite edits such as ‘WTFStuck’, 'Satanstuck’, and 'Zalgostuck’, were the most popular among the fandom. A few people asked me if I would take the idea further, and I decided that I might. + Back in June 2012, it was the latest fad in the Homestuck fandom to create a bunch of creepy Homestuck sprite edits. I jumped on the bandwagon before it got its 'fad' status (a friend of mine initially came up with the idea and his sprite edits inspired me to make my own). My sprite edits, along with other sprite edits such as 'WTFStuck', 'Satanstuck', and 'Zalgostuck', were the most popular among the fandom. A few people asked me if I would take the idea further, and I decided that I might. I then spent a few months coming up with a bare basic plot, characters and their backstories, what they would need to overcome, what type of mood I wanted the story to have, and constructed a universe for them all to live in. After I had done all that, I began the fan adventure. --- diff --git a/album/hiveswap-act-1-ost.yaml b/album/hiveswap-act-1-ost.yaml index fc822b13..b100310c 100644 --- a/album/hiveswap-act-1-ost.yaml +++ b/album/hiveswap-act-1-ost.yaml @@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ Art Tags: - Alternia Commentary: |- <i>Cohen Edenfield:</i> - Hey, it’s Cohen. But more interestingly, it’s James and Toby, giving some commentary on the first half of the HIVESWAP: Act 1 soundtrack, available now on Bandcamp or bundled with HIVESWAP: Act 1 on Steam and Humble. We’ve got the first half of the discussion today, with the next half going up next Wednesday. Wait…did I say all this once before already? No. Impossible. + Hey, it's Cohen. But more interestingly, it's James and Toby, giving some commentary on the first half of the HIVESWAP: Act 1 soundtrack, available now on Bandcamp or bundled with HIVESWAP: Act 1 on Steam and Humble. We've got the first half of the discussion today, with the next half going up next Wednesday. Wait...did I say all this once before already? No. Impossible. Wallpaper Artists: - Mallory Dyer Wallpaper Style: 'opacity: 0.8;' @@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Definitely Safe Forever - IronInvoker47 (piano).mid' Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - This is the track that has been rewritten the most. It’s so much better now than it used to be. This latest version is meant to tie in with the title screen music. It’s based around Joey and Jude’s theme, and has a few nods in there to some others if you’re listening. + This is the track that has been rewritten the most. It's so much better now than it used to be. This latest version is meant to tie in with the title screen music. It's based around Joey and Jude's theme, and has a few nods in there to some others if you're listening. --- Track: Snake Escape Duration: 0:41 @@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Half-Harley Manor Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - In its current form, I think this is one of the best examples on this soundtrack of what Toby and I’s respective styles sound like mixed together. Toby doesn’t like to use a lot of percussion, so I wrote this based on what was originally a piano piece. It is one of the VERY first things written for the game. WOW. The original version of this sounds a lot more like “SINGULAR PERIL” without any drums and not sampled, so just like, straight 8ths. + In its current form, I think this is one of the best examples on this soundtrack of what Toby and I's respective styles sound like mixed together. Toby doesn't like to use a lot of percussion, so I wrote this based on what was originally a piano piece. It is one of the VERY first things written for the game. WOW. The original version of this sounds a lot more like "SINGULAR PERIL" without any drums and not sampled, so just like, straight 8ths. --- Track: Joey Claire, Extraordinaire Duration: '2:50' @@ -67,9 +67,9 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Joey Claire, Extraordinaire - Unknown.mid' Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - When Toby sent me the original piano sketch for Joey’s theme it was real good but I thought since Joey dances, what if I made it sound like a dance recital? I used to take dance classes when I was a kid, and I have very distinct memories of a kindly old woman playing bouncy piano chords in ¾ time. One of the design choices Toby and I settled on really early on was that each character would have a “room” that be the purest form of their theme. Joey feels most at home in her bedroom, which is a sanctuary from the rest of the awful house she lives in. + When Toby sent me the original piano sketch for Joey's theme it was real good but I thought since Joey dances, what if I made it sound like a dance recital? I used to take dance classes when I was a kid, and I have very distinct memories of a kindly old woman playing bouncy piano chords in ¾ time. One of the design choices Toby and I settled on really early on was that each character would have a "room" that be the purest form of their theme. Joey feels most at home in her bedroom, which is a sanctuary from the rest of the awful house she lives in. <i>Toby Fox:</i> - I think my original version of this was like 40 seconds long or something… James did a really good job fleshing it out and making it something that’s listenable for long enough to look at the Bubsy poster 40 times in a row. + I think my original version of this was like 40 seconds long or something... James did a really good job fleshing it out and making it something that's listenable for long enough to look at the Bubsy poster 40 times in a row. --- Track: Half-Harley Manor Duration: '2:52' @@ -84,9 +84,9 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Half-Harley Manor - Unknown.mid' Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - This went through a bunch of revisions, too. It used a lot of harpsichord originally, which we then thought we’d use a little more sparingly. When we first came onto the project Andrew told us “it’s like a haunted house” so we really made it like… spooky but months down the line Andrew was like “ok lads reel it in it’s not actually haunted just lonely” so we switched it to piano and toned it down a bit. Toby ended up doing the final version of this one, though I think a piano version I did exists somewhere too. + This went through a bunch of revisions, too. It used a lot of harpsichord originally, which we then thought we'd use a little more sparingly. When we first came onto the project Andrew told us "it's like a haunted house" so we really made it like... spooky but months down the line Andrew was like "ok lads reel it in it's not actually haunted just lonely" so we switched it to piano and toned it down a bit. Toby ended up doing the final version of this one, though I think a piano version I did exists somewhere too. <i>Toby Fox:</i> - This is one of the first tracks I did for the game. I’m pretty proud of how it turned out from a musical standpoint, though I guess it’s kind of serious given how goofy the house looks. Whoops… + This is one of the first tracks I did for the game. I'm pretty proud of how it turned out from a musical standpoint, though I guess it's kind of serious given how goofy the house looks. Whoops... --- Track: Relatively Visible Darkness Duration: '2:02' @@ -97,11 +97,11 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Half-Harley Manor Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - Overall it felt like the mansion wasn’t dorky enough so I wrote this even MORE toned down version of it for when the lights go out. Stripping down Toby’s song in this way makes it sound kinda like Luigi’s Mansion, which rules so it all worked out. This was originally going to be the theme for just downstairs. In the time since then, though we decided to have music changes based more on “narrative” and less on just “location.” You don’t spend that much time upstairs so it would seem kinda silly to have the “MAIN THEME” of the mansion be heard for the two minutes you’re in the hallway. You will see more of these dynamic music changes in ACT 2. + Overall it felt like the mansion wasn't dorky enough so I wrote this even MORE toned down version of it for when the lights go out. Stripping down Toby's song in this way makes it sound kinda like Luigi's Mansion, which rules so it all worked out. This was originally going to be the theme for just downstairs. In the time since then, though we decided to have music changes based more on "narrative" and less on just "location." You don't spend that much time upstairs so it would seem kinda silly to have the "MAIN THEME" of the mansion be heard for the two minutes you're in the hallway. You will see more of these dynamic music changes in ACT 2. <i>Toby Fox:</i> - It sounds kind of like Yoshi’s Story to me. This turned out to be a really tuba-heavy soundtrack somehow. Maybe that’s a good thing though. + It sounds kind of like Yoshi's Story to me. This turned out to be a really tuba-heavy soundtrack somehow. Maybe that's a good thing though. <i>James Roach:</i> - We just kept telling each other to add Tuba to things. Like some sort of Will They/Won’t They Tuba standoff. + We just kept telling each other to add Tuba to things. Like some sort of Will They/Won't They Tuba standoff. --- Track: Bedroom for an Annoying Dog Duration: '3:32' @@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> Cohen named this one this because it is the basement and Toby was living in Andrews basement at some point while he was working on Undertale. You may not have heard of it. There is no secret Undertale reference in this room. Checkmate, game theorists. Anyway Toby and I thought it would be really funny if we made the mansion theme sound like the Sephiroth song from Final Fantasy 7 and originally the directors hated it but I cried until I got my way. <i>Toby Fox:</i> - I literally didn’t understand why it was called this until I read James’s comment on it. + I literally didn't understand why it was called this until I read James's comment on it. <i>James Roach:</i> Toby what the hell. --- @@ -132,11 +132,11 @@ MIDI Project Files: - "That's How I Beat Snake - IronInvoker47 (piano).mid" Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - Originally all the strife song titles had the word STRIFE in them. This one was called “Why’d it have to be STRIFE” a reference to the classic line in Indiana Jones where Indy, a known pacifist, questions the violent tone of the film. It is an extremely important moment in american cinema AND meta comedy. I’m honestly so surprised you hadn’t heard of it. Anyway this is based off of “SNAKE GENESIS” which I wrote first. Movie Magic! + Originally all the strife song titles had the word STRIFE in them. This one was called "Why'd it have to be STRIFE" a reference to the classic line in Indiana Jones where Indy, a known pacifist, questions the violent tone of the film. It is an extremely important moment in american cinema AND meta comedy. I'm honestly so surprised you hadn't heard of it. Anyway this is based off of "SNAKE GENESIS" which I wrote first. Movie Magic! <i>Toby Fox:</i> They probably should have also named the song that plays when you play the Snake minigame this. Just two songs with an identical name. That would be have been cool. <i>Cohen Edenfield:</i> - (Hey Cohen here. several people have asked if the title is a reference to the aaron carter song. obviously it is, yes, that. James’ song titles were good but they were usually a very direct reference to what actually happened in the scene they were playing for. So I renamed them, because I didn’t want people poring over the tracklist to decode the entire plot before actually playing the game. because you would have. I know you.) + (Hey Cohen here. several people have asked if the title is a reference to the aaron carter song. obviously it is, yes, that. James' song titles were good but they were usually a very direct reference to what actually happened in the scene they were playing for. So I renamed them, because I didn't want people poring over the tracklist to decode the entire plot before actually playing the game. because you would have. I know you.) --- Track: Jude Harley, Bizarrely Duration: '1:38' @@ -148,9 +148,9 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Joey Claire, Extraordinaire Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - Hey did you know Jude’s treehouse theme is just a slightly different “Joey Claire, Extraordinaire?” Anyway here is where I first accidentally discovered how fun it is to write a completely unlistenable synth sound that sounds like some hapless dweeb. I have truly realized my ultimate self. + Hey did you know Jude's treehouse theme is just a slightly different "Joey Claire, Extraordinaire?" Anyway here is where I first accidentally discovered how fun it is to write a completely unlistenable synth sound that sounds like some hapless dweeb. I have truly realized my ultimate self. <i>Toby Fox:</i> - Besides tubas, I think James’s weird voicey grubble synths that sound like they’re yelling are maybe the most defining instrument of this soundtrack. + Besides tubas, I think James's weird voicey grubble synths that sound like they're yelling are maybe the most defining instrument of this soundtrack. --- Track: Table for Tooth Duration: '2:15' @@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Table for Tooth - IronInvoker47 (piano).mid' Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - I wrote this in 2014 and I THINK the original monster you fought here was the proto version big monster with two mouths, from the Living Room STRIFE. I wanted the synth to sound like the monster singing because I didn’t know how the monsters sounded yet and I thought it’d be funny if they were like stupid idiots. + I wrote this in 2014 and I THINK the original monster you fought here was the proto version big monster with two mouths, from the Living Room STRIFE. I wanted the synth to sound like the monster singing because I didn't know how the monsters sounded yet and I thought it'd be funny if they were like stupid idiots. --- Track: Final Spice Duration: 0:54 @@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> It is my favorite song on Vol. 1. <i>Cohen Edenfield:</i> - (hi it’s Cohen I intentionally made this strife more convoluted and complex as a result of how much I love this song, sorry) + (hi it's Cohen I intentionally made this strife more convoluted and complex as a result of how much I love this song, sorry) --- Track: Living Legend Duration: '1:22' @@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Joey Claire, Extraordinaire Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - I wanted to write something very Final Fantasy Boss Battle™ and around the time I wrote this an article came out where Nobuo Uematsu says he just wrote phrases a few measures at a time and put them together so that’s what I did. (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvyE9AJoUCM">youtube.com/watch?v=mvyE9AJoUCM</a>) + I wanted to write something very Final Fantasy Boss Battle™ and around the time I wrote this an article came out where Nobuo Uematsu says he just wrote phrases a few measures at a time and put them together so that's what I did. (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvyE9AJoUCM">youtube.com/watch?v=mvyE9AJoUCM</a>) <i>Toby Fox:</i> Basically James is saying this is the One Winged Angel of the Hiveswap soundtrack. --- @@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Half-Harley Manor Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - This was written based off the extremely old original snake chase sketch Toby did. I wanted to put that throwback in for myself. Like an easter egg only I know or care about. I also wanted to try like… sampling stuff since I’m not super good at it yet and wanted to grow as a composer. + This was written based off the extremely old original snake chase sketch Toby did. I wanted to put that throwback in for myself. Like an easter egg only I know or care about. I also wanted to try like... sampling stuff since I'm not super good at it yet and wanted to grow as a composer. <i>Cohen Edenfield:</i> (hey this is named Singular Peril because it plays during the only point in Act 1 when you can die. do you get the joke) --- @@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Half-Harley Manor Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - This is a Toby Track 100% he just goes ham with echo. If you ever look at his work files it’s like a thousand tracks and half of them are just echoes. This sounds so good toby is so good. I think this was originally a loop for… <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hiveswap/conversation-loops">in between conversations or something</a>? + This is a Toby Track 100% he just goes ham with echo. If you ever look at his work files it's like a thousand tracks and half of them are just echoes. This sounds so good toby is so good. I think this was originally a loop for... <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hiveswap/conversation-loops">in between conversations or something</a>? <i>Toby Fox:</i> I think it was just written for the attic in general. --- @@ -233,9 +233,9 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:how-it-could-have-gone Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - This track has a really rich backstory, in the sense that it has had several complete versions each with their own revision process. You can check out one of those versions in the B-side “how it could have gone” available on bandcamp. + This track has a really rich backstory, in the sense that it has had several complete versions each with their own revision process. You can check out one of those versions in the B-side "how it could have gone" available on bandcamp. <i>Toby Fox:</i> - My main contribution to this track is the piano riff 10 seconds in… Hell yeah… + My main contribution to this track is the piano riff 10 seconds in... Hell yeah... --- Track: Keep Your Head Down Duration: '1:10' @@ -247,9 +247,9 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:drone-pq Commentary: |- <i>Toby Fox:</i> - I think I was asked to make this sound kind of 80’s back when the game was going to be in 3D. I mean, either that, or I made it sound kind of 80’s for no reason. Anyway, it’s just an arrangement of Xefros’s theme that I made for when tense stuff is happening. + I think I was asked to make this sound kind of 80's back when the game was going to be in 3D. I mean, either that, or I made it sound kind of 80's for no reason. Anyway, it's just an arrangement of Xefros's theme that I made for when tense stuff is happening. <i>James Roach:</i> - It kinda sounds like blade runner I have always upheld this even though I’ve never seen blade runner. + It kinda sounds like blade runner I have always upheld this even though I've never seen blade runner. <i>Toby Fox:</i> Me neither. <i>James Roach:</i> @@ -264,12 +264,12 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Some Kind of Alien Commentary: |- <i>Toby Fox:</i> - I made this track but I didn’t name it. I had nothing to do with the name here. James named this. + I made this track but I didn't name it. I had nothing to do with the name here. James named this. <i>James Roach:</i> - I can’t believe creator of hit webcomic homestuck and best friend of the pope, Toby Fox, would disown me in this way. Thrown under the bus! Left to die! A betrayal of the highest caliber. Owned in my own home. Absolutely destroyed. - Anyway yeah I named it. I feel like after “Oppa Toby Style” he would have learned to stop letting me name his tracks. How many times do I have to teach you this lesson. + I can't believe creator of hit webcomic homestuck and best friend of the pope, Toby Fox, would disown me in this way. Thrown under the bus! Left to die! A betrayal of the highest caliber. Owned in my own home. Absolutely destroyed. + Anyway yeah I named it. I feel like after "Oppa Toby Style" he would have learned to stop letting me name his tracks. How many times do I have to teach you this lesson. <i>Cohen Edenfield:</i> - (hi it’s Cohen. When I renamed the album tracks this was one of only 2 or 3 that James really wanted to keep. He didn’t tell me that it was a furry meme. I don’t know about memes. I’m just a little bappy paws otter I don’t know shit) + (hi it's Cohen. When I renamed the album tracks this was one of only 2 or 3 that James really wanted to keep. He didn't tell me that it was a furry meme. I don't know about memes. I'm just a little bappy paws otter I don't know shit) <img src="media/misc/owo.png" width="500" height="421"> --- Track: Some Kind of Alien @@ -288,11 +288,11 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Some Kind of Alien - Unknown B.mid' Commentary: |- <i>Toby Fox:</i> - Another track I made really early on as one of the themes for the entire game/Alternia in general. It ended up being one of Dammek’s themes. It’s a pretty clear nod to Crustacean from Homestuck. LMAO I almost typed “Crustacean from UNDERTALE,” + Another track I made really early on as one of the themes for the entire game/Alternia in general. It ended up being one of Dammek's themes. It's a pretty clear nod to Crustacean from Homestuck. LMAO I almost typed "Crustacean from UNDERTALE," <i>James Roach:</i> Oh wow. Yet Another Betrayal At The Hands Of My Once Brother, Toby Fox. <i>Toby Fox:</i> - Anyway because a few of my friends really liked that song and it seemed to feel really “Troll” to me, it seemed like a good idea to bring back that feeling for Hiveswap. And get some nostalgia in there as well. And to put more tubas on the soundtrack. + Anyway because a few of my friends really liked that song and it seemed to feel really "Troll" to me, it seemed like a good idea to bring back that feeling for Hiveswap. And get some nostalgia in there as well. And to put more tubas on the soundtrack. <i>James Roach:</i> My contribution to this track is that I made <i>Toby</i> go in and add in more tuba. There is a disgusting tuba-less version of this song that will never see the light of day. --- @@ -307,11 +307,11 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Rustblood - Unknown (piano).mid' Commentary: |- <i>Toby Fox:</i> - Basically what I was told about Xefros before composing this track is that he’s kind of sad and pathetic and it makes you feel bad for him. Also him and Dammek are in a shitty rock band. So I tried to compose something that was kind of lumbering and morose-sounding, but also a bit like… a rock band? In the end maybe it’s a bit too heavy-sounding for Xefros, but I like the melody a lot. Also here’s more voluntary tubas from me. That’s all of my tuba contributions I think. + Basically what I was told about Xefros before composing this track is that he's kind of sad and pathetic and it makes you feel bad for him. Also him and Dammek are in a shitty rock band. So I tried to compose something that was kind of lumbering and morose-sounding, but also a bit like... a rock band? In the end maybe it's a bit too heavy-sounding for Xefros, but I like the melody a lot. Also here's more voluntary tubas from me. That's all of my tuba contributions I think. <i>James Roach:</i> - Cohen, I typed “Dobey Fox :)” up there and Toby deleted it. :( + Cohen, I typed "Dobey Fox :)" up there and Toby deleted it. :( <i>Cohen Edenfield:</i> - (fight your own battles James I can’t be there to protect you from Toby every day of your life) + (fight your own battles James I can't be there to protect you from Toby every day of your life) --- Track: Filthy Nuclear Bunker Duration: '4:34' @@ -329,9 +329,9 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Filthy Nuclear Bunker - Unknown B.mid' Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - James: This is the most James Roach™ track on the album and it’s extremely good. I wrote <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwXIB50mB3k">this melody</a> when I was 12 and I sneak it into every major project I’m in. I have rewritten and remixed and remastered this song about a thousand times. The melody is named “Nuclear” so I made sure that was somewhere in the title. + James: This is the most James Roach™ track on the album and it's extremely good. I wrote <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwXIB50mB3k">this melody</a> when I was 12 and I sneak it into every major project I'm in. I have rewritten and remixed and remastered this song about a thousand times. The melody is named "Nuclear" so I made sure that was somewhere in the title. <i>Toby Fox:</i> - I actually think this is James’s best arrangement of the song that he wrote when he was 12 that he keeps putting into everything. I’m glad it could be used somewhere the player will be forced to listen to it for a really long time. It’s great. + I actually think this is James's best arrangement of the song that he wrote when he was 12 that he keeps putting into everything. I'm glad it could be used somewhere the player will be forced to listen to it for a really long time. It's great. <i>James Roach:</i> I made it his hive theme just to force people to listen to it again. --- @@ -344,13 +344,13 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Rustblood Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - This was another title I managed to slip in there. I love to name things in a stupid way. If somethings really bad it’s funny. It’s also funny if something’s really good too. Maybe I just like to laugh. I am a man of much nuance. Anyway here is the ska song you begged me for. I wanted it to be a cheery version of Xefros’s theme because it is the place in his house he probably feels most like himself. Surrounded by Anime and SPORTS! Quite possibly.. <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hiveswap/redacted-rumpus-room-refrain">the biggest mood imaginable</a>? + This was another title I managed to slip in there. I love to name things in a stupid way. If somethings really bad it's funny. It's also funny if something's really good too. Maybe I just like to laugh. I am a man of much nuance. Anyway here is the ska song you begged me for. I wanted it to be a cheery version of Xefros's theme because it is the place in his house he probably feels most like himself. Surrounded by Anime and SPORTS! Quite possibly.. <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hiveswap/redacted-rumpus-room-refrain">the biggest mood imaginable</a>? <i>Toby Fox:</i> - I couldn’t stop him from putting a ska song on the soundtrack sorry guys + I couldn't stop him from putting a ska song on the soundtrack sorry guys <i>James Roach:</i> I would love to see you try little man. <i>Cohen Edenfield:</i> - (I don’t know what anime he’s talking about. I guess the paused Arena Stickball match on the TV is pretty anime-looking. But James also sees anime everywhere, wherever he goes. One time I saw him pick a rotten peach up off the ground, call it a “tsun-momo,” and take a huge bite. He bit right through the pit) + (I don't know what anime he's talking about. I guess the paused Arena Stickball match on the TV is pretty anime-looking. But James also sees anime everywhere, wherever he goes. One time I saw him pick a rotten peach up off the ground, call it a "tsun-momo," and take a huge bite. He bit right through the pit) --- Track: Lofted Gunpile Duration: '4:08' @@ -361,10 +361,10 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Some Kind of Alien Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - This was actually my pass at “Some Kind Of Alien” when I was trying to show Toby what I meant by “make it quiet....... THEN REAL LOUD!!!” and it ended up working out cool cause we needed an extra track for Dammek’s hive. + This was actually my pass at "Some Kind Of Alien" when I was trying to show Toby what I meant by "make it quiet....... THEN REAL LOUD!!!" and it ended up working out cool cause we needed an extra track for Dammek's hive. <img src="media/misc/lofted-gunpile.png" width="500" height="289"> <i>Toby Fox:</i> - Your advice didn’t work on me because I just like things to be really loud all the time. + Your advice didn't work on me because I just like things to be really loud all the time. --- Track: SERPENT GENESIS Duration: '1:14' @@ -373,13 +373,13 @@ URLs: - https://youtu.be/QpYpoQ-9XYc Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - I actually wrote this one first, despite it basically being a chiptune version of “That’s How I Beat Snake” I tricked you guys into thinking THIS was a throwback to the snake strife. keep trying junior + I actually wrote this one first, despite it basically being a chiptune version of "That's How I Beat Snake" I tricked you guys into thinking THIS was a throwback to the snake strife. keep trying junior <i>Toby Fox:</i> - This one really should have been called “HOW DO I BEAT SNAKE?” because I never found the clue to solving it and just did it by brute force. Also the drums kind of remind me of ska. + This one really should have been called "HOW DO I BEAT SNAKE?" because I never found the clue to solving it and just did it by brute force. Also the drums kind of remind me of ska. <i>James Roach:</i> Fuck he got me <i>Cohen Edenfield:</i> - (I am glad Toby had to brute-force this puzzle. When I played Undertale I got stuck on that stupid piano puzzle because the beta version he let me play didn’t cut you off after 8 notes or whatever. I was one note off, trying to play what I thought was this 32-note song. I also took a break for a week and was still stuck on it when I came back, so Toby thought I’d spent a week just beating my head against the wall on that one puzzle. Toby thinks everyone is a brilliant musician like him and his stupid piano puzzle was too hard the end) + (I am glad Toby had to brute-force this puzzle. When I played Undertale I got stuck on that stupid piano puzzle because the beta version he let me play didn't cut you off after 8 notes or whatever. I was one note off, trying to play what I thought was this 32-note song. I also took a break for a week and was still stuck on it when I came back, so Toby thought I'd spent a week just beating my head against the wall on that one puzzle. Toby thinks everyone is a brilliant musician like him and his stupid piano puzzle was too hard the end) --- Track: We Shall Go Together Duration: '3:18' @@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Joey Claire, Extraordinaire Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - OK I know what you’re thinking, “This gets its own track on the OST, but OLD SECRET isn’t even here??” Hey look I love old secret too but <i>(COHEN: redacted)</i>. I only put it in that cutscene for you, the fans. Also it fit really well. Anyway, this track is inspired a lot by <a href="https://tobyfox.bandcamp.com/track/quiet-water">Quiet Water</a> by Toby Fox maybe you’ve heard of him. It is just a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwICiHW-Pyk">very slowed down</a> version of Joey’s theme. + OK I know what you're thinking, "This gets its own track on the OST, but OLD SECRET isn't even here??" Hey look I love old secret too but <i>(COHEN: redacted)</i>. I only put it in that cutscene for you, the fans. Also it fit really well. Anyway, this track is inspired a lot by <a href="https://tobyfox.bandcamp.com/track/quiet-water">Quiet Water</a> by Toby Fox maybe you've heard of him. It is just a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwICiHW-Pyk">very slowed down</a> version of Joey's theme. <i>Cohen Edenfield:</i> (if you want to know what the title of this song is from google it with quotes) --- @@ -403,11 +403,11 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Intermission 1 Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - When Cohen asked me to write this song he was like “have you ever heard of transistor” and if making a smug face produced a sound we’d all be deaf. Then he asked me about rick and morty which is like.. a show I watch but never ever want to interact with anybody about ever. Anyway its that one scene you know the one. + When Cohen asked me to write this song he was like "have you ever heard of transistor" and if making a smug face produced a sound we'd all be deaf. Then he asked me about rick and morty which is like.. a show I watch but never ever want to interact with anybody about ever. Anyway its that one scene you know the one. <i>Toby Fox:</i> This song is cool <i>Cohen Edenfield:</i> - (James thought I wouldn’t <s>embed</s> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkBMXQ47d7s">link</a> this video! he underestimates me every single day of my life) + (James thought I wouldn't <s>embed</s> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkBMXQ47d7s">link</a> this video! he underestimates me every single day of my life) --- Track: Intermission 1 Duration: '2:12' @@ -420,9 +420,9 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Filthy Nuclear Bunker Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - This has a bunch of different themes but is mostly the Heiress’s theme, which is based off a <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hiveswap/original-heiress-piano-concept">really old really simple piano sketch toby sent me</a>. It’s got Nuclear in it too. also Joeys theme and Xefros’s theme. I am explicitly not saying the word “leitmotif” out of a sort of… <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0ySY6xyvf0">indignant disgust</a>. + This has a bunch of different themes but is mostly the Heiress's theme, which is based off a <a href="https://soundcloud.com/hiveswap/original-heiress-piano-concept">really old really simple piano sketch toby sent me</a>. It's got Nuclear in it too. also Joeys theme and Xefros's theme. I am explicitly not saying the word "leitmotif" out of a sort of... <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0ySY6xyvf0">indignant disgust</a>. <i>Toby Fox:</i> - There was a longer Heiress sketch too where it got really loud. Anyway I guess we’ll talk about that later when <i>(redacted)</i> + There was a longer Heiress sketch too where it got really loud. Anyway I guess we'll talk about that later when <i>(redacted)</i> <i>James Roach:</i> I absolutely refuse to wait another second. --- @@ -436,9 +436,9 @@ URLs: - https://youtu.be/e8P5G1a4iiA Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - Originally the game would have a jingle unique to each room when you did a tapdance/ballet but it ended up being too clunky so it got scrapped. Anyway here’s a few of them! + Originally the game would have a jingle unique to each room when you did a tapdance/ballet but it ended up being too clunky so it got scrapped. Anyway here's a few of them! <i>Toby Fox:</i> - When I was listening to this on bandcamp the next song started playing and I was like “Oh shit when does Joey do THIS dance???” + When I was listening to this on bandcamp the next song started playing and I was like "Oh shit when does Joey do THIS dance???" --- Track: How it Could Have Gone Directory: how-it-could-have-gone @@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> I [[track:open-the-door|already]] talked about this one I guess?? <i>Toby Fox:</i> - This was basically James’s arrangement of MY arrangement of the cutscene where, spoilers, Joey gets HIVE-SWAPPED!!!!!! The part where the choirs are soft was going to be the part when her and Dammek look at each other. + This was basically James's arrangement of MY arrangement of the cutscene where, spoilers, Joey gets HIVE-SWAPPED!!!!!! The part where the choirs are soft was going to be the part when her and Dammek look at each other. --- Track: Alternate Recipe Directory: alternate-recipe @@ -462,11 +462,11 @@ URLs: - https://youtu.be/-7hHMdXey9c Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - Toby sent me this as an mp3 of him playing a piano sketch, and then I sent him back this. we eventually settled on what became “Final Spice” + Toby sent me this as an mp3 of him playing a piano sketch, and then I sent him back this. we eventually settled on what became "Final Spice" <i>Toby Fox:</i> - This is like listening to the early unreleased version of Chrono Trigger’s battle theme. + This is like listening to the early unreleased version of Chrono Trigger's battle theme. <i>James Roach:</i> - I think I’ve just been like.. Owned by proximity. + I think I've just been like.. Owned by proximity. --- Track: Heavy Snaking Directory: heavy-snaking @@ -480,11 +480,11 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Joey Claire, Extraordinaire Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - When we first envisioned the basement/snake strife it was gonna be really moody like the basement music. I wrote this as a joke but it worked out really well. But later we decided that scene could use a little BEEFING UP in terms of… intensity and energy? Anyway that’s how a completely finished track ended up as a b-side. Could we re-use it later? Not really it’s literally the mansion theme and table for tooth so it cant go anywhere else! + When we first envisioned the basement/snake strife it was gonna be really moody like the basement music. I wrote this as a joke but it worked out really well. But later we decided that scene could use a little BEEFING UP in terms of... intensity and energy? Anyway that's how a completely finished track ended up as a b-side. Could we re-use it later? Not really it's literally the mansion theme and table for tooth so it cant go anywhere else! <i>Cohen Edenfield:</i> (I actually thought we could use this song somewhere else but James was really insistent it be a B-Side, so I guess when the time comes when we could have used it he will have to write a whole new song. haha owned again roach) <i>Toby Fox:</i> - I don’t even remember if I’ve ever heard this one. It would have worked too I guess if the Snake was more chill. + I don't even remember if I've ever heard this one. It would have worked too I guess if the Snake was more chill. <i>James Roach:</i> like just an unbelievably chill snake. <i>Toby Fox:</i> @@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Relatively Visible Darkness Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - When Toby was working on undertale he’d send me little snippets here and there of music he was working on and when he sent me spooktune I fell in love with it. Instead of telling him I liked it, months later I sent him this like “haha nice song idiot” we are good friends who respect eachother but that doesn’t mean we cant own eachother on occasion or constantly. + When Toby was working on undertale he'd send me little snippets here and there of music he was working on and when he sent me spooktune I fell in love with it. Instead of telling him I liked it, months later I sent him this like "haha nice song idiot" we are good friends who respect eachother but that doesn't mean we cant own eachother on occasion or constantly. <i>Toby Fox:</i> I have to respect James for being the only fan of Spooktune in the entire world. <i>Toby Fox:</i> @@ -509,4 +509,4 @@ Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> Great job team <i>Cohen Edenfield:</i> - OK everybody that’s it. We’ll be back next week with something else, which will also be good. Probably something about the art? Yeah. OK bye. + OK everybody that's it. We'll be back next week with something else, which will also be good. Probably something about the art? Yeah. OK bye. diff --git a/album/hiveswap-friendsim.yaml b/album/hiveswap-friendsim.yaml index 5337e1cc..2926f0ec 100644 --- a/album/hiveswap-friendsim.yaml +++ b/album/hiveswap-friendsim.yaml @@ -400,9 +400,9 @@ Referenced Tracks: - GRAVEYARD SHIFT Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - here it is. the end of an era. working on friendsim has been an absolutely wild ride. i honestly can’t tell you what its meant to me to be a part of something like this again. i’ve learned a lot about myself and what im capable of and what im willing to do to make it work. i guess this probably comes off as cryptic. - a lot happened. an absolutely bananas series of events that lead up to this project and the more baffling moments that have transpired since. its… one of those things that only homestuck could have produced, you know? It was an incredible opportunity with a lot of ups and downs and emotional significance. it will probably continue to be that. I had a lot of fun doing all of this for you. it also… ate up a LOT of my time, though. I have been on a nonstop homestuck train for like the last five years and only now that i’ve gotten into the groove of things its ending again. bittersweet. for now. - i don’t really know how to feel but i hope i at least wrote a song or two you liked along the way. - heres the one for MC/DOC SCRATCH that i think is my favorite from the whole thing. its based off a song from an old (bad) fantroll album i did in like 2011 (and the song was written even earlier than that) that i have since purged from the internet as best i can. thank you for not reposting it. i re-used a lot of assets from it for other stuff. i was in a real weird place when i made it so aside from it being kinda bad i just… don’t wanna see it ever LMAO. - that album made the homestuck music community real mad at me because they thought i was getting preferential treatment for being popular on-line and friendly with some WP staff on twitter. my unofficial album got approved for sale and at the same time, completely unknown to me someone on the music team’s album didn’t get approved. a handful of them used this incident to talk shit about me for several years. one of them made fun of me for my dad passing away?? yikes. most of us have made our peace (i understand how easy it is to get caught up in dog-piling on a common enemy or w/e) but theres still one or two that are like… still real mad at me for this percieved slight. they’ll say like “you were rude to us” and its like… you guys… literally made fun of me for not having a family i’m not sure what you want from me. + here it is. the end of an era. working on friendsim has been an absolutely wild ride. i honestly can't tell you what its meant to me to be a part of something like this again. i've learned a lot about myself and what im capable of and what im willing to do to make it work. i guess this probably comes off as cryptic. + a lot happened. an absolutely bananas series of events that lead up to this project and the more baffling moments that have transpired since. its... one of those things that only homestuck could have produced, you know? It was an incredible opportunity with a lot of ups and downs and emotional significance. it will probably continue to be that. I had a lot of fun doing all of this for you. it also... ate up a LOT of my time, though. I have been on a nonstop homestuck train for like the last five years and only now that i've gotten into the groove of things its ending again. bittersweet. for now. + i don't really know how to feel but i hope i at least wrote a song or two you liked along the way. + heres the one for MC/DOC SCRATCH that i think is my favorite from the whole thing. its based off a song from an old (bad) fantroll album i did in like 2011 (and the song was written even earlier than that) that i have since purged from the internet as best i can. thank you for not reposting it. i re-used a lot of assets from it for other stuff. i was in a real weird place when i made it so aside from it being kinda bad i just... don't wanna see it ever LMAO. + that album made the homestuck music community real mad at me because they thought i was getting preferential treatment for being popular on-line and friendly with some WP staff on twitter. my unofficial album got approved for sale and at the same time, completely unknown to me someone on the music team's album didn't get approved. a handful of them used this incident to talk shit about me for several years. one of them made fun of me for my dad passing away?? yikes. most of us have made our peace (i understand how easy it is to get caught up in dog-piling on a common enemy or w/e) but theres still one or two that are like... still real mad at me for this percieved slight. they'll say like "you were rude to us" and its like... you guys... literally made fun of me for not having a family i'm not sure what you want from me. this one got away from me. anyway. thanks for listening. stop being weird to me on twitter. tip your waitstaff. diff --git a/album/homestuck-vol-1-4.yaml b/album/homestuck-vol-1-4.yaml index f91a44ca..28e2484d 100644 --- a/album/homestuck-vol-1-4.yaml +++ b/album/homestuck-vol-1-4.yaml @@ -245,9 +245,9 @@ Sheet Music Files: - 'Gardener - lugiaa.pdf' Commentary: |- <i>Steve Everson:</i> - This is part of the Bolin Incident. If you don’t know what happened, up until half-way through Act 4 a guy called Bill Bolin was on the time, one of the original members. He was a great musician, that much can’t be denied; he wrote a lot of tracks that appeared in early act 3; Jade’s bass solo, the remix of it, the last part of the Dave and Bro battle… some others I forget. During that flash with Dave and Rose on Derse the original music was five Bolin tracks, ones he wasn’t all that happy with. He flipped out and did a lot of things that ended up with him dropped from the team, and his music replaced. - I called replacing Jade’s bass solo (I was enthusiastic about getting something of mine into the comic). We figured there’d probably be an existing piece of music used for the remix on Prospit so there were a couple of different versions remixing different tracks until Something Really Excellent was locked in. - We were on a strict timetable at the time, so I didn’t get the chance to find a really good bass voice or find a good rhythm. That was much improved for the actual release in Volumes 1-4. + This is part of the Bolin Incident. If you don't know what happened, up until half-way through Act 4 a guy called Bill Bolin was on the time, one of the original members. He was a great musician, that much can't be denied; he wrote a lot of tracks that appeared in early act 3; Jade's bass solo, the remix of it, the last part of the Dave and Bro battle... some others I forget. During that flash with Dave and Rose on Derse the original music was five Bolin tracks, ones he wasn't all that happy with. He flipped out and did a lot of things that ended up with him dropped from the team, and his music replaced. + I called replacing Jade's bass solo (I was enthusiastic about getting something of mine into the comic). We figured there'd probably be an existing piece of music used for the remix on Prospit so there were a couple of different versions remixing different tracks until Something Really Excellent was locked in. + We were on a strict timetable at the time, so I didn't get the chance to find a really good bass voice or find a good rhythm. That was much improved for the actual release in Volumes 1-4. --- Track: Showtime Remix Directory: showtime-remix-vol-1-4 diff --git a/album/homestuck-vol-3.yaml b/album/homestuck-vol-3.yaml index 23b68229..f900fb44 100644 --- a/album/homestuck-vol-3.yaml +++ b/album/homestuck-vol-3.yaml @@ -116,11 +116,11 @@ MIDI Project Files: Commentary: |- <i>Nick Smalley:</i> WELL - It was 2008 and I was a silly little boy and thought ORGMaker was good-ass music program, so I decided to make a song in it. Half an hour later forged this booger of a song. Seriously. It took half an hour to make this. Then I saw that THE HUSS posted something about a Problem Sleuth opening? So I was like damn that’s bananas I’ll show him up! (wow look at this nerd thinking he can actually make music) + It was 2008 and I was a silly little boy and thought ORGMaker was good-ass music program, so I decided to make a song in it. Half an hour later forged this booger of a song. Seriously. It took half an hour to make this. Then I saw that THE HUSS posted something about a Problem Sleuth opening? So I was like damn that's bananas I'll show him up! (wow look at this nerd thinking he can actually make music) I sent it to his email and like a day later he sent one back asking about the music team. FLATTERING, IT WAS. So I was like sure sign me up g homey dog slice foo - And that’s the story of how I got on the music team. + And that's the story of how I got on the music team. Oh wait. You just wanted Ohgodwhat. - (ps that’s what it was called when i made it too) + (ps that's what it was called when i made it too) --- Track: Ohgodwhat Remix Artists: diff --git a/album/homestuck-vol-5.yaml b/album/homestuck-vol-5.yaml index 6fc98eab..90c691de 100644 --- a/album/homestuck-vol-5.yaml +++ b/album/homestuck-vol-5.yaml @@ -441,22 +441,22 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Solatrus:</i> <i>(original commentary)</i> My Skaia remix was actually done before I joined the music team. I had first made a remix of Doctor (which you can hear <a href="https://homestuckgaiden.bandcamp.com/track/doctor-deep-breeze-mix">here</a>), which apparently really caught the attention of the team, in part thanks to Blueberry. - Anyway, just as I do now, I streamed music pretty regularly back then, and I’d often times do some improvisational piano over the rest of the mix I made for Incipisphere. Of course, one of those improv sessions (though not a live one) is what made it into the final mix. + Anyway, just as I do now, I streamed music pretty regularly back then, and I'd often times do some improvisational piano over the rest of the mix I made for Incipisphere. Of course, one of those improv sessions (though not a live one) is what made it into the final mix. Ultimately, Radiation told me it would probably be a good idea to not release Incipisphere Mix anywhere, and then eventually I got a private message from Andrew saying he wanted a .wav of it. And the rest, I guess, is history? Oh, and one more thing: AndrewNeo, the guy who runs skaia.net, named both my Doctor remix and my Skaia remix. <i>(commentary redux)</i> - Let’s have a bit of history before we jump into things with this song. + Let's have a bit of history before we jump into things with this song. <b>A Bit of History</b> - I’ve been writing music among the longest out of all of the team members (9 and a half years now), but definitely not the longest. However, I definitely have to say I’ve improved more over the past two years than the seven years before that just from working with so many talented people. - But the difference in improvement between then and now is a story for another day. Let’s zip right just before I joined the team. While Skaia (Incipisphere Mix) is my first official Homestuck song, Doctor (Deep Breeze Mix) is my first Homestuck-related song, which you can download <a href="https://homestuckgaiden.bandcamp.com/track/doctor-deep-breeze-mix">here</a>. - The reason I’m mentioning my Doctor remix is because it very much helped put Incipisphere Mix on Volume 5. From what I was told, it turned a few heads on the team. Kind of hilarious to go back and look at the thread, because multiple of my chums posted just after I did and I wasn’t even aware of who they were at the time. Then again, I was still VERY new to the community at the time. My very first post on the MSPA Forums was of a WIP of my Doctor remix. + I've been writing music among the longest out of all of the team members (9 and a half years now), but definitely not the longest. However, I definitely have to say I've improved more over the past two years than the seven years before that just from working with so many talented people. + But the difference in improvement between then and now is a story for another day. Let's zip right just before I joined the team. While Skaia (Incipisphere Mix) is my first official Homestuck song, Doctor (Deep Breeze Mix) is my first Homestuck-related song, which you can download <a href="https://homestuckgaiden.bandcamp.com/track/doctor-deep-breeze-mix">here</a>. + The reason I'm mentioning my Doctor remix is because it very much helped put Incipisphere Mix on Volume 5. From what I was told, it turned a few heads on the team. Kind of hilarious to go back and look at the thread, because multiple of my chums posted just after I did and I wasn't even aware of who they were at the time. Then again, I was still VERY new to the community at the time. My very first post on the MSPA Forums was of a WIP of my Doctor remix. Blueberry eventually put me in contact with Radiation, and I was told not to release my Skaia remix anywhere. That made me very curious! And then not too long after that (a few days, I think), I received a message from Andrew Hussie himself on the forums saying he wanted the lossless master of Incipisphere. - “Oh snap! I’m a guest artist on Volume 5!” … And the following day I see a new subforum sitting there and I found out I was invited to join the team. Exciting times, indeed. + "Oh snap! I'm a guest artist on Volume 5!" ... And the following day I see a new subforum sitting there and I found out I was invited to join the team. Exciting times, indeed. <b>The Song Itself</b> - Now, I’m sure people are wondering why I went with doing a remix of Skies of Skaia. Well, simply put, I really liked the chord progression, and I really enjoyed one of the remixes that was formerly in the discography. Because of both, I decided I wanted to do something with a bit of a heavier sound to it, but keeping consistent with the light and vibrant tone qualities. - The bassline and drums definitely helped give the song a much heavier feel than the original, showing an earlier example of what I feel has become my typical contrast in music. I very much enjoy contrasts in all art forms. Unexpected contrasts that are executed well just really made me happy. I can’t say I’m particularly happy with the bassline now, but back then that was pretty appropriate for my skill level, plus having an arpeggiating sound that I really used to do too much. - Of course, the comments I see the most on this song are on the improvised piano part. Before I was on the team I started doing a regular broadcast on the skaia.net internet radio, and I’d improvise over this song pretty often back then. I eventually figured out a few parts that I wanted to keep consistent, and I did a bunch of takes to finally get to what you hear in the final song. Of course, MIDI never seems to record very accurately, and I’m not actually the greatest at piano (!!!), so I had to do some fine-tuning on the note timings to make them actually sound precise. But those really fast runs were definitely real, and, no, don’t ask me to play it again. I won’t be able to. It was a really good day for me. + Now, I'm sure people are wondering why I went with doing a remix of Skies of Skaia. Well, simply put, I really liked the chord progression, and I really enjoyed one of the remixes that was formerly in the discography. Because of both, I decided I wanted to do something with a bit of a heavier sound to it, but keeping consistent with the light and vibrant tone qualities. + The bassline and drums definitely helped give the song a much heavier feel than the original, showing an earlier example of what I feel has become my typical contrast in music. I very much enjoy contrasts in all art forms. Unexpected contrasts that are executed well just really made me happy. I can't say I'm particularly happy with the bassline now, but back then that was pretty appropriate for my skill level, plus having an arpeggiating sound that I really used to do too much. + Of course, the comments I see the most on this song are on the improvised piano part. Before I was on the team I started doing a regular broadcast on the skaia.net internet radio, and I'd improvise over this song pretty often back then. I eventually figured out a few parts that I wanted to keep consistent, and I did a bunch of takes to finally get to what you hear in the final song. Of course, MIDI never seems to record very accurately, and I'm not actually the greatest at piano (!!!), so I had to do some fine-tuning on the note timings to make them actually sound precise. But those really fast runs were definitely real, and, no, don't ask me to play it again. I won't be able to. It was a really good day for me. --- Track: Sarabande Directory: sarabande-vol5 @@ -485,10 +485,10 @@ Sheet Music Files: - 'Sarabande - MarimbaMaestoso (bass).pdf' Commentary: |- <i>Erik Scheele:</i> - I’ll never really know what happened to produce this. Not really, never. I wish I could remember if there was some thought process behind it, some sort of inspiration, but I really can’t remember any. Most likely, that was for the better. - What I mean is, I used to do a lot of improvisation after theater classes, instead of practicing, while my mother would clean up the various classrooms that were used. There was never really any inspiration for things that I can remember, and they were just a lot of off-the-cuff experiments of a sort, I guess. Some probably turned out great, and there were probably more than a couple days where nothing happened. I can remember trying to emulate different video game soundtracks or bits from them, but that was never really a norm. The only thing I’d ever think regularly was how no one would ever actually hear the improvisation I was playing, and I was okay with that. This was before college, anyway. - My point is, improvisation rarely had a point, so it’s really impossible to nail down if there was any reason for playing Sarabande that night. The way it went about, I just played the piece, exactly how it was recorded, aside from one little mistake. Then I stopped, went “Okay yeah, that was good”, packed up, and left. A while later, I needed to play things for the composer concert, so I performed it from memory, and that’s where the recording came from. - It’s kind of gained a status among the fandom for being music for when John reads Jade’s letter, which I think is a rather good place for it to go. Although, I think I actually called it “Rooftop Waltz” at one point, for Rose/Dave shipping stuff, buuuuut I’m rather glad that the “purpose” and title is changed now. “Rooftop Waltz”, that’s such an awful cheesy love title, plus, the piece really is a sarabande. I mean literally, it fits the genre fairly well, plus my composition prof called it “a perfect sarabande”, so there we go. + I'll never really know what happened to produce this. Not really, never. I wish I could remember if there was some thought process behind it, some sort of inspiration, but I really can't remember any. Most likely, that was for the better. + What I mean is, I used to do a lot of improvisation after theater classes, instead of practicing, while my mother would clean up the various classrooms that were used. There was never really any inspiration for things that I can remember, and they were just a lot of off-the-cuff experiments of a sort, I guess. Some probably turned out great, and there were probably more than a couple days where nothing happened. I can remember trying to emulate different video game soundtracks or bits from them, but that was never really a norm. The only thing I'd ever think regularly was how no one would ever actually hear the improvisation I was playing, and I was okay with that. This was before college, anyway. + My point is, improvisation rarely had a point, so it's really impossible to nail down if there was any reason for playing Sarabande that night. The way it went about, I just played the piece, exactly how it was recorded, aside from one little mistake. Then I stopped, went "Okay yeah, that was good", packed up, and left. A while later, I needed to play things for the composer concert, so I performed it from memory, and that's where the recording came from. + It's kind of gained a status among the fandom for being music for when John reads Jade's letter, which I think is a rather good place for it to go. Although, I think I actually called it "Rooftop Waltz" at one point, for Rose/Dave shipping stuff, buuuuut I'm rather glad that the "purpose" and title is changed now. "Rooftop Waltz", that's such an awful cheesy love title, plus, the piece really is a sarabande. I mean literally, it fits the genre fairly well, plus my composition prof called it "a perfect sarabande", so there we go. --- Track: Clockwork Sorrow Artists: @@ -524,9 +524,9 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> This is exactly what it sounds like. I went for a whimsical, dreamy feel with this one, expressed through the 3/4 meter, waltz patterns, Lydian mode, and ringing, bell-like timbres. There's not a lot going on in this one, though I think it's charming in a childlike way. It was the first piece I made upon my return to the music team (I was in it since the beginning, but never made anything worthwhile and left for a few months since I was starting my first year of college) <i>(extra comments in reply to a Tumblr question)</i> - For some reason waltzes, Lydian mode, harps, and bell-like timbres seemed like the most appropriate ways to evoke dreams for me. I was inspired to make it ever since seeing Jade’s dream self, and how appropriate that it was included in Dave’s dream in Derse! - For those not around since the beginning of that page or who don’t know the history, it was originally full of Bill Bolin tunes (a former music team member who left on very bad terms) and we had to replace them with existing material. One of the things Andrew put in there was Phantasmagoric Waltz, and now that page has the additional comedy of Dave and Rose jamming out to...a sweet, slow-paced romantic dance? I can dig it. - For the record, that’s not a cell phone vibration, whatever you are hearing is there just by chance. + For some reason waltzes, Lydian mode, harps, and bell-like timbres seemed like the most appropriate ways to evoke dreams for me. I was inspired to make it ever since seeing Jade's dream self, and how appropriate that it was included in Dave's dream in Derse! + For those not around since the beginning of that page or who don't know the history, it was originally full of Bill Bolin tunes (a former music team member who left on very bad terms) and we had to replace them with existing material. One of the things Andrew put in there was Phantasmagoric Waltz, and now that page has the additional comedy of Dave and Rose jamming out to...a sweet, slow-paced romantic dance? I can dig it. + For the record, that's not a cell phone vibration, whatever you are hearing is there just by chance. --- Track: Sunslammer Artists: @@ -607,7 +607,7 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Chorale for War - Unknown.mid' Commentary: |- <i>Steve Everson:</i> - This one predates my time on the music team! It started life as a midi called Battle Chorale (obviously, a pun on "battle royale"). It was pretty popular, if I recall correctly, though there wasn’t a lot of fan music around in those days to compare to. Some time after joining the team, one of the other musicians created their own hard rock Chorale remix by that same name! So I updated my old one under a new name, and Albatross and Rad created their Hardchorale remix too. Battle Chorale never made it to publication but these two survived. + This one predates my time on the music team! It started life as a midi called Battle Chorale (obviously, a pun on "battle royale"). It was pretty popular, if I recall correctly, though there wasn't a lot of fan music around in those days to compare to. Some time after joining the team, one of the other musicians created their own hard rock Chorale remix by that same name! So I updated my old one under a new name, and Albatross and Rad created their Hardchorale remix too. Battle Chorale never made it to publication but these two survived. --- Track: Electromechanism Artists: @@ -857,22 +857,22 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Ruins (With Strings) - Kieros (piano).mid' Commentary: |- <i>Erik Scheele:</i> - This one is really hardly me, honest, it’s all Bowman. Ruins was this piano recording I’d put up back when I still hardly knew how to record anything, and then Bowman just went and added magic to it. And the piano track, that’s just another one of those “improvisations out of nowhere”, no real purpose or theory-thinking beforehand to delegate anything to it. Especially the descending-thirds, no way I could have just thought about that and been like “Yes that is a good thing to be doing”, it was just spur of the moment thinking. + This one is really hardly me, honest, it's all Bowman. Ruins was this piano recording I'd put up back when I still hardly knew how to record anything, and then Bowman just went and added magic to it. And the piano track, that's just another one of those "improvisations out of nowhere", no real purpose or theory-thinking beforehand to delegate anything to it. Especially the descending-thirds, no way I could have just thought about that and been like "Yes that is a good thing to be doing", it was just spur of the moment thinking. (Ruins was one of the first things I contributed to the music forum after getting on the team, a small improvisation based around descending seconds which was made back when I still had no idea how to record things properly. Since Earth was kind of a gigantic wasteland planet at that point (and it still is, today), I conceptually tied my recording in with that, and called it Ruins. - Of course, I really doubt that Ruins would have gotten anywhere if it wasn’t for Bowman, who pretty much surprised me sometime before Volume 5 with an updated version of my recording, which made the piano sound better and added a lot of other instruments to it, really adding a lot of depth and atmosphere to an otherwise-shoddy recording. And then, when Volume 5 came around, it was released as “Ruins (With Strings)”, which is what you just heard in the update! + Of course, I really doubt that Ruins would have gotten anywhere if it wasn't for Bowman, who pretty much surprised me sometime before Volume 5 with an updated version of my recording, which made the piano sound better and added a lot of other instruments to it, really adding a lot of depth and atmosphere to an otherwise-shoddy recording. And then, when Volume 5 came around, it was released as "Ruins (With Strings)", which is what you just heard in the update! - I know I’ve got a better recording of Ruins kicking around here somewhere, I’ll have to see if something can be done with it.) + I know I've got a better recording of Ruins kicking around here somewhere, I'll have to see if something can be done with it.) <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> - Really it’s the “(With Strings)” part that is my doing. When Jit was first inducted to the team, he did not have access at the time to a proper recording environment or midi controller that he could apply a high-quality piano sound to, so he had recorded his piano demo for “Ruins” on what I’m guessing is an on-board laptop microphone. I thought the composition was really great but knew that it would sound too unpolished to make the cut onto a Homestuck album, so I resolved to write a string accompaniment around his composition. + Really it's the "(With Strings)" part that is my doing. When Jit was first inducted to the team, he did not have access at the time to a proper recording environment or midi controller that he could apply a high-quality piano sound to, so he had recorded his piano demo for "Ruins" on what I'm guessing is an on-board laptop microphone. I thought the composition was really great but knew that it would sound too unpolished to make the cut onto a Homestuck album, so I resolved to write a string accompaniment around his composition. - By applying an incredibly enormous amount of reverb to the piano part, I hid the low fidelity of the original recording and made it sound as though it was hauntingly played to the listener from the other end of a cave. Given my lack of any truly convincing string samples, I chose instead to use deliberately mechanical strings, gently de-tuning them to sound a bit reminiscent of early string synthesizers, somewhat inspired by “Crystal Japan”, a creepy instrumental by David Bowie. + By applying an incredibly enormous amount of reverb to the piano part, I hid the low fidelity of the original recording and made it sound as though it was hauntingly played to the listener from the other end of a cave. Given my lack of any truly convincing string samples, I chose instead to use deliberately mechanical strings, gently de-tuning them to sound a bit reminiscent of early string synthesizers, somewhat inspired by "Crystal Japan", a creepy instrumental by David Bowie. - Some of the other elements of the ambiance (the wind, the really high notes that echo for a long time) I drew from the soundtrack to World of Goo, specifically the track “Jelly” which I noticed bore a strong resemblance tonally to Jit’s composition. To seal the melancholy, I doubled the piano melody on guitar using a very cool, muted sound with a lot of echoes and pitch bends. I signed the tune by adding a cadence from “Sburban Jungle” at the very end. + Some of the other elements of the ambiance (the wind, the really high notes that echo for a long time) I drew from the soundtrack to World of Goo, specifically the track "Jelly" which I noticed bore a strong resemblance tonally to Jit's composition. To seal the melancholy, I doubled the piano melody on guitar using a very cool, muted sound with a lot of echoes and pitch bends. I signed the tune by adding a cadence from "Sburban Jungle" at the very end. - Really, the track should probably be listed simply as “Ruins” if not for the fact that there is not official piano rendition of the piece. I think it would be really cool to hear such a version of the tune if Jit ever found himself recording material in a studio again (as he did for [[artist:james-dever|James’s]] piano suite [[album:sburb|Sburb]]). + Really, the track should probably be listed simply as "Ruins" if not for the fact that there is not official piano rendition of the piece. I think it would be really cool to hear such a version of the tune if Jit ever found himself recording material in a studio again (as he did for [[artist:james-dever|James's]] piano suite [[album:sburb|Sburb]]). --- Track: Ectobiology Artists: @@ -929,7 +929,7 @@ Art Tags: - Tumor Commentary: |- <i>Steve Everson:</i> - My other favourite from Volume 5. It started life as a theme for the Aimless Renegade, inspired by a “Desperado” theme which I believe was written by Bolin back when he was still part of the team. I wasn’t really running on any particular goal of contributing so much as liking the style and wanting to make something similar. Imagine the piece as it is now played by some sort of mariachi band and you might have the right idea of what it originally sounded like. Naturally, it didn’t quite fit. I liked the melody but it just wasn’t working for the whole desert hero thing. So I flipped through my library of voices (small though it was back then) and came across the more electronic one that plays the melody now. I re-tooled the accompaniment to fit, and it became a piece that I always considered a theme for Derse. Hence its title. + My other favourite from Volume 5. It started life as a theme for the Aimless Renegade, inspired by a "Desperado" theme which I believe was written by Bolin back when he was still part of the team. I wasn't really running on any particular goal of contributing so much as liking the style and wanting to make something similar. Imagine the piece as it is now played by some sort of mariachi band and you might have the right idea of what it originally sounded like. Naturally, it didn't quite fit. I liked the melody but it just wasn't working for the whole desert hero thing. So I flipped through my library of voices (small though it was back then) and came across the more electronic one that plays the melody now. I re-tooled the accompaniment to fit, and it became a piece that I always considered a theme for Derse. Hence its title. --- Track: Crystamanthequins Artists: @@ -960,10 +960,10 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Crystamanthequins - adamus (piano).mid' Commentary: |- <i>Erik Scheele:</i> - Probably the thing I’m best-known for off of Volume 5, which is slightly ironic given how rushed it was. No kidding, I finished it up the night that Hussie was rounding up tracks to go through, and threw it in as a last-minute thing, “hey I just finished this can it go in??” deal. I mean, I’d had inspiration for it earlier, but never got around to making it until it was almost too late! - Yeah, this one definitely had inspiration. To answer a quick question you might have though, no, I didn’t know about the trolls beforehand, or what Hussie was going to do with the music. I didn’t even find out until Albatross Soup told me about it, a few weeks before it happened. Moreso, the inspiration came from a sudden image I had one night during the summer, in which Jade’s planet, at that time unknown, was highly unstable, and Noir had purposefully upset the balance in order to try and destroy her planet. So the entire first bit is her trying to save her inhabitants, while Crystalanthemums plays. The reason for having that motif, well, I’d had this very strong feeling that it should be Jade’s planet theme. So, it got used. - (The mental images of one of the kid’s planets getting broken/torn apart like I’d imagined still give me the shivers. I still love Hussie so much for creating a villain that actually did something upon gaining obscene amounts of power; rather than just retreating and launching some master plan, he actually went around and started doing shit with his powers. Not something you even really see in Hollywood villains nowadays, far as I know. The protagonists and antagonists are always very separated, no interaction between one or the other, nothing like what Noir does. At least, that was my experience at the time.) - As for the second bit, well, I’d wanted to make an “industrial, heavy action, stuff going to shit” remix of Perrybob’s Mannequin for quite some time, and it seemed to fit to transition over to that. In my head, the action was going to shift from Jade’s planet to LOHAC, where unspecific action was going to take place. I really don’t think I gave the Mannequin section enough time to develop, or really do much, but time constraints dictated I give the music over to the volume 5 collaborative -right then and there-, so it had to be cut off. Mannequin’s really great, though, you should give it <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAyPFa3nEK4&feature=youtu.be">a listen</a>. + Probably the thing I'm best-known for off of Volume 5, which is slightly ironic given how rushed it was. No kidding, I finished it up the night that Hussie was rounding up tracks to go through, and threw it in as a last-minute thing, "hey I just finished this can it go in??" deal. I mean, I'd had inspiration for it earlier, but never got around to making it until it was almost too late! + Yeah, this one definitely had inspiration. To answer a quick question you might have though, no, I didn't know about the trolls beforehand, or what Hussie was going to do with the music. I didn't even find out until Albatross Soup told me about it, a few weeks before it happened. Moreso, the inspiration came from a sudden image I had one night during the summer, in which Jade's planet, at that time unknown, was highly unstable, and Noir had purposefully upset the balance in order to try and destroy her planet. So the entire first bit is her trying to save her inhabitants, while Crystalanthemums plays. The reason for having that motif, well, I'd had this very strong feeling that it should be Jade's planet theme. So, it got used. + (The mental images of one of the kid's planets getting broken/torn apart like I'd imagined still give me the shivers. I still love Hussie so much for creating a villain that actually did something upon gaining obscene amounts of power; rather than just retreating and launching some master plan, he actually went around and started doing shit with his powers. Not something you even really see in Hollywood villains nowadays, far as I know. The protagonists and antagonists are always very separated, no interaction between one or the other, nothing like what Noir does. At least, that was my experience at the time.) + As for the second bit, well, I'd wanted to make an "industrial, heavy action, stuff going to shit" remix of Perrybob's Mannequin for quite some time, and it seemed to fit to transition over to that. In my head, the action was going to shift from Jade's planet to LOHAC, where unspecific action was going to take place. I really don't think I gave the Mannequin section enough time to develop, or really do much, but time constraints dictated I give the music over to the volume 5 collaborative -right then and there-, so it had to be cut off. Mannequin's really great, though, you should give it <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAyPFa3nEK4&feature=youtu.be">a listen</a>. Also, as a sidenote, my like for Beck is rather shown in this piece, as is evidenced by my direct attempt to semi-recreate main beat in Replica to transition between the two sections. #MUSICSECRETSSSSSSSS --- Track: Endless Climbing @@ -1138,8 +1138,8 @@ Art Tags: - Jade Commentary: |- <i>Steve Everson:</i> - Man, this track goes way back. I’m talking years. One of my really early midi compositions. It sounded like the coolest shit when I was 14. It’s practically unchanged besides being synthesised with non-midi voices. Same instruments and all. - It’s got a bit more of an... ironic appeal to it now. Still sounds pretty cool though + Man, this track goes way back. I'm talking years. One of my really early midi compositions. It sounded like the coolest shit when I was 14. It's practically unchanged besides being synthesised with non-midi voices. Same instruments and all. + It's got a bit more of an... ironic appeal to it now. Still sounds pretty cool though --- Track: Darkened Artists: @@ -1206,9 +1206,9 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Light - Dohmb.mid' Commentary: |- <i>Erik Scheele:</i> - This one, man. Not really as well-known as the other three, I don’t think, but I’m still happy with various aspects of it. Not really any specific inspiration, I just started out with the thought of wanting to make a contrasting piece to Black. Especially with the opening piano line, but overall, something more pure and light. Of course, by the time I got around to finishing it, Radiation had already stolen the title “White”, so I called mine “Light” instead. - About the middle section, I think that needs a bit of talk about it. I’d just been talking with a friend about Homestuck, telling him about the numerical motif 413, and telling him various examples, and he went and said “Yeah, that could be a chord progression too”, and I was like “whooooooooooooooooah”. So I used it as a chord progression. For the first while, though, I had this dual guitar line instead of Showtime, and it was sorta eeeeenh and I didn’t know where to go from there. It sat for a while, then suddenly one day in church I was like “oh holy shit showtime would work so well in there”. It was like suddenly remembering you left a cake in the oven on 500 degrees for the last two nights, that sort of realization. So it went in, and it worked much better than the stupid two-guitar thing. - 413 as a motif, I’ve used it in various ways. Not saying anything, though, not even sure about spoiling its use in Light. If you ever analyze various bits of music, though, you might notice it popping up, or other little fun bits. That’s all I’ve got to say about that. + This one, man. Not really as well-known as the other three, I don't think, but I'm still happy with various aspects of it. Not really any specific inspiration, I just started out with the thought of wanting to make a contrasting piece to Black. Especially with the opening piano line, but overall, something more pure and light. Of course, by the time I got around to finishing it, Radiation had already stolen the title "White", so I called mine "Light" instead. + About the middle section, I think that needs a bit of talk about it. I'd just been talking with a friend about Homestuck, telling him about the numerical motif 413, and telling him various examples, and he went and said "Yeah, that could be a chord progression too", and I was like "whooooooooooooooooah". So I used it as a chord progression. For the first while, though, I had this dual guitar line instead of Showtime, and it was sorta eeeeenh and I didn't know where to go from there. It sat for a while, then suddenly one day in church I was like "oh holy shit showtime would work so well in there". It was like suddenly remembering you left a cake in the oven on 500 degrees for the last two nights, that sort of realization. So it went in, and it worked much better than the stupid two-guitar thing. + 413 as a motif, I've used it in various ways. Not saying anything, though, not even sure about spoiling its use in Light. If you ever analyze various bits of music, though, you might notice it popping up, or other little fun bits. That's all I've got to say about that. --- Track: Softly Artists: @@ -1286,7 +1286,7 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Ecstasy - IronInvoker47 (piano).mid' Commentary: |- <i>Steve Everson:</i> - Probably remains my favourite of my pieces, while also being one of the ones with the least real thought put into it. The whole thing was written more or less on the fly. The chord pattern is one that I’d liked for several months, possibly even a year or two, without ever having come up with something good enough to write to it. Then, one evening while I was in the shower (all of my best ideas come from the shower) my mind pulled together a half-remembered bassline from an obscure-ish Sonic the Hedgehog game and a brief snippet from an old quiz show called Catchphrase, and strung them into the main harmonies of the piece. From there I just lay an improvised piano melody on top. + Probably remains my favourite of my pieces, while also being one of the ones with the least real thought put into it. The whole thing was written more or less on the fly. The chord pattern is one that I'd liked for several months, possibly even a year or two, without ever having come up with something good enough to write to it. Then, one evening while I was in the shower (all of my best ideas come from the shower) my mind pulled together a half-remembered bassline from an obscure-ish Sonic the Hedgehog game and a brief snippet from an old quiz show called Catchphrase, and strung them into the main harmonies of the piece. From there I just lay an improvised piano melody on top. When I presented it to the music team it was pretty well-received, and with some of their guidance the whole piece ended up pretty polished. --- Track: Snow Pollen @@ -1368,7 +1368,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: Cover Art File Extension: jpg Commentary: |- <i>Steve Everson:</i> - I’m sure you all know the story behind the Doctor remixes. During the Intermission Andrew wanted a remix of that to use for LOWAS and everyone jumped at the chance. This was my contribution. It’s a pretty straight transcription to different instruments. Nowadays I find that a little disappointing. I started writing a new version not long ago; maybe one day I’ll finish it and post it here. + I'm sure you all know the story behind the Doctor remixes. During the Intermission Andrew wanted a remix of that to use for LOWAS and everyone jumped at the chance. This was my contribution. It's a pretty straight transcription to different instruments. Nowadays I find that a little disappointing. I started writing a new version not long ago; maybe one day I'll finish it and post it here. --- Track: Enlightenment Artists: @@ -1509,9 +1509,9 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Descend - Max Wright (piano).mid' Commentary: |- <i>Toby Fox:</i> - No one asked, I just wanted to make… THE ULTIMATE SONG… COMBINING EVERYTHING… (obviously I could do better now but it was a pretty cool thing) + No one asked, I just wanted to make... THE ULTIMATE SONG... COMBINING EVERYTHING... (obviously I could do better now but it was a pretty cool thing) - Fun fact: It was originally called “[[track:ascend|Ascend]].” + Fun fact: It was originally called "[[track:ascend|Ascend]]." --- Track: Homestuck Artists: diff --git a/album/homestuck-vol-6.yaml b/album/homestuck-vol-6.yaml index caf52cd6..9a071f39 100644 --- a/album/homestuck-vol-6.yaml +++ b/album/homestuck-vol-6.yaml @@ -59,26 +59,26 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Solatrus:</i> <i>(original commentary)</i> Anyway, man, where to begin on this one? My most famous song, one of the proudest moments of my musical career, etc. etc. I could go on. - But I’ll start with the roots. - Frost didn’t start off as the theme for the Land of Frost and Frogs. It started off as the theme for the Land of Thought and Flow. As I’ve mentioned in a previous post on this song, you really need to look at <a href="https://www.homestuck.com/images/storyfiles/hs2/02522.gif">this image</a> to understand what went through my head. + But I'll start with the roots. + Frost didn't start off as the theme for the Land of Frost and Frogs. It started off as the theme for the Land of Thought and Flow. As I've mentioned in a previous post on this song, you really need to look at <a href="https://www.homestuck.com/images/storyfiles/hs2/02522.gif">this image</a> to understand what went through my head. Remember that image? Yeah. Okay. Now then, go listen to the first 30 seconds of Frost while staring at that image. Got it? Good. - That’s how it started. + That's how it started. And then Andrew asked me to use it in the animation and it got renamed. But, considering half of the song no longer fit the new theme, I rewrote the second half to include a lot more percussive instruments to give that icy feeling. - Frankly, I’m not sure what’s more well known, the really ethereal arpeggio that opens the song, or the industrial drums that drive it. + Frankly, I'm not sure what's more well known, the really ethereal arpeggio that opens the song, or the industrial drums that drive it. <i>(commentary redux)</i> - I can’t really make a post about this song without mentioning the above flash animation and the following image: + I can't really make a post about this song without mentioning the above flash animation and the following image: <img src="media/misc/02522.gif" width="650" height="450"> - Because, really, if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be explaining a significant amount of the story behind this song. - This image of Terezi standing in the Land of Thought and Flow is what inspired the opening arpeggio for Frost. The whole Land’s environment is fascinating to me, and I simply had to write a theme for that medium world. As I have probably mentioned, my preference in writing music is for settings, which gives me my really ambient sound, contrary to other musicians on the team who prefer to write melodical songs describing emotions and people. - I ended up realizing an industrial kit would work extremely well for an unusual drum beat, particularly to contrast the incredibly ethereal sound I had already established. Hell, this song is so ambient people have a hard time telling what the melody is… and no, it’s not the french horn. :D + Because, really, if I didn't, I wouldn't be explaining a significant amount of the story behind this song. + This image of Terezi standing in the Land of Thought and Flow is what inspired the opening arpeggio for Frost. The whole Land's environment is fascinating to me, and I simply had to write a theme for that medium world. As I have probably mentioned, my preference in writing music is for settings, which gives me my really ambient sound, contrary to other musicians on the team who prefer to write melodical songs describing emotions and people. + I ended up realizing an industrial kit would work extremely well for an unusual drum beat, particularly to contrast the incredibly ethereal sound I had already established. Hell, this song is so ambient people have a hard time telling what the melody is... and no, it's not the french horn. :D Eventually the arping bassline comes in and all is good. - Anyway, I was really hoping that Terezi’s land would be explored more, but that never happened. I ended up getting contacted by Andrew to feature this in the comic, and I was really ecstatic. My music went from a few dozen people listening to it regularly, before I joined the team, to probably a few thousand after Volume 5. And then with this feature, I jumped to having hundreds of thousands of people listening to one of my songs. And it’s grown since then. - That was a really mind blowing, and really awesome. I’ve had very few proud moments in my life more worthy than this one. - After the feature, though, I scrambled to improve the song’s quality. I changed around a few things in the first half (most notably making the whole mix a bit quieter), and pushed the melody a bit more forward. The second half, I basically swapped out this very strange sounding piano improvisation I did with the percussion (vibes, glockenspiel) instruments and a saw pad for lead. The replacements work incredibly well for trying to give an icy sound, and I’m pleased with how it turned out. - I don’t know if I’ll ever go back to doing songs that are this ambient and minimalist, because my composing skills have progressed significantly since then, and I require much more complexity in my work. Also, now that this song is actually over two years old (for me), I’ve noticed how flawed it is. - But nonetheless, this is probably one of my best songs, and it’s well loved by the Homestuck fandom. That’s good enough for me. + Anyway, I was really hoping that Terezi's land would be explored more, but that never happened. I ended up getting contacted by Andrew to feature this in the comic, and I was really ecstatic. My music went from a few dozen people listening to it regularly, before I joined the team, to probably a few thousand after Volume 5. And then with this feature, I jumped to having hundreds of thousands of people listening to one of my songs. And it's grown since then. + That was a really mind blowing, and really awesome. I've had very few proud moments in my life more worthy than this one. + After the feature, though, I scrambled to improve the song's quality. I changed around a few things in the first half (most notably making the whole mix a bit quieter), and pushed the melody a bit more forward. The second half, I basically swapped out this very strange sounding piano improvisation I did with the percussion (vibes, glockenspiel) instruments and a saw pad for lead. The replacements work incredibly well for trying to give an icy sound, and I'm pleased with how it turned out. + I don't know if I'll ever go back to doing songs that are this ambient and minimalist, because my composing skills have progressed significantly since then, and I require much more complexity in my work. Also, now that this song is actually over two years old (for me), I've noticed how flawed it is. + But nonetheless, this is probably one of my best songs, and it's well loved by the Homestuck fandom. That's good enough for me. --- Track: Courser Artists: @@ -672,11 +672,11 @@ Referenced Tracks: Commentary: |- <i>Solatrus:</i> <i>(original commentary)</i> - It’s a chill drum and bass song, and one of my best productions for Homestuck. It was also my first remix since I made that Skaia remix. - Have I mentioned that Alex Rosetti’s compositions are pretty incredible? They are. You should go give him some love. + It's a chill drum and bass song, and one of my best productions for Homestuck. It was also my first remix since I made that Skaia remix. + Have I mentioned that Alex Rosetti's compositions are pretty incredible? They are. You should go give him some love. <i>(commentary redux)</i> Woo, my first official remix since my Skaia remix on Volume 5! - So as I’ve probably mentioned, I’m a huge fan of Alex Rosetti’s work, and this song is absolutely no exception. I had been wanting to do something with Crystalanthemums since first listening to it. Coincidentally, it immediately proceeded my Skaia remix. + So as I've probably mentioned, I'm a huge fan of Alex Rosetti's work, and this song is absolutely no exception. I had been wanting to do something with Crystalanthemums since first listening to it. Coincidentally, it immediately proceeded my Skaia remix. At the time, I really had no idea on who anyone was on the team, so it never really sunk in that I should do that remix until December of 2010. Obviously at this point I had gained an interest in drum and bass music, which explains the sound, yet I still had a very soft and ethereal sound reminiscent of the original song. Of course, I really pushed the energy up, which made it a lot of fun. I jokingly said to Alex after Volume 6 came out that while his song was at the top of the echeladder, my remix was god tier, in part due to Vriska in her God Tier outfit being there. :D @@ -686,8 +686,8 @@ Commentary: |- And then when I open the gate on the note length you hear the ostinato faaaaar better. A lot of people missed this, actually. :D I have to say I really love the chord progression Alex went with in Crystalanthemums, and it was incredibly fun to make that bassline, which is actually a layered bass, but not a note-for-note bass. This is actually a pretty common thing to do, with the lower bass just playing simple sustained notes, and the higher bass is more animated. - Though I’ve definitely grown to prefer warm sawtooth basslines, this bass has a really nice quality that’s almost a square. The filter based attack is pretty sweet sounding, too. + Though I've definitely grown to prefer warm sawtooth basslines, this bass has a really nice quality that's almost a square. The filter based attack is pretty sweet sounding, too. I really was happy with how the drum beats layered in at 2:16, though honestly, I was really out of practice of doing any sort of breakbeat stuff. - Fun fact, this was the first song I used Gross Beat on. What’s Gross Beat? It’s something a Time Lord of Gallifrey would approve of in music. :D If you listen to the stutter effects heard in the song, mostly in the latter half, that’s where I start using Gross Beat to do some crazy time shifting stuff. + Fun fact, this was the first song I used Gross Beat on. What's Gross Beat? It's something a Time Lord of Gallifrey would approve of in music. :D If you listen to the stutter effects heard in the song, mostly in the latter half, that's where I start using Gross Beat to do some crazy time shifting stuff. Man, I really love what I did on this song. - ...I need to do another Homestuck remix, don’t I? + ...I need to do another Homestuck remix, don't I? diff --git a/album/homestuck-vol-7.yaml b/album/homestuck-vol-7.yaml index 111de46d..50ee49c5 100644 --- a/album/homestuck-vol-7.yaml +++ b/album/homestuck-vol-7.yaml @@ -225,13 +225,13 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Spider8reath - Tensei.mid' Commentary: |- <i>Tensei:</i> - Alright, as requested, I’ll do some indepth commentary on already released Homestuck songs, starting off with Spider8reath. - Now, you may have heard this from me before, but Vriska is HANDS DOWN the most fun character to write music for. It’s hard to exactly pinpoint the reason for this, but something about her character just invites badass pentatonic blues riffs, squealing guitars and shrill horns all over the place. - Really, when you pick it apart, this song is actually very simple at its basis, containing a pretty typical blues progression, and the constantly repeated guitar/bass riff which is introduced right at the start and then just keeps on going ( dadada DA dada DA dada dada dadadada, it’s really fun to sing along actually!) - The horn section actually adds the bulk of the songs ‘gravy’, providing lots of switch-ups, sometimes playing in unison with the main riff, sometimes splitting up and providing countermelodies or underlining the harmonized guitars. It was also by far the hardest part to write because I had literally no previous experience with brass writing, but I got some great feedback from other music team members. - Actually part of the reason that it was so hard to implement is probably because the song was already more or less ‘done’ before I thought of putting in a few brass stabs here and there. Then as I was writing the brass became more and more of a foreground element, and that’s how Spider8reath became the screamy shrill funfest that it is now. - People who said that the exposed guitar solo at the start reminded them of Van Halen were totally right, because the song ‘Eruption’ was more or less a direct inspiration for it. I think it turned out really well, and it serves as a great intro to the song! - Really though, the main inspiration for this song simply comes from building on the previous Vriska songs that Radiation did. While the brass was a new, spur-of-the-moment addition, the guitar riffs and melodies were always supposed to be reminiscent of stuff like Spider’s Claw, Killed by Br8k Spider and MeGaLoVaNia. People definitely seem to associate this song with Vriska too now, so mission accomplished I guess? + Alright, as requested, I'll do some indepth commentary on already released Homestuck songs, starting off with Spider8reath. + Now, you may have heard this from me before, but Vriska is HANDS DOWN the most fun character to write music for. It's hard to exactly pinpoint the reason for this, but something about her character just invites badass pentatonic blues riffs, squealing guitars and shrill horns all over the place. + Really, when you pick it apart, this song is actually very simple at its basis, containing a pretty typical blues progression, and the constantly repeated guitar/bass riff which is introduced right at the start and then just keeps on going ( dadada DA dada DA dada dada dadadada, it's really fun to sing along actually!) + The horn section actually adds the bulk of the songs 'gravy', providing lots of switch-ups, sometimes playing in unison with the main riff, sometimes splitting up and providing countermelodies or underlining the harmonized guitars. It was also by far the hardest part to write because I had literally no previous experience with brass writing, but I got some great feedback from other music team members. + Actually part of the reason that it was so hard to implement is probably because the song was already more or less 'done' before I thought of putting in a few brass stabs here and there. Then as I was writing the brass became more and more of a foreground element, and that's how Spider8reath became the screamy shrill funfest that it is now. + People who said that the exposed guitar solo at the start reminded them of Van Halen were totally right, because the song 'Eruption' was more or less a direct inspiration for it. I think it turned out really well, and it serves as a great intro to the song! + Really though, the main inspiration for this song simply comes from building on the previous Vriska songs that Radiation did. While the brass was a new, spur-of-the-moment addition, the guitar riffs and melodies were always supposed to be reminiscent of stuff like Spider's Claw, Killed by Br8k Spider and MeGaLoVaNia. People definitely seem to associate this song with Vriska too now, so mission accomplished I guess? --- Track: Lifdoff Artists: @@ -282,9 +282,9 @@ Art Tags: - Equius Commentary: |- <i>Thomas Ferkol:</i> - Havoc to be Wrought was spawned from an idea for a short story I had in my mind about a man climbing the old bell tower of an abandoned church investigating strange sounds that had plagued a small town, only to be forced into a confrontation with the “King of Owls” once he reaches the top, and ending with the KoO cutting the bell rope that the man clung to and screeching in the night. + Havoc to be Wrought was spawned from an idea for a short story I had in my mind about a man climbing the old bell tower of an abandoned church investigating strange sounds that had plagued a small town, only to be forced into a confrontation with the "King of Owls" once he reaches the top, and ending with the KoO cutting the bell rope that the man clung to and screeching in the night. Things changed though. - Once I had actually started writing and refining it, I decided to change its message, from a mad owl thing to the mysterious demon in the troll’s session which had been recently mentioned in the comic (I wrote this sometime in Fall 2010). Also, yes, that is why there is distorted owl screeches at the end, although they were more meant to evoke the horrorterrors crying out in pain than owls by the time it was finished. + Once I had actually started writing and refining it, I decided to change its message, from a mad owl thing to the mysterious demon in the troll's session which had been recently mentioned in the comic (I wrote this sometime in Fall 2010). Also, yes, that is why there is distorted owl screeches at the end, although they were more meant to evoke the horrorterrors crying out in pain than owls by the time it was finished. Contains some very powerful organ and some great chord progressions, but also some structural choices I am not completely proud of, which remained in the piece until its release months and months later because the original Finale file crashed on me before I had a chance to save it. So, rather than attempt reconstructing it, I went with what I had, and it stuck. --- Track: Play The Wind diff --git a/album/homestuck-vol-8.yaml b/album/homestuck-vol-8.yaml index d2dc8335..f25ce285 100644 --- a/album/homestuck-vol-8.yaml +++ b/album/homestuck-vol-8.yaml @@ -64,10 +64,10 @@ Lyrics: |- (War, hammer, of, Zillyhoo)<br>(War, hammer, of, Zillyhoo)<br>(War, hammer, of, Zillyhoo)<br>(War, hammer, of, Zillyhoo) Commentary: |- <i>Micheal Guy Bowman:</i> - “Calamity” was inspired by the very same update that inspired the Pantskat craze - the image of Gamzee returning, Warhammer of Zillyhoo in hand is translated into two sonic elements, ie honks and chanting. What I’ve enjoyed really intensely about Andrew’s sense of humor in Homestuck and his other adventures is his gradual elevation of silly details onto the pedestals of utter drama, and with this track I tried to recreate that. You laughed at the honks and the chanting before - now your heart races (at least I hope). - There was a certain difficulty in making “Calamity” really work for me. I had a couple of different sounds I was attempting all at once, each working on their own but sort of fighting for control when mashed together. The introduction and conclusion of the song using a theme from “Walk-Stab-Walk” needed to be really punchy, while I really needed the middle of the song to glide, and the connecting bits with the chanting needed to build and build in tension. There are a lot of different sounds in the song’s palette, the most difficult of which to utilize was the enormous saw synth that dominates the middle. Getting that thing to be grand without utterly overpowering the rest of the song was incredibly difficult. - Overall I was really satisfied with how much excitement there is in this song. It’s got a big simple melody but it doesn’t outstay its welcome. As the album opener, it sets up the stakes and excitement of Homestuck without sort of beating the point into you by lasting too long. I think of it as a cousin to “Sburban Jungle” or at least another song approached in that dramatic, electronic way. - The countdown sample is from a NASA recording, I believe it’s the launch of Apollo 11. + "Calamity" was inspired by the very same update that inspired the Pantskat craze - the image of Gamzee returning, Warhammer of Zillyhoo in hand is translated into two sonic elements, ie honks and chanting. What I've enjoyed really intensely about Andrew's sense of humor in Homestuck and his other adventures is his gradual elevation of silly details onto the pedestals of utter drama, and with this track I tried to recreate that. You laughed at the honks and the chanting before - now your heart races (at least I hope). + There was a certain difficulty in making "Calamity" really work for me. I had a couple of different sounds I was attempting all at once, each working on their own but sort of fighting for control when mashed together. The introduction and conclusion of the song using a theme from "Walk-Stab-Walk" needed to be really punchy, while I really needed the middle of the song to glide, and the connecting bits with the chanting needed to build and build in tension. There are a lot of different sounds in the song's palette, the most difficult of which to utilize was the enormous saw synth that dominates the middle. Getting that thing to be grand without utterly overpowering the rest of the song was incredibly difficult. + Overall I was really satisfied with how much excitement there is in this song. It's got a big simple melody but it doesn't outstay its welcome. As the album opener, it sets up the stakes and excitement of Homestuck without sort of beating the point into you by lasting too long. I think of it as a cousin to "Sburban Jungle" or at least another song approached in that dramatic, electronic way. + The countdown sample is from a NASA recording, I believe it's the launch of Apollo 11. --- Track: Do You Remem8er Me Artists: @@ -114,19 +114,19 @@ Commentary: |- It took me about half a day to get the tambourines sounding decent and they still don't sound like what I imagined they would... Also I was trying to channel some of the style from the music of the Little Big Adventure games. The soundtrack for thems' awesome and ya'll should go listen to it! <i>(tumblr version)</i> - “DYRM” was essentially cre8ed as a sort of 8acking track to the John and Vriska ‘date’ sequence (around about here). The idea was to do a sort of schlocky romantic 8allad that combined elements of Johns goofiness but with the tragedy that hey - Vriska’s dead. Over the course of it, we travel through John and Vriska’s memories, and she’s trying to get him to remem8er something important, so there’s that element too. It’s kinda sad, 8ut in a way it’s also a 8it of a cele8ration of Vriska - She’s surprisingly polarizing with a lot of the fan8ase, as the 8est characters often are... :p + "DYRM" was essentially cre8ed as a sort of 8acking track to the John and Vriska 'date' sequence (around about here). The idea was to do a sort of schlocky romantic 8allad that combined elements of Johns goofiness but with the tragedy that hey - Vriska's dead. Over the course of it, we travel through John and Vriska's memories, and she's trying to get him to remem8er something important, so there's that element too. It's kinda sad, 8ut in a way it's also a 8it of a cele8ration of Vriska - She's surprisingly polarizing with a lot of the fan8ase, as the 8est characters often are... :p <b>THE NAME</b> - I can’t immedi8ly recall if the phrase “Do You Remem8er Me?” is said by Vriska........ I think it was, 8ut it’s a faff trying to navigate around that 8it of the comic (I often like na88ing song titles out of the dialogue itself - That’s where At The Price Of O8livion came from and of course Sea Hitler’s Water Apocalypse. If not, well it felt like as good a title as any. :p The ‘8’ helps immediately recognise the subject matter. + I can't immedi8ly recall if the phrase "Do You Remem8er Me?" is said by Vriska........ I think it was, 8ut it's a faff trying to navigate around that 8it of the comic (I often like na88ing song titles out of the dialogue itself - That's where At The Price Of O8livion came from and of course Sea Hitler's Water Apocalypse. If not, well it felt like as good a title as any. :p The '8' helps immediately recognise the subject matter. <b>THE TRACK</b> - It’s primarily “lifdoff”, which I started using a sort of personal theme of John. Other slight inspirations for this track are “Anthem Part 2” from The Truman Show and a little 8it of the music of Little 8ig Adventure (primarily the use of woodwinds/percussion). - It starts off with a simple lightened lifdoff, which carries it for a while. The percussion at 1:09 was fun to sequence - It’s mostly just a collection of taiko samples from the EWQL play library that are quite fun to work with, particularly some the articulation (The ‘roll’ you hear is one of ‘em). What I think works quite well is the power of the Taikos with the lightness of the woodwinds - Gives it quite an emotional punch. - 1:33 is almost directly L8A inspired (The layering of the woodwind melody on 8rass I’m sure I got from there). At this point we’re 8uilding up to play the ‘Death of the Lusii/Awakening’ 8it with a sort of alternate chord progression, but we sneak in a Showtime reference around 2:16. + It's primarily "lifdoff", which I started using a sort of personal theme of John. Other slight inspirations for this track are "Anthem Part 2" from The Truman Show and a little 8it of the music of Little 8ig Adventure (primarily the use of woodwinds/percussion). + It starts off with a simple lightened lifdoff, which carries it for a while. The percussion at 1:09 was fun to sequence - It's mostly just a collection of taiko samples from the EWQL play library that are quite fun to work with, particularly some the articulation (The 'roll' you hear is one of 'em). What I think works quite well is the power of the Taikos with the lightness of the woodwinds - Gives it quite an emotional punch. + 1:33 is almost directly L8A inspired (The layering of the woodwind melody on 8rass I'm sure I got from there). At this point we're 8uilding up to play the 'Death of the Lusii/Awakening' 8it with a sort of alternate chord progression, but we sneak in a Showtime reference around 2:16. 2:26 is meant to directly correlated to These Two panels and is a reference to this track. Then it 8uilds up to the main section of Awakening at around 3:30. Given that the main theme is a sort of dreamlike afterlife, it felt appropri8 ::::p And we end! Uncertain cadences all round! - Overall there’s quite a 8it I like about this one. The Percussion doesn’t vary much, which lets it down I think (It’s 8asically just the same loop for most of the song, something I’m hilariously guilty of in most everything I make :p) but it did the jo8 in giving Vriska a good sendoff. - Oh yeah - The reason it doesn’t use any of Vriska’s theme is because I find that theme a 8it........ All over the place ::::p Don’t get me wrong, it’s a cool 8it of music, 8ut I don’t find it as easy to play a8out with than other tracks. 8lame my laziness! - I also fully suspect I missed some ‘8’s somewhere........ This stuff’s harder than it looks. God help me if I try to commentary another gorram Terezi track ::::p + Overall there's quite a 8it I like about this one. The Percussion doesn't vary much, which lets it down I think (It's 8asically just the same loop for most of the song, something I'm hilariously guilty of in most everything I make :p) but it did the jo8 in giving Vriska a good sendoff. + Oh yeah - The reason it doesn't use any of Vriska's theme is because I find that theme a 8it........ All over the place ::::p Don't get me wrong, it's a cool 8it of music, 8ut I don't find it as easy to play a8out with than other tracks. 8lame my laziness! + I also fully suspect I missed some '8's somewhere........ This stuff's harder than it looks. God help me if I try to commentary another gorram Terezi track ::::p --- Track: Flare Artists: @@ -171,9 +171,9 @@ Art Tags: - 'cw: body horror (abstract)' Commentary: |- <i>Thomas Ferkol:</i> - What started off as me meandering about with slightly odd chord progressions became a rather meandering piece in general. Originally labeled Nether, at least as the piece began to formulate, the first part quickly developed in what I hoped would be a style reminiscent of Russell Brower’s music for Outland in World of Warcraft, primarily the Outland Suite and Netherstorm (what the first name referenced). + What started off as me meandering about with slightly odd chord progressions became a rather meandering piece in general. Originally labeled Nether, at least as the piece began to formulate, the first part quickly developed in what I hoped would be a style reminiscent of Russell Brower's music for Outland in World of Warcraft, primarily the Outland Suite and Netherstorm (what the first name referenced). I completed most of the piece without drums or effects at first, but felt something was missing. After messing around with some different bits of drum samples, I found beats that were suitable for what I was going for, and those helped give more definition to the meter of the piece as much of it was long chords that made it hard to distinguish at times, then added some occasional filter effects to increase the overall spacey feel. - After everything was in place, I listened through it multiple times and just began to imagine Karkat’s monologue about how everything was his fault and the phrase “Galactic Cancer” stuck. + After everything was in place, I listened through it multiple times and just began to imagine Karkat's monologue about how everything was his fault and the phrase "Galactic Cancer" stuck. --- Track: Serenade Directory: serenade-vol8 @@ -257,10 +257,10 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Ocean Stars Commentary: |- <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> - The [[album:squiddles|Squiddles!]] album gets no love. There, I said it. I’ve mentioned before how awesome it is and how dramatically it has undersold compared to the rest of our material, but apparently everyone is too terrified of its My Little Pony meets Cthulu approach to give it a shot. Trust me, you’ll like it more than you think you will. - Anyway, one of the most surprising tracks on that particular album is “Ocean Stars”, a peaceful, mysterious little ditty imagined by Mark with a nautical theme in mind. I thought it had a beautiful little structure, and I guess the song must have stuck with me because at some point I found myself playing its chords over and over on my keyboard faster and faster until I was sure it would make for a great little indie rock inspired track. So I did just that. - This song takes its cues most heavily from “Regatta de Blanc” by the Police and “Life in Technicolor” by Coldplay - the meditatively simple rock backup is accompanied by a huge chorus of wordless vocals provided by countless overdubs of Tavia and myself. These middle voices are bookended by the twinkling bell sounds in the high range and the rumbling drums and guitar in the low range to make for a very full mix that really surprised me with its depth. I threw in some slowed-down bubble sounds (the same samples from “Mister Bowman Tells You About the Squiddles”) to create the ocean ambiance, something I’d really gotten the chance to hear on a scuba dive I’d done over the summer. - This is another example of a song that has the “just right” feeling about its length. I could probably have easily repeated the vocals endlessly as though I was attempting to induce transcendental meditation - it would probably have had the same effect as “Hey Jude” or any number of other great songs. Owing though to my sense that this album was going to be a long one (my contributions alone come out to more than 20 minutes of music) I decided to capitalize on having achieved the harmony and just let it end when its thought was fully expressed, not unlike the original composition by Mark. + The [[album:squiddles|Squiddles!]] album gets no love. There, I said it. I've mentioned before how awesome it is and how dramatically it has undersold compared to the rest of our material, but apparently everyone is too terrified of its My Little Pony meets Cthulu approach to give it a shot. Trust me, you'll like it more than you think you will. + Anyway, one of the most surprising tracks on that particular album is "Ocean Stars", a peaceful, mysterious little ditty imagined by Mark with a nautical theme in mind. I thought it had a beautiful little structure, and I guess the song must have stuck with me because at some point I found myself playing its chords over and over on my keyboard faster and faster until I was sure it would make for a great little indie rock inspired track. So I did just that. + This song takes its cues most heavily from "Regatta de Blanc" by the Police and "Life in Technicolor" by Coldplay - the meditatively simple rock backup is accompanied by a huge chorus of wordless vocals provided by countless overdubs of Tavia and myself. These middle voices are bookended by the twinkling bell sounds in the high range and the rumbling drums and guitar in the low range to make for a very full mix that really surprised me with its depth. I threw in some slowed-down bubble sounds (the same samples from "Mister Bowman Tells You About the Squiddles") to create the ocean ambiance, something I'd really gotten the chance to hear on a scuba dive I'd done over the summer. + This is another example of a song that has the "just right" feeling about its length. I could probably have easily repeated the vocals endlessly as though I was attempting to induce transcendental meditation - it would probably have had the same effect as "Hey Jude" or any number of other great songs. Owing though to my sense that this album was going to be a long one (my contributions alone come out to more than 20 minutes of music) I decided to capitalize on having achieved the harmony and just let it end when its thought was fully expressed, not unlike the original composition by Mark. --- Track: Escape Pod Artists: @@ -277,10 +277,10 @@ Art Tags: - Rabbit Commentary: |- <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> - Before going into a description of this track, I must make a long-overdue rebuttal to the factors that overshadowed its reception. Yes, I know this song and its track art pertain to the Wayward Vagabond. Yes, I know it’s sad that Andrew “killed off” the Wayward Vagabond on the same day that this album was released. No, I had no idea that would happen nor do I care how incongruous the song’s mood seems in relation to that particular plot point. - Anyway, now that I finally said my keep on that, “Escape Pod” was a really really fun track to do. It’s a rock track with a feelgood video game attitude - I’ve heard it described as Sonic music a lot, though to be fair my main reference were Nintendo games, particularly Earthbound from which I borrowed the deliberately fake brass. It also shares some similarities with the Mario sound, kind of really owing to the competitive games such as Mario Kart and Mario Party. - The track also pulls a lot from actual rock music - the Roxy Music track “Street Life” was a big cue here, and the start-stop structure on the second chorus was really inspired by Tally Hall’s track “<a href="https://youtu.be/8sV1EOJQTEI">Greener</a>” of which the effect can only be described in exotic dance. I really wanted to pull out the stops on this one and make it catchy as hell, but apparently the two tracks book-ending it on Volume 8 steal its thunder. - What more can be said about it? This is about as totally poppy (or perhaps J-poppy) as I get. Compared to stuff like “Greenhouse” and “Squiddle Samba” this track is right up my alley. It in contrast with some of the other stuff that I’ve made appearing on the very same album (the minimalist piece “Gust of Heir” which I collaborated on with James Dever comes to mind) you’ll see that I can go just as far in the saccharine direction as I can into the abstract. For me range has always been an asset I’ve felt was important to nurture, so with Volume 8 I set the pace for my work ethic on Ithaca in terms of never settling to have “found my sound” no matter how well any one idea works. + Before going into a description of this track, I must make a long-overdue rebuttal to the factors that overshadowed its reception. Yes, I know this song and its track art pertain to the Wayward Vagabond. Yes, I know it's sad that Andrew "killed off" the Wayward Vagabond on the same day that this album was released. No, I had no idea that would happen nor do I care how incongruous the song's mood seems in relation to that particular plot point. + Anyway, now that I finally said my keep on that, "Escape Pod" was a really really fun track to do. It's a rock track with a feelgood video game attitude - I've heard it described as Sonic music a lot, though to be fair my main reference were Nintendo games, particularly Earthbound from which I borrowed the deliberately fake brass. It also shares some similarities with the Mario sound, kind of really owing to the competitive games such as Mario Kart and Mario Party. + The track also pulls a lot from actual rock music - the Roxy Music track "Street Life" was a big cue here, and the start-stop structure on the second chorus was really inspired by Tally Hall's track "<a href="https://youtu.be/8sV1EOJQTEI">Greener</a>" of which the effect can only be described in exotic dance. I really wanted to pull out the stops on this one and make it catchy as hell, but apparently the two tracks book-ending it on Volume 8 steal its thunder. + What more can be said about it? This is about as totally poppy (or perhaps J-poppy) as I get. Compared to stuff like "Greenhouse" and "Squiddle Samba" this track is right up my alley. It in contrast with some of the other stuff that I've made appearing on the very same album (the minimalist piece "Gust of Heir" which I collaborated on with James Dever comes to mind) you'll see that I can go just as far in the saccharine direction as I can into the abstract. For me range has always been an asset I've felt was important to nurture, so with Volume 8 I set the pace for my work ethic on Ithaca in terms of never settling to have "found my sound" no matter how well any one idea works. --- Track: Davesprite Artists: @@ -342,10 +342,10 @@ Art Tags: - LoFaF Commentary: |- <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> - Uh oh, Jit and I showed up to the album with the same song idea. That’s like two girls showing up the party in the same dress. Awkward! Good thing for Jit and I that, like the two girls in that famous scenario, we each have our own swagga and wear those dresses like the hot young messes we are. Wow, don’t quote me on that. (Too late - DPF) - Anyway, while “Frog Forager” is almost immediate in its “aw man, yeah, it’s THIS kind of tune” factor for avid listeners of Homestuck music, my ditty “Frog Hunt” seems to hit a lot of people out of left field. Maybe it’s because I was busy surprising myself with this one as well. - I’ve mentioned Weather Report a few times as an influence, and while I can’t bring even a fraction of that band’s musicianship to my work, I really attempted to bring their sense of atmosphere to the piece. There’s a lot of elements thrown in there - the wacky time signature (17/8 if I recall correctly), the meandering syncopated piano, the funk breaks, all that latin percussion, plus a pile of odd sound effects. I threw in some frog ambiance using some really odd synthesizers and a toy accordion as well. - The point of this song was to kind of put the action, the drama, and all that teenage chemistry on hold so I could focus on a moment in the story that might be just a little bit more peaceful. Going on a safari for frogs on a newly-awakened alien forest world seems to beckon a very different angle than the heated stakes typically associated with Homestuck. Plus, I’ve always felt that the environment of Homestuck deserves a little more attention given that nearly 99% of all art generated by the fans are homages to their favorite characters and not the fantastic places imagined by Andrew. + Uh oh, Jit and I showed up to the album with the same song idea. That's like two girls showing up the party in the same dress. Awkward! Good thing for Jit and I that, like the two girls in that famous scenario, we each have our own swagga and wear those dresses like the hot young messes we are. Wow, don't quote me on that. (Too late - DPF) + Anyway, while "Frog Forager" is almost immediate in its "aw man, yeah, it's THIS kind of tune" factor for avid listeners of Homestuck music, my ditty "Frog Hunt" seems to hit a lot of people out of left field. Maybe it's because I was busy surprising myself with this one as well. + I've mentioned Weather Report a few times as an influence, and while I can't bring even a fraction of that band's musicianship to my work, I really attempted to bring their sense of atmosphere to the piece. There's a lot of elements thrown in there - the wacky time signature (17/8 if I recall correctly), the meandering syncopated piano, the funk breaks, all that latin percussion, plus a pile of odd sound effects. I threw in some frog ambiance using some really odd synthesizers and a toy accordion as well. + The point of this song was to kind of put the action, the drama, and all that teenage chemistry on hold so I could focus on a moment in the story that might be just a little bit more peaceful. Going on a safari for frogs on a newly-awakened alien forest world seems to beckon a very different angle than the heated stakes typically associated with Homestuck. Plus, I've always felt that the environment of Homestuck deserves a little more attention given that nearly 99% of all art generated by the fans are homages to their favorite characters and not the fantastic places imagined by Andrew. --- Track: Terraform Artists: @@ -369,9 +369,9 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:frost-vol6 Commentary: |- <i>Solatrus:</i> - That’s a remix of Terra and (obviously) Frost. + That's a remix of Terra and (obviously) Frost. Why? Well, I wanted Terra to be in Homestuck and sound more like a video game rock or metal song. - And because the fight of Dave and Jade vs. Jack was an interesting event, so that’s how the song came to be. + And because the fight of Dave and Jade vs. Jack was an interesting event, so that's how the song came to be. --- Track: Unite Synchronization Artists: @@ -420,28 +420,28 @@ Commentary: |- There's the tiniest influence from Showtime (again). It was also my first attempt at some vague chiptuniness in a while, which may or may not have worked... You decide! The breakbeat drum thing was also fun to do. <i>(commentary redux)</i> - The idea behind this guy was something similar to the traditional idea of some HS songs being about movement (“Descend”, “Ascend”, “Upward Movement”), so in this case it’s 4 things moving, together as one. It was becoming reasonably clear that post-scratch, we’d be separating The beta kids up a bit, and ideally, once the dust settled, they would all meet up again - This track’s effectively the kids overcoming whatever barriers in their way to unite. + The idea behind this guy was something similar to the traditional idea of some HS songs being about movement ("Descend", "Ascend", "Upward Movement"), so in this case it's 4 things moving, together as one. It was becoming reasonably clear that post-scratch, we'd be separating The beta kids up a bit, and ideally, once the dust settled, they would all meet up again - This track's effectively the kids overcoming whatever barriers in their way to unite. That was the original idea, anyway. - It was primarily Dave centered, because in my personal interpretation of Dave I’ve always seen him as a bit of Roadie - always working behind the scenes to help people out in a lateral manner - as opposed to facing shit head on. He’s also (and again this is personal interpretation) occasionally presented as the least capable of the 4. Part of it presumably stems from the contrast between Bro, who is so frighteningly capable it hurts, and living in that shadow while trying to emulate him but not quite reaching it is quite a defining trait of Dave. - That’s not to say he’s useless, I mean he’s died less than John, and he’s also not afraid to think laterally about problems and cheat (“Shenanigans”), but there’s been a few bits where you get the feeling he wishes he was a bit more of the hero his kin are. + It was primarily Dave centered, because in my personal interpretation of Dave I've always seen him as a bit of Roadie - always working behind the scenes to help people out in a lateral manner - as opposed to facing shit head on. He's also (and again this is personal interpretation) occasionally presented as the least capable of the 4. Part of it presumably stems from the contrast between Bro, who is so frighteningly capable it hurts, and living in that shadow while trying to emulate him but not quite reaching it is quite a defining trait of Dave. + That's not to say he's useless, I mean he's died less than John, and he's also not afraid to think laterally about problems and cheat ("Shenanigans"), but there's been a few bits where you get the feeling he wishes he was a bit more of the hero his kin are. Unite Synchronization is essentially a chance for a Strider to shine, to get the band back together and to prepare an ass kicking. Details time! <b>The Track:</b> - We start with a moment of contemplation, or at least an establishing shot of somewhere. Then bam - We’re moving. The main hook of this piece is the C - G# - D# - G# pattern, which is probably primarily influenced from Sonata Arctica’s “The Cage” (Though The Cage is a different key and pattern, but the progression is similar and just has a really nice epic feel). - At 0:29 we get the main theme of US played on piano - We’re representing John here. Throughout the song I pull in the associated kids instruments but make sure to constantly have the drums going - As if Dave’s grabbing each one individually and playing alongside them. The bass is supposed to be in a constant “running” kind of theme throughout the track. An unbelievably cliched dance-y snare drum fill leads us out into the beginning of the middle section. - The guitar’s actually the same guitar sample I used in just about everything these days, but gated - I haven’t done any gating for yonks and figured for the sort of dance-y nature of the track it’s probably not a bad choice. - At 1:09, we get the alternate-Showtime (The first few notes are the main melody of Showtime), then at 1:24 we’re back into US main melody. This is all done of Violin, which is of course Rose’s signature instrument. I also like the harmony on this one... - 1:40’s where I try my hand at some breakbeats. These are actually quite difficult, and since the original slicing sounded a bit odd I also overlap a standard drum loop on top of it - The result is a ridiculous amount of percussion for a solo and a bit of funky panning for good measure. - The break is essential. Even Striders’ needs to pause for breath. - With the bass coming in we’re in Jade territory at 1:56. The bass solo here is kinda pulled out of anywhere, but has a kind of Sonic-the-Hedgehog feel to it. - 2:20 we bring the percussion back in (A bar late, I love the delay there) and the violin’s brought more harmony with it. Now here the sensible thing to do to keep up the original metaphor is to have the Piano, Slap Bass AND violin playing (Geddit? At this point all the Kids are together and rocking out) but for some reason I went with a bunch of other voices. I guess there’s still bass.... And the choir could maybe be John singing along? I’m not sure... Potentially missed a good opportunity there... But I’m still happy with it. - And that’s US in a nutshell! + We start with a moment of contemplation, or at least an establishing shot of somewhere. Then bam - We're moving. The main hook of this piece is the C - G# - D# - G# pattern, which is probably primarily influenced from Sonata Arctica's "The Cage" (Though The Cage is a different key and pattern, but the progression is similar and just has a really nice epic feel). + At 0:29 we get the main theme of US played on piano - We're representing John here. Throughout the song I pull in the associated kids instruments but make sure to constantly have the drums going - As if Dave's grabbing each one individually and playing alongside them. The bass is supposed to be in a constant "running" kind of theme throughout the track. An unbelievably cliched dance-y snare drum fill leads us out into the beginning of the middle section. + The guitar's actually the same guitar sample I used in just about everything these days, but gated - I haven't done any gating for yonks and figured for the sort of dance-y nature of the track it's probably not a bad choice. + At 1:09, we get the alternate-Showtime (The first few notes are the main melody of Showtime), then at 1:24 we're back into US main melody. This is all done of Violin, which is of course Rose's signature instrument. I also like the harmony on this one... + 1:40's where I try my hand at some breakbeats. These are actually quite difficult, and since the original slicing sounded a bit odd I also overlap a standard drum loop on top of it - The result is a ridiculous amount of percussion for a solo and a bit of funky panning for good measure. + The break is essential. Even Striders' needs to pause for breath. + With the bass coming in we're in Jade territory at 1:56. The bass solo here is kinda pulled out of anywhere, but has a kind of Sonic-the-Hedgehog feel to it. + 2:20 we bring the percussion back in (A bar late, I love the delay there) and the violin's brought more harmony with it. Now here the sensible thing to do to keep up the original metaphor is to have the Piano, Slap Bass AND violin playing (Geddit? At this point all the Kids are together and rocking out) but for some reason I went with a bunch of other voices. I guess there's still bass.... And the choir could maybe be John singing along? I'm not sure... Potentially missed a good opportunity there... But I'm still happy with it. + And that's US in a nutshell! <b>The Flash:</b> - So despite it not being the exact context original thought of, the 2-part Flash actually manages to fit the original theme albeit with different kids. Plus it’s Strider centric, so that’s another plus, and once again I get to dramatically cut to silence while someone dies :D - But then everyone’s alive by the end of it, so that’s got to be a record turnaround! + So despite it not being the exact context original thought of, the 2-part Flash actually manages to fit the original theme albeit with different kids. Plus it's Strider centric, so that's another plus, and once again I get to dramatically cut to silence while someone dies :D + But then everyone's alive by the end of it, so that's got to be a record turnaround! It is remarkably disturbing how seriously on the ball Dirk is. Not only does he paradox up his own reincarnation with a bucket and his own head, he manages to resurrect two ladies and get them and himself time-warped to Jake. - This after his little presentation on Derse with Hearts’ head. - I’d like to see Dave match that. :p + This after his little presentation on Derse with Hearts' head. + I'd like to see Dave match that. :p --- Track: Homefree Artists: @@ -578,9 +578,9 @@ Art Tags: - John Commentary: |- <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> - Two of the tracks I put on Volume 8 were collaborations with other Homestuck musicians, something I’ve been meaning to do more of because two heads are usually better than one. The first of the two was “Gust of Heir”, a track that James Dever wrote and for which I did the production. - James and I are both fans of minimalism, specifically the work of Philip Glass. An eerie-looking autographed program from the Philip on Film tour graces the wall of my room, and the primary piece of music that got me interested in composition is Einstein on the Beach, a five-hour opera consisting largely of slowly-evolving repeated figures using chanted numbers and solfege. Those otherwise unfamiliar might know his music better from the many movies he’s scored including Secret Window, The Truman Show, and The Hours. - Anyway, I knew right away where James was coming from when he sent me a midi demo of “Gust of Heir” though originally it was arranged as a piano solo. Without access to a pro recording situation as on the Sburb piano suite, we knew there would have to be an alternate solution, hence the electronic approach. I played pretty heavily with a set of new sounds, specifically the soundfonts of Ethan Winer, an audio professional whose work was recommended by Radiation a good while back. + Two of the tracks I put on Volume 8 were collaborations with other Homestuck musicians, something I've been meaning to do more of because two heads are usually better than one. The first of the two was "Gust of Heir", a track that James Dever wrote and for which I did the production. + James and I are both fans of minimalism, specifically the work of Philip Glass. An eerie-looking autographed program from the Philip on Film tour graces the wall of my room, and the primary piece of music that got me interested in composition is Einstein on the Beach, a five-hour opera consisting largely of slowly-evolving repeated figures using chanted numbers and solfege. Those otherwise unfamiliar might know his music better from the many movies he's scored including Secret Window, The Truman Show, and The Hours. + Anyway, I knew right away where James was coming from when he sent me a midi demo of "Gust of Heir" though originally it was arranged as a piano solo. Without access to a pro recording situation as on the Sburb piano suite, we knew there would have to be an alternate solution, hence the electronic approach. I played pretty heavily with a set of new sounds, specifically the soundfonts of Ethan Winer, an audio professional whose work was recommended by Radiation a good while back. As I have on many occasions I took cues from <a href="http://www.rtqe.net/ObliqueStrategies/">Oblique Strategies</a> to get some ideas for the arrangement. Part of the intrigue in producing this piece was that it was fully written, meaning that in some ways I was boxed-in to a complete journey for the song to take musically yet in others free to really explore and discover a unique sound for the song. I really played toggling a slew of effects until this tune became rendering hell for my computer. I stepped a bit outside my own range of comfort and got some drum loops from Clark Powell to really polish off the piece, adding a touch that otherwise would probably have eluded me. --- Track: Afraid of the Darko @@ -625,7 +625,7 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Thomas Ferkol:</i> Bargaining With the Beast was a doozy. With little conscious attempts at maintaining structure (other than the section after the intro, which appears a few times to hold things together), it can come off as a wild ride through a bunch of interesting ideas just sort of strung together like a glass mobile made with craft glue and shiny twine. And that is a pretty accurate description. The piece was sort of an experiment for me, filled with a lot of concepts that might even have needed a separate piece to flesh them out properly, but I made this piece with the Volume 8 submissions deadline looming over head (I think it was a little under a week until final decisions on tracks were supposed to be). - This is also an example of a piece where I set out with a clear mindset for what I wanted. Seeing there was no piece based on Echidna and Jade’s encounters (Radiation didn’t show us his tracks until around when the order was being decided hehe), I wanted something majestic and regal, something befitting of a monstrous queen in ancient stone halls of a frozen world. Eventually it developed into a sort of audio tour of Echidna’s palace and highlighted the conversation, never fully revealed, that took place between Jade and Echidna as they struck a deal. + This is also an example of a piece where I set out with a clear mindset for what I wanted. Seeing there was no piece based on Echidna and Jade's encounters (Radiation didn't show us his tracks until around when the order was being decided hehe), I wanted something majestic and regal, something befitting of a monstrous queen in ancient stone halls of a frozen world. Eventually it developed into a sort of audio tour of Echidna's palace and highlighted the conversation, never fully revealed, that took place between Jade and Echidna as they struck a deal. <i>Killian Ng:</i> (<i>Original crop of artwork as presented on Bandcamp page:</i>) <img src="media/misc/bargaining-with-the-beast-crop.png" width="350" height="350"> @@ -683,7 +683,7 @@ Art Tags: - Ruined Earth Commentary: |- <i>Thomas Ferkol:</i> - Questant’s Lament is one of my favorite tracks that I’ve made. Originally for The Wanderers, because there weren’t any WQ tracks and I liked her portrayal in the comic, I wanted something regal, almost stoic, but also forlorn. + Questant's Lament is one of my favorite tracks that I've made. Originally for The Wanderers, because there weren't any WQ tracks and I liked her portrayal in the comic, I wanted something regal, almost stoic, but also forlorn. With the beginning, I imagined her away from the others in their camp, sitting alone on some stone at night and listening to an old music box, one of few possessions that she could have salvaged from Prospit. From there she reminisces, from her perspective, on the progression of the session and her foresight of and departure from the impending devastation of Prospit. In the end, she closes the trinket, accepts her new fate, and returns to her fellow exiles. --- @@ -748,8 +748,8 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:atomyk-ebonpyre Commentary: |- <i>Thomas Ferkol:</i> - Drift Into the Sun started off as me trying to emulate <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pv2LgRzvKg">the opening choir track</a> of a black metal EP. Soon some big drums and some spacey guitars found their way into the mix (in my attempts to make something on the line of ambient black or doom metal). Finally, I added Dave’s “blast off” to help Rose with a metal-ified version of Atomyk Ebonpyre (which people keep requesting a full version of... maybe). - This was another track that I had a clear design for, following as best as I could the events surrounding Rose and Dave’s chat on Derse before creating the Green Sun, focusing more on the atmosphere surrounding the debacle than what they talked about. + Drift Into the Sun started off as me trying to emulate <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pv2LgRzvKg">the opening choir track</a> of a black metal EP. Soon some big drums and some spacey guitars found their way into the mix (in my attempts to make something on the line of ambient black or doom metal). Finally, I added Dave's "blast off" to help Rose with a metal-ified version of Atomyk Ebonpyre (which people keep requesting a full version of... maybe). + This was another track that I had a clear design for, following as best as I could the events surrounding Rose and Dave's chat on Derse before creating the Green Sun, focusing more on the atmosphere surrounding the debacle than what they talked about. After putting the original version up for the team to see, Plazmataz offered to spruce things up. And they did. And it was awesome. And then Radiation said he could make some crazy drums for the last section. And he did. And it was awesome too. And that was how Virginia was founded! --- @@ -777,7 +777,7 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Infinity Mechanism - Purple1222119.mid' Commentary: |- <i>Thomas Ferkol:</i> - Then we’ve got Infinity Mechanism. I am not sure what to say about it. I played live guitar and cello on it. It was one of the first full guitar based things I wrote for MSPA and the first that I used my computer to record rather than a Tascam mixing board + studio that I had used on my very old works. + Then we've got Infinity Mechanism. I am not sure what to say about it. I played live guitar and cello on it. It was one of the first full guitar based things I wrote for MSPA and the first that I used my computer to record rather than a Tascam mixing board + studio that I had used on my very old works. Its mechanical sound and return to the beginning at its end reminded me of Beat Mesa, and it kind of became my own sort of theme music for The Scratch. Also it is now the first track written by me to be used in an animation and it is amazing. --- Track: Revered Return @@ -798,11 +798,11 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:sburban-jungle Commentary: |- <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> - “Revered Return” began as a track called “Dirgeish”, a .pxtone composition that Nick had completed some time ago but never managed to squeeze into an album. Because as a chip tune it had been long overlooked, I decided to take a whack at producing it in a different style for inclusion on Volume 8. I had been looking for a piece that would work as a rock tune, and “Dirgeish” really struck me because of the heavy involvement of drums, its steady pace, and dynamic structure. - The unique challenge of arranging “Revered Return” was pinning down exactly what was what - “Dirgeish” had maximized use of its resources as an electronic composition, shifting instrumentation several times in ways that wouldn’t translate to a rock context. I found myself in a very subjective position, kind of picking and choosing what things would stay in and what things would be changed, while overall trying to maintain the original structure of the song. - The structure I think might be the most unique part of “Revered Return” - it doesn’t waste time by really repeating itself a lot. Nine out of ten times I work on a song I find myself writing or arranging something that moves in a very basic structure like ABAB or AABA or other variants, etc. “Dirgeish” gave me the challenge of establishing coherency in a piece that seemed to move almost completely linearly, and I made sure to preserve its sort of ABCDEFGBA-type structure in arranging “Revered Return” for Volume 8. + "Revered Return" began as a track called "Dirgeish", a .pxtone composition that Nick had completed some time ago but never managed to squeeze into an album. Because as a chip tune it had been long overlooked, I decided to take a whack at producing it in a different style for inclusion on Volume 8. I had been looking for a piece that would work as a rock tune, and "Dirgeish" really struck me because of the heavy involvement of drums, its steady pace, and dynamic structure. + The unique challenge of arranging "Revered Return" was pinning down exactly what was what - "Dirgeish" had maximized use of its resources as an electronic composition, shifting instrumentation several times in ways that wouldn't translate to a rock context. I found myself in a very subjective position, kind of picking and choosing what things would stay in and what things would be changed, while overall trying to maintain the original structure of the song. + The structure I think might be the most unique part of "Revered Return" - it doesn't waste time by really repeating itself a lot. Nine out of ten times I work on a song I find myself writing or arranging something that moves in a very basic structure like ABAB or AABA or other variants, etc. "Dirgeish" gave me the challenge of establishing coherency in a piece that seemed to move almost completely linearly, and I made sure to preserve its sort of ABCDEFGBA-type structure in arranging "Revered Return" for Volume 8. <i>Nick Smalley:</i> - Remember that thing about ORGMaker? Yeah, this song, too. Except add me asking Andrew Huo to help finish it and Bowman to ramp it up, and you’ve got Revered Return. :3 + Remember that thing about ORGMaker? Yeah, this song, too. Except add me asking Andrew Huo to help finish it and Bowman to ramp it up, and you've got Revered Return. :3 --- Track: Judgment Day Artists: @@ -930,9 +930,9 @@ Lyrics: |- And tell me now<br>How do I live without you?<br>I want to know<br>How do I breathe without you?<br>If you ever go<br>How will I ever, ever survive? Commentary: |- <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> - So, like it or not, my signature song seems to be the country ballad made famous by a movie about how Nicolas Cage and John Cusack screw up absolutely everything and destroy the Las Vegas strip. Hence, for Volume 8, I decided to do a more serious version of “How Do I Live” that doesn’t mortify me entirely. - I always had thought of “How Do I Live” as a breakup song, so as an anthem of dependency between generic 90’s lovers I was underwhelmed. However, in Con Air it’s meant to be the love theme of a woman whose husband serves in the military, giving the song a very different meaning. The stakes are not whether the singer’s lover will stay or leave but whether they will live or die, a thought that is instantly more resonant for anyone who has been in love I think. - The trick to this one for me was cutting out all the bullshit really - the ridiculous key change is removed and the drums are minimal to the extent of sounding like a funeral march. Rather than starting off with chipper little electric organs and keyboards, this version takes a cue from “Purple Rain” and uses only electric guitar and vocals for the first minute. The vocals start off sounding a million miles away and are subtly brought closer and closer until the other instruments join in on the second verse. + So, like it or not, my signature song seems to be the country ballad made famous by a movie about how Nicolas Cage and John Cusack screw up absolutely everything and destroy the Las Vegas strip. Hence, for Volume 8, I decided to do a more serious version of "How Do I Live" that doesn't mortify me entirely. + I always had thought of "How Do I Live" as a breakup song, so as an anthem of dependency between generic 90's lovers I was underwhelmed. However, in Con Air it's meant to be the love theme of a woman whose husband serves in the military, giving the song a very different meaning. The stakes are not whether the singer's lover will stay or leave but whether they will live or die, a thought that is instantly more resonant for anyone who has been in love I think. + The trick to this one for me was cutting out all the bullshit really - the ridiculous key change is removed and the drums are minimal to the extent of sounding like a funeral march. Rather than starting off with chipper little electric organs and keyboards, this version takes a cue from "Purple Rain" and uses only electric guitar and vocals for the first minute. The vocals start off sounding a million miles away and are subtly brought closer and closer until the other instruments join in on the second verse. I added a new bridge section in so that Thomas Ferkol could have a chance to play some real guitar in this one, and of course he showed his colors as a metal guitarist, sending me a duet between harmonized voices. David Ko also appears on this track as the gently-spoken backup vocalist. --- Track: Cascade (Beta) diff --git a/album/homestuck-vol-9.yaml b/album/homestuck-vol-9.yaml index c6702d65..57d1cadc 100644 --- a/album/homestuck-vol-9.yaml +++ b/album/homestuck-vol-9.yaml @@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ Sheet Music Files: - 'Crystalmethequins - Do The Musicy Thing (piano score).pdf' Commentary: |- <i>Clark Powell:</i> - Let me tell you of this song’s origins, for I saw it unfold with mine own eyes. + Let me tell you of this song's origins, for I saw it unfold with mine own eyes. After our South by Southwest showcase concert, Astro Kid and I both found ourselves back at his apartment. Still in our stage costumes we opened our cans of Dr. B and casually sat around his bedroom. Computers were turned on, subwoofers were turned up. And so it began that we started remixing. Nearly two months later we sat in the back of a van amongst instruments and gear on our way to play another concert, this time at a Houston anime convention. Computers were turned on, headphones were turned up. It was here that Crystalmethequins, begun so many weeks earlier, was finally completed. After deciding that the track art would not be a hastily photoshopped image of troll Bryan Cranston, I came to someone I trusted. Richard Gung is unarguably the master, and his track art was well worth the cost he took from me in that dark alley. @@ -98,29 +98,29 @@ MIDI Project Files: Commentary: |- <i>Malcolm Brown:</i> <code style="color: #e00707">DAVE: we are in the shit now<br>DAVE: we are motherfuckin entrenched in this bitch</code> - That’s right! It’s time to talk about Anbroids 2.0! Hands up everyone who thought “Brobots” would’ve been a better name? Yeah that’s what I thought… Still! Here we are so let’s commence the proceedings: + That's right! It's time to talk about Anbroids 2.0! Hands up everyone who thought "Brobots" would've been a better name? Yeah that's what I thought... Still! Here we are so let's commence the proceedings: <b>THE CONCEPT</b> - So much of the inspiration here comes directly from Davesprite, which I remember thinking “Oh god damn if that Yamaha YM2612 Genesis/Mega Driveness doesn’t fit Dave quite well!”. Enter Dirk Strider and his robotic creations! Suddenly a synthy, retro chiptune doesn’t sound so out of place. - My idea was formed fairly early on after we’d learned a bit of his pastime. I came up with the idea of having a kind of “Workshop” theme where Dirk would put some music on and get to work constructing some brobot or other. From here there was a number of prerequisites: - <ol><li>Must be kinda funky. Dude’s a Strider after all. So we’re looking at a bit of a groove with the beat.</li> <li>Must have square waves, which is sort of the national instrument of Robonia.</li> <li>Solos!</li></ol> + So much of the inspiration here comes directly from Davesprite, which I remember thinking "Oh god damn if that Yamaha YM2612 Genesis/Mega Driveness doesn't fit Dave quite well!". Enter Dirk Strider and his robotic creations! Suddenly a synthy, retro chiptune doesn't sound so out of place. + My idea was formed fairly early on after we'd learned a bit of his pastime. I came up with the idea of having a kind of "Workshop" theme where Dirk would put some music on and get to work constructing some brobot or other. From here there was a number of prerequisites: + <ol><li>Must be kinda funky. Dude's a Strider after all. So we're looking at a bit of a groove with the beat.</li> <li>Must have square waves, which is sort of the national instrument of Robonia.</li> <li>Solos!</li></ol> All this in mind, I nabbed a general purpose Genesis soundfont (Which seems to be comprised of voices mainly nabbed from Sonic, certainly the percussion is - You should be able to recognize the snare from the opening riff of Sonic the Hedgehog). And got to work. <b>NAME</b> - Yeah, so I thought “Brobots” would’ve been a better name, especially because that became their canon name in the comic, but by then Hussie had used it in the comic under the name Anbroids, so it stuck :p I apended a 2.0 on it because the versions became fairly different. I also figured some people might want the original version 1.0 used in the comic after the album came out. + Yeah, so I thought "Brobots" would've been a better name, especially because that became their canon name in the comic, but by then Hussie had used it in the comic under the name Anbroids, so it stuck :p I apended a 2.0 on it because the versions became fairly different. I also figured some people might want the original version 1.0 used in the comic after the album came out. Speaking of which... <b>VERSION ONE</b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ICTFBDONdI">[LISTEN TO] IT HERE!</a> - This was an in progress version that Hussie nabbed early on before I’d made changes to create the newer version. I’ll go into why it changed in a bit, but here’s a good place to discuss the track at large: - The main theme is there, but a bit… “Lazier” - It doesn’t have a lot of the swing it’d later develop. It also opens with just a percussive riff, which is probably most influenced by the likes of Toejam ‘n Earl. Overall I reckon this version lacked energy, so it needed a bit of a rework before I reckoned it was cool enough to be a Strider song… + This was an in progress version that Hussie nabbed early on before I'd made changes to create the newer version. I'll go into why it changed in a bit, but here's a good place to discuss the track at large: + The main theme is there, but a bit... "Lazier" - It doesn't have a lot of the swing it'd later develop. It also opens with just a percussive riff, which is probably most influenced by the likes of Toejam 'n Earl. Overall I reckon this version lacked energy, so it needed a bit of a rework before I reckoned it was cool enough to be a Strider song... <b>VERSION TWO</b> - The percussive intro was removed in favor of a “Booting up” thing (Just a pitch bended squave), followed by a not-so-subtle parody of the original Game Boy bootup noise. The main “guitar” riff came back with a bit of stereo (Which I tried to use a bit more of). - At 0:23 we jump into the first of various solos. One of the tricky parts of chiptune music is, yes you have limited channels, voices and often no polyphony (multiple notes on the same track at the same time) so if you want to make it sound realistically retro you need to abide by these laws, but that doesn’t mean you can’t play with pitch, modulation, stereo etc - The solos were effectively a lesson in mucking about with these to create something that sounded fairly dynamic for a sequenced solo. - At 0:40, just before the main melody kicks in, we have the first “boot error” sound - Just a flat bass note on the square. There’s one at the end as well - The main concept was while he’s building these brobots, occasionally something’ll go wrong - It’ll fail to start or it’ll start going haywire - and so he has to unplug and start again trying something else. - 0:43 has the main melody. It’s similar to the original Version 1 but it’s been funked up a bit - Mainly to avoid it sounded like other stuff (I’m looking at you, Lady Gaga’s Alejandro). Again, bit of pitch wobbliness to give an air of a kind of hectic, technological mess. - The second solo changes the key, and here the idea is Dirk’s moved on to working on something else. As the solo continues, it gets more and more hectic until it’s just splattering notes everywhere, like the brobot’s gone completely off the rails and it’s flailing around the room - At 1:35 it’s promptly shutdown and we bridge back into the main melody again (This bridge was removed from V1, but brought back in by, well, Rad’s request :p I liked it too though, has a Sonic-y feel to it). - Bit of harmonizing later (partially indicating that the Brobot Dirk’s working on has started to play ball and is synchronizing with his personality). One last “Perfected” solo (1:58) which is actually a modified version of the original solo that’s basically a lot “wilder”, to show we’ve finally perfected the upgrade and ready to ship. - So with that, everything’s shut down, and the song ends. - Granted, I probably didn’t manage to get this little ‘story’ across with everybody, but this was the general thought process when I was making the thing. Hopefully if you listen to it now you’ll get some of the ideas I was going for. If not? Well… enjoy it however you like :p Or even come up with your own interpretation that’s better than mine :p - Johnathan Griffiths was the track art man of the hour - There’s even a mega drive controller there! And how are those shades staying on? All round awesome :) + The percussive intro was removed in favor of a "Booting up" thing (Just a pitch bended squave), followed by a not-so-subtle parody of the original Game Boy bootup noise. The main "guitar" riff came back with a bit of stereo (Which I tried to use a bit more of). + At 0:23 we jump into the first of various solos. One of the tricky parts of chiptune music is, yes you have limited channels, voices and often no polyphony (multiple notes on the same track at the same time) so if you want to make it sound realistically retro you need to abide by these laws, but that doesn't mean you can't play with pitch, modulation, stereo etc - The solos were effectively a lesson in mucking about with these to create something that sounded fairly dynamic for a sequenced solo. + At 0:40, just before the main melody kicks in, we have the first "boot error" sound - Just a flat bass note on the square. There's one at the end as well - The main concept was while he's building these brobots, occasionally something'll go wrong - It'll fail to start or it'll start going haywire - and so he has to unplug and start again trying something else. + 0:43 has the main melody. It's similar to the original Version 1 but it's been funked up a bit - Mainly to avoid it sounded like other stuff (I'm looking at you, Lady Gaga's Alejandro). Again, bit of pitch wobbliness to give an air of a kind of hectic, technological mess. + The second solo changes the key, and here the idea is Dirk's moved on to working on something else. As the solo continues, it gets more and more hectic until it's just splattering notes everywhere, like the brobot's gone completely off the rails and it's flailing around the room - At 1:35 it's promptly shutdown and we bridge back into the main melody again (This bridge was removed from V1, but brought back in by, well, Rad's request :p I liked it too though, has a Sonic-y feel to it). + Bit of harmonizing later (partially indicating that the Brobot Dirk's working on has started to play ball and is synchronizing with his personality). One last "Perfected" solo (1:58) which is actually a modified version of the original solo that's basically a lot "wilder", to show we've finally perfected the upgrade and ready to ship. + So with that, everything's shut down, and the song ends. + Granted, I probably didn't manage to get this little 'story' across with everybody, but this was the general thought process when I was making the thing. Hopefully if you listen to it now you'll get some of the ideas I was going for. If not? Well... enjoy it however you like :p Or even come up with your own interpretation that's better than mine :p + Johnathan Griffiths was the track art man of the hour - There's even a mega drive controller there! And how are those shades staying on? All round awesome :) --- Track: Trepidation Artists: @@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:aggrieve-violin-refrain Commentary: |- <i>Tavia Morra:</i> - RJ gave me the reins on this one. At first I was drawing it in the same style as a later track ([[Before the Beginning and After the End]]) I did art for, but then it quickly turned in to a painting. This palette in particular was fun and challenging to work with. I’m happy with the end result, since it looks like the Batterwitch is cackling as the world burns down around her. + RJ gave me the reins on this one. At first I was drawing it in the same style as a later track ([[Before the Beginning and After the End]]) I did art for, but then it quickly turned in to a painting. This palette in particular was fun and challenging to work with. I'm happy with the end result, since it looks like the Batterwitch is cackling as the world burns down around her. --- Track: Hate You Artists: @@ -233,21 +233,21 @@ MIDI Project Files: - "Pumpkin Party in Sea Hitler's Water Apocalypse - Caustic.mid" Commentary: |- <i>Malcolm Brown:</i> - Aaah Pumpkin Party in Sea Hitler’s Water Apocalypse. Or Pumpkin Party in Colony 413 or whatever I was calling it before I decided to go nuts. The original working title was just “Pumpkin Party”, so at the very least we started somewhere sensible. - So let’s have a chat about where this one came from. + Aaah Pumpkin Party in Sea Hitler's Water Apocalypse. Or Pumpkin Party in Colony 413 or whatever I was calling it before I decided to go nuts. The original working title was just "Pumpkin Party", so at the very least we started somewhere sensible. + So let's have a chat about where this one came from. <b>THE CONCEPT</b> - So around about <a href="https://www.homestuck.com/story/4852">THIS PANEL</a> during Dirk’s history lesson of the future, we got a glimpse as to what Roxy was up to - Helping the locals out in the post apocalyptic hell-future. Some bizarre idea came about that herself and the Carapacians would get together and have a little underground party away from the watchful gaze of the Condensce and her drones and the like. Gotta find some way to keep your spirits up, right? So with that incredibly vague concept the idea was born to come up with some small light of goodness and happiness in, well, “Sea Hitler’s Water Apocalypse”. + So around about <a href="https://www.homestuck.com/story/4852">THIS PANEL</a> during Dirk's history lesson of the future, we got a glimpse as to what Roxy was up to - Helping the locals out in the post apocalyptic hell-future. Some bizarre idea came about that herself and the Carapacians would get together and have a little underground party away from the watchful gaze of the Condensce and her drones and the like. Gotta find some way to keep your spirits up, right? So with that incredibly vague concept the idea was born to come up with some small light of goodness and happiness in, well, "Sea Hitler's Water Apocalypse". <b>THE NAME</b> As mentioned this changed a few times, but this line sums up pretty much everything you need to know about the future: <code style="color: #1f9400">GT: Like what is even your day to day business like in sea hitlers water apocalypse??</code> <b>THE TRACK</b> - As I recall, with this one it was mainly the instruments chosen that defined it. The Banjo just struck the right kind of sound, and from there an accordion to give it a bit of a polka feel. A lot of the crafting of this one was trying desperately not to have it ending up too much like the Ievan Polkka (Which thanks to a month of Project Diva on PSP is firmly embedded in my brain…). - The idea of mixing Chiptune samples and real instruments is something I was playing with a lot this album (Encore does it as well, as did the dropped ‘Mother’) - I felt this was a kind of neat “This is where we were, and this is where we are now” concept. HS is still about a game, and it’s neat to embed some of the more obvious gamey elements now and then. Plus it might just be me, but accordions and square waves go really well together :D - The “Ooh!” “Ahh!” chants were added just to give it a bit more of a folk appeal, and the air-raid sirens were added last to build up the scene of this party going on while the world’s gone to hell outside - perhaps some other colony’s getting obliterated for whatever reason. Either way, it bookends the song quite nicely, coming back now and then and returning at the end to signify the dance is over. - My favorite bit of the whole thing is the solo at 1:56 - It’s just so gosh darn happy! - Overall though? It’s a bit of a zany, dance-party track. Completely juxtapositions the hell-nightmare outside, and in the end that’s the point! Of course things get worse, but “Red Miles In Sea Hitler’s Water Apocalypse” will have to wait… - Damn, I just realized I should’ve added some meows. I’ve got like two cats sitting here ready for a vocal performance as well… Ah well, the road not taken. - Once again the art is very spiffy so many thanks to Marina! Look at that dude in the corner? That pumpkin is so nom’d! :D + As I recall, with this one it was mainly the instruments chosen that defined it. The Banjo just struck the right kind of sound, and from there an accordion to give it a bit of a polka feel. A lot of the crafting of this one was trying desperately not to have it ending up too much like the Ievan Polkka (Which thanks to a month of Project Diva on PSP is firmly embedded in my brain...). + The idea of mixing Chiptune samples and real instruments is something I was playing with a lot this album (Encore does it as well, as did the dropped 'Mother') - I felt this was a kind of neat "This is where we were, and this is where we are now" concept. HS is still about a game, and it's neat to embed some of the more obvious gamey elements now and then. Plus it might just be me, but accordions and square waves go really well together :D + The "Ooh!" "Ahh!" chants were added just to give it a bit more of a folk appeal, and the air-raid sirens were added last to build up the scene of this party going on while the world's gone to hell outside - perhaps some other colony's getting obliterated for whatever reason. Either way, it bookends the song quite nicely, coming back now and then and returning at the end to signify the dance is over. + My favorite bit of the whole thing is the solo at 1:56 - It's just so gosh darn happy! + Overall though? It's a bit of a zany, dance-party track. Completely juxtapositions the hell-nightmare outside, and in the end that's the point! Of course things get worse, but "Red Miles In Sea Hitler's Water Apocalypse" will have to wait... + Damn, I just realized I should've added some meows. I've got like two cats sitting here ready for a vocal performance as well... Ah well, the road not taken. + Once again the art is very spiffy so many thanks to Marina! Look at that dude in the corner? That pumpkin is so nom'd! :D --- Track: Skaianet Artists: @@ -295,10 +295,10 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Another Jungle - Purple1222119 (flash version).mid' Commentary: |- <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> - Before this track was used in Homestuck along with Beatfox’s “A Taste for Adventure”, it was actually made for a nearly 3-year-old defunct fan project. Housetrapped was a story about an alternate Sburb session and “Another Jungle” was a the-same-but-different theme for the loading screen of that universe’s Sburb client. Sound familiar? - When we shifted into gear to create new Homestuck music following the start of Act 6, I was asked to refurbish the forgotten 40-second theme I’d written as the theme to Sburb Alpha. “Another Jungle” is thus the alpha equivalent of “Sburban Jungle” which I had written back when Homestuck began - structurally both songs are very similar, but each with their own melodies and sound choices. - “Another Jungle” has the benefit of years of experience with production I did not have when Homestuck began, and to me the fidelity difference really shows. Since writing “Sburban Jungle” I’d become far more familiar with automation, recording, eq, mixing, mastering, and all the techniques that polish a music project. “Another Jungle” is far more dynamic than its predecessor, with each subsequent section of the song having its own unique way of using the instruments and sounds in the project. - My favorite touches to this one are all the very mellow sounds that contrast with the brisk pacing of the track - the various pads, the wah-wah guitar, the echoing melody, all of it underlined by drums and brute synth loops. The sudden change in energy when the guitars duck out in the middle and the melody of “Showtime” whispers in is a favorite moment of mine. The very pop ending with its retro house sound was another choice I wouldn’t have seen myself making three years back. Hope you enjoy this one as much as I do. + Before this track was used in Homestuck along with Beatfox's "A Taste for Adventure", it was actually made for a nearly 3-year-old defunct fan project. Housetrapped was a story about an alternate Sburb session and "Another Jungle" was a the-same-but-different theme for the loading screen of that universe's Sburb client. Sound familiar? + When we shifted into gear to create new Homestuck music following the start of Act 6, I was asked to refurbish the forgotten 40-second theme I'd written as the theme to Sburb Alpha. "Another Jungle" is thus the alpha equivalent of "Sburban Jungle" which I had written back when Homestuck began - structurally both songs are very similar, but each with their own melodies and sound choices. + "Another Jungle" has the benefit of years of experience with production I did not have when Homestuck began, and to me the fidelity difference really shows. Since writing "Sburban Jungle" I'd become far more familiar with automation, recording, eq, mixing, mastering, and all the techniques that polish a music project. "Another Jungle" is far more dynamic than its predecessor, with each subsequent section of the song having its own unique way of using the instruments and sounds in the project. + My favorite touches to this one are all the very mellow sounds that contrast with the brisk pacing of the track - the various pads, the wah-wah guitar, the echoing melody, all of it underlined by drums and brute synth loops. The sudden change in energy when the guitars duck out in the middle and the melody of "Showtime" whispers in is a favorite moment of mine. The very pop ending with its retro house sound was another choice I wouldn't have seen myself making three years back. Hope you enjoy this one as much as I do. The art for this track is by Richard Gung. --- Track: GameGrl (Original 1993 Mix) @@ -334,28 +334,28 @@ Lyrics: |- (Awesome! That was totally rad to the max! I could just keep doing this all day... NOT! I've got games to play, and if you think I'm gonna slow down just to talk to a bunch of amateurs, then you need to seriously blow the dust out of your cartridges. But hey, girls, whenever you need to show those creepy boys who's boss, just remember that GameGrl's got your back. Look for me on specially-marked boxes of Betty Crocker brand snacks and have an adult call the toll-free number to subscribe to the exclusive girls-only GameGrl Magazine. Alright, check you later girlfriends!) Commentary: |- <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> - Originally we’d planned on doing a Homestuck album that was devoted entirely to the Sburb Alpha kids and their session, all of us doing tracks that would parallel earlier tracks in a same-but-different fashion. While this album became Homestuck Vol. 9, a lot of analogous tracks remained from the original concept, including this track as an alternative to “GameBro (Original 1990 Mix)” from Homestuck Vol. 6: Heir Transparent. - While we can only imagine what the set-decorating GameGrl magazine from Jane Crocker’s bedroom might actually be like, it’s pretty easy for me as a child of the 90’s to imagine how the magazine might have looked in the era of the Burger King Kid’s Club and Lisa Frank. With GameGrl I attempted to capture a lot of the basic messages perpetuated to girls by children’s advertising in the 90’s: + Originally we'd planned on doing a Homestuck album that was devoted entirely to the Sburb Alpha kids and their session, all of us doing tracks that would parallel earlier tracks in a same-but-different fashion. While this album became Homestuck Vol. 9, a lot of analogous tracks remained from the original concept, including this track as an alternative to "GameBro (Original 1990 Mix)" from Homestuck Vol. 6: Heir Transparent. + While we can only imagine what the set-decorating GameGrl magazine from Jane Crocker's bedroom might actually be like, it's pretty easy for me as a child of the 90's to imagine how the magazine might have looked in the era of the Burger King Kid's Club and Lisa Frank. With GameGrl I attempted to capture a lot of the basic messages perpetuated to girls by children's advertising in the 90's: - Boys are gross and need to have their butts kicked - Girls are cool and should pretend to understand pop culture - Clubs must be started in tree-houses and couch forts to keep boys out - Parents suck and will never understand - You can trust corporate America - The music was a hodge-podge of a lot of things - the production style of early 90’s house music (Deee-Lite and Cathy Dennis were my main references) was coupled with the intentionally insipid rap vocals in a time in which many game commercials <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkWYP95WbbY">had</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m__j99flW9w">awful</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7FN5B02YEo">raps</a>. The lead vocals are performed by Tavia Morra, whose voice I discovered sounds scarily childlike when sped up slightly. We played the backup track at about 75% speed and had her rap over it to create the vocal comp before speeding it back up to create the cringe-worthy little girl voice. I did a digital process to lower my voice to create the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0LoHA_FPAs">Pokérap</a>-style breakdown towards the middle of the track and then asked Erik Scheele to play a painfully retro midi guitar solo. - For the track art (lovingly created and posed for by Tavia) among our many references were Alex Mack and The Olson Twins. The big deal-breaker for us was getting a pair of overalls, a garment seemingly synonymous with the 90’s. We spent nearly three hours hunting for a pair in Austin coming up short at Wal-Mart, Academy, Sheplers, Cavender’s Boot City, Goodwill, a costume store, a paint store, and a plumbing store before finally finding a wearable piece 17 miles out of town at a farm supply store. Apparently humanity had the good sense to wipe that fucking hideous fashion travesty off the face of the earth at the end of the decade (I knew the y2k bug must have done something!) and now only people who actually need them wear them. + The music was a hodge-podge of a lot of things - the production style of early 90's house music (Deee-Lite and Cathy Dennis were my main references) was coupled with the intentionally insipid rap vocals in a time in which many game commercials <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkWYP95WbbY">had</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m__j99flW9w">awful</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7FN5B02YEo">raps</a>. The lead vocals are performed by Tavia Morra, whose voice I discovered sounds scarily childlike when sped up slightly. We played the backup track at about 75% speed and had her rap over it to create the vocal comp before speeding it back up to create the cringe-worthy little girl voice. I did a digital process to lower my voice to create the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0LoHA_FPAs">Pokérap</a>-style breakdown towards the middle of the track and then asked Erik Scheele to play a painfully retro midi guitar solo. + For the track art (lovingly created and posed for by Tavia) among our many references were Alex Mack and The Olson Twins. The big deal-breaker for us was getting a pair of overalls, a garment seemingly synonymous with the 90's. We spent nearly three hours hunting for a pair in Austin coming up short at Wal-Mart, Academy, Sheplers, Cavender's Boot City, Goodwill, a costume store, a paint store, and a plumbing store before finally finding a wearable piece 17 miles out of town at a farm supply store. Apparently humanity had the good sense to wipe that fucking hideous fashion travesty off the face of the earth at the end of the decade (I knew the y2k bug must have done something!) and now only people who actually need them wear them. We took our pictures at the Japanese-style game center Arcade UFO. Outtakes can be found <a href="https://seeyoutmorra.tumblr.com/post/24983253249/some-of-the-other-photos-from-the-gamegrl">here</a>. <i>Tavia Morra:</i> - I don’t even know where to start. - One day Bowman and I discovered that if we pitched my voice up a little higher than where it normally is, then I sounded like a 12 year old girl. The idea for GameGrl came up later and he proceeded to write lyrics that would make any 90’s kiddo cringe at the nostalgia of their childhood and want to do it again. - I had way too much fun recording it to the point that I knocked over a music stand from dancing too much. Bowman was a fantastic coach. It’s always a pleasure to work with him. + I don't even know where to start. + One day Bowman and I discovered that if we pitched my voice up a little higher than where it normally is, then I sounded like a 12 year old girl. The idea for GameGrl came up later and he proceeded to write lyrics that would make any 90's kiddo cringe at the nostalgia of their childhood and want to do it again. + I had way too much fun recording it to the point that I knocked over a music stand from dancing too much. Bowman was a fantastic coach. It's always a pleasure to work with him. The track art has more of a story to it than I would have cared for, but Bowman and I both knew we had to go all the way with the track art. And so begun our quest for the GameGrl outfit, which we found all of the clothing elements for except for the overalls. We figured we were just going to go around the corner to the Goodwill, find a pair of overalls, slap those suckers on and get the track art done within about an hour tops. But no. No, no, no. We ended up shopping for three hours at nine separate stores before we found those goddamn overalls. Bowman livetweeted our journey: <img src="media/misc/overall-quest.jpg" width="331" height="799"> - Eventually we got the overalls and proceeded to take the most fantastic pictures ever. I’ll be posting up some other photos from that day later on so keep your eyes peeled! - All in all, this track is probably the most involved I’d been on a Homestuck album and am so glad it was this one. I had a blast! + Eventually we got the overalls and proceeded to take the most fantastic pictures ever. I'll be posting up some other photos from that day later on so keep your eyes peeled! + All in all, this track is probably the most involved I'd been on a Homestuck album and am so glad it was this one. I had a blast! --- Track: ASSAULT Artists: @@ -424,8 +424,8 @@ Commentary: |- Nothing inspires me more than spaces, regardless of whether they are real or virtual. Examples include cities, mountains, buildings, individual rooms, even entire planets (see [[album:medium|Medium]]). Austin is currently my real world home, and to imagine it flooded and empty is a fascinating thing. Should Dirk ever decide to explore beyond Houston, what forgotten worlds would he find in the other lost Texan fortresses? The whole song was written to musically explore this sunken Austin, and to deliver a strong atmosphere and sense of place. The parts I used to piece together this portrait are the constituent Homestuck tunes, each of which I chose because of thematic applicability; they include Beatdown, Explore, Flare, and even Atomyk Ebonpyre. - To capture the same essence visually in the track art, I knew I could trust Tynic. She is an incredible background artist with an uncanny sense for colors and composition! I am so proud of her work here; the song just wouldn’t be the same without the accompanying artwork. - Additional fun fact: the entire song is played off key, detuned into the spaces between quartertones. The piano itself is significantly flat. This surprised me in how far it went toward making the song sound “sunken.” + To capture the same essence visually in the track art, I knew I could trust Tynic. She is an incredible background artist with an uncanny sense for colors and composition! I am so proud of her work here; the song just wouldn't be the same without the accompanying artwork. + Additional fun fact: the entire song is played off key, detuned into the spaces between quartertones. The piano itself is significantly flat. This surprised me in how far it went toward making the song sound "sunken." --- Track: Despot Artists: @@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Despot - adamus (piano).mid' Commentary: |- <i>Erik Scheele:</i> - Started as a sequel to Upward Movement, before Hussie skipped over that entire sequence, which made me try to build it into a general Dirk theme. Sort of like a rise to power, from princehood to kinghood, or sommat. Maybe even a character theme, though I can’t really make those calls. + Started as a sequel to Upward Movement, before Hussie skipped over that entire sequence, which made me try to build it into a general Dirk theme. Sort of like a rise to power, from princehood to kinghood, or sommat. Maybe even a character theme, though I can't really make those calls. <i>Tavia Morra:</i> This picture started with an innocent suggestion from RJ who imagined Dirk riding a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Hang-On">super hang on motorcycle</a> to this song. I took the idea over to Jit who then helped me develop the picture to what it became, suggesting the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUUbp-4kKMA">FF7 motorcycle chase</a> as inspiration and to turn the motorcycle in to Sawtooth. --- @@ -478,18 +478,18 @@ Referenced Tracks: Commentary: |- <i>Toby Fox:</i> art by P-RO at <a href="https://nomorepros.tumblr.com">nomorepros.tumblr.com</a>. P-RO always does a maximally amazing job so why I asked her to draw the art is a non-question. - Stress is actually a pretty faithful arrangement of an original track by Buzinkai. Buzinkai has been responsible for several HS-important melodies like [[track:doctor]], [[track:endless-climb]], and [[track:explore]] and [her] work, for me, has always established a certain “essence” of what Homestuck is. My goal for this piece was actually to create a classic strife theme for Dirk with the core feeling of earlier pieces like [[track:showtime-original-mix|Showtime]] or [[track:doctor]], so basing the piece off of something with that “essence” was important.* - I can’t say why Buzinkai wrote this piece the way she did, so I’ll instead highlight the differences between the original and my arrangement. - - <p>Updated the instrumentation. Buzinkai’s usage of PXTONE is indeed charming and nostalgic-sounding, but I wanted to push things bit further. One major difference is the arrangement of the strings - Buzinkai’s PXTONE strings have an sharp attack to them, while mine come on a bit softer but are thicker. My strings then sound more “lush” but less “urgent.”</p> - - <p>I added a section between the original A section and B section with lower intensity. This was because the song got a bit too repetitive and static simply repeating like Buzinkai’s. Oddly, the repeats didn’t bother me in her track. I think this is partially because MY loop point, unlike Buzinkai’s, lowers the intensity a LOT more by removing a bunch of instruments where hers simply flows into a repeat. I need to think about that more.</p> + Stress is actually a pretty faithful arrangement of an original track by Buzinkai. Buzinkai has been responsible for several HS-important melodies like [[track:doctor]], [[track:endless-climb]], and [[track:explore]] and [her] work, for me, has always established a certain "essence" of what Homestuck is. My goal for this piece was actually to create a classic strife theme for Dirk with the core feeling of earlier pieces like [[track:showtime-original-mix|Showtime]] or [[track:doctor]], so basing the piece off of something with that "essence" was important.* + I can't say why Buzinkai wrote this piece the way she did, so I'll instead highlight the differences between the original and my arrangement. + - <p>Updated the instrumentation. Buzinkai's usage of PXTONE is indeed charming and nostalgic-sounding, but I wanted to push things bit further. One major difference is the arrangement of the strings - Buzinkai's PXTONE strings have an sharp attack to them, while mine come on a bit softer but are thicker. My strings then sound more "lush" but less "urgent."</p> + - <p>I added a section between the original A section and B section with lower intensity. This was because the song got a bit too repetitive and static simply repeating like Buzinkai's. Oddly, the repeats didn't bother me in her track. I think this is partially because MY loop point, unlike Buzinkai's, lowers the intensity a LOT more by removing a bunch of instruments where hers simply flows into a repeat. I need to think about that more.</p> - <p>Added an introduction and a true ending to make it more of a proper start-to-finish song.</p> About the similarity to [[Teal Hunter]] and a fun syncopation lesson: - - <p>This was unintentional - I not only started my arrangement of this song before the contest was conceived, Buzinkai made the original song back in 2010. THOUGH as soon as I heard Teal Hunter I KNEW people would call out the similarities because, surprise, there are plenty of them! Here’s the big one: - - <p>Both pieces are in 5/4 (5 beats per measure, try counting to 5 over and over on the beat) and use the SAME syncopation (syncopation = the division of notes into smaller off-beat rhythms within the measure) throughout the track. Actually, many many many pieces in 5/4 use this syncopation. See: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nlCNVewMjA">Hollow Bastion</a>. Why do composers keep doing this? Two reasons: One, because it sounds awesome. Second, because the main way to compose in odd time signatures like 5/4 or 13/4** is actually to cut things into smaller units of 3, 2, or 4. Though each measure is comprised of 5 total beats, each measure in these songs is cut into 10 notes of half the length going 123-123-12-12. 3! 3! 2! 2!</p> <p>Wow, that was a very poor explanation. But please go to that Hollow Bastion video I linked and count “one-two-three-one-two-three-one-two-one-two” very quickly along with each note the harp plays. You’ll get it. (And I’m just making things more confusing, but isn’t it awesome how the syncopation switches at the end of the 4-measure phrase to “1234 12 12 12?” The little bit of contrast makes it feel complete.)</p> <p>So, why don’t people just cut things up differently? like 3 2 2 3? it’s definitely possible! Here’s my theory about why people favor the syncopation they do: It seems like ending a measure with a shorter note ON the beat leads into the next measure more naturally. It even sounds like a leadin: dun-DUN! This is supported by the fact that one of the most popular syncopations in existence is the one in 4/4 that goes 3 3 2. This is probably the same principle.</p> <p>3 3 2: ON OFF ON<br>3 3 2 2: ON OFF ON ON</p> - - <p>Besides the fact that the syncopation is identical, the chords and melody are similar and the way the strings are used are basically the same. I have no explanation for this other than… great minds think alike???</p> <p>RANDOM FUN FACT: Awakening is also in 5/4, go to 1:40 and sing the melody to Stress. Hell, [[media:misc/stresscombo.mp3|I’ll do it for you.]] It fits!!! The main melody of awakening also starts with a similar rhythm as Stress. it’s the curse of the 123 123 12 12’s.</p> + - <p>This was unintentional - I not only started my arrangement of this song before the contest was conceived, Buzinkai made the original song back in 2010. THOUGH as soon as I heard Teal Hunter I KNEW people would call out the similarities because, surprise, there are plenty of them! Here's the big one: + - <p>Both pieces are in 5/4 (5 beats per measure, try counting to 5 over and over on the beat) and use the SAME syncopation (syncopation = the division of notes into smaller off-beat rhythms within the measure) throughout the track. Actually, many many many pieces in 5/4 use this syncopation. See: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nlCNVewMjA">Hollow Bastion</a>. Why do composers keep doing this? Two reasons: One, because it sounds awesome. Second, because the main way to compose in odd time signatures like 5/4 or 13/4** is actually to cut things into smaller units of 3, 2, or 4. Though each measure is comprised of 5 total beats, each measure in these songs is cut into 10 notes of half the length going 123-123-12-12. 3! 3! 2! 2!</p> <p>Wow, that was a very poor explanation. But please go to that Hollow Bastion video I linked and count "one-two-three-one-two-three-one-two-one-two" very quickly along with each note the harp plays. You'll get it. (And I'm just making things more confusing, but isn't it awesome how the syncopation switches at the end of the 4-measure phrase to "1234 12 12 12?" The little bit of contrast makes it feel complete.)</p> <p>So, why don't people just cut things up differently? like 3 2 2 3? it's definitely possible! Here's my theory about why people favor the syncopation they do: It seems like ending a measure with a shorter note ON the beat leads into the next measure more naturally. It even sounds like a leadin: dun-DUN! This is supported by the fact that one of the most popular syncopations in existence is the one in 4/4 that goes 3 3 2. This is probably the same principle.</p> <p>3 3 2: ON OFF ON<br>3 3 2 2: ON OFF ON ON</p> + - <p>Besides the fact that the syncopation is identical, the chords and melody are similar and the way the strings are used are basically the same. I have no explanation for this other than... great minds think alike???</p> <p>RANDOM FUN FACT: Awakening is also in 5/4, go to 1:40 and sing the melody to Stress. Hell, [[media:misc/stresscombo.mp3|I'll do it for you.]] It fits!!! The main melody of awakening also starts with a similar rhythm as Stress. it's the curse of the 123 123 12 12's.</p> Wow, I really got off track here. But I hope you learned something today. - * Yes, Bill Bolin also started an arrangement of this piece before he left the team. I think we were both attracted to the same “essence” present in Buzinkai’s piece. - ** Bonus challenge: See if you can count out how I divided the measures in this song! If you can do this, you can easily understand how to compose in time signatures like this. It’s actually VERY simple and derived directly from the other breakdowns I did. + * Yes, Bill Bolin also started an arrangement of this piece before he left the team. I think we were both attracted to the same "essence" present in Buzinkai's piece. + ** Bonus challenge: See if you can count out how I divided the measures in this song! If you can do this, you can easily understand how to compose in time signatures like this. It's actually VERY simple and derived directly from the other breakdowns I did. --- Track: Minihoof's Adventure Artists: @@ -507,13 +507,13 @@ Art Tags: - Maplehoof Commentary: |- <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> - I get the feeling that down the line there will be an explanation for why exactly there’s a tiny Maplehoof on Dirk Strider’s desk and it will be one of the biggest plot revelations in all of Homestuck. For me it was a cue that there needed to be a Sburb Alpha universe parallel for the song [[track:maplehoofs-adventure]], which in itself was a spiritual sequel to [[track:pony-chorale]]. It’s sort of a reality check to realize that I have written not one, not two, but three songs for cartoon ponies now - I guess that’s part of this disease we call the Internet. - As with the previous installments, I used a sample of Tavia Morra saying “neigh” to punctuate phrases, this time sped up to about double speed to have that chipmunk-esque effect. Everything about this song is a bit faster-paced and squeakier to reflect the stature of the tiny horse. The orchestration was largely inspired by my last trip to Disneyland - the whistles are arranged to sound a bit like the teapots from Alice in Wonderland, and the horn synths were selected because of their resemblance to a merry-go-round organ. - Along with recent tracks like [[track:another-jungle]] and [[track:elephant-gun]], this song represents one of my attempts to stick less closely to a predictable song form. The key signature moves up a whole step around 32 seconds in and never comes back down, and the main repeated refrain that ties the song together is the little cadence that shows up at the end of each section. I stuck to my guns as a high school music theory student on this one, mostly drawing from Mozart and Sousa - it’s an overstimulating mess of counterpoint, and my main goal was to see if it would annoy composition major Erik Scheele (it worked). - Out of all the tracks for Volume 9 I worked on, this one was a real breeze. I was on such a roll that I considered making it ten minutes long just to piss off everyone, but I knew that I’d most likely be asked to cut it down if I’d gone to that kind of excess, and I had other tracks to work on. + I get the feeling that down the line there will be an explanation for why exactly there's a tiny Maplehoof on Dirk Strider's desk and it will be one of the biggest plot revelations in all of Homestuck. For me it was a cue that there needed to be a Sburb Alpha universe parallel for the song [[track:maplehoofs-adventure]], which in itself was a spiritual sequel to [[track:pony-chorale]]. It's sort of a reality check to realize that I have written not one, not two, but three songs for cartoon ponies now - I guess that's part of this disease we call the Internet. + As with the previous installments, I used a sample of Tavia Morra saying "neigh" to punctuate phrases, this time sped up to about double speed to have that chipmunk-esque effect. Everything about this song is a bit faster-paced and squeakier to reflect the stature of the tiny horse. The orchestration was largely inspired by my last trip to Disneyland - the whistles are arranged to sound a bit like the teapots from Alice in Wonderland, and the horn synths were selected because of their resemblance to a merry-go-round organ. + Along with recent tracks like [[track:another-jungle]] and [[track:elephant-gun]], this song represents one of my attempts to stick less closely to a predictable song form. The key signature moves up a whole step around 32 seconds in and never comes back down, and the main repeated refrain that ties the song together is the little cadence that shows up at the end of each section. I stuck to my guns as a high school music theory student on this one, mostly drawing from Mozart and Sousa - it's an overstimulating mess of counterpoint, and my main goal was to see if it would annoy composition major Erik Scheele (it worked). + Out of all the tracks for Volume 9 I worked on, this one was a real breeze. I was on such a roll that I considered making it ten minutes long just to piss off everyone, but I knew that I'd most likely be asked to cut it down if I'd gone to that kind of excess, and I had other tracks to work on. The track art was done by Tavia Morra. <i>Tavia Morra:</i> - Bowman and I quickly settled on the idea of a picture emphasizing the size of Minihoof, but couldn’t decide on a specific way to show it. Maybe put a magnifying glass over the little pony? Having her next to Dirk’s hand while he typed on the computer? The energy of the track made us think of little Minihoof running through an obstacle course Dirk set up for her on his desk, thus the stapler, the tacks, the brads, the pencils, and the GameBro Magazines. This was a super fun one for me since I had such a personal investment in it. + Bowman and I quickly settled on the idea of a picture emphasizing the size of Minihoof, but couldn't decide on a specific way to show it. Maybe put a magnifying glass over the little pony? Having her next to Dirk's hand while he typed on the computer? The energy of the track made us think of little Minihoof running through an obstacle course Dirk set up for her on his desk, thus the stapler, the tacks, the brads, the pencils, and the GameBro Magazines. This was a super fun one for me since I had such a personal investment in it. --- Track: Encore Artists: @@ -534,21 +534,21 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Unite Synchronization Commentary: |- <i>Malcolm Brown:</i> - Let’s talk about Encore! Or “Showtime 2: Encore”. + Let's talk about Encore! Or "Showtime 2: Encore". <b>THE CONCEPT.</b> - So back in the early days of Volume 9, the idea was “The New Session”. The further idea was to take the tracks ‘n themes of Volume 1/Act 1 and ‘re-scratch’ em to come up with a parallel for the new session and the new kids. Where this idea started to fall to bits was expecting the act to play similarly to Act 1, which it quickly didn’t :) + So back in the early days of Volume 9, the idea was "The New Session". The further idea was to take the tracks 'n themes of Volume 1/Act 1 and 're-scratch' em to come up with a parallel for the new session and the new kids. Where this idea started to fall to bits was expecting the act to play similarly to Act 1, which it quickly didn't :) Still, by this point we had a decent collision of re imagined classic tracks and Strife/character themes for the new kids, so on with the show. - Encore was a straight-up “Let’s bring Showtime kicking and screaming into the new session, but a little bit mixed, yet still recognizable”. + Encore was a straight-up "Let's bring Showtime kicking and screaming into the new session, but a little bit mixed, yet still recognizable". <b>THE NAME.</b> - Should be obvious. “Showtime” -> “Encore”. + Should be obvious. "Showtime" -> "Encore". <b>THE TRACK.</b> - Making Showtime orchestral wasn’t too hard. The idea of a very pomp-y, brass, adventure-y/combat affair was formed fairly early on - I think the main channeling came from a Power Stone/Smash Brothers-esque “Zany combat” idea. - Most of the voices come from EWQL’s Symphonic Orchestra, with a bit of soundfonts for the later Showtime segment. - The section at 0:22 has a bit of history - It was originally a straight up Lifdoff arrangement, but I pulled it back and made it considerably less obvious (I’ve became hesitant of Lifdoff since someone pointed out it sounds like the Bruce Lee story theme :p) - I *did* leave the little brass phrases that punctuated it, which unintentionally/subconsciously might be referencing Earthsea Borealis. This wasn’t intended, but it’s probably close enough for it not just to be a coincidence, and enough people seem to be picking up on this accidental reference so what the hell :p + Making Showtime orchestral wasn't too hard. The idea of a very pomp-y, brass, adventure-y/combat affair was formed fairly early on - I think the main channeling came from a Power Stone/Smash Brothers-esque "Zany combat" idea. + Most of the voices come from EWQL's Symphonic Orchestra, with a bit of soundfonts for the later Showtime segment. + The section at 0:22 has a bit of history - It was originally a straight up Lifdoff arrangement, but I pulled it back and made it considerably less obvious (I've became hesitant of Lifdoff since someone pointed out it sounds like the Bruce Lee story theme :p) - I *did* leave the little brass phrases that punctuated it, which unintentionally/subconsciously might be referencing Earthsea Borealis. This wasn't intended, but it's probably close enough for it not just to be a coincidence, and enough people seem to be picking up on this accidental reference so what the hell :p Next it returns to the alternate Showtime and adds on Unite Synchronization. Does a floaty little bridge afterwards, and then we get into the original Showtime. - I pondered adding this for a while, since it felt a bit “Yes, we get it, this is a Showtime thing, y’don’t need to actually add the thing in”, but eventually I liked the idea of it smashing in, completely brazen with its NES-y soundfont and blaring the original track in the last section of the song. We then wind down with the fast-paced percussion and the starting brass arrangement, just enough time for a post-battle ass-kicking pose, and then “Boom”. - I think writing tracks for characters like John/Jake’s quite fun in that they’ve got this bottomless optimism and carefree attitude, plus they do silly things. Silly things are quite fun to score... - And that’s Encore! Hope ya’ll enjoyed that little trip back down memory lane! + I pondered adding this for a while, since it felt a bit "Yes, we get it, this is a Showtime thing, y'don't need to actually add the thing in", but eventually I liked the idea of it smashing in, completely brazen with its NES-y soundfont and blaring the original track in the last section of the song. We then wind down with the fast-paced percussion and the starting brass arrangement, just enough time for a post-battle ass-kicking pose, and then "Boom". + I think writing tracks for characters like John/Jake's quite fun in that they've got this bottomless optimism and carefree attitude, plus they do silly things. Silly things are quite fun to score... + And that's Encore! Hope ya'll enjoyed that little trip back down memory lane! --- Track: Expedition Artists: @@ -584,8 +584,8 @@ Art Tags: Commentary: |- <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> This is pure Jake strife music - I started this project with the definite goal in mind to make something that sounded purely like video game music for a battle. Jake English is sort of the archetypal Roosevelt-type swashbuckler with all the bravado of a turn-of-the-century primitivist. For him, the palette of sounds is instantaneous: heavy percussion rumbling at a breakneck pace. I threw in chimes, timpani, xylophone, glockenspiel, cymbal crashes, and an uncompromising drum machine to get the atmosphere I wanted. - I had a nice, retro-sounding portamento synth as a lead, a quick little intro, and a couple of smart little themes going on right at the beginning, and I was all set for this to be one of those simple, memorable themes not unlike one of the previous Strife themes (“Beatdown”, “Showtime”). Then, at 44 seconds in, something snapped - I suddenly decided that what I was writing was boring and that nothing could be normal from that point on. Inspired by a few listens to “Rollo Interior”, I wrote a rhythmically unconventional breakdown followed by the whole song shifting into “Zappa chords” for a little while. - What was excellent about working on this track is it’s one of the first instances in a while where I had really freed myself from any preconceived goals for the song’s form and just decided to write a track from start to finish and see what felt right. I ended up at sort of the golden length - the song begins to loop at 2:15, making it still functional as video game music, and fades out by 2:39. Tavia pointed out to me that pop songs that run a bit short of 3 minutes tend to be incredibly satisfying, especially for a first time listener, as they ask for your attention for an amount of time that doesn’t wear you down. Out of all my tracks for Vol. 9, this is the one I find the easiest to listen to on a loop. + I had a nice, retro-sounding portamento synth as a lead, a quick little intro, and a couple of smart little themes going on right at the beginning, and I was all set for this to be one of those simple, memorable themes not unlike one of the previous Strife themes ("Beatdown", "Showtime"). Then, at 44 seconds in, something snapped - I suddenly decided that what I was writing was boring and that nothing could be normal from that point on. Inspired by a few listens to "Rollo Interior", I wrote a rhythmically unconventional breakdown followed by the whole song shifting into "Zappa chords" for a little while. + What was excellent about working on this track is it's one of the first instances in a while where I had really freed myself from any preconceived goals for the song's form and just decided to write a track from start to finish and see what felt right. I ended up at sort of the golden length - the song begins to loop at 2:15, making it still functional as video game music, and fades out by 2:39. Tavia pointed out to me that pop songs that run a bit short of 3 minutes tend to be incredibly satisfying, especially for a first time listener, as they ask for your attention for an amount of time that doesn't wear you down. Out of all my tracks for Vol. 9, this is the one I find the easiest to listen to on a loop. The track art is by 8bitkitten. --- Track: Miasmajesty @@ -602,7 +602,7 @@ Art Tags: - Dirk Commentary: |- <i>Tavia Morra:</i> - You ever have one of those days where the pen and photoshop just seem to be behaving? I was having one of those days and as a result this picture of Dirk happened. He’s holding a Derse flag with the pointy end coming at the viewer. This man means business. + You ever have one of those days where the pen and photoshop just seem to be behaving? I was having one of those days and as a result this picture of Dirk happened. He's holding a Derse flag with the pointy end coming at the viewer. This man means business. --- Track: Jane Dargason Artists: @@ -625,7 +625,7 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Clark Powell:</i> (<a href="https://plazmataz.tumblr.com/post/25536699941/jane-dargason-it-may-be-a-little-late-by-now-but">Tumblr</a>) It may be a little late by now, but I wanted to give one more of my songs from Volume 9 a post of its own. - First let me say that RJ Lake is a joy to work with. We sent Jane Dargason back and forth between us, remixing each other’s remixes until the track was in its final state. For reference: + First let me say that RJ Lake is a joy to work with. We sent Jane Dargason back and forth between us, remixing each other's remixes until the track was in its final state. For reference: The original sketch put together by RJ sounded like [[media:misc/jane-dargason-sketch.mp3|this]]. By the end of the process, things had evolved <a href="https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/jane-dargason-2">quite a bit</a>. I also want to take a moment to say that my good friend Dawn did a spectacular job on the track art! She has a wondrous way with colors, and her drawings of the Homestuck kids have a childlike optimism about them. Nothing could have been a more perfect match for a track like this one! @@ -655,7 +655,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Before Before the Beginning Commentary: |- <i>Tavia Morra:</i> - This was one of the last track art pieces I did that I had a lot of fun with. I didn’t really know what I was doing when I went in, but as soon as I had laid out what Alpha Kid went where, the colors instantly stood out in my mind. I really like the way this one came out. + This was one of the last track art pieces I did that I had a lot of fun with. I didn't really know what I was doing when I went in, but as soon as I had laid out what Alpha Kid went where, the colors instantly stood out in my mind. I really like the way this one came out. --- Track: Bridge of Stars Artists: @@ -718,8 +718,8 @@ Lyrics: |- Bu-bu-bu-bustin' makes me feel good!<br>Bu-bu-bu-bustin'!<br>Bu-bu-bu-bu-bustin'!<br>Bu-bu-bu-bustin' makes me feel good! Commentary: |- <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> - This track was an attempt to try something in the same vain as the soundtrack to Jet Set Radio Future which was recommended to me by friends Erik Scheele and Richard Gung. Composer Hideki Naganuma has created some of the most intricate and engaging pieces of dance music I’ve ever heard - his signature approach is his construction of entire songs around only a handful of samples (check out “Funky Dealer” for a good example). - Going off of the notion that there aught to be some music dedicated to the 3 years that John, Jade, and Davesprite spend by killing time in Ghostbusters 2 MMORPG, I recorded myself singing the famous exclamation uttered by Ray Parker Jr partway through the legendary 1984 single. What is the deal with that line, really? Apparently chasing ghosts isn’t just a public service for Mr. Parker - it gets him off. + This track was an attempt to try something in the same vain as the soundtrack to Jet Set Radio Future which was recommended to me by friends Erik Scheele and Richard Gung. Composer Hideki Naganuma has created some of the most intricate and engaging pieces of dance music I've ever heard - his signature approach is his construction of entire songs around only a handful of samples (check out "Funky Dealer" for a good example). + Going off of the notion that there aught to be some music dedicated to the 3 years that John, Jade, and Davesprite spend by killing time in Ghostbusters 2 MMORPG, I recorded myself singing the famous exclamation uttered by Ray Parker Jr partway through the legendary 1984 single. What is the deal with that line, really? Apparently chasing ghosts isn't just a public service for Mr. Parker - it gets him off. The majority of the track is driven by drum and crowd samples with some very funky but intentionally primitive synths on top. I liked the idea of building up to some big climactic house beat, and the climax of the song is sort of an homage to Kalibration and his EDM project Screamcatcher (albeit missing all the cool). The art is by Victoria Grace Elliott. --- @@ -739,7 +739,7 @@ Art Tags: - Earth Commentary: |- <i>Tavia Morra:</i> - This is another one that RJ let me do whatever I wanted on. After thinking about the title of the track, I remembered the moment in Homestuck when we all finally found out the answer to the infamous question <a href="https://www.homestuck.com/story/4853">“What Pumpkin?”</a> And what a heartwarming answer it was! To me, this was one of the most gentle tear-jerking moments in the comic to date. It just made sense to draw. + This is another one that RJ let me do whatever I wanted on. After thinking about the title of the track, I remembered the moment in Homestuck when we all finally found out the answer to the infamous question <a href="https://www.homestuck.com/story/4853">"What Pumpkin?"</a> And what a heartwarming answer it was! To me, this was one of the most gentle tear-jerking moments in the comic to date. It just made sense to draw. --- Track: iRRRRRRRRECONCILA8LE Directory: iRRRRRRRRECONCILA8LE @@ -758,8 +758,8 @@ Art Tags: - Vriska Commentary: |- <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> - Before there was 20+ hours of music in the Homestuck catalog, the music team’s task was to create new themes at a moment’s notice for new elements of the story. When Tavrisprite appeared in the comic, I challenged myself to make a suitable theme at the same pace I might once have cobbled something together back in 2009. I posted the resulting demo track on my Soundcloud the same day as the character made its debut. - My demo fused the Spanish sounds associated with Tavros and the electric lead guitar associated with Vriska. The result was just over a minute of power-flamenco silliness which I planned to expand upon heavily until suddenly Tavrisprite exploded less than an hour after I uploaded the demo. I decided the song aught to be short and sweet as well, so I asked Thomas Ferkol to play some additional metal guitar at the end before dropping in an explosion effect and a distantly echoing “honk” from a certain codpiece-wearing merchant. + Before there was 20+ hours of music in the Homestuck catalog, the music team's task was to create new themes at a moment's notice for new elements of the story. When Tavrisprite appeared in the comic, I challenged myself to make a suitable theme at the same pace I might once have cobbled something together back in 2009. I posted the resulting demo track on my Soundcloud the same day as the character made its debut. + My demo fused the Spanish sounds associated with Tavros and the electric lead guitar associated with Vriska. The result was just over a minute of power-flamenco silliness which I planned to expand upon heavily until suddenly Tavrisprite exploded less than an hour after I uploaded the demo. I decided the song aught to be short and sweet as well, so I asked Thomas Ferkol to play some additional metal guitar at the end before dropping in an explosion effect and a distantly echoing "honk" from a certain codpiece-wearing merchant. The track art is by 8bitkitten. --- Track: I'm a Member of the Midnight Crew (Post-Punk Version) @@ -792,9 +792,9 @@ Lyrics: |- I'm a member of the Midnight Crew<br>I'm a night owl, a wise bird too<br>Home with the milk in the morning<br>Singing the same old song!<br>Rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun<br>Early to bed, and you'll miss all the fun<br>Bring your wife and trouble, it can never trouble you<br>Make her a member of the Midnight Crew! Commentary: |- <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> - One of the things I’d always felt was curious about our re-appropriation of the hundred-year-old vaudeville track by Eddie Morton was the complete contrast between its cheerful mood and the sinister nature of the characters it represents. The Midnight Crew, while fashion-savvy, are cold-blooded murderers, and I’d been curious as to what a darker version of their signature song might sound like. - The inspiration for this “post-punk” arrangement comes specifically from the Iggy Pop track “Nightclubbing”, which was produced by David Bowie during their stay in Berlin in 1977. The Iggy Pop and Eddie Morton tracks are very different takes on a night on the town, and I was utterly fascinated by the thought of injecting the old ragtime track with the same seedy atmosphere of Iggy’s sardonic croon. - I’d been playing this particular arrangement live at live shows for a while, and for this recorded version I brought in bandmates Erik Scheele and Marcy Nabors to record their respective parts. Erik delivers the excellent jazz piano, while Marcy added some amazing textures by playing theremin and accordion. I made full use of the wah pedal on my guitar to deliver the very textured guitar performance, and copied Iggy’s beloved drum machine loop for the main percussion. + One of the things I'd always felt was curious about our re-appropriation of the hundred-year-old vaudeville track by Eddie Morton was the complete contrast between its cheerful mood and the sinister nature of the characters it represents. The Midnight Crew, while fashion-savvy, are cold-blooded murderers, and I'd been curious as to what a darker version of their signature song might sound like. + The inspiration for this "post-punk" arrangement comes specifically from the Iggy Pop track "Nightclubbing", which was produced by David Bowie during their stay in Berlin in 1977. The Iggy Pop and Eddie Morton tracks are very different takes on a night on the town, and I was utterly fascinated by the thought of injecting the old ragtime track with the same seedy atmosphere of Iggy's sardonic croon. + I'd been playing this particular arrangement live at live shows for a while, and for this recorded version I brought in bandmates Erik Scheele and Marcy Nabors to record their respective parts. Erik delivers the excellent jazz piano, while Marcy added some amazing textures by playing theremin and accordion. I made full use of the wah pedal on my guitar to deliver the very textured guitar performance, and copied Iggy's beloved drum machine loop for the main percussion. The track art is by Cari Garafalo. --- Track: Three in the Morning (Aftermath) @@ -824,7 +824,7 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Three in the Morning (Aftermath) - Unknown.mid' Commentary: |- <i>Erik Scheele:</i> - I don’t remember how long ago it was that Plaz asked me to do an improvisation around their Three In The Morning, but I did it, and here it is! + I don't remember how long ago it was that Plaz asked me to do an improvisation around their Three In The Morning, but I did it, and here it is! --- Track: Lancer Artists: @@ -888,9 +888,9 @@ Art Tags: - Roxy Commentary: |- <i>Solatrus:</i> - Honestly, on all three, it was a lot of going with my gut because I hadn’t quite gained the understanding of writing percussion that I now have. Though, having a good instinct for interesting rhythms definitely is why I seem to be so notorious for percussion/drum beats. + Honestly, on all three, it was a lot of going with my gut because I hadn't quite gained the understanding of writing percussion that I now have. Though, having a good instinct for interesting rhythms definitely is why I seem to be so notorious for percussion/drum beats. That said, Portrait is a funny case in particular, and its weirdness is quite a bit more deliberate than the other two, simply because I was more experienced by the time of its release. - The song is in mixed meter. Now, you certainly can hash it out to 14/4 and be happy with it, because it works out that way, but the song is actually written in alternating measures of 15/8 and 13/8. Or was it 13/8 and 15/8? It’s been awhile. Either way, the song itself never sits still and shifts its pulse back and forth the entire way, and ends up making the later breakbeat/drum and bass part all the more crazy. + The song is in mixed meter. Now, you certainly can hash it out to 14/4 and be happy with it, because it works out that way, but the song is actually written in alternating measures of 15/8 and 13/8. Or was it 13/8 and 15/8? It's been awhile. Either way, the song itself never sits still and shifts its pulse back and forth the entire way, and ends up making the later breakbeat/drum and bass part all the more crazy. And yet it still seemed to work! As for everything since Portrait, any weird percussion I do has been completely deliberate and thought out, because, as I said before, I understand my instincts on it. More importantly, I understand why those instincts work. TL;DR; In a past life, I was probably a drummer. @@ -952,17 +952,17 @@ Commentary: |- 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> 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. + 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. 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> - 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. + 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 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: @@ -997,8 +997,8 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Requited - IronInvoker47.mid' Commentary: |- <i>Clark Powell:</i> - Back on Volume 8 I wrote a song called Serenade; the track art for it explains well what the song is about. In a great many ways it was an important song for me. For one, it was the first song I’ve ever written, by which I mean a short, lyrical work written in a structure including verses and choruses. On top of that the music and the melodies came unusually naturally to me, and it all felt organic and expressive of my situation in life at the time of writing. Serenade is by far the closest emotional connection I have to Homestuck. - Naturally I wanted to do things properly if I was going to revisit a tune so personally significant. As part of a larger project I was tentatively calling “cellostuck” I decided to tackle Serenade and record a version with live cello parts, hopefully bringing rich textures and lyricism to the song to reflect the musical and personal progress I had made since writing the original. It came out beautifully, much more so than the other experiments I had tried with other songs. I called the final mix Requited, implying that the song can be seen from the opposite side. + Back on Volume 8 I wrote a song called Serenade; the track art for it explains well what the song is about. In a great many ways it was an important song for me. For one, it was the first song I've ever written, by which I mean a short, lyrical work written in a structure including verses and choruses. On top of that the music and the melodies came unusually naturally to me, and it all felt organic and expressive of my situation in life at the time of writing. Serenade is by far the closest emotional connection I have to Homestuck. + Naturally I wanted to do things properly if I was going to revisit a tune so personally significant. As part of a larger project I was tentatively calling "cellostuck" I decided to tackle Serenade and record a version with live cello parts, hopefully bringing rich textures and lyricism to the song to reflect the musical and personal progress I had made since writing the original. It came out beautifully, much more so than the other experiments I had tried with other songs. I called the final mix Requited, implying that the song can be seen from the opposite side. Consider Requited the pre-Scratch counterpart to Serenade. For the artwork on this track I asked my chum Dodostad to draw something up. Her style of whimsical, faded character art seemed the perfect match for the song, and she did a magnificent job. --- @@ -1024,7 +1024,7 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Princess of Helium - Zadira.mid' Commentary: |- <i>Tavia Morra:</i> - This was the first track art I had done for Volume 9, but at the time I drew it I didn’t know it was going to be on the upcoming album. Plazmataz played a track they’d been working on outloud for me and asked if I wanted to do art. I jumped on the opportunity and got a lot of painting practice in with this one. I’m super proud of this one, since it was the first picture in a while that had a strong palette. + This was the first track art I had done for Volume 9, but at the time I drew it I didn't know it was going to be on the upcoming album. Plazmataz played a track they'd been working on outloud for me and asked if I wanted to do art. I jumped on the opportunity and got a lot of painting practice in with this one. I'm super proud of this one, since it was the first picture in a while that had a strong palette. --- Track: Moonsetter Artists: @@ -1089,15 +1089,15 @@ MIDI Project Files: Commentary: |- <i>James Dever:</i> <b>History</b> - Throughout the last year I’ve been more active on Skype with fellow Homestuck readers and contributors, especially since February when I was added to the (in?)famous Stupid O’ Clock chat. What I found out from a lot of them was that quite a lot more people enjoyed my first ever Homestuck track than I expected. Candles and Clockwork was actually pretty popular and multiple people came to me at different times saying I should work on it again with the better programs and talents I’ve acquired since. + Throughout the last year I've been more active on Skype with fellow Homestuck readers and contributors, especially since February when I was added to the (in?)famous Stupid O' Clock chat. What I found out from a lot of them was that quite a lot more people enjoyed my first ever Homestuck track than I expected. Candles and Clockwork was actually pretty popular and multiple people came to me at different times saying I should work on it again with the better programs and talents I've acquired since. The outcome was the remake I posted on my Tumblr a few days before the album came out. I posted this in the Volume 9 thread we had, and Albatross Soup offered to work on the track. The outcome is this final version of Candles and Clockwork! <b>The Music</b> - I put a whole lot of subtle nuances into this piece. The biggest one being something that occurs throughout the piece and in almost every track of Sburb: hemiolas. For non-music folk, a hemiola is when a rhythm does not fit into the measure of music it is in. They are very similar and often function as polyrhythms, another favorite tactic of mine. In this track specifically, you can notice that the piano ostinato is clearly in 4/4. The clarinet and harp however, are in 3/4. Because of this, these lines only ever match up ever three measures for the piano and every four measures for the other instruments. Since the phrases don’t fit that pattern either, the actual lines never quite sync back up and repeat themselves. The melody line above it is for the most part in 4/4 but kind of sways the line between the two time signatures. This is also how I was able to adapt the melody into straight 3/4 for Chronicles (from Sburb) since that version does not have the 4/4 ostinato until the second section! + I put a whole lot of subtle nuances into this piece. The biggest one being something that occurs throughout the piece and in almost every track of Sburb: hemiolas. For non-music folk, a hemiola is when a rhythm does not fit into the measure of music it is in. They are very similar and often function as polyrhythms, another favorite tactic of mine. In this track specifically, you can notice that the piano ostinato is clearly in 4/4. The clarinet and harp however, are in 3/4. Because of this, these lines only ever match up ever three measures for the piano and every four measures for the other instruments. Since the phrases don't fit that pattern either, the actual lines never quite sync back up and repeat themselves. The melody line above it is for the most part in 4/4 but kind of sways the line between the two time signatures. This is also how I was able to adapt the melody into straight 3/4 for Chronicles (from Sburb) since that version does not have the 4/4 ostinato until the second section! For this version, Albatross reorchestrated the parts and added his own distinct flare to the piece. The original version had a dulcimer and harp generating the two ostinati in an attempt to generate a similar feel to the Kingdom of Zeal theme Corridors of Time from the video game Chrono Trigger. The remake I made changed the dulcimer for a harpsichord to change up the timbre slightly. The biggest change was moving the melodies first instance to cello. Albatross took this concept and took it further! The harpsichord became a piano line reminiscent of Chronicles and Candles and Merry Gentlemen (a bonus track from the Holiday album). The harp stays, but the lower voice doubling the part now became a clarinet. A flute is added at the vocal breakdown midway through the piece and then takes over the cello for the recap of the main melody! The ending also became a general diminuendo much like the original! I absolutely adore his take on the song. <b>Concept</b> - The original song was written at first in an attempt to go along with Doctor and Endless Climb as a calm and atmospheric song aimed at being a land theme for Dave. At the time we knew him as a knight and WV’s painting showed his planet with a large gear and fire. I figured from this that his land would involve something knightly/fire based and something involving gears. From that I guessed it’d be the Land of Candles and Clockwork. Little did I know that Andrew was going to break the chain and pick a vastly different song with Atomyk Ebonpyre. - Ever since I’ve considered the song to be a Strider anthem. Dave and Dirk have a whole lot of songs about them, but all of them are either derivatives of his instrument (inspiring hip hop beats etc) or just really intense. They both are actually really chill and collected for the most part, so I liked the idea of them having a calm song. - As for this name in particular, it should be obvious that it’s the post scratch version of the song (so aimed more at Dirk and Alpha Dave). The working title was also Candles and Clockwork (with the a’s replaced with lower case alpha symbols). Sadly, it doesn’t really differentiate itself from the original. The symbols aren’t separate enough to make it easy to tell the two versions apart. + The original song was written at first in an attempt to go along with Doctor and Endless Climb as a calm and atmospheric song aimed at being a land theme for Dave. At the time we knew him as a knight and WV's painting showed his planet with a large gear and fire. I figured from this that his land would involve something knightly/fire based and something involving gears. From that I guessed it'd be the Land of Candles and Clockwork. Little did I know that Andrew was going to break the chain and pick a vastly different song with Atomyk Ebonpyre. + Ever since I've considered the song to be a Strider anthem. Dave and Dirk have a whole lot of songs about them, but all of them are either derivatives of his instrument (inspiring hip hop beats etc) or just really intense. They both are actually really chill and collected for the most part, so I liked the idea of them having a calm song. + As for this name in particular, it should be obvious that it's the post scratch version of the song (so aimed more at Dirk and Alpha Dave). The working title was also Candles and Clockwork (with the a's replaced with lower case alpha symbols). Sadly, it doesn't really differentiate itself from the original. The symbols aren't separate enough to make it easy to tell the two versions apart. <b>Art!</b> The art was done by the fantastic Worthikids who I only just recently discovered! They actually made it a while ago for the original Volume 5 version. I messaged them about using it for this version. Go check them out! --- @@ -1119,7 +1119,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Courser Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> - I wrote it to be the “alpha” version of Courser, another piece by myself and Beatfox. Where Courser is a theme for Bec, Coursing can be thought of as a theme for GCat, though in my mind it encompasses the idea of any First Guardian. It is not a “remix” or even an arrangement of Courser, but it is based off Courser’s material and of course heavily references it and quotes it. I hope you enjoy! The track art is by the amazing Zilleniose. Thanks Zoey! + I wrote it to be the "alpha" version of Courser, another piece by myself and Beatfox. Where Courser is a theme for Bec, Coursing can be thought of as a theme for GCat, though in my mind it encompasses the idea of any First Guardian. It is not a "remix" or even an arrangement of Courser, but it is based off Courser's material and of course heavily references it and quotes it. I hope you enjoy! The track art is by the amazing Zilleniose. Thanks Zoey! --- Track: Cairo Overcoat Artists: @@ -1168,16 +1168,16 @@ Sheet Music Files: - 'Noirscape - Ducksual (guitar).pdf' Commentary: |- <i>David Ellis:</i> - This tune got some pretty cool art from kendle bentley b! at electroluxx.tumblr.com. I don’t really know anything other than ‘wow, that’s really cool’. - So let’s talk about the track. I said a little bit about it when I posted it but I thought I’d expand a little. - The piece is written for the Alpha kids’ version of Jack Noir, in particular his attempted jailbreak. Unsurprisingly then every guitar stab is supposed to represent Jack stabbing something. In the original version there were actually more stabs at the start that got cut fairly late in the process because while more stabbing probably suits the character it made the intro feel too long. - As the tune is for a Jack I thought his piece should be based on the Black theme. I’d been thinking about doing a take on it for a while but hadn’t figured out how I would do it until the jailbreak scene started. At the same time I’d been struggling to write the verse for the Jane song (I have that bit now but I’m still working on the song) so taking a break from that to play a lot of angry distorted guitars also seemed like a good idea. + This tune got some pretty cool art from kendle bentley b! at electroluxx.tumblr.com. I don't really know anything other than 'wow, that's really cool'. + So let's talk about the track. I said a little bit about it when I posted it but I thought I'd expand a little. + The piece is written for the Alpha kids' version of Jack Noir, in particular his attempted jailbreak. Unsurprisingly then every guitar stab is supposed to represent Jack stabbing something. In the original version there were actually more stabs at the start that got cut fairly late in the process because while more stabbing probably suits the character it made the intro feel too long. + As the tune is for a Jack I thought his piece should be based on the Black theme. I'd been thinking about doing a take on it for a while but hadn't figured out how I would do it until the jailbreak scene started. At the same time I'd been struggling to write the verse for the Jane song (I have that bit now but I'm still working on the song) so taking a break from that to play a lot of angry distorted guitars also seemed like a good idea. The guitar solo is really hard to play. - Originally it was just going to be a fairly loose guitar jam over the chords from Upward Movement but while that was a lot of fun for me to play it turned out it wasn’t that much fun to listen to so I figured it was going to need some more backings. This led to the inclusion of a number of themes from Descend building up and then a little interplay in the strings at the end. Unfortunately this meant a loose jam style solo wasn’t going to cut it anymore so I sat and wrote out the solo you hear now. I threw in a quintuplet and a 5:6 tuplet because apparently I hate writing things I can play. - When it was all done I uploaded it, blogged it and then tried to sleep while my phone kept going off until I turned off alerts. I didn’t really expect anyone to pick it up but it surprised me by being the most popular thing I’ve ever posted by a long way (thanks Radiation!). - The next day I got a message from Radiation saying he’d like to include it on the album (which turned out to be volume 9). So I went back and tweaked the mix a bit (mainly turning down the gain on the guitars and bringing out the strings in the descend section) and sent him the final wav which is what’s on the album. I’m really grateful to be included on the album and I’m glad people seem to like the track. + Originally it was just going to be a fairly loose guitar jam over the chords from Upward Movement but while that was a lot of fun for me to play it turned out it wasn't that much fun to listen to so I figured it was going to need some more backings. This led to the inclusion of a number of themes from Descend building up and then a little interplay in the strings at the end. Unfortunately this meant a loose jam style solo wasn't going to cut it anymore so I sat and wrote out the solo you hear now. I threw in a quintuplet and a 5:6 tuplet because apparently I hate writing things I can play. + When it was all done I uploaded it, blogged it and then tried to sleep while my phone kept going off until I turned off alerts. I didn't really expect anyone to pick it up but it surprised me by being the most popular thing I've ever posted by a long way (thanks Radiation!). + The next day I got a message from Radiation saying he'd like to include it on the album (which turned out to be volume 9). So I went back and tweaked the mix a bit (mainly turning down the gain on the guitars and bringing out the strings in the descend section) and sent him the final wav which is what's on the album. I'm really grateful to be included on the album and I'm glad people seem to like the track. Fun if somewhat nerdy fact: The power down sound that leads into the guitar solo section is actually the sound made when the Hammond organ is switched off while holding down the last chord. The tonewheels inside the organ that generate the pitches start to slow down before the amplifier cuts out so you can hear the pitch lower before the sound stops. - After I posted Noirscape it got added to the tracklist for LOFAM2 and straightfacedgriff had actually started doing art for it before I had the chance to quietly let them know that it wasn’t going to be on the album. The art pretty much sums up the scene the music was meant to be describing at the start though (assuming jack has a few more knives up his sleeve for the other guards) so I thought I’d include it here. + After I posted Noirscape it got added to the tracklist for LOFAM2 and straightfacedgriff had actually started doing art for it before I had the chance to quietly let them know that it wasn't going to be on the album. The art pretty much sums up the scene the music was meant to be describing at the start though (assuming jack has a few more knives up his sleeve for the other guards) so I thought I'd include it here. <img src="media/misc/noirscape.png" width="776" height="776"> --- Track: Dogfight @@ -1256,7 +1256,7 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Stargaze - adamus.mid' Commentary: |- <i>Tavia Morra:</i> - Nick Smalley approached me about this one with a very specific image for this one. He wanted a night time version of Lexxy’s wonderful [[media:misc/together.jpg|Beta Kids image]]. I had a lot of fun sprinkling details in to this image. I think the part that makes me smile most is little Minihoof curled up on Dirk’s chest. + Nick Smalley approached me about this one with a very specific image for this one. He wanted a night time version of Lexxy's wonderful [[media:misc/together.jpg|Beta Kids image]]. I had a lot of fun sprinkling details in to this image. I think the part that makes me smile most is little Minihoof curled up on Dirk's chest. --- Section: Bonus tracks --- @@ -1277,8 +1277,8 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Another Jungle Commentary: |- <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> - I’ve mentioned a few times that Homestuck Vol. 9, in its early planning stages, was conceived as an album that would be dedicated to the new session of Homestuck, and most of the tracks would mimic older songs re-imagined in the new universe presented in Act 6. “Another Countdown” was thus the sister song of “Sburban Countdown” - both are brief arrangements of their parent songs (“Another Jungle” and “Sburban Jungle” respectively) meant to crescendo towards a major climax. - “Another Countdown” was retooled from its parent track to be far mellower at first - the bass and drum comping is a bit latin in flavor, and much of the song’s first half is almost completely quiet until the explosion that finishes off the track. When the concept of the record was changed, it was decided that this relatively short song would be included as a bonus when you purchase the full album. + I've mentioned a few times that Homestuck Vol. 9, in its early planning stages, was conceived as an album that would be dedicated to the new session of Homestuck, and most of the tracks would mimic older songs re-imagined in the new universe presented in Act 6. "Another Countdown" was thus the sister song of "Sburban Countdown" - both are brief arrangements of their parent songs ("Another Jungle" and "Sburban Jungle" respectively) meant to crescendo towards a major climax. + "Another Countdown" was retooled from its parent track to be far mellower at first - the bass and drum comping is a bit latin in flavor, and much of the song's first half is almost completely quiet until the explosion that finishes off the track. When the concept of the record was changed, it was decided that this relatively short song would be included as a bonus when you purchase the full album. The track art is by Emery Ferguson. --- Track: Frustracean diff --git a/album/hush.yaml b/album/hush.yaml index e173891e..b640a75d 100644 --- a/album/hush.yaml +++ b/album/hush.yaml @@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ Lyrics: |- All I wanna do is stimulate All the feelings we could consummate - If you’d let your heart negotiate with me + If you'd let your heart negotiate with me All I wanna do All I wanna do @@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ Lyrics: |- All I wanna do is stimulate All the feelings we could consummate - If you’d let your heart negotiate with me + If you'd let your heart negotiate with me All I wanna do All I wanna do @@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ Lyrics: |- WRONG or RIGHT, I am not ashamed WRONG or RIGHT, to endure this game - Why’d you got to be so cruel? + Why'd you got to be so cruel? I'm just trying to play it cool I feel like such a fool When you're looking through me diff --git a/album/i-am-writing-myself-a-dream-in-a-letter.yaml b/album/i-am-writing-myself-a-dream-in-a-letter.yaml index 02eff612..e872f3fa 100644 --- a/album/i-am-writing-myself-a-dream-in-a-letter.yaml +++ b/album/i-am-writing-myself-a-dream-in-a-letter.yaml @@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Howl Lyrics: |- All green things growing under every sky,<br>All hands reaching into grave,<br>Every horse's chest drums out the sound, the<br>Beating beating of hearts, feet and fists,<br>On the ground, on the ground, on your body;<br>On your body, on your skin,<br>And every building falls and flowers grow;<br>And seabirds cry the sounds<br>Of Now and Here and Salt and Fear and Open;<br>And the eyes of the fox are open, and the eyes<br>Of the rabbit are open, and the grass<br>Will never stop, and the sun<br>Rolls down your mountain bones, leaving<br>Scorched grass,<br>And a lamb, eyes closed and stiff and cold,<br>In your arms so heavy;<br>Soft soft its skull and gold and dull,<br>We wait for rain. - What sphinx of cement and aluminum bashed open their skulls and ate up their brains and imagination?<br>Moloch! Solitude! Filth! Ugliness! Ashcans and unobtainable dollars! Children screaming under the stairways! Boys sobbing in armies! Old men weeping in the parks!<br>Moloch! Moloch! Nightmare of Moloch! Moloch the loveless! Mental Moloch! Moloch the heavy judger of men!<br>Moloch the incomprehensible prison! Moloch the crossbone soulless jailhouse and Congress of sorrows! Moloch whose buildings are judgment! Moloch the vast stone of war! Moloch the stunned governments!<br>Moloch whose mind is pure machinery! Moloch whose blood is running money! Moloch whose fingers are ten armies! Moloch whose breast is a cannibal dynamo! Moloch whose ear is a smoking tomb!<br>Moloch whose eyes are a thousand blind windows! Moloch whose skyscrapers stand in the long streets like endless Jehovahs! Moloch whose factories dream and croak in the fog! Moloch whose smoke-stacks and antennae crown the cities!<br>Moloch whose love is endless oil and stone! Moloch whose soul is electricity and banks! Moloch whose poverty is the specter of genius! Moloch whose fate is a cloud of sexless hydrogen! Moloch whose name is the Mind!<br>Moloch in whom I sit lonely! Moloch in whom I dream Angels! Crazy in Moloch! Cocksucker in Moloch! Lacklove and manless in Moloch!<br>Moloch who entered my soul early! Moloch in whom I am a consciousness without a body! Moloch who frightened me out of my natural ecstasy! Moloch whom I abandon! Wake up in Moloch! Light streaming out of the sky!<br>Moloch! Moloch! Robot apartments! invisible suburbs! skeleton treasuries! blind capitals! demonic industries! spectral nations! invincible madhouses! granite cocks! monstrous bombs!<br>They broke their backs lifting Moloch to Heaven! Pavements, trees, radios, tons! lifting the city to Heaven which exists and is everywhere about us!<br>Visions! omens! hallucinations! miracles! ecstasies! gone down the American river!<br>Dreams! adorations! illuminations! religions! the whole boatload of sensitive bullshit!<br>Breakthroughs! over the river! flips and crucifixions! gone down the flood! Highs! Epiphanies! Despairs! Ten years’ animal screams and suicides! Minds! New loves! Mad generation! down on the rocks of Time!<br>Real holy laughter in the river! They saw it all! the wild eyes! the holy yells! They bade farewell! They jumped off the roof! to solitude! waving! carrying flowers! Down to the river! into the street! + What sphinx of cement and aluminum bashed open their skulls and ate up their brains and imagination?<br>Moloch! Solitude! Filth! Ugliness! Ashcans and unobtainable dollars! Children screaming under the stairways! Boys sobbing in armies! Old men weeping in the parks!<br>Moloch! Moloch! Nightmare of Moloch! Moloch the loveless! Mental Moloch! Moloch the heavy judger of men!<br>Moloch the incomprehensible prison! Moloch the crossbone soulless jailhouse and Congress of sorrows! Moloch whose buildings are judgment! Moloch the vast stone of war! Moloch the stunned governments!<br>Moloch whose mind is pure machinery! Moloch whose blood is running money! Moloch whose fingers are ten armies! Moloch whose breast is a cannibal dynamo! Moloch whose ear is a smoking tomb!<br>Moloch whose eyes are a thousand blind windows! Moloch whose skyscrapers stand in the long streets like endless Jehovahs! Moloch whose factories dream and croak in the fog! Moloch whose smoke-stacks and antennae crown the cities!<br>Moloch whose love is endless oil and stone! Moloch whose soul is electricity and banks! Moloch whose poverty is the specter of genius! Moloch whose fate is a cloud of sexless hydrogen! Moloch whose name is the Mind!<br>Moloch in whom I sit lonely! Moloch in whom I dream Angels! Crazy in Moloch! Cocksucker in Moloch! Lacklove and manless in Moloch!<br>Moloch who entered my soul early! Moloch in whom I am a consciousness without a body! Moloch who frightened me out of my natural ecstasy! Moloch whom I abandon! Wake up in Moloch! Light streaming out of the sky!<br>Moloch! Moloch! Robot apartments! invisible suburbs! skeleton treasuries! blind capitals! demonic industries! spectral nations! invincible madhouses! granite cocks! monstrous bombs!<br>They broke their backs lifting Moloch to Heaven! Pavements, trees, radios, tons! lifting the city to Heaven which exists and is everywhere about us!<br>Visions! omens! hallucinations! miracles! ecstasies! gone down the American river!<br>Dreams! adorations! illuminations! religions! the whole boatload of sensitive bullshit!<br>Breakthroughs! over the river! flips and crucifixions! gone down the flood! Highs! Epiphanies! Despairs! Ten years' animal screams and suicides! Minds! New loves! Mad generation! down on the rocks of Time!<br>Real holy laughter in the river! They saw it all! the wild eyes! the holy yells! They bade farewell! They jumped off the roof! to solitude! waving! carrying flowers! Down to the river! into the street! --- Track: Jet Black Directory: jet-black-kal-la-kal-la @@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ Cover Art File Extension: png Referenced Tracks: - Up-Hill Lyrics: |- - Does the road wind up-hill all the way?<br>Will the day’s journey take the whole long day? + Does the road wind up-hill all the way?<br>Will the day's journey take the whole long day? But is there for the night a resting-place?<br>May not the darkness hide it from my face? Shall I meet other wayfarers at night?<br>Then must I knock, or call when just in sight? Shall I find comfort, travel-sore and weak?<br>Will there be beds for me and all who seek? diff --git a/album/ithaca.yaml b/album/ithaca.yaml index dea66a7a..e4e8bddb 100644 --- a/album/ithaca.yaml +++ b/album/ithaca.yaml @@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ Groups: Commentary: |- <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> <i>Experimental aircraft, lost civilizations, mythic quests, the Philippines, true love, utter loss, and the transience of life - the many subjects of Ithaca, the first independently released Bowman album. Scattergun in its genre and chaotically retro in its fashion, Ithaca is an eclectic mix of songs both personal and abstract. Bowman once again brings his familiar voice and ever-changing production style along with several friends from the Homestuck music project and elsewhere. Ithaca is calling.</i> - After spending years making music exclusively for Homestuck, I branched out with 2012’s Ithaca, my first independently released album. Following up on my album-within-a-web-comic [[album:mobius-trip-and-hadron-kaleido]], I moved away from my palette of digital synths to focus on a classic rock style. Out come the guitars, the bass, the little toy harp. Shades of Eno, Bowie, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, even a swing tune. It’s a freaky affair. - The ideas came from everywhere. There’s a song based on something I heard in a dream when I was eight years old, ([[Old Buggy Now]]). There’s one about an engineer who falls in love with an experimental aircraft ([[Tacit Blue]]). There’s a carriage ride through a Manila’s Chinatown district ([[Kalesa In Binondo]]). The title track [[Ithaca]] recalls Odysseus, a bowman himself. All of it is peppered with guest contributions from Internet friends. + After spending years making music exclusively for Homestuck, I branched out with 2012's Ithaca, my first independently released album. Following up on my album-within-a-web-comic [[album:mobius-trip-and-hadron-kaleido]], I moved away from my palette of digital synths to focus on a classic rock style. Out come the guitars, the bass, the little toy harp. Shades of Eno, Bowie, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, even a swing tune. It's a freaky affair. + The ideas came from everywhere. There's a song based on something I heard in a dream when I was eight years old, ([[Old Buggy Now]]). There's one about an engineer who falls in love with an experimental aircraft ([[Tacit Blue]]). There's a carriage ride through a Manila's Chinatown district ([[Kalesa In Binondo]]). The title track [[Ithaca]] recalls Odysseus, a bowman himself. All of it is peppered with guest contributions from Internet friends. --- Track: Old Buggy Now Duration: '3:35' @@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ Lyrics: |- Hear me radio, play the song I know Take me where I long to go - 'Cause there’s nobody nobody now + 'Cause there's nobody nobody now Who can hear me or stop me now In this old buggy old buggy now In this old buggy old buggy now @@ -55,15 +55,15 @@ Lyrics: |- The ancient ones lived in the sky A kingdom built upon the stars A million tiny points of light - Do you ever wonder where they’ve gone? - Don’t you ever wonder why? + Do you ever wonder where they've gone? + Don't you ever wonder why? The ancient ones they rose and fell - For reasons that we just can’t tell + For reasons that we just can't tell Cataclysm - maybe so - Perhaps we’re just not meant to know + Perhaps we're just not meant to know Empire never lasts or so it seems - But some say they’re still with us in our dreams + But some say they're still with us in our dreams Ascending off to god knows where the ancient ones took parole Legend says they were running from a force beyond their control @@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ Lyrics: |- Of demons slain and cities smashed The ancient ones they reached too far And thus for now the world is ours - And though it’s just a legend so they say + And though it's just a legend so they say Perhaps they will return again someday --- Track: Come With Me @@ -88,20 +88,20 @@ URLs: Lyrics: |- Your weak young heart keeps playing its part for show And though you never say never you never say yes or no - Even if you never grow up you’ll still grow old + Even if you never grow up you'll still grow old So why do the warmest welcomes leave you cold? Dust in the shadows, smoke in your eyes Heart full of anger, head full of lies - There’s no way of knowing which way you’re going - But at least you’re free, at least you're free - So when the wind is blowing and the stars aren’t showing + There's no way of knowing which way you're going + But at least you're free, at least you're free + So when the wind is blowing and the stars aren't showing You can come with me, come with me Your weak young heart is resting safe and sound But the child you were is nowhere to be found - Well I’ve read in books that most folks feel this way + Well I've read in books that most folks feel this way But the game cannot resume 'til you press play No place to run to, no use pretending @@ -116,15 +116,15 @@ Duration: '2:15' URLs: - https://bowman.bandcamp.com/track/tacit-blue Lyrics: |- - Back in the lab I’m running the test - If you won’t fly then I won’t rest + Back in the lab I'm running the test + If you won't fly then I won't rest Turbines turning in the tunnel of love Upon that perch sits my dove Built for stealth like a silent blade My cobalt queen adorned in jade Navy seal but Air Force-made - Please be true, the things you’ll do + Please be true, the things you'll do Tacit Blue Hear my siren sound her bell @@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ Lyrics: |- Sapphire spy you were built for war My best girl a government whore - I should have known that’s what you’d be + I should have known that's what you'd be I set you up they set you free How could you do this to me? Like a shrew the tramp just flew @@ -159,59 +159,86 @@ URLs: - https://bowman.bandcamp.com/track/rodeo-clown Lyrics: |- I'm just a good machine - You turn me on and I’ll get by - But you’re just like gasoline - You burn right up until you’re dry, oh why? + You turn me on and I'll get by + But you're just like gasoline + You burn right up until you're dry, oh why? - I don’t want to have to hold your hand + I don't want to have to hold your hand But you have always been unpredictable, bless your soul - Why can’t you see? + Why can't you see? You are a rodeo clown Does that not get you down? We only keep you around for a laugh - But i just can’t help but frown + But i just can't help but frown Do you just like to be hurt? You see the danger and flirt - And they laugh while you’re face down in the dirt + And they laugh while you're face down in the dirt Does that just get you high? Making a good friend cry - I’d stay but I’m not gonna watch you die + I'd stay but I'm not gonna watch you die I sometimes envy you - There’s magic each time you arrive - But i just can’t get into you + There's magic each time you arrive + But i just can't get into you You never live you just survive, oh why? I just want to walk by your side But you have always walked on the tightest rope Is there no hope? - Why can’t you see? + Why can't you see? --- Track: Cerulean Skies Duration: '3:22' URLs: - https://bowman.bandcamp.com/track/cerulean-skies -Lyrics: "I never had the best of health\nJust a lot of time and a little wealth\n\ - I never failed, I only tried\nJust a moment too late, the dream had died\n\nI\ - \ never saw cerulean skies\nOr the light of the truth behind the lies\nI never\ - \ received, I only took\nFrom the few pages left of every un-burned book\n\nI\ - \ never once saw time well-spent\nOr a wise man who was not hell-bent\nI never\ - \ spoke, I only screamed\nAs the men upstairs shot down my dreams\n\nCome on (come\ - \ right on) \nCome on (sit down with sin)\nCome on (no way to win)\n'Cause if\ - \ you can’t kiss ass then you can’t begin\n\nCome on (no chance in hell)\nCome\ - \ on (think for yourself)\nCome on (you might as well)\n'Cause a good student\ - \ has nothing on a good sell\n\nCome on (write your own role)\nCome on (no lump\ - \ of coal)\nCome on (just rock and roll)\n'Cause if you’re not damned yet then\ - \ you’ve sold your soul\n\nAt first I tried to fight the law\nBut I never pulled\ - \ the very first straw\nI could not fight my mom and dad\nWhen the sins of the\ - \ parents were the ones I had\n\nI fought for all the underdogs\nWho turned out\ - \ to be hive-mind cogs\nI fought for love - of course I lost\nBut I was the one\ - \ who named that cost\n\nI tried to fight the last of my friends\nBut all i found\ - \ were long-dead-ends\nI’d lost my time, I’d lost my wealth,\nAnd I’d never once\ - \ tried to fight for myself" +Lyrics: |- + I never had the best of health + Just a lot of time and a little wealth + I never failed, I only tried + Just a moment too late, the dream had died + + I never saw cerulean skies + Or the light of the truth behind the lies + I never received, I only took + From the few pages left of every un-burned book + + I never once saw time well-spent + Or a wise man who was not hell-bent + I never spoke, I only screamed + As the men upstairs shot down my dreams + + Come on (come right on) + Come on (sit down with sin) + Come on (no way to win) + 'Cause if you can't kiss ass then you can't begin + + Come on (no chance in hell) + Come on (think for yourself) + Come on (you might as well) + 'Cause a good student has nothing on a good sell + + Come on (write your own role) + Come on (no lump of coal) + Come on (just rock and roll) + 'Cause if you're not damned yet then you've sold your soul + + At first I tried to fight the law + But I never pulled the very first straw + I could not fight my mom and dad + When the sins of the parents were the ones I had + + I fought for all the underdogs + Who turned out to be hive-mind cogs + I fought for love - of course I lost + But I was the one who named that cost + + I tried to fight the last of my friends + But all I found were long-dead-ends + I'd lost my time, I'd lost my wealth, + And I'd never once tried to fight for myself --- Track: Noun Duration: '5:14' @@ -219,33 +246,33 @@ URLs: - https://bowman.bandcamp.com/track/noun Lyrics: |- Somewhere in a jungle grove a candle burns denoting Saint Therese - A prayer that those we’ve left behind are troubled not with heart and mind at peace + A prayer that those we've left behind are troubled not with heart and mind at peace Nurse attending close at hand with wine to cast its old familiar spell An elder soul looks into you but cannot speak in things the tongue can tell - I’m sorry I forgot your name + I'm sorry I forgot your name I only have myself to blame - If you were me you’d do the same + If you were me you'd do the same Somewhere in this downward race A person, name, a thing, or place Solution to my endless chase - I’m sure I’d recognize its face + I'm sure I'd recognize its face Though I forget myself - I’m sure there’s something else - I’ll come around + I'm sure there's something else + I'll come around I'll make the sound The noun - In my car I’m on my way from where I live to where you are right now - And though I’ve been here many times it seems as though it all has changed somehow - I’m sure I’ve seen this busy road a million times or was it in my sleep? - My minivan was in the sky, but never mind - I’m thinking far too deep + In my car I'm on my way from where I live to where you are right now + And though I've been here many times it seems as though it all has changed somehow + I'm sure I've seen this busy road a million times or was it in my sleep? + My minivan was in the sky, but never mind - I'm thinking far too deep Familiar signs have gone away - I’m sure if it was not today - I’d be there now - I'd find my way + I'm sure if it was not today + I'd be there now - I'd find my way --- Track: Ithaca Duration: '4:04' @@ -256,7 +283,7 @@ Lyrics: |- For this moment A time to call my own, a place to call my homeland - It’s come here far too soon + It's come here far too soon I sit around my room Hatching my plans and schemes I mostly leave forgotten @@ -264,8 +291,8 @@ Lyrics: |- Amused but still deranged, divided on the inside Returning to the core - The place I can’t ignore - The wonder behind the fear I just can’t seem to shake off + The place I can't ignore + The wonder behind the fear I just can't seem to shake off Oo-ee-oo To dream or do @@ -282,7 +309,7 @@ Lyrics: |- To Ithaca I sailed And though I have not failed - My home is a fleeting camp, the journey’s just beginning + My home is a fleeting camp, the journey's just beginning I spent the morning hours awake writing down the lyrics Resolved to get it right - to capture the true spirit @@ -315,9 +342,9 @@ Lyrics: |- I should have known there would not be a use Underneath it all - I’m sure it’s no one’s fault (feels like it’s my fault) + I'm sure it's no one's fault (feels like it's my fault) Why bother to explain? - There’s nothing left to gain (I need someone to blame) + There's nothing left to gain (I need someone to blame) No time for regrets Repenting leaves you stranded in the past @@ -325,9 +352,9 @@ Lyrics: |- I should have known the good times never last Underneath it all - I was always bound to fall (I’m just so scared to fall) + I was always bound to fall (I'm just so scared to fall) Behind the blood and tears - I’ve been running dry for years (running from my fears) + I've been running dry for years (running from my fears) If you only could have seen All the things we could have been diff --git a/album/lofam2.yaml b/album/lofam2.yaml index 9c496913..2051a5f1 100644 --- a/album/lofam2.yaml +++ b/album/lofam2.yaml @@ -753,15 +753,15 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Lunise:</i> (<a href="https://hsfanmusic.skaia.net/post/39025832110/tiny-mayo-this-is-the-last-piece-of-track-art">Tumblr</a>) I had the feeling that I had to meet some pretty high expectations when I was called upon to draw this one, so I was pretty nervous about doing it. I spent a long time mulling over how I was going to go about drawing this track art after I completed the art for Stalemate. We don't know nearly as much about the denizens as we do about the kids or the trolls or even the carapacians, but I took what we do know about the beta kids' denizens and ran with it. - There were actually a few goofs with the original composition of this drawing - Cetus’ tail was originally pointing to the left but I then decided that having it face the right would give the overall drawing more flow. Also in Hephaestus’ section of the art I had forgotten that Davesprite was injured when he went to him to get the Deringer repaired so for the longest time he had both wings at their full length. Not much to say about Typheus’ section; I had a good idea of what I was going to do with it fairly early on. - Echidna’s section is primarily inspired by the track art for Volume 8’s Bargaining with the Beast, as far as her design goes. I was originally going to include Jack to the right of Jade in that section, but I didn’t find anywhere to put him and I found that the composition looked just fine without him anyway! Although in this memo Jade says that Jack was with him when she was talking with Echidna and I really wanted to draw him, I just couldn’t make him fit. Perhaps I’ll try and remedy that if I ever make a high-resolution version of this! - I knew immediately that I wanted Echidna to be the main focus out of all the denizens because she’s really important in the story since she makes Jade promise to take all the planets, the consorts, the denizens, and everything to the alpha session even if it meant Jade had to die. Then there’s Typheus, who’s facing doomed John, and Hephaestus looking down on Davesprite and offering him <b>The Choice</b>, and Cetus swimming around in the seas of LOLAR, which is now devoid of fish. - I tried to make the sections flow together the best I could - the top areas where Cetus and Typheus’ sections blend into Hephaestus’ section kind of fade without any borders, but I decided to make little borders based on each kid’s aspect to separate each section from Echidna’s section. The breath and light symbols are done in an abstract manner while the time and space symbols are just the straight-up time and space symbols; the space one just overlaps the time one. - I think I’ve rambled enough about this piece of track art, so I’m going to let the rest speak for itself! I hope I’ve done a good enough job living up to the LOFAM2 team’s expectations, and if I’ve exceeded them, that’s great too! + There were actually a few goofs with the original composition of this drawing - Cetus' tail was originally pointing to the left but I then decided that having it face the right would give the overall drawing more flow. Also in Hephaestus' section of the art I had forgotten that Davesprite was injured when he went to him to get the Deringer repaired so for the longest time he had both wings at their full length. Not much to say about Typheus' section; I had a good idea of what I was going to do with it fairly early on. + Echidna's section is primarily inspired by the track art for Volume 8's Bargaining with the Beast, as far as her design goes. I was originally going to include Jack to the right of Jade in that section, but I didn't find anywhere to put him and I found that the composition looked just fine without him anyway! Although in this memo Jade says that Jack was with him when she was talking with Echidna and I really wanted to draw him, I just couldn't make him fit. Perhaps I'll try and remedy that if I ever make a high-resolution version of this! + I knew immediately that I wanted Echidna to be the main focus out of all the denizens because she's really important in the story since she makes Jade promise to take all the planets, the consorts, the denizens, and everything to the alpha session even if it meant Jade had to die. Then there's Typheus, who's facing doomed John, and Hephaestus looking down on Davesprite and offering him <b>The Choice</b>, and Cetus swimming around in the seas of LOLAR, which is now devoid of fish. + I tried to make the sections flow together the best I could - the top areas where Cetus and Typheus' sections blend into Hephaestus' section kind of fade without any borders, but I decided to make little borders based on each kid's aspect to separate each section from Echidna's section. The breath and light symbols are done in an abstract manner while the time and space symbols are just the straight-up time and space symbols; the space one just overlaps the time one. + I think I've rambled enough about this piece of track art, so I'm going to let the rest speak for itself! I hope I've done a good enough job living up to the LOFAM2 team's expectations, and if I've exceeded them, that's great too! This has been another rambling commentary from Lune. - (THIS TRACK ALSO CAUSED ME A LOT OF PAIN AND SUFFERING BUT IT WAS MORE LIKE “DEAR GOODNESS WHERE DO ALL THESE LAYERS KEEP COMING FROM” THAN “OH GOD HOW AM I GOING TO COLOR ALL THIS BLACK.”) + (THIS TRACK ALSO CAUSED ME A LOT OF PAIN AND SUFFERING BUT IT WAS MORE LIKE "DEAR GOODNESS WHERE DO ALL THESE LAYERS KEEP COMING FROM" THAN "OH GOD HOW AM I GOING TO COLOR ALL THIS BLACK.") As another side note, the layered .lip file for this had a total of 60 layers not counting the texture layer! - BONUS: When I was starting work on this, instead of copying the texture layer, I accidentally copied Jack over from the layered version of the Stalemate track art. I couldn’t bear to delete him from the file, so he got to stay on the condition that his layer stayed invisible. Sometimes I’d make it visible when I was bored! Poor guy just keeps getting chased by things - first an angry PM and now an angry sea denizen!) + BONUS: When I was starting work on this, instead of copying the texture layer, I accidentally copied Jack over from the layered version of the Stalemate track art. I couldn't bear to delete him from the file, so he got to stay on the condition that his layer stayed invisible. Sometimes I'd make it visible when I was bored! Poor guy just keeps getting chased by things - first an angry PM and now an angry sea denizen!) <i><b>Brad Griffin:</b></i> <s>note: Lunise wrote seven paragraphs about the creative process behind this wonderful art piece. I can only fit the first one on the page.</s> Here is the full commentary to the rise of the denizens track art. c: diff --git a/album/lofam3.yaml b/album/lofam3.yaml index af4d8363..b486d45f 100644 --- a/album/lofam3.yaml +++ b/album/lofam3.yaml @@ -497,32 +497,32 @@ Art Tags: - 'cw: blood (abstract)' Lyrics: |- Boy, you get my guts tied up in such a twisted noisy ruckus - Heaven sent that you are, wouldn’t lift a claw or cut me off ‘cause + Heaven sent that you are, wouldn't lift a claw or cut me off 'cause Rambling as I ever am I shamble to your chair and stables Watch you all enraptured as you shuffle cards and stutter fables - Break my habit, you’re my habit, I’d trade my limbs for one of you - Two legs for two lips, now I’d say that’s a fair trade, wouldn’t you? - Drop my habit, you’re my habit, I’d trade my habit to get you back and I’m + Break my habit, you're my habit, I'd trade my limbs for one of you + Two legs for two lips, now I'd say that's a fair trade, wouldn't you? + Drop my habit, you're my habit, I'd trade my habit to get you back and I'm Like a fool without a calling, like a heartsick fool Boy, you like to play the martyr, but if I pray a little harder - If I close the window and come back here when I’m not so sober + If I close the window and come back here when I'm not so sober If I said it plainly not in riddle-rhymes, all cagey, Would you answer with a smile made of brackets or look at me strangely? - Break my habit, you’re my habit, I’d trade my limbs for one of you - Two legs for two lips, now I’d say that’s a fair trade, wouldn’t you? - Drop my habit, you were my habit, I’d trade my habit to get you back and - It’s you and I again just writing, shiftless, click clack clicking, grinning + Break my habit, you're my habit, I'd trade my limbs for one of you + Two legs for two lips, now I'd say that's a fair trade, wouldn't you? + Drop my habit, you were my habit, I'd trade my habit to get you back and + It's you and I again just writing, shiftless, click clack clicking, grinning Like a fool without a calling, like a heartsick fool - Boy, you’re on the floor and on my fingers, dripping from my kisses + Boy, you're on the floor and on my fingers, dripping from my kisses Eyes so vacant, would you hate it, if I said you look delicious? The laughter dies and rots inside me, brother, it is you all over Stay beside me here and guide me, unrequited would-be lover - Took my miracle, you’re my miracle, I’d trade my brains for one of you - Two gods for two voices, I’d say that’s a fair trade, wouldn’t you? - Need a miracle, you’re my miracle, I’d trade a miracle to get you back and I’m + Took my miracle, you're my miracle, I'd trade my brains for one of you + Two gods for two voices, I'd say that's a fair trade, wouldn't you? + Need a miracle, you're my miracle, I'd trade a miracle to get you back and I'm Left without a friend, soaked to the bone and backwards bent - I’m seeing shades, screaming repent your sickness leave it here for lent - Now witness, here, a fool without a calling! I’m a heartsick fool. + I'm seeing shades, screaming repent your sickness leave it here for lent + Now witness, here, a fool without a calling! I'm a heartsick fool. Still the fool without a calling, still a fucking fool. Commentary: |- <i>PhemieC:</i> @@ -953,8 +953,8 @@ Art Tags: - Alternia Lyrics: |- You should just move on<br>I am still right here<br>Please carry on strong<br>I am still right here - I’ll lay all my hopes down<br>On the grass beneath my feet<br>The blast and the last sound<br>Accidental defeat - Will you give me your word<br>you’ll be okay<br>I’m blasting away<br>But I am still right here + I'll lay all my hopes down<br>On the grass beneath my feet<br>The blast and the last sound<br>Accidental defeat + Will you give me your word<br>you'll be okay<br>I'm blasting away<br>But I am still right here Commentary: |- <i>Dakota Medina:</i> The Blast is a song written from Aradia's perspective regarding the 'sollux killing her hyped up on Mind Honey' incident. It is about her about to blow up about telling everyone that it is 0kay. The song was written mostly as a 'Can I write a simple and effective only 4 chords' and I think it was successful. The song was revamped for the LoFaM3 album and completely remade from the ground up. Hope you enjoy! diff --git a/album/lofam5.yaml b/album/lofam5.yaml index 5850e1d8..5ba8d8b3 100644 --- a/album/lofam5.yaml +++ b/album/lofam5.yaml @@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ Groups: - Fandom Commentary: |- <i>Makin:</i> - Ok I don’t know how we’re gonna format this but I want to thank Gryotharian and Monckat for doing an absolutely amazing job getting track art done for every remaining track in like, a week. That’s 26 and 17 arts respectively! They can be said unironically to have saved the art part of this album. - The other artists are fine too but they didn’t make 17 track arts and that’s the cutoff for being personally mentioned… + Ok I don't know how we're gonna format this but I want to thank Gryotharian and Monckat for doing an absolutely amazing job getting track art done for every remaining track in like, a week. That's 26 and 17 arts respectively! They can be said unironically to have saved the art part of this album. + The other artists are fine too but they didn't make 17 track arts and that's the cutoff for being personally mentioned... <i>Ucklin:</i> Thanks: Circlejourney and Makin for helping with management and organization, Kanishka for working a lot to get the booklet ready, Gryotharian for giving feedback to almost every song on the spreadsheet, and everyone else on the team who took on roles to help us get this out in addition to their music and art contributions! Also, everyone who tuned in to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pz6uitzoTgU">the livestream</a>. - I thought this would definitely be our final album going in, but now I don’t feel so sure. It really was a team effort, so thank you everyone! + I thought this would definitely be our final album going in, but now I don't feel so sure. It really was a team effort, so thank you everyone! <i>Circlejourney:</i> (<i>alternate album art</i>) <img src="media/misc/LOFAM_sketch_paint.jpg" width="400" height="400"> @@ -104,10 +104,10 @@ Lyrics: |- D-D-D-D-DO IT! Commentary: |- <i>Discfortune:</i> - I made this track in 2017, during high school. Now I’m about to graduate from college. Isn’t that surprising? Time flies. - Spacetime Starstriker was also the second track of its original release platform. It was first published through a different music team (am I allowed to name CANMT here?). At the time, I think I was mainly excited about the track’s aggressive time signature changes. - Over the years, I’ve assembled a laundry list of things I’d change in the piece if I were to start again from scratch. But I’m still proud of the original product, and grateful for the reception thus far. I feel content with this being my last major contribution to the HS fanmusic space. For the time being. - Many of the motifs and quotes in this track are lifted from CANMT tracks. What a fun group! Those folks helped me get into music-making in the first place, and I most certainly would not be here without them. I encourage you to check out some of the more experimental albums we released. They’re more interesting to me than the Greatest Hits compilations, anyhow. + I made this track in 2017, during high school. Now I'm about to graduate from college. Isn't that surprising? Time flies. + Spacetime Starstriker was also the second track of its original release platform. It was first published through a different music team (am I allowed to name CANMT here?). At the time, I think I was mainly excited about the track's aggressive time signature changes. + Over the years, I've assembled a laundry list of things I'd change in the piece if I were to start again from scratch. But I'm still proud of the original product, and grateful for the reception thus far. I feel content with this being my last major contribution to the HS fanmusic space. For the time being. + Many of the motifs and quotes in this track are lifted from CANMT tracks. What a fun group! Those folks helped me get into music-making in the first place, and I most certainly would not be here without them. I encourage you to check out some of the more experimental albums we released. They're more interesting to me than the Greatest Hits compilations, anyhow. --- Track: Post-Ironic Radical Child Abuse Anthem Artists: @@ -145,8 +145,8 @@ Lyrics: |- (Shit!) Commentary: |- <i>Gryotharian:</i> - I held a poll among friends for the title of this song, but I couldn’t pick a favorite even after the results were in so i just tried to mash all of them into one title. It worked… alright. The original plan for the song was just going to be a straightforward beatdown remix, but I liked what I made too much to relegate it to that, and also really wanted to reference [[album:the-baby-is-you|The Baby Is You]], so thus was born this shitpost of a song. - I hope the art reflects that energy too. I’ve been told I have a particular talent for ironically bad masterpieces. + I held a poll among friends for the title of this song, but I couldn't pick a favorite even after the results were in so i just tried to mash all of them into one title. It worked... alright. The original plan for the song was just going to be a straightforward beatdown remix, but I liked what I made too much to relegate it to that, and also really wanted to reference [[album:the-baby-is-you|The Baby Is You]], so thus was born this shitpost of a song. + I hope the art reflects that energy too. I've been told I have a particular talent for ironically bad masterpieces. --- Track: InterNep Artists: @@ -218,12 +218,9 @@ Art Tags: - Earth Referenced Tracks: - track:on-an-island-far-away -Commentary: "<i>Circlejourney:</i>\nA track about Jade before SBURB, when she was\ - \ just a girl playing with her (teleporting space) dog. Jade's story always captivated\ - \ me—the way her life was idyllic, lonely, triumphant and tragic in turns. It's\ - \ one of my favourite parts of Homestuck, and I wanted to pay her a little tribute.\ - \ I included her theme instruments, the flute and bass, as well as howling SFX\ - \ in reference to Bec. Many thanks to [[artist:funk-mclovin|FunkMcLovin]] for playing trumpet on the track. " +Commentary: |- + <i>Circlejourney:</i> + A track about Jade before SBURB, when she was just a girl playing with her (teleporting space) dog. Jade's story always captivated me—the way her life was idyllic, lonely, triumphant and tragic in turns. It's one of my favourite parts of Homestuck, and I wanted to pay her a little tribute. I included her theme instruments, the flute and bass, as well as howling SFX in reference to Bec. Many thanks to [[artist:funk-mclovin|FunkMcLovin]] for playing trumpet on the track. --- Track: 24/7 lo fi anime beats to achieve your destiny to Artists: @@ -246,7 +243,7 @@ Commentary: |- <i>FrostyMac:</i> I was messing around with this drumkit and it just kinda turned into this. <i>Gryotharian:</i> - Yeah I don’t think I had another option I had to draw this. + Yeah I don't think I had another option I had to draw this. --- Track: Alpha Admission Directory: alpha-admission-lofam5 @@ -272,7 +269,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Daughter Commentary: |- <i>Monckat:</i> - In a cross-multiversal display of brotherhood among shades-wearing anime swordsmen, Dirk and Kate’s dad (from [[group:desynced]]) chop up some goons. As a certified MSPFA addict I couldn’t pass up a chance to give an excellent fanventure a shoutout in the art for this track (which originated in its OST). + In a cross-multiversal display of brotherhood among shades-wearing anime swordsmen, Dirk and Kate's dad (from [[group:desynced]]) chop up some goons. As a certified MSPFA addict I couldn't pass up a chance to give an excellent fanventure a shoutout in the art for this track (which originated in its OST). --- Track: Cut the Chain Artists: @@ -293,9 +290,9 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Midnight Commentary: |- <i>sylvarn:</i> - believe me, if I didn’t know what I was doing nearly 2 years ago when I made this, I sure don’t when I’m writing this commentary. I liked the melody so I made a song, duh + believe me, if I didn't know what I was doing nearly 2 years ago when I made this, I sure don't when I'm writing this commentary. I liked the melody so I made a song, duh <i>Monckat:</i> - Jack Noir decides Prospit didn’t need its moon anyway. I tried my best to convey Noir’s speed, as well as the scale and chonk of those massive golden chains. And yes the chains really are that long in canon please don’t go check + Jack Noir decides Prospit didn't need its moon anyway. I tried my best to convey Noir's speed, as well as the scale and chonk of those massive golden chains. And yes the chains really are that long in canon please don't go check --- Track: Firefly Storm Artists: @@ -313,7 +310,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Firefly Cloud Commentary: |- <i>Makin:</i> - As always, Astro Kid manages to turn any track into a rave-worthy bop, no matter how melancholic the original is. This used to be a lost track, and I might have never heard it if Rafe Saltman hadn’t reuploaded it on Youtube, so he deserves our thanks. This art piece was actually inspired by the track a few months after it was made, so I contacted the artist to finally make it official, half a decade later. + As always, Astro Kid manages to turn any track into a rave-worthy bop, no matter how melancholic the original is. This used to be a lost track, and I might have never heard it if Rafe Saltman hadn't reuploaded it on Youtube, so he deserves our thanks. This art piece was actually inspired by the track a few months after it was made, so I contacted the artist to finally make it official, half a decade later. --- Track: Urban Jungle Artists: @@ -378,9 +375,11 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Double Midnight - Flight of the White Wolf - Unsheath'd -Commentary: "<i>Kanishka:</i>\nLiberty. Reason. Justice. Civility. Edification. Perfection.\ - \ <u>MAIL.</u>\n<i>Circlejourney:</i>\nI listened to the track and just needed\ - \ to draw PM with the sentry worm. " +Commentary: |- + <i>Kanishka:</i> + Liberty. Reason. Justice. Civility. Edification. Perfection. <u>MAIL.</u> + <i>Circlejourney:</i> + I listened to the track and just needed to draw PM with the sentry worm. --- Track: Sunriser Artists: @@ -404,7 +403,7 @@ Sampled Tracks: - '???' Commentary: |- <i>Monckat:</i> - The crimson glow of the rising sun falls across the Strider apartment complex, and it looks like Dave’s pulled an all-nighter working on his jams. His neighbors must love him. I made this art pretty quickly but I’m proud of it all the same, managed to capture some vibes. + The crimson glow of the rising sun falls across the Strider apartment complex, and it looks like Dave's pulled an all-nighter working on his jams. His neighbors must love him. I made this art pretty quickly but I'm proud of it all the same, managed to capture some vibes. --- Track: Aggrieve (Knightcore Mix) Artists: @@ -421,13 +420,11 @@ Art Tags: - Kanaya Referenced Tracks: - track:aggrieve -Commentary: "<i>cookiefonster:</i>\nAnother song from the [[group:canmt|Cool and New Music Team]],\ - \ this time for their final album: cool and new volume 3. I pretty much barfed\ - \ [[track:aggrieve]] onto Famitracker, changed some chords here and there, and\ - \ that's that. I think it came out pretty good.\n<i>Gryotharian:</i>\nUpon Makin’s\ - \ suggestion, someone needed to make the art for this Rose pondering her orb.\ - \ And that someone was me. I like to think she does this regularly. Has a special\ - \ room in her house just for Orb Pondering. And Kanaya just has to deal with it. " +Commentary: |- + <i>cookiefonster:</i> + Another song from the [[group:canmt|Cool and New Music Team]], this time for their final album: cool and new volume 3. I pretty much barfed [[track:aggrieve]] onto Famitracker, changed some chords here and there, and that's that. I think it came out pretty good. + <i>Gryotharian:</i> + Upon Makin's suggestion, someone needed to make the art for this Rose pondering her orb. And that someone was me. I like to think she does this regularly. Has a special room in her house just for Orb Pondering. And Kanaya just has to deal with it. --- Track: Dreamers Artists: @@ -444,15 +441,11 @@ Art Tags: Referenced Tracks: - track:atomyk-ebonpyre - It Looks Back -Commentary: "<i>Scorpyus:</i>\nI did my best to capture the dreamy feeling of the\ - \ moons with the slightly sinister undertones. Originally started out as [[Prospit\ - \ Dreamers|\"Prospit Dreamer\"]] funnily enough, but then I added the [[track:atomyk-ebonpyre]]\ - \ motif and I decided it might fit better as just a track for both the moons.\n\ - <i>Gryotharian:</i>\nI originally had very different art in mind for this track,\ - \ but every time I heard it, it made me think of someone falling through the center\ - \ of Derse. The use of the [[track:atomyk-ebonpyre]] motif decided that that person\ - \ would be Dave, and while it didn’t really end up being the center of the planet,\ - \ I feel like I captured the vibe well enough. " +Commentary: |- + <i>Scorpyus:</i> + I did my best to capture the dreamy feeling of the moons with the slightly sinister undertones. Originally started out as [[Prospit Dreamers|"Prospit Dreamer"]] funnily enough, but then I added the [[track:atomyk-ebonpyre]] motif and I decided it might fit better as just a track for both the moons. + <i>Gryotharian:</i> + I originally had very different art in mind for this track, but every time I heard it, it made me think of someone falling through the center of Derse. The use of the [[track:atomyk-ebonpyre]] motif decided that that person would be Dave, and while it didn't really end up being the center of the planet, I feel like I captured the vibe well enough. --- Track: F∞ クライミング『CLIMBING』 Artists: @@ -514,7 +507,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - My Sharona Commentary: |- <i>Interrobang:</i> - I made this track for the C[[group:canmt|ool and New Music Team]] Felt/Midnight Crew album circa 2018 or so, and it was nominated for “the next LOFAM” long before any actual prep for this album had really started. I actually requested it be taken off of LOFAM5 because I felt it didn’t meet my standards anymore, but due to a miscommunication it stayed on. I found this out about 15 minutes before the release stream, which is happening as I type this - Album is sounding great, y’all! Anyway, hope it sounds better to you than it does to me. + I made this track for the C[[group:canmt|ool and New Music Team]] Felt/Midnight Crew album circa 2018 or so, and it was nominated for "the next LOFAM" long before any actual prep for this album had really started. I actually requested it be taken off of LOFAM5 because I felt it didn't meet my standards anymore, but due to a miscommunication it stayed on. I found this out about 15 minutes before the release stream, which is happening as I type this - Album is sounding great, y'all! Anyway, hope it sounds better to you than it does to me. --- Track: A Dream Of Broken Clocks Artists: @@ -535,8 +528,8 @@ Referenced Tracks: - The Puppetmaster Commentary: |- <i>Gryotharian:</i> - This is a really weird one for me. Originally, I started out with the intention to do a remastered and updated version of my track “[[The Puppetmaster]]” from our previous release [[album:friendsymphony|Friendsymphony]], but slowly, I came to realize that the remaster kind of sucked, and all traces of it were eventually wiped from this track. The intro (can you call it in intro if it’s more than half the song?) came to me about half a year after the main body of the song, it was the first thing I ever recorded vocals for, and may well be the last. Not much point in putting lyrics down though, cause all they are is “ooOOOOooo”. I was listening to a lot of Colin Stetson’s music during the time I made it so that probably played some influence in it. Then another half year after that I replaced the main body of the song too, because after listening to it with fresh ears, it was kind of a discordant mess. I kept the original idea behind [[The Puppetmaster]], a distorted mix of [[WORST END|Worst End]] and [[English]], but that’s about it. I might release that version eventually, but it won’t be on this album. - This was some of the first non-pixel digital art I ever did, and for that, I think it turned out pretty well. However, I had a real knack for doing things the hardest possible way, and oh my god, I never want to draw another clock again. I did all of this, with a keyboard and trackpad, on a free trial for a photoshop knockoff. That wallpaper? I didn’t figure out how to use the copy-paste tool properly, and had to manually put in every detail on it. This was a nightmare to complete, (albeit a nightmare of my own making), so you all had better appreciate it. + This is a really weird one for me. Originally, I started out with the intention to do a remastered and updated version of my track "[[The Puppetmaster]]" from our previous release [[album:friendsymphony|Friendsymphony]], but slowly, I came to realize that the remaster kind of sucked, and all traces of it were eventually wiped from this track. The intro (can you call it in intro if it's more than half the song?) came to me about half a year after the main body of the song, it was the first thing I ever recorded vocals for, and may well be the last. Not much point in putting lyrics down though, cause all they are is "ooOOOOooo". I was listening to a lot of Colin Stetson's music during the time I made it so that probably played some influence in it. Then another half year after that I replaced the main body of the song too, because after listening to it with fresh ears, it was kind of a discordant mess. I kept the original idea behind [[The Puppetmaster]], a distorted mix of [[WORST END|Worst End]] and [[English]], but that's about it. I might release that version eventually, but it won't be on this album. + This was some of the first non-pixel digital art I ever did, and for that, I think it turned out pretty well. However, I had a real knack for doing things the hardest possible way, and oh my god, I never want to draw another clock again. I did all of this, with a keyboard and trackpad, on a free trial for a photoshop knockoff. That wallpaper? I didn't figure out how to use the copy-paste tool properly, and had to manually put in every detail on it. This was a nightmare to complete, (albeit a nightmare of my own making), so you all had better appreciate it. --- Track: Black (Electro Swing Remix) Artists: @@ -571,7 +564,7 @@ Art Tags: - Jack Noir Commentary: |- <i>Gryotharian:</i> - I was surprised by how fast everyone loved this track. I think this is the only one that I didn’t have to make any edits to after submitting it, and it’s one of my oldest submissions too, I made this well over a year ago. Very briefly, it was going to be a Vriska and Eridan track, using all different instruments, but it wasn’t working well, and as soon as I switched it to the piano samples, the rest of the song just basically created itself, becoming a whole new vibe that was very The Felt, and not at all Vriska and Eridan. + I was surprised by how fast everyone loved this track. I think this is the only one that I didn't have to make any edits to after submitting it, and it's one of my oldest submissions too, I made this well over a year ago. Very briefly, it was going to be a Vriska and Eridan track, using all different instruments, but it wasn't working well, and as soon as I switched it to the piano samples, the rest of the song just basically created itself, becoming a whole new vibe that was very The Felt, and not at all Vriska and Eridan. --- Track: Furthest Ringside Artists: @@ -595,13 +588,10 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:frost-vol6 - At The Price of Oblivion - track:endless-climb -Commentary: "<i>Monckat:</i>\nA track vaguely themed around Dave, Rose, Derse, and\ - \ the lovely eldritch horrors next door. For the most part it emerged from wanting\ - \ to remix some lesser-utilized themes such as [[Switchback]], [[Ace of Trump]],\ - \ and [[At The Price of Oblivion]].\nRose and Dave chilling on Derse, with some\ - \ horrorterrors looming above. (I’ve taken some artistic liberties with the horrorterrors,\ - \ in being conjoined into a single mass they kinda resemble the horrorterrors\ - \ in my fanventure The Tapestry more than canon Homestuck ones) " +Commentary: |- + <i>Monckat:</i> + A track vaguely themed around Dave, Rose, Derse, and the lovely eldritch horrors next door. For the most part it emerged from wanting to remix some lesser-utilized themes such as [[Switchback]], [[Ace of Trump]], and [[At The Price of Oblivion]] + Rose and Dave chilling on Derse, with some horrorterrors looming above. (I've taken some artistic liberties with the horrorterrors, in being conjoined into a single mass they kinda resemble the horrorterrors in my fanventure The Tapestry more than canon Homestuck ones) --- Track: Wayward Artists: @@ -618,13 +608,11 @@ Art Tags: Referenced Tracks: - track:upward-movement-dave-owns - track:endless-climb -Commentary: "<i>Shwan:</i>\nI made this during a recent re-reading of Homestuck and\ - \ the upward drumbeat was really catchy and a bop and I wanted to make something\ - \ with it. (Hey, maybe WV finds Dave’s turntables and Rose’s violin) \n<i>Monckat:</i>\n\ - The Wayward Vagabond seems to have stumbled across the ruins of the NYC Skaianet\ - \ Headquarters. And it seems there’s an enticing, delicious green light inside.\ - \ Will we ever see what he finds in there? (well none of this is officially canon,\ - \ so probably not) " +Commentary: |- + <i>Shwan:</i> + I made this during a recent re-reading of Homestuck and the upward drumbeat was really catchy and a bop and I wanted to make something with it. (Hey, maybe WV finds Dave's turntables and Rose's violin) + <i>Monckat:</i> + The Wayward Vagabond seems to have stumbled across the ruins of the NYC Skaianet Headquarters. And it seems there's an enticing, delicious green light inside. Will we ever see what he finds in there? (well none of this is officially canon, so probably not) --- Track: Upon Whom Sacrifice Calls Artists: @@ -675,13 +663,11 @@ Art Tags: - Alternia Referenced Tracks: - Science Seahorse -Commentary: "<i>Levc:</i>\nInspired by the short cover of [[Science Seahorse|science\ - \ seahorse]] from [[Rainbow Rumpus Partytown|the medley]] tee-vee did some time\ - \ ago (go check it out if you haven’t already), I just wanted to try and do a\ - \ short, simple and sweet remix of the song! (that’s really it).\nThe magic of\ - \ this track relies on me combining stuff that sounds, at least to me, relaxing.\ - \ Just let the ambience kick in while your seahorse lusus just, vibes at your\ - \ side…\nAlso this tracks makes me want to eat ice cream for some reason. " +Commentary: |- + <i>Levc:</i> + Inspired by the short cover of [[Science Seahorse|science seahorse]] from [[Rainbow Rumpus Partytown|the medley]] tee-vee did some time ago (go check it out if you haven't already), I just wanted to try and do a short, simple and sweet remix of the song! (that's really it). + The magic of this track relies on me combining stuff that sounds, at least to me, relaxing. Just let the ambience kick in while your seahorse lusus just, vibes at your side... + Also this tracks makes me want to eat ice cream for some reason. --- Track: She's a D8ddy L8ng L8gs Artists: @@ -707,7 +693,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Die. Commentary: |- <i>Makin:</i> - I believe this time it’s best to let the art speak for itself. + I believe this time it's best to let the art speak for itself. --- Track: King Crab Artists: @@ -724,7 +710,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:crustacean Commentary: |- <i>Makin:</i> - Damn did you know this track references “[[track:crustacean]]” by [[group:toby-fox|Toby “Radiation” Fox]]??? + Damn did you know this track references "[[track:crustacean]]" by [[group:toby-fox|Toby "Radiation" Fox]]??? --- Track: ALIVE Artists: @@ -744,16 +730,19 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:MeGaLoVania Sampled Tracks: - Temporal Shenanigans -Lyrics: "Going around, going around, going around, going around\nGoing around, going\ - \ around, going around, going around\nGoing around, going around, going around,\ - \ going around\nNot in circles but in spirographs\n\nFrom now on I know I'll be\ - \ more careful where I tread\nI'm alive, I'm smiling, I'm so tired of being dead " -Commentary: "<i>heir-of-puns:</i>\n[[Temporal Shenanigans]] was the first homestuck\ - \ song I ever heard outside of the comic, and it's how I first discovered the\ - \ full hs music library. Been wanting to do some sort of tribute to it for a long\ - \ time. (I also just really really love Aradia)\n<i>Circlejourney:</i>\nThinking\ - \ on the inspirations of the track, I wanted the artwork to show Aradia before\ - \ and after coming back to life, and the change in her disposition. " +Lyrics: |- + Going around, going around, going around, going around + Going around, going around, going around, going around + Going around, going around, going around, going around + Not in circles but in spirographs + + From now on I know I'll be more careful where I tread + I'm alive, I'm smiling, I'm so tired of being dead +Commentary: + <i>heir-of-puns:</i> + [[Temporal Shenanigans]] was the first homestuck song I ever heard outside of the comic, and it's how I first discovered the full hs music library. Been wanting to do some sort of tribute to it for a long time. (I also just really really love Aradia + <i>Circlejourney:</i> + Thinking on the inspirations of the track, I wanted the artwork to show Aradia before and after coming back to life, and the change in her disposition. --- Track: Blood Rite Artists: @@ -778,17 +767,11 @@ Referenced Tracks: - '>>DiscThree<<' Sampled Tracks: - '>>DiscThree<<' -Commentary: "<i>Scorpyus:</i>\nStarted when I decided the [[track:discthree|Disc 3]]\ - \ transition i’d made for [[album:friendsymphony|Friendsymphony]] deserved a full\ - \ song. I’ve always loved the whole Alternian vibes, the hemospectrum and the\ - \ high bloods and especially and so I decided to make a song about it. I did my\ - \ best to capture in the song the grandness of Alternia, its sinister nature,\ - \ and Doc Scratch’s effect on the planet and this is what I got.I spent a while\ - \ trying to come up with a name and eventually landed on either Blood Rite or\ - \ Blood Right, either way it’s sort of a pun so take that how you will. \n<i>swanfire:</i>\n\ - Decided to focus on the handmaid and the condesce because of the female laughs\ - \ in the track and also because they basically shaped the blood based society\ - \ of alternia as it is. With a little nod to doc scratch through the handmaid. " +Commentary: |- + <i>Scorpyus:</i> + Started when I decided the [[track:discthree|Disc 3]] transition i'd made for [[album:friendsymphony|Friendsymphony]] deserved a full song. I've always loved the whole Alternian vibes, the hemospectrum and the high bloods and especially and so I decided to make a song about it. I did my best to capture in the song the grandness of Alternia, its sinister nature, and Doc Scratch's effect on the planet and this is what I got.I spent a while trying to come up with a name and eventually landed on either Blood Rite or Blood Right, either way it's sort of a pun so take that how you will. + <i>swanfire:</i> + Decided to focus on the handmaid and the condesce because of the female laughs in the track and also because they basically shaped the blood based society of alternia as it is. With a little nod to doc scratch through the handmaid. --- Track: Madame Controversielle 2 Artists: @@ -810,7 +793,7 @@ Commentary: |- If you remember my song "[[track:the-gemoni-mustard-blood-lofam4|The Gemoni Mustard Blood]]" from [[album:lofam4|LOFAM4]], that was originally from an old [[group:canmt|Cool and New Music Team (CANMT)]] album I made back in 2016 called "[[album:of-troles-and-chiptumes|Of Troles and Chiptumes]]". While I had a lot of fun making that album, over the years I've come to regard its composition and instrumentation as somewhat amateurish; I was still rather new to Famitracker, the software I used to make all those songs. While I had at one point wanted to remake the entire album using the chiptune skills I know today, the only song I ever ended up remaking was "[[Madame Controversielle]]", the album's song for Vriska. The remake was put on the CANMT album "troleplanet", and the reasoning behind its title was simply to take the original one and slap a 2 on it! So yes, there is indeed a Madame Controversielle 1, but I really don't get why you would want to listen to it over this version. <i>Gryotharian:</i> - I’m not sure about how this one turned out. All the chiptune and vriska definitely made me think of like, a retro game player select screen, so I went back to my old pixel art style, and tried to fill it with the most vriska that vriska could vriska. But it had been a while since I was working with plain pixel art again, and that probably shows. + I'm not sure about how this one turned out. All the chiptune and vriska definitely made me think of like, a retro game player select screen, so I went back to my old pixel art style, and tried to fill it with the most vriska that vriska could vriska. But it had been a while since I was working with plain pixel art again, and that probably shows. --- Track: Anamnesis Artists: @@ -855,7 +838,7 @@ Lyrics: |- Go, go, go, go! Commentary: |- <i>Makin:</i> - When I first heard the original version of the song, I didn’t immediately think dubstep would be a good fit, but I think [[artist:cement-city]] has proved us all wrong. + When I first heard the original version of the song, I didn't immediately think dubstep would be a good fit, but I think [[artist:cement-city]] has proved us all wrong. --- Track: Rex Duodecim Angelus (Remix) Artists: @@ -876,7 +859,7 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Makin:</i> Artisticpolo is a legendary remixer, hailing from the very beginnings of the Homestuck fanmusic scene. Tracking him down proved to be one of the best decisions we could have made. Stay tuned for [[track:time-running-by|another track]] of his in this album! <i>Gryotharian:</i> - It’s hard to make a design like the unprototyped black king seem threatening. + It's hard to make a design like the unprototyped black king seem threatening. --- Track: Pondsquatter (Demaster/Demix) Directory: pondsquatter-demaster-demix @@ -895,7 +878,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Pondsquatter Commentary: |- <i>Makin:</i> - This is actually the full version of an asset used for the fanventure “Karkat Goes to a Convention”, which I wholeheartedly recommend. This amazing art by Radical Dude 42, an expert in the original MSPA style, suggests the fanventure’s title might be selling it short… + This is actually the full version of an asset used for the fanventure "Karkat Goes to a Convention", which I wholeheartedly recommend. This amazing art by Radical Dude 42, an expert in the original MSPA style, suggests the fanventure's title might be selling it short... --- Track: At the Threshold Artists: @@ -935,7 +918,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - A Very "O" Christmas Commentary: |- <i>Gryotharian:</i> - Some sort of interpretation of Doc Scratch’s manipulations, causing the heroes to create the green sun. + Some sort of interpretation of Doc Scratch's manipulations, causing the heroes to create the green sun. --- Track: One Hour Later Artists: @@ -965,7 +948,7 @@ Sampled Tracks: Lyrics: Home with the milk in the mo-o-o-o-o-o- Commentary: |- <i>Monckat:</i> - The mixture of Jack Noir and Lord English/cherub themes, alongside the [[track:beatdown-strider-style|Beatdown]] reference, brought my mind straight to this scene from [S] Collide. The camera follows Jack English/Union Jack’s head upwards as it begins to blackholesplode, tilting at the mother of all dutch angles in the process. + The mixture of Jack Noir and Lord English/cherub themes, alongside the [[track:beatdown-strider-style|Beatdown]] reference, brought my mind straight to this scene from [S] Collide. The camera follows Jack English/Union Jack's head upwards as it begins to blackholesplode, tilting at the mother of all dutch angles in the process. --- Track: Viridescent Flare Artists: @@ -982,7 +965,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Flare Commentary: |- <i>Schwan:</i> - From the artist who made the hit single flarezzzzzzz (from Cool And New Homestuck), bringing you…, another [[Flare|flare]] song. + From the artist who made the hit single flarezzzzzzz (from Cool And New Homestuck), bringing you..., another [[Flare|flare]] song. --- Track: The Dreamer and the Dream Artists: @@ -1016,11 +999,11 @@ Referenced Tracks: - The Doom of the Planets - Fuchsia Moonrise - The Thirteenth Hour -Commentary: "<i>Circlejourney:</i>\nA theme for the post-Epilogue crew(s) sailing\ - \ through space. \n<i>Awkward:</i>\nI literally painted this furiously out of\ - \ frustration as stress relief because I hated absolutely everything I drew that\ - \ day, I think that was honestly a good exercise though because it let me work\ - \ with less constraints and it turned out neat :>" +Commentary: |- + <i>Circlejourney:</i> + A theme for the post-Epilogue crew(s) sailing through space. + <i>Awkward:</i> + I literally painted this furiously out of frustration as stress relief because I hated absolutely everything I drew that day, I think that was honestly a good exercise though because it let me work with less constraints and it turned out neat :> --- Track: She's Out There (In The Sea Of Stars) Artists: @@ -1056,7 +1039,7 @@ Lyrics: |- Somewhere, somewhere Commentary: |- <i>Circlejourney:</i> - "She’s Out There, Somewhere In The Sea Of Stars." Kanaya remembers Rose. Many thanks to Ucklin for the additional vocals! + "She's Out There, Somewhere In The Sea Of Stars." Kanaya remembers Rose. Many thanks to Ucklin for the additional vocals! --- Track: Revelations of Self Importance Artists: @@ -1081,7 +1064,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Sweet Dreams, Timaeus Commentary: |- <i>Gryotharian:</i> - I made this song shortly after reading Detective Pony, when Dirk Strider was fresh on my mind and skyrocketing to the top of my all-time favorite characters. I wanted to do something specifically for the offscreen period between the end of homestuck and the epilogues, his journey to becoming what he is now, his acceptance of becoming the villain, etc. Mainly, just really love Dirk. Also, it’s an excuse to give some love to some of his more underrated songs. (Basically anything that isn’t [[track:beatdown-strider-style|Beatdown]].) I had never even heard [[Austin, Atlantis|Austin Atlantis]] before I started on this song, and man was I missing out, so it quickly became the basis for the whole thing. In retrospect I wish I could’ve put [[Orange Hat]] in there somewhere, mainly just cause that’s also an awesome underrated song, but by the time I remembered, this was mostly done and it wouldn’t have really fit anywhere. This might be the song I’m happiest with on this album. + I made this song shortly after reading Detective Pony, when Dirk Strider was fresh on my mind and skyrocketing to the top of my all-time favorite characters. I wanted to do something specifically for the offscreen period between the end of homestuck and the epilogues, his journey to becoming what he is now, his acceptance of becoming the villain, etc. Mainly, just really love Dirk. Also, it's an excuse to give some love to some of his more underrated songs. (Basically anything that isn't [[track:beatdown-strider-style|Beatdown]].) I had never even heard [[Austin, Atlantis|Austin Atlantis]] before I started on this song, and man was I missing out, so it quickly became the basis for the whole thing. In retrospect I wish I could've put [[Orange Hat]] in there somewhere, mainly just cause that's also an awesome underrated song, but by the time I remembered, this was mostly done and it wouldn't have really fit anywhere. This might be the song I'm happiest with on this album. --- Track: Strain Artists: @@ -1102,7 +1085,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Apexhalation Commentary: |- <i>Makin:</i> - Do you know the track “[[Stress]]” from [[album:homestuck-vol-9|Homestuck Volume 9]]? It was based on an [[Five-Four Stress|ancient unreleased track]] by the legendary [[artist:buzinkai]], and TirantBacon and WarxTron put their music making hands together to the task of remixing the original once more. + Do you know the track "[[Stress]]" from [[album:homestuck-vol-9|Homestuck Volume 9]]? It was based on an [[Five-Four Stress|ancient unreleased track]] by the legendary [[artist:buzinkai]], and TirantBacon and WarxTron put their music making hands together to the task of remixing the original once more. <i>Monckat:</i> Dirk finds himself in a mildly spooky, straining situation deep in the depths of the Land of Tombs and Krypton. --- @@ -1120,24 +1103,11 @@ Art Tags: Referenced Tracks: - Rex Duodecim Angelus - Scratch -Commentary: "<i>Tee-vee:</i>\nI was listening to Demetori as I usually do and once\ - \ thought \"What if the source material for their arrangements wasn't Touhou ?\"\ - \ and of course the first thing that came to my mind was Homestuck, so I thought\ - \ I could actually run with the idea ! [[Rex Duodecim Angelus]] in all it's dark\ - \ neo-classical glory seemed like the perfect track to arrange in this style,\ - \ though I only kept the original melodies and ideas from it so I wouldn't have\ - \ to go down a rabbit hole of character themes that could derail the intent of\ - \ the arrangement. The ending section is inspired by another IP entirely (if you\ - \ can guess what it is I did a fine enough job), but it seemed appropriate given\ - \ the context. Very happy with how it turned out! Also the title is pretty long\ - \ winded but I wanted to fit the Touhou/Demetori naming format haha.\n<i>Monckat:</i>\n\ - Tried my best to create something as complex and intimidating as the track itself.\ - \ The idea here was for the art to initially seem like random organic noise, with\ - \ the Black King only popping into view on a closer look. Originally I was planning\ - \ on using a lot more shading on this, some gradients and blur/glow effects too\ - \ maybe. But I ultimately found it was more striking to restrict myself to only\ - \ two colors. I like the idea that this is simultaneously my simplest track art\ - \ in terms of color range and my most complex in terms of detail. " +Commentary: + <i>Tee-vee:</i> + I was listening to Demetori as I usually do and once thought "What if the source material for their arrangements wasn't Touhou ?" and of course the first thing that came to my mind was Homestuck, so I thought I could actually run with the idea ! [[Rex Duodecim Angelus]] in all it's dark neo-classical glory seemed like the perfect track to arrange in this style, though I only kept the original melodies and ideas from it so I wouldn't have to go down a rabbit hole of character themes that could derail the intent of the arrangement. The ending section is inspired by another IP entirely (if you can guess what it is I did a fine enough job), but it seemed appropriate given the context. Very happy with how it turned out! Also the title is pretty long winded but I wanted to fit the Touhou/Demetori naming format haha. + <i>Monckat:</i> + Tried my best to create something as complex and intimidating as the track itself. The idea here was for the art to initially seem like random organic noise, with the Black King only popping into view on a closer look. Originally I was planning on using a lot more shading on this, some gradients and blur/glow effects too maybe. But I ultimately found it was more striking to restrict myself to only two colors. I like the idea that this is simultaneously my simplest track art in terms of color range and my most complex in terms of detail. --- Track: Black Hole's Dozen Artists: @@ -1156,9 +1126,9 @@ Referenced Tracks: - The Thirteenth Hour Commentary: |- <i>Monckat:</i> - [[The Lyrist]] is one of my favorite Homestuck tracks, with its main melody being in my humble opinion the most hauntingly beautiful refrain on the whole soundtrack. Which is why it’s always driven me slightly mad that said melody only appears in the first 45 seconds and never returns. And while the rest of the track is wonderful in its own right, it’s never stuck in my brain quite as much. + [[The Lyrist]] is one of my favorite Homestuck tracks, with its main melody being in my humble opinion the most hauntingly beautiful refrain on the whole soundtrack. Which is why it's always driven me slightly mad that said melody only appears in the first 45 seconds and never returns. And while the rest of the track is wonderful in its own right, it's never stuck in my brain quite as much. So the idea with this track was to attempt in my own flawed way to extend those first 45 seconds into a full track, and for the most part the way I chose to do that was to work in pieces of [[The Thirteenth Hour]] (along with adding in some original stuff). Hope you guys like it! - The title is in reference to a baker’s dozen (13), which alludes to the use of [[The Thirteenth Hour]]. + The title is in reference to a baker's dozen (13), which alludes to the use of [[The Thirteenth Hour]]. The teal and purple orbs are intended to be the orb things Alt Calliope uses to create the black hole in Act 7. My little headcanon for those orbs is that they're genesis frog frogspawn, basically embryonic universes. The idea being that since it took two universes to create the Green Sun, perhaps it takes three to destroy it. --- Track: PAST FUNK IS WORSE THAN FUTURE FUNK @@ -1202,7 +1172,7 @@ Commentary: |- i made this song back in 2017 originally and then changed it a bit in 2019 (i think), i have not seen the project file since, it is a mystery on where it has gone, if someone finds it please put it on a usb drive and get it to me via pigeon sleep peacefully, my beloved witch, karkatrice <i>cloudie:</i> - what’s a homestuck + what's a homestuck --- Track: Infinite Zest Artists: @@ -1238,13 +1208,13 @@ Referenced Tracks: Sampled Tracks: - Let the Squiddles Sleep (End Theme) - Mayor Maynot -Lyrics: '[Mayor Maynot samples set to Megalovania]' -Commentary: "<i>Makin:</i>\nOriginally known as “you have got to be SHITTONG me (temp\ - \ title)”. No further commentary. \n<i>Monckat:</i>\nI really wasn’t sure what\ - \ to draw for this one at first, and I’m not sure it’s even possible to capture\ - \ everything going on here in a single image. But hey, I think any piece of art\ - \ that contains a watermark of Sans WV superimposed over a pumpkin-guzzling black\ - \ hole can’t be too bad." +Lyrics: |- + [Mayor Maynot samples set to Megalovania] +Commentary: |- + <i>Makin:</i> + Originally known as "you have got to be SHITTONG me (temp title)". No further commentary. + <i>Monckat:</i> + I really wasn't sure what to draw for this one at first, and I'm not sure it's even possible to capture everything going on here in a single image. But hey, I think any piece of art that contains a watermark of Sans WV superimposed over a pumpkin-guzzling black hole can't be too bad. --- Track: TEETH AND BLOOD Artists: @@ -1270,7 +1240,7 @@ Lyrics: >- SONG PRODUCED BY YOUR LORD, FOR YOUR LORD, ABOUT YOUR LORD. HIT IT.) Commentary: |- <i>Gryotharian:</i> - There was a lot going on in the production of this, and none of it had to do with the final track. A long, long time ago, before any of my other submissions, I was going to do a Caliborn track, with the intent of being presented as a track that Caliborn himself produced. But at that time, there weren’t many other submissions for this album yet, and a disturbingly high percentage of them were cherub related, so I dropped it. A year later, I was working on a remix of the afterword theme from Pesterquest, but it wasn’t really clicking right. The heavy bass synths and bitcrushed drums weren’t working for the style of the track. Around the same time, I finally got my hands on the incredibly elusive midi of [[track:carne-vale]], which has been my favorite homestuck song since the first time I heard it, and has yet to be dethroned. So I had the crazy notion, that the instruments I was using for my Pesterquest remix would work fantastically if I decided to go back to a Caliborn track, now that I could properly reference [[track:carne-vale]]. (I had been trying to figure out that bassline by ear for, oh lord, something like 3 years.) And, I ended up with what might be one of my favorite compositions of mine to date. Had it stuck in my head for months. Cleaned up the mixing over the next little while, and the rest is history. I had two names for it for a while, Teeth and Blood, and Space Crusader. Originally I was going to go with both, have one of those little ~ things in between, but I decided that Space Crusader, while it fit the vibe of the song, didn’t really fit the vibe of Caliborn, so I dropped it. + There was a lot going on in the production of this, and none of it had to do with the final track. A long, long time ago, before any of my other submissions, I was going to do a Caliborn track, with the intent of being presented as a track that Caliborn himself produced. But at that time, there weren't many other submissions for this album yet, and a disturbingly high percentage of them were cherub related, so I dropped it. A year later, I was working on a remix of the afterword theme from Pesterquest, but it wasn't really clicking right. The heavy bass synths and bitcrushed drums weren't working for the style of the track. Around the same time, I finally got my hands on the incredibly elusive midi of [[track:carne-vale]], which has been my favorite homestuck song since the first time I heard it, and has yet to be dethroned. So I had the crazy notion, that the instruments I was using for my Pesterquest remix would work fantastically if I decided to go back to a Caliborn track, now that I could properly reference [[track:carne-vale]]. (I had been trying to figure out that bassline by ear for, oh lord, something like 3 years.) And, I ended up with what might be one of my favorite compositions of mine to date. Had it stuck in my head for months. Cleaned up the mixing over the next little while, and the rest is history. I had two names for it for a while, Teeth and Blood, and Space Crusader. Originally I was going to go with both, have one of those little ~ things in between, but I decided that Space Crusader, while it fit the vibe of the song, didn't really fit the vibe of Caliborn, so I dropped it. --- Track: Predomination Artists: @@ -1296,8 +1266,9 @@ Referenced Tracks: Sampled Tracks: - Let the Squiddles Sleep (End Theme) - Mayor Maynot -Commentary: "<i>Monckat:</i>\nCalliope alone, haunted by visions of her other half’s\ - \ future. " +Commentary: |- + <i>Monckat:</i> + Calliope alone, haunted by visions of her other half's future. --- Track: The Power of RETCON Artists: @@ -1310,12 +1281,12 @@ Cover Artists: - Gryotharian Art Tags: - John -Commentary: "<i>Levc:</i>\nTIME, SPACE, MAGIC, HANDS, UHHHH NARRATIVE?\nRETCON\nA\ - \ melody that encapsulates the powerful nature of the retcon powers John has.\ - \ Really tried to capture the style and vibes of old homestuck songs, re-make\ - \ the mental image I had of some of them and just, express those feelings of adventure\ - \ and wonder. something grand and fun.\nPersonally, the melody in this is one\ - \ of my favorite pieces I have ever wrote. Modulations are fun. " +Commentary: |- + <i>Levc:</i> + TIME, SPACE, MAGIC, HANDS, UHHHH NARRATIVE? + RETCON + A melody that encapsulates the powerful nature of the retcon powers John has. Really tried to capture the style and vibes of old homestuck songs, re-make the mental image I had of some of them and just, express those feelings of adventure and wonder. something grand and fun. + Personally, the melody in this is one of my favorite pieces I have ever wrote. Modulations are fun. --- Track: Heir of Grief (Sax Cover) Artists: @@ -1333,7 +1304,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:heir-of-grief-sax-cover-youtube Commentary: |- <i>Monckat:</i> - You guys all remember that iconic moment in [S] Collide where PM finally steals the sax that Jack’s been using to play Black all this time and uses it to perform a haunting sax rendition of [[track:heir-of-grief|Heir of Grief]], right? Yeah me too, thought it was a perfect fit. + You guys all remember that iconic moment in [S] Collide where PM finally steals the sax that Jack's been using to play Black all this time and uses it to perform a haunting sax rendition of [[track:heir-of-grief|Heir of Grief]], right? Yeah me too, thought it was a perfect fit. --- Track: Collapse Reprise Artists: @@ -1357,12 +1328,9 @@ Referenced Tracks: - More Real than Kraft Mayo - All Alone - Jittery Optimist -Commentary: "<i>Pascal van den Bos:</i>\nI originally wrote this song in 2019 for\ - \ Stable Time Loops and Paradoxes 3 but i ended up scrapping it and completely\ - \ redoing it, i'm not exactly sure why i did that but either way i felt really\ - \ bad about that because IMO i ended up ruining the song LOL. So anyway this is\ - \ the 3rd and proper final version of Collapse AKA \"The Descend of the PMT\"\ - \ because it references so many songs. " +Commentary: |- + <i>Pascal van den Bos:</i> + I originally wrote this song in 2019 for Stable Time Loops and Paradoxes 3 but i ended up scrapping it and completely redoing it, i'm not exactly sure why i did that but either way i felt really bad about that because IMO i ended up ruining the song LOL. So anyway this is the 3rd and proper final version of Collapse AKA "The Descend of the PMT" because it references so many songs. --- Track: Shattered Spacetime Artists: @@ -1381,22 +1349,11 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:upward-movement-dave-owns - Ruins (With Strings) - Do You Remem8er Me -Commentary: "<i>Gryotharian:</i>\nThis was another one that I made surprisingly quickly,\ - \ and didn’t need many edits afterwards. In a weird way it was inspired by David\ - \ Wise’s ambient synth style, cause I’d been listening to a lot of the Donkey\ - \ Kong Country soundtrack, especially Stickerbrush Symphony. For a game about\ - \ a monkey fighting a crocodile over a pile of bananas, that game has a surprisingly\ - \ amazing soundtrack. Once I had a chord progression down I felt like it should\ - \ be about the cracks in the universe, with a similar vibe to [[Do You Remem8er\ - \ Me|Do You Remem8er me]], and then I eventually ended up just referencing it\ - \ at the end of the track. It didn’t really end up very DKC or very [[Do You Remem8er\ - \ Me|Do You Remem8er me]], but both those things are far outside of my usual style\ - \ so I’m not all that surprised, and what it did turn out as is something I like\ - \ a lot.\n<i>Cratmang:</i>\nWhen you think about it, Caliborn/Lord English is\ - \ kind of a tragic figure. Multiple universes of emotions, and the only one he\ - \ can understand is rage and hatred. I almost feel bad for him. Almost. Where\ - \ was I going with this? Oh yeah. Presenting, \"Lord English throws a tantrum\ - \ in a glass room.\" " +Commentary: |- + <i>Gryotharian:</i> + This was another one that I made surprisingly quickly, and didn't need many edits afterwards. In a weird way it was inspired by David Wise's ambient synth style, cause I'd been listening to a lot of the Donkey Kong Country soundtrack, especially Stickerbrush Symphony. For a game about a monkey fighting a crocodile over a pile of bananas, that game has a surprisingly amazing soundtrack. Once I had a chord progression down I felt like it should be about the cracks in the universe, with a similar vibe to [[Do You Remem8er Me|Do You Remem8er me]], and then I eventually ended up just referencing it at the end of the track. It didn't really end up very DKC or very [[Do You Remem8er Me|Do You Remem8er me]], but both those things are far outside of my usual style so I'm not all that surprised, and what it did turn out as is something I like a lot. + <i>Cratmang:</i> + When you think about it, Caliborn/Lord English is kind of a tragic figure. Multiple universes of emotions, and the only one he can understand is rage and hatred. I almost feel bad for him. Almost. Where was I going with this? Oh yeah. Presenting, "Lord English throws a tantrum in a glass room." --- Track: Consonant Conquest Artists: @@ -1413,9 +1370,9 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Constant Conquest Commentary: |- <i>Interrobang:</i> - I wanted to make what’s probably the last Homestuck song I’ll ever release publically something special, and I think the final product here fits that bill. This track began as an experiment with the layering of different-length loops on each other in a way that would never exactly repeat itself, which you can hear in pretty clearly the first section - it’s something one encounters often in minimalist and ambient music, and I’d like to do more with the technique in the future. Hope you enjoy! + I wanted to make what's probably the last Homestuck song I'll ever release publically something special, and I think the final product here fits that bill. This track began as an experiment with the layering of different-length loops on each other in a way that would never exactly repeat itself, which you can hear in pretty clearly the first section - it's something one encounters often in minimalist and ambient music, and I'd like to do more with the technique in the future. Hope you enjoy! <i>Monckat:</i> - I like to think Caliborn worked really hard on this one, maybe it’s hanging over a mantelpiece in Lord English’s manor somewhere. He’s added some tasteful JPEG artifacts and plastic wrap filters to his style, I’m so proud of him! + I like to think Caliborn worked really hard on this one, maybe it's hanging over a mantelpiece in Lord English's manor somewhere. He's added some tasteful JPEG artifacts and plastic wrap filters to his style, I'm so proud of him! --- Track: Reunion Artists: @@ -1433,7 +1390,7 @@ Art Tags: Commentary: |- <i>Not Eno:</i> A father and son reunite. With this song I played with one of my favorite lofi ambient tricks that being recording the song to a weird audio format. In this case the song was recorded directly to a wire recorder. (the small skips and hitches you hear is the thin steel wire that will snag on the play head every now and again) - As for the Content recorded to the wire Its a semi improvisational piece that was made to reflect John’s mindstate when he reunites with his dad after the long road that was most of the comic. + As for the Content recorded to the wire Its a semi improvisational piece that was made to reflect John's mindstate when he reunites with his dad after the long road that was most of the comic. --- Track: Crystalschalasthemequins Artists: @@ -1452,7 +1409,7 @@ Sampled Tracks: - Schala's Theme Commentary: |- <i>Makin:</i> - There’s a Homestuck continuation fanventure named “[[album:act-8-volume-1|Act 8]]”, and this amazing track scored part of it! You can <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qS9p2gD_Ou4">check it out here</a>. + There's a Homestuck continuation fanventure named "[[album:act-8-volume-1|Act 8]]", and this amazing track scored part of it! You can <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qS9p2gD_Ou4">check it out here</a>. --- Track: Sburban City Artists: @@ -1481,7 +1438,7 @@ Commentary: |- In order to really progress much further I think they'd have to start a new sburb session in Homestuck^2. So I thought I'd try to make a theme for that. <i>Monckat:</i> Based on the box art for SimCity 4. The instruments used here made my mind jump to the idea of a Maxis-made SimCity style sandbox version of Sburb, so I spoke it into existence. I have no idea how such a game would actually play but I need it now. - Man, drawing this has made me sad there’s no Spore 2 again. Dammit. + Man, drawing this has made me sad there's no Spore 2 again. Dammit. --- Track: Gold Mage [Playtime is Over Mix] Artists: @@ -1501,7 +1458,7 @@ Commentary: |- <i>repeatedScales:</i> Oh boy. I feel the best way to justify this mix of the song's entire existence is with the following; the original [[Gold Mage]] had a very barren and empty arrangement, designed to facilitate a vocal track that never actually got made, and though the lack of vocals probably helped it make [[album:coloUrs-and-mayhem-universe-a|coloUrs & mayhem Vol. 1]] in the long run, a lot of people picked up on how empty the song felt. This mix was kind of my way of making up for that, but in the process I created the opposite problem of having TOO MUCH going on, especially in that first 'verse' section. Oh dear god, that first 'verse' section; I am baffled as to how I could possibly have thought that sounded good at the time. Technically speaking the cutting and looping on that guitar sample is very well done, but it doesn't work with the vibe of the beat, and it REALLY doesn't work with the bassline. The second 'verse' isn't much better, in that itself it's a nice chilled out rework of elements from the original, but it jars with the rest of the "GET PUMPED" vibe the tracks got going on. Also, man oh man, [[group:toby-fox|Toby Fox]] felt the solo from the end of the original song was boring; the solo on this song is utterly lifeless. It can barely be called a solo. Ok, ok, some positives; though the chorus is somewhat cluttered, I do like how punchy the chords sound using a more typical "rave stab" type sound (hell, in general the synth stabs on the cut are often the better elements), the stock sawtooth bass synth actually works quite nice with the bassline, and though it gets buried in a lot of the mix, the main drum machine beat over the 'verses' and the solo is actually quite punchy, and has a real late 90s game soundtrack vibe to it that I like. The original is definitely the better version of the song in the long run, though. <i>Makin:</i> - This amazing redux version of the [[album:coloUrs-and-mayhem-universe-a|Colours and Mayhem: Universe A]] track was hidden away in the musician’s <a href="https://103records.bandcamp.com/">bandcamp</a>, known to few. It’s time it saw the light of the mainstream and knocked your socks off. + This amazing redux version of the [[album:coloUrs-and-mayhem-universe-a|Colours and Mayhem: Universe A]] track was hidden away in the musician's <a href="https://103records.bandcamp.com/">bandcamp</a>, known to few. It's time it saw the light of the mainstream and knocked your socks off. --- Track: Black ($C4RL3TT Remix) Directory: black-sc4rl3tt-remix @@ -1574,9 +1531,9 @@ Art Tags: - Earth Referenced Tracks: - Half-Harley Manor -Commentary: "<i>Gryotharian:</i>\nWanted to go for a sort of Luigi’s mansion type\ - \ thing at first, but then style-wise switched up to like mid-90s low budget MS\ - \ paint edutainment game, and ended up with this. " +Commentary: |- + <i>Gryotharian:</i> + Wanted to go for a sort of Luigi's mansion type thing at first, but then style-wise switched up to like mid-90s low budget MS paint edutainment game, and ended up with this. --- Track: 'Joey: Play Haunting Melody' Artists: @@ -1591,8 +1548,8 @@ Art Tags: - Joey Commentary: |- <i>Erik Scheele:</i> - Or maybe it should’ve been called Play Dramatic Melody? I dunno, either way. - Because why not have a piano refrain? People stop paying attention to meteors falling from the sky to dick around on their instruments all the time, don’t know why monsters attacking should make a difference. + Or maybe it should've been called Play Dramatic Melody? I dunno, either way. + Because why not have a piano refrain? People stop paying attention to meteors falling from the sky to dick around on their instruments all the time, don't know why monsters attacking should make a difference. --- Track: Keep Your Head Down, Rustblood! Artists: @@ -1640,7 +1597,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:sburban-jungle Commentary: |- <i>WHATISLOSTINTHEMINES:</i> - This track was made for Homestuck’s 10 year anniversary back in 2019, in the span of about an hour. [[track:sburban-jungle]] always felt to me like the “core” of Homestuck’s extremely varied soundtrack, so I always wanted to do a take on it in some form. This didn’t end up very similar to the original song, and I wasn’t intending it to sound so melancholy, but neither is a bad thing. + This track was made for Homestuck's 10 year anniversary back in 2019, in the span of about an hour. [[track:sburban-jungle]] always felt to me like the "core" of Homestuck's extremely varied soundtrack, so I always wanted to do a take on it in some form. This didn't end up very similar to the original song, and I wasn't intending it to sound so melancholy, but neither is a bad thing. <span style="color:#288857">matthiuss1988:</span> these music will make you shit hard!!! --- Track: All Alone (Redux) @@ -1657,12 +1614,11 @@ Art Tags: - Damara Referenced Tracks: - All Alone -Commentary: "<i>Andrew \"Rainy\" Obeng:</i>\nRedux of All Alone from PMT's \"Beforusbound\"\ - \ album.\n<i>swanfire:</i>\nDamara is such a dense character with her story being\ - \ told at the edges and words of everyone else with barely any exposition coming\ - \ directly for her, the music is inspiringly striking in capturing that, the one\ - \ time the spot light is shined on her is when she is under the influence of LE\ - \ and thus i shined the spotlight on her in the focus of the art. " +Commentary: |- + <i>Andrew "Rainy" Obeng:</i> + Redux of All Alone from PMT's "Beforusbound" album. + <i>swanfire:</i> + Damara is such a dense character with her story being told at the edges and words of everyone else with barely any exposition coming directly for her, the music is inspiringly striking in capturing that, the one time the spot light is shined on her is when she is under the influence of LE and thus i shined the spotlight on her in the focus of the art. --- Track: Time Running By Artists: @@ -1679,12 +1635,11 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:upward-movement-dave-owns - track:beatdown-strider-style - Sunsetter -Commentary: "<i>Makin:</i>\nI remember looping this track over and over back in 2011,\ - \ and Kanishka helped me get back in touch with the musician. There’s something\ - \ about it that brings the Homestuck Act 4 feelings back, like how a Faygo smell\ - \ can bring you back to your amazing and smelly experience at the 2009 “Clown\ - \ Killaz” Insane Clown Posse concert.\n<i>Gryotharian:</i>\nSorry he’s not running.\ - \ Just standing there. Give him a break, it’s hard to run on a clock. " +Commentary: |- + <i>Makin:</i> + I remember looping this track over and over back in 2011, and Kanishka helped me get back in touch with the musician. There's something about it that brings the Homestuck Act 4 feelings back, like how a Faygo smell can bring you back to your amazing and smelly experience at the 2009 "Clown Killaz" Insane Clown Posse concert. + <i>Gryotharian:</i> + Sorry he's not running. Just standing there. Give him a break, it's hard to run on a clock. --- Track: Event Horizon/Barium Starlight Directory: event-horizon-barium-starlight @@ -1706,7 +1661,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Exploring the Depths of Sburb Commentary: |- <i>Makin:</i> - This track art actually depicts Rose in her Lord of Space outfit from [[group:canmt|Cool and New Web Comic]], since this track originates there. I cropped it a bit to not blow people’s minds too much. Wait, what is that drop OH MY GOD + This track art actually depicts Rose in her Lord of Space outfit from [[group:canmt|Cool and New Web Comic]], since this track originates there. I cropped it a bit to not blow people's minds too much. Wait, what is that drop OH MY GOD --- Track: '[S] ==>' Directory: s-next-arrow @@ -1735,26 +1690,26 @@ Referenced Tracks: Lyrics: |- [[track:synchronise|[S]ynchronize]] - I’m still wondering + I'm still wondering Where to go now We have seen the highest peak but there was Nothing there no truth and how - I’m wandering + I'm wandering Through all these places Lands of Little Cubes and Tea Of Wind and Shade, these null spaces - I’ve stared at the stars, how they shine verdant dreams - I’ve looked through the void, seen it crack at the seams + I've stared at the stars, how they shine verdant dreams + I've looked through the void, seen it crack at the seams I fought every challenge, these devils and gods - They won’t know what hit them + They won't know what hit them [S]ynchronize, with every breath resounding - [S]ynchronize, we’ll see the light astounding + [S]ynchronize, we'll see the light astounding [S]ynchronize, time keeps our heartbeat pounding [S]ynchronize, now witness space surrounding - I’m still wandering + I'm still wandering In this [[Cascade]] See this universe we made, [[Do You Remem8er Me|will you remem8er me]]? These games we played? @@ -1763,40 +1718,40 @@ Lyrics: |- In the end we gave them Everything, our final verse - I’ve sang with the muses, dead timelines denied - I’ve hunted the wolf and seen planets [[album:s-collide|Collide]] - I’ve witnessed the end of these gods and their tiers + I've sang with the muses, dead timelines denied + I've hunted the wolf and seen planets [[album:s-collide|Collide]] + I've witnessed the end of these gods and their tiers And no one could save them - [S]ynchronize, see this new life we’re founding + [S]ynchronize, see this new life we're founding [S]ynchronize, now with the void confounding - [S]ynchronize, it’s all our hearts still sounding + [S]ynchronize, it's all our hearts still sounding [S]ynchronize, infinite hope abounding [[track:showtime-original-mix|Showtime!]] [S]ynchronize, with every breath resounding - [S]ynchronize, we’ll see the light astounding + [S]ynchronize, we'll see the light astounding [S]ynchronize, time keeps our heartbeat pounding [S]ynchronize, now witness space surrounding [S]ynchronize, with every breath resounding - [S]ynchronize, we’ll see the light astounding + [S]ynchronize, we'll see the light astounding [S]ynchronize, time keeps our heartbeat pounding [S]ynchronize, now witness space surrounding This will be the end - Come with me and we’ll [[Ascend]] + Come with me and we'll [[Ascend]] Solving puzzles universal In our [[Sburban Reversal]] All these [[track:ruins]] we [[track:explore]] - Could it be there’s something more? - Pester me, I’m not alone - I’m just stuck inside my home + Could it be there's something more? + Pester me, I'm not alone + I'm just stuck inside my home Commentary: |- <i>heir-of-puns:</i> - So [[track:synchronise]] is just…really really good and it makes me feel a lot of things. Yeah it’s vocaloid and that’s funny but god DAMN it gives me chills every time I listen to it. I’ve been working on this cover for maybe two and a half years now? Since the Before Times definitely. It has gone through a lot of tweaks but I’m pretty proud of it overall. HUGE thanks to Ucklin for final mastering and vocals, and to CJ for the harmonies! Pronunciation of the title is up for ~interpretation~ I guess. I wanted it to be a tribute to the original title, and also just seeing the [S] in front of the next arrow always gave me a rush of adrenaline since something amazing was probably about to go down. So you click on that arrow with anticipation and launch yourself into the experience and then freak out about it on the internet afterward. Here I go getting emotional about homestuck again, wild. + So [[track:synchronise]] is just...really really good and it makes me feel a lot of things. Yeah it's vocaloid and that's funny but god DAMN it gives me chills every time I listen to it. I've been working on this cover for maybe two and a half years now? Since the Before Times definitely. It has gone through a lot of tweaks but I'm pretty proud of it overall. HUGE thanks to Ucklin for final mastering and vocals, and to CJ for the harmonies! Pronunciation of the title is up for ~interpretation~ I guess. I wanted it to be a tribute to the original title, and also just seeing the [S] in front of the next arrow always gave me a rush of adrenaline since something amazing was probably about to go down. So you click on that arrow with anticipation and launch yourself into the experience and then freak out about it on the internet afterward. Here I go getting emotional about homestuck again, wild. <i>Ucklin:</i> - I wanted to put a lot of emotion and expressivity into the vocals even if that made them a bit weird! Puns was really cool and waited a long time for me to finally record them while stuff was going on in my life. I’m glad I got to work with him! + I wanted to put a lot of emotion and expressivity into the vocals even if that made them a bit weird! Puns was really cool and waited a long time for me to finally record them while stuff was going on in my life. I'm glad I got to work with him! <i>Circlejourney:</i> You can just hear the love and effort that went into the track, it brings the nostalgia rushing back so I tried to create an art piece that would do that justice. --- @@ -1815,10 +1770,9 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Moonsetter - Despot - track:upward-movement-dave-owns -Commentary: "<i>Monckat:</i>\nFeatures a sort of on-a-whim redesign of the Theseus,\ - \ to be closer to the sorts of spaceship designs I usually draw. Admittedly though,\ - \ most of the spaceship designs I draw aren’t smashing through gigantic versions\ - \ of Dirk’s shades so I maybe don’t have a leg to stand on there. " +Commentary: |- + <i>Monckat:</i> + Features a sort of on-a-whim redesign of the Theseus to be closer to the sorts of spaceship designs I usually draw. Admittedly though, most of the spaceship designs I draw aren't smashing through gigantic versions of Dirk's shades so I maybe don't have a leg to stand on there. --- Track: Saccharine Slumber, Strider Artists: @@ -1834,21 +1788,11 @@ Art Tags: - Dave - Horses - SBaHJ -Commentary: "<i>Shwan:</i>\nInspired by [[Sweet Dreams, Timaeus]]. I like the chill\ - \ instruments and atmospheric chords from the original and wanted to do something\ - \ similar.\n<i>Gryotharian:</i>\nThis ended up being some of the most work I’ve\ - \ ever put into an art piece. I had the original idea for it long before it was\ - \ finished, of Ult Dirk holding the broken lantern over a sleeping younger version\ - \ of himself. At some point the skull got added, and the whole piece became very…\ - \ I dunno how to describe it, like classical? Archetypical? Something like church\ - \ stained glass, or a tarot card, and I gave Ult Dirk a halo type thing. Then\ - \ a very unfinished version of it sat on my desktop for several months, just the\ - \ rough outline with the colors blocked in. I slowly chipped away at it, adding\ - \ details like each poster and book and the window, until finally I decided that\ - \ I’d better finish this up, and did all the shading and lighting and everything\ - \ in one incredibly long day. There’s an alternate version without the highlight\ - \ sketching, which I was unsure about, but Shwan said they liked this version\ - \ better, so this is the version on the album. " +Commentary: |- + <i>Shwan:</i> + Inspired by [[Sweet Dreams, Timaeus]]. I like the chill instruments and atmospheric chords from the original and wanted to do something similar. + <i>Gryotharian:</i> + This ended up being some of the most work I've ever put into an art piece. I had the original idea for it long before it was finished, of Ult Dirk holding the broken lantern over a sleeping younger version of himself. At some point the skull got added, and the whole piece became very... I dunno how to describe it, like classical? Archetypical? Something like church stained glass, or a tarot card, and I gave Ult Dirk a halo type thing. Then a very unfinished version of it sat on my desktop for several months, just the rough outline with the colors blocked in. I slowly chipped away at it, adding details like each poster and book and the window, until finally I decided that I'd better finish this up, and did all the shading and lighting and everything in one incredibly long day. There's an alternate version without the highlight sketching, which I was unsure about, but Shwan said they liked this version better, so this is the version on the album. --- Track: Somnambulist Artists: @@ -1865,13 +1809,11 @@ Art Tags: Referenced Tracks: - Even in Death - Pumpkin Party in Sea Hitler's Water Apocalypse -Commentary: "<i>heir-of-puns:</i>\nThis is like the third entirely redone version\ - \ of this song but I think it's finally getting there. Not perfect by any stretch,\ - \ but better. Anyway, Roxy is great.\n<i>Awkward:</i>\nSo if anything was pushed\ - \ off to the last moment, it was this haha. This was probably the first one I\ - \ started and the one I reworked the most when it came to the concept. In the\ - \ end I basically scrapped it completely because I liked this idea better, even\ - \ if it was less complex. " +Commentary: |- + <i>heir-of-puns:</i> + This is like the third entirely redone version of this song but I think it's finally getting there. Not perfect by any stretch, but better. Anyway, Roxy is great. + <i>Awkward:</i> + So if anything was pushed off to the last moment, it was this haha. This was probably the first one I started and the one I reworked the most when it came to the concept. In the end I basically scrapped it completely because I liked this idea better, even if it was less complex. --- Track: Crystallized Flowers DX Artists: @@ -1915,8 +1857,9 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:old-secret - Embittered Shore - track:penumbra-phantasm -Commentary: "<i>FrostyMac:</i>\nI loved the ending to Pesterquest and wanted to do\ - \ a track on it. " +Commentary: |- + <i>FrostyMac:</i> + I loved the ending to Pesterquest and wanted to do a track on it. --- Track: A Story That Consumes Itself Artists: @@ -1987,11 +1930,9 @@ Art Tags: Referenced Tracks: - Homestuck Anthem - track:theme -Commentary: "<i>Gryotharian:</i>\nDecided if this was going to be the last LOFAM album,\ - \ it needed a good closing track. Not a full huge song (that honor definitely\ - \ goes to and belongs to [[track:ophiuchus-full-suite-lofam5|Ophiuchus]]), just like a short\ - \ little thing, the last few notes for the fandom, to wrap everything up. I think\ - \ I went for a more hopeful tone, that maybe this won’t be the end for homestuck’s\ - \ era on the internet. Maybe in another 4 years there’ll be another album. Personally,\ - \ I doubt it, I think the song I made is more hopeful than I am. But who knows.\n\ - Maybe. \n<i>Makin:</i>\n4 years is quitter talk." +Commentary: |- + <i>Gryotharian:</i> + Decided if this was going to be the last LOFAM album, it needed a good closing track. Not a full huge song (that honor definitely goes to and belongs to [[track:ophiuchus-full-suite-lofam5|Ophiuchus]]), just like a short little thing, the last few notes for the fandom, to wrap everything up. I think I went for a more hopeful tone, that maybe this won't be the end for homestuck's era on the internet. Maybe in another 4 years there'll be another album. Personally, I doubt it, I think the song I made is more hopeful than I am. But who knows. + Maybe. + <i>Makin:</i> + 4 years is quitter talk. diff --git a/album/look-on-my-works-ye-mighty-and-despair.yaml b/album/look-on-my-works-ye-mighty-and-despair.yaml index 6a4341cf..47ffde5e 100644 --- a/album/look-on-my-works-ye-mighty-and-despair.yaml +++ b/album/look-on-my-works-ye-mighty-and-despair.yaml @@ -30,66 +30,66 @@ URLs: - https://bowman.bandcamp.com/track/mothership - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KapIY7luyE Lyrics: |- - Look outside, there’s a ship in the sky tonight - I said look outside, there’s a ship in the sky tonight - And they’re taking us up to the mothership tonight - Yeah they’re taking us up to the mothership tonight + Look outside, there's a ship in the sky tonight + I said look outside, there's a ship in the sky tonight + And they're taking us up to the mothership tonight + Yeah they're taking us up to the mothership tonight Uh-huh-huh Alright - Oh won’t you come on out, ‘cause they’re shooting down a beam of light - I said come on out, ‘cause they’re shooting down a beam of light - And they’re taking us up to the mothership tonight - Yeah they’re taking us up to the mothership tonight + Oh won't you come on out, 'cause they're shooting down a beam of light + I said come on out, 'cause they're shooting down a beam of light + And they're taking us up to the mothership tonight + Yeah they're taking us up to the mothership tonight - It’s a party up there, and you don’t got to pack a bag - It’s the craziest time anybody has ever had + It's a party up there, and you don't got to pack a bag + It's the craziest time anybody has ever had Oh no Oh no Oh no - Come outside, ‘cause the laser beam is glowing bright - I said come outside, ‘cause the laser beam is glowing bright - And they’re taking us up to the mothership tonight - Yeah they’re taking us up to the mothership tonight + Come outside, 'cause the laser beam is glowing bright + I said come outside, 'cause the laser beam is glowing bright + And they're taking us up to the mothership tonight + Yeah they're taking us up to the mothership tonight - I said look out now, there’s a little green man inside - I said look out now, there’s a little green man inside - And they’re taking us up to the mothership tonight - Yeah they’re taking us up to the mothership tonight + I said look out now, there's a little green man inside + I said look out now, there's a little green man inside + And they're taking us up to the mothership tonight + Yeah they're taking us up to the mothership tonight Oh yeah - It’s a party up there, and you don’t got to pack a bag - ‘Cause we’re leaving behind everything that we’ve ever had + It's a party up there, and you don't got to pack a bag + 'Cause we're leaving behind everything that we've ever had Oh no Oh no Oh no - Take my hand, ‘cause we’re floating up into the sky - I said take my hand, ‘cause we’re floating up into the sky - And they’re taking us up to the mothership tonight - Yeah they’re taking us up to the mothership tonight + Take my hand, 'cause we're floating up into the sky + I said take my hand, 'cause we're floating up into the sky + And they're taking us up to the mothership tonight + Yeah they're taking us up to the mothership tonight - Don’t you worry, ‘cause I know it’s gonna be alright, yeah - I said don’t you worry, ‘cause I know it’s gonna be alright, uh huh - And they’re taking us up to the mothership tonight, tonight - Yeah they’re taking us up to the mothership tonight + Don't you worry, 'cause I know it's gonna be alright, yeah + I said don't you worry, 'cause I know it's gonna be alright, uh huh + And they're taking us up to the mothership tonight, tonight + Yeah they're taking us up to the mothership tonight Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah - Well they’re taking us up to the mothership tonight + Well they're taking us up to the mothership tonight (Tonight) alright (tonight) - And they’re taking us up to the mothership tonight + And they're taking us up to the mothership tonight (Tonight) uh-huh-huh (tonight) - Well they’re taking us up to the mothership tonight + Well they're taking us up to the mothership tonight (Tonight) oh yeah (tonight) - Well they’re taking us up to the mothership tonight + Well they're taking us up to the mothership tonight (Tonight) alright (tonight) - Yeah they’re taking us up to the mothership tonight, alright - Well they’re taking us up to the mothership tonight, woo-hoo-hoo - Yeah they’re taking us up to the mothership tonight, alright alright alright - Well they’re taking us up to the mothership tonight + Yeah they're taking us up to the mothership tonight, alright + Well they're taking us up to the mothership tonight, woo-hoo-hoo + Yeah they're taking us up to the mothership tonight, alright alright alright + Well they're taking us up to the mothership tonight --- Track: This Is As Good As It Gets Duration: '4:23' @@ -100,47 +100,47 @@ Cover Artists: - Hadron Lyrics: |- Why does this feeling always come to me - Like there’s some place that I’m supposed to be - Oh hold me closer, I don’t want to go + Like there's some place that I'm supposed to be + Oh hold me closer, I don't want to go Look in my eyes and you will know I know This is as good as it gets - Oh don’t you know this is as good as it gets - I feel like I’m the greatest man in the world + Oh don't you know this is as good as it gets + I feel like I'm the greatest man in the world You are my favorite girl This is as good as it gets This is as good as it gets - Oh don’t you know this is as good as it gets + Oh don't you know this is as good as it gets Nobody else in all the whole human race Could know the look on your face This is as good as it gets Why does it hit me when I least suspect? - My mouth is running but the mood’s direct - Oh let me linger, I’m a lonely soul + My mouth is running but the mood's direct + Oh let me linger, I'm a lonely soul Just take my hand and I will take control Good as it gets - Oh don’t you know this is as good as it gets - I feel like I’m the greatest man in the world + Oh don't you know this is as good as it gets + I feel like I'm the greatest man in the world You are my favorite girl This is as good as it gets This is as good as it gets - Oh don’t you know this is as good as it gets + Oh don't you know this is as good as it gets Nobody else in all the whole human race Could know the look on your face This is as good as it gets Good as it gets - Oh don’t you know this is as good as it gets - I feel like I’m the greatest man in the world + Oh don't you know this is as good as it gets + I feel like I'm the greatest man in the world You are my favorite girl This is as good as it gets This is as good as it gets - Oh don’t you know this is as good as it gets + Oh don't you know this is as good as it gets Nobody else in all the whole human race Could know the look on your face This is as good as it gets @@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ Lyrics: |- This is as good as it gets This is as good as it gets Whoa-oa-oa - My head is racing ‘cause it’s not over yet + My head is racing 'cause it's not over yet This is as good as it gets This is as good as it gets gets gets You bat your amber eyes @@ -170,9 +170,9 @@ URLs: - https://bowman.bandcamp.com/track/like-angels - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGQn4ZUgHa4 Lyrics: |- - Someday when you leave your mother’s + Someday when you leave your mother's Would you come and stay with me? - There’s no action in the suburbs + There's no action in the suburbs I know who you want to be We want to be like like like angels @@ -183,9 +183,9 @@ Lyrics: |- We want to be like like like angels We want to be like like like angels We want to be like like like angels - And we won’t even touch the ground + And we won't even touch the ground - I’ve been waiting in the city + I've been waiting in the city For a friend to show around I know where the sights are pretty Come with me and paint the town @@ -198,20 +198,20 @@ Lyrics: |- We want to be like like like angels We want to be like like like angels We want to be like like like angels - And we won’t even touch the ground + And we won't even touch the ground Do you feel the rush of feathers - When we’re going out together - We’re the ones who walk beside you - We’re the angels here to guide you + When we're going out together + We're the ones who walk beside you + We're the angels here to guide you If you wanna join us say so - Pretty soon you’ll have your halo - Singing in the choir at Heaven’s gate + Pretty soon you'll have your halo + Singing in the choir at Heaven's gate All the rooms are full of strangers All you want is everything - You’ll go through so many changes - Someday soon you’ll spread your wings + You'll go through so many changes + Someday soon you'll spread your wings We want to be like like like angels We want to be like like like angels @@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ Lyrics: |- We want to be like like like angels We want to be like like like angels We want to be like like like angels - And we won’t even touch the ground + And we won't even touch the ground Commentary: |- <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGQn4ZUgHa4">Music video!</a>) @@ -329,53 +329,53 @@ Lyrics: |- I used to think we were close, I used to think we were tight Just when I needed you most, you made me feel alright You told me I was the best, you told me I made you laugh - And now I’ve got to confess, you’ve got me torn up in half - Cause when I gave you a shot, you told me you’d rather not + And now I've got to confess, you've got me torn up in half + Cause when I gave you a shot, you told me you'd rather not - I don’t know what I did wrong, I thought we had something good + I don't know what I did wrong, I thought we had something good We both were getting along, maybe I misunderstood - Maybe you’re just being sweet, maybe you do this a lot + Maybe you're just being sweet, maybe you do this a lot Talk up the people you meet, give them the best that you got - Just like it’s nothing at all, still I’m the one that you call + Just like it's nothing at all, still I'm the one that you call - Why do you play with my heart? You know I’m falling apart - One minute I’m all you want, the next you’re already gone - Why do you play with my soul? You know I’m losing control - If you would just stay with me, I’d give you all that you need + Why do you play with my heart? You know I'm falling apart + One minute I'm all you want, the next you're already gone + Why do you play with my soul? You know I'm losing control + If you would just stay with me, I'd give you all that you need - You’ve had me going for months, you’ve had me all in my head + You've had me going for months, you've had me all in my head Asking what I should have done, if it was something I said Was I too eager to love? Should I have just took it slow? If I was patient enough, would our relationship grow? Would I still stand half a chance, or do you have other plans? - I ought to just take a “no” and look for somebody new - I’ve got a lifetime to go, I shouldn’t cry over you - But now it’s so hard to tell if my connections are real - Have I been foolin’ myself, I haven’t known how to feel + I ought to just take a "no" and look for somebody new + I've got a lifetime to go, I shouldn't cry over you + But now it's so hard to tell if my connections are real + Have I been foolin' myself, I haven't known how to feel Since I thought you were the one, oh baby what have you done? - Why do you play with my heart? You know I’m falling apart - One minute I’m all you want, the next you’re already gone - Why do you play with my soul? You know I’m losing control - If you would just stay with me, I’d give you all that you need + Why do you play with my heart? You know I'm falling apart + One minute I'm all you want, the next you're already gone + Why do you play with my soul? You know I'm losing control + If you would just stay with me, I'd give you all that you need - I thought the signals were right, now I don’t know what they mean - I’m always stuck at the light, can’t tell the red from the green + I thought the signals were right, now I don't know what they mean + I'm always stuck at the light, can't tell the red from the green Have you been changing your mind? Has it been up in the air? - Or am I simply too blind to see you don’t even care? - I know I’m not being fair, you didn’t mean to do wrong + Or am I simply too blind to see you don't even care? + I know I'm not being fair, you didn't mean to do wrong I should get out of your hair, I should be moving along We ought to just let it be, so why are you calling me? - Why do you play with my heart? You know I’m falling apart - One minute I’m all you want, the next you’re already gone - Why do you play with my soul? You know I’m losing control - If you would just stay with me, I’d give you all that you need - Why do you play with my heart? You know I’m falling apart - One minute I’m all you want, the next you’re already gone - Why do you play with my soul? You know I’m losing control - If you would just stay with me, I’d give you all that you need + Why do you play with my heart? You know I'm falling apart + One minute I'm all you want, the next you're already gone + Why do you play with my soul? You know I'm losing control + If you would just stay with me, I'd give you all that you need + Why do you play with my heart? You know I'm falling apart + One minute I'm all you want, the next you're already gone + Why do you play with my soul? You know I'm losing control + If you would just stay with me, I'd give you all that you need --- Track: I Can't Get Enough Of You Duration: '3:03' @@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ URLs: Lyrics: |- My baby my Where are you tonight - Don’t you know I need your love + Don't you know I need your love I been down pretty bad And what a week I had And the whole year has been rough @@ -394,66 +394,66 @@ Lyrics: |- So won't you please come around Because I feel so down - And I’m calling your name + And I'm calling your name 'Cause the days are all the same And the nights do me no good And the people that I know Got me feeling pretty low - And I’m so misunderstood + And I'm so misunderstood But with you here tonight It would feel alright - So won’t you bring me your love - 'Cause I can’t get enough + So won't you bring me your love + 'Cause I can't get enough - No I can’t I can’t I can’t I can’t - No I can’t get enough of you - I can’t I can’t I can’t I can’t - No I can’t get enough of you + No I can't I can't I can't I can't + No I can't get enough of you + I can't I can't I can't I can't + No I can't get enough of you Of the kiss on your lips Of the shake in your hips Of your sweet sweet love - No I can’t get enough + No I can't get enough Hey baby hey Are you on the way - 'Cause I don’t know what to do + 'Cause I don't know what to do My mind is a mess And my life is too I guess - And I’ve never been so blue + And I've never been so blue But it all goes away When you come here to stay - And my head’s so clear - Every time that you’re here + And my head's so clear + Every time that you're here - And my heart’s goin’ fast - 'Cause you’re coming home at last + And my heart's goin' fast + 'Cause you're coming home at last To the one who wants you most And with you as my guest - You’ll be bringing out the best + You'll be bringing out the best In me your cordial host So won't you come here now 'Cause I don't know how To go on without your love 'Cause I can't get enough - No I can’t I can’t I can’t I can’t - No I can’t get enough of you - I can’t I can’t I can’t I can’t - No i can’t get enough of you + No I can't I can't I can't I can't + No I can't get enough of you + I can't I can't I can't I can't + No i can't get enough of you Of the kiss on your lips Of the shake in your hips Of your sweet sweet love - No I can’t get enough - No I can’t get enough + No I can't get enough + No I can't get enough - No I can’t I can’t I can’t I can’t - No I can’t get enough of you - I can’t I can’t I can’t I can’t - No I can’t get enough of you + No I can't I can't I can't I can't + No I can't get enough of you + I can't I can't I can't I can't + No I can't get enough of you Of the kiss on your lips Of the shake in your hips Of your sweet sweet love - No I can’t get enough + No I can't get enough --- Track: Faking It Duration: '3:10' @@ -463,43 +463,43 @@ URLs: Lyrics: |- I broke the golden rule again I lost a lover and a friend - Just when I thought I’d got to know you + Just when I thought I'd got to know you But when I see it in rewind And think of all we left behind There was no other way to show you - ‘Cause I am no believer - And you don’t need me either + 'Cause I am no believer + And you don't need me either And this is such a breather Finally being real - ‘Cause it feels like + 'Cause it feels like No one ever gets the things they want No one ever wants the things they have So why do we keep faking it so bad? And when I think of what went wrong - You know I’m glad that you are gone + You know I'm glad that you are gone I got so tired of being patient I opened up my beating heart And nearly tore myself apart To fit in all your expectations But I am done pretending - I’m not your happy ending - I can’t go on defending + I'm not your happy ending + I can't go on defending All the time you steal - ‘Cause it feels like + 'Cause it feels like No one ever gets the things they want No one ever wants the things they have So why do we keep faking it so bad? - ‘Cause it feels like + 'Cause it feels like No one ever gets the things they want No one ever wants the things they have My heart you just keep breaking it - Shouldn’t be as bad as you’re making it + Shouldn't be as bad as you're making it So why do we keep faking it so bad? --- Track: Lucky Charm @@ -529,7 +529,7 @@ Lyrics: |- Don't you feel lucky when I'm pulling you closer In the middle of the night? - Don't you feel lucky when I’m holding you tight? Oh yeah. + Don't you feel lucky when I'm holding you tight? Oh yeah. Don't you feel lucky when you look in my eyes And know I'll never do you harm? You should feel lucky, 'cause I'm your lucky charm. @@ -636,9 +636,9 @@ Lyrics: |- See the world through your nose in 3d There's a part of your brain - That just can’t contain - ‘Cuz there's cracks in the fences - Won’t you start looking through + That just can't contain + 'Cuz there's cracks in the fences + Won't you start looking through See the animal you can be Come back, to your mother the earth diff --git a/album/midnight-crew-drawing-dead.yaml b/album/midnight-crew-drawing-dead.yaml index b15ab4de..b7bc5b0e 100644 --- a/album/midnight-crew-drawing-dead.yaml +++ b/album/midnight-crew-drawing-dead.yaml @@ -169,8 +169,8 @@ URLs: - https://youtu.be/k7El193pVkM Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> - Hollow Suit was my other song on that album and it was a little more popular than Moonshine, though I can’t say either even came close to being hits. Like Moonshine it still has a soft spot in my heart. It’s not as compositionally impressive in my opinion, but it was the first in a long line of quirky tracks I have made for Homestuck. The vibraphone and electric organ were incredibly fun to use, and the whole thing ended up having an Elfman/Kirkhope vibe to it. Now, I don’t have synesthesia, but for some reason whenever I think about this song, I think “green”. Just some useless trivia for you. - Looking back on Drawing Dead as a whole, do I think it was a good album? No, not really. It was good for us at the time, but it was so all over the place, almost completely devoid of mastering, many of the songs used inferior samples, and most of us just weren’t as experienced with composing back then. Mostly it was a case of having no centralized idea of what the style of music should be, and the clashes that followed. I don’t mean that to knock any of us in any way. It was an important step for all of us as musicians and we have been constantly improving since then. I still look back fondly at it, since it was my first ever album release, after all. + Hollow Suit was my other song on that album and it was a little more popular than Moonshine, though I can't say either even came close to being hits. Like Moonshine it still has a soft spot in my heart. It's not as compositionally impressive in my opinion, but it was the first in a long line of quirky tracks I have made for Homestuck. The vibraphone and electric organ were incredibly fun to use, and the whole thing ended up having an Elfman/Kirkhope vibe to it. Now, I don't have synesthesia, but for some reason whenever I think about this song, I think "green". Just some useless trivia for you. + Looking back on Drawing Dead as a whole, do I think it was a good album? No, not really. It was good for us at the time, but it was so all over the place, almost completely devoid of mastering, many of the songs used inferior samples, and most of us just weren't as experienced with composing back then. Mostly it was a case of having no centralized idea of what the style of music should be, and the clashes that followed. I don't mean that to knock any of us in any way. It was an important step for all of us as musicians and we have been constantly improving since then. I still look back fondly at it, since it was my first ever album release, after all. --- Track: Ante Matter Artists: @@ -282,10 +282,10 @@ Sheet Music Files: - 'Moonshine - Kraethi.pdf' Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> - Fake bands, man. I so wish we had done more with this concept. Since the very beginning of Homestuck, Andrew had this idea that the kids would have fake bands they were into, and we would make MySpace band pages with a few of their songs on them as a fun supplement to the comic, in the same spirit as <a href="https://dstrider.blogspot.com/">dave strider’s blog</a> or <a href="https://www.homestuck.com/sweet-bro-and-hella-jeff">SBaHJ</a>. <s>(both of which I would link to if tumblr wasn’t bugging out right now and preventing me from doing so)</s> - The first one was the Midnight Crew, and Andrew made the cover art before anything else happened, if I recall correctly. That project hung around for a while until the Midnight Crew Intermission, when Andrew decided to expand the “fake band” idea and release our MC as a full album on bandcamp, along with the Homestuck Volumes. Incidentally, I believe Squarewave and Sawtooth were originally going to be a fake band as well, and Dave even had a poster of them on his wall. Reeeaaally wish we did that one, but oh well. At least we got Anbroids. - In light of the fact that the Midnight Crew were going to have a real album and that I had just rejoined the team, I was eager to contribute to it. The first song I made for it was Moonshine, which strangely enough to some I’m sure, I still consider one of my better Homestuck tunes, if only technically. Yeah, the instruments I used were atrocious, but I think it would be a fun piece if it were actually played by people. I had a good idea of its form and I was really able to get into the style of music I perceived the Midnight Crew would play. - The instrumentation was based off the instruments each character played, with Slick on piano, Droog on sax, Boxcars on bass, and the last one I changed from Deuce’s oboe to clarinet, which is seen much more in jazz. Not that jazz oboe doesn’t exist! Still, it seems very like CD to play jazz on such an instrument. The song itself is more dissonant than most Homestuck music, having a lot of clashing harmonies and tritones which I love but can understand a lot of Homestuckers probably don’t, at least not in this context. The name “Moonshine” came out of how drunk the music sounds, especially in the middle where it picks up a bit and is more obviously in 6/8. But yeah, it uses its motivic material well and is consistent with itself, much more than I can say about many tracks in Genesis Frog for instance, which I’ll admit I got much too carried away with. + Fake bands, man. I so wish we had done more with this concept. Since the very beginning of Homestuck, Andrew had this idea that the kids would have fake bands they were into, and we would make MySpace band pages with a few of their songs on them as a fun supplement to the comic, in the same spirit as <a href="https://dstrider.blogspot.com/">dave strider's blog</a> or <a href="https://www.homestuck.com/sweet-bro-and-hella-jeff">SBaHJ</a>. <s>(both of which I would link to if tumblr wasn't bugging out right now and preventing me from doing so)</s> + The first one was the Midnight Crew, and Andrew made the cover art before anything else happened, if I recall correctly. That project hung around for a while until the Midnight Crew Intermission, when Andrew decided to expand the "fake band" idea and release our MC as a full album on bandcamp, along with the Homestuck Volumes. Incidentally, I believe Squarewave and Sawtooth were originally going to be a fake band as well, and Dave even had a poster of them on his wall. Reeeaaally wish we did that one, but oh well. At least we got Anbroids. + In light of the fact that the Midnight Crew were going to have a real album and that I had just rejoined the team, I was eager to contribute to it. The first song I made for it was Moonshine, which strangely enough to some I'm sure, I still consider one of my better Homestuck tunes, if only technically. Yeah, the instruments I used were atrocious, but I think it would be a fun piece if it were actually played by people. I had a good idea of its form and I was really able to get into the style of music I perceived the Midnight Crew would play. + The instrumentation was based off the instruments each character played, with Slick on piano, Droog on sax, Boxcars on bass, and the last one I changed from Deuce's oboe to clarinet, which is seen much more in jazz. Not that jazz oboe doesn't exist! Still, it seems very like CD to play jazz on such an instrument. The song itself is more dissonant than most Homestuck music, having a lot of clashing harmonies and tritones which I love but can understand a lot of Homestuckers probably don't, at least not in this context. The name "Moonshine" came out of how drunk the music sounds, especially in the middle where it picks up a bit and is more obviously in 6/8. But yeah, it uses its motivic material well and is consistent with itself, much more than I can say about many tracks in Genesis Frog for instance, which I'll admit I got much too carried away with. --- Track: Tall, Dark and Loathsome Artists: diff --git a/album/mobius-trip-and-hadron-kaleido.yaml b/album/mobius-trip-and-hadron-kaleido.yaml index 78504d7e..a436ba7a 100644 --- a/album/mobius-trip-and-hadron-kaleido.yaml +++ b/album/mobius-trip-and-hadron-kaleido.yaml @@ -156,12 +156,12 @@ Lyrics: |- ... Commentary: |- <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> - “Lies With the Sea” is one of two songs based on sketches from dreams that I put on Mobius Trip and Hadron Kaleido - the other, aptly enough, is “Dawn of Man”. - During the time I was initially formulating a concept for a fake band during the summer of 2010, I thought it would be interesting to do something with a nautical theme. One night as I was falling asleep, I very vividly imagined a melody and accompanying refrain “my heart so full of love”, which I sketched and eventually transformed into “my heart lies with the sea” to fit the concept. Ultimately I ditched the nautical theme for the band after Squiddles! Sing-along came out and resolved to develop the concept that became Mobius Trip and Hadron Kaleido with Tavia. However, the song was already well-developed by that point and I opted to keep it around. - My first sketch for that piece was actually a lot heavier - I produced a version over that summer as a demo for Andrew that featured a slow, dirge-like drum beat and an incredibly loud guitar riff that somewhat resembled the song “Grease” from the way-overrated musical of the same name. Perhaps later I’ll do some touch-ups to this “heavy” version of the song and share it, but until then I’d rather keep it to myself, being so primitively produced. - One thing it has in common with the quicker, more lightly-produced version of the track I put out in May was a fairly strong inspiration from modern electronic acts. I drew farily heavily from the sensibilities of Gorillaz in chosing synthesizer sounds on tracks like “Rhinestone Eyes” and “El Mañana” and also pretty closely studied the mix on Daft Punk’s “Something About Us”, a down tempo track I greatly admire. - The thing that most strongly made me feel comfortable using this track on Mobius Trip and Hadron Kaleido was its inspiration from dreams and the sense that it generally echoed the thought of being swept away in a wave as mentioned in “Dawn of Man” earlier on the album. Originally I even recorded an alternate lyric to the melody of “Sburban Jungle” to open the second verse which I ditched that went as follows: - “Down, down far below, somewhere safe/ Lost in the wave once again.” + "Lies With the Sea" is one of two songs based on sketches from dreams that I put on Mobius Trip and Hadron Kaleido - the other, aptly enough, is "Dawn of Man". + During the time I was initially formulating a concept for a fake band during the summer of 2010, I thought it would be interesting to do something with a nautical theme. One night as I was falling asleep, I very vividly imagined a melody and accompanying refrain "my heart so full of love", which I sketched and eventually transformed into "my heart lies with the sea" to fit the concept. Ultimately I ditched the nautical theme for the band after Squiddles! Sing-along came out and resolved to develop the concept that became Mobius Trip and Hadron Kaleido with Tavia. However, the song was already well-developed by that point and I opted to keep it around. + My first sketch for that piece was actually a lot heavier - I produced a version over that summer as a demo for Andrew that featured a slow, dirge-like drum beat and an incredibly loud guitar riff that somewhat resembled the song "Grease" from the way-overrated musical of the same name. Perhaps later I'll do some touch-ups to this "heavy" version of the song and share it, but until then I'd rather keep it to myself, being so primitively produced. + One thing it has in common with the quicker, more lightly-produced version of the track I put out in May was a fairly strong inspiration from modern electronic acts. I drew farily heavily from the sensibilities of Gorillaz in chosing synthesizer sounds on tracks like "Rhinestone Eyes" and "El Mañana" and also pretty closely studied the mix on Daft Punk's "Something About Us", a down tempo track I greatly admire. + The thing that most strongly made me feel comfortable using this track on Mobius Trip and Hadron Kaleido was its inspiration from dreams and the sense that it generally echoed the thought of being swept away in a wave as mentioned in "Dawn of Man" earlier on the album. Originally I even recorded an alternate lyric to the melody of "Sburban Jungle" to open the second verse which I ditched that went as follows: + "Down, down far below, somewhere safe/ Lost in the wave once again." --- Track: Chain Of Prospit Duration: '4:37' diff --git a/album/moons-of-theseus.yaml b/album/moons-of-theseus.yaml index 39d54dab..0c43d9c2 100644 --- a/album/moons-of-theseus.yaml +++ b/album/moons-of-theseus.yaml @@ -58,13 +58,13 @@ Referenced Tracks: - The Return - Violet and Gold Lyrics: |- - O darling, what have we become?<br>Has all been said, has all been done?<br>And after all that we’ve been through<br>Am I still me, are you still you? - O darling, what is it we seek?<br>Perhaps I think myself a freak<br>Perhaps I crave a second chance<br>In the universe’s endless dance - If I had a choice<br>Still I wouldn’t stay<br>Set out on a voyage for forever and a day + O darling, what have we become?<br>Has all been said, has all been done?<br>And after all that we've been through<br>Am I still me, are you still you? + O darling, what is it we seek?<br>Perhaps I think myself a freak<br>Perhaps I crave a second chance<br>In the universe's endless dance + If I had a choice<br>Still I wouldn't stay<br>Set out on a voyage for forever and a day Exiled from our world<br>Into parts unknown<br>Wholly unfamiliar and yet it feels like home - And yet the pyramid still looms<br>And life still fades and life still blooms<br>And as the centuries they pass<br>We’re not the first and not the last - The dawn consumed the night<br>Bathed in the sentinel’s light<br>Clinging onto that bone<br>Ready to put up a fight<br>My bone came down again<br>I threw it up to the sky<br>That was the day I knew<br>I’d never really die - If I had a choice<br>Still I wouldn’t stay<br>Set out on a voyage for forever and a day + And yet the pyramid still looms<br>And life still fades and life still blooms<br>And as the centuries they pass<br>We're not the first and not the last + The dawn consumed the night<br>Bathed in the sentinel's light<br>Clinging onto that bone<br>Ready to put up a fight<br>My bone came down again<br>I threw it up to the sky<br>That was the day I knew<br>I'd never really die + If I had a choice<br>Still I wouldn't stay<br>Set out on a voyage for forever and a day Exiled from our world<br>Into parts unknown<br>Wholly unfamiliar and yet it feels like home Commentary: |- <i>Grace Medley:</i> @@ -152,20 +152,20 @@ Cover Artists: Art Tags: - Mobius Trip Lyrics: |- - You’re awake, the line is dead<br>The wires are coiled up in your head<br>Your unexpected telegram is over + You're awake, the line is dead<br>The wires are coiled up in your head<br>Your unexpected telegram is over Connected to a time and space<br>A trophy in a rotten case<br>That licked you on your sleeping face like Rover A fossilized remain of a foreign age<br>Try not to let it out of its gelatin cage<br>You didn't dig the bones out of some old hill<br>Just found them in a cabinet... - Dinosaur Pill, you know it will<br>Expand in your brain, the water will drain<br>But it’s still there, it makes you scared<br>That all of the schemes, the threads and the themes<br>That make you you<br>Will flee now too + Dinosaur Pill, you know it will<br>Expand in your brain, the water will drain<br>But it's still there, it makes you scared<br>That all of the schemes, the threads and the themes<br>That make you you<br>Will flee now too Curtains draw, the stage is set<br>Come on, has it started yet?<br>You're contemplating in a cloud of clover A castle with a gear outside<br>A couple props your mind still hides<br>To stumble on when busy days are over You never wrap them up but you can't let go<br>You find yourself in one and they overflow<br>Just distract yourself to control the spill<br>You want to but you haven't yet... - Dinosaur Pill, you know it will<br>Expand in your brain, the water will drain<br>But it’s still there, it makes you scared<br>That all of the schemes, the threads and the themes<br>That flesh you out<br>Will walk about - Dinosaur Pill, you know it will<br>Expand in your brain, the water will drain<br>But it’s still there, it makes you scared<br>That all of the schemes, the threads and the themes<br>That hold you stuck<br>Will run amok + Dinosaur Pill, you know it will<br>Expand in your brain, the water will drain<br>But it's still there, it makes you scared<br>That all of the schemes, the threads and the themes<br>That flesh you out<br>Will walk about + Dinosaur Pill, you know it will<br>Expand in your brain, the water will drain<br>But it's still there, it makes you scared<br>That all of the schemes, the threads and the themes<br>That hold you stuck<br>Will run amok Loyalty to your identity<br>What did that thing ever do for you? - Come with me, you don’t need memories<br>To be the you that’s listening right now + Come with me, you don't need memories<br>To be the you that's listening right now You can coast, the parts that matter most<br>Are too far in to carelessly shake out<br>To fall off or fall out Look at all the Stockholm syndrome<br>Piling up in your childhood home - Dinosaur Pill, you know it will<br>Expand in your brain, the water will drain<br>But it’s still there + Dinosaur Pill, you know it will<br>Expand in your brain, the water will drain<br>But it's still there Commentary: |- <i>Ucklin:</i> This song actually started as two separate ideas. I started the song months ago, but wasn't able to quite capture the themes that I intended, so I decided to go back to the drawing board to create what is now the chorus. I decided it was worthwhile to find a way t ocombine the two ideas because I didn't want to think of more, and the verse did capture a mood that I didn't want to get rid of. I think the resulting transitions are potentially jarring, but I feel okay with the atmosphere that creates. I wanted to make a true MTaHK koan, so I won't tell you what the song is about eaxctly. You should tell me! @@ -189,13 +189,13 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:sburban-jungle Lyrics: |- I spent the best years of my life waiting<br>For this moment<br>A time to call my own, a place to call my homeland - It’s come here far too soon<br>I sit around my room<br>Hatching my plans and schemes I mostly leave forgotten + It's come here far too soon<br>I sit around my room<br>Hatching my plans and schemes I mostly leave forgotten I spent my longest nights awake wondering through the outside<br>Amused but still deranged, divided on the inside - Returning to the core<br>The place i can’t ignore<br>The wonder behind the fear I just can’t seem to shake off + Returning to the core<br>The place i can't ignore<br>The wonder behind the fear I just can't seem to shake off Oo-ee-oo<br>To dream or do<br>To do or die<br>To sink or fly Oo-ee-oo<br>To get a clue<br>To run and hide<br>To laugh and cry I turned my back on battles won and sailed to new adventure<br>The journey made by all, a lonely mortal tenure - To Ithaca I sailed<br>And though I have not failed<br>My home is a fleeting camp, the journey’s just beginning + To Ithaca I sailed<br>And though I have not failed<br>My home is a fleeting camp, the journey's just beginning Oo-ee-oo<br>To dream or do<br>To do or die<br>To sink or fly Oo-ee-oo<br>To get a clue<br>To run and hide<br>To laugh and cry I spent the morning hours awake writing down the lyrics<br>Resolved to get it right - to capture the true spirit diff --git a/album/more-homestuck-fandom.yaml b/album/more-homestuck-fandom.yaml index c26e6ca4..50c43222 100644 --- a/album/more-homestuck-fandom.yaml +++ b/album/more-homestuck-fandom.yaml @@ -47,9 +47,9 @@ URLs: - https://hsmusic.wiki/media/misc/archive/Bane.mp3 Commentary: |- <i>Mark Hadley:</i> - Whew… this is a really, REALLY old one of mine. I wrote the first version of “Bane” in 2001, and this version (the ‘latest’ one) was written in 2005. It’s been a long time since I did anything with this theme, but I still really like it. I’ve been thinking about making a [[track:bane|newer version]] of it (since surely I’ve gotten better over the past decade, right?). + Whew... this is a really, REALLY old one of mine. I wrote the first version of "Bane" in 2001, and this version (the 'latest' one) was written in 2005. It's been a long time since I did anything with this theme, but I still really like it. I've been thinking about making a [[track:bane|newer version]] of it (since surely I've gotten better over the past decade, right?). - I kind of regret not slipping this theme into Homestuck somewhere; I feel like this could have easily been a recurring signature theme for projects I work on (like [[group:toby-fox|Toby Fox]] does with '[[track:megalovania-halloween|Megalovania]]’). + I kind of regret not slipping this theme into Homestuck somewhere; I feel like this could have easily been a recurring signature theme for projects I work on (like [[group:toby-fox|Toby Fox]] does with '[[track:megalovania-halloween|Megalovania]]'). --- Track: Before Before the Beginning Artists: @@ -281,21 +281,21 @@ URLs: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we8DQb_a2u4 Commentary: |- <i>Tensei:</i> - I’ll have to do some explaining for this one: I’ve been messing around with vertically layered music composition, and wanted to do something with problem sleuth (that OTHER mspaint adventure). Feel free to skip my blathering below and just listen to the music though! + I'll have to do some explaining for this one: I've been messing around with vertically layered music composition, and wanted to do something with problem sleuth (that OTHER mspaint adventure). Feel free to skip my blathering below and just listen to the music though! - I always felt like PS was at least partially a callback to 90s point ‘n click adventure games along the lines of Grim Fandango, Day of the Tentacle, Monkey Island, Sam & Max, etc. so this song is intended to reflect that. If you imagine PS as a video game, this is the song that would play at the very start of the adventure while our heroes are messing around in their offices and getting caught up in all kinds of shenanigans. + I always felt like PS was at least partially a callback to 90s point 'n click adventure games along the lines of Grim Fandango, Day of the Tentacle, Monkey Island, Sam & Max, etc. so this song is intended to reflect that. If you imagine PS as a video game, this is the song that would play at the very start of the adventure while our heroes are messing around in their offices and getting caught up in all kinds of shenanigans. Now, the nice thing about PS is that the three main characters (Problem Sleuth, Pickle Inspector and Ace Dick) all have some strong themes that make it easy to come up with appropriate musical motifs. In fact, the three musical instruments that appear fairly early in the comic ( A trumpet, a clarinet and a tuba) all are pretty obviously intended as metaphorical representations of the three heroes, which means that as a composer I have my work cut out for me. - The idea with vertical layering in this song is that depending on which of the protagonists is currently ‘on screen’, the theme uses different motifs and lead instruments: when more than one protagonist is on screen their motifs are played at the same time and combined. Normal playback methods don’t support this kind of interactive music (many game engines do, however), so this particular version is more of a proof of concept that just demonstrates the different layers and highlights how they interact. + The idea with vertical layering in this song is that depending on which of the protagonists is currently 'on screen', the theme uses different motifs and lead instruments: when more than one protagonist is on screen their motifs are played at the same time and combined. Normal playback methods don't support this kind of interactive music (many game engines do, however), so this particular version is more of a proof of concept that just demonstrates the different layers and highlights how they interact. - The first section after the intro belongs to Problem Sleuth. He’s the leader of the bunch, and to reflect his mario-esque all-around average strength, his motif is played on a muted trumpet in the middle register with a combination of short and sustained notes. + The first section after the intro belongs to Problem Sleuth. He's the leader of the bunch, and to reflect his mario-esque all-around average strength, his motif is played on a muted trumpet in the middle register with a combination of short and sustained notes. After that we come to Ace Dick. His motif consists of short notes played on a tuba and backed by trombones and timpani to throw some appropriate weight around. - Pickle Inspector goes third with sustained notes played in the higher register of a clarinet. He’s a bit of a loopy character so there’s some glockenspiel and a lot of chroma… chromatics? chromaticity? to give it a bit of whimsy + Pickle Inspector goes third with sustained notes played in the higher register of a clarinet. He's a bit of a loopy character so there's some glockenspiel and a lot of chroma... chromatics? chromaticity? to give it a bit of whimsy - The fourth loop combines the motifs of all three characters to demonstrate the interaction between layers when all three are present. The final loop is a variation on the Problem Sleuth motif with an added theremin and a delay effect on all the instruments to give it a ‘spacy’ sound: we’re entering the realm of imagination and the music becomes appropriately screwy. + The fourth loop combines the motifs of all three characters to demonstrate the interaction between layers when all three are present. The final loop is a variation on the Problem Sleuth motif with an added theremin and a delay effect on all the instruments to give it a 'spacy' sound: we're entering the realm of imagination and the music becomes appropriately screwy. --- Track: Lupus Mortis Aeternae Artists: diff --git a/album/p-s.yaml b/album/p-s.yaml index 27481173..bd95f09c 100644 --- a/album/p-s.yaml +++ b/album/p-s.yaml @@ -66,10 +66,10 @@ Lyrics: |- Breaking through from the ground<br>Is there still hope<br>Waiting here to be freed<br>Can this world be restored, will it rise up<br>If I planted the seeds<br>Could I bring it back to life? We will flood the sky<br>With unearthly light<br>But if every lantern dies<br>Do we all fall down? Just a wish to sow<br>So I carved our hope<br>Filled it up<br>Then let it go - In a world lighter than air<br>Could a dream that’s lost be healed?<br>The hope I held beside me<br>Took flight as I entered this wasteland<br>Daylight revealed - Buried under the ground<br>Is there no hope<br>Waiting here to be freed?<br>Like this world we’ll be dead<br>Will we rise up<br>If I planted the seeds... - When I fall back to sleep and I’m dreaming<br>I’ll look up to the clouds<br>If it’s out there to see, to believe in<br>There’s no reason to doubt - Step out into the world<br>We're not homestuck<br>Take the chance to be free<br>‘Cause this land can’t be dead<br>We will rise up<br>So I planted the seeds<br>And I’ll bring it back to life. + In a world lighter than air<br>Could a dream that's lost be healed?<br>The hope I held beside me<br>Took flight as I entered this wasteland<br>Daylight revealed + Buried under the ground<br>Is there no hope<br>Waiting here to be freed?<br>Like this world we'll be dead<br>Will we rise up<br>If I planted the seeds... + When I fall back to sleep and I'm dreaming<br>I'll look up to the clouds<br>If it's out there to see, to believe in<br>There's no reason to doubt + Step out into the world<br>We're not homestuck<br>Take the chance to be free<br>'Cause this land can't be dead<br>We will rise up<br>So I planted the seeds<br>And I'll bring it back to life. --- Track: A World Awake Artists: @@ -218,18 +218,18 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Lifdoff - track:doctor Lyrics: |- - I’m still wondering,<br>Where to go now,<br>We have seen the highest peak but there was nothing there, no truth, and how<br>I’m wandering,<br>Through all these places,<br>Lands of Little Cubes & Tea, of Wind and Shade, these null spaces. - I’ve stared at the stars, how they shine verdant dreams,<br>I’ve looked through the void, seen it crack at the seams,<br>I fought every challenge, these Devils and Gods,<br>They won’t know what hit them! - ([S]ynchronize) With every BREATH resounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) We’ll see the LIGHT astounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) TIME keeps our heartbeat pounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) Now witness SPACE surrounding! - I’m still wandering,<br>In this Cascade,<br>See this Universe we made, will you remem8er me?<br>These games we played?<br>Our plundering;<br>Boonbucks and Grist,<br>Prospit and Derse,<br>In the end we gave them everything, our final verse. - I’ve sang with the muses, dead timelines denied,<br>I’ve hunted the wolf and seen planets Collide,<br>I’ve witnessed the end of these Gods and their Tiers,<br>And no one could save them... - ([S]ynchronize) See this new LIFE we’re founding,<br>([S]ynchronize) Now with the VOID confounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) It’s all our HEARTs still sounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) Infinite HOPE abounding! + I'm still wondering,<br>Where to go now,<br>We have seen the highest peak but there was nothing there, no truth, and how<br>I'm wandering,<br>Through all these places,<br>Lands of Little Cubes & Tea, of Wind and Shade, these null spaces. + I've stared at the stars, how they shine verdant dreams,<br>I've looked through the void, seen it crack at the seams,<br>I fought every challenge, these Devils and Gods,<br>They won't know what hit them! + ([S]ynchronize) With every BREATH resounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) We'll see the LIGHT astounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) TIME keeps our heartbeat pounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) Now witness SPACE surrounding! + I'm still wandering,<br>In this Cascade,<br>See this Universe we made, will you remem8er me?<br>These games we played?<br>Our plundering;<br>Boonbucks and Grist,<br>Prospit and Derse,<br>In the end we gave them everything, our final verse. + I've sang with the muses, dead timelines denied,<br>I've hunted the wolf and seen planets Collide,<br>I've witnessed the end of these Gods and their Tiers,<br>And no one could save them... + ([S]ynchronize) See this new LIFE we're founding,<br>([S]ynchronize) Now with the VOID confounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) It's all our HEARTs still sounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) Infinite HOPE abounding! Showtime! [Instrumental] [Bridge: Her Imperilous Constatation] - ([S]ynchronize) With every BREATH resounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) We’ll see the LIGHT astounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) TIME keeps our heartbeat pounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) Now witness SPACE surrounding! - ([S]ynchronize) With every BREATH resounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) We’ll see the LIGHT astounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) TIME keeps our heartbeat pounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) Now witness SPACE surrounding! - This will be the end!<br>Come with me and we’ll Ascend!<br>Solving puzzles Universal,<br>In our Sburban Reversal!<br>All these Ruins we Explore,<br>Could it be there’s something more?<br>Pester me, I’m not alone,<br>I’m just Stuck inside my Home! + ([S]ynchronize) With every BREATH resounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) We'll see the LIGHT astounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) TIME keeps our heartbeat pounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) Now witness SPACE surrounding! + ([S]ynchronize) With every BREATH resounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) We'll see the LIGHT astounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) TIME keeps our heartbeat pounding,<br>([S]ynchronize) Now witness SPACE surrounding! + This will be the end!<br>Come with me and we'll Ascend!<br>Solving puzzles Universal,<br>In our Sburban Reversal!<br>All these Ruins we Explore,<br>Could it be there's something more?<br>Pester me, I'm not alone,<br>I'm just Stuck inside my Home! --- Track: Bane Artists: diff --git a/album/prospit-and-derse.yaml b/album/prospit-and-derse.yaml index 5b8266e7..1c73d4fc 100644 --- a/album/prospit-and-derse.yaml +++ b/album/prospit-and-derse.yaml @@ -32,15 +32,15 @@ Commentary: |- The sound of dreams... of Prospit and Derse.</i> <hr> <b>Propsit & Derse 1 Year Anniversary Commentary</b> - It’s really insane that it’s been one year since this album came out. And what’s even more remarkable is how much I’ve improved as a musician since then. But let’s turn the clock back and I’ll tell you the story of how it all started. + It's really insane that it's been one year since this album came out. And what's even more remarkable is how much I've improved as a musician since then. But let's turn the clock back and I'll tell you the story of how it all started. This whole thing is going to be done in the order of how I created the album, which was Derse and then Prospit, but not precisely in that order. <b>Where It All Began</b> - It wasn’t too long after Volume 6 was released that I started debating a solo album. I knew that I enjoyed contrasts, but I really loved ethereal sounds. I had actually considered doing a Medium album, but Clark beat me to it. However, Prospit & Derse had already been started before Medium was out. - So where did the album’s concept come from? Well, a conversation I had with Lexxy, actually! We were brainstorming ideas and we got into talking about the moons, and then the idea sunk in for me to do a solo album, which was actually called Derse/Prospit (yes, slash included). + It wasn't too long after Volume 6 was released that I started debating a solo album. I knew that I enjoyed contrasts, but I really loved ethereal sounds. I had actually considered doing a Medium album, but Clark beat me to it. However, Prospit & Derse had already been started before Medium was out. + So where did the album's concept come from? Well, a conversation I had with Lexxy, actually! We were brainstorming ideas and we got into talking about the moons, and then the idea sunk in for me to do a solo album, which was actually called Derse/Prospit (yes, slash included). Pretty cool, huh? And Lexxy helped with the album cover, which is really great. But anyway, I eventually started working on some of the music. I knew Prospit was going to be a struggle for me, because I had never written any proper orchestral music at the time. And the first song I created was <a href="https://soundcloud.com/solatrus/apathy-empathy-wip-2">this</a>, albeit it was in drum and bass and <a href="https://soundcloud.com/solatrus/apathy-empathy-wip">not nearly</a> as polished sounding. - But I really didn’t like the direction, so I ended up scrapping it and trying to figure out how to start over. And then Medium was released and I was incredibly inspired and remembered how great atmospheric music is. Clark Powell single-handedly saved this album from being killed before it even got anywhere. - And that’s when I created Darkened Streets. + But I really didn't like the direction, so I ended up scrapping it and trying to figure out how to start over. And then Medium was released and I was incredibly inspired and remembered how great atmospheric music is. Clark Powell single-handedly saved this album from being killed before it even got anywhere. + And that's when I created Darkened Streets. --- Color: '#ffcc00' Section: Prospit @@ -58,20 +58,20 @@ Art Tags: Commentary: |- <i>Solatrus:</i> <i>(original commentary)</i> - Hm, I haven’t thought much about Prospit & Derse since its release, actually, but, here goes. - As you can probably tell, the two halves of the album have some parallels, especially in the first two songs: e.g., Hallowed Halls is to Darkened Streets as Golden Towers is to Obsidian Towers. I originally wrote Darkened Streets, but I really wanted to take the melody and progression used in it and apply it to a brassy fanfare. That’s ultimately what Hallowed Halls came to be. Honestly, if it wasn’t for Mark helping me name the song, I probably wouldn’t’ve had the right image in my head for the new arrangement. + Hm, I haven't thought much about Prospit & Derse since its release, actually, but, here goes. + As you can probably tell, the two halves of the album have some parallels, especially in the first two songs: e.g., Hallowed Halls is to Darkened Streets as Golden Towers is to Obsidian Towers. I originally wrote Darkened Streets, but I really wanted to take the melody and progression used in it and apply it to a brassy fanfare. That's ultimately what Hallowed Halls came to be. Honestly, if it wasn't for Mark helping me name the song, I probably wouldn't've had the right image in my head for the new arrangement. And Nick Smalley helped me out with those french horns, making them sound halfway decent. Not really much else other than this song and Core of Darkness are without a doubt the best two on the album. <i>(commentary redux)</i> - The opener for Prospit & Derse, at least, in the album’s final lineup. This was actually track #5 for the longest period of time, but I realized just before release that Prospit had a stronger opening track and Derse had a stronger closing track. - This was a really fun song to create, and definitely helped set the example of how I wanted to approach Prospit for awhile. Hilariously, if you listen to how the album’s set up, there’s actually 4 sets of songs. Hallowed Halls and The Golden Towers have a lot of similar instruments, and are both designed as parallels to Darkened Streets and The Obsidian Towers, which also have a similar set of instruments. I ended up veering off into totally unique territory for each half’s Dreamers, and ended up continuing in those new directions for the 4th tracks. + The opener for Prospit & Derse, at least, in the album's final lineup. This was actually track #5 for the longest period of time, but I realized just before release that Prospit had a stronger opening track and Derse had a stronger closing track. + This was a really fun song to create, and definitely helped set the example of how I wanted to approach Prospit for awhile. Hilariously, if you listen to how the album's set up, there's actually 4 sets of songs. Hallowed Halls and The Golden Towers have a lot of similar instruments, and are both designed as parallels to Darkened Streets and The Obsidian Towers, which also have a similar set of instruments. I ended up veering off into totally unique territory for each half's Dreamers, and ended up continuing in those new directions for the 4th tracks. A big thanks to Nick and Mark for helping me get this particular track started. Mark gave me some good ideas (as well as naming this song) for how to put together some of the melodic lines. Nick came along and pointed out how I should use the French Horns. So this track is almost completely why the two of them have special thanks credits on this album. - In retrospect, the song feels like it’s a bit empty. For being what’s supposed to be the Royal Palace of Prospit, the impact just isn’t there, neither melodically nor atmospherically. It’s not a bad song, but it just barely misses the mark that it deserved to hit. - However, I absolutely adored the art Bea did for this piece, and, well, .. hey wait the art up there is different than it used to be! Yup. Bea decided to update the art for Hallowed Halls, and she did and even better job than before. Oh, and here’s the fun part on this: I had no idea she actually was doing this until a few days ago, and she forgot that the anniversary was yesterday! Anyway, here’s what she had to say: + In retrospect, the song feels like it's a bit empty. For being what's supposed to be the Royal Palace of Prospit, the impact just isn't there, neither melodically nor atmospherically. It's not a bad song, but it just barely misses the mark that it deserved to hit. + However, I absolutely adored the art Bea did for this piece, and, well, .. hey wait the art up there is different than it used to be! Yup. Bea decided to update the art for Hallowed Halls, and she did and even better job than before. Oh, and here's the fun part on this: I had no idea she actually was doing this until a few days ago, and she forgot that the anniversary was yesterday! Anyway, here's what she had to say: (<i>Bea:</i>) "contributing to homestuck, a webcomic thats given me so many opportunities, friends and good memories is a great honor, especially to be involved in an album as conceptually compelling and well executed as the prospit and derse album. i thank solatrus for the opportunity to be a part of his creation and everyone who helped me give back to something that has influenced my life immensely." Thanks for helping me out, Bea. And keep up the good work. - I have to say I’m pleased overall with this song, but, like any artist, it’s difficult to look back at my works. They never seem completed. Especially the Prospit half for me. + I have to say I'm pleased overall with this song, but, like any artist, it's difficult to look back at my works. They never seem completed. Especially the Prospit half for me. (<i>original track art</i>) <img src="media/misc/hallowed-halls-original.jpg" width="700" height="700"> --- @@ -91,13 +91,13 @@ Referenced Tracks: Commentary: |- <i>Solatrus:</i> Oh boy. ...What to say on this one... - That probably frightens you a little, doesn’t it? Yeah. Well, putting it simply this song tried too hard to be The Obsidian Towers. I really wanted to do that parallel idea with this song and its Derse counterpart more than any of the others, but I ended up trying too hard to pull off that effect. And this song suffered greatly for it. - To be fair, it’s got a pretty cool twist on everything compared to Obsidian Towers, but the biggest problem with this song is that I didn’t try to let it be itself. You have no idea how badly I want to redo this song. There’s so much potential behind this song that, at the time, I really just didn’t understand. Of course, I’ve learned a remarkable amount since then, and one day, hopefully soon, I will rewrite this song. - Haha, I sound like I’m really tearing into my work here, don’t I? Well, it used to be Prospit Dreamers that I didn’t like, but more on that a little later. - As I mentioned with The Obsidian Towers, both songs suffer from being really boring compositions. While Obsidian managed to get away with it because of my production skill, this song couldn’t hide behind ill beats and a deliciously dark atmosphere. So, the very inexperienced composer in me tried his best to piece together a song based on The Obsidian Towers. - Is it horrible? Eh, I’ll leave that judgment up to you. I know there are fans out there who really dig this song. My opinion is that it’s my weakest song related to Homestuck, but really, it’s not the worst thing I’ve ever done. - I’m quite pleased with what Pride did for the art, though. It worked out really well for the song. - As an additional note, it’s been pointed out to me by <a href="http://kicking-christ-in-a-dirty-diaper.tumblr.com/">this fan</a> that this song sounds like it has Mark Hadley’s [[track:problem-sleuth-theme|Problem Sleuth theme]] in it, at least in part. It’s a coincidence in the exact same reason that Frost gets the same comment: slow melodies, probably the same key. Really nothing else to it. I’ve listened to Hadley’s PS theme probably twice ever. Oops. Said fan also wondered if I jokingly thought that gentlemen of Team Sleuth are Prospit’s agents much like our chums in the Midnight Crew are Derse’s. I didn’t, but that’s an awesome comparison and now I’m all for it. + That probably frightens you a little, doesn't it? Yeah. Well, putting it simply this song tried too hard to be The Obsidian Towers. I really wanted to do that parallel idea with this song and its Derse counterpart more than any of the others, but I ended up trying too hard to pull off that effect. And this song suffered greatly for it. + To be fair, it's got a pretty cool twist on everything compared to Obsidian Towers, but the biggest problem with this song is that I didn't try to let it be itself. You have no idea how badly I want to redo this song. There's so much potential behind this song that, at the time, I really just didn't understand. Of course, I've learned a remarkable amount since then, and one day, hopefully soon, I will rewrite this song. + Haha, I sound like I'm really tearing into my work here, don't I? Well, it used to be Prospit Dreamers that I didn't like, but more on that a little later. + As I mentioned with The Obsidian Towers, both songs suffer from being really boring compositions. While Obsidian managed to get away with it because of my production skill, this song couldn't hide behind ill beats and a deliciously dark atmosphere. So, the very inexperienced composer in me tried his best to piece together a song based on The Obsidian Towers. + Is it horrible? Eh, I'll leave that judgment up to you. I know there are fans out there who really dig this song. My opinion is that it's my weakest song related to Homestuck, but really, it's not the worst thing I've ever done. + I'm quite pleased with what Pride did for the art, though. It worked out really well for the song. + As an additional note, it's been pointed out to me by <a href="http://kicking-christ-in-a-dirty-diaper.tumblr.com/">this fan</a> that this song sounds like it has Mark Hadley's [[track:problem-sleuth-theme|Problem Sleuth theme]] in it, at least in part. It's a coincidence in the exact same reason that Frost gets the same comment: slow melodies, probably the same key. Really nothing else to it. I've listened to Hadley's PS theme probably twice ever. Oops. Said fan also wondered if I jokingly thought that gentlemen of Team Sleuth are Prospit's agents much like our chums in the Midnight Crew are Derse's. I didn't, but that's an awesome comparison and now I'm all for it. --- Track: Prospit Dreamers Duration: '3:19' @@ -120,20 +120,20 @@ Commentary: |- <i>(original commentary)</i> Oh boy. Yeah. - I really don’t know what I was thinking on this one. It was rushed, and it’s, sadly, my least favorite work I’ve ever done. I had some interesting ideas, going with a bit of a swing flavor to it, but frankly the song sounds like I was going through ADD. - It probably doesn’t help that I basically [wrote] a small, but significant, part of the song and set it aside for a few months before adding in the piano and bass parts and finishing it. - And by rushed I mean I was actually adding to this song days before the album came out. I wouldn’t recommend anyone doing that ever. - Still, people seem to like the song, and to be fair, there’s a few really neat parts in it. It’s just, well, weak overall. I’ve done a lot better, and this song’s ‘failure,’ so to speak, taught me a lot of valuable lessons. + I really don't know what I was thinking on this one. It was rushed, and it's, sadly, my least favorite work I've ever done. I had some interesting ideas, going with a bit of a swing flavor to it, but frankly the song sounds like I was going through ADD. + It probably doesn't help that I basically [wrote] a small, but significant, part of the song and set it aside for a few months before adding in the piano and bass parts and finishing it. + And by rushed I mean I was actually adding to this song days before the album came out. I wouldn't recommend anyone doing that ever. + Still, people seem to like the song, and to be fair, there's a few really neat parts in it. It's just, well, weak overall. I've done a lot better, and this song's 'failure,' so to speak, taught me a lot of valuable lessons. Sorry if you were expecting something more positive! <i>(commentary redux)</i> This song is freaking weird. - Now why do I say that? Well, it doesn’t really know what it wants to be. A 6/8 piece somewhat reminiscent of something from the Legend of Zelda? A 4/4 piece? A swung piece? It’s... well it’s all of those. + Now why do I say that? Well, it doesn't really know what it wants to be. A 6/8 piece somewhat reminiscent of something from the Legend of Zelda? A 4/4 piece? A swung piece? It's... well it's all of those. Prospit Dreamers is without a doubt the most ambitious song I wrote for Prospit & Derse. I did a lot of really awkward things that worked out really well, but I had absolutely no idea why any of it worked. And so I ended up really hating the song because I thought it was too random! Come a year later and I now I understand my composing style better, so when I listen to this I find it to be a pretty dang fascinating piece. A lot of individual parts making a very interesting greater whole. If you think about the early part, it sounds like the Prospitians had created this really mellow 6/8 piece, but then John and Jade show up and mix it up with their (my headcanon) love of swing music. - I’m especially pleased with how I managed to fit Frost and Doctor together into this song, along with a little bit of Penumbra Phantasm, and still make the song stand on its own. It’s a lot cooler sounding than what I did in Derse Dreamers, honestly! - My personal favorite part is the time signature switch when the clarinets come in and play an arrangement of that familiar motif from Penumbra Phantasm, and then the strong french horns playing the same line they played in Frost behind the trumpets playing Doctor’s melody. - It’s really hilarious how I used to not appreciate this song, but now I do. I actually enjoy it more than most of the album, and I’m really glad that my opinion changed, and I am also really glad I asked Zoey to do the art for this song, because her art is amazing, and her interpretation of John and Jade is the best. THE BEST. Speaking of, she informed me to tell you all the following: + I'm especially pleased with how I managed to fit Frost and Doctor together into this song, along with a little bit of Penumbra Phantasm, and still make the song stand on its own. It's a lot cooler sounding than what I did in Derse Dreamers, honestly! + My personal favorite part is the time signature switch when the clarinets come in and play an arrangement of that familiar motif from Penumbra Phantasm, and then the strong french horns playing the same line they played in Frost behind the trumpets playing Doctor's melody. + It's really hilarious how I used to not appreciate this song, but now I do. I actually enjoy it more than most of the album, and I'm really glad that my opinion changed, and I am also really glad I asked Zoey to do the art for this song, because her art is amazing, and her interpretation of John and Jade is the best. THE BEST. Speaking of, she informed me to tell you all the following: (<i>Zilleniose:</i>) "Butts" Butts indeed. @@ -162,12 +162,12 @@ MIDI Project Files: Commentary: |- <i>Solatrus:</i> Expecting a different song, were you? B) - While this song was started pretty late into production, it was actually one of the first in the entire album to be completed. Both Hallowed Halls and Center of Brilliance were started around the same time, and I really don’t remember which came first. It’s been awhile, okay? - Anyway, if it wasn’t one of the first to be completed, it was definitely the first. I’m actually pretty pleased with this song, because it helped me figure out the other direction I wanted to go in for Prospit. - The best part about this song is, without a doubt, the trumpet lines in the middle and near the end. While it’s totally synthetic and sampled, I’m very pleased with how it sounds! I really love the section very close to the end where it’s just a single trumpet and the clarinet section. It’s one of the better motifs I’ve written, in my opinion, and I’m quite pleased with it. - That’s not to say this song is perfect. The piano timing is a little too off and a little too noticeably cut-and-paste repeated. It’s a really tiny nitpick, but I didn’t even really notice it until earlier this week. - Oh, and in case you didn’t know, this song was originally Prospit Dreamers. Why did I change my mind on it? Well, I couldn’t figure out how to fit in Doctor (and by extension Penumbra Phantasm) and Frost into such a happy sounding song. It just wasn’t really working for me, nor was the time signature. - But I definitely felt like the song was a great closer to this half of the album, and Shelby’s art for the piece fit perfectly. + While this song was started pretty late into production, it was actually one of the first in the entire album to be completed. Both Hallowed Halls and Center of Brilliance were started around the same time, and I really don't remember which came first. It's been awhile, okay? + Anyway, if it wasn't one of the first to be completed, it was definitely the first. I'm actually pretty pleased with this song, because it helped me figure out the other direction I wanted to go in for Prospit. + The best part about this song is, without a doubt, the trumpet lines in the middle and near the end. While it's totally synthetic and sampled, I'm very pleased with how it sounds! I really love the section very close to the end where it's just a single trumpet and the clarinet section. It's one of the better motifs I've written, in my opinion, and I'm quite pleased with it. + That's not to say this song is perfect. The piano timing is a little too off and a little too noticeably cut-and-paste repeated. It's a really tiny nitpick, but I didn't even really notice it until earlier this week. + Oh, and in case you didn't know, this song was originally Prospit Dreamers. Why did I change my mind on it? Well, I couldn't figure out how to fit in Doctor (and by extension Penumbra Phantasm) and Frost into such a happy sounding song. It just wasn't really working for me, nor was the time signature. + But I definitely felt like the song was a great closer to this half of the album, and Shelby's art for the piece fit perfectly. --- Section: Derse --- @@ -185,14 +185,14 @@ Art Tags: - Derse Commentary: |- <i>Solatrus:</i> - This was definitely the song that started everything off. It’s dark, dreary, but still majestic like the very moon it describes. The music takes on you a flight. You’re one of the Derse Dreamers, the wind rushing across your face as you approach the moon’s surface. Carapaces scurrying about, too afraid to be caught after curfew, wary of Jack Noir and his gang. + This was definitely the song that started everything off. It's dark, dreary, but still majestic like the very moon it describes. The music takes on you a flight. You're one of the Derse Dreamers, the wind rushing across your face as you approach the moon's surface. Carapaces scurrying about, too afraid to be caught after curfew, wary of Jack Noir and his gang. My original goal was to make this song set the example of how I perceive Derse. Dark, but not evil. Fitting for the Dreamers we know and love there. - I definitely tried to go into some new territory with this song. While I’ve always loved the Metroid Prime Trilogy soundtrack, this was my first real attempt at trying to imitate many quality’s of that trilogy’s music. - The violin that comes in pretty early on was actually added in near the end of the album’s production, and the idea to really strongly associate every song with the kids didn’t occur to me until part of the way into doing Prospit’s half, but I’ll get to that later. + I definitely tried to go into some new territory with this song. While I've always loved the Metroid Prime Trilogy soundtrack, this was my first real attempt at trying to imitate many quality's of that trilogy's music. + The violin that comes in pretty early on was actually added in near the end of the album's production, and the idea to really strongly associate every song with the kids didn't occur to me until part of the way into doing Prospit's half, but I'll get to that later. I really have to say I like the the bass I chose for this song. It has a sort of heart beat quality to it. Very simple, very deep. But it really cuts through. Of course, I did get to do my favorite high pass/bitcrushed beats again, but this time I did a spin on it: Gross Beat. I mentioned it with Crystalanthology, but I used Gross Beat far more extensively in Derse. - When I was initially creating this song, Prospit & Derse was a concept album. You, the listener, would have been guided along a journey, first to Derse, going through the Darkened Streets, up the Obsidian Towers to where the Derse Dreamers were jamming out, before heading deep into the Core of Darkness, until you were suddenly transported to Prospit, appearing in the Hallowed Halls before repeating the journey with Prospit’s counterparts. Honestly, if you listen to the album as Derse & Prospit instead, you still can kind of get that vibe! + When I was initially creating this song, Prospit & Derse was a concept album. You, the listener, would have been guided along a journey, first to Derse, going through the Darkened Streets, up the Obsidian Towers to where the Derse Dreamers were jamming out, before heading deep into the Core of Darkness, until you were suddenly transported to Prospit, appearing in the Hallowed Halls before repeating the journey with Prospit's counterparts. Honestly, if you listen to the album as Derse & Prospit instead, you still can kind of get that vibe! You can definitely hear the idea of that in how it goes into The Obsidian Towers, but I ended up removing the more seemless transitions in favor of just having two somewhat parallel albums, and stuck with the parallel idea for awhile. This is the most obvious in the first two songs of each half. Hallowed Halls is based on Darkened Streets, and The Golden Towers is based on The Obsidian Towers. - In a side note, I’d love to link you to the artist who did the song cover art for Darkened Streets, but I’ve lost contact with them! If anyone knows where I can get in contact again, please let me know! + In a side note, I'd love to link you to the artist who did the song cover art for Darkened Streets, but I've lost contact with them! If anyone knows where I can get in contact again, please let me know! --- Track: The Obsidian Towers Duration: '3:19' @@ -208,10 +208,10 @@ Art Tags: Commentary: |- <i>Solatrus:</i> I started to shift styles for this one a bit. I wanted something that was more majestic sounding, but still as dark as Darkened Streets. Ultimately, I decided to feature the choir section more in the intro. It actually was probably the first synth I put in this song. Everything basically followed. - I had a bit more fun with the bassline in this song, though it’s not particularly complex. The focus definitely on the time shifting beats, a la Dave. Hell, Dave is the main reason I decided to use Gross Beat heavily. I wonder if Dave feels like a Time Lord as the Knight of Time? + I had a bit more fun with the bassline in this song, though it's not particularly complex. The focus definitely on the time shifting beats, a la Dave. Hell, Dave is the main reason I decided to use Gross Beat heavily. I wonder if Dave feels like a Time Lord as the Knight of Time? The Obsidian Towers was actually one of the last songs I finished composing for the album, because I got totally stuck on it without having the string section in there. Anyway, I think this song definitely describes the Towers well enough, though, I feel like I could have gone for something a bit more powerful in sound. Something more looming, more... ominous. Oh well. Hindsight is 20/20, yeah? To be fair, The Golden Towers suffers from this issue as well, so it was probably also a composition problem. Woosp! - Nonetheless, the string section in this song, especially right at the end, is one of the cooler sounding harmonies I’ve thrown together. + Nonetheless, the string section in this song, especially right at the end, is one of the cooler sounding harmonies I've thrown together. I really have always loved the architecture Andrew picked for the moons, though personally I feel it fits Derse far better than Prospit. --- Track: Derse Dreamers @@ -250,18 +250,18 @@ Commentary: |- This song, along with Core of Darkness, captures the very core idea I had in mind for the Prospit & Derse album: writing music about the settings, but showing that the mere existence of the kids on those moons influences the music as well. Derse Dreamers was the first to actually reach that goal, and was actually the first song to be fully completed on the entire album. Of course, this song being retroactively tossed into the Shut Up and Jam page helped with its popularity quite a bit. - Retroactively gaining an additional featured song... from a page that existed before my first real feature. How’s that for weird time shit? + Retroactively gaining an additional featured song... from a page that existed before my first real feature. How's that for weird time shit? <i>(commentary redux)</i> - The fan favorite. Without a freaking doubt. This one compares to Frost in popularity, and I’m willing to bet is probably even more popular thanks to horizon’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9SQjvPLAWs">vocal cover</a>. - What’s that? You hear Iron Man in it? Yeah, so do I. Oops. That string section is kind of hilariously similar. It’s a huge coincidence, though, because I really don’t listen to Black Sabbath whatsoever. + The fan favorite. Without a freaking doubt. This one compares to Frost in popularity, and I'm willing to bet is probably even more popular thanks to horizon's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9SQjvPLAWs">vocal cover</a>. + What's that? You hear Iron Man in it? Yeah, so do I. Oops. That string section is kind of hilariously similar. It's a huge coincidence, though, because I really don't listen to Black Sabbath whatsoever. When I started this song, I knew I wanted two things: Rose playing violin, and Dave being a bad-ass with time-shifted beats. I ended up making the opening motif and let it repeat for most of the song. People seemed to really like the strong focus on Rose and Dave, but I think even more so people enjoyed the callbacks to their respective Medium world themes (Endless Climb and Atomyk Ebonpyre, respectively). - Though, maybe it was the name? Maybe it was the amazing art Mixt did? Speaking of, here’s what she had to say: + Though, maybe it was the name? Maybe it was the amazing art Mixt did? Speaking of, here's what she had to say: (<i>Mixt:</i>) - "I recall the idea was to draw Rose and Dave jamming on Derse, but the piece itself made me think of space, so they ended up jamming in the space between Derse and its moon instead. Rose’s bowhand unfortunately reflects my own terrible grip when playing violin. - Also, I laughed when it was discovered that Derse Dreamers made it into [S] Rose and Dave: Shut up and jam just prior to the album’s release. Fandom, you never cease to amaze me." + "I recall the idea was to draw Rose and Dave jamming on Derse, but the piece itself made me think of space, so they ended up jamming in the space between Derse and its moon instead. Rose's bowhand unfortunately reflects my own terrible grip when playing violin. + Also, I laughed when it was discovered that Derse Dreamers made it into [S] Rose and Dave: Shut up and jam just prior to the album's release. Fandom, you never cease to amaze me." I agree with her there. I was very amused when people noticed the change to that page even before I had the chance to mention it to anyone. Crazy fandom ninjas! - Yeah, that’s pretty much all there is to this song. It was remarkably straightforward. I didn’t do anything particularly surprising for myself on this one. I knew exactly what I wanted to do, and I did it. - More importantly, however, I’m thrilled this song is enjoyed by so many people, and I’ve been blown away how people have have been using this song in their own derivative works. It’s just really heartwarming as an artist to see my work out there having a life of its own. + Yeah, that's pretty much all there is to this song. It was remarkably straightforward. I didn't do anything particularly surprising for myself on this one. I knew exactly what I wanted to do, and I did it. + More importantly, however, I'm thrilled this song is enjoyed by so many people, and I've been blown away how people have have been using this song in their own derivative works. It's just really heartwarming as an artist to see my work out there having a life of its own. --- Track: Core of Darkness Duration: '3:14' @@ -286,23 +286,23 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Solatrus:</i> <i>(original commentary)</i> Best song on Prospit & Derse. Period. - This was the song that made me realize my production had legitimately hit a professional level and wasn’t ever going to go back. + This was the song that made me realize my production had legitimately hit a professional level and wasn't ever going to go back. This was the only Derse song that was written in response to a Prospit song. I wrote Center of Brilliance before Core of Darkness, and I really wanted to try to counter the very.. bright and circular (I guess?) feel I had with CoB. - Out of all of my production work, Core of Darkness has the most movie soundtrack sound to it, and that’s pretty awesome. Fantastic way to close out the album. - It’s also a nice precursor to my current interest in trip hop music. + Out of all of my production work, Core of Darkness has the most movie soundtrack sound to it, and that's pretty awesome. Fantastic way to close out the album. + It's also a nice precursor to my current interest in trip hop music. <i>(commentary redux)</i> - My favorite. While you all have a soft spot for Derse Dreamers, I have one for Core of Darkness. This is the song that made me actually say out loud, “Whoa, when did my music start sounding professional?” - Yeah. This one. I had more fun working on this song than any other song on this album. And it still stands out to me as being one of, if not, my best electronic/downbeat songs. I wasn’t really sure what I was going with when I picked the name Core of Darkness. This song doesn’t particularly have a “round” feel to it, amusingly. But I wanted to just grasp the raw essence, the core, if you will, of what Derse is, and continue with the idea that the kids influence the way the music sounds on the moons just as they affect many of the characters in the game through prototyping. - I’m very pleased with the string sections I did, though it’s not really a complex melody. Lots of repetition, just like the rest of this half of the album. But the atmosphere is pretty damn awesome, and without a doubt set the tone for some of my future works. I wasn’t aware that I actually really liked trip-hop at the time, but Nick introduced me to the genre, and it completely clarified why I enjoyed doing this half of the album so much. - I’m also very impressed with the art that Shad did, though it wasn’t exactly what I had in mind. However, I preferred to let the artists have some free reign, so this actually turned out better than what I was thinking! Here’s what she had to say on her piece and the rest of the album: + My favorite. While you all have a soft spot for Derse Dreamers, I have one for Core of Darkness. This is the song that made me actually say out loud, "Whoa, when did my music start sounding professional?" + Yeah. This one. I had more fun working on this song than any other song on this album. And it still stands out to me as being one of, if not, my best electronic/downbeat songs. I wasn't really sure what I was going with when I picked the name Core of Darkness. This song doesn't particularly have a "round" feel to it, amusingly. But I wanted to just grasp the raw essence, the core, if you will, of what Derse is, and continue with the idea that the kids influence the way the music sounds on the moons just as they affect many of the characters in the game through prototyping. + I'm very pleased with the string sections I did, though it's not really a complex melody. Lots of repetition, just like the rest of this half of the album. But the atmosphere is pretty damn awesome, and without a doubt set the tone for some of my future works. I wasn't aware that I actually really liked trip-hop at the time, but Nick introduced me to the genre, and it completely clarified why I enjoyed doing this half of the album so much. + I'm also very impressed with the art that Shad did, though it wasn't exactly what I had in mind. However, I preferred to let the artists have some free reign, so this actually turned out better than what I was thinking! Here's what she had to say on her piece and the rest of the album: (<i>Shad:</i>) - "When I was first asked about doing album art, it was really, really exciting!! Those who know me, know that I’m all about the carapace and everything in general, and having an album based on the kingdoms was really exciting and it was an honor to be confronted about it at all! - I’ve always dreamed to do things for Homestuck, just because of how it has affected me. I’m always up to doing things, and it’s always greatwhen I’m allowed, and when it’s something that I feel passionate about. - I did the album art to Core of Darkness, which honestly is one of my favorite songs and I can’t tell if I’m being biased or not because it’s my art. + "When I was first asked about doing album art, it was really, really exciting!! Those who know me, know that I'm all about the carapace and everything in general, and having an album based on the kingdoms was really exciting and it was an honor to be confronted about it at all! + I've always dreamed to do things for Homestuck, just because of how it has affected me. I'm always up to doing things, and it's always greatwhen I'm allowed, and when it's something that I feel passionate about. + I did the album art to Core of Darkness, which honestly is one of my favorite songs and I can't tell if I'm being biased or not because it's my art. I took the chance to do something new, and I wanted to go above and beyond what quality work that I normally do. I wanted this to be something I could be proud of, and something that would showcase just how good I thought it was! Solatrus sent me a sample of the unfinished song, which I listened to on repeat the whole time I was working. I ended up doing the wholething in one sitting, and I just worked on it all night long because I was just.reallyinto it. I wanted to do somethingreally extreme and fun to look at. The angel being. like.. you were in the core, a la the title of the music. - I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to just give up andscrap it, because it was hard and something I hadn’t done - the perspective, along with the lineless-like style. - But I’m really happy with it even a year later. - The music itself was just.really really great. I loved itnot just because I worked on it, which was a great plus, but all the art, allof it, was really great. The music was awesome, and I loved the whole thingbehind it. Using the kids’ instruments and styles to create the music for each kingdom. And just??? It seemed really fitting, what with how much I like thecarapace and all. - It was really an honor to work on it, and I still listen to the album every now and again, even a year later. I’m really proud of everyone who worked on it and thankful for the album and the art." + I can't tell you how many times I wanted to just give up andscrap it, because it was hard and something I hadn't done - the perspective, along with the lineless-like style. + But I'm really happy with it even a year later. + The music itself was just.really really great. I loved itnot just because I worked on it, which was a great plus, but all the art, allof it, was really great. The music was awesome, and I loved the whole thingbehind it. Using the kids' instruments and styles to create the music for each kingdom. And just??? It seemed really fitting, what with how much I like thecarapace and all. + It was really an honor to work on it, and I still listen to the album every now and again, even a year later. I'm really proud of everyone who worked on it and thankful for the album and the art." Aw, thanks Shad! I really appreciate that you enjoy the album so much. diff --git a/album/references-beyond-homestuck.yaml b/album/references-beyond-homestuck.yaml index 71279f5d..d473cd5a 100644 --- a/album/references-beyond-homestuck.yaml +++ b/album/references-beyond-homestuck.yaml @@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'kr_02.it' Commentary: |- <i>Mark J. Hadley:</i> - Bogey's Theme, also written as fan music for Kid Radd. Since Bogey was a basic enemy from Kid Radd's game, I figured a simple “level 1” style theme would fit him. + Bogey's Theme, also written as fan music for Kid Radd. Since Bogey was a basic enemy from Kid Radd's game, I figured a simple "level 1" style theme would fit him. --- Track: Bowman's Credit Score Artists: @@ -148,11 +148,11 @@ Commentary: |- Despite the entire class consisting of guys who play guitar, no one had the guts to suggest a genre offhand. The biggest slacker of them all, a white kid with dreadlocks who had missed half the classes, half-heartedly suggested reggae, an offer which the teacher accepted. - The teacher asked for people to volunteer their songs. Again, no one was ballsy enough to speak up - Scott was one of the few who had written a song from time to time, but since his usual faire is stuff about death, loss of innocence, and [[track:fruity-pebbles-jingle|Fruity Pebbles]], he thought maybe it was best to abstain from this poll. Songwriting duties were given to a black-haired faux-goth at the back of the room who claimed to have written “a lot of songs" but that they were all “just lyrics" and no music. + The teacher asked for people to volunteer their songs. Again, no one was ballsy enough to speak up - Scott was one of the few who had written a song from time to time, but since his usual faire is stuff about death, loss of innocence, and [[track:fruity-pebbles-jingle|Fruity Pebbles]], he thought maybe it was best to abstain from this poll. Songwriting duties were given to a black-haired faux-goth at the back of the room who claimed to have written "a lot of songs" but that they were all "just lyrics" and no music. - This should have been a red flag to the earnest professor, who spent the next couple of days matching her “song" to music. The entire class found itself sitting in on the extra-spooky recording sessions for her love song to the undead titled “Falling for Ghosts" in what was the invention of the new genre Emo Reggae. + This should have been a red flag to the earnest professor, who spent the next couple of days matching her "song" to music. The entire class found itself sitting in on the extra-spooky recording sessions for her love song to the undead titled "Falling for Ghosts" in what was the invention of the new genre Emo Reggae. - On the last day of class, everyone showed up with a CD containing their own personal mix of the song. It must have been monotonous sitting there hearing “Falling for Ghosts" over and over with little-to-no variation between versions… except of course for this one with some SCARETACULAR additional material which Scott decided to record and add in at the last second. + On the last day of class, everyone showed up with a CD containing their own personal mix of the song. It must have been monotonous sitting there hearing "Falling for Ghosts" over and over with little-to-no variation between versions... except of course for this one with some SCARETACULAR additional material which Scott decided to record and add in at the last second. TL;DR when you get to the 3 minute mark, everything will suddenly make sense. @@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'kr_final.mid' Commentary: |- <i>Mark J. Hadley:</i> - The author contacted me to do music for the final comic; this is a recording of it. it was originally in MIDI format, so it ended up sounding different on different computers (this is how it sounded on mine at the time). It uses the themes for Bogey and Sheena at the beginning, and was primarily Radd's theme after that. Out of all of the music I wrote, this is the only one that wasn't technically just “fan music”, but was actually official to the comic. + The author contacted me to do music for the final comic; this is a recording of it. it was originally in MIDI format, so it ended up sounding different on different computers (this is how it sounded on mine at the time). It uses the themes for Bogey and Sheena at the beginning, and was primarily Radd's theme after that. Out of all of the music I wrote, this is the only one that wasn't technically just "fan music", but was actually official to the comic. --- Track: Kid Radd Theme Artists: @@ -579,7 +579,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Kid Radd Theme Commentary: |- <i>Mark J. Hadley:</i> - Sheena's Theme, written for Kid Radd. Sheena is Radd's “girlfriend” that he has to rescue at the end of his game. Since that's the only time she shows up in the game, it made sense that her music would sound like a winning game over theme. Naturally, Radd's theme is mixed in there too. + Sheena's Theme, written for Kid Radd. Sheena is Radd's "girlfriend" that he has to rescue at the end of his game. Since that's the only time she shows up in the game, it made sense that her music would sound like a winning game over theme. Naturally, Radd's theme is mixed in there too. --- Track: Terra Artists: @@ -2754,7 +2754,7 @@ Lyrics: |- Your sentences border on senseless And you are paranoid in every paragraph How they perceive you - You, you, you… + You, you, you... I'm erasing myself from the narrative Let future historians wonder how Eliza @@ -14128,7 +14128,7 @@ Lyrics: |- It's a revelation of massive scope called Solresol Sudre the man, violin in hand, master planner - Said “No need for words, we can sing like birds with grammar” + Said "No need for words, we can sing like birds with grammar" Solresol Eliminate all the pointless chitchat with musical notes @@ -14617,7 +14617,7 @@ Duration: '2:41' URLs: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nL2HPPHdPAA Sampled Tracks: -- “The Edge” by David McCallum +- The Edge (by David McCallum) Lyrics: |- La-da-da-da-dah It's the motherfuckin' D-O-double-G (Snoop Dogg!) diff --git a/album/s-press-play.yaml b/album/s-press-play.yaml index f9c179f8..a9725a81 100644 --- a/album/s-press-play.yaml +++ b/album/s-press-play.yaml @@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ Lyrics: |- Kanaya: What? - Dave: Yep. Had 69 confirmed kills in ‘Nam. Nice. + Dave: Yep. Had 69 confirmed kills in 'Nam. Nice. Kanaya: Dave... you are aware that my generally even demeanor does not imply that I am unfamiliar with the concept of jokes, correct? @@ -220,59 +220,59 @@ URLs: Art Tags: - Vriska Lyrics: |- - Jonaya: Hello, I’m Jonaya, + Jonaya: Hello, I'm Jonaya, - Bucky: And I’m Bucky, + Bucky: And I'm Bucky, - Jonaya: And welcome to “How to Diagnose a Vriska,” a thinkpiece on how we, the hosts of Will it Homestuck, see Vriska as a character and diagnose her archetype in other pieces of media. I use she/her pronouns, + Jonaya: And welcome to "How to Diagnose a Vriska," a thinkpiece on how we, the hosts of Will it Homestuck, see Vriska as a character and diagnose her archetype in other pieces of media. I use she/her pronouns, - Bucky: And I use he/hir or they/them pronouns. Let’s get started! + Bucky: And I use he/hir or they/them pronouns. Let's get started! Jonaya: Why is talking about Vriska important to you? - Bucky: For me, it’s important to look at where we can find more Vriskas in fiction because I like terrible women! Vriska is important because she’s a dirty, nasty girl who is really trying hard to be a good person, or at the very least do what she believes is the right thing. There’s a lot of room for a lot more characters who do something like what she does in the narrative of Homestuck in other pieces of media. I want to push for more messy women! + Bucky: For me, it's important to look at where we can find more Vriskas in fiction because I like terrible women! Vriska is important because she's a dirty, nasty girl who is really trying hard to be a good person, or at the very least do what she believes is the right thing. There's a lot of room for a lot more characters who do something like what she does in the narrative of Homestuck in other pieces of media. I want to push for more messy women! - Jonaya: Vriskas are a character archetype in their own right - ones that sometimes intersect with other character archetypes but ultimately stand out on their own. We can definitely look at the surface-level stuff - the asymmetrical eyes and arms and the general aesthetic - but we think there’s more to it than that. I usually like to start by looking at the character’s relationship to the narrative and how that intersects with her own experiences. A Vriska might not always be the hero of the story - probably isn’t usually the hero of the story - but she sure would like to be! A character with a strong desire to be in the spotlight often has a good chance of being a contender for the role of the Vriska. But that’s just one small part of the analysis - we here at the Vriska Analysis department of Will it Homestuck have developed a series of criteria to use to identify Vriskas in media. + Jonaya: Vriskas are a character archetype in their own right - ones that sometimes intersect with other character archetypes but ultimately stand out on their own. We can definitely look at the surface-level stuff - the asymmetrical eyes and arms and the general aesthetic - but we think there's more to it than that. I usually like to start by looking at the character's relationship to the narrative and how that intersects with her own experiences. A Vriska might not always be the hero of the story - probably isn't usually the hero of the story - but she sure would like to be! A character with a strong desire to be in the spotlight often has a good chance of being a contender for the role of the Vriska. But that's just one small part of the analysis - we here at the Vriska Analysis department of Will it Homestuck have developed a series of criteria to use to identify Vriskas in media. - Bucky: With that in mind, let’s get into the meat of it. + Bucky: With that in mind, let's get into the meat of it. Jonaya: What are some important Vriska characteristics to you when looking to understand and diagnose a Vriska? - Bucky: An extremely important part of Vriska is her relationships. She is influenced heavily by her ancestor, Marquise Spinneret Mindfang, and by Doc Scratch, the grand host bastard himself. She also has Tavros, who she feels tied to through her ancestor’s matespritship; Eridan, who she engages in a relationship with out of duty towards her lusus and a little through her ancestor’s kismesitude as well, her ex-moirail Kanaya, and Terezi, who she’s partnered with and has a revenge cycle to be fulfilled with. + Bucky: An extremely important part of Vriska is her relationships. She is influenced heavily by her ancestor, Marquise Spinneret Mindfang, and by Doc Scratch, the grand host bastard himself. She also has Tavros, who she feels tied to through her ancestor's matespritship; Eridan, who she engages in a relationship with out of duty towards her lusus and a little through her ancestor's kismesitude as well, her ex-moirail Kanaya, and Terezi, who she's partnered with and has a revenge cycle to be fulfilled with. Jonaya: Doc Scratch had his felty, gross little puppet hands all over the Scourge/Charge rivalry. Encouraging Aradia to haunt Vriska and Vriska to get her revenge in turn. Terezi manipulates Scratch who then uses Vriska as a weapon of his own revenge. Here we see one of our recurring Vriska points: that they are often influenced and groomed by a creepy older adult, usually a man, with his own goals for her growth. Bucky: Vriska tries very hard to emulate Mindfang throughout her arc, pretty much right up until and a bit after she meets Aranea in the dream bubbles. She finds the journal early, after it lands from a meteor, and uses it to locate her Fluorite Octet. This journal is what Vriska uses to guide her life for the next several sweeps. She strives to be as cool and strong and badass as Mindfang wrote herself to be, and models her FLARP character after this long-dead troll. Mindfang is pretty empowering to Vriska at the time, giving her a character to roleplay her confidence through. - Jonaya: As KC Brush Bandit once said, a Vriska will often comphet on some boy. Honestly, I’m inclined to agree. Whatever the specific reason, the idea that you, as a girl, are required to have a relationship with a dude is often a smaller, but definitely important, aspect of the Vriska experience. In the end, the whole process is something that causes nothing but harm to the Vriska in question. + Jonaya: As KC Brush Bandit once said, a Vriska will often comphet on some boy. Honestly, I'm inclined to agree. Whatever the specific reason, the idea that you, as a girl, are required to have a relationship with a dude is often a smaller, but definitely important, aspect of the Vriska experience. In the end, the whole process is something that causes nothing but harm to the Vriska in question. - Bucky: Speaking of vicious women, I want to talk about Terezi now. Another extremely important Vriskaracteristic is that she has a complicated, turbulent, and emotional relationship with Terezi Pyrope. They are friends to enemies to lovers, and I did say that in the right order. Vriska seems to measure her own self perception to some extent by how Terezi views her. She’s way more insecure than she wants to let on, constantly seeking attention and approval in the way abused kids do. Part of that involves latching onto her best friend’s perception of her. Vriska wants to do the right thing in my opinion because ultimately, she wants to prove to Terezi that she can end up doing the most just and right thing because it’s what she’s meant to do. + Bucky: Speaking of vicious women, I want to talk about Terezi now. Another extremely important Vriskaracteristic is that she has a complicated, turbulent, and emotional relationship with Terezi Pyrope. They are friends to enemies to lovers, and I did say that in the right order. Vriska seems to measure her own self perception to some extent by how Terezi views her. She's way more insecure than she wants to let on, constantly seeking attention and approval in the way abused kids do. Part of that involves latching onto her best friend's perception of her. Vriska wants to do the right thing in my opinion because ultimately, she wants to prove to Terezi that she can end up doing the most just and right thing because it's what she's meant to do. - Jonaya: Vriskas are, without exception, contentious characters. Both within the context of the narrative and in the broader context of discussion of the media, Vriskas inspire arguments wherever they go! There’s no such thing as a “safe” Vriska who everyone just kind of gets along with - this isn’t Kanaya we’re talking about here! See, one of the things about Vriskas is that they cause problems on purpose! It isn’t just about the contention the character inspires, but the fact that it’s ultimately the result of their own choices. + Jonaya: Vriskas are, without exception, contentious characters. Both within the context of the narrative and in the broader context of discussion of the media, Vriskas inspire arguments wherever they go! There's no such thing as a "safe" Vriska who everyone just kind of gets along with - this isn't Kanaya we're talking about here! See, one of the things about Vriskas is that they cause problems on purpose! It isn't just about the contention the character inspires, but the fact that it's ultimately the result of their own choices. - Bucky: Also, one more important thing: Vriska is kind of oblivious. She’s certainly not unintelligent or uninformed, but she just genuinely does not notice things that are pretty goddamned important because she already has an idea of how things should go. This ranges from “Thinking Kanaya had a crush on Tavros after the Pupa Pan incident went down” to “Not realizing your fairy dust trail will lead your biggest enemy back to your base to murder all of your friends.” I love her. She’s also an idiot. + Bucky: Also, one more important thing: Vriska is kind of oblivious. She's certainly not unintelligent or uninformed, but she just genuinely does not notice things that are pretty goddamned important because she already has an idea of how things should go. This ranges from "Thinking Kanaya had a crush on Tavros after the Pupa Pan incident went down" to "Not realizing your fairy dust trail will lead your biggest enemy back to your base to murder all of your friends." I love her. She's also an idiot. Jonaya: Shoutout to Sin for that one. Bucky: So, who are some of your favorite Vriskas in media? - Jonaya: A great example of how a character can evolve to reveal themselves as the Vriska is Vanya from The Umbrella Academy. A character that starts off unassuming, with their role in the story obscured, gradually revealed to fit so many of our Vrischaracteristics! Vanya is a case study in how sometimes you can’t just go with your gut and have to look at a character’s arc over the course of the story and tease out the aspects of their character that truly make them the Vriska. + Jonaya: A great example of how a character can evolve to reveal themselves as the Vriska is Vanya from The Umbrella Academy. A character that starts off unassuming, with their role in the story obscured, gradually revealed to fit so many of our Vrischaracteristics! Vanya is a case study in how sometimes you can't just go with your gut and have to look at a character's arc over the course of the story and tease out the aspects of their character that truly make them the Vriska. - Bucky: Someone like Vriska is Trish Walker from the Netflix Jessica Jones television show. She’s initially unassuming, almost like an Aranea, but she’s constantly in and taking the spotlight, and really, she does it for herself. She’s also pretty damn devoted to Jessica, doing practically anything for her. On top of that, she throws herself into situation after situation she seems to get out of only due to sheer dumb luck. And honestly? She’s a little bit of a rich bitch! Like a Vriska usually is! + Bucky: Someone like Vriska is Trish Walker from the Netflix Jessica Jones television show. She's initially unassuming, almost like an Aranea, but she's constantly in and taking the spotlight, and really, she does it for herself. She's also pretty damn devoted to Jessica, doing practically anything for her. On top of that, she throws herself into situation after situation she seems to get out of only due to sheer dumb luck. And honestly? She's a little bit of a rich bitch! Like a Vriska usually is! - Jonaya: Probably my absolute favorite so far is Maeve, from the Westworld TV show. Constantly seeking to move herself into a position of knowledge and power to fulfill her own destiny, Maeve shares undeniable parallels with our favorite cerulean thief of light - to the point where we assigned her an identical classpect! She hits almost every single one of our criteria and we get to see enough of her character to really dig into her similarities to Vriska herself. And unlike some characters where we see only those surface-level similarities, we’re shown a rich internal characterization that allows us to analyze her on a deeper level. So what does this all mean? + Jonaya: Probably my absolute favorite so far is Maeve, from the Westworld TV show. Constantly seeking to move herself into a position of knowledge and power to fulfill her own destiny, Maeve shares undeniable parallels with our favorite cerulean thief of light - to the point where we assigned her an identical classpect! She hits almost every single one of our criteria and we get to see enough of her character to really dig into her similarities to Vriska herself. And unlike some characters where we see only those surface-level similarities, we're shown a rich internal characterization that allows us to analyze her on a deeper level. So what does this all mean? - Bucky: We basically wanted to do two things: Summarize how we approach Vriska as a character, and contribute to the ongoing discussion of the importance of Vriska. Over the course of our podcast, we haven’t identified a lot of female characters who fit into our idea of what a Vriska is. I got fed pretty well by the wildly varying types of women in Homestuck, and going anywhere else feels like a let down almost every time. I want to keep pointing out who the Vriska is in the media we consume because I want to start noticing when more and more of them are women, and allowed to be messy. + Bucky: We basically wanted to do two things: Summarize how we approach Vriska as a character, and contribute to the ongoing discussion of the importance of Vriska. Over the course of our podcast, we haven't identified a lot of female characters who fit into our idea of what a Vriska is. I got fed pretty well by the wildly varying types of women in Homestuck, and going anywhere else feels like a let down almost every time. I want to keep pointing out who the Vriska is in the media we consume because I want to start noticing when more and more of them are women, and allowed to be messy. - Jonaya: Vriska is a contentious character, and we’re hoping that by breaking down how we identify a Vriska, we can add to the wider body of Vriskanalysis and maybe, someday, even see the creation of an entire field of Vriskology. + Jonaya: Vriska is a contentious character, and we're hoping that by breaking down how we identify a Vriska, we can add to the wider body of Vriskanalysis and maybe, someday, even see the creation of an entire field of Vriskology. - Bucky: A character that is surrounded by discourse because of all of the different ways her actions can be interpreted isn’t an idea unfamiliar to fandoms, and we’re hoping this dive into what this sort of character can be is useful to the larger discussion of contentious characters and messy women. + Bucky: A character that is surrounded by discourse because of all of the different ways her actions can be interpreted isn't an idea unfamiliar to fandoms, and we're hoping this dive into what this sort of character can be is useful to the larger discussion of contentious characters and messy women. - Jonaya: Diagnosing Vriskas is just one way we take the metaframeworks laid out in Homestuck and apply them to other pieces of media. We’re really interested in the kinds of conclusions about stories we can arrive at by doing this, and hope this was a fun exploration of what that can entail. + Jonaya: Diagnosing Vriskas is just one way we take the metaframeworks laid out in Homestuck and apply them to other pieces of media. We're really interested in the kinds of conclusions about stories we can arrive at by doing this, and hope this was a fun exploration of what that can entail. Bucky: Thanks for joining us on this journey, and remember... - Jonaya: Maybe the real Vriska… is the frenemies we made along the way. + Jonaya: Maybe the real Vriska... is the frenemies we made along the way. --- Track: Moonsniffers Artists: @@ -316,51 +316,51 @@ Art Tags: Lyrics: |- DMV Clerk: Next! - Cronus: 'S'cuse me, ma’am? + Cronus: 'S'cuse me, ma'am? DMV Clerk: I said, next! Who the heck are you? - Cronus: Cronus Ampora, babe. I’m here to... apply for a driver’s license! + Cronus: Cronus Ampora, babe. I'm here to... apply for a driver's license! DMV Clerk: Oh my day is going great. How do you spell that? Cronus: C-R-O - DMV Clerk: Never mind, I’ll manage. + DMV Clerk: Never mind, I'll manage. - Cronus: No, not with... good enough. Thank you very much, ma’am. Cronus with a “K”, Emperor... hmm... nice. Okay, gotta study this stuff real quick... doesn’t matter... doesn’t matter... the fuck is a stop sign? Sounds fake... doesn’t matter. You know what? I got this shit! I’ll just let my natural talents take over. + Cronus: No, not with... good enough. Thank you very much, ma'am. Cronus with a "K", Emperor... hmm... nice. Okay, gotta study this stuff real quick... doesn't matter... doesn't matter... the fuck is a stop sign? Sounds fake... doesn't matter. You know what? I got this shit! I'll just let my natural talents take over. - DMV Clerk: Okay, time for the written test. You can read, can’t you? + DMV Clerk: Okay, time for the written test. You can read, can't you? - Cronus: You got it, babe! I’ll just come right on over and pass that test real quick! + Cronus: You got it, babe! I'll just come right on over and pass that test real quick! - DMV Clerk: You’ll have twenty minutes to complete the test. It’s only ten questions and all of them were explained in your... give me that! You’re not allowed to have the manual with you! + DMV Clerk: You'll have twenty minutes to complete the test. It's only ten questions and all of them were explained in your... give me that! You're not allowed to have the manual with you! - Cronus: Wait? What do you mean? I’ll have it with me while I’m driving, right? + Cronus: Wait? What do you mean? I'll have it with me while I'm driving, right? DMV Clerk: What? You plan to stop and reference it whenever your brain gets confused? - Cronus: No, you don’t understand! I mean right up there in the window! That way it blocks the sun AND I can read all the- + Cronus: No, you don't understand! I mean right up there in the window! That way it blocks the sun AND I can read all the- - DMV Clerk: You can’t see... you do realize that seeing the road is a key part of driving, right? + DMV Clerk: You can't see... you do realize that seeing the road is a key part of driving, right? Cronus: What do you mean? Why does that... DMV Clerk: God... good luck, Mr. Emperor. [laughter] - Cronus: Why are you laughing? I’m no dummy - Cronus Emporer knows how to get the job done! Okay, Cronus, you got this! It’s easy... just use your smart brain... your smart, smart brain. “A stop sign has how many sides?” That’s easy - signs only have two sides – front and back! [laughs] Or was it inside and outside? That’s still only two sides! How was I ever worried about this? + Cronus: Why are you laughing? I'm no dummy - Cronus Emporer knows how to get the job done! Okay, Cronus, you got this! It's easy... just use your smart brain... your smart, smart brain. "A stop sign has how many sides?" That's easy - signs only have two sides – front and back! [laughs] Or was it inside and outside? That's still only two sides! How was I ever worried about this? DMV Clerk: Well, you just barely passed... if only in the most technical sense of the word? - Cronus: Excuse me? What do you mean, “just barely passed and only in the most technical sense of the word?” + Cronus: Excuse me? What do you mean, "just barely passed and only in the most technical sense of the word?" DMV Clerk: Never mind that. You still have to pass the driving test. Cronus: Driving test? - DMV Clerk: What precisely did you think this was? A Wendy’s? An art school? + DMV Clerk: What precisely did you think this was? A Wendy's? An art school? - Cronus: I figured I take your test, maybe slip you a twenty and my phone number, we call it even and y’all give me one of them shiny licenses with my picture on it! + Cronus: I figured I take your test, maybe slip you a twenty and my phone number, we call it even and y'all give me one of them shiny licenses with my picture on it! DMV Clerk: That is... very wrong... Okay, now do you remember the first step? @@ -368,19 +368,19 @@ Lyrics: |- DMV Clerk: What? No! Put your damn seatbelt on! - Cronus: [laughs] Yeah, I was just kidding, babe. They don’t call me Cronus Emporer... Ampora for nuthin'! + Cronus: [laughs] Yeah, I was just kidding, babe. They don't call me Cronus Emporer... Ampora for nuthin'! DMV Clerk: What does that even MEAN?! Cronus: Okay, now we gun it! - DMV Clerk: No! Now you explain in great detail how you’re going to drive this car more than twenty feet without killing both of us! + DMV Clerk: No! Now you explain in great detail how you're going to drive this car more than twenty feet without killing both of us! Cronus: Okay, so the first step is you gotta push the accelerationator all the way to the floor... - Cronus: ...and that’s when you turn the wheel left and right as fast as you can while singing the words to Billy Idol’s hit song “White Wedding” at the top of your lungs and hanging out the window! + Cronus: ...and that's when you turn the wheel left and right as fast as you can while singing the words to Billy Idol's hit song "White Wedding" at the top of your lungs and hanging out the window! - DMV Clerk: That’s how you... + DMV Clerk: That's how you... Cronus: Parallel park. @@ -390,31 +390,31 @@ Lyrics: |- DMV Clerk: Mr. Emperor... Cronus? - Cronus: Yes’m! + Cronus: Yes'm! DMV Clerk: Do you have access to, or do you foresee gaining access to, a motor vehicle in the near future? - Cronus: Nope – I don’t got a car yet, babe! + Cronus: Nope – I don't got a car yet, babe! - DMV Clerk: And why do you want a driver’s license? + DMV Clerk: And why do you want a driver's license? - Cronus: Chicks love that shit. Dudes too. I can flash it and be like... “yeah, I can drive anytime I want to!” Also you can buy ‘em drinks and stuff with it. Then they’ll drive you places. + Cronus: Chicks love that shit. Dudes too. I can flash it and be like... "yeah, I can drive anytime I want to!" Also you can buy 'em drinks and stuff with it. Then they'll drive you places. - DMV Clerk: But you don’t actually care about driving? + DMV Clerk: But you don't actually care about driving? - Cronus: Nah, that’s a hassle. I’ll just get my buddies to give me a ride. + Cronus: Nah, that's a hassle. I'll just get my buddies to give me a ride. - DMV Clerk: So... if I were to issue you a license which was, hypothetically, restricted in such a way that it legally prohibited you from driving any vehicle with a combined gross weight more than zero pounds, you wouldn’t be... upset? + DMV Clerk: So... if I were to issue you a license which was, hypothetically, restricted in such a way that it legally prohibited you from driving any vehicle with a combined gross weight more than zero pounds, you wouldn't be... upset? Cronus: Combined what now? - DMV Clerk: You wouldn’t legally be able to drive anything that weighs more than a feather. + DMV Clerk: You wouldn't legally be able to drive anything that weighs more than a feather. - Cronus: But it’d still have my picture on it? + Cronus: But it'd still have my picture on it? DMV Clerk: Yes. - Cronus: And it’d be all glossy and stuff? + Cronus: And it'd be all glossy and stuff? DMV Clerk: Yes. @@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ Lyrics: |- DMV Clerk: Congratulations, Mr. Emperor, you are now officially licensed to not drive. Go inside to have your picture taken and get your ID card. Now please get the hell out of the car and never come back. - Cronus: That’s right... Cronus got a license, baby! [laughs] + Cronus: That's right... Cronus got a license, baby! [laughs] --- Track: Flushed Again Artists: @@ -447,9 +447,9 @@ Lyrics: |- [Meulin] My love, I forgive you For silencing my world - And my love, I’m sorry - For running when it wasn’t your fault at all - I wish you hadn’t taken it out on yourself + And my love, I'm sorry + For running when it wasn't your fault at all + I wish you hadn't taken it out on yourself To this day And now no one can hear your voice again, Not like I could hear it anyway @@ -458,51 +458,51 @@ Lyrics: |- No upset whatsoever We were perfect together If only it could have lasted forever - But it’s over now + But it's over now The guilt may never leave - But I hope we’ll be flushed again + But I hope we'll be flushed again Someday [Latula] My love, I forgive you For your trouble forming thoughts - But my love, I’m sorry - For how I couldn’t make it there it time + But my love, I'm sorry + For how I couldn't make it there it time I wish I could have saved you Kept your mind at bay And now no one can understand your words - Though I don’t care about about that anyway + Though I don't care about about that anyway But we were perfect together No upset whatsoever We were perfect together If only it could have lasted forever - But it’s over now + But it's over now The guilt may never leave me But I know we can be flushed again Someday [Kurloz] If I would share my voice with you it would invade your mind - [Mituna] Thank you for staying by my side, now I’m not left behind + [Mituna] Thank you for staying by my side, now I'm not left behind [Rufioh] I never meant to hurt you so severely - I can’t take this eternity, I want those days back again + I can't take this eternity, I want those days back again [Damara] My love, forgive me For wishing you were dead - And my love, I’m sorry + And my love, I'm sorry For laughing while you just laid there and bled I wish I could have thought of better ways To make you stay - And now you think I’m an awful person + And now you think I'm an awful person Though everyone thought that anyway But we were perfect together No upset whatsoever We were perfect together If only it could have lasted forever - But it’s over now + But it's over now The guilt may never leave me [Meulin] But I hope we can be flushed again [Latula] I know we can be flushed again diff --git a/album/sburban-neighborhood.yaml b/album/sburban-neighborhood.yaml index d6bdd576..22d6c650 100644 --- a/album/sburban-neighborhood.yaml +++ b/album/sburban-neighborhood.yaml @@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:penumbra-phantasm Commentary: |- <i>FrostyMac:</i> - I had just downloaded a Gameboy VST and REALLY wanted to use it. Intended to be a track based on the first day spent on Earth C. My FL Studio stopped working towards the end so I couldn’t quite do EVERYTHING I wanted with it, but I’m still happy with how it turned out. + I had just downloaded a Gameboy VST and REALLY wanted to use it. Intended to be a track based on the first day spent on Earth C. My FL Studio stopped working towards the end so I couldn't quite do EVERYTHING I wanted with it, but I'm still happy with how it turned out. --- Track: Live from the Meteor Artists: diff --git a/album/shortcuts.yaml b/album/shortcuts.yaml index 7d582385..f76905b2 100644 --- a/album/shortcuts.yaml +++ b/album/shortcuts.yaml @@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ URLs: - https://casualsunday.bandcamp.com/track/a-scape-2 Commentary: |- <i>Marcy Nabors:</i> - Ashburn is your quintessential D.C. suburb. Quiet save for birds, barking dogs, and the subtle but constant drone of faraway highway noise, it’s a beautiful and peaceful place to live. Unfortunately, life in Ashburn can get a bit dull after high school: Friends leave for college and there’s no easy public transportation to the hour-away city, so there’s not much to do outside the house except take walks through the scenic woods and hillsides. If you’re not the outdoorsy type (and especially if you work from home), a reclusive life can be easy to fall into. With this song I intend to convey the strange dichotomy between the semi-natural beauty of Ashburn’s ample wooded landscape and carefully maintained lawns, and the ever-present plasticity that permeates both the town and my necessarily internet-centric lifestyle. + Ashburn is your quintessential D.C. suburb. Quiet save for birds, barking dogs, and the subtle but constant drone of faraway highway noise, it's a beautiful and peaceful place to live. Unfortunately, life in Ashburn can get a bit dull after high school: Friends leave for college and there's no easy public transportation to the hour-away city, so there's not much to do outside the house except take walks through the scenic woods and hillsides. If you're not the outdoorsy type (and especially if you work from home), a reclusive life can be easy to fall into. With this song I intend to convey the strange dichotomy between the semi-natural beauty of Ashburn's ample wooded landscape and carefully maintained lawns, and the ever-present plasticity that permeates both the town and my necessarily internet-centric lifestyle. --- Track: '14121' Artists: @@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ Lyrics: |- wait<br>wait<br>wait<br>wait<br>wait<br>wait<br>wait<br>wai Commentary: |- <i>Corbin Pangilinan:</i> - Last year, my freshman year of college, I was put into a dorm that was across the street from the campus proper. The first few days of the semester came just fine, but the following weeks slowly fell into the same, everyday rut and I found my routine pretty quickly tiring. For me, the start of every day would be crossing that main street in the city, which had a walk signal, as most city street crossings tend to. I'd push the button, which would evoke a very sharp click (and honestly, it was pretty satisfying to push; the morning ennui pushed me to observe that) and then the walk sign would come on, very rhythmically, stating, “WAIT.” When it came time to cross, it always repeated, “WALK SIGN IS ON. WALK SIGN IS ON. WALK SIGN IS-” at which point it would abruptly cut off and begin counting. The total time for crossing came to about thirty seconds or so, and I'd put my head down and walk along with the other freshman or whoever came to that street corner to walk at that particular time. As the semester dragged on, I started to imagine songs in order to break up the monotony a little, to the point where I would be walking across the street completely absorbed in my thoughts until the beeping of the walk signal, awaiting its next input, would come in and I'd find myself across the street. North Walk/South Walk encompasses the feeling of that 30 second time period, and indeed, the essential spirit of my freshman year in Norfolk. + Last year, my freshman year of college, I was put into a dorm that was across the street from the campus proper. The first few days of the semester came just fine, but the following weeks slowly fell into the same, everyday rut and I found my routine pretty quickly tiring. For me, the start of every day would be crossing that main street in the city, which had a walk signal, as most city street crossings tend to. I'd push the button, which would evoke a very sharp click (and honestly, it was pretty satisfying to push; the morning ennui pushed me to observe that) and then the walk sign would come on, very rhythmically, stating, "WAIT." When it came time to cross, it always repeated, "WALK SIGN IS ON. WALK SIGN IS ON. WALK SIGN IS-" at which point it would abruptly cut off and begin counting. The total time for crossing came to about thirty seconds or so, and I'd put my head down and walk along with the other freshman or whoever came to that street corner to walk at that particular time. As the semester dragged on, I started to imagine songs in order to break up the monotony a little, to the point where I would be walking across the street completely absorbed in my thoughts until the beeping of the walk signal, awaiting its next input, would come in and I'd find myself across the street. North Walk/South Walk encompasses the feeling of that 30 second time period, and indeed, the essential spirit of my freshman year in Norfolk. --- Track: Loop 1 Artists: @@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ URLs: Lyrics: |- On noisy urban nights<br>A pulse beneath the skin<br>Lose sight of the evening sky The cold fluorescent lights<br>The bodies pressing in<br>Each page a new place to hide - A look that’s calling out<br>A draw to meet their eyes<br>So nervously turn aside + A look that's calling out<br>A draw to meet their eyes<br>So nervously turn aside A human connection?<br>Then head for the escape<br>The doors close the moment slips away On noisy urban nights<br>In scraps of poetry<br>All lost to the world outside --- diff --git a/album/skaias-the-limit.yaml b/album/skaias-the-limit.yaml index a9dc9bd3..b81dfb86 100644 --- a/album/skaias-the-limit.yaml +++ b/album/skaias-the-limit.yaml @@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ URLs: - https://sahcon.bandcamp.com/track/paradox-space Commentary: |- <i>Levc:</i> - Paradox Space, a term used a lot in the comic and for good reason. Tried to make something EPIC that could fit the concept of exploring it. Did I get it right? I don’t know… but tried to make something GRAND and so that get’s to a more, calm and beautiful part<br> + Paradox Space, a term used a lot in the comic and for good reason. Tried to make something EPIC that could fit the concept of exploring it. Did I get it right? I don't know... but tried to make something GRAND and so that get's to a more, calm and beautiful part<br> To represent every aspect of it in some shape or form. --- Track: Land of Brains and Fire @@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ URLs: - https://sahcon.bandcamp.com/track/land-of-brains-and-fire Commentary: |- <i>Astroblur:</i> - As far as I remember, the planet that Sollux was put on (in all of its weird, gross glory) had no actual song attributed to it. It makes sense, it’s only very briefly shown in the story and doesn’t show any sort of wider purpose, but I wanted to have a go anyway on a rendition of what I think a theme song for this area would be, in a hypothetical interactive flash game like the one where you play as John on LOWAS. + As far as I remember, the planet that Sollux was put on (in all of its weird, gross glory) had no actual song attributed to it. It makes sense, it's only very briefly shown in the story and doesn't show any sort of wider purpose, but I wanted to have a go anyway on a rendition of what I think a theme song for this area would be, in a hypothetical interactive flash game like the one where you play as John on LOWAS. --- Track: i once swore to put penumbra phantasm into every homestuck project i work on until toby releases it but honestly this is getting ridiculous Duration: '4:43' @@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:penumbra-phantasm Commentary: |- <i>FrostyMac:</i> - That is in fact an actual thing I did. I don’t know how long I’ll be able to keep it up but I haven’t failed yet. C’mon [[artist:toby-fox|Toby]], hurry it up! Make it the Champion battle theme in Pokémon: Scarlet/Violet or something. + That is in fact an actual thing I did. I don't know how long I'll be able to keep it up but I haven't failed yet. C'mon [[artist:toby-fox|Toby]], hurry it up! Make it the Champion battle theme in Pokémon: Scarlet/Violet or something. --- Track: RE:TCON Duration: '4:14' @@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ Lyrics: |- I'll change our fate and see you back in time Commentary: |- <i>Tee-vee:</i> - A song about the events post-GAME OVER, for the most part. I wasn't feeling too adventurous these days so I stayed with my default proggy-sounding-but-not-actually-that-complex rock style and the ideas came fairly easily. I’ve been listening a lot to Starrysky’s latest album recently so I’d say inspiration came mostly from that (hence the title lol), as well as acts like Periphery or Protest The Hero or Moron Police which are usual inspirations for me I guess. Also vocal production is still relatively new for me lol + A song about the events post-GAME OVER, for the most part. I wasn't feeling too adventurous these days so I stayed with my default proggy-sounding-but-not-actually-that-complex rock style and the ideas came fairly easily. I've been listening a lot to Starrysky's latest album recently so I'd say inspiration came mostly from that (hence the title lol), as well as acts like Periphery or Protest The Hero or Moron Police which are usual inspirations for me I guess. Also vocal production is still relatively new for me lol --- Track: solving puzzles is what i do. Duration: '1:20' @@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ URLs: - https://sahcon.bandcamp.com/track/hot-pink-denial Commentary: |- <i>articulatelyComposed:</i> - The biggest bop this side of the Iustita! Straight from the Friendsim 2 soundtrack into your ears, Hot Pink Denial is the theme of everyone’s favorite anxiety-stricken teal girlboss, Stelsa Sezyat! + The biggest bop this side of the Iustita! Straight from the Friendsim 2 soundtrack into your ears, Hot Pink Denial is the theme of everyone's favorite anxiety-stricken teal girlboss, Stelsa Sezyat! --- Track: A Pinch Duration: '3:04' @@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Final Spice Commentary: |- <i>YoItsCro:</i> - I don’t make music. I’m still learning. That said, I couldn’t get this particular battle theme from Hiveswap Act 1 out of my head, and decided to do something about it. + I don't make music. I'm still learning. That said, I couldn't get this particular battle theme from Hiveswap Act 1 out of my head, and decided to do something about it. --- Track: In the coldest rooms, I burn a picture of you for warmth Duration: '11:14' @@ -285,4 +285,4 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Ishmael:</i> (An overly emotional Vriska x Terezi song) - The last time Terezi and Vriska’s spent together before the world ended as scored by an emotional breakcore artist. + The last time Terezi and Vriska's spent together before the world ended as scored by an emotional breakcore artist. diff --git a/album/songs-from-the-planet-earth.yaml b/album/songs-from-the-planet-earth.yaml index 0b75a1d3..82f4edbc 100644 --- a/album/songs-from-the-planet-earth.yaml +++ b/album/songs-from-the-planet-earth.yaml @@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ Additional Files: - banner.png Commentary: |- <i>Circlejourney:</i> - Steven Universe’s music is expansive, diverse, and integral to its storytelling. With sweeping atmospheric background tracks, recognisable character motifs and showstopping vocals, music is a crucial part of many of the series’ most memorable moments. + Steven Universe's music is expansive, diverse, and integral to its storytelling. With sweeping atmospheric background tracks, recognisable character motifs and showstopping vocals, music is a crucial part of many of the series' most memorable moments. Needless to say, the show has inspired a wealth of fan music across the internet, from YouTube to SoundCloud, all produced in a stunning range of styles and subjects. @@ -46,63 +46,63 @@ Cover Artists: - Circlejourney Lyrics: |- And she said - Now you’re safe and sound + Now you're safe and sound The world is yours to make your own - Even if I’m not around + Even if I'm not around And he said - You’re making leaps and bounds - Yeah kiddo, you’re safe with me - Even though Mom’s not around + You're making leaps and bounds + Yeah kiddo, you're safe with me + Even though Mom's not around - But I’m just a boy + But I'm just a boy In this big old universe But am I bold enough? But am I growing up? - We’re way out of here, ooh - With the crystal gems, but nothing’s crystal clear - We’re way out of here, ooh - With the crystal gems, but nothing’s crystal clear + We're way out of here, ooh + With the crystal gems, but nothing's crystal clear + We're way out of here, ooh + With the crystal gems, but nothing's crystal clear - I’ve been to outer space + I've been to outer space Taken life at my own pace Tried to help the ones I love, but see My emotions govern me And my friends just want the best for me - I can’t explain my destiny + I can't explain my destiny But am I bold enough? Will I ever be old enough? - Well I guess that’s just growing up - Well I guess that’s just knowing love + Well I guess that's just growing up + Well I guess that's just knowing love That's knowing love, ooh Commentary: |- <i>Jordan Chin:</i> Q: Tell us a bit about yourself and your music. - I come from a musical family and have been drawn to musical instruments for as long as I can remember. After picking up piano, guitar, drums, and voice (at varying levels of success) I focused my creative energies on songwriting and composition. I’ve been working as a composer and sound designer for video games and film since then. + I come from a musical family and have been drawn to musical instruments for as long as I can remember. After picking up piano, guitar, drums, and voice (at varying levels of success) I focused my creative energies on songwriting and composition. I've been working as a composer and sound designer for video games and film since then. Q: Briefly describe the process of working on your track! - Usually I’ll start either behind a piano or a guitar and hash out the basic chord progressions I want to use. Nothing complicated, just block chords that inspire me enough to write a melody. I like to move onto drums next to get a sense of how those chords are then “felt.” Everything that follows that is a lovely process of trial and error with different instruments and harmonic lines. + Usually I'll start either behind a piano or a guitar and hash out the basic chord progressions I want to use. Nothing complicated, just block chords that inspire me enough to write a melody. I like to move onto drums next to get a sense of how those chords are then "felt." Everything that follows that is a lovely process of trial and error with different instruments and harmonic lines. - Q: What’s your favourite (official) Steven Universe song? + Q: What's your favourite (official) Steven Universe song? - It’s Over, Isn’t It. + It's Over, Isn't It. Q: What were your favourite moments in the show? - Every Lion episode and every Pearl revelation (especially A Single Pale Rose). I loved the slowly unfolding backstory, and the tragic history that the Crystal Gems tried to hide from Steven. Every time Lion had an episode, we learned more about that same backstory from Rose’s perspective. Those were always the most powerful moments for me. + Every Lion episode and every Pearl revelation (especially A Single Pale Rose). I loved the slowly unfolding backstory, and the tragic history that the Crystal Gems tried to hide from Steven. Every time Lion had an episode, we learned more about that same backstory from Rose's perspective. Those were always the most powerful moments for me. Q: Why did you decide to make a track about [coming of age]? - I think many people enjoy Steven Universe because they identify with the immense growth that his character goes through. He’s just a kid, but he deals with some heavy topics regarding love, purpose, and sacrifice. I wanted the lyrical narrative of my track to capture this moment in time right before he “grew up” (and grew a neck), and some of the doubts that he wrestled with along the way. It’s a process many of us deal with (or are dealing with), and in this way, Steven is almost a role model. + I think many people enjoy Steven Universe because they identify with the immense growth that his character goes through. He's just a kid, but he deals with some heavy topics regarding love, purpose, and sacrifice. I wanted the lyrical narrative of my track to capture this moment in time right before he "grew up" (and grew a neck), and some of the doubts that he wrestled with along the way. It's a process many of us deal with (or are dealing with), and in this way, Steven is almost a role model. - Q: What’s your favorite thing about the track you made? + Q: What's your favorite thing about the track you made? - I think maybe the way it navigates through different musical styles. I’ve never had an easy time editing my choices in instrumentation, but I realized that part of what I love about the original soundtrack is its diversity. There are jazz, chiptune, showtune, and trip-hop influences scattered throughout, and I thought it would be a challenge to do them all (and in under 3 minutes). In this particular case, it felt good not to have to start with any preconceptions about what genre the track needed to be. + I think maybe the way it navigates through different musical styles. I've never had an easy time editing my choices in instrumentation, but I realized that part of what I love about the original soundtrack is its diversity. There are jazz, chiptune, showtune, and trip-hop influences scattered throughout, and I thought it would be a challenge to do them all (and in under 3 minutes). In this particular case, it felt good not to have to start with any preconceptions about what genre the track needed to be. --- Track: Haven't You Noticed (I'm A Star) Directory: havent-you-noticed-im-a-star-planet-earth @@ -259,23 +259,23 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Helena Ruth:</i> Q: Tell us a bit about yourself and your music! - Hi! I live in Seattle, Washington and I make indie folk/rock music inspired by games, webcomics, anime, and cartoons. Particularly gay stuff. I used to run Chibi Chibi Con in Olympia and I wrote the song Fallen Back about Undertale, if that means anything to anyone! I’ve made music under this name for years, but am about to switch to releasing music under the name The Kingfisher. + Hi! I live in Seattle, Washington and I make indie folk/rock music inspired by games, webcomics, anime, and cartoons. Particularly gay stuff. I used to run Chibi Chibi Con in Olympia and I wrote the song Fallen Back about Undertale, if that means anything to anyone! I've made music under this name for years, but am about to switch to releasing music under the name The Kingfisher. Q: Describe the process of working on your songs. - [[artist:psithurist|Psithurist]] and I worked on this song for over a year! She did the amazing bass and guitar parts of the track. The hardest part was mixing it (when you already have everything recorded and just have to adjust the levels and panning/put effects/etc on the tracks). I spent several months on that. I don’t. Want. To think about it anymore. It kills me. + [[artist:psithurist|Psithurist]] and I worked on this song for over a year! She did the amazing bass and guitar parts of the track. The hardest part was mixing it (when you already have everything recorded and just have to adjust the levels and panning/put effects/etc on the tracks). I spent several months on that. I don't. Want. To think about it anymore. It kills me. - Q: Who’s your favourite Steven Universe character? + Q: Who's your favourite Steven Universe character? - My favorite character is Pearl! I’m predictable and I appreciate responsibility, what can I say? + My favorite character is Pearl! I'm predictable and I appreciate responsibility, what can I say? Q: Why did you decide to make a track about Lapis? - I desperately wanted to sing this song, but I thought it was “too short to sing” (whatever that means), plus Lapis was seriously pulling my heartstrings, so I took matters into my own hands. + I desperately wanted to sing this song, but I thought it was "too short to sing" (whatever that means), plus Lapis was seriously pulling my heartstrings, so I took matters into my own hands. - Q: What’s your favourite thing about the track you made? + Q: What's your favourite thing about the track you made? - It’s done! + It's done! --- Track: Oceanic Flight Artists: @@ -331,19 +331,19 @@ Lyrics: |- And no one can take me, make me, break me! Commentary: |- <i>Circlejourney:</i> - I have been working on this since May last year and I’m excited to finally be able to release it! I’ve always loved Lapis’ story (as you can tell) and I really wanted to do a rousing, high-energy musical tribute to her. Enjoy! + I have been working on this since May last year and I'm excited to finally be able to release it! I've always loved Lapis' story (as you can tell) and I really wanted to do a rousing, high-energy musical tribute to her. Enjoy! Q: Tell us a bit about yourself and your music! - I’m a hobbyist musician with a penchant for combining orchestral music with synths and instruments that should not be there. I enjoy spinning out nice tunes and harmonies and messing around with instruments until they sound right. I’m not a very methodical composer; I just make whatever sounds good to my ears and best evokes the feelings I’m trying for. And apparently, it works! + I'm a hobbyist musician with a penchant for combining orchestral music with synths and instruments that should not be there. I enjoy spinning out nice tunes and harmonies and messing around with instruments until they sound right. I'm not a very methodical composer; I just make whatever sounds good to my ears and best evokes the feelings I'm trying for. And apparently, it works! Q: Briefly describe the process of working on your track/illustration! - With Oceanic Flight, the whole song concept started with that big building chord right at the start. Then I wrote the lyric line, “free me, free me, free me!” I felt that the punchy melody really captured Lapis’ desperation and fear of being forgotten, but it was just as easily flipped into a determined declaration (“take me, make me, break me!”). The rest of the song was structured around building up towards those lines. + With Oceanic Flight, the whole song concept started with that big building chord right at the start. Then I wrote the lyric line, "free me, free me, free me!" I felt that the punchy melody really captured Lapis' desperation and fear of being forgotten, but it was just as easily flipped into a determined declaration ("take me, make me, break me!"). The rest of the song was structured around building up towards those lines. - Q: What’s your favourite thing about the track you made? + Q: What's your favourite thing about the track you made? - Oceanic Flight is a big storytelling track and it goes a lot of different places, compositionally and instrumentally. I’m glad it manages to sound coherent even so. + Oceanic Flight is a big storytelling track and it goes a lot of different places, compositionally and instrumentally. I'm glad it manages to sound coherent even so. --- Track: She's Gone Artists: @@ -382,11 +382,11 @@ Commentary: |- Q: What were your favourite moments in the show? - It’s valid to say that most peridot moments? if so that. + It's valid to say that most peridot moments? if so that. - Q: What’s your favourite song from the TV series? + Q: What's your favourite song from the TV series? - I think one of the easy songs to pick is “[[track:stronger-than-you|stronger than you]]”. i dont know, its the song that comes to me when i hear steven universe, mostly because it was the way i get to know the show. + I think one of the easy songs to pick is "[[track:stronger-than-you|stronger than you]]". i dont know, its the song that comes to me when i hear steven universe, mostly because it was the way i get to know the show. --- Track: WE ON THE MOON Artists: @@ -400,11 +400,11 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Feidlimid:</i> Q: Tell us a bit about yourself and your art! - I’ve studied studio art as a minor in college, but am mostly self-trained. I mostly work with pencil, charcoal, and ink in traditional mediums, or draw digitally. + I've studied studio art as a minor in college, but am mostly self-trained. I mostly work with pencil, charcoal, and ink in traditional mediums, or draw digitally. Q: Describe the process of working on your illustrations! - Steven Universe’s landscapes have such a unique, light feel to them - I started there for WE ON THE MOON, hoping to emulate that with the space landscape. Then came about twenty sketches of just the moon base’s shape, plotting the perspective and angle I wanted. Taking pretty much the single, front-on shot we get in the series of the moon base and imagining it in 3D space at an extreme angle was the most difficult part. I used a LOT of math, sketches, guidelines, basic shapes, and perspective tools to gradually build up the geometry of the base. Sometimes I had to remind myself that eyeballing the details, such as the door facade, was more efficient and sometimes more intuitive-looking than trying to reason out the math behind the perspective. I built out the geodesic dome with several transparent layers to render both the front and back. First came base colors, then curved outlines for the panels, and finally highlights. + Steven Universe's landscapes have such a unique, light feel to them - I started there for WE ON THE MOON, hoping to emulate that with the space landscape. Then came about twenty sketches of just the moon base's shape, plotting the perspective and angle I wanted. Taking pretty much the single, front-on shot we get in the series of the moon base and imagining it in 3D space at an extreme angle was the most difficult part. I used a LOT of math, sketches, guidelines, basic shapes, and perspective tools to gradually build up the geometry of the base. Sometimes I had to remind myself that eyeballing the details, such as the door facade, was more efficient and sometimes more intuitive-looking than trying to reason out the math behind the perspective. I built out the geodesic dome with several transparent layers to render both the front and back. First came base colors, then curved outlines for the panels, and finally highlights. --- Track: Guard Your Heart Artists: @@ -430,19 +430,19 @@ Commentary: |- <i>tunesofjasmine:</i> Q: Tell us a bit about yourself and your music! - I’m in my final year of university, where I study Journalism and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. I grew up learning Carnatic music (a classical music style from southern India), and listening to anything I could get my hands on. I began to study Western classical music when I moved to New England in 2009. This is also when I started singing in choirs, playing the piano and, later, teaching myself the ukulele. One thing led to another, and I started experimenting with songwriting and arrangement. I’m excited to keep learning and growing. + I'm in my final year of university, where I study Journalism and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. I grew up learning Carnatic music (a classical music style from southern India), and listening to anything I could get my hands on. I began to study Western classical music when I moved to New England in 2009. This is also when I started singing in choirs, playing the piano and, later, teaching myself the ukulele. One thing led to another, and I started experimenting with songwriting and arrangement. I'm excited to keep learning and growing. Q: Briefly describe the process of working on your track! - More than anything, this was a learning process for me! It was the first time I dipped my toes into producing something at this level; other stuff I’ve done has always just been recorded on my phone and then layered in Audacity. Having to figure out the ropes, so to speak, of music production, helped me grow - and I was excited to learn how to actually make some of the sounds that I loved hearing in music. I always had so many ideas but never knew how to actually make them happen. With this project, I got a taste of that. I learned more about both the tools needed for the task, as well as what my musical tendencies are. It was also super exciting to see everyone else’s work. The amount of talent! I was grateful to get feedback from the other contributors, because it made me think about things I never would have thought about otherwise. They inspired me so much, and made me feel comfortable enough to try things that were new for me. Besides, having a fresh set of ears is always helpful!(edited) + More than anything, this was a learning process for me! It was the first time I dipped my toes into producing something at this level; other stuff I've done has always just been recorded on my phone and then layered in Audacity. Having to figure out the ropes, so to speak, of music production, helped me grow - and I was excited to learn how to actually make some of the sounds that I loved hearing in music. I always had so many ideas but never knew how to actually make them happen. With this project, I got a taste of that. I learned more about both the tools needed for the task, as well as what my musical tendencies are. It was also super exciting to see everyone else's work. The amount of talent! I was grateful to get feedback from the other contributors, because it made me think about things I never would have thought about otherwise. They inspired me so much, and made me feel comfortable enough to try things that were new for me. Besides, having a fresh set of ears is always helpful!(edited) Q: Why did you decide to make a track about Garnet, Ruby, and Sapphire? Garnet is my favourite character on the show! She holds a lot of significance to me, as well as many other people. Plus, Ruby and Sapphire are just so precious. - Q: What’s your favourite thing about the track you made? + Q: What's your favourite thing about the track you made? - I loved playing with the synth sounds and figuring out where each component fit into the larger work (sort of like putting together a puzzle!). My favorite section is the second-to-last one, the little cover of “Waterfall Training Montage”. + I loved playing with the synth sounds and figuring out where each component fit into the larger work (sort of like putting together a puzzle!). My favorite section is the second-to-last one, the little cover of "Waterfall Training Montage". --- Track: In the Depths Artists: @@ -456,11 +456,11 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Rainy:</i> Q: Tell us more about yourself and your music! - I’m a 22 year old musician from the United States who hopes to one day make music for games and TV. I primarily make homestuck fanmusic with the Paradox Music Team, but I dabble in other fandoms as well. My music is a bit all over the place, but I do tend to write weird ambient stuff. + I'm a 22 year old musician from the United States who hopes to one day make music for games and TV. I primarily make homestuck fanmusic with the Paradox Music Team, but I dabble in other fandoms as well. My music is a bit all over the place, but I do tend to write weird ambient stuff. Q: Briefly talk about the process of creating your tracks. - Looking back In the Depths was probably my most ambitious song at the time I wrote it. I really wanted to capture to Malachite’s unstable nature and the internal tug of war between Lapis and Jasper. To do this I utilized a lot of instrumental contrast to represent to the two conflict halves. The more natural sound elements of the song are meant to represent lapis while the distorted synth and guitar are meant to represent jasper. While I definitely think the song suffers because the musical inexperience I had at the time, I’m still pretty proud of what I was able to do. Fun Fact: those ominous synth hits, were inspired by the opening notes of the main theme from Shin Megami Tensei IV. + Looking back In the Depths was probably my most ambitious song at the time I wrote it. I really wanted to capture to Malachite's unstable nature and the internal tug of war between Lapis and Jasper. To do this I utilized a lot of instrumental contrast to represent to the two conflict halves. The more natural sound elements of the song are meant to represent lapis while the distorted synth and guitar are meant to represent jasper. While I definitely think the song suffers because the musical inexperience I had at the time, I'm still pretty proud of what I was able to do. Fun Fact: those ominous synth hits, were inspired by the opening notes of the main theme from Shin Megami Tensei IV. --- Track: Peace and Love Artists: @@ -498,11 +498,11 @@ Commentary: |- Q: Briefly talk about the process of creating your tracks. - I wrote barn buddies for gems living at the barn. I wanted to capture that iconic old country feel. So I used stuff like acoustic guitar and violin to hammer that feeling home. I also combined it with some chiptune sounding synths to try and remain true to the sound of Steve Universe. This track also has a bit of interesting history, as this version y’all heard on the album is fairly new. I wrote the original version of this song around the same time as In the Depths and it had a lot more electric guitar. However, because of my lack of experience the original turned out pretty bad. Very little of original song remains but you can still hear bits of the original melody. It was super cool for CJ to let me come back and redo it and make a better version of the song. + I wrote barn buddies for gems living at the barn. I wanted to capture that iconic old country feel. So I used stuff like acoustic guitar and violin to hammer that feeling home. I also combined it with some chiptune sounding synths to try and remain true to the sound of Steve Universe. This track also has a bit of interesting history, as this version y'all heard on the album is fairly new. I wrote the original version of this song around the same time as In the Depths and it had a lot more electric guitar. However, because of my lack of experience the original turned out pretty bad. Very little of original song remains but you can still hear bits of the original melody. It was super cool for CJ to let me come back and redo it and make a better version of the song. - Q: What’s your favourite Steven Universe song? + Q: What's your favourite Steven Universe song? - My favorite song has got be [[Stronger Than You]]. The moment it plays in the show is probably the most cathartic experience I’ve ever seen on television + My favorite song has got be [[Stronger Than You]]. The moment it plays in the show is probably the most cathartic experience I've ever seen on television Q: And what were your favourite moment(s) in the show? @@ -521,29 +521,29 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Catboss:</i> Q: Tell us about yourself and your music! - I make covers of video game music! I’d like to say “I make music inspired by video games”, but that’s simultaneously not 100% true, and I haven’t done anything original in ages (there’s stuff in the works, though). Perhaps in a more general sense, I’ll just say I make music inspired by whatever happens to inspire me, and a lot of that (but certainly not all!) is video game music, and right now a lot of it is covers. I think that’s accurate! + I make covers of video game music! I'd like to say "I make music inspired by video games", but that's simultaneously not 100% true, and I haven't done anything original in ages (there's stuff in the works, though). Perhaps in a more general sense, I'll just say I make music inspired by whatever happens to inspire me, and a lot of that (but certainly not all!) is video game music, and right now a lot of it is covers. I think that's accurate! - I try to draw my influences from various places - I’m inspired by Japanese composers in video gamesand anime (Nobuo Uematsu being a big one, Yoko Shimomura, Yuki Kajiura, more recently Keiichi Okabe), more contemporary indie composers (Lena Raine, Chipzel, Austin Wintory, and of course Aivi and Surasshu), and electronic pop acts (Caravan Palace and Porter Robinson, to name a few). I’d like to shoot for something that kind of mashes all of these things together, which is some combination of ambient/ethereal, melodic, jazz/orchestral, pop, uh, a sprinkling of other stuff? + I try to draw my influences from various places - I'm inspired by Japanese composers in video gamesand anime (Nobuo Uematsu being a big one, Yoko Shimomura, Yuki Kajiura, more recently Keiichi Okabe), more contemporary indie composers (Lena Raine, Chipzel, Austin Wintory, and of course Aivi and Surasshu), and electronic pop acts (Caravan Palace and Porter Robinson, to name a few). I'd like to shoot for something that kind of mashes all of these things together, which is some combination of ambient/ethereal, melodic, jazz/orchestral, pop, uh, a sprinkling of other stuff? - I like to straddle genre lines is what I’m saying. Or try to, anyway. + I like to straddle genre lines is what I'm saying. Or try to, anyway. - Currently most of my music gets released either on Bandcamp or Youtube, either on my own (links below!) or as part of Materia Collective’s community albums (see: https://www.materiacollective.com/). Materia Collective is, by the way, a collective of musicians passionate about video game music and the covering of them. We’re cool!! You should… check it out…? + Currently most of my music gets released either on Bandcamp or Youtube, either on my own (links below!) or as part of Materia Collective's community albums (see: https://www.materiacollective.com/). Materia Collective is, by the way, a collective of musicians passionate about video game music and the covering of them. We're cool!! You should... check it out...? Q: Briefly describe the process of working on your track. - So actually I was doing something else (a medley of SU songs) but it wasn’t progressing very well, and then 2 days before the deadline I was like “screw this, I’m making something else”, so I started a blank REAPER project and went, ok, who from the show do I like the most? + So actually I was doing something else (a medley of SU songs) but it wasn't progressing very well, and then 2 days before the deadline I was like "screw this, I'm making something else", so I started a blank REAPER project and went, ok, who from the show do I like the most? The answer is Pearl. - So I swiped a couple motifs - from “Do It For Her”, “It’s Over, Isn’t It” and the memories in “A Single Pale Rose” - and built something on top of it. The vibe of the song is largely inspired by Keiichi Okabe’s “City Ruins” from NieR: Automata. I like that song probably more than is healthy. + So I swiped a couple motifs - from "Do It For Her", "It's Over, Isn't It" and the memories in "A Single Pale Rose" - and built something on top of it. The vibe of the song is largely inspired by Keiichi Okabe's "City Ruins" from NieR: Automata. I like that song probably more than is healthy. - Threw it together in 6 hours and slid it in and somehow didn’t get yelled at. + Threw it together in 6 hours and slid it in and somehow didn't get yelled at. - Q: What’s your favourite (official) Steven Universe song? + Q: What's your favourite (official) Steven Universe song? [[Stronger Than You]]. Is good. - Q: What’s your favourite thing about the track you made? + Q: What's your favourite thing about the track you made? I like taking little motifs and stringing them out and combining them with other motifs. Have fun spotting them! --- @@ -562,34 +562,34 @@ Commentary: |- Q: Briefly describe the process of working on your track/illustration! - I really only composed on What Once Was. It was an experiment with instrument sounds, but I found it hard to continue. So I put the unfinished track in the server, and I don’t remember how it happened but Grace stepped in and offered to finish it, and I thought her style would fit my vision for it perfectly. She overhauled the instruments, produced it to realise the sound I was going for, and bam, we had some album-worthy material! + I really only composed on What Once Was. It was an experiment with instrument sounds, but I found it hard to continue. So I put the unfinished track in the server, and I don't remember how it happened but Grace stepped in and offered to finish it, and I thought her style would fit my vision for it perfectly. She overhauled the instruments, produced it to realise the sound I was going for, and bam, we had some album-worthy material! - Q: What’s your favourite Steven Universe song? + Q: What's your favourite Steven Universe song? - Oh, this is tough, but I’m gonna say [[track:peace-and-love-on-the-planet-earth|Peace and Love (On Planet Earth)]]! It captures a peaceful but critical moment between life-threatening conflicts. It casually juxtaposes life and death, peace and war, without making a big deal about the drama of it all. It’s just Peridot learning about Earth with Steven, and coming to a gradual realisation that it’s worth protecting. For a song that marks such a transformative moment, it’s very subdued, and I love it for that. + Oh, this is tough, but I'm gonna say [[track:peace-and-love-on-the-planet-earth|Peace and Love (On Planet Earth)]]! It captures a peaceful but critical moment between life-threatening conflicts. It casually juxtaposes life and death, peace and war, without making a big deal about the drama of it all. It's just Peridot learning about Earth with Steven, and coming to a gradual realisation that it's worth protecting. For a song that marks such a transformative moment, it's very subdued, and I love it for that. <i>Josefin B.:</i> Q: Tell us a bit about yourself and your art/music! - Not much to tell! I’m a hobbyist who likes projects like this, because it gives me an incentive to actually finish my art, haha! I’ve been working full time for almost three years but I recently got into university, so hopefully now I’ll have the time to do more art. + Not much to tell! I'm a hobbyist who likes projects like this, because it gives me an incentive to actually finish my art, haha! I've been working full time for almost three years but I recently got into university, so hopefully now I'll have the time to do more art. Q: Briefly describe the process of working on your track/illustration! - The Murals [editor’s note: since retitled to What Once Was] track art was trickier, and I actually spent two weeks trying to make another concept work. But the night before deadline I realized I had to scrap it and start over. So I went more stylized, more dynamic and interesting to look at. I actually love the end result and I’m glad I started over. + The Murals [editor's note: since retitled to What Once Was] track art was trickier, and I actually spent two weeks trying to make another concept work. But the night before deadline I realized I had to scrap it and start over. So I went more stylized, more dynamic and interesting to look at. I actually love the end result and I'm glad I started over. Q: What were your favourite moments in the show? - When Steven travels into Pearl’s gem and sees Rose kill Pink, only for Rose to look up with Pearl’s eyes. It was such a good payoff for the entire mystery and at least to me it was super impactful. Truly a feeling of a final puzzle piece falling into place. + When Steven travels into Pearl's gem and sees Rose kill Pink, only for Rose to look up with Pearl's eyes. It was such a good payoff for the entire mystery and at least to me it was super impactful. Truly a feeling of a final puzzle piece falling into place. - Other than that I really love when Blue was fighting the crystal gems. She’s my favourite character and I was thrilled with the screen time, haha. + Other than that I really love when Blue was fighting the crystal gems. She's my favourite character and I was thrilled with the screen time, haha. - Q: What’s your favourite thing about the illustration you made? + Q: What's your favourite thing about the illustration you made? - For Murals, the fact that it’s not the idea I originally had, haha. I really like Pink’s pose and I think the starry sky behind the black silhuette of her palanquin looks really pretty. + For Murals, the fact that it's not the idea I originally had, haha. I really like Pink's pose and I think the starry sky behind the black silhuette of her palanquin looks really pretty. Q: What do you like most about [the character(s)/location(s) that you drew]? - For Pink, I like the Utena-ish aesthethic. She’s just a fun character. For the locations, all I can say is that I think they look cool, haha! + For Pink, I like the Utena-ish aesthethic. She's just a fun character. For the locations, all I can say is that I think they look cool, haha! --- Track: What's The Use of Feeling Blue Cover Artists: @@ -610,47 +610,47 @@ Lyrics: |- Why would you want to be here? What do you ever see here? - That doesn’t make you feel worse than you do - And tell me, what’s the use of feeling Blue? + That doesn't make you feel worse than you do + And tell me, what's the use of feeling Blue? Why would you want to employ her Subjects that destroyed her? Why keep up her silly zoo? - Oh tell me, what’s the use of feeling Blue? + Oh tell me, what's the use of feeling Blue? An army has a use, they can go and fight a war - A Sapphire has a use, she can tell you what it’s for + A Sapphire has a use, she can tell you what it's for An Agate terrifies, a Lapis terraforms - Where’s their diamond when they need her Blue? - You’ve got to be a leader Blue + Where's their diamond when they need her Blue? + You've got to be a leader Blue Yes of course, we still love her - And we’re always thinking of her - But now there’s nothing we can do, so tell me - What’s the use of feeling Blue? + And we're always thinking of her + But now there's nothing we can do, so tell me + What's the use of feeling Blue? (I want my cluster and I want that planet to die. Just make that happen.) Oh, how can you stand to be here with it all? (Here with it all?) Drowning in all this regret? (Yes, my Diamond) - Wouldn’t you rather forget her? + Wouldn't you rather forget her? Ohh - Oh, won’t it be grand to get rid of it all? (Rid of it all?) - Let’s make a plan of attack (Diamond) + Oh, won't it be grand to get rid of it all? (Rid of it all?) + Let's make a plan of attack (Diamond) Start looking forward and stop looking back! Ah hah hah hah Yes of course, we still love her - And we’re always thinking of her + And we're always thinking of her Don't you know I miss her too? But tell me - What’s the use of feeling? (Starlight) - What’s the use of feeling? (Starlight) - What’s the use of feeling? + What's the use of feeling? (Starlight) + What's the use of feeling? (Starlight) + What's the use of feeling? (Hello, starlight. You certainly gave everyone a scare. We're all just thrilled to see you back here safe and sound.) (I haven't even able to breathe with you three telling me what to do all the time!) (Why can't you just let me grieve for once in my life? You have always stopped me!) - What’s the use of feeling? + What's the use of feeling? What's the use of feeling? What's the use of feeling? What's the use of feeling? @@ -662,27 +662,27 @@ Lyrics: |- I could even learn how to love like you Commentary: |- <i>Vance Duche:</i> - Q: Why did you decide to make a cover of “[[track:whats-the-use-of-feeling-blue|What’s the Use of Feeling (Blue)?]]” + Q: Why did you decide to make a cover of "[[track:whats-the-use-of-feeling-blue|What's the Use of Feeling (Blue)?]]" - this song instantly became my favorite the second i heard it. just listening to patti lupone sing this makes my heart ache! yellow diamond is an interesting, complex character, so i figured i’d play with her sorrow for pink’s death through this song. + this song instantly became my favorite the second i heard it. just listening to patti lupone sing this makes my heart ache! yellow diamond is an interesting, complex character, so i figured i'd play with her sorrow for pink's death through this song. - Q: What’s your favourite thing about your song? + Q: What's your favourite thing about your song? - fun fact about the beginning of this cover: when blue (or i guess myself lol) says, “why can’t you just let me grieve?”, that was actually me crying. things just sort of lined up for it to happen, so i quickly grabbed my microphone and said the line! it became a little detail that i was proud of. + fun fact about the beginning of this cover: when blue (or i guess myself lol) says, "why can't you just let me grieve?", that was actually me crying. things just sort of lined up for it to happen, so i quickly grabbed my microphone and said the line! it became a little detail that i was proud of. <i>Josefin B.:</i> Q: Briefly describe the process of working on your track/illustration! - The first one with Blue Diamond was easy, I had the concept thought out from the start and simply incorporated a few more ideas along the way, like the flowers (tansy for Yellow, meaning “war”, and a single lily for White, meaning “purity”). + The first one with Blue Diamond was easy, I had the concept thought out from the start and simply incorporated a few more ideas along the way, like the flowers (tansy for Yellow, meaning "war", and a single lily for White, meaning "purity"). - Q: What’s your favourite (official) Steven Universe song? + Q: What's your favourite (official) Steven Universe song? - [[track:whats-the-use-of-feeling-blue|What’s the Use of Feeling Blue]], I’m a sucker for villain songs. And I will forever mourn the fact that White changed her mind before she could get one. + [[track:whats-the-use-of-feeling-blue|What's the Use of Feeling Blue]], I'm a sucker for villain songs. And I will forever mourn the fact that White changed her mind before she could get one. - Q: What’s your favourite thing about the illustration you made? + Q: What's your favourite thing about the illustration you made? - For What’s the Use of Feeling Blue, her face and the writing on the wall. I try to show some personality through faces, and I actually think I nailed it here; she looks just like I wanted her to. And for the writing, it’s the most complex background I’ve ever made and I honestly think it turned out great! + For What's the Use of Feeling Blue, her face and the writing on the wall. I try to show some personality through faces, and I actually think I nailed it here; she looks just like I wanted her to. And for the writing, it's the most complex background I've ever made and I honestly think it turned out great! Q: What do you like most about [the character(s)/location(s) that you drew]? @@ -734,7 +734,7 @@ Cover Artists: Lyrics: |- Who ever loved a not-good-enough I never cared for ordinary - There’s no special treatment for decency + There's no special treatment for decency Why be second best when you can be Legendary @@ -742,82 +742,82 @@ Lyrics: |- No star in all of space Can outshine me - I’m absolutely pedigree - It’s no wonder what you see in me - I’m pure, I’m brilliant - I’m blinding + I'm absolutely pedigree + It's no wonder what you see in me + I'm pure, I'm brilliant + I'm blinding - Let’s throw a ball so you can bask in my glory + Let's throw a ball so you can bask in my glory And shatter any gem that fails to adore me - You’ll have to fall in line if you want to bow before me - And oh, did I mention it’s positively mandatory? + You'll have to fall in line if you want to bow before me + And oh, did I mention it's positively mandatory? Not a shard out of place No star in all of space Can outshine me - I’m absolutely pedigree - It’s no wonder what you see in me - I’m pure, I’m brilliant - I’m blinding + I'm absolutely pedigree + It's no wonder what you see in me + I'm pure, I'm brilliant + I'm blinding My every whim is your highest priority - It’s why I’m on top of the Diamond Authority - I didn’t get here through favors or seniority + It's why I'm on top of the Diamond Authority + I didn't get here through favors or seniority Simply by eradicating every last deformity Not a shard out of place No star in all of space Can outshine me - I’m absolutely pedigree - It’s no wonder what you see in me - I’m pure, I’m brilliant - I’m blinding + I'm absolutely pedigree + It's no wonder what you see in me + I'm pure, I'm brilliant + I'm blinding Prepare to be impressed - You’re standing before the best + You're standing before the best Why settle for less, when you can be Perfect, when you can be Perfect, when you can be Perfect - I’m perfect + I'm perfect Commentary: |- <i>Mercy Rose:</i> Q: Tell us a bit about yourself and your music. - Yo! I’m Mercy Rose! I’ve been writing for a decade, but “I’m Perfect” is my first release in almost four years. I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of this project! I have another single in the works from the perspective of an ex that really forced me to question my own intentions. It’s called “wHAT i wANT.” If you like “I’m Perfect,” I hope you’ll give it a chance! + Yo! I'm Mercy Rose! I've been writing for a decade, but "I'm Perfect" is my first release in almost four years. I couldn't be more excited to be a part of this project! I have another single in the works from the perspective of an ex that really forced me to question my own intentions. It's called "wHAT i wANT." If you like "I'm Perfect," I hope you'll give it a chance! Q: Briefly describe the process of working on your track! It all starts with the lyrics for me. They come as naturally as breathing. From there the melody and meter flowed. I started with the orchestra and piano as the main instruments because I wanted the track to have a very dignified sound. White Diamond is a classy gem, so the lyrics have that undeniable Broadway vibe. Underlying everything is just a bit of distortion and dissonance to symbolize how even the most perfect cut of diamond has its faults. - Q: What’s your favourite (official) Steven Universe song? + Q: What's your favourite (official) Steven Universe song? - I WAS FINE // WITH THE MEN // WHO WOULD COME INTO HER LIFE NOW AND AGAIN… + I WAS FINE // WITH THE MEN // WHO WOULD COME INTO HER LIFE NOW AND AGAIN... - I cry every single time I listen to It’s “Over Isn’t It.” Pearl’s story and sense of identity are all too real to me. She’s absolutely one of my biggest role models. + I cry every single time I listen to It's "Over Isn't It." Pearl's story and sense of identity are all too real to me. She's absolutely one of my biggest role models. Q: What were your favourite moments in the show? - Watching Pearl grow beyond the pain of losing the woman she thought she’d spend her life with hit painfully close to home. I recently lost the love of my life. Moving past it feels impossible. Pearl’s journey is such a reality to me. She’s my solid ground. + Watching Pearl grow beyond the pain of losing the woman she thought she'd spend her life with hit painfully close to home. I recently lost the love of my life. Moving past it feels impossible. Pearl's journey is such a reality to me. She's my solid ground. Q: Why did you decide to make a track about White Diamond? - White Diamond is the perfect example of an overbearing, controlling parent. It was too tempting to explore the psychology of that Mother-knows- best mentality that’s all too familiar to me. + White Diamond is the perfect example of an overbearing, controlling parent. It was too tempting to explore the psychology of that Mother-knows- best mentality that's all too familiar to me. - Q: What’s your favourite thing about the track you made? + Q: What's your favourite thing about the track you made? - I love how White Diamond’s twisted perception was met with a deceptively bright track. The nature of what she’s saying betrays your instincts. I had a lot of fun exposing this concept. + I love how White Diamond's twisted perception was met with a deceptively bright track. The nature of what she's saying betrays your instincts. I had a lot of fun exposing this concept. <i>Feidlimid:</i> - Q: What’s your favourite thing about your illustration and the character you drew? + Q: What's your favourite thing about your illustration and the character you drew? - I think I like how the simplicity of White Diamond can be so imposing. That character design is brilliant. On one hand, you could see a beautiful and comforting figure, but something about the starkness and the angle and the perfection itself is off-putting. And there’s something about the “static” in the background when she’s portrayed in the show (and in my piece) where it really hammers home that there is no “emptiness” around her, as though that negative space is really “white” noise + I think I like how the simplicity of White Diamond can be so imposing. That character design is brilliant. On one hand, you could see a beautiful and comforting figure, but something about the starkness and the angle and the perfection itself is off-putting. And there's something about the "static" in the background when she's portrayed in the show (and in my piece) where it really hammers home that there is no "emptiness" around her, as though that negative space is really "white" noise Q: So, what are your favourite moments in the show? - In general, I love Connie being the butt-kicking, sword-swinging heroine she is. She’s smart, determined, and fierce, and I’ve seen a lot of myself in her. So those moments where she trains with Pearl and finds her own unique way of partnering with Steven delight me. + In general, I love Connie being the butt-kicking, sword-swinging heroine she is. She's smart, determined, and fierce, and I've seen a lot of myself in her. So those moments where she trains with Pearl and finds her own unique way of partnering with Steven delight me. --- Track: Alone (Drift Away remix) Artists: @@ -851,13 +851,13 @@ Commentary: |- The idea of Home was to capture that feeling of lying on the beach with your friends, looking up at the stars, and feeling free. Free of responsibilities and the pressures of the world, if only for a while. The soft ocean noises help to paint the picture, and the chords rise and fall in interesting ways to capture those moments we feel in life, and the triumphs of a job well done. - Q: What’s your favourite Steven Universe song? + Q: What's your favourite Steven Universe song? - It’s really hard to decide since there are so many good ones. I think Here Comes A Thought is such an evocative message that it’s impossible to go past it, but I love [[Stronger Than You]] and Giant Woman a lot too. For just backing music, I love Amalgam, Obsidian and the music that plays in Serious Steven when he’s going through all the traps. + It's really hard to decide since there are so many good ones. I think Here Comes A Thought is such an evocative message that it's impossible to go past it, but I love [[Stronger Than You]] and Giant Woman a lot too. For just backing music, I love Amalgam, Obsidian and the music that plays in Serious Steven when he's going through all the traps. - Q: What’s your favourite thing about the track you made? + Q: What's your favourite thing about the track you made? - There are some really interesting chord changes I enjoyed experimenting with, and to be honest, I liked the simplicity of working on it, since I’m a pretty busy guy! + There are some really interesting chord changes I enjoyed experimenting with, and to be honest, I liked the simplicity of working on it, since I'm a pretty busy guy! --- Track: Beach City (People of This World) Artists: diff --git a/album/songs-unsung.yaml b/album/songs-unsung.yaml index fceccb15..b82c9396 100644 --- a/album/songs-unsung.yaml +++ b/album/songs-unsung.yaml @@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ Groups: Commentary: <i>Tensei:</i> - I’m releasing an EP containing some of the stuff that I’ve posted before, including among others the 5 minute ‘epic’ metal rearrangement of [[track:heir-conditioning|Heir Conditioning]]. + I'm releasing an EP containing some of the stuff that I've posted before, including among others the 5 minute 'epic' metal rearrangement of [[track:heir-conditioning|Heir Conditioning]]. --- Track: Before the Rains Come Duration: '1:44' diff --git a/album/squiddles.yaml b/album/squiddles.yaml index 1c8a65a5..f06653c6 100644 --- a/album/squiddles.yaml +++ b/album/squiddles.yaml @@ -305,26 +305,26 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Solatrus:</i> <i>(original commentary)</i> Haha, oh man. - My vocal debut, and what is it? Me mocking the music kids shows. It’s an adorable song, though. - Okay, so this one actually has a bit of history, quite a long time before Homestuck. I’ve been at this music thing for over 9 years after all. + My vocal debut, and what is it? Me mocking the music kids shows. It's an adorable song, though. + Okay, so this one actually has a bit of history, quite a long time before Homestuck. I've been at this music thing for over 9 years after all. Originally I was interested in writing a sort of uplifting and mellow hip hop song, and the first thing I did was make an organ synth with a swung version of one of the melodies you hear in Squiddles in Paradise. I was actually working with AndrewNeo (him again!) on the song. Of course, that never panned out, but when I finally felt like I should contribute to the Squiddles album (I was among the last to actually start something) all those years later, I remembered that melody. - And then Alex told me the whole hip hop feel, even though it was pretty relaxing, just wasn’t gonna work. So I reworked it into a pretty cheesy and stereotypical reggae song and just stopped caring altogether about how it sounded. I mean, come on, it’s a freaking parody album! - Eventually Alex recorded some Squiddle vocals for it because I thought it’d be hilarious, and he sang (badly out of tune on purpose) the chorus. I thought it was brilliant and promptly wrote a full set of lyrics. + And then Alex told me the whole hip hop feel, even though it was pretty relaxing, just wasn't gonna work. So I reworked it into a pretty cheesy and stereotypical reggae song and just stopped caring altogether about how it sounded. I mean, come on, it's a freaking parody album! + Eventually Alex recorded some Squiddle vocals for it because I thought it'd be hilarious, and he sang (badly out of tune on purpose) the chorus. I thought it was brilliant and promptly wrote a full set of lyrics. TLDR, the chorus to Squiddles in Paradise was actually made up by Alex Rosetti basically on accident, and the song was originally some hip hop song I did over half a decade ago. <i>(commentary redux)</i> Well, what do you know, my vocal debut? - This song has a remarkably old history to it, elements of it dating back to 2005, not too long after I started using FL Studio. Originally this was a sort of uplifting hip-hop song that I did in collaboration with AndrewNeo, but the song was never finished. I’d share the song with you, but unfortunately I don’t have the plugins I used because back then I didn’t care as much about pirating VSTs and the like. - Anyway, while this song is chronologically my second official Homestuck song, it’s also the second song I wrote after joining the team. The first song I wrote after joining will be discussed next time. Hehe. + This song has a remarkably old history to it, elements of it dating back to 2005, not too long after I started using FL Studio. Originally this was a sort of uplifting hip-hop song that I did in collaboration with AndrewNeo, but the song was never finished. I'd share the song with you, but unfortunately I don't have the plugins I used because back then I didn't care as much about pirating VSTs and the like. + Anyway, while this song is chronologically my second official Homestuck song, it's also the second song I wrote after joining the team. The first song I wrote after joining will be discussed next time. Hehe. Nonetheless, do have a little snippet of what I did with that hip-hop song when the Squiddles album was starting up, which is not too different from the original, aside from a more interesting beat and bassline. (<a href="http://www.solatrus.com/static/music/misc/Squiddlesofsomesort.mp3">dead link</a>) - I sent it over to Alex Rosetti, but we ended up agreeing that going with the hip-hop style. Even though it was a pretty relaxing song, it wasn’t going to be a good fit for what Alex had in mind for the album. + I sent it over to Alex Rosetti, but we ended up agreeing that going with the hip-hop style. Even though it was a pretty relaxing song, it wasn't going to be a good fit for what Alex had in mind for the album. Thus, I scrapped it and started to work on other songs before coming back to it almost a month later. It hit me one day that I should try rewriting the song in a really ridiculous, cheesy, and cliche reggae style, and completely not care. So I did. - I again sent this to Alex and he really liked it, and he quickly recorded some Squiddles very horribly singing what eventually became the chorus. I thought it was brilliant and was immediately inspired to write lyrics for the entire song, which really helped flesh out everything. It also let me use Radiation’s hilarious Skipper Plumbthroat voice briefly, though that went uncredited in the song, hah! - And after some work, I arrived to the final song that’s on the Squiddles album. + I again sent this to Alex and he really liked it, and he quickly recorded some Squiddles very horribly singing what eventually became the chorus. I thought it was brilliant and was immediately inspired to write lyrics for the entire song, which really helped flesh out everything. It also let me use Radiation's hilarious Skipper Plumbthroat voice briefly, though that went uncredited in the song, hah! + And after some work, I arrived to the final song that's on the Squiddles album. <b>Other Thoughts</b> Michael Bowman once mentioned that Squiddles in Paradise is one of the few songs on the album that really balances the act between a legitimate song and a downright silly song. I was pretty flattered when both said this and when he recommended this song, among others from the album, to a fan. - I actually have to agree with Bowman after looking back at it almost two years later. Despite how little effort I feel that I put into this song, it was a really fun and silly song to write… about kid-friendly horrorterrors… in paradise. + I actually have to agree with Bowman after looking back at it almost two years later. Despite how little effort I feel that I put into this song, it was a really fun and silly song to write... about kid-friendly horrorterrors... in paradise. --- Track: Squiddidle! Artists: @@ -347,15 +347,15 @@ Lyrics: |- I'll row, row, row me boat<br>Collect that valuable prize<br>I need the stuff to stay afloat<br>'Tis the apple of me eyes This ink that I do seek<br>Comes from little Squiddles<br>They swim around and squeak<br>And are full of Squiddle giggles My fishing nets will grab<br>A tentacle or two<br>And maybe afterwards<br>I'll have some Squiddle Stew! - Row, row, row me boat<br>An' throw out all o' me nets<br>Those squids won't know what hit 'em<br>‘Til they're payin' off me debts + Row, row, row me boat<br>An' throw out all o' me nets<br>Those squids won't know what hit 'em<br>'Til they're payin' off me debts (Yes... if I... if I ever can pay off me debts, I mean, I... I still have to pay for... school. My... I mean... just- never mind, never mind! Just, well...) Sometimes I have to ask meself<br>Skipper, where's your life led ya?<br>You dropped right out of law school<br>To sell rutabagas (I need a tangle buddy.) My poor business flopped<br>I was penniless once more<br>So land for sea I swapped<br>And left my native shore Strugglin' to stay afloat<br>But it's all right, I guess<br>Just as long as I can gloat<br>An' sail an' fish an' Aggress (Aggress. I love aggressin'. Yar, har. Ah-har. Yar-har!) - I've come far, that's for sure<br>Nanna Plumbthroat would be proud (Yes, she would.)<br>I've no time to be demure<br>‘Cause I'm scary as a storm cloud (Or scarier!) + I've come far, that's for sure<br>Nanna Plumbthroat would be proud (Yes, she would.)<br>I've no time to be demure<br>'Cause I'm scary as a storm cloud (Or scarier!) Yar-har<br>The fishin' life's for me<br>I love me job, I love me life<br>Catching Squiddles of the sea! - (Yar-har-har. I’ll get those little Squiddles yet. If I can... if I can just get enough money, and... maybe overcome my crippling depression. But... but I have friends, I have a crew! They... they like me and, but... well... I mean...) + (Yar-har-har. I'll get those little Squiddles yet. If I can... if I can just get enough money, and... maybe overcome my crippling depression. But... but I have friends, I have a crew! They... they like me and, but... well... I mean...) --- Track: Plumbthroat Gives Chase Artists: @@ -368,12 +368,12 @@ URLs: Referenced Tracks: - Catchyegrabber (Skipper Plumbthroat's Song) Lyrics: |- - (This might not fit my... rude alter ego, but I really love drinking tea and eating broccoli. But don’t tell anyone!) + (This might not fit my... rude alter ego, but I really love drinking tea and eating broccoli. But don't tell anyone!) (Yar-har, time for some Squiddle Stew!)<br>(Come here, Squiddles! Little Squiddles! Ha, ha, har!) - (Come back here, you Squiddles!)<br>(I’ll show you tangle buddles! I’ll show you tangle... hoo-)<br>(Darn those Squiddles, come back with my pants!) + (Come back here, you Squiddles!)<br>(I'll show you tangle buddles! I'll show you tangle... hoo-)<br>(Darn those Squiddles, come back with my pants!) (Darn those Squiddles, where are my pants?)<br>(I am embarrassed that you Squiddles have had to see my naked body.) - (I’ll get you yet, you Squiddles!)<br>(Well, EXCUSE me, Squiddles!)<br>(Squiddles! Curse you, Squiddles!)<br>(You have yet to see the power of the Catchyegrabber!) - (I wish I had a job! I wish I wasn’t such a- [unintelligible] this! [unintelligible] Skipper Plumbthroat!) + (I'll get you yet, you Squiddles!)<br>(Well, EXCUSE me, Squiddles!)<br>(Squiddles! Curse you, Squiddles!)<br>(You have yet to see the power of the Catchyegrabber!) + (I wish I had a job! I wish I wasn't such a- [unintelligible] this! [unintelligible] Skipper Plumbthroat!) --- Track: Squiddles the Movie Trailer - The Day the Unicorns Couldn't Play Artists: @@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Squiddles! Lyrics: |- (But... but where are the unicorns today, Mommy? Where are the unicorns?) - (Someday, when I’m older, I’ll— I’ll find Santa Claus. He’ll bring the unicorns back, won’t he Mommy? Mommy? Where are you, Mommy? Are you with the unicorns?) + (Someday, when I'm older, I'll— I'll find Santa Claus. He'll bring the unicorns back, won't he Mommy? Mommy? Where are you, Mommy? Are you with the unicorns?) (NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!) --- Track: Carefree Princess Berryboo @@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ Lyrics: |- So let them go to sleep (So let them sleep) - (‘Cause they will die if they don't get to sleep) Let them go to sleep + ('Cause they will die if they don't get to sleep) Let them go to sleep (Plumbthroat has a thing for killing insomniac jellyfish) Tangle Buddies, Tangle Buddies, Tangle Buddies, Tangle Buddies, Tangle Buddies, Tangle Buddies (It's not a pretty sight) Oh, the Tangle Buddies in the Tangle Buddies going out to sea (Let's go to Brineswallow) diff --git a/album/strife.yaml b/album/strife.yaml index c55ca820..d31348bb 100644 --- a/album/strife.yaml +++ b/album/strife.yaml @@ -109,20 +109,20 @@ MIDI Project Files: - 'Time on My Side - Purple1222119.mid' Commentary: |- <i>Tensei:</i> - With the Strife album, I deliberately left a lot of the background to the songs very ambiguous. There are no direct, obvious references as to what song corresponds to which character, though there are quite a few indications: each song uses an instrument that is typically associated with one of the kids in a pretty prominent way: whether it’s the piano lead in Heir Conditioning, the solo violin in Dance of Thorns, the bass and flute (shakuhachi, actually) in Atomic Bonsai, and of course the sampled beats and scratches in Time on my Side. I suppose the titles count as somewhat vague references to the characters as well. - With that said, I’m still not going to explicitly say “This song is actually a strife theme for Dave” or something like that. If Andrew chooses to interpret it as a good backdrop for a fight between Dirk and Jake, I am totally fine with that. Hell, I can totally see it working (And in fact it DID work, since the flash turned out pretty damn awesome) - I always felt like this song was a bit of the odd man out on the album. While I definitely think Dance of Thorns and Atomic Bonsai were awesome in their own right, they also feel a lot more ‘conventional’ compared to this song. + With the Strife album, I deliberately left a lot of the background to the songs very ambiguous. There are no direct, obvious references as to what song corresponds to which character, though there are quite a few indications: each song uses an instrument that is typically associated with one of the kids in a pretty prominent way: whether it's the piano lead in Heir Conditioning, the solo violin in Dance of Thorns, the bass and flute (shakuhachi, actually) in Atomic Bonsai, and of course the sampled beats and scratches in Time on my Side. I suppose the titles count as somewhat vague references to the characters as well. + With that said, I'm still not going to explicitly say "This song is actually a strife theme for Dave" or something like that. If Andrew chooses to interpret it as a good backdrop for a fight between Dirk and Jake, I am totally fine with that. Hell, I can totally see it working (And in fact it DID work, since the flash turned out pretty damn awesome) + I always felt like this song was a bit of the odd man out on the album. While I definitely think Dance of Thorns and Atomic Bonsai were awesome in their own right, they also feel a lot more 'conventional' compared to this song. In a lot of ways, this song is actually very minimalistic. The droning bassline and guitar chugs stay on the same chord for almost a full minute while the buildup is mostly done through sound effects and overlayed orchestral sounds. IMO, this results in giving the :53 point, where the chords finally start switching up, a much bigger impact (though the full Beatdown motif coming in probably helps too). Something similar happens at 2:04 where after 30 seconds of the Black motif remaining on the same chord again, you get another switch, and everything just sounds huuuuuuge. - Appropriately to the title, this song has a lot of weird time-shit going on. Disc scratching in and of itself can actually be treated as a nice metaphor for time manipulation (the comic itself definitely makes grateful use of it), so it’s no wonder that it’s almost omnipresent here. - By far the neatest thing, in my opinion, is 2:35 though. The effect you hear there is actually the ENTIRE SONG up until that point, played in reverse, and sped up so it fits in a couple of seconds. The idea is literally that it ‘scratches’ and resets the song, much in the same way as happens to the entire universe in the comic, so it can lay down a wicked wah-guitar solo over the ‘scratched’ version of the song. + Appropriately to the title, this song has a lot of weird time-shit going on. Disc scratching in and of itself can actually be treated as a nice metaphor for time manipulation (the comic itself definitely makes grateful use of it), so it's no wonder that it's almost omnipresent here. + By far the neatest thing, in my opinion, is 2:35 though. The effect you hear there is actually the ENTIRE SONG up until that point, played in reverse, and sped up so it fits in a couple of seconds. The idea is literally that it 'scratches' and resets the song, much in the same way as happens to the entire universe in the comic, so it can lay down a wicked wah-guitar solo over the 'scratched' version of the song. So yes, this song travels back in time in order to make itself awesomer. Joking aside, this song, like most other ones I make, does also have some sneaky hidden references. The guitar riff at 3:18, for example, is cribbed pretty much note for note from the Metallica song Master of Puppets (maybe this is a Dirk song after all?). The background strings at :37 have a very similar ascending chromatic pattern the intro to the James Bond theme. The high staccato strings at 1:50 are supposed to be reminiscent of the theme from Psycho, or really every slasher flick ever. (Black is associated with Jack Noir, Jack Noir likes to show people his stabs, etc.) - The original inspiration for this song probably comes from the least likely source imaginable. It’s not The Prodigy or Goldeneye 64 music, but actually the original score to the movie Space Jam. You probably don’t even know or remember it, but a lot of the songs have a very distinct looped hiphop beat, guitars, and orchestral stabs all over the place, much like a large portion of this song. + The original inspiration for this song probably comes from the least likely source imaginable. It's not The Prodigy or Goldeneye 64 music, but actually the original score to the movie Space Jam. You probably don't even know or remember it, but a lot of the songs have a very distinct looped hiphop beat, guitars, and orchestral stabs all over the place, much like a large portion of this song. Seriously, listen to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBenCP-51Qw">this</a> from about 0:50 onward and you should hear the resemblance. - That aside, obviously stuff from The Prodigy’s Fat of the Land album bears some resemblance as well, especially with the cheesy bassline. I know that a few Prodigy songs have been used in the otherwise kinda shitty Charlie’s Angels movies whenever shit was about to go down, and that’s really the kind of vibe I was going for as well. + That aside, obviously stuff from The Prodigy's Fat of the Land album bears some resemblance as well, especially with the cheesy bassline. I know that a few Prodigy songs have been used in the otherwise kinda shitty Charlie's Angels movies whenever shit was about to go down, and that's really the kind of vibe I was going for as well. --- Track: Atomic Bonsai Art Tags: diff --git a/album/the-baby-is-you.yaml b/album/the-baby-is-you.yaml index d0ee4fa6..fc583258 100644 --- a/album/the-baby-is-you.yaml +++ b/album/the-baby-is-you.yaml @@ -64,28 +64,50 @@ URLs: - https://youtu.be/BtCsf7tFBIQ Referenced Tracks: - Throguh Song -Lyrics: "I was sittin' around, in the middle of the night\nAll bored with nothin'\ - \ to do\nI called up a friend, he put some stuff in my end\nI taught him a hundred\ - \ different ways to screw (Oh Dave!)\nI conksunked his boots, touched his imigrants\n\ - The chips had just started to fall\nNow after that night, I was given a fright\n\ - A babytummy shaped like a ball \n<big>Damn John!</big>\n\nI'm havin' a baby\ - \ and the baby is you!\nI'd birth my best friend it's true! (Oh no!)\nI'm havin'\ - \ a baby and the baby is you!\nKoalababies up the avenue!\nI'm havin' a baby and\ - \ the baby is you!\nMy ovaries are out the wazoo! (Oh no!)\nI'm havin' a baby\ - \ and the baby is you!\nYou're gonna come out my hoohoo\n\n(JOHN: But how is that\ - \ possible?\nDAVE: I don't know, such is the magic of Skaia! He entered all of\ - \ my... seven gates.\nJOHN: Ohh, ohhh...\nDAVE: He touched me John.\nJOHN: Meow\n\ - DAVE: He prototyped my Medium.\nJOHN: Ohh...\nDAVE: And now my kernelsprite is...\ - \ rich with data... and now.... YOU'RE THE BABYYYYY!\nJOHN: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO\n\ - DAVE: OPEN WIIIIDE\nJOHN: OOOOOO—\nWha- what the fuck FL Studio? [laughter])\n\nYou're\ - \ havin' a baby and the baby is you! (You're havin' a baby and the baby is me!)\n\ - I'd birth my best friend it's true!\nI'm havin' a baby and the baby is you! (You're\ - \ havin' a baby and the baby is me!)\nKoalababies up the avenue!\nI'm havin' a\ - \ baby and the baby is you! (Havin' a baby and the baby is me!)\nMy ovaries are\ - \ out the wazoo!\nI'm havin' a baby and the baby wears shoes!\nBabies, babies,\ - \ babies, babies, babies, babies, babies, babies, babies, babies, babies, babies\ - \ [Babeatboxing]\nWahoo!\n\n(oooOOOooo, police sirens, police sirens, oooOOOooo,\ - \ oooOOOooo...)" +Lyrics: |- + I was sittin' around, in the middle of the night + All bored with nothin' to do + I called up a friend, he put some stuff in my end + I taught him a hundred different ways to screw (Oh Dave!) + I conksunked his boots, touched his imigrants + The chips had just started to fall + Now after that night, I was given a fright + A babytummy shaped like a ball + <big>Damn John!</big> + + I'm havin' a baby and the baby is you! + I'd birth my best friend it's true! (Oh no!) + I'm havin' a baby and the baby is you! + Koalababies up the avenue! + I'm havin' a baby and the baby is you! + My ovaries are out the wazoo! (Oh no!) + I'm havin' a baby and the baby is you! + You're gonna come out my hoohoo + + (JOHN: But how is that possible? + DAVE: I don't know, such is the magic of Skaia! He entered all of my... seven gates. + JOHN: Ohh, ohhh... + DAVE: He touched me John. + JOHN: Meow + DAVE: He prototyped my Medium. + JOHN: Ohh... + DAVE: And now my kernelsprite is... rich with data... and now.... YOU'RE THE BABYYYYY! + JOHN: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO + DAVE: OPEN WIIIIDE + JOHN: OOOOOO— + Wha- what the fuck FL Studio? [laughter]) + + You're havin' a baby and the baby is you! (You're havin' a baby and the baby is me!) + I'd birth my best friend it's true! + I'm havin' a baby and the baby is you! (You're havin' a baby and the baby is me!) + Koalababies up the avenue! + I'm havin' a baby and the baby is you! (Havin' a baby and the baby is me!) + My ovaries are out the wazoo! + I'm havin' a baby and the baby wears shoes! + Babies, babies, babies, babies, babies, babies, babies, babies, babies, babies, babies, babies [Babeatboxing] + Wahoo! + + (oooOOOooo, police sirens, police sirens, oooOOOooo, oooOOOooo...) --- Track: bootes Duration: '1:47' diff --git a/album/the-felt.yaml b/album/the-felt.yaml index b9c925b1..38cb6e5b 100644 --- a/album/the-felt.yaml +++ b/album/the-felt.yaml @@ -62,28 +62,28 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Solatrus:</i> <i>(original commentary)</i> Ah, yes, Swing of the Clock. One of my better songs. Also the first song I wrote after joining the team! - If you didn’t know, Swing of the Clock was heavily inspired off of both Clark Powell’s Three in the Morning and various Philip Glass musical compositions. It was my first attempt at doing something with a lot of orchestral instruments, though definitely far from my best orchestral composition. - In retrospect, it’s a bit of a boring song with its chord progression, but I’d be damned if I didn’t say something about the shift from Philip Glass style clarinets to swung synth rock. I was very proud of that contrast. - Also a lesser known fact: It was actually considered for a flash animation, in a similar vein to Alex Rosetti’s Squiddles song. But, due to the difficulties in organizing a full song animation, especially one that was twice as long as Squiddles, it was just impossible to do realistically. + If you didn't know, Swing of the Clock was heavily inspired off of both Clark Powell's Three in the Morning and various Philip Glass musical compositions. It was my first attempt at doing something with a lot of orchestral instruments, though definitely far from my best orchestral composition. + In retrospect, it's a bit of a boring song with its chord progression, but I'd be damned if I didn't say something about the shift from Philip Glass style clarinets to swung synth rock. I was very proud of that contrast. + Also a lesser known fact: It was actually considered for a flash animation, in a similar vein to Alex Rosetti's Squiddles song. But, due to the difficulties in organizing a full song animation, especially one that was twice as long as Squiddles, it was just impossible to do realistically. <i>(commentary redux)</i> - Ah, this song. The memories. Not really any pre-song history so I’ll just get right into how it was created and why I took this song in this direction. - Swing of the Clock, henceforth shortened to SotC (not to be confused with Shadow of the Colossus! It’s just a hilarious coincidence) was the first song I started writing after joining the team. Multiple fake band albums were in progress (The Felt and Squiddles), but at the time I had no idea how to even approach Squiddles (see last week’s post ([[Squiddles in Paradise]]) for details). - So, I decided I’d try to do something orchestral. I went with a few ideas, but for some reason I kept wanting to write a song with a swing feel in it, though that’s more Midnight Crew than Felt, yet at the same time I wanted to do something that was clearly Philip Glass influenced. The small scraps I started before finally settling on a starting point (none of them were saved, sorry!) all shared two major common pieces: a ticking clock, and an arpeggio piano inspired off of Clark Powell’s Three in the Morning. - Both are still in the song, though amusingly many people didn’t notice the piano. It’s there. In reverse. :D + Ah, this song. The memories. Not really any pre-song history so I'll just get right into how it was created and why I took this song in this direction. + Swing of the Clock, henceforth shortened to SotC (not to be confused with Shadow of the Colossus! It's just a hilarious coincidence) was the first song I started writing after joining the team. Multiple fake band albums were in progress (The Felt and Squiddles), but at the time I had no idea how to even approach Squiddles (see last week's post ([[Squiddles in Paradise]]) for details). + So, I decided I'd try to do something orchestral. I went with a few ideas, but for some reason I kept wanting to write a song with a swing feel in it, though that's more Midnight Crew than Felt, yet at the same time I wanted to do something that was clearly Philip Glass influenced. The small scraps I started before finally settling on a starting point (none of them were saved, sorry!) all shared two major common pieces: a ticking clock, and an arpeggio piano inspired off of Clark Powell's Three in the Morning. + Both are still in the song, though amusingly many people didn't notice the piano. It's there. In reverse. :D While I was messing around with the early ideas for SotC, I managed to create a nice sounding bass synth, but I ended up replacing the sound with a couple of clarinets to keep the focus on orchestral instruments instead. - I knew early on I wanted to write a song with a very slow progression, very gradual and subtle shifts between sections. However, I wasn’t entirely sure how to approach it until Beatfox [Seth Peelle] made a suggestion on the forums about mastering and production as a whole. Before this song I tended to have a bad habit of improperly using compressors and limiters, though I definitely knew better than to use FL Studio’s stock setting for the Fruity Limiter. (Not saying the Limiter is bad, it’s just really horrible in what the default project template gives you.) - While SotC isn’t the first song I put a significant amount of effort into controlling the mix, it was the first I really managed to succeed in understanding what I was doing in that area of production. + I knew early on I wanted to write a song with a very slow progression, very gradual and subtle shifts between sections. However, I wasn't entirely sure how to approach it until Beatfox [Seth Peelle] made a suggestion on the forums about mastering and production as a whole. Before this song I tended to have a bad habit of improperly using compressors and limiters, though I definitely knew better than to use FL Studio's stock setting for the Fruity Limiter. (Not saying the Limiter is bad, it's just really horrible in what the default project template gives you.) + While SotC isn't the first song I put a significant amount of effort into controlling the mix, it was the first I really managed to succeed in understanding what I was doing in that area of production. I ended up automating everything in the song, and I realized how much easier it was to fulfill my original idea plus improve on my overall production. Sadly, the song was still very much on the loud side compared to the rest of the album, so there were some problems with how it was mastered in the end. - Going back on track with the swing feel I originally intended… As you can tell, the song is in a 6/8 time signature. It’s one of my favorites. It’s not a true swing, but it was close enough to get where I wanted. + Going back on track with the swing feel I originally intended... As you can tell, the song is in a 6/8 time signature. It's one of my favorites. It's not a true swing, but it was close enough to get where I wanted. A true swing is lazy 6/8. Sort of. - Anyway, so while the first third of the song is pretty strictly 6/8, the drum beat comes in that’s definitely swing influenced. And during that section, there’s the tuba part. Well! That originally was actually a stand up bass part, but there’s really no way to mimic a stand up bass with sample libraries, so I experimented with a bunch of sounds until I settled on the tuba. + Anyway, so while the first third of the song is pretty strictly 6/8, the drum beat comes in that's definitely swing influenced. And during that section, there's the tuba part. Well! That originally was actually a stand up bass part, but there's really no way to mimic a stand up bass with sample libraries, so I experimented with a bunch of sounds until I settled on the tuba. It was passable, but only after I shifted it to actually play slightly early. The attack was so slow. It was a little frustrating. After that, as you know, it goes into the heavier synth rock section. Oh, hey, remember that bassline I said I scrapped in favor of the clarinets? There it is. Back in its glory. The fun big moment, and then the song fades away. - Still one of my best songs in the Homestuck canon. I felt like I had set a new standard far higher than I’d ever be able to reach, but being on the team has pushed me further than I ever expected. + Still one of my best songs in the Homestuck canon. I felt like I had set a new standard far higher than I'd ever be able to reach, but being on the team has pushed me further than I ever expected. <b>Now For Some Trivia!</b> - Swing of the Clock was the second to last of a very long stretch of original songs I did in the key of F minor. It’s my favorite key to write music in, but I’ve barely touched it since Chartreuse Rewind. (Which is next week..! Er.. I guess this week, since I was late on this. Oops.) Why? Well, too much of a good thing is a bad thing. - Secondly, Lexxy really dug this song and it made me flip the fuck out when I found out she liked it, because she’s an amazing person! + Swing of the Clock was the second to last of a very long stretch of original songs I did in the key of F minor. It's my favorite key to write music in, but I've barely touched it since Chartreuse Rewind. (Which is next week..! Er.. I guess this week, since I was late on this. Oops.) Why? Well, too much of a good thing is a bad thing. + Secondly, Lexxy really dug this song and it made me flip the fuck out when I found out she liked it, because she's an amazing person! --- Track: Rhapsody in Green Artists: @@ -143,19 +143,19 @@ Sheet Music Files: Commentary: |- <i>Solatrus:</i> <i>(original commentary)</i> - I was honest to God surprised that Chartreuse Rewind made the cut for the Felt. It’s not nearly as strong of a song as Swing of the Clock, but it still has its interesting moments. - Originally it was a song called Ascension that I was writing outside of Homestuck. Amusingly, it was inspired off of the work from the Felt, but it was a little too electronic to really fit the album’s overall atmosphere. + I was honest to God surprised that Chartreuse Rewind made the cut for the Felt. It's not nearly as strong of a song as Swing of the Clock, but it still has its interesting moments. + Originally it was a song called Ascension that I was writing outside of Homestuck. Amusingly, it was inspired off of the work from the Felt, but it was a little too electronic to really fit the album's overall atmosphere. Long story short, I remixed Ascension into Charteuse Rewind and, out of hilarity, Ascension itself was scrapped. So, the remix of one of my songs survived and the original did not. <i>(commentary redux)</i> To start off, I did not expect this song to make it on to The Felt. - Why? Well, it’s not nearly as good as Swing of the Clock. I didn’t think I deserved two songs on the album (versus other pieces that didn’t make it), but nonetheless, that’s what happened. + Why? Well, it's not nearly as good as Swing of the Clock. I didn't think I deserved two songs on the album (versus other pieces that didn't make it), but nonetheless, that's what happened. So, where did this song start? Well, it started as inspiration off of The Felt but also from my interest in drum and bass music. Yeah. This song sounded very different at one point. As in, in my head, as a concept. I never actually did make the version I originally set out to create, instead I made something that kind of sounded like the final version, except a bit more focused on the electronic stuff (e.g. the second half of the official release). - This song’s name came out of a subtitle I was using, because this was the remix, not the original. The original was called Ascension, but it ended up getting scrapped. The other peeps on the team started to reference this song as Chartreuse Rewind alone instead of Ascension (Chartreuse Rewind), and the name stuck. - What else… oh, I really love bass clarinet. Before I met Marcy Nabors [she] told me she really liked to play the bass clarinet part. And she actually has played the part for me. Not like it’s difficult. - All of my work repeated itself way too friggin’ much back then. + This song's name came out of a subtitle I was using, because this was the remix, not the original. The original was called Ascension, but it ended up getting scrapped. The other peeps on the team started to reference this song as Chartreuse Rewind alone instead of Ascension (Chartreuse Rewind), and the name stuck. + What else... oh, I really love bass clarinet. Before I met Marcy Nabors [she] told me she really liked to play the bass clarinet part. And she actually has played the part for me. Not like it's difficult. + All of my work repeated itself way too friggin' much back then. There are pieces here and there that are in reverse, yet forward in the chord progression (the xylo, for example, though it ends up flipping turnways in wibbly wobbly time near the end). - Is it a bad song? Oh, no. I’ve made worse. Far worse. But it isn’t particularly an amazing song, to me, anyway. I guess a lot of you liked it, though, and that’s all that matters. :D + Is it a bad song? Oh, no. I've made worse. Far worse. But it isn't particularly an amazing song, to me, anyway. I guess a lot of you liked it, though, and that's all that matters. :D --- Track: The Broken Clock Artists: @@ -287,9 +287,9 @@ Sheet Music Files: - 'Time Paradox - Thomas Ferkol (piano score).pdf' Commentary: |- <i>Thomas Ferkol:</i> - This was the first piece I submitted for an album once I got on the team. Basically what happened was: I am visiting somewhere in Chicago with only my phone’s connection to the internet, check the MSPA forums and find a message notification waiting for me. Radiation congratulates me on getting on the team. After some moments of sputtering disbelief, I read on. He says if I want to get started on something, the Squiddles was being finished up and the Felt was on the table. So, for the next couple hours I was invigorated, consumed wholly during the car ride and time in the hotel before I finally fell asleep with working on a track for the Felt. Time Paradox was made. + This was the first piece I submitted for an album once I got on the team. Basically what happened was: I am visiting somewhere in Chicago with only my phone's connection to the internet, check the MSPA forums and find a message notification waiting for me. Radiation congratulates me on getting on the team. After some moments of sputtering disbelief, I read on. He says if I want to get started on something, the Squiddles was being finished up and the Felt was on the table. So, for the next couple hours I was invigorated, consumed wholly during the car ride and time in the hotel before I finally fell asleep with working on a track for the Felt. Time Paradox was made. Originally, I made it imagining the recruitment of the Felt, picturing Doc Scratch warping across time and space, assembling the green goons from who knows where, and then witnessing the construction of the Felt manor. - It’s a fun track, more energetic than a lot of things I had worked on and definitely influenced by Radiation’s style. The last two sections are still some of my favorite phrases that I’ve written. + It's a fun track, more energetic than a lot of things I had worked on and definitely influenced by Radiation's style. The last two sections are still some of my favorite phrases that I've written. --- Track: Eldritch Artists: diff --git a/album/the-raddest.yaml b/album/the-raddest.yaml index 9cfd1d02..feadb86a 100644 --- a/album/the-raddest.yaml +++ b/album/the-raddest.yaml @@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ Wallpaper Artists: - Dan Miller Commentary: |- <i>Mark J. Hadley:</i> - I finally got around to making a remix of the theme song I wrote for the webcomic “<a href="https://www.bgreco.net/kidradd/">Kid Radd</a>” over 15 years ago. + I finally got around to making a remix of the theme song I wrote for the webcomic "<a href="https://www.bgreco.net/kidradd/">Kid Radd</a>" over 15 years ago. --- Track: The Raddest Duration: '3:56' diff --git a/album/the-wanderers.yaml b/album/the-wanderers.yaml index 1a6c1454..00e412b0 100644 --- a/album/the-wanderers.yaml +++ b/album/the-wanderers.yaml @@ -105,12 +105,12 @@ Referenced Tracks: Commentary: |- <i>Solatrus:</i> That was an episode of shenanigans with me and Mr. Nick Smalley. - We’re both huge Majora’s Mask fans (obviously we were inspired from Stone Tower Temple), and we think Wayward Vagabond is rad, so we wanted to make a walkabout inspired theme for him. - That’s really about it. + We're both huge Majora's Mask fans (obviously we were inspired from Stone Tower Temple), and we think Wayward Vagabond is rad, so we wanted to make a walkabout inspired theme for him. + That's really about it. Lots of time shifting shenanigans, too, especially on the drums and the digeridoo. - And Nick’s chiptunes went through some crazy filtering after I got my Oxygen 88 MIDI controller. + And Nick's chiptunes went through some crazy filtering after I got my Oxygen 88 MIDI controller. <i>Nick Smalley:</i> - Take one night goofing off with Jeremy; add FamiTracker, Jeremy’s newfound love for Grossbeat, and Majora’s Mask, and you pretty much have Gilded Sands. + Take one night goofing off with Jeremy; add FamiTracker, Jeremy's newfound love for Grossbeat, and Majora's Mask, and you pretty much have Gilded Sands. Seriously. --- Track: Years in the Future @@ -153,14 +153,14 @@ Lyrics: |- MAY-MAY-MAY-MAY-MAY-MAY-MAY-MAY-YR-YR-YR-YR-YR-YR-YR-YR MAYOMAYOMAYOMAYOYUMEYUMEYUMEYUME<br>MAY-MAY-MAY-MAY-MAY-MAY-MAY-MAY-YR-YR-YR-YR-YR-YR-YR-YR MAYOMAYOMAYOMAYOYUMEYUMEYUMEYUME<br>MAY-MAY-MAY-MAY-MAY-MAY-MAY-MAY-YR-YR-YR-YR-YR-YR-YR-YR MAYOMAYOMAYOMAYOYUMEYUMEYUMEYUME<br>MAY-MAY-MAY-MAY-MAY-MAY-MAY-MAY-YR-YR-YR-YR-YR-YR-YR-YR MAYOMAYOMAYOMAYOYUMEYUMEYUMEYUME MAY YER MAY YERMAY MAYER MAY YR-YR-Y-Y<br>MAYER MAYER MAYERMAYMAYYERMAY MAYMAYYERMAY YER YER~<br>MAY-MAY-YER-MAY MEH-MEH-YR-ME MAY-MAY-YER-MAY M-M-MAY-YER-MAY<br>MAYOMAYOMAYOMAYOMAYOMAYOMAYOMAYO YER-MAY-YER-MAY YERRRRRRRRRRR~ YER. MAY, YER, MAY YER.<br>MAY, YER, MAY YERRRRR~! - (mail, mail, mail)<br>M, M, M, M HERE’S THE MAIL IT NEVER FAILS (behbehbehbeh)<br>HERE’S THE MAIL IT NEVER FAILS (behbehbehbeh???)<br>KEATON KEATON MAIL IT NEVER FAIL??? (behbeh)<br>MAIL MAIL MAIL IT WAGS MY TAIL - HERE’S THE MAIL IT NEVER FAILS,<br>IT MAKES ME WA-AN-NA WAG MY TAIL tail<br>WWWANNA WWWAG MY MAIL MAIL mmMMMMmmm<br>MAKES ME WANNA WAG MY TAIL. - HERE’S THE MAIL IT NEVER FAILS<br>(mail mail mail mail mail mail mail mail)<br>HERE’S THE MAIL IT NEVER FAILS<br>(mail mail mail mail mail mail mail mail)<br>HERE’S THE MAIL IT NEVER FAILS<br>(mail mail mail mail mail mail mail mail)<br>HERE’S THE MAIL IT NEVER FAILailailails..!<br>(mail mail mail mail mail mail mail mail) - HERE THE MAIL, IT NEVER EVER FAILS (behbehbehbeh)<br>(mail mail mail mail mail mail mail mail)<br>HERE’S THE MAIL, IT NEVER EH-EVER FAILS (BOO BEH)<br>(mail mail mail mail mail mail mail mail)<br>MAIL MAYMAY MAIL MAY MAIL MAYMAYMAYMAYMAYMHMHMAY<br>(mail mail mail mail mail mail mail mail)<br>HEEHEE NENEV-R FAILSVERFAILSFA MAFAHEFAILS MAIL~ MAIL + (mail, mail, mail)<br>M, M, M, M HERE'S THE MAIL IT NEVER FAILS (behbehbehbeh)<br>HERE'S THE MAIL IT NEVER FAILS (behbehbehbeh???)<br>KEATON KEATON MAIL IT NEVER FAIL??? (behbeh)<br>MAIL MAIL MAIL IT WAGS MY TAIL + HERE'S THE MAIL IT NEVER FAILS,<br>IT MAKES ME WA-AN-NA WAG MY TAIL tail<br>WWWANNA WWWAG MY MAIL MAIL mmMMMMmmm<br>MAKES ME WANNA WAG MY TAIL. + HERE'S THE MAIL IT NEVER FAILS<br>(mail mail mail mail mail mail mail mail)<br>HERE'S THE MAIL IT NEVER FAILS<br>(mail mail mail mail mail mail mail mail)<br>HERE'S THE MAIL IT NEVER FAILS<br>(mail mail mail mail mail mail mail mail)<br>HERE'S THE MAIL IT NEVER FAILailailails..!<br>(mail mail mail mail mail mail mail mail) + HERE THE MAIL, IT NEVER EVER FAILS (behbehbehbeh)<br>(mail mail mail mail mail mail mail mail)<br>HERE'S THE MAIL, IT NEVER EH-EVER FAILS (BOO BEH)<br>(mail mail mail mail mail mail mail mail)<br>MAIL MAYMAY MAIL MAY MAIL MAYMAYMAYMAYMAYMHMHMAY<br>(mail mail mail mail mail mail mail mail)<br>HEEHEE NENEV-R FAILSVERFAILSFA MAFAHEFAILS MAIL~ MAIL HE THE MAY THEMAY MAYMAY-MAY-MAY<br>HE THE MAY THEMAY MAYMAY-MAY-MAY<br>m-m-MAIL-m-m-MAIL-m-m-MAIL-m-m-MAIL-MAY m-m-m-m-MAY m-m-MAIL m-m-MAY-MAIL HE THE MAY THEMAY MAYMAY-MAY-MAY<br>HE THE MAY THEMAY MAYMAY-MAY-MAY<br>I AM THE LAW (mail mail mail mail mail mail mail mail) MAY YER MAY YER MAYER MAY MAYER MAY<br>MAY YER MAY YER MAY YERMAY YER MAYER<br>MAY YER MAY YER MAYER MAY MAYER MAY<br>MAY YER MAY YER MAY YERMAYYERR~ - HERE’S THE MAIL IT NEVER FAILS<br>(MAY YER MAY YERMAY MAYER MAY YR-YR-Y-Y)<br>IT MAKES ME WA-AN-NA wwwWAG MY TAIL tail<br>(MAYER MAYER MAYERMAYMAYYERMAY MAYMAYYERMAY YER YER~)<br>HERE’S THE MAIL, IT NEVER EVER FAILS (boo)<br>(MAY-MAY-YER-MAY MEH-MEH-YR-ME MAY-MAY-YER-MAY M-M-MAY-YER-MAY)<br>it MAKES ME WA-AN-N-N-N-NA W-WAG MY TAIL-TAIL-TATA-T-T<br>(MAYOMAYOMAYOMAYOMAYOMAYOMAYOMAYO YER-MAY-YER-MAY YERRRRRRRRRRR~) + HERE'S THE MAIL IT NEVER FAILS<br>(MAY YER MAY YERMAY MAYER MAY YR-YR-Y-Y)<br>IT MAKES ME WA-AN-NA wwwWAG MY TAIL tail<br>(MAYER MAYER MAYERMAYMAYYERMAY MAYMAYYERMAY YER YER~)<br>HERE'S THE MAIL, IT NEVER EVER FAILS (boo)<br>(MAY-MAY-YER-MAY MEH-MEH-YR-ME MAY-MAY-YER-MAY M-M-MAY-YER-MAY)<br>it MAKES ME WA-AN-N-N-N-NA W-WAG MY TAIL-TAIL-TATA-T-T<br>(MAYOMAYOMAYOMAYOMAYOMAYOMAYOMAYO YER-MAY-YER-MAY YERRRRRRRRRRR~) YER. MAY, YER, MAY YER. (TAIL. MAIL, MAIL, MAY TAIL.)<br>MAY, YER, MAY YERRRRR~! (MAIL, MAIL, MAY MAILLLL~.) --- Track: We Walk @@ -181,8 +181,8 @@ Art Tags: - Ruined Earth Commentary: |- <i>Steve Everson:</i> - My most recent contribution to Homestuck’s music, and another of my favourites. This piece is actually pretty old, going back to before Volume 5, where it was much simpler (playing out more like a round) and with poorer sound quality in general. Like most of my music it was inspired by a similar piece from somewhere else - in this case, the original Bionicle flash adventure game that used to be on the Lego website way back. If you’ve played it, you might notice the similarity, at least as far as instrumentation goes. It had been many years since I’d last even seen the game, long after it fell off the site, so I couldn’t recognise what I liked about the piece and so the imitation I’d made was pretty poor! - Fast forward a year or two. Some discussion with internet friends had led me to find that old flash game again, and I heard my old favourite tune in all its glory (significantly less glorious than I remembered; nostalgia does that to you). Still, it showed me the main place I was going wrong, which was that I’d neglected harmony. All of the three or four lines of music that piece had were monophonic, making a really drab sound, while what I needed where chords. A stupid mistake? Sure, it was, but then, I wasn’t that good a musician when I first wrote the piece. I started over, applying all the experience I’d got both from writing music and simply listening to it with a critical ear to get my main contribution to the Wanderers album, and something I could be proud of. + My most recent contribution to Homestuck's music, and another of my favourites. This piece is actually pretty old, going back to before Volume 5, where it was much simpler (playing out more like a round) and with poorer sound quality in general. Like most of my music it was inspired by a similar piece from somewhere else - in this case, the original Bionicle flash adventure game that used to be on the Lego website way back. If you've played it, you might notice the similarity, at least as far as instrumentation goes. It had been many years since I'd last even seen the game, long after it fell off the site, so I couldn't recognise what I liked about the piece and so the imitation I'd made was pretty poor! + Fast forward a year or two. Some discussion with internet friends had led me to find that old flash game again, and I heard my old favourite tune in all its glory (significantly less glorious than I remembered; nostalgia does that to you). Still, it showed me the main place I was going wrong, which was that I'd neglected harmony. All of the three or four lines of music that piece had were monophonic, making a really drab sound, while what I needed where chords. A stupid mistake? Sure, it was, but then, I wasn't that good a musician when I first wrote the piece. I started over, applying all the experience I'd got both from writing music and simply listening to it with a critical ear to get my main contribution to the Wanderers album, and something I could be proud of. --- Track: Requiem for an Exile Artists: @@ -202,8 +202,8 @@ Referenced Tracks: - track:requiem Commentary: |- <i>Solatrus:</i> - I made James’s great composition sound, well, better. Imagine it without the panning, without the reverb, etc. - I’d be a bit flat sounding! + I made James's great composition sound, well, better. Imagine it without the panning, without the reverb, etc. + I'd be a bit flat sounding! --- Track: Raggy Looking Dance Artists: @@ -290,11 +290,11 @@ Lyrics: |- Commentary: |- <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> The Wanderers is my favorite Homestuck album. Its focused premise, interesting takes on a theme, and general aesthetic all appeal to me. Not to mention the fact that it contains some of the best songs in the Homestuck discography. This song is not one of those. - I don’t mean to sell myself short, but What a Daring Dream is hard to appreciate on its own as music, and this was intentional. As a matter of fact, I wrote it to underscore WV’s dream sequence, which is one of my favorite parts of Homestuck. And even then, my approach wasn’t as programmatic as Malcolm’s, as he had the same idea with his track, Nightmare. Funny enough, we even ended up giving our pieces the same title, but he was generous enough to change his so that I could keep mine. Of course, because of this the two songs compliment each other very well, and make for a great double-closer to the album. - I composed What a Daring Dream long before we officially started production on The Wanderers. I actually made the first version of it very shortly after that update came out, it being one of those quick flashes of inspiration. In terms of musical influence, there are a few musical cues from Neon Genesis Evangelion that sounded like the direction I wanted to take. All the ones I listened to had this sort of “stuck in your own head” sort of approach to them, which of course is very suited to their subject matter, and that was the reason I thought this sort of music would be perfect for my piece. - I wanted the music to be very hazy and meditative, very much like a dream (naturally). Unclear sounds fading in and out, soft messages you’re not quite sure you’re hearing. The use of Morse code was an obvious choice, though I did not have the patience to translate every single line of code in that sequence. I just used the same sample repeatedly, altered it a bit, and panned the two versions of it to each side of the mix. I did, however, think it would be worth my time to whisper the English translation of the Morse code, so throughout the piece you hear my voice narrating ever so slightly in the background, even up to Vriska’s dialogue. - The instrumentation was a lucky coincidence since I modeled parts of it off the Evangelion score, and those happened to fit the very broad “Eastern music” theme we were going for for the most part. So the piece turned out to be a great candidate for the album and I worked on it a lot more before submitting it to be on there. Overall it was one of the most fun songs I’ve had the pleasure of making for Homestuck, and the fact that it spooked some people is an added bonus. - Speaking of bonuses, Noot did the art we used for this track. It was one of a few pieces of track art that weren’t commissioned. I happened to be looking around for artists and saw this, and I already knew it was perfect. + I don't mean to sell myself short, but What a Daring Dream is hard to appreciate on its own as music, and this was intentional. As a matter of fact, I wrote it to underscore WV's dream sequence, which is one of my favorite parts of Homestuck. And even then, my approach wasn't as programmatic as Malcolm's, as he had the same idea with his track, Nightmare. Funny enough, we even ended up giving our pieces the same title, but he was generous enough to change his so that I could keep mine. Of course, because of this the two songs compliment each other very well, and make for a great double-closer to the album. + I composed What a Daring Dream long before we officially started production on The Wanderers. I actually made the first version of it very shortly after that update came out, it being one of those quick flashes of inspiration. In terms of musical influence, there are a few musical cues from Neon Genesis Evangelion that sounded like the direction I wanted to take. All the ones I listened to had this sort of "stuck in your own head" sort of approach to them, which of course is very suited to their subject matter, and that was the reason I thought this sort of music would be perfect for my piece. + I wanted the music to be very hazy and meditative, very much like a dream (naturally). Unclear sounds fading in and out, soft messages you're not quite sure you're hearing. The use of Morse code was an obvious choice, though I did not have the patience to translate every single line of code in that sequence. I just used the same sample repeatedly, altered it a bit, and panned the two versions of it to each side of the mix. I did, however, think it would be worth my time to whisper the English translation of the Morse code, so throughout the piece you hear my voice narrating ever so slightly in the background, even up to Vriska's dialogue. + The instrumentation was a lucky coincidence since I modeled parts of it off the Evangelion score, and those happened to fit the very broad "Eastern music" theme we were going for for the most part. So the piece turned out to be a great candidate for the album and I worked on it a lot more before submitting it to be on there. Overall it was one of the most fun songs I've had the pleasure of making for Homestuck, and the fact that it spooked some people is an added bonus. + Speaking of bonuses, Noot did the art we used for this track. It was one of a few pieces of track art that weren't commissioned. I happened to be looking around for artists and saw this, and I already knew it was perfect. --- Track: Nightmare Artists: @@ -361,10 +361,10 @@ MIDI Project Files: Commentary: |- <i>Tensei:</i> I always felt like this song was in a bit of an unfortunate position, being a bonus song on the Wanderers album, which basically meant that only people who bought the album or those who specifically scoured youtube for it would get to hear it. - So I’m gonna bring it to your attention and hopefully someone will be hearing it for the first time! + So I'm gonna bring it to your attention and hopefully someone will be hearing it for the first time! Tomahawk Head was pretty much a full-on collaborative effort between me and Radiation. We had already done some stuff together with the full version of MeGaLoVaNia, but this song was a much more even split IMO. Radiation basically wrote most of the composition in midi form, and I had the task of unleashing my samples and live guitar on it. I also did some minor rewrites, like fleshing out the acoustic middle-section as well as adding the guitar solo section. - This song was intended as ARs theme, and uses a lot of (stereotypically) Native American instrumentation. In that sense, it kinda reminds me of a lot of Jade/Bec themes, where there’s an obvious eastern Asian vibe, even though thematically there’s no real canonical connection between Jade and eastern Asian culture. - I actually consider this a really cool use of ethnic instrumentation. It’s not even the fact that it deliberately tries to go against a stereotype to make a point, but rather that it treats the ethnic instruments as any other: it makes use of the characteristics of the sounds to underline a particular situation or character, and ignores any cultural connotations of the instrument. - When you think about it, it’s pretty silly to assume that Jade has to be Asian because some songs associated with her use ethnic instrumentation. In that sense, I might as well claim that Rose has to be Italian, because hey, that’s where violins originally came from! - At the end of the movie Kill Bill, there’s a final showdown between The Bride and O-ren Ishii. They’re both wielding katanas and the setting is a very stereotypical, snow-covered japanese garden. You would THINK that you’d at least get some taiko drums as a backing, but nope. The song that plays is “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” by Santa Esmeralda, which can best be described as a flamenco/disco hybrid. And it fits PERFECTLY. + This song was intended as ARs theme, and uses a lot of (stereotypically) Native American instrumentation. In that sense, it kinda reminds me of a lot of Jade/Bec themes, where there's an obvious eastern Asian vibe, even though thematically there's no real canonical connection between Jade and eastern Asian culture. + I actually consider this a really cool use of ethnic instrumentation. It's not even the fact that it deliberately tries to go against a stereotype to make a point, but rather that it treats the ethnic instruments as any other: it makes use of the characteristics of the sounds to underline a particular situation or character, and ignores any cultural connotations of the instrument. + When you think about it, it's pretty silly to assume that Jade has to be Asian because some songs associated with her use ethnic instrumentation. In that sense, I might as well claim that Rose has to be Italian, because hey, that's where violins originally came from! + At the end of the movie Kill Bill, there's a final showdown between The Bride and O-ren Ishii. They're both wielding katanas and the setting is a very stereotypical, snow-covered japanese garden. You would THINK that you'd at least get some taiko drums as a backing, but nope. The song that plays is "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" by Santa Esmeralda, which can best be described as a flamenco/disco hybrid. And it fits PERFECTLY. In that sense, I think that this song too fits AR very well, even though his character has fuck-all to do with Native American culture. diff --git a/album/tomb-of-the-ancestors.yaml b/album/tomb-of-the-ancestors.yaml index 6968757e..afa3248a 100644 --- a/album/tomb-of-the-ancestors.yaml +++ b/album/tomb-of-the-ancestors.yaml @@ -82,11 +82,11 @@ Art Tags: Commentary: |- <i>runesby:</i> (<a href="https://runesby.tumblr.com/post/12954661468">Tumblr</a>) - i got the green light from kali to post my track art for the tomb of the ancestors album just a bit early (and i mean a bit–the album’s very likely coming out later tonight)! - long story short, i wasn’t the original person chosen to draw the empress, but for reasons unknown the original artist was unable to complete their artwork, and so i was asked to stepped in. needless to say, i p. much jumped at the offer. this has actually been done for about a month now, haha. - the album canon, for those who don’t know, is actually different from the actual canon (i believe it’s because the album was actually finished before the ancestors were revealed, but don’t quote me on it)! i was told to draw the empress in my own image, and after listening to her track i came up with this. once you hear it, i think you’ll agree??? + i got the green light from kali to post my track art for the tomb of the ancestors album just a bit early (and i mean a bit–the album's very likely coming out later tonight)! + long story short, i wasn't the original person chosen to draw the empress, but for reasons unknown the original artist was unable to complete their artwork, and so i was asked to stepped in. needless to say, i p. much jumped at the offer. this has actually been done for about a month now, haha. + the album canon, for those who don't know, is actually different from the actual canon (i believe it's because the album was actually finished before the ancestors were revealed, but don't quote me on it)! i was told to draw the empress in my own image, and after listening to her track i came up with this. once you hear it, i think you'll agree??? anyway, sorry for the long-winded explanation but i hope you guys enjoy the album as much as i did!!! - p.s. i’d also like to thank kiddy for doing a couple of color adjustments. <3 + p.s. i'd also like to thank kiddy for doing a couple of color adjustments. <3 --- Track: Dishonorable Highb100d Duration: '3:00' @@ -126,15 +126,15 @@ Art Tags: Commentary: |- <i>Elly Beck:</i> (<a href="https://yoccu.tumblr.com/post/12976423564/">Tumblr</a>) - So I had heard about kali needing more people to do album art from somebody on tumblr. I was relatively new to the fandom, and I thought I’d never in a million years be good enough to do album art, but I really wanted to, so I sucked it up, said to myself, “The worst thing they can do is tell me No and then forget about me forever,” so I sent my offer. And got it????????? - Then I had to pick an ancestor, and even though I didn’t even care about kanaya at the time, when I thought it through, I decided that I’d probably be best at drawing her ancestor. I figured her classy, demure style would work best with my style of drawing? So I picked kancestor! - Then I didn’t draw for forever because not knowing what the ancestor looked like made me really nervous. Then she was revealed finally!!! And I freaked out and got to drawing. - I decided I wanted to draw something that would represent a big part of her character. Since I hadn’t heard the song, all I really knew was that if I drew something that was very much a part of her character, it would most likely fit. - So I decided to pick a “scene” of her very first leaving the caverns to take care of the signless. Since she has jade blood, I figured she would probably sneak out around daybreak, when no other trolls would be around to see her abandoning her duties. She had to wrap up tiny grub sufferer so that he wouldn’t be hurt by the sunlight, but she would be able to leave without injury. - She has her flowy....cloth thing...that’s normally around her feet up over her head as a veil. It’s really bright if you’ve never been outside of a cave your whole life, after all! So she’s lifting it here to take her first look at light on the surface. - I’m really happy it ended up working so well with the song, and this may be my favorite song from the album because I am a huge sucker for woeful strings. The song reminds me a LOT of Adagio for Strings which may just be one of the most heartwrenchingly beautiful songs ever written. - So hopefully my art of her here is a good representation of her character. I’ve been worried about how it would have been received ever since I finished it! hahaha. But people seem to be liking it, and I couldn’t be happier. I was so honored and ecstatic to be given to opportunity to draw for an album, and it was so much fun. - That’s all I really had to say I guess. :) I just felt like sharing my thought process. xD Thanks to kali again for the opportunity and the BEAUTIFUL album. The ancestors have been well represented here I think. c: + So I had heard about kali needing more people to do album art from somebody on tumblr. I was relatively new to the fandom, and I thought I'd never in a million years be good enough to do album art, but I really wanted to, so I sucked it up, said to myself, "The worst thing they can do is tell me No and then forget about me forever," so I sent my offer. And got it????????? + Then I had to pick an ancestor, and even though I didn't even care about kanaya at the time, when I thought it through, I decided that I'd probably be best at drawing her ancestor. I figured her classy, demure style would work best with my style of drawing? So I picked kancestor! + Then I didn't draw for forever because not knowing what the ancestor looked like made me really nervous. Then she was revealed finally!!! And I freaked out and got to drawing. + I decided I wanted to draw something that would represent a big part of her character. Since I hadn't heard the song, all I really knew was that if I drew something that was very much a part of her character, it would most likely fit. + So I decided to pick a "scene" of her very first leaving the caverns to take care of the signless. Since she has jade blood, I figured she would probably sneak out around daybreak, when no other trolls would be around to see her abandoning her duties. She had to wrap up tiny grub sufferer so that he wouldn't be hurt by the sunlight, but she would be able to leave without injury. + She has her flowy....cloth thing...that's normally around her feet up over her head as a veil. It's really bright if you've never been outside of a cave your whole life, after all! So she's lifting it here to take her first look at light on the surface. + I'm really happy it ended up working so well with the song, and this may be my favorite song from the album because I am a huge sucker for woeful strings. The song reminds me a LOT of Adagio for Strings which may just be one of the most heartwrenchingly beautiful songs ever written. + So hopefully my art of her here is a good representation of her character. I've been worried about how it would have been received ever since I finished it! hahaha. But people seem to be liking it, and I couldn't be happier. I was so honored and ecstatic to be given to opportunity to draw for an album, and it was so much fun. + That's all I really had to say I guess. :) I just felt like sharing my thought process. xD Thanks to kali again for the opportunity and the BEAUTIFUL album. The ancestors have been well represented here I think. c: (<a href="https://www.deviantart.com/yoccuri/art/Immaculate-Peacekeeper-269739813">DeviantArt</a>) forgot to upload this here too! :o for all y'all who use dA still and not just tumblr like me xD I did the album art for the Dolorosa's song from the new Tomb of the Ancestors album! :) diff --git a/album/tumblrstuck-bent-ost-volume-0.yaml b/album/tumblrstuck-bent-ost-volume-0.yaml index bc49969e..c8bde714 100644 --- a/album/tumblrstuck-bent-ost-volume-0.yaml +++ b/album/tumblrstuck-bent-ost-volume-0.yaml @@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ Groups: - Fandom Commentary: |- <i>Samm Neiland:</i> - a collection of the sorta of chiptune/homestuck/geeky music I’ve done thusfar. + a collection of the sorta of chiptune/homestuck/geeky music I've done thusfar. --- Section: Main album --- @@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Samm Neiland:</i> this is actually a song for a little tumblr projected called tumblrstuck. - i’ll be playing a roll in it later (beyond just making music for it of course :P) + i'll be playing a roll in it later (beyond just making music for it of course :P) theme music for the land of curses and change. @@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ URLs: - https://sammneiland.bandcamp.com/track/conflict-of-grace Commentary: |- <i>Samm Neiland:</i> - yaaaaay now i get to post this. another song for tumblr stuck. its pretty much a pair to the other song i did ([[track:mind-your-step-young-squire|mind your step, young squire]]), this one being the battle or “strife” song. + yaaaaay now i get to post this. another song for tumblr stuck. its pretty much a pair to the other song i did ([[track:mind-your-step-young-squire|mind your step, young squire]]), this one being the battle or "strife" song. enjoy~ --- @@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ URLs: - https://sammneiland.bandcamp.com/track/i-keep-forgetting Commentary: |- <i>Samm Neiland:</i> - yep. after… a week since the last one, its another MSPA esque song, and my longest one yet. someone said that it seems like something that would fit a current gamzee situation. maybe. + yep. after... a week since the last one, its another MSPA esque song, and my longest one yet. someone said that it seems like something that would fit a current gamzee situation. maybe. anyway, enjoy. --- @@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ Commentary: |- due to the overwhelmingly positive response i got from [[track:grande-illusion|the first one]], i did another one, though i tried something a bit different to make it a little more me. anyway, enjoy~ - for maybe some context as to the idea/inspiration behind this one, i was dwelling on the thought of “well what are the kids going to do once they dawn on the fact that everything they knew before isn’t coming back?” of course this piece would be after any sort of post delusion drama. + for maybe some context as to the idea/inspiration behind this one, i was dwelling on the thought of "well what are the kids going to do once they dawn on the fact that everything they knew before isn't coming back?" of course this piece would be after any sort of post delusion drama. --- Section: Bonus tracks --- @@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: - Grande Illusion Commentary: |- <i>Samm Neiland:</i> - i’d forgotten i’d did this a while back and realized i never posted it. + i'd forgotten i'd did this a while back and realized i never posted it. well anyway, its basically an overly dramatic version of [[track:grande-illusion|grand illusion]] done on a pipe organ. diff --git a/album/tumblrstuck-bent-ost-volume-1.yaml b/album/tumblrstuck-bent-ost-volume-1.yaml index 1fbb58e9..3e7ff272 100644 --- a/album/tumblrstuck-bent-ost-volume-1.yaml +++ b/album/tumblrstuck-bent-ost-volume-1.yaml @@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ Groups: - Fandom Commentary: |- <i>Samm Neiland:</i> - you’ve asked for it, so here it is. the tumblrstuck/bent soundtrack so far. the six songs are the ones used in the conjunction tumblrstuck projects of tumblrbent and glitchedstuck, along with two bonus tracks that were done for friendsies for the fun of it. + you've asked for it, so here it is. the tumblrstuck/bent soundtrack so far. the six songs are the ones used in the conjunction tumblrstuck projects of tumblrbent and glitchedstuck, along with two bonus tracks that were done for friendsies for the fun of it. best part, its free so you have NO EXCUSE not to download it right this minute. --- @@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Samm Neiland:</i> another tumblrstuck/tumblrbent related song. - rather than a god tier battle theme thingy, this more like… the song that plays at the end of a battle victory. ie. the same damn song that final fantasy has been using since the first game. + rather than a god tier battle theme thingy, this more like... the song that plays at the end of a battle victory. ie. the same damn song that final fantasy has been using since the first game. this is not that song though. its a song of my own composition, though its more or less an homage to it i suppose :V --- @@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ Commentary: |- after being sorta without any concept of what to do, i finally made a proper strife/prince of mind theme for myself. - its very hard finding something that encompasses regal tone with intellectual mysteriousness that isn’t totally out there and weird. + its very hard finding something that encompasses regal tone with intellectual mysteriousness that isn't totally out there and weird. also sticking with an instrumentation set fitting for a video game/homestuck. @@ -126,9 +126,9 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Samm Neiland:</i> yehyehyehyehyeh another god tier theme. - this one is for BANA who’s a pretty cool dude who draws and is a bear sometimes. + this one is for BANA who's a pretty cool dude who draws and is a bear sometimes. - he’s got ownership on the classy title of knight of joy. + he's got ownership on the classy title of knight of joy. so be joyful. diff --git a/album/tumblrstuck-bent-ost-volume-2.yaml b/album/tumblrstuck-bent-ost-volume-2.yaml index 95a5cc8c..a27e4908 100644 --- a/album/tumblrstuck-bent-ost-volume-2.yaml +++ b/album/tumblrstuck-bent-ost-volume-2.yaml @@ -16,13 +16,13 @@ Groups: - Fandom Commentary: |- <i>Samm Neiland:</i> - yeup. sorry it took so long. i’d kinda… forgotten about it and then i was having issues getting my hands on some album art to use and i wasn’t going to release it without album art. + yeup. sorry it took so long. i'd kinda... forgotten about it and then i was having issues getting my hands on some album art to use and i wasn't going to release it without album art. that would be irresponsible. anyway yes. go ahead and download it for free. just a bunch of fanventure based music. - like i said, free. so you’ve no reason not to download it. + like i said, free. so you've no reason not to download it. go forth. @@ -48,11 +48,11 @@ URLs: - https://sammneiland.bandcamp.com/track/seer-of-heart Commentary: |- <i>Samm Neiland:</i> - oooooo what’s that samm? a brand new spiffy track for glitchedstuck/your tumblrstuck? + oooooo what's that samm? a brand new spiffy track for glitchedstuck/your tumblrstuck? why yes. yes it is. - lyra, the seer of heart is wrexie’s character. + lyra, the seer of heart is wrexie's character. also go follow our tumblrstuck you whatchama callits. --- @@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Samm Neiland:</i> hey look another tumblrstuck related song. - this one was me trying to come up with a battle song that would work well but didn’t feel too much like something overly epic. like my favourite battle themes were the ones that got you really pumped for combat, not the ones that were just like “ugh god, not another random battle.” + this one was me trying to come up with a battle song that would work well but didn't feel too much like something overly epic. like my favourite battle themes were the ones that got you really pumped for combat, not the ones that were just like "ugh god, not another random battle." anyway, hope its palatable. --- @@ -74,9 +74,9 @@ URLs: - https://sammneiland.bandcamp.com/track/monk-of-time Commentary: |- <i>Samm Neiland:</i> - hey look more glitchedstuck music. isn’t that neat. + hey look more glitchedstuck music. isn't that neat. - this one is for lute who is a monk of time and also happens to be [[artist:reid-slater|reid’s]] character who is wicked cool and shit and if you aren’t following him by now what the fuck is wrong with you. + this one is for lute who is a monk of time and also happens to be [[artist:reid-slater|reid's]] character who is wicked cool and shit and if you aren't following him by now what the fuck is wrong with you. --- Track: Hold My Hand Duration: '2:29' @@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ Commentary: |- <i>(commentary redux)</i> i made it for a thing for a while ago that sorta just kinda never came to be but sorta rediscovered it and kinda finished/fixed some stuff with it initially? - idk, anyway. it kinda makes me think about something prospitian in a way so i’m probably gonna use it for my fanventure he-yup. + idk, anyway. it kinda makes me think about something prospitian in a way so i'm probably gonna use it for my fanventure he-yup. --- Track: Rogue of Light Duration: '2:31' @@ -100,9 +100,9 @@ URLs: - https://sammneiland.bandcamp.com/track/rogue-of-light Commentary: |- <i>Samm Neiland:</i> - hey here’s a commissions for the ever wonderful pride’s fantroll jessee + hey here's a commissions for the ever wonderful pride's fantroll jessee - its basically like… battle theme, character theme, epic god tier ascension. ya know. that kind of stuff. + its basically like... battle theme, character theme, epic god tier ascension. ya know. that kind of stuff. jessee is part of our fan-venture and is the biggest cutie bootie ever. --- diff --git a/album/unreleased-tracks.yaml b/album/unreleased-tracks.yaml index f4e91fe2..7447032f 100644 --- a/album/unreleased-tracks.yaml +++ b/album/unreleased-tracks.yaml @@ -274,9 +274,9 @@ MIDI Project Files: Commentary: |- <i>Clark Powell:</i> I have recut and remastered my track Flare, as it was presented to you in the Cascade flash (rather than the calmed-down album version). I get asked a lot for this, so I decided to give it some extra love and attention. - I have attempted a number of times to put together a mix of Flare that utilized the distinctive crescendo that is recognizable from Cascade, but it never seems to work well without the cinematic context. The buildup sort of leads to nothing, and then the track either ends awkwardly or fades out, and I have something personal against fade-outs. Maybe I’ll talk about that someday. But not now. + I have attempted a number of times to put together a mix of Flare that utilized the distinctive crescendo that is recognizable from Cascade, but it never seems to work well without the cinematic context. The buildup sort of leads to nothing, and then the track either ends awkwardly or fades out, and I have something personal against fade-outs. Maybe I'll talk about that someday. But not now. I gave it another go, this time trying a decrescendo to bring the song back down from all the energy it riles up, then ending it on kind of a creepy note. I had more success here than I ever have in past attempts to cut the song together in this way. - Flare was a pretty big hit in its own right, so there’s always the pressure coming from the responsibility to handle this properly. I hope you enjoy it! + Flare was a pretty big hit in its own right, so there's always the pressure coming from the responsibility to handle this properly. I hope you enjoy it! --- Track: Savior of the Dreaming Dead (Cascade Cut) Artists: @@ -864,9 +864,9 @@ Cover Artists: - Homestuck Commentary: |- <i>James Roach:</i> - oh yeah, the music you hear during Karkat’s pesterquest route that isn’t his theme is the rhythmic motif for the drones. it happens in a few other places in Act 1 and Friendsim, as well as multiple place in Act 2 + oh yeah, the music you hear during Karkat's pesterquest route that isn't his theme is the rhythmic motif for the drones. it happens in a few other places in Act 1 and Friendsim, as well as multiple place in Act 2 - it might be a little wild because the motif isn’t melodic, but a good example of it is in “[[track:keep-your-head-down]]” and during the drone cutscene in act 1 + it might be a little wild because the motif isn't melodic, but a good example of it is in "[[track:keep-your-head-down]]" and during the drone cutscene in act 1 <i>Niklink:</i> Unofficial name. Found in the game's files as 'DRONE_PQ'. diff --git a/album/vaporwave-2016.yaml b/album/vaporwave-2016.yaml index c1065fe9..7645195f 100644 --- a/album/vaporwave-2016.yaml +++ b/album/vaporwave-2016.yaml @@ -152,7 +152,8 @@ URLs: - https://youtu.be/II7xYMkx0lM Referenced Tracks: - I'm a Member of the Midnight Crew (Post-Punk Version) -Lyrics: '(see: [[track:im-a-member-of-the-midnight-crew-post-punk-version]])' +Lyrics: |- + (see: [[track:im-a-member-of-the-midnight-crew-post-punk-version]]) --- Track: ４ちゃん • プロスピット Directory: vaporwave-2016-track14 |