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Diffstat (limited to 'album/homestuck-vol-9.yaml')
| -rw-r--r-- | album/homestuck-vol-9.yaml | 57 |
1 files changed, 43 insertions, 14 deletions
diff --git a/album/homestuck-vol-9.yaml b/album/homestuck-vol-9.yaml index d4649b5..9691f89 100644 --- a/album/homestuck-vol-9.yaml +++ b/album/homestuck-vol-9.yaml @@ -341,6 +341,10 @@ Sheet Music Files: - Title: Sheet music by EuniverseCat Files: - 'Skaianet - EuniverseCat.pdf' +MIDI Project Files: +- Title: MIDI by Twix Stix (from Sburbmon) + Files: + - 'Skaianet - Twix Stix.mid' --- Track: Another Jungle Artists: @@ -617,10 +621,13 @@ MIDI Project Files: 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. - <i>Tavia Morra:</i> - This picture started with an innocent suggestion from RJ who imagined Dirk riding a [super hang on motorcycle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Hang-On) to this song. I took the idea over to Jit who then helped me develop the picture to what it became, suggesting the [FF7 motorcycle chase](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUUbp-4kKMA) as inspiration and to turn the motorcycle in to Sawtooth. + <i>Erik Scheele:</i> (composer, [Tumblr](https://erikscheele.tumblr.com/post/24963696053/volume-9), excerpt) + + Started as a sequel to [[track:upward-movement-dave-owns|Upward Movement]], before [[artist:andrew-hussie|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> (track artist) + + This picture started with an innocent suggestion from [[artist:robert-j-lake|RJ]] who imagined Dirk riding a [super hang on motorcycle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Hang-On) to this song. I took the idea over to [[artist:erik-scheele|Jit]] who then helped me develop the picture to what it became, suggesting the [FF7 motorcycle chase](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUUbp-4kKMA) as inspiration and to turn the motorcycle in to Sawtooth. --- Track: Stress Artists: @@ -639,9 +646,9 @@ Art Tags: Referenced Tracks: - Five-Four Stress Commentary: |- - <i>Toby Fox:</i> - art by P-RO at [nomorepros.tumblr.com](https://nomorepros.tumblr.com). 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 [[Doctor]], [[Endless Climb]], and [[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 [[Showtime (Original Mix)|Showtime]] or [[Doctor]], so basing the piece off of something with that "essence" was important.* + <i>Toby Fox:</i> ([Tumblr](https://web.archive.org/web/20130312050422/http://fwugradiation.tumblr.com/post/25866980984/stress-homestuck-vol-9-track-commentary)) + art by [[artist:p-ro]] at [nomorepros.tumblr.com](https://nomorepros.tumblr.com). 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 [[track:five-four-stress|original track]] by Buzinkai. Buzinkai has been responsible for several HS-important melodies like [[Doctor]], [[Endless Climb]], and [[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 [[Showtime (Original Mix)|Showtime]] or [[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> @@ -649,9 +656,9 @@ Commentary: |- 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: [Hollow Bastion](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nlCNVewMjA). 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>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. + * Yes, [[artist:bill-bolin]] also started [[track:stress-speed-mix|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 @@ -923,10 +930,25 @@ 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. + 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. + + <!-- The art is by Victoria Grace Elliott. --> + + <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> (Bowmantown Discord, excerpts, 9/11/2017) + + Busting makes me feel [ahead of the game](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tdyU_gW6WE) + + [[artist:robert-j-lake|RJ]] once called me a Neil Wannabe I think on Twitter<br> + [[artist:richard-gung|Richard]] called me "budget Lemon Demon" in college<br> + It is the thing that appears on my related artists on Spotify<br> + Neil is fantastic though, if this is great minds thinking alike I'm honored + + I think he understands a generation so crystal clearly though in a way I'm still never going to. They'll look at him like Andy Warhol someday. He's the next great voice in pop art after him, certainly. They want to give that honor to Banksy or some other pretentious counterculture figure but I think Neil looks up to kitsch rather than down to it. That makes all the difference, like comparing Dan Harmon to Seth McFarlane. Parody should honor its subject, not condemn it --- Track: Everything is Something to Somebody Artists: @@ -1037,8 +1059,9 @@ MIDI Project Files: 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>Erik Scheele:</i> (composer, [Tumblr](https://erikscheele.tumblr.com/post/24963696053/volume-9), excerpt) + + I don't remember how long ago it was that [[artist:clark-powell|Plaz]] asked me to do an improvisation around her [[track:three-in-the-morning|Three In The Morning]], but I did it, and here it is! --- Track: Lancer Artists: @@ -1263,7 +1286,7 @@ Commentary: |- 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. + For the artwork on this track I asked my chum [[artist:dodostad|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. --- Track: Princess of Helium Artists: @@ -1288,7 +1311,7 @@ MIDI Project Files: 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. [[artist:clark-powell|Plazmataz]] played [[track:jane-dargason|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. [[artist:clark-powell|Plazmataz]] played [[track:jane-dargason|a track]] she'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. <i>Quasar Nebula:</i> (wiki editor) @@ -1322,6 +1345,9 @@ Sheet Music Files: - Title: Piano score by Kurama101 Files: - 'Moonsetter - Kurama101 (piano score).pdf' +- Title: MIDI by Twix Stix (from Sburbmon) + Files: + - 'Moonsetter - Twix Stix.mid' MIDI Project Files: - Title: MIDI by IronInvoker47 Files: @@ -1355,6 +1381,9 @@ MIDI Project Files: - Title: MIDI by Unknown Files: - 'Candles and Clockwork (Alpha Version) - Unknown.mid' +- Title: MIDI by Twix Stix (from Sburbmon) + Files: + - 'Candles and Clockwork (Alpha Version) - Twix Stix.mid' Commentary: |- <i>James Dever:</i> (composer) |