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Diffstat (limited to 'album')
| -rw-r--r-- | album/homestuck-vol-8.yaml | 52 |
1 files changed, 27 insertions, 25 deletions
diff --git a/album/homestuck-vol-8.yaml b/album/homestuck-vol-8.yaml index 808e66e0..684a9bff 100644 --- a/album/homestuck-vol-8.yaml +++ b/album/homestuck-vol-8.yaml @@ -494,6 +494,8 @@ Commentary: |- 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 +Additional Names: +- Redshift (original name) Artists: - Malcolm Brown Duration: '2:54' @@ -545,13 +547,13 @@ Commentary: |- The main premise was to have quite a hefty beat (Dave), bass - including a slap bass solo (Jade), piano (John) and violin (Rose). The premise being as the song continues each part contributes until the end, where all 4 play in sync (hence... er... 'Synchronization'). - 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! + There's the tiniest influence from [[track:showtime-original-mix|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>Malcolm Brown:</i> (commentary redux) - 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 ([[track:descend|"Descend"]], [[flash:1668|"Ascend"]], [[track:upward-movement-dave-owns|"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. @@ -565,13 +567,13 @@ Commentary: |- <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). + 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"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPGv2dbBmeY) (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... + At 1:09, we get the alternate-Showtime (The first few notes are the main melody of [[track:showtime-original-mix|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. @@ -625,13 +627,13 @@ Commentary: |- So, the opening of Homefree is basically the opening of Shooting Star and, then, then I started like, I was like you know, after you get past the opening it's not really good until you get to the ending and so I was like 'What else can I put in here?' and so I started putting down the [[track:homestuck-anthem|Homestuck theme]] just because it was easy and jumped to mind, and so, when that, when that really seemed to work I was like 'You know what? Let's throw in more bits of different Homestuck songs in there' like, after the um Homestuck theme, what really... what I think most people don't really notice is that the next part actually sounds like, like the like [[Sburban Jungle|Suburban Jungle]] like, it's-it's moved down about one note but it's like, Suburban Jungle is like [singing] and then, and then in Homefree it's [singing] y'know it's basically the same melody. - Um, and then, then it moves into another part which is... kind of hard to hear but there's a little bit of [[Upward Movement (Dave Owns)|Dave Rocks- Rocks at this Game]]? Is that what it's called? <i>(Note: Referring to the original title of Upward Movement, 'Dave Fucking Owns at this Game')</i> Wow I don't even know the songs of the MS Paint Adventures music team, I'm the worst member! [laughter] But anyway, anyway, but you can hear like the [singing] underneath the violin melody and then after that it goes into what was the ending to Shooting Star which is this, um... it-it's um, I think it's one of the strongest parts of the song because it's a... It's basically like, it's supposed to sound like kind of like just like breaking free you know like, like it rises and then at the very end it just, goes off into it's own place um... + Um, and then, then it moves into another part which is... kind of hard to hear but there's a little bit of [[Upward Movement (Dave Owns)|Dave Rocks- Rocks at this Game]]? Is that what it's called? Wow I don't even know the songs of the MS Paint Adventures music team, I'm the worst member! [laughter] But anyway, anyway, but you can hear like the [singing] underneath the violin melody and then after that it goes into what was the ending to Shooting Star which is this, um... it-it's um, I think it's one of the strongest parts of the song because it's a... It's basically like, it's supposed to sound like kind of like just like breaking free you know like, like it rises and then at the very end it just, goes off into it's own place um... One of the other interesting things about Homefree- waitwaitwait, I need to address something about Homefree [laughter] okay so, I know the MS Paint Adventures music team, we get a lot of people say 'Ohh this sounds like this this sounds like [[artist:touhou-project|Touhou]] this sounds like' I don't know um [laughter] I didn't mean to make this sound like a Pokemon song, I realized after it was already out there that, yeah, that ther-there's a part to it that really does sound like a [[artist:pokemon|Pokemon]] battle theme [laughter] oh god! That wasn't intentional, that really wasn't intentional but um [laughter] I guess that's what happens when you're part of the Pokemon fandom for so long like I mean I w— I was actually a really really obssessed fan for a while like-like I don't know if any of you, if you've been to Bulbagarden, if you've ever used the Bulbapedia or listened to the Bulbacast, yeah I used to be part of all that I used to be like the top editor of Bulbapedia and I used to like just rant about how Brock was the greatest character ever on the Bulbacast [laughter] I don't really do that anymore now and so that's part of the reasons why it's so embarassing that [laughter] my music sounds like Pokemon music [laughter] oh god! Okay okay anyway, um... yeah anyway, so. One-one thing that I-that I did wanna make it sound like though and I don't really remember what inspired this but, in the last section I was like 'You know what? Um, since this is- since time is such a big theme in Homestuck, I think I'm gonna try and make it sound like the [[track:westminster-quarters|Westminster bells]] playing here' and-and so you hear those [singing] which actually isn't how the Westminster bells go but y'know what, screw it! That's how I remember them because, I don't actually hear the Westminster bells that often. [laughter] No, that's a lie, I used to hear them all the time in college and I still don't remember exactly how the notes go, um. [laughter]. So, anyway, anyway. Um... but... wait no, I remember now! I remember what led to it! Because I noticed that exactly at 4 minutes and 13 seconds into the song like it-like I was like 'It would sound really good if there was just a bell chiming here and it's-and it's like [singing]' and then I was like, I was like 'You know what? Let's-let's make it sound like this is where the clock strikes twelve and it's like, so earlier there's the Westminster bells which starts, which plays right before... right when the clock strikes mid-midnight or noon or any sort of twelve, and then at 4 minutes and 13 seconds in it starts chiming, um, like that's when the... final countdown ends, whatever you wanna call it, like when the, when the timer runs out and hits zero. Um, and for a bit I actually considered since the-th-it actually only chimes four times, I was thinking of having just eight more chimes of it while nothing else was playing. I... didn't actually go with that though because I thought that would just sound weird and artsy to most people like you know, why didn't the song already end, why can't I go on listening to the next song... but I don't know, anyway. [laughter] - Long story short, um... actually I don't know what is the long story short. Well i-it's basically, um, it's not quite the Homestuck theme. I-i-it's, I do-I don't think it's gonna be used, I don't think Hussie's ever gonna use any of my stuff but, you know I'm, I'm really happy whenever I get anybody saying that they like my work, like, that's really one of the best things about writing music I'm not even gonna lie. I mean, I love doing all kinds of art, I love, I love writing, I love drawing, I'm not really that great at anything except programming [laughter] but, um, one of the things I love most about music um, is, when you're a musician, there's... uhh how do I even explain this... um it's like... a lot of people really love it, but there's so few people who really know-know how to get into it like, they think that you know, you have to be a really blessed singer or, or um... like you need to have just been born playing the saxophone or something and, you need like uh, an agent recognize you- I don't think any of that's really necessary to really, just start writing music and start enjoying it like, I-I-I think people would— it's kind of like any art, it takes, it takes some practice and theb all of a sudden you'll start surprising yourself like 'Wow, did I really make that? Is it really possible for someone to make something that sounds like this? Is it possible for me to make something that sounds like this? I don't need help, I can do this on my own?' Um, or maybe that's just how it was for me I mean... I, I... sometimes I still think it's kind of amazing that I can make anything never mind something that, gets-that's part of such a really amazingly talented team such as the MSPA music team... [laughter] + Long story short, um... actually I don't know what is the long story short. Well i-it's basically, um, it's not quite the Homestuck theme. I-i-it's, I do-I don't think it's gonna be used, I don't think Hussie's ever gonna use any of my stuff but, you know I'm, I'm really happy whenever I get anybody saying that they like my work, like, that's really one of the best things about writing music I'm not even gonna lie. I mean, I love doing all kinds of art, I love, I love writing, I love drawing, I'm not really that great at anything except programming [laughter] but, um, one of the things I love most about music um, is, when you're a musician, there's... uhh how do I even explain this... um it's like... a lot of people really love it, but there's so few people who really know-know how to get into it like, they think that you know, you have to be a really blessed singer or, or um... like you need to have just been born playing the saxophone or something and, you need like uh, an agent recognize you- I don't think any of that's really necessary to really, just start writing music and start enjoying it like, I-I-I think people would— it's kind of like any art, it takes, it takes some practice and then all of a sudden you'll start surprising yourself like 'Wow, did I really make that? Is it really possible for someone to make something that sounds like this? Is it possible for me to make something that sounds like this? I don't need help, I can do this on my own?' Um, or maybe that's just how it was for me I mean... I, I... sometimes I still think it's kind of amazing that I can make anything never mind something that, gets-that's part of such a really amazingly talented team such as the MSPA music team... [laughter] --- Track: Galaxy Hearts Artists: @@ -751,11 +753,11 @@ Commentary: |- 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. + 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](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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. + 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 [[album:sburb|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 [[artist:toby-fox|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. + As I have on many occasions I took cues from [Oblique Strategies](http://www.rtqe.net/ObliqueStrategies/) 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 [[artist:clark-powell|Clark Powell]] to really polish off the piece, adding a touch that otherwise would probably have eluded me. --- Track: Afraid of the Darko Artists: @@ -802,7 +804,7 @@ Commentary: |- 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 ([[artist:toby-fox|Radiation]] didn't show us [[track:frostbite|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> (original artwork crop, as presented [on Bandcamp](https://web.archive.org/web/20160412142102/https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/bargaining-with-the-beast)) @@ -862,7 +864,7 @@ Art Tags: Commentary: |- <i>Thomas Ferkol:</i> (composer) - 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 [[album:the-wanderers|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. @@ -887,11 +889,11 @@ Commentary: |- Hah! If 'Sneaking music' was a genre, here's another one to the mix. - Basically, heavily influenced by the Pink Panther theme (You know the one). While making this all I could imagine was a bizarre Andrew Hussie Elmer Fudd hunting 'Scwatches'... + Basically, heavily influenced by the Pink Panther theme ([You know the one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyZiIuMufTA&pp=ygUScGluayBwYW50aGVyIHRoZW1l)). While making this all I could imagine was a bizarre Andrew Hussie Elmer Fudd hunting 'Scwatches'... - More or less my first attempt to do something in this style. Also, surprisingly, most of it was played live on keyboard into the sequencer (not something I normally do) and then heavily quantized to fix my wonky playing. It gives it a <i>slightly</i> more organic feel, most noticeable on the chords during the 'Explore' section at the end (Which may also owe a little bit to the Monkey Island soundtrack). + More or less my first attempt to do something in this style. Also, surprisingly, most of it was played live on keyboard into the sequencer (not something I normally do) and then heavily quantized to fix my wonky playing. It gives it a <i>slightly</i> more organic feel, most noticeable on the chords during the [[track:explore|'Explore']] section at the end (Which may also owe a little bit to the Monkey Island soundtrack). - Basically a bit of music for Andrew's huntin' of Scratch shortly before the end of act. Included is the "AAAAAHHH FUCKING WOLF!!" moment for good measure (That was added after the first draft to Rad's suggestion). There was even talk of getting some grumbly vocals from the man 'imself, but alas... + Basically a bit of music for [Andrew's huntin' of Scratch](https://www.homestuck.com/story/4056) shortly before the end of act. Included is the ["AAAAAHHH FUCKING WOLF!!"](https://www.homestuck.com/story/4063) moment for good measure (That was added after the first draft to [[artist:toby-fox|Rad's]] suggestion). There was even talk of getting some grumbly vocals from [[artist:andrew-hussie|the man 'imself]], but alas... Had quite a bit of fun doin' this one. Also quite proud of the name Even if I do have to occasionally explain it to people who don't read the comic... --- @@ -941,11 +943,11 @@ Referenced Tracks: Commentary: |- <i>Thomas Ferkol:</i> (composer) - 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). + Drift Into the Sun started off as me trying to emulate [the opening choir track](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pv2LgRzvKg) 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. + 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](https://www.homestuck.com/story/3875) 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. + After putting the original version up for the team to see, [[artist:clark-powell|Plazmataz]] offered to spruce things up. And they did. And it was awesome. And then [[artist:toby-fox|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! --- @@ -976,7 +978,7 @@ Commentary: |- 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. + 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 [[flash:4390|it is amazing]]. --- Track: Revered Return Artists: @@ -997,7 +999,7 @@ Referenced Tracks: Commentary: |- <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> (composer) - "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. + "Revered Return" began as a track called [[track:dirgeish|"Dirgeish"]], a .pxtone composition that [[artist:nick-smalley|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. @@ -1005,7 +1007,7 @@ Commentary: |- <i>Nick Smalley:</i> (composer) - 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:ohgodwhat|Remember that thing about ORGMaker?]] Yeah, this song, too. Except add me asking [[artist:andrew-huo|Andrew Huo]] to help finish it and [[artist:michael-guy-bowman|Bowman]] to ramp it up, and you've got Revered Return. :3 --- Track: Judgment Day Artists: @@ -1206,13 +1208,13 @@ Lyrics: |- Commentary: |- <i>Michael Guy Bowman:</i> (composer) - 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. + So, like it or not, [[track:how-do-i-live-bunny-back-in-the-box-version|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. + I always had thought of [[track:how-do-i-live|"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. + 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"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6Y1gohk5-A) 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. + I added a new bridge section in so that [[artist:thomas-ferkol|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. [[artist:david-ko|David Ko]] also appears on this track as the gently-spoken backup vocalist. --- Track: Cascade (Beta) Artists: @@ -1274,7 +1276,7 @@ Art Tags: Commentary: |- <i>Mark J. Hadley:</i> (composer) - Back when we knew Jade as just GG, I wrote the first part of Carefree Action as a possible upbeat strife theme for her. It never ended up getting used, but other people liked it, and eventually a remix of it (Carefree Victory) made it into the comic. The original was pretty short, so I lengthened it so that I could eventually get it onto an album. Like Sburban Reversal, I recommended it as a bonus track. + Back when we knew Jade as just GG, I wrote the first part of Carefree Action as a possible upbeat strife theme for her. It never ended up getting used, but other people liked it, and eventually a remix of it ([[track:carefree-victory|Carefree Victory]]) made it into the comic. The original was pretty short, so I lengthened it so that I could eventually get it onto an album. Like [[track:sburban-reversal|Sburban Reversal]], I recommended it as a bonus track. <i>8bitkitten:</i> (track artist, [Tumblr](https://kitten-burrito.tumblr.com/post/11905462064)) |