Album: 'Homestuck Vol. 6: Heir Transparent'
Directory: homestuck-vol-6
Directory Suffix: vol6
Date: January 5 2011
Date Added: November 15, 2019
URLs:
- https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/album/homestuck-vol-5-6-with-the-felt
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrNz5d97JIA
- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnVpmehyaOFYpSor-2EQjZx8pG-RNSbp_
Cover Artists:
- Andrew Hussie
Default Track Cover Artists:
- Homestuck
Track Art File Extension: png
Color: '#6699ff'
Groups:
- group:official
Art Tags:
- John
- Jade
- LoFaF
Banner Artists:
- Andrew Hussie
- Niklink (edits for wiki)
Banner Dimensions: 1100x216
Banner File Extension: png
Wallpaper Artists:
- Andrew Hussie
Wallpaper Style: 'opacity: 0.55;'
Additional Files:
- Title: Bandcamp background
Files:
- bg.jpg
- Title: What Pumpkin site banner
Files:
- vol6_wp_banner.jpg
Commentary: |-
Andrew Hussie:
This is pretty easily my favorite album so far. It's such a great mix of silly songs and kickass songs and all the wonderful moments where those two types of songs intersect. Sometimes those moments even span entire songs. Please enjoy this.
Awesome job by the guys as usual. Nice mastering work by [[artist:solatrus|Jeremy]], author of the first and last songs.
Cindy Dominguez: ([whatpumpkin.com news post](https://web.archive.org/web/20110208011641/http://whatpumpkin.com/))
Alright, you guys can stop begging for Vol. 6. Or, if you want to engage in a bit of pedantry (and boy do I ever!), Homestuck Vol. 6: Heir Transparent. We did it, it is done. And it is incredible.
Hmm. I wonder how many times I can imply that these guys have outdone themselves before people start thinking I am a bit of a liar? Well, I suppose all you have to do is listen to the album and promptly feel silly for ever doubting me.
I tip my hat (and implore you to do the same) to [[artist:solatrus|Jeremy "Solatrus" Iamurri]] for doing a standout job at mastering this bad boy.
Homestuck: ([whatpumpkin.com side blurb](https://web.archive.org/web/20110208011641/http://whatpumpkin.com/))
The sixth official Homestuck album, and the first with a cool subtitle. A mere number-title alone cannot possibly hope to do this album justice.
Homestuck: ([whatpumpkin.com "about the albums" blurb](https://web.archive.org/web/20110718035128/http://www.whatpumpkin.com/albums.html))
The sixth official Homestuck album......... IS GREAT!
Homestuck: ([Bandcamp credits blurb](https://web.archive.org/web/20110108034132/https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/album/homestuck-vol-6-heir-transparent))
Music by:
[[artist:kalibration|Robert Blaker]]
[[artist:michael-guy-bowman]]
[[artist:buzinkai|George Buzinkai]]
[[artist:tensei|Joren "Tensei" de Bruin]]
[[artist:toby-fox|Toby "Radiation" Fox]]
[[artist:mark-j-hadley|Mark Hadley]]
[[artist:solatrus|Jeremy "Solatrus" Iamurri]]
[[artist:david-ko]]
[[artist:robert-j-lake]]
[[artist:seth-peelle|Seth "Beatfox" Peelle]]
[[artist:clark-powell|Clark "Plazmataz" Powell]]
[[artist:alex-rosetti|Alexander Rosetti]]
[[artist:erik-scheele|Erik "Jit" Scheele]]
---
Track: Frost
Suffix Directory: true
Artists:
- Solatrus
Art Tags:
- Jade
Duration: '5:05'
URLs:
- https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/frost-3
- https://youtu.be/57FwbcQ4LIA
Referenced Tracks:
- track:flow-solatrus
- Vertigo
Sheet Music Files:
- Title: Piano score by almostsix
Files:
- 'Frost - almostsix (piano score).pdf'
Commentary: |-
Solatrus:
(original commentary)
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 [this image](https://www.homestuck.com/images/storyfiles/hs2/02522.gif) 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.
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.
(commentary redux)
I can't really make a post about this song without mentioning the above flash animation and the following image:
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.
---
Track: Courser
Artists:
- Seth Peelle
- Alex Rosetti
Art Tags:
- Becquerel
Duration: '4:37'
URLs:
- https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/courser-2
- https://youtu.be/EmdRALDqt7k
Referenced Tracks:
- Sburban Jungle
- Lotus
MIDI Project Files:
- Title: MIDI by Twix Stix (from Sburbmon)
Files:
- 'Courser - Twix Stix.mid'
---
Track: Umbral Ultimatum
Artists:
- Toby Fox
Art Tags:
- Jade
Duration: '3:33'
URLs:
- https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/umbral-ultimatum-2
- https://youtu.be/OEB1uh0T9UA
Referenced Tracks:
- Penumbra Phantasm
- An Unbreakable Union
- Courser
- track:sburban-jungle
- track:carefree-action
- Homestuck Anthem
Sheet Music Files:
- Title: Piano score by Max Wright
Files:
- 'Umbral Ultimatum - Max Wright (piano score).pdf'
MIDI Project Files:
- Title: MIDI by Destradious
Files:
- 'Umbral Ultimatum - Destradious.mid'
- Title: MIDI by Unknown
Files:
- 'Umbral Ultimatum - Unknown A.mid'
- Title: MIDI by Unknown
Files:
- 'Umbral Ultimatum - Unknown B.mid'
---
Track: GameBro (Original 1990 Mix)
Artists:
- Erik Scheele
Duration: '3:24'
URLs:
- https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/gamebro-original-1990-mix-2
- https://youtu.be/k_-LPPdHEyA
Referenced Tracks:
- Say "I Gotta Believe!"
Lyrics: |-
Alright bros, are you ready?
It's time for the one, the only, GameBro!
He's coming to your screen straight from the magazine
The mix meister of Master Swords and mushrooms
Are you sure you're ready for this?
Well come on, get ready, get set, and here we go
The GameBro is here and he's got the games
All you other lamebrainers better feel the shame
He can bend the rules, he's too cool for school
And he's got just a few cheat codes for you
There ain't nothing that'll ever hold this bad boy down
That hat that he's wearing's like his personal crown
He's got every game beat and skills that sweet
But if you want in his crew, you gotta be elite
You've gotta be on the spot, on the dot, we're just saying
You've gotta be ready to go, if you're too slow, thanks for playing
You've gotta know where it's at, who's at bat, and if you don't, then
Well, then, you'll know just who to call
It's GameBro!
When you're out of quarters, he's got your back
He never ever betray you, man, that's a fact
Yo, he's your best friend, and never foe
So, come on, and let's go!
Uh!
Do it, do it, do it, do it!
Uh!
Alright!
You've gotta be on the spot, on the dot, we're just saying
You've gotta be ready to go, if you're too slow, thanks for playing
You've gotta know where it's at, who's at bat, and if you don't, then
Well, then, you'll know just who to call
The games will never stop, the games will never stop
The games will never stop, the games will never stop
The games will never stop, the games will never stop
The games will never stop, the games will never stop
The games will never stop, the games will never stop
(Go, go, go, go, go, go, go GameBro)
The games will never stop, the games will never stop
(Go, go, go, go, go, go, go GameBro)
The games will never stop, the games will never stop
(Go, go, go, go, go, go, go GameBro)
The games will never stop, the games will never stop
(Go, go, go, go, go, go, go)
The games will never stop, the games will never stop
(Go, go, go, go, go, go, go GameBro)
The games will never stop, the games will never stop
(Go, go, go, go, go, go, go GameBro)
The games will never stop, the games will never stop
(Go, go, go, go, go, go, go GameBro)
The games will never stop, the games will never stop
(Go, go, go, go, go, go, go)
The games will never stop, the games will never stop
(Go, go, go, go, go, go, go GameBro)
The games will never stop, the games will never stop
(Go, go, go, go, go, go, go)
The games will never stop, the games will never stop
(Go, go, go, go, go, go, go GameBro)
The games will never stop, the games will never stop
(Go, go, go, go, go, go, go)
Alright!
Sheet Music Files:
- Title: Sheet music by Nocturne
Files:
- 'GameBro (Original 1990 Mix) - Nocturne.pdf'
- Title: Organ score by Gamehunter
Files:
- 'GameBro (Original 1990 Mix) - Gamehunter (organ).pdf'
MIDI Project Files:
- Title: MIDI by Nocturne
Files:
- 'GameBro (Original 1990 Mix) - Nocturne.mid'
- Title: MIDI by JohnJRenns (drums)
Files:
- 'GameBro (Original 1990 Mix) - JohnJRenns (drums).mid'
Commentary: |-
Erik Scheele:
THE GAMES, WILL, NEVER STOP
THE GAMES WILL NEVER STOP
you know the rest
(alternatively: where the heck did that horrible dude come from get him out of the way of the album art jesus)
I just binged on too much [Go Mario Go](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkreaWxL224) and [The Heat Is On (bust a groove 2)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cez1x1Gei4) and went out to mow the lawn and came up with it
---
Track: Tribal Ebonpyre
Artists:
- Erik Scheele
Art Tags:
- Dave
- Consorts
- LoHaC
Duration: '1:48'
URLs:
- https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/tribal-ebonpyre-2
- https://youtu.be/xStVhvhg1i4
Referenced Tracks:
- Atomyk Ebonpyre
- Sburban Jungle
Commentary: |-
Erik Scheele:
naknaknaknaknaknaknaknaknaknak
Although I didn't think the crocodiles would be so low, but whichever
---
Track: I Don't Want to Miss a Thing
Artists:
- Michael Guy Bowman
Art Tags:
- John
Duration: '3:57'
URLs:
- https://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/i-dont-want-to-miss-a-thing-2
- https://youtu.be/383DEqnj71w
Referenced Tracks:
- track:i-dont-want-to-miss-a-thing-aerosmith
- Sburban Jungle
- Showtime (Original Mix)
- Squiddles!
- Explore
- How Do I Live
Lyrics: |-
I could stay awake just to hear you breathing
Watch you smile while you are sleeping
While you're far away and dreaming
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender
I could stay lost in this moment forever
Where every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure
I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream could never do
I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
Lying close to you, hearing your heart beating
And I'm wondering what you're seeing
While you're far away and dreaming
Then I kiss your eyes, and thank God we're together
I just wanna be with you
In this moment forever
Forever and ever
I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream could never do
I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
I don't wanna miss one smile
I don't wanna miss one kiss
I just wanna be with you
Right here, right now, just like this
I just wanna hold you close
Feel your heart so close to mine
And just stay right here in this moment
For the rest of time
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream could never do
I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream could never do
I'd still miss you, babe
And I don't wanna miss a thing
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Commentary: |-
Michael Guy Bowman:
Yeah yeah yeah, uh, there's not too much to say about this one other than I once again did an over-the-top summer movie song and now I'm starting to turn into some weird irony-laden crooner. If I keep this thing up, I'll end like Bryan Ferry, slowly mutating from a bizarre parody of a lounge lizard into the real deal. When you guys find me in Vegas playing to some bar full of people scratching their heads or playing at some rich guy's wedding, please dose me with some smelling salts so that I can figure out where I am and what the hell is going on.
Anyway, recording "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" is something that proved especially difficult, as I ended up cobbling the thing together whilst briefly staying at my parents' house (oh, those deadlines!) which wouldn't make things so hard except that they went ahead and painted the place and changed all the floors to wood paneling just before I arrived. What this means is that the rooms I recorded in were live as hell and it took a lot of work to hide the extra noise whilst being unable to pad the freshly-painted walls with anything that could possibly dampen the sound. Enjoy the results!
Michael Guy Bowman: (Bowmantown Discord, excerpt, 8/4/2017)
I do not like this recording at all and was high on paint fumes when I recorded it.
But I am glad it at least made people laugh. I think there wasn't enough of a joke to it other than how stupid and dramatic the original is, so I just imitated the dumb inflection Steve Tyler put on it
But honestly I should have either just done it for real or done it way worse
I feel like it ends up weirdly in the middle
I guess that's just how Homestuck is