Sunday 17 April 2016

GOTHAMITE Part II: Rebirth


So, I'm back. I've been very busy with part 3 over the last couple of days that I almost forgot to upload this. It's mainly driven by violins, a pinch of piano and a high frequency bass, which is not programmed but was recorded note for note on the keyboard, which I sped up in time with the music. It owes a lot to modern film music due to this but I don't deny it. It adds momentum and tension. Which is exactly what I was aiming for.

0.00 The Wayne's funeral. Stuttering violins portray the difficulty of the boy as he follows his parent's coffins towards the family crypt which has not been opened for many years.

0.11 A large crowd follows, signifying how popular the family are. Alfred places a supportive hand on the child's shoulder before he heads to open the crypt.

0.31 The crypt is opened and a huge swarm of bats fly out, people scream and bat at the air or cover their faces, except Bruce. He is paralysed with shock.....or awe..... His heart beats and his mind races.

Tuesday 12 April 2016

GOTHAMITE Part I: Prelude


So here is the first part of my musical tribute. I tried to add a recognisable melody that I can allude to in the pieces to follow, should the feeling arise. The music box melody is actually an old piece of music I created to help improve my rhythm on the keys when I first started messing with them circa 2004 and it's been used and abused in various ideas but never seemed to find a proper home, until now.

I wrote this piece of music as if from a child's eyes and feel that it is a success in respect of that. I added a keyboard choir, introduced by a a choir pad effect and threw in some moody strings, just to add weight to it. It sounds majestic and unsettling at the same time.

The melody changes slightly and from the right a macabre, stardust jingling effect signifies a tense mood change as it's introduced by a timpani drum. I flicked nonchalantly on the detune dial at various times to add a unsteady vinyl wobble to it.

The dual guitars slash like a razorblade, twice to signify each bullet whilst a driving bass adds tension between each strike of the guitars and then suddenly, a bell tolls.

We return to the music box but the melody is softer, less certain. Every so often the stardust effect elaborates on certain notes, whilst two warm violin lines harmonise with each other, and all is still again.

Sunday 10 April 2016

GOTHAMITE


Okay then. I'm not getting a lot of time to do much musical stuff as of late due to LIFE. But witnessing circumstances ongoing in my job, I like many others realised exactly how disposable I am to the company. So I've promised myself some big changes after all the other big changes on the horizon this year.

I want to pursue a career in sound and vision (even if it means sweeping up a studio) as I am starting to realise that I am wasting my talents walking a shop floor and counting items. Every. Single. Crushing. Day.

 But I need some references as regards to the work I'm capable of. Obviously I have a reference in the "FRESH START" short movie covered in the this BLOG from last year but as a young musician who was still learning how to tune a guitar at the time, it's hardly a good reference. So I have decided to work on a piece called "GOTHAMITE" about, you guessed it - himself with the pointy ears above there.

We're inspired by things we appreciate in life - big and small, and since childhood this particular character has resonated with me. The piece will be instrumental (at the minute) and will be made up by a half dozen other pieces. I am planning on getting a synth with an arpeggiator to use in parts so this will take time but I will upload pieces here as they are created. It's my tribute to the origins of the character and I will explain the story of each piece as I share it. I must go. The piano is calling me. Thanks for reading.