Cuz We Got a PhD in Advanced Body Movin'...
I think I've mentioned how, this semester, I feel like a "real" composer...I should qualify that: I've always been a "real" composer...But these classes are beginning to make me see my craft with a newer depth and understanding...
My 20th Century Theory class has made me a believer in atonal music...I know a lot of you might argue that atonal music is just noise or not worth listening to...But I would argue that all of you ALREADY have an ear for atonal music since most of the film music that you listen to and have grown up with is atonal: Psycho, The Omen, Planet of the Apes, most horror films, even Taxi Driver...
However, I'm learning that atonal music isn't just useful for musically conveying anxiety or horror or craziness...There can be a lyrical beauty in it...Needless to say, I've found a sense of expression in Bartok and even in American composer John Adams that you can't find in Beethoven or Brahms...I'm Not saying it's better - just different...and to my mind right now, different is intriguing...
It's like I got a piece of the puzzle that I've been missing...Steve Martin had this sketch in his stand-up routine where he talked about all these books that he'd written, and he mentions the "Apple Pie Hubbub" which was a landmark novel "cuz that's when I started using verbs...My prose really started to pop out after that"...That's how I feel right now about atonality...
Anyway, I've been taking ALOT of what I'm learning in my theory class and putting it to use in the film score for my Senior Project...and because of this, the score has really become one of the most complex pieces I've ever written...
I think some of you who may only know me as a composer of parody music may be surprised...Even some of you who've heard my recent forays into film music may be surprise...Hell, *I'M* being surprised with what I'm coming up with on a daily basis - It's pretty far away from anything I've done before...
My goal is to have the film score finished by the end of October...I've got 3 minutes written so far and I have 9 more to go...And I think it's feasible...And when I say "finished", I mean, most of the notes will be composed and written out...
During the month of November, I will begin fleshing out the arrangement, work out ornamentation and maybe add more percussion elements, figure out all the dynamic and expressive elements and, finally, attempt to transfer all the MIDI elements from Finale into something more usable via a MIDI orchestral module...
See? I really *am* learning some stuff...
My 20th Century Theory class has made me a believer in atonal music...I know a lot of you might argue that atonal music is just noise or not worth listening to...But I would argue that all of you ALREADY have an ear for atonal music since most of the film music that you listen to and have grown up with is atonal: Psycho, The Omen, Planet of the Apes, most horror films, even Taxi Driver...
However, I'm learning that atonal music isn't just useful for musically conveying anxiety or horror or craziness...There can be a lyrical beauty in it...Needless to say, I've found a sense of expression in Bartok and even in American composer John Adams that you can't find in Beethoven or Brahms...I'm Not saying it's better - just different...and to my mind right now, different is intriguing...
It's like I got a piece of the puzzle that I've been missing...Steve Martin had this sketch in his stand-up routine where he talked about all these books that he'd written, and he mentions the "Apple Pie Hubbub" which was a landmark novel "cuz that's when I started using verbs...My prose really started to pop out after that"...That's how I feel right now about atonality...
Anyway, I've been taking ALOT of what I'm learning in my theory class and putting it to use in the film score for my Senior Project...and because of this, the score has really become one of the most complex pieces I've ever written...
I think some of you who may only know me as a composer of parody music may be surprised...Even some of you who've heard my recent forays into film music may be surprise...Hell, *I'M* being surprised with what I'm coming up with on a daily basis - It's pretty far away from anything I've done before...
My goal is to have the film score finished by the end of October...I've got 3 minutes written so far and I have 9 more to go...And I think it's feasible...And when I say "finished", I mean, most of the notes will be composed and written out...
During the month of November, I will begin fleshing out the arrangement, work out ornamentation and maybe add more percussion elements, figure out all the dynamic and expressive elements and, finally, attempt to transfer all the MIDI elements from Finale into something more usable via a MIDI orchestral module...
See? I really *am* learning some stuff...