Music mix - Moments: The Story of an Archetype
So I made a music mix. The whole process was...interesting, to say the least. When it comes to music, I don't really do lyrics. I mostly like songs based on the way they sound or the particular mood they invoke. Lyrics just slide right past me when I'm listening, and I only know the words to a handful of songs. So when it comes to making a themed mix, I'm completely lost. I have nearly 5000 songs on my mp3 player and even more on my hard drive, and I have no idea which of those 5000+ songs would be appropriate for a mix about, say, aliens invading the Earth or something, nor do I have any idea how to even start looking outside of just going through the songs one by one. Even skipping the ones I know for certain aren't about aliens invading the Earth is still going to leave a ton of songs to go through and I just don't have that kind of time. As you can see, I overthink this just as much as everything else.
But I kind of wanted to make a mix to kick off the month of October. And after several failed attempts at various themes (the end of summer, autumn, um...aliens invading the Earth) I decided my best bet would be to go with instrumental music. No lyrics to worry over; it's all about mood. So I gathered a list of my favorite instrumental pieces, the ones I've listened to over and over at various times (technically, several of them are not strictly instrumental in that there is wordless singing, chanting, etc., but there are no words, so it's more like voices being used as instruments). And then it occurred to me that a lot of the music I listen to over and over I listen to while writing, and I listen to them over and over because they invoke some mood that helps me with whatever I'm writing.
So the mix became "Stuff I listen to while writing." But that seemed a little blah. So THEN I decided it might be fun to arrange the songs in an order so that they themselves would suggest some kind of narrative. And because I write fantasy and a lot of the songs I had gathered were fantasy/New Age/Celtic or from various SFF soundtracks, I decided to structure the mix like an epic sword and sorcery fantasy novel. And then it got a little bit tongue-in-cheek, because the whole thing is kind of...well, let's say noting how similar stories in that genre are. It's not really making fun because these are all pieces of music that I love and that I do listen to while writing, so I'm kind of being serious about it on that front. Also, you can see that there is no cover art, since I'm pretty clueless at graphics.
So this mix is kind of two things: stuff I listen to while I write and also the "soundtrack" to your typical epic fantasy story. And because the former idea came first I just used the same list of songs for the latter idea. So some of the pieces might not be the obvious choices for their function in the story, but hey. It makes it kind of unique, right?
Anyway, enough of my rambling. I present to you "Moments: The Story of an Archetype."
I've uploaded a zip containing all the music to Mediafire. The link is at the bottom of the entry. Please comment if you download?
1. Prologue by Loreena McKennit
Self-explanatory. What good epic fantasy novel doesn't have a prologue? Moonless nights; mysterious people meeting in mysterious places; someone uttering a prophecy; and of course, a typeface all in italics.
2. The Round Table by Enaid
Meet the protagonist. He's not a hero yet, but don't doubt that he soon will be. This is his world. He lives among or near royalty, but he is not royalty himself. Or is he?
3. A Day Without Rain by Enya
Our hero's love theme. There is someone he dotes upon from afar: perhaps their romance is forbidden, or perhaps she only thinks of him as "a friend." Either way, she will be the inspiration for many of our hero's actions.
4. Arco Arena by Cake
Meet our hero's best friend. He's unconventional, a little bit of a ruffian and a troublemaker, and he is loyal to the end, even though he is cooler and more comfortable with himself than the hero ever will be.
5. A Window to the Past by John Williams (from the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban soundtrack)
Our hero is a brooding sort, and around here is where we find out why: there's been some sadness and trauma in his past. Could it have something to do with that prophecy from the prologue?
6. The Cuckoo by Chris Michell
Of course it has something to do with the prophecy. Our hero just might be the Chosen One. But there is an object, a magical object, that he must search for and find before he can fulfill his destiny. But he'll have to hurry because the villain is also looking for it, no doubt to use for some nefarious deed.
7. Nara by E.S. Posthumus
Joined by a party of friends and supporters, including his loyal best friend, the hero sets off on the journey that will lead him to the magical object he'll need to defeat the villain and fulfill the prophecy. The way is fraught with peril and usually takes up most of the second book of a trilogy.
8. Ruska by Apocalyptica
Our hero gets within grasping distance of the magical object, but he and his party are beset on all sides by the villain's forces. Everything goes wrong. The quest ends in tragedy. The villain makes off with the magical object and...the loyal best friend dies valiantly while saving our hero's life.
9. 12 O'Clock by Vangelis
The best friend's funeral. Many stories of him are told, and many tears are shed.
10. Chorale IV by Adiemus
All seems lost. Our hero has no hope left. He wants to go home. He wants to leave the quest to someone who can complete it and not get their best friends killed.
11. Autumn Wind by Giovanni
Despite the hero's remaining friends trying to give him hope, it is not until his true love comes to him in a dream--or is it just a dream?--that he remembers what he is fighting for.
12. The Riders of Rohan by Howard Shore (from The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers soundtrack)
Meanwhile, the villain does not sit idly by. He has the magical object and great power rests in his hands. Tales of his evil deeds get back the hero, who realizes that this must end once and for all, for better or for worse. It is time for him to rise to his potential and rally his supporters for a final stand.
13. Martha's Quest by Murray Gold (from the Doctor Who Series 3 soundtrack)
The climax of the story. The hero's and the villain's armies are meeting on the battlefield, but our hero seeks the villain to fight him face-to-face. They clash, through physical arms or wits or whatever the author decides. Our hero manages to take back the magical object and use it to defeat the villain and fulfill the prophecy.
14. Redford by Sufjan Stevens
The quiet aftermath of the battle. The villain and his forces are defeated, but the triumph is bittersweet as the good guys count their dead
15. Comptine d'Un Autre Ete by Yann Tiersen (from the Amelie soundtrack)
Loose ends are tied up, knighthoods are given, grieving families are comforted, romances are consumated between supporting characters. It is time for life to go back to normal, but can it really?
16. Home by Secret Garden
We go back to where we began. Our hero lays weary eyes on his home for the first time in a long time. Nothing has changed, but so much has.
17. Prelude for Time Feelers by Eluvium
The epilogue. Our hero may gain the love he has sought after the whole book, or he may not. His final resolution is up to the writer. All he can do is try to live in a changed world.
Zip file
But I kind of wanted to make a mix to kick off the month of October. And after several failed attempts at various themes (the end of summer, autumn, um...aliens invading the Earth) I decided my best bet would be to go with instrumental music. No lyrics to worry over; it's all about mood. So I gathered a list of my favorite instrumental pieces, the ones I've listened to over and over at various times (technically, several of them are not strictly instrumental in that there is wordless singing, chanting, etc., but there are no words, so it's more like voices being used as instruments). And then it occurred to me that a lot of the music I listen to over and over I listen to while writing, and I listen to them over and over because they invoke some mood that helps me with whatever I'm writing.
So the mix became "Stuff I listen to while writing." But that seemed a little blah. So THEN I decided it might be fun to arrange the songs in an order so that they themselves would suggest some kind of narrative. And because I write fantasy and a lot of the songs I had gathered were fantasy/New Age/Celtic or from various SFF soundtracks, I decided to structure the mix like an epic sword and sorcery fantasy novel. And then it got a little bit tongue-in-cheek, because the whole thing is kind of...well, let's say noting how similar stories in that genre are. It's not really making fun because these are all pieces of music that I love and that I do listen to while writing, so I'm kind of being serious about it on that front. Also, you can see that there is no cover art, since I'm pretty clueless at graphics.
So this mix is kind of two things: stuff I listen to while I write and also the "soundtrack" to your typical epic fantasy story. And because the former idea came first I just used the same list of songs for the latter idea. So some of the pieces might not be the obvious choices for their function in the story, but hey. It makes it kind of unique, right?
Anyway, enough of my rambling. I present to you "Moments: The Story of an Archetype."
I've uploaded a zip containing all the music to Mediafire. The link is at the bottom of the entry. Please comment if you download?
1. Prologue by Loreena McKennit
Self-explanatory. What good epic fantasy novel doesn't have a prologue? Moonless nights; mysterious people meeting in mysterious places; someone uttering a prophecy; and of course, a typeface all in italics.
2. The Round Table by Enaid
Meet the protagonist. He's not a hero yet, but don't doubt that he soon will be. This is his world. He lives among or near royalty, but he is not royalty himself. Or is he?
3. A Day Without Rain by Enya
Our hero's love theme. There is someone he dotes upon from afar: perhaps their romance is forbidden, or perhaps she only thinks of him as "a friend." Either way, she will be the inspiration for many of our hero's actions.
4. Arco Arena by Cake
Meet our hero's best friend. He's unconventional, a little bit of a ruffian and a troublemaker, and he is loyal to the end, even though he is cooler and more comfortable with himself than the hero ever will be.
5. A Window to the Past by John Williams (from the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban soundtrack)
Our hero is a brooding sort, and around here is where we find out why: there's been some sadness and trauma in his past. Could it have something to do with that prophecy from the prologue?
6. The Cuckoo by Chris Michell
Of course it has something to do with the prophecy. Our hero just might be the Chosen One. But there is an object, a magical object, that he must search for and find before he can fulfill his destiny. But he'll have to hurry because the villain is also looking for it, no doubt to use for some nefarious deed.
7. Nara by E.S. Posthumus
Joined by a party of friends and supporters, including his loyal best friend, the hero sets off on the journey that will lead him to the magical object he'll need to defeat the villain and fulfill the prophecy. The way is fraught with peril and usually takes up most of the second book of a trilogy.
8. Ruska by Apocalyptica
Our hero gets within grasping distance of the magical object, but he and his party are beset on all sides by the villain's forces. Everything goes wrong. The quest ends in tragedy. The villain makes off with the magical object and...the loyal best friend dies valiantly while saving our hero's life.
9. 12 O'Clock by Vangelis
The best friend's funeral. Many stories of him are told, and many tears are shed.
10. Chorale IV by Adiemus
All seems lost. Our hero has no hope left. He wants to go home. He wants to leave the quest to someone who can complete it and not get their best friends killed.
11. Autumn Wind by Giovanni
Despite the hero's remaining friends trying to give him hope, it is not until his true love comes to him in a dream--or is it just a dream?--that he remembers what he is fighting for.
12. The Riders of Rohan by Howard Shore (from The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers soundtrack)
Meanwhile, the villain does not sit idly by. He has the magical object and great power rests in his hands. Tales of his evil deeds get back the hero, who realizes that this must end once and for all, for better or for worse. It is time for him to rise to his potential and rally his supporters for a final stand.
13. Martha's Quest by Murray Gold (from the Doctor Who Series 3 soundtrack)
The climax of the story. The hero's and the villain's armies are meeting on the battlefield, but our hero seeks the villain to fight him face-to-face. They clash, through physical arms or wits or whatever the author decides. Our hero manages to take back the magical object and use it to defeat the villain and fulfill the prophecy.
14. Redford by Sufjan Stevens
The quiet aftermath of the battle. The villain and his forces are defeated, but the triumph is bittersweet as the good guys count their dead
15. Comptine d'Un Autre Ete by Yann Tiersen (from the Amelie soundtrack)
Loose ends are tied up, knighthoods are given, grieving families are comforted, romances are consumated between supporting characters. It is time for life to go back to normal, but can it really?
16. Home by Secret Garden
We go back to where we began. Our hero lays weary eyes on his home for the first time in a long time. Nothing has changed, but so much has.
17. Prelude for Time Feelers by Eluvium
The epilogue. Our hero may gain the love he has sought after the whole book, or he may not. His final resolution is up to the writer. All he can do is try to live in a changed world.
Zip file