Posted
Flora was playing hide-and-seek in the garden with her sister when she realized that her family had just left the house, leaving them alone. Knowing they could now do anything without getting into trouble, at least not immediately, they chose to tear down the tree house and drown the neighbor's much hated dog, Hermann, in the pool. At last. What a great summer day! The plan for the dog was eventually canceled. When the dust settled however, Hermann somehow ended up floating in the pool belly-up anyway.
Some of you will remember where this is from. It's a refinement of the end point of a couple of experiments I did a while ago (most of which sound horrible, now that I hear them from a distance).
I have still no idea if the fun I have with this is imaginary or real. Only time will tell (or you).
Mi., 04.06.2025 - 10:54 Permalink
I have still no idea if the fun I have with this is imaginary or real.
"Though you may not be sure imagination is real or, well, imaginary, imaginary fun is most definitely real fun. It's fun to imagine and fantasize things and pretend. It's an art, don't you know. Something you get better at."
https://www.deepfun.com/imaginary-fun/
Thanks for posting. Gives me an inspiration for the title of a new song: “Imaginary fun”.
Mi., 04.06.2025 - 12:46 Permalink
Meanwhile I got a critique and helpful feedback from a composer on vi-control regarding this one. Too many things going on at the same time and confusingly overlapping motifs that sound like a bad attempt at counterpoint. That nails it. I love the chaos but it apparently doesn't come across as intended.
It's hard for me to limit myself to only a few elements and develop them over time (even more so when there's only 1:30 to go). The orchestra has so many wonderful sounds and possibilities, it is just too tempting to throw them around like confetti and shower yourself in colors and figures. Probably a common trap for beginners (in this genre I am a bloody beginner).
Synfire makes it so easy to bask in an abundance of ideas and then you become too lazy to eventually clean up the mess. On the other hand, when you write in a notation program or DAW, you can only write down what's in your head. There is no room for experimentation and surprises and for new ideas that pop into existence out of thin air. I don't want to go back to static. I rather learn to limit myself.
So the first and foremost lesson to learn with Synfire is: Limit yourself. No matter how much you love all the fragments that come flying your way.
Is there a self-help group for figureoholics?
Do., 05.06.2025 - 22:08 Permalink
I love the chaos
It's hard for me to limit myself to only a few elements and develop them over time (even more so when there's only 1:30 to go). The orchestra has so many wonderful sounds and possibilities, it is just too tempting to throw them around like confetti and shower yourself in colors and figures.
One of my composition teachers found that the most important lesson he wants to help us with is to find our own preferences.
I certainly agree that limiting yourself in your pieces is a very good idea, but perhaps you also have to trust what you like and then continue refining that?
Fr., 06.06.2025 - 21:52 Permalink
trust what you like and then continue refining that
Absolutely. The challenge however is to perceive your work like a first time listener and not be blinded by subjective immersion.
I remember my time as a songwriter when a completely simple pop song could blow me away, only to become predictable and boring after listening to it more than a few times. This first time perception is very elusive. You can only have it once or twice and then you need to trust your routines and proven techniques to maintain it without ever experiencing it again.