The Discovery by Andy16
A theme I worked out on the piano at my parents house, this would come to define the hero's journey in the Average Joe movie. By the time I made this track, we had been working on the movie for too long and I was tired of using the same theme over and over. I had decided to write my own theme, and not copy off of anybody. The whole thing is pretty simple, three sets of three repeated chords to keep up interest (your brain probably expects the motif to be four measures long, so it doesn't quite feel right until the fourth set, which is in the middle of the next overall nine measure theme, so you never quite feel like you heard the same thing twice) and written in 4/4 (so it's easy to follow the beat).
All of the chords in this song are in a major key, but the roots of the chords form a minor chord, allowing me to start the song with a slow "moody" sound and end with a fast triumphant sound without changing the tempo. Right about 48 seconds into the track you will know what I mean by that.
This track was written in FL Studio.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
The One That's Not The Theme Anymore
The Theme to Average Joe's Great Escape by Andy16
Eventually the discussion came up that if we (the guys that are now the Faux Reel guys) ever wanted to sell our stuff, I couldn't use samples, due to copyright reasons. This meant that I had to come up with the whole song all by myself. At the time, that was kind of scary. All of my original songs before that either took me months to come up with or had an attention span of around 1:40. We were talking about making a movie. That's an HOUR of music that I would have to come up with. A.K.A. scary.
So I just copied notes. This song features a melody that is cut and pasted together from all the themes of the movies that OUR movie was referencing. If you don't see it, just go back and listen to the Terminator theme. I copied it note for note.
I remember loving the way that this one sounded. Now it's nothing compared to the stuff that replaced it. If you watch the Average Joe movie, you can see how it found it's way in, but it's not the song it used to be.
Eventually the discussion came up that if we (the guys that are now the Faux Reel guys) ever wanted to sell our stuff, I couldn't use samples, due to copyright reasons. This meant that I had to come up with the whole song all by myself. At the time, that was kind of scary. All of my original songs before that either took me months to come up with or had an attention span of around 1:40. We were talking about making a movie. That's an HOUR of music that I would have to come up with. A.K.A. scary.
So I just copied notes. This song features a melody that is cut and pasted together from all the themes of the movies that OUR movie was referencing. If you don't see it, just go back and listen to the Terminator theme. I copied it note for note.
I remember loving the way that this one sounded. Now it's nothing compared to the stuff that replaced it. If you watch the Average Joe movie, you can see how it found it's way in, but it's not the song it used to be.
Hunted
Hunted by Andy16
After I had a good hold on how to use FL Studio and make it sound good, I realized that I could do the music for my YouTube videos. It took a lot of editing to make other people's music fit those videos, and now I could just take the ideas that I liked and make the songs I wanted to make, and make them the right length for my videos, too.
This one was made for a short that never happened, called "Hunted", where it gets it's name from. It has samples from the Firefly Soundtrack, the song "Crazy On You" by Heart, and even The Matrix, The Incredibles, and Pirates of the Caribbean.
After I had a good hold on how to use FL Studio and make it sound good, I realized that I could do the music for my YouTube videos. It took a lot of editing to make other people's music fit those videos, and now I could just take the ideas that I liked and make the songs I wanted to make, and make them the right length for my videos, too.
This one was made for a short that never happened, called "Hunted", where it gets it's name from. It has samples from the Firefly Soundtrack, the song "Crazy On You" by Heart, and even The Matrix, The Incredibles, and Pirates of the Caribbean.
3XOSC
3XOSC by Andy16
I forget what the main inspiration for this song was, but I think the references are obvious. It uses instruments that sound like they are from a classic video game, which are always important to me. The writing sounds like it could be from Animusic. The beat in the middle could be from an early Fatboy Slim song (just not as "big").
The point was to use FL Studio to make a completely original song with the in-program instruments, in other words, no samples from my awesome song library. I think I did a pretty good job, but that "no samples" thing means the drums don't have much energy.
It is called "3XOSC" because one of the instruments has 3 oscillators, and is named as such in FL Studio.
Speaking of FL Studio instruments, the one that plays really long, high-pitched notes is my favorite. It's under the "Sytrus" section and it's called "Distant". I use it in a lot of my songs. Also, it's one of the most fun instruments to play live while Casey and I are DJ-ing.
I forget what the main inspiration for this song was, but I think the references are obvious. It uses instruments that sound like they are from a classic video game, which are always important to me. The writing sounds like it could be from Animusic. The beat in the middle could be from an early Fatboy Slim song (just not as "big").
The point was to use FL Studio to make a completely original song with the in-program instruments, in other words, no samples from my awesome song library. I think I did a pretty good job, but that "no samples" thing means the drums don't have much energy.
It is called "3XOSC" because one of the instruments has 3 oscillators, and is named as such in FL Studio.
Speaking of FL Studio instruments, the one that plays really long, high-pitched notes is my favorite. It's under the "Sytrus" section and it's called "Distant". I use it in a lot of my songs. Also, it's one of the most fun instruments to play live while Casey and I are DJ-ing.
Omen Finding
Omen Finding by Andy16
After "Danger!", I became obsessed with sampling. I had such a huge library of songs from the greatest film scores, mixes, etc. and all of them needed to be edited together. The possibilities are still endless.
The main sample in this track is from Thomas Newman's film score for the Pixar movie "Finding Nemo". The name of the track comes from switching the positions of the words and spelling "Nemo" backwards (just in case you needed help figuring that out). There is also a sample from Propellerhead's "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" which is a breakbeat mix of the theme from the James Bond movies.
You might recognize the beginning half of this song from the Nranimation short "Magic", but there is a whole last segment that didn't make it into that short, so stick with it.
After "Danger!", I became obsessed with sampling. I had such a huge library of songs from the greatest film scores, mixes, etc. and all of them needed to be edited together. The possibilities are still endless.
The main sample in this track is from Thomas Newman's film score for the Pixar movie "Finding Nemo". The name of the track comes from switching the positions of the words and spelling "Nemo" backwards (just in case you needed help figuring that out). There is also a sample from Propellerhead's "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" which is a breakbeat mix of the theme from the James Bond movies.
You might recognize the beginning half of this song from the Nranimation short "Magic", but there is a whole last segment that didn't make it into that short, so stick with it.
Danger!
Danger by Andy16
This track marks the beginning of a new era for me. This is when my friend Casey introduced me to FL Studio... AND TOGETHER WE FORMED: PANDAS IN COLOR!!!!!!!
To me, this was crazy. I could mix all of my programs together into one, and some of the instruments in this program "actually sounded good". Most of all, this program would let me utilize SAMPLES!!!! ...Woah...
Named after a quote from a TV show we've never seen (specifically a robot from "Lost in Space"), this track still holds up against all of the songs Casey and I have written since.
The main orchestral riff that fuels this song was, of course, written in Finale with Garritan. The drums were all from FL Studio (rhythms highly influenced by my drum line days), and the OH SO AMAZING SAMPLES (!!!!!) were edited in Virtual DJ.
This track marks the beginning of a new era for me. This is when my friend Casey introduced me to FL Studio... AND TOGETHER WE FORMED: PANDAS IN COLOR!!!!!!!
To me, this was crazy. I could mix all of my programs together into one, and some of the instruments in this program "actually sounded good". Most of all, this program would let me utilize SAMPLES!!!! ...Woah...
Named after a quote from a TV show we've never seen (specifically a robot from "Lost in Space"), this track still holds up against all of the songs Casey and I have written since.
The main orchestral riff that fuels this song was, of course, written in Finale with Garritan. The drums were all from FL Studio (rhythms highly influenced by my drum line days), and the OH SO AMAZING SAMPLES (!!!!!) were edited in Virtual DJ.
Nightmares and Dreams
Nightmares and Dreams by Andy16
This was my first orchestral song. I was inspired to write it when I found the "glissando" function in Finale and decided to see what it sounded like on a timpani. Fortunately, it didn't work like it should and it made this eerie stretching/ripping sound and I knew I had to make a "scary" song.
Since people have always said how cheerful and upbeat my music usually is, it made sense for me to make a "happy" section in with it, so naturally the track got the name "Nightmares and Dreams".
This one is still my favorite. I think that's because the ratio of quality to experience is much higher, so there is a little more to be proud of.
This was my first orchestral song. I was inspired to write it when I found the "glissando" function in Finale and decided to see what it sounded like on a timpani. Fortunately, it didn't work like it should and it made this eerie stretching/ripping sound and I knew I had to make a "scary" song.
Since people have always said how cheerful and upbeat my music usually is, it made sense for me to make a "happy" section in with it, so naturally the track got the name "Nightmares and Dreams".
This one is still my favorite. I think that's because the ratio of quality to experience is much higher, so there is a little more to be proud of.
The Palace of Peculiar Playthings
The Palace of Peculiar Playthings by Andy16
This piece was for the Orlando Philharmonic Young Composer's competition in 2008. I didn't win, but there was a documentary made about me because of it, which is pretty cool I think.
Listening back to this piece now, I can see how much I was copying off of my musical role models. There is definitely some Gershwin in there, and I can hear Randy Newman and Thomas Newman, etc.
It's supposed to be about a bunch of toys, see if you can guess which ones I was going for.
This piece was for the Orlando Philharmonic Young Composer's competition in 2008. I didn't win, but there was a documentary made about me because of it, which is pretty cool I think.
Listening back to this piece now, I can see how much I was copying off of my musical role models. There is definitely some Gershwin in there, and I can hear Randy Newman and Thomas Newman, etc.
It's supposed to be about a bunch of toys, see if you can guess which ones I was going for.
Triumph
Triumph by Andy16
This is when my writing was beginning to become more orchestral. You can tell because of my use of harmonizing brass and a clear intro and outro. The middle part is still very much my classic style of writing where the progression is made by adding parts on to my original idea, but I did manage to change it up a bit.
This was composed in Finale (and judging by the sound, this was the first song that I used Garritan instruments for). An edited version of this song was used as the title sequence of some of my old short films.
This is when my writing was beginning to become more orchestral. You can tell because of my use of harmonizing brass and a clear intro and outro. The middle part is still very much my classic style of writing where the progression is made by adding parts on to my original idea, but I did manage to change it up a bit.
This was composed in Finale (and judging by the sound, this was the first song that I used Garritan instruments for). An edited version of this song was used as the title sequence of some of my old short films.
Rumble in the Jungle
Rumble In The Jungle by Andy16
The percussive riff at the beginning of this song has always been my favorite rhythm. It came from playing triplets on my right hand and eighth notes on my left. I have always loved the way duple meter and triple meter sound when played on top of each other. That's probably why most of my more recent compositions are written in 6/8.
This one, however, is written in 4/4. I took the triplets on the right hand and counted them of like they were eighth notes, and then the left hand just fell into place in that "every third" sixteenth note rhythm.
This is another piece composed in Finale
The percussive riff at the beginning of this song has always been my favorite rhythm. It came from playing triplets on my right hand and eighth notes on my left. I have always loved the way duple meter and triple meter sound when played on top of each other. That's probably why most of my more recent compositions are written in 6/8.
This one, however, is written in 4/4. I took the triplets on the right hand and counted them of like they were eighth notes, and then the left hand just fell into place in that "every third" sixteenth note rhythm.
This is another piece composed in Finale
Pipe Dream 2
This song is originally by Animusic. I arranged it over Winter break in my senior year so that it could be played by the percussion section at my high school (including me).
I had a portable DVD player and I listened to the track over and over again, sometimes watching the video for a little guidance, and arranged the song in Finale.
Float
Float by Andy16
This song is another example of the only way I knew how to compose in my early work. I would come up with one idea, and then add on to it for the rest of the song. The song has no verse, no bridge, it's just one long and ever changing chorus, and then ends abruptly.
I wrote this in Finale when I was around 15 years old. It was inspired by a song I heard in a video with a guy riding on a bullet train. I don't remember where I saw that video.
This song is another example of the only way I knew how to compose in my early work. I would come up with one idea, and then add on to it for the rest of the song. The song has no verse, no bridge, it's just one long and ever changing chorus, and then ends abruptly.
I wrote this in Finale when I was around 15 years old. It was inspired by a song I heard in a video with a guy riding on a bullet train. I don't remember where I saw that video.
Pandas and Hippos on Phidos
Pandas and Hippos on Phidos by Andy16
I wrote this song on Finale when I was a sophomore in High School. I totally forget what the title means but I know it has something to do with my first girlfriend.
I couldn't help but upload it when I heard it. It's SO corny. I don't think anybody could listen to this without laughing. If you would like to be convinced, make sure you stick through until the end; it's probably the corniest ending I've ever written in my whole life.
I wrote this song on Finale when I was a sophomore in High School. I totally forget what the title means but I know it has something to do with my first girlfriend.
I couldn't help but upload it when I heard it. It's SO corny. I don't think anybody could listen to this without laughing. If you would like to be convinced, make sure you stick through until the end; it's probably the corniest ending I've ever written in my whole life.
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