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**Rarebird** · 05-13-2020

Yesterday I finally recorded 'Aegir', which I wrote before 'Ditch'. Because after finishing composing 'Aegir' I bought a new computer and decided to write a piece for 2 pianos, to look how the new computer dealed with the Arturia V instruments and Cubase, that composition was recorded first.
For 'Aegir' I first used a piano from my Akai Z4 sampler, but I finally decided for the concert grand from the Arturia V piano.
The piece is written for piano, synthesizer and tuba. The tuba is from the sampler and the synthesizer is my Nord G2 Engine, with my own sound. Actually it is one set-up with 8 variations.

Now I can go on with my new composition 'Where is the audience?'

**Buddhabreath** · 05-13-2020

^^^ Hi Renate. I listened to "Aegir" this morning while I worked in isolation and I really enjoyed it and found it soothing, In particular I liked the nice synth lines gracefully weaving around the piano. Nice long-form piece, clearly you put a lot work into this have a much better attention span that I.

**hFx** · 05-13-2020

Well, back on track! Below is my first attempt to create new music in well over a year! The song "Weak" is the first result of a collaboration with (Swedish) songwriter Deadbeat and the talented angelic singer Ida Lagerlof. It's also the debut of my new "virtual band" - still a bit unruly, but then every instrument is played by human hands

I hope we're able to do more with this constellation a.k.a. "Eternal Rose", maybe even go for a full album! I hope you will enjoy the music (good speakers or cans recommended).

Credits:
Deadbeat - theme and lyrics
Ida Lagerlof - vocals
hFx - arrangement, all instruments, production

**Rarebird** · 05-13-2020

Originally Posted by Buddhabreath

^^^ Hi Renate. I listened to "Aegir" this morning while I worked in isolation and I really enjoyed it and found it soothing, In particular I liked the nice synth lines gracefully weaving around the piano. Nice long-form piece, clearly you put a lot work into this have a much better attention span that I.

Well I can't play, so in the end the only way to create music is composing one note, or chord at a time.
Creating the synthesizersounds was something else. Funny if you have made several sounds, with different settings and then discovering that one sound, sounds a lot like another sound you have created, so that ment I had to change the sound again, so there weren't 2 sounds, that sounded the same.
Glad you liked it and thanks for listening.

**Rarebird** · 05-13-2020

Originally Posted by hFx

Well, back on track! Below is my first attempt to create new music in well over a year! The song "Weak" is the first result of a collaboration with (Swedish) songwriter Deadbeat and the talented angelic singer Ida Lagerlof. It's also the debut of my new "virtual band" - still a bit unruly, but then every instrument is played by human hands

I hope we're able to do more with this constellation a.k.a. "Eternal Rose", maybe even go for a full album! I hope you will enjoy the music (good speakers or cans recommended).

Credits:
Deadbeat - theme and lyrics
Ida Lagerlof - vocals
hFx - arrangement, all instruments, production

You are a real multi-instrumentalist. I really like the intro. When the vocals kick in and the instruments take a backseat, things get a bit less interesting. At the moment when the instruments are getting more prominent I start liking it better. At the second point, when the instruments get softer, I like it a lot more than at the point when the vocals kick in for the first time. A very nice song, exept for the soft part where the vocals kick in. Perhaps a bit of acoustic guitar would make it more interesting.

**BobM** · 05-13-2020

hFx - I really like the song. Her vocals work really well with the instruments. I also like your use of dynamics, soft moving to upbeat about 2/3 through. I could definitely listen to more of this. Maybe some doubling of the vocals with a little harmony would add more to the punch at the end, then you could carry the lyric on for at least two or three more rounds. Good stuff there.

**BobM** · 05-13-2020

I posted last week that one of the software vendors I use for my musical instrument sounds is holding a competition. They have edited a 4 minute car chase sequence from season 3 episode 5 of Westworld on HBO. They stripped out the musical score and everyone entering creates their own and uploads it to YouTube.

I hope you like my entry. I had a blast making this. It was fun and educational for me. First time doing anything like this.

**Rick L.** · 05-13-2020

I haven't composed or recorded anything in a while. Years, really. But, here is a chamber piece I composed a few years back. Randomly decided to put it up on Soundcloud today.

**Guitarplyrjvb** · 05-14-2020

Renate: Pretty impressive that you can compose without playing an instrument. Do you have perfect pitch, or is it more trial and error?

Bob: Nice job on the soundtrack for Westworld!

**Rarebird** · 05-14-2020

Originally Posted by Guitarplyrjvb

Renate: Pretty impressive that you can compose without playing an instrument. Do you have perfect pitch, or is it more trial and error?

Bob: Nice job on the soundtrack for Westworld!

I've no perfect pitch. I have played the piano for almost 2 years, but it was clear to me I would never become the next Rick Wakeman or Keith Emerson. I can play a little bit, but I decided to concentrate on composing. I can read notes. After almost 2 years my piano-teacher advised me to study composition, which I never did. I started composing at school in Dutch class, just by writing notes on a piece of paper. Only when I had a computer I could hear what I had written then. I never completely play what I write. There is some trial and error involved, but mostly if I put notes after eachother it sounds like I want to.

**Rarebird** · 05-14-2020

Nice soundtrack, Bob.

Very interesting composition, Rick. And performed live.

**Rick L.** · 05-14-2020

Bob. Good job. I watch that show, so it was interesting watching that scene again with you alternate soundtrack.

Renate. Thanks!

**frinspar** · 05-14-2020

Originally Posted by Buddhabreath

That looks like an amazing pedal especially the “tone print” settings. I think that pedal would put me on a long detour no matter what I was doing.

I do have mixed feelings about the key and scale settings as a guitarist if you know what I mean.

Yeah, that's why I also picked up an EHX Pitch Fork pedal. All the fun without the rules.

Tone Print is pretty rad. I can choose a new one on my phone, pick which of the 3 presets I want to store it on, and zap it through the pickup and it's saved.

**hFx** · 05-15-2020

Originally Posted by Rarebird

You are a real multi-instrumentalist. I really like the intro. When the vocals kick in and the instruments take a backseat, things get a bit less interesting. At the moment when the instruments are getting more prominent I start liking it better. At the second point, when the instruments get softer, I like it a lot more than at the point when the vocals kick in for the first time. A very nice song, exept for the soft part where the vocals kick in. Perhaps a bit of acoustic guitar would make it more interesting.

Thanks for listening and for the nice comments!

The voice focus in the first break is quite intentional, not letting the instruments obscure Ida's angelic voice - one of the best and richest female timbres I've had the pleasure to work with!

Originally Posted by BobM

hFx - I really like the song. Her vocals work really well with the instruments. I also like your use of dynamics, soft moving to upbeat about 2/3 through. I could definitely listen to more of this. Maybe some doubling of the vocals with a little harmony would add more to the punch at the end, then you could carry the lyric on for at least two or three more rounds. Good stuff there.

Thanks Bob for the nice words and your suggestions!

We will work more with harmonies and more extended songs for the upcoming album!

**Rarebird** · 05-15-2020

Originally Posted by hFx

Thanks for listening and for the nice comments!

The voice focus in the first break is quite intentional, not letting the instruments obscure Ida's angelic voice - one of the best and richest female timbres I've had the pleasure to work with!

I don't mind the instruments taking the backseat, to give more attention to her voice, but in the second part, where the instruments get softer, there is some guitar, which makes it a bit more interesting. It doesn't take attention away from the voice, but it just add something.

**BobM** · 05-21-2020

The key to this latest project was finding all sorts of musical sounds created with "pipes" - pipe organs, tubular bells, flutes, bagpipes - and making something upbeat. Now, in the time of Covid 19 with things beginning to open up again, I feel like it portrays the euphoria of being able to go out and eat a meal in a restaurant again.

Not sure how to categorize this. it's got a kind of "world" feel to it.

**Mister Triscuits** · 05-23-2020

Taster from my just-released CD, The Hipcrime Vocab.

**Rarebird** · 05-23-2020

Originally Posted by BobM

The key to this latest project was finding all sorts of musical sounds created with "pipes" - pipe organs, tubular bells, flutes, bagpipes - and making something upbeat. Now, in the time of Covid 19 with things beginning to open up again, I feel like it portrays the euphoria of being able to go out and eat a meal in a restaurant again.

Not sure how to categorize this. it's got a kind of "world" feel to it.

Very nice.

**Rarebird** · 05-23-2020

Originally Posted by Mister Triscuits

Taster from my just-released CD, The Hipcrime Vocab.

Spooky, something for a creepy science fiction movie like alien. The woodwinds are a nice touch. Do you play them yourself?

**Mister Triscuits** · 05-23-2020

Originally Posted by Rarebird

Spooky, something for a creepy science fiction movie like alien. The woodwinds are a nice touch. Do you play them yourself?

Very astute comment, Renate, as the whole album is based on the science fiction novel Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner. Yes, I play the woodwinds--tenor sax and bass clarinet on this track.

**Rarebird** · 05-24-2020

Originally Posted by Mister Triscuits

Very astute comment, Renate, as the whole album is based on the science fiction novel Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner. Yes, I play the woodwinds--tenor sax and bass clarinet on this track.

I like the bass clarinet.

**BobM** · 05-26-2020

I was listening to some ambient music lately so I thought I'd take a shot at it.

PS - listening back on it I think I'm going to try and lengthen it some. When you get to the end you'll see - it seems like it just needs to go on some more. This was really fun (and relatively easy) to do so I think I can expand on it quite a bit more. Hey, maybe I can make it into a 20 minute epic soundscape. I've got ideas ...