Thatguy v2.0's Archive - What the Ocean Knows

I feel kind of weird not posting as much music as I once did. I've been busy with music, but mostly learning songs from this band I'm in. Since this site has revamped a few times, a lot of what I've posted has been lost, so I decided to share some pieces I've written in the past as a way for anyone interested to hear some of the stuff I've done. Even though a lot of what I'll post in these here "archives" are works I probably won't edit or revise, I'm always open and would love to hear some of your thoughts and critiques for the future.

This was an experiment with quartal and quintal harmonies, and building them with sustained and elastic chords. I remember trying to make music interesting without the focus being on a melody. 

The goal was to depict the ocean with lots of color and texture. I wanted odd melodic phrases to blend and blur. There weren't any intentions to extend this as part of a multi-movement suite or anything, but hey, if there were ever a prospect of a performance than maybe. 

I'm someone who loves to see a score, but sadly I wrote this entirely in Cubase so no presentable score. At some point I'll maybe notate it all out.

I hope you enjoy!

no score, eh? hmmm...then i will be satisfied with listening. u r calling me from La Mer via CD. i like this one.

nice and interesting piece. A beautiful depiction of the depths of the ocean. The piece begins with a mysterious atmosphere and keeps it until the end. I like the rise at  4.20, you probably discovered the remains of Atlantis there. I think it ended a bit abruptly. thanks for sharing

It's an intriguing work; however, without a score it difficult to know the details of the orchestration and comment in detail.

Well, I also like to see a score, but ears are first.

I like your language, which sounds modern and impressionistic. Lots of timbral combinations and great climax (as in 2:00..., 4:20...). Good work.

Dang - for a piece without melody this is really good.  I don't think I'd know how to write music like this.  It seems like the music would be perfect for a documentary about the depths of the ocean.  I can see the shocking reveals of the giant squid or the monster fish that live really close to the bottom of the ocean.  They have these huge maws with jagged teeth which seems like your music sometimes would be perfect at depicting.  Much like the ocean - the music is really amorphous and it seems like each musical gesture is so random and has its own individual harmonic identity.  Yet the music never seems to wander aimlessly but is always channeling the spirit or the ether of the ocean.  It would be interesting to see the score for the piece because it might explain the randomness of your musical gestures and inform my musical logic.  Too bad though.  Thanks for sharing!

Hey Vince @Thatguy v2.0,

I'm digging the old works of you this time haha!

Dang Vince you can write beautiful orchestral piece! The orchestral colour here is so varied and effective. Those high pitching violins and woodwinds to represent the danger are hidden under the (appearing) serene surface depicted by the low strings and brass, with numerous interesting orchestration here. Usually I feel bored when no apparent theme appears-- but this one is totally a jewel. Like what Peter said, it's real hard to write music without melody, but your harmony, texture and orchestration help so much to push the music like the waves of the ocean. Those tone and chord clash, for example in 1:58 when there's blurring of major and minor chords, don't appear very contradicting to me, but rather correctly depicting both the peacefulness and danger of the ocean AT THE SAME TIME. The music is just powerful and wow.

I don't know why, the music reminds me of the music in Kurosawa's Ran, but there the music is to depict the cruelty of war, while here it's much calmer and natural.

Thx for sharing and hopefully you will share more of your old works, or disappeared works to us!

Henry

Very nice. It does reminds me La Mer by Debussy. Similarity without being the same. You really understood the essence of musical impressionism.

Cheers,

This piece has an undulating quality, like the waves on the ocean.

I love the shimmering effect in the strings at 3.45. Is this a tremolo or trill? I've heard it a lot in movies, most recently in John Williams score for "The Fabelmans".

For me the woodwind instruments each seemed to represent a different sea creature. The articulations seemed to mimic the way fish move through the water.

Excellent work!

Amazing! Please notate this, I wanna watch it unfold (and maybe send it to a competition because it has the quality and the edge). 

I've purposely held off from commenting on this one and any other old pieces in my little online "archive" just for the sake of not wanting to keep bumping this thread. But just know, I read (and sometimes re-read) what you all have said and am forever grateful that this music of mine somehow speaks to you in whatever way. 

Thanks guys, ya'll are the best