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            For this final track of my project and portfolio course, I have composed a song that has a classical taste due to the chords and key that I had chosen to use. The influence that helped aid my creation was Chopin and Beethoven. I love their chord progressions when in a minor key. I believe this song/track can be used in a tv series; intro or outro, parts could be used in a commercial, or maybe a type of energetic element in a film.

 

            This track has 4/4 timing. It consists of a six-bar intro, a fifteen-bar verse, and an eleven-bar chorus. I chose to make it an odd distribution of sections. The drums that I chose to use was the 808, I grew up listening to ninety percent of music using this drum sound. The bass that I chose to use was a thumb synth bass. I chose this bass due to the fact it was very smooth.

 

            This song/track is in the key of G# minor. The intro is considered a quick build up and ends on a V which was borrowed from G# major/ enharmonic Ab major. The chords for the intro are as follows: i, V7, III7, VI7, V7. For the verse I chose to simplify it in hopes that the melody would be able to shine. The chord progression for the verse is: i, V7, i, V7, iv, i, iv, i, iv sus, i, V7,i, V7, iv sus. The chorus goes in a different route. I chose to incorporate elements of the Hungarian minor scale to give an exotic feel. The chord progression for the chorus is: i, iiº, viiº7, V7, i, #VII, VI7, V7, i, #VII, iv, V7, i.

 

            In this track you can hear what sounds like a triangle being struck, that is a “D” ring that I had found in my toolbox. I used a wire and a screwdriver to make that sound. Also, in this track I had sampled my voice saying: “It’s Gravy”. I was hungry at the time, and I just thought to record me saying it.

 

            Finally, I EQ’ed all tracks except the apple loop used. I compressed all tracks except the previous mentioned. And I gated my recorded “D”ring, synth harmony-b track, bass, and percussion tracks. This was done to tighten up the overall feeling of the song. I did have to use a limiter on the snare; the verse section kept clipping even when I brought the volume down through automation. Panning all of my tracks was very important, especially when it came down to preventing the overall mix from clipping and leaving decent head-room.