HS Music Discussion 2: Let there be a fan-music contest!

[Enceladus]

Volume 8- It's so amazing.
I love Flare so much
And Do You Remem8er Me
Love You is really sweet.
Ocean Stars Falling is... wow.

I could probably go on for pages.

[Jaydeis]

Is Homefree supposed to sound like Pokemon? Around 0:40 or so it totally sounds like a pokemon battle theme.

... ... ...

Christ, you're right. That wasn't intentional and now I can never unhear it. I'd be ashamed if I wasn't a former hardcore Pokémon fangirl.

What it's supposed to be is very loosely based off the first and most distinctive notes of the melody of Sburban Jungle. All but one of which have been moved down one note on the scale for chord reasons.

It's not the only part meant to hint at another song without incorporating it directly. When the violin takes over the melody, at 0:55 there's a bit of a guitar riff that has the same rhythm as the fanfare from Dave Owns.

And while I'm on the subject: Hopefully more obvious is the bells that start chiming at around 3:12, meant to sound like a clock tower (it's not exactly the Westminster Bells, as I had believed -- but I'm sure I've heard clocks using this variation? someone tell me I'm not crazy and making the chime up.). It was thrown in as a prelude to the bell tolling that starts at about 4:13.

[Dagoth Xil]

Lord English Plays Some Organ Music For The Upcoming Intermission

credits on the page

Oh MY goD I can't STop DancING.

Uhh, yeah that's really great, so is my new proper ownership of Vol. 8

[Gana0]

Volume 8 seems really boring in my opinion. Not that the music isn't great, the compositions are really spectacular, it's just... there's only like 3 songs that I would like to listen to again.

[sharkoftheday]

Perhaps it's just me, or the way Cascade was pieced together and edited to fit within certain guidelines, but it reminds of Chick Corea's 10+ minute Fusion/Electric Jazz compositions. They're all long, aggregate compositions with multiple parts and various themes being weaved throughout each "movement", all in the same song, and could be more likened to a concerto or symphony than a single song.

Though it's probably the fact that 5 songs were pieced together and edited to transition into each other so well. Anyway, I loved Cascade as a stand-alone piece as well as with the animation.

[TheifofTruth]

Oh god I love Homefree. And Flare. And Temporal. And Davesprite. And OH GOD ALL OF THEM

[Clack]

Ok, every time I listen to Airtime, I like it more and more. The first time I honestly didn't care for it. But now, I realize there is soooooo much to like. I can't stop listening to it now. To me, the song kind of feels like its portraying the period between John's resurrection and the Scratch when he was preparing to initiate even though there is no possible way it could have been about that I guess but gee it fit really well in my head. It gives a real different feeling as opposed to the other John songs, it's kind of mature in a real "prepared to face whatever comes my way" sort of sense. So yeah Airtime is possibly my favorite on the album?

[AchillesAndTortoise]

Hey, I have a question about John Sleeps/Skaian Magicant. On the Homestuck Sound Credits page, the first bit (John Sleeps) is listed as Can't Sleep, Harlequins Will Eat Me. So what's with that?

[okniwy]

Hello everybody! I'm doing my lyric writing thing again, this time for Escape Pod.

But I have a Bonus! I recorded myself singing to it! It's low quality and I'm not actually all that good at singing, but I think my songwriting is pretty good!

Here is my derpy recording.

And here are the lyrics:

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Everything's turning up wrong
Don't think that I can last long
Don't see how I can win
Just gonna sit and
Call may... day

I just, want to, escape, but
Then I say

I can't run away
Just can't run away
I'm making a stand I'll try again
I won't get anywhere if I just back out

I won't run away
must not run away
What do you say we try again?

Don't think I'll regret this
No need to escape

Floating in limbo, I'd be safe in my pod
Ignoring problems and talking to gods
But that won't fix things, crisis will wait for me
It just can't be an option, life like that just isn't free

Things just fell to a new low
Just goes to show what I know
No way out I can see
Just why can't it be
My way... today

I just, Want to, break down, but
Then I think

I can go ahead
I'll just go ahead
I'm making my way, I'm gonna win
I'll go somewhere if I just take that first step

I will go ahead
I must go ahead
What do you think perhaps I'll win?

Just think I'll face forward
no need to escape

(Instrumental)

Floating in circles, my self confidence just can't be solid
Feeling too weightless I
Just keep, my feet, on the, ground
Then I'll say

I can't run away
Just can't run away
I'm making a stand I'll try again
I won't get anywhere if I just back out

I can go ahead
I'll just go ahead
I'm making my way, I'm gonna win

Don't think I'll regret this
Just think I'll face forward
no need to escape

[Zharikov]

I did buy the album. You get the first and /final/ parts of it as bonus tracks. That'd be Cascade Beta and Black Hole/ Green sun. What I'm talking about is the part when... (EOA5 spoilers)

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Slick shoots Snowman.

You know, the part where the music gets the background beats from Flare but has the nifty fast piano version of Cascade (beta)

I was thinking about releasing that variation of Flare as a free track sometime. If people want it I would do that.

All of my want. That part was fantastic.

Of course the entire thing was fantastic, but

You would, of course, have all of my love. Hell I'd even pay for it >> I keep listening to just part of Cascade /just/ to hear that. It refuses to escape my friends and I's heads.

[BRPXQZME]

1) Listen to Bargaining with the Beast.
2) flashback to FF Tactics.

[Beelzebibble]

Volume 8 seems really boring in my opinion. Not that the music isn't great, the compositions are really spectacular, it's just... there's only like 3 songs that I would like to listen to again.

This has actually been close to my initial take as well -- I mean, I wouldn't go so far as to say "boring", but on the initial listen-through, there weren't too many tracks that really leapt out and grabbed me. Even now, the only non-Cascade-related piece I can definitely say I've fallen head-over-heels with is Feferi's theme.

But these are the Homestuck musicians. Sheer talent. So the only answer to such a reaction is "Listen to it again," which I'll be doing a lot. I get the feeling this album will be a study in slow joys for me, each taking hold gradually, as opposed to the all-at-once appeal of e.g. Alterniabound.

[thegreenspark]

For some reason, Davesprite makes me think of the old Genesis Sonic the Hedgehog games. Maybe that's just me?

I actually got this feeling from Davesprite AND Escape Pod, so you're not alone.
(I played too much Sonic as a kid)

[rj lake]

Volume 8 seems really boring in my opinion. Not that the music isn't great, the compositions are really spectacular, it's just... there's only like 3 songs that I would like to listen to again.

This has actually been close to my initial take as well -- I mean, I wouldn't go so far as to say "boring", but on the initial listen-through, there weren't too many tracks that really leapt out and grabbed me. Even now, the only non-Cascade-related piece I can definitely say I've fallen head-over-heels with is Feferi's theme.

But these are the Homestuck musicians. Sheer talent. So the only answer to such a reaction is "Listen to it again," which I'll be doing a lot. I get the feeling this album will be a study in slow joys for me, each taking hold gradually, as opposed to the all-at-once appeal of e.g. Alterniabound.

it's becaue it isn' ral musci

fuck these fake fuck
hoomsukc musuckcians
goddamn

[deathsbuddy]

I'm just in it for the sick beats.

[Striped Shirt]

Volume 8 seems really boring in my opinion. Not that the music isn't great, the compositions are really spectacular, it's just... there's only like 3 songs that I would like to listen to again.

This has actually been close to my initial take as well -- I mean, I wouldn't go so far as to say "boring", but on the initial listen-through, there weren't too many tracks that really leapt out and grabbed me. Even now, the only non-Cascade-related piece I can definitely say I've fallen head-over-heels with is Feferi's theme.

But these are the Homestuck musicians. Sheer talent. So the only answer to such a reaction is "Listen to it again," which I'll be doing a lot. I get the feeling this album will be a study in slow joys for me, each taking hold gradually, as opposed to the all-at-once appeal of e.g. Alterniabound.

I think this is because it's a little harder to tie the track to an individual theme or moment in the story. I love all the music too, but the ones that really stick with you are the ones that are straight out of the comic or obviously represent something in it, like a character battle theme or something. This is why I kinda wish they'd go back to using Homestuck frames instead of fanart to go with the tracks to help puncuate that, but hey.

Good music is good music.

[Plazmataz]

Calling it fanart is a huge insult to the professional artists who were commissioned to create the track art. Just bear that in mind.

[ArmsAreLoud]

The track art is about as much "fan art" as the music is "fan music".

Which means not at all. :U

Besides, I LOVE the new track art. When Andrew was just using screens from the comic you would sometimes end up with some pretty mundane covers for some of the tracks. That doesn't happen anymore.

[rj lake]

plus now you get my art for afraid of the darko which is pretty sweet i guess

[deathsbuddy]

Yeah I love that. That art right there, for Afraid of the Darko.

Although it did sort of confuse me in terms of message. But I'm guessing it's meant to be interpreted as a piece of art.

[MythicalWashrag]

Dat Flare.

An awesome album all around. Not my favorite, but it's certainly up there.
Serenade and Black Hole / Green Sun are also beautiful, and Scourge Sisters sounds great!

The album does seem pretty slow paced but all in all I will be relistening to it multiple times. You folks never cease to impress me.

As for the track art, wow. Beautiful.

But since the Cascade track is on there in its entirety I've had an urge to re-watch the flash umpteen times. An urge that has been fed each time.

Thanks for this treat, music team!

[Avi]

I'm still digesting this album, there's almost too much to comment on individually (which is a wonderful problem to have). I already love Gust of Heir and Judgement Day.

Cascade was spectacular, bravo to all the musicians involved!

[Dagoth Xil]

Uhh, I was listening to my entire music library on shuffle in my iphone, and Cascade came on. I turned on the screen to check if it was regular or Beta and...

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...

[deathsbuddy]

That is a really high-quality screenshot!

[Dagoth Xil]

That is a really high-quality screenshot!

Yeah... I learned recently through trying to make a video for school that my phone tends to make everything super HD. (The video is took almost 8 hours to upload! It was barely done by the time class started!)

Oh, I just now noticed the 42% battery; meaning of life, the universe, and everything there...