GALAXY Soundtrack, update #2

Back in the day, when I was composing more regularly, I would post updates on how poorly the whole thing was going, along with mp3s to document my failures, so I suppose I need to do the same now that I’m working on an ambient piece for the GALAXY soundtrack.

Recap: Since I want to use ambient synth sounds, I’m using GarageBand to slam something together rather than Finale.

My first thoughts:

Notice the time signature. I started out by thinking in terms of writing a traditional piece of music, with notes and rests and stuff.

Notice also the scribbled notes of which synth instruments I thought might be useful — and where GarageBand has stuck them.

After playing with some of the sounds, however, I abandoned the strictures of traditional music notation; I’m going to let the synth instruments do their ambient thing and not worry about measures and rests.

Here’s what I’m working with now:

This notation is just which keys to press and hold, and let the built-in arpeggiation play out. (You might very well think this is cheating, but trust me, you have no idea how badly I am cheating. I will confess all when it’s finished.)

This is, of course, an ABORTIVE ATTEMPT. This is how I always compose, plopping out something then fixing what doesn’t work, but this time it’s all improvisation. It’s all moving blips around a screen, not rejiggering actual notes on a score. It’s different. I am not afraid.

So what I’ll be listening for is patterns, harmonic tension, and (of course) effectiveness as a soundtrack for walking the GALAXY.

More work — a lot more work — is required. Stay tuned.