Another Routine Day

I wrote this on my guitar. I'm a finger picker.

The guitar part is very difficult to play in real life. I tried my best to transfer what my fingers were doing on the guitar into the Sonar 8.5 piano roll.

I used an acoustic guitar virtual instrument but some of the velocities (basically volumes) on certain notes were a bit loud and I was faced with the choice of having some notes stand out or stepping down one velocity level where the note could barely be heard. I chose loud. Ahhh, the fun we have with sampled instruments.

I searched the YC website to see if I posted it in the past and didn't find it, so I thought I'd go ahead and post it here.

NOTE: Just for fun I also posted a stripped down version here with just guitar, bass, drums, and the sound fx at the end.

Enjoy.

-Rick

Hi @epii,

As usual this is very enjoyable. Even if you keep saying you don't comprehend music theory, you compose better than many who know the theory. Your modulations are phenomenal and very natural and pleasing! The guitar is very comfortable to hear to. Your harmony usage is very mature and natural as well!

6 hours ago, epii said:

I searched the YC website to see if I'd posted it in the past and didn't find it, so I thought I'd go ahead and post it here, worts and all.

Haha you are welcome and thanks for doing this, really appreciated!❤️ Thanks for sharing again!!

Henry

Henry,

Thanks. I do love to modulate my musical pieces away from the main key. I tend to get bored with my stuff if I don't break away from expected chords. I like being surprised with goofy twists and turns and hope the listener is surprised as well. It's fun and challenging to get lost in another key and then to try and find a way back to the original.

So thanks for appreciating that.

-Rick

Most pleasant and relaxing. I've said before (Henry has also noticed) you're a natural for interesting harmonic progressions which you weave in out of seamlessly, sometimes remotely that others wouldn't dare. Indeed, how you get back to your home key has puzzled me a few times. You also have this sense of build up and climax (around 4'28" in this piece) until it moves into the long coda.

Everything is fine about balance and arrangement. It's as good as it might get on a commercial recording.

All the best, Dane.

Sounds good. Has a retro RPG feel.

If you haven't yet, I would also try that finger picked guitar on a clean electric, I think it would sound great there too

AngelCityOutlaw,

Thank you. You guys have motivated me to give the arrangement my attention because it needs much work.

So thanks for that. And I'm glad you like it. This one really needs a vocal.

-Rick

Nice job!  Even though the guitar part is difficult to play, as you say, I can tell that this was written by a guitar player.  The ostinato (the repeating guitar-pattern) that you created for the guitar continues ceaselessly throughout the whole piece and is re-usable in basically any harmony you desire.  The guitar part is also the catchiest part of the piece.  The flute melody and string parts aren't really as memorable, although maybe if you had lyrics that melody could garner more attention.  I like how the guitar ostinato lingers on the top note stressing it, before moving to a lower neighboring tone and back to the top note again.  There's something very pop-ish about that.  Thanks for sharing.