Farorei

Another music memory.

With Callehe, I had my fractured mind. And it was good. It took me a long time to write and it took a lot of hard work. I had to write it against standard music theory and still make it listenable.

2006.

Farorei ... was different in a number of ways. It was the first and so far only piece I've ever written for something not of my creation. In this case a character in WoW (which is something we'll get into later. Much later. And invariably in great detail).

It was always meant as a string piece. I even started it as such, rare for me since I prefer writing what I know. I chose the strings because I had been thinking of a string quartet that's in Band of Brothers (String Quartet In C Sharp Minor, Op.131 by Ludwig van) and because strings sounded the best in the Garritan Personal Orchestra. It took me less than 90 minutes, beginning to end to complete the notes. (I'm still fine-tuning the balance, but I haven't touched a note, just trying to re-master it just right.) It started off as "not sure yet.mus" until I had finished it and then I knew what it was. It's a sad song of the dreary eternal existence of undeath. The repetitious nature and fade out were meant to show how each day just drags on. The beginning and the end are the almost exactly the same so it could easily be looped. Within the song, even, the variation of the second verse is even the same notes, just in a different rhythm.

This was a by-the-numbers verse and refrain bit. The little music theory I knew went into play here. The repeating 4 bass notes, the phrasing, the leitmotif, all pretty basic stuff. And it sounded awesome. It was as if I had a small chamber group doing my bidding. I was easily able to convert it to .mp3 and send out the file to everyone. Prior to this, everyone got a .mid of my music. Depending on their software and hardware, it'd sound different to different people. Finally, with the .mp3 format, it'd sound just about the same everywhere. My friends were really impressed with it especially since it was leaps and bounds better than the blips and bloops of the antediluvian midi. I shouted it out from rooftops: I am a composer, hear me roar. Worship unto me! Listen and adulate me.

Yet, it annoys me that people say it's my best song. Yeah, it sounds great. It's catchy. It's very easy on the ear (since it follows music theory closest of any of my named pieces). But it didn't take a lot to write. Though, I'm glad people like it and all.

Blarg.