Hehe, love the Chrono Trigger framing as a starting point. 😊 That is one groovy clock and some groovy guitar / hand-pan playing there!

Hehe, love the Chrono Trigger framing as a starting point. 😊 That is one groovy clock and some groovy guitar / hand-pan playing there!

I have successfully (and narrowly) avoided getting a legit handpan for a while, but you may have forced my hand. Great job!

I have successfully (and narrowly) avoided getting a legit handpan for a while, but you may have forced my hand. Great job!

Love the hand pan and clock, put me into a trance. Great track!

Love the hand pan and clock, put me into a trance. Great track!

different indeed, got me melting right into that clock

different indeed, got me melting right into that clock <3 [img]https://media2.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExeXZkbHM3NHN0OTM2cmR0YXBrejFwZHdheHlnaGpscGVldWNxZXE2aCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/cMVYg5Bb2zD49ZntAx/giphy.gif[/img]

That clock is rhythm is hypnotic. Nice work

That clock is rhythm is hypnotic. Nice work

yes please

yes please <3

[img]https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPWVjZjA1ZTQ3c3diZDh4NHozZnRqbmd2anU1NnE3NGw2ZGk0NGVxNDlvdDB3am80cCZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/d3yxg15kJppJilnW/giphy.gif[/img]

What a lovely recording of that clock and the arrangement around it is beautiful.
Contemplative, constantly moving between hope and worry. Nice one!

What a lovely recording of that clock and the arrangement around it is beautiful. Contemplative, constantly moving between hope and worry. Nice one!

Chrono Trigger!:heart:

CT sprang to mind before I read it in your description. And I think about that game often still, too. I'm digging the open sound of this mix! Really nice and spacious.

Do you mind if we talk a bit about the composition? Not that there is anything wrong with it. Not at all! Just as thought experiment.

Anyway, just some thoughts I had while listening to your lovely tune. Hope you don't mind me picking at your tune like that. They are just suggestions of how you could do things differently. Not corrections in any shape, way or form.

BTW, are you a frog in honor of Glenn from Chrono Trigger? ;-)

I would have loved if a counter melody came in around the 2 minute mark. Doesn't have to be much. But something that adds a new layer of interest. Because I do feel we're well and truly familiar with all the elements of the tune by then. And I know you're ramping down the tune. But just because you're ramping down, doesn't mean it can't be interesting.

My first inclination would be to a quiet (synthesized) wind instrument. It can be a sparse melody. As long as it plays off what is happening beneath. Or answers in the classic call and response fashion.

Speaking of which. Your guitar phrases. They ask a lot of questions. Leaving things open, and that's good. Very much so!

But every so often they resolve. Going down and closing the phrase and taking away all of the tension. Then it builds up the tension again. But the tension doesn't increase. It doesn't escalate*. It just goes back to that same level over and over again. And every time you step down and resolve it dissipating the tension. So we kind of get stuck in a loop. There is no progression. Which might be symbolic for time and life, but I don't think is super interesting musically.

What if you leave it hanging? Don't offer the listener a rest. Keep extending that tension. Keep asking "what's next?" musically. Keep the listener hanging on. And then finally, at the end of the tune step down and take the listener home and dissipate that tension.

*The other elements in the tune get a bit more intense. So there is still escalation in that sense, but it's kind of subtle. I think you can go bigger with that without ruining the introspective vibe of this track.

Chrono Trigger!:heart: CT sprang to mind before I read it in your description. And I think about that game often still, too. I'm digging the open sound of this mix! Really nice and spacious. Do you mind if we talk a bit about the composition? Not that there is anything wrong with it. Not at all! Just as thought experiment. Anyway, just some thoughts I had while listening to your lovely tune. Hope you don't mind me picking at your tune like that. They are just suggestions of how you could do things differently. Not corrections in any shape, way or form. BTW, are you a frog in honor of Glenn from Chrono Trigger? ;-) I would have loved if a counter melody came in around the 2 minute mark. Doesn't have to be much. But something that adds a new layer of interest. Because I do feel we're well and truly familiar with all the elements of the tune by then. And I know you're ramping down the tune. But just because you're ramping down, doesn't mean it can't be interesting. My first inclination would be to a quiet (synthesized) wind instrument. It can be a sparse melody. As long as it plays off what is happening beneath. Or answers in the classic call and response fashion. Speaking of which. Your guitar phrases. They ask a lot of questions. Leaving things open, and that's good. Very much so! But every so often they resolve. Going down and closing the phrase and taking away all of the tension. Then it builds up the tension again. But the tension doesn't increase. It doesn't escalate*. It just goes back to that same level over and over again. And every time you step down and resolve it dissipating the tension. So we kind of get stuck in a loop. There is no progression. Which might be symbolic for time and life, but I don't think is super interesting musically. What if you leave it hanging? Don't offer the listener a rest. Keep extending that tension. Keep asking "what's next?" musically. Keep the listener hanging on. And then finally, at the end of the tune step down and take the listener home and dissipate that tension. *The other elements in the tune get a bit more intense. So there is still escalation in that sense, but it's kind of subtle. I think you can go bigger with that without ruining the introspective vibe of this track.

hmm apparently it ate part of my message:

I wanted to add that all of these things are merely suggestions. Of how you can do things differently. There not intended as corrections in any shape, way or form. And it's a lovely tune as it is. Just thought I'd share my perspective on it. Just as a consideration.

Anyway, good stuff as always.

PS. are you a frog in honor of Glenn from Chrono Trigger? ;-)

hmm apparently it ate part of my message: I wanted to add that all of these things are merely suggestions. Of how you can do things differently. There not intended as corrections in any shape, way or form. And it's a lovely tune as it is. Just thought I'd share my perspective on it. Just as a consideration. Anyway, good stuff as always. PS. are you a frog in honor of Glenn from Chrono Trigger? ;-)

oh, somehow the end of my message got into the middle of message? Sorry for the mess! If I could edit or delete my posts I would have.

oh, somehow the end of my message got into the middle of message? Sorry for the mess! If I could edit or delete my posts I would have.

This is very hypnotic and laid back. The ticking is nice and rich, and the handpan gives everything a dreamy feel.

This is very hypnotic and laid back. The ticking is nice and rich, and the handpan gives everything a dreamy feel.

Such a lovely hypnotic sound between the handpan and the clock.  Yay Chrono Trigger! The intro screen is embedded in my brain   Awesome work!

Such a lovely hypnotic sound between the handpan and the clock. Yay Chrono Trigger! The intro screen is embedded in my brain <3 Awesome work!

Very cool, with the clock foley and the sense of vertigo coming from the hypnotic melody.

Very cool, with the clock foley and the sense of vertigo coming from the hypnotic melody.

It all starts with Chrono Trigger

I love handpan...may need to revisit again. It's tuned in a unique scale for me (D Phrygian), so it takes me in new directions

Thanks (and also Sorry) There's something absolutely haunting about them. The Teen and I want to take it into the forest this summer and spent the afternoon playing.

Thank you! After I got the clock and the pan together, I was grooving on how much of a rhythmic drone it was. Glad you enjoyed it!

Thank you There's something so soothing about a clock tick....

Thanks I think this is the closest I've gotten to trying drone. As I was working on the track, I was actively trying to give things more space to let that droning rhythm breathe.

Yes. This is the feel I started getting from the background (clock and pan) as I let it run

Thanks! The clock had some treatment to get it like that - EQ, noise gate, chorus and spreader. I love how rich it turned out. "Moving between hope and worry"...and back to hope...is absolutely the symbolism I had in mind as this track progressed. Gonna dig into that more with the response to Electronic Tiger

As always, your comments are a joy...they always get me thinking. I'll go a bit more into where I was coming from in this track, where I was hoping to go, and what could be

First off, the mix - glad you liked it! I used one of your suggestions from a previous week and used a spreader on the tick to give me some width I love how it turned out. I wanted to feel wrapped up by that tick.

Musically, the guitar in my mind uses Les Paul as a jumping off point (Hummingbird, How High the Moon, etc)...that sort of delicate, plinky harmonized tone. Which may be why I resolved as much as I did. My progression resolved more often in an earlier version, which killed the tension even more

That said - the structure is absolutely symbolic of time and the progression thereof. The first melodic guitar is the past. It's the same recording as I used in the second melodic section, except that I literally cut notes out of it. Sort of how our understanding of the past can have holes in it.

The second part joins in section two. It's the present. The present can fill in those holes in the past, and give us greater context, a better understanding. The missing notes are back, because they harmonize with the present.

The chords rock back and forth in the pan between major and minor before resolving - a lot of things happen, and we shift back and forth between hope and worry. But ultimately, a lot things we worry about never come to pass. Like that resolving chord, most things turn out OK.

Which brings us to the third section...where I absolutely ran out of time, I wanted something else there too (it was 11pm, still had to make cover art and pack, among other things ).This is where I think your idea of a different melodic idea that does not resolve would be AMAZING. It's the future...it's unresolved. Fading on that tension would be great.

As it is, I got a little symbolism in that last section. Those repeated guitar notes are a clock striking...and if you count, there's twelve Thought later in the week that adding a Westminster chime there would have been fun....but that unresolved melodic phrase on the end would be chef's kiss. Putting that in my back pocket as well.

Thanks I was really enjoying letting that pattern breathe - I never do that, I always move things along, maybe too quickly.  It's why i really can't do ambient. I think I was slowing down a bit to enjoy time.

Thank you! That rhythm really made the track click in my head.

I love how part of this thread is the Chrono Trigger love fest. That pendulum and title sequence....still gives me chills.

Thanks! Recording the clock and making it work in the context of the track was fun, and really gave me direction to finish. It's great when the right idea hits, isn't it?

[quote=levelcapybara]Hehe, love the Chrono Trigger framing as a starting point. 😊 That is one groovy clock and some groovy guitar / hand-pan playing there![/quote] It all starts with Chrono Trigger <3 I love handpan...may need to revisit again. It's tuned in a unique scale for me (D Phrygian), so it takes me in new directions :) [quote=dadboy]I have successfully (and narrowly) avoided getting a legit handpan for a while, but you may have forced my hand. Great job![/quote] Thanks (and also Sorry) :) There's something absolutely haunting about them. The Teen and I want to take it into the forest this summer and spent the afternoon playing. [quote=bobbyd]Love the hand pan and clock, put me into a trance. Great track![/quote] Thank you! After I got the clock and the pan together, I was grooving on how much of a rhythmic drone it was. Glad you enjoyed it! [quote=RajaTheResidentAlien]different indeed, got me melting right into that clock <3 [/quote] Thank you <3 There's something so soothing about a clock tick.... [quote=SQF]That clock is rhythm is hypnotic. Nice work [/quote] Thanks :) I think this is the closest I've gotten to trying drone. As I was working on the track, I was actively trying to give things more space to let that droning rhythm breathe. [quote=jwh]yes please <3[/quote] <3 <3 <3 [quote=Napear][img]https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPWVjZjA1ZTQ3c3diZDh4NHozZnRqbmd2anU1NnE3NGw2ZGk0NGVxNDlvdDB3am80cCZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/d3yxg15kJppJilnW/giphy.gif[/img][/quote] Yes. This is the feel I started getting from the background (clock and pan) as I let it run :) [quote=Dustsucker]What a lovely recording of that clock and the arrangement around it is beautiful. Contemplative, constantly moving between hope and worry. Nice one![/quote] Thanks! The clock had some treatment to get it like that - EQ, noise gate, chorus and spreader. I love how rich it turned out. "Moving between hope and worry"...and back to hope...is absolutely the symbolism I had in mind as this track progressed. Gonna dig into that more with the response to Electronic Tiger :) [quote=electronic_tiger] [/quote] As always, your comments are a joy...they always get me thinking. I'll go a bit more into where I was coming from in this track, where I was hoping to go, and what could be :) First off, the mix - glad you liked it! I used one of your suggestions from a previous week and used a spreader on the tick to give me some width :) I love how it turned out. I wanted to feel wrapped up by that tick. Musically, the guitar in my mind uses Les Paul as a jumping off point (Hummingbird, How High the Moon, etc)...that sort of delicate, plinky harmonized tone. Which may be why I resolved as much as I did. My progression resolved more often in an earlier version, which killed the tension even more :) That said - the structure is absolutely symbolic of time and the progression thereof. The first melodic guitar is the past. It's the same recording as I used in the second melodic section, except that I literally cut notes out of it. Sort of how our understanding of the past can have holes in it. The second part joins in section two. It's the present. The present can fill in those holes in the past, and give us greater context, a better understanding. The missing notes are back, because they harmonize with the present. The chords rock back and forth in the pan between major and minor before resolving - a lot of things happen, and we shift back and forth between hope and worry. But ultimately, a lot things we worry about never come to pass. Like that resolving chord, most things turn out OK. Which brings us to the third section...where I absolutely ran out of time, I wanted something else there too (it was 11pm, still had to make cover art and pack, among other things :) ).This is where I think your idea of a different melodic idea that does not resolve would be AMAZING. It's the future...it's unresolved. Fading on that tension would be great. As it is, I got a [i]little[/i] symbolism in that last section. Those repeated guitar notes are a clock striking...and if you count, there's twelve :) Thought later in the week that adding a Westminster chime there would have been fun....but that unresolved melodic phrase on the end would be chef's kiss. Putting that in my back pocket as well. [spoiler=As far as the Glenn/Paisleyfrog connection - some personal thoughts.] It's not direct, but they're closely related in the timeline. I found Chrono Trigger in '95 or so when I was going through a bad time in my life. I've loved frogs and toads since I was even younger, so of course I thought Glenn was amazing. I didn't get to finish the game then (and it actually had to get returned to my roommates brother right after Chrono had DIED in the storyline), but it stuck with me. A campus doctor suggest that maybe I was depressed - I hadn't even thought in terms of depression. I owe him a lot. I made some big changes - stopped beating my head against my degree at the time, started working in graphic design (something I had known I enjoyed, but never followed). I named my freelance company Paisleyfrog Productions. I've been using that name for over 30 years. Oh, I finally got to finish the game eight years later. So, about Glenn. One of the things I always think about with frogs is how they change - and with Glenn, it's doubly so - following through on what has to be done, even though that idea can also change....but doing that is hard. And it's something that doesn't stop - the idea of what Is can continue to change. The last seven, eight years of my life is testament to that fact. So, I have a reminder on me. I have one tattoo - it's Glenn. I got it on my 30th birthday. It's a little worn over time, but that's OK - so am I. it's a reminder to always be willing to change. [img]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/db/Frog_Chrono.png[/img] [/spoiler] [quote=MRDRCAT]This is very hypnotic and laid back. The ticking is nice and rich, and the handpan gives everything a dreamy feel.[/quote] Thanks :) I was really enjoying letting that pattern breathe - I never do that, I always move things along, maybe too quickly. It's why i really can't do ambient. I think I was slowing down a bit to enjoy time. [quote=Tone Matrix]Such a lovely hypnotic sound between the handpan and the clock. Yay Chrono Trigger! The intro screen is embedded in my brain <3 Awesome work![/quote] Thank you! That rhythm really made the track click in my head. :) I love how part of this thread is the Chrono Trigger love fest. That pendulum and title sequence....still gives me chills. [quote=Kedbreak136]Very cool, with the clock foley and the sense of vertigo coming from the hypnotic melody.[/quote] Thanks! Recording the clock and making it work in the context of the track was fun, and really gave me direction to finish. It's great when the right idea hits, isn't it? <3

That was really cool! I was recently gifted a handpan thingy, maybe I should try playing it a bit more...

That was really cool! I was recently gifted a handpan thingy, maybe I should try playing it a bit more...

enjoyed this a lot

enjoyed this a lot

Great use of the clock tick! I spend a lot of time at my grandfather's last week listening to his three clocks (he was a watchmaker) ticking away at different rates and wondered how I could incorporate them into a track. You've done it here so smoothly, I need not try myself haha.

The handpan also makes such a great filling sound in the track, and the guitar glides along the top of it beautifully! Wonderful piece.

Great use of the clock tick! I spend a lot of time at my grandfather's last week listening to his three clocks (he was a watchmaker) ticking away at different rates and wondered how I could incorporate them into a track. You've done it here so smoothly, I need not try myself haha. The handpan also makes such a great filling sound in the track, and the guitar glides along the top of it beautifully! Wonderful piece.

Thanks! And yes, I'd LOVE to hear that! I want to incorporate more "different" instrumentation this year.

Thank you!!

Thank you! This track was an exercise in restraint a little bit, I can very easily do too much. It started out busier, but I eventually realized I needed to hang back more and let the background flow. Guitar like ripples in the stream

I grew up with a lot of clocks in the house (and chiming ones at that). I've always loved the sound, and the different tick rates. I wonder about leaning into that, and using them to create a polyrhythm...that's for Time Pt. 2 (unless you do it first!! )

[quote=jr]That was really cool! I was recently gifted a handpan thingy, maybe I should try playing it a bit more...[/quote] Thanks! And yes, I'd LOVE to hear that! I want to incorporate more "different" instrumentation this year. [quote=monstret]enjoyed this a lot[/quote] Thank you!! [quote=Tom Foolery]Great use of the clock tick! I spend a lot of time at my grandfather's last week listening to his three clocks (he was a watchmaker) ticking away at different rates and wondered how I could incorporate them into a track. You've done it here so smoothly, I need not try myself haha. The handpan also makes such a great filling sound in the track, and the guitar glides along the top of it beautifully! Wonderful piece.[/quote] Thank you! This track was an exercise in restraint a little bit, I can very easily do too much. It started out busier, but I eventually realized I needed to hang back more and let the background flow. Guitar like ripples in the stream :) I grew up with a lot of clocks in the house (and chiming ones at that). I've always loved the sound, and the different tick rates. I wonder about leaning into that, and using them to create a polyrhythm...that's for Time Pt. 2 (unless you do it first!! :) )

Beautiful. Clocks are hard! I'm reminded of NIN's The Cursed Clock on Ghosts VI, which becomes quite challenging to listen to, this song, not at all! You've mixed it down nicely so that its just a heartbeat underneath, prominent, but not, well, painful lol. This is a really gorgeous piece. Yay handpan!

Beautiful. Clocks are hard! I'm reminded of NIN's The Cursed Clock on Ghosts VI, which becomes quite challenging to listen to, this song, not at all! You've mixed it down nicely so that its just a heartbeat underneath, prominent, but not, well, painful lol. This is a really gorgeous piece. Yay handpan!

Texture, Timing, Tone.  I love how the pan gives off a resonant drone and you gave it an almost... counterpoint drone that shifts throughout the piece perfectly. Everything blends together into big, cohesive work.  Like Neon said this is hard to pull off and you did it beautifully.

Texture, Timing, Tone. I love how the pan gives off a resonant drone and you gave it an almost... counterpoint drone that shifts throughout the piece perfectly. Everything blends together into big, cohesive work. Like Neon said this is hard to pull off and you did it beautifully.

Did a hand-pan track last year while I briefly owned one. I sampled it, should do something with that this year, too.

This is so cinematic, reminds me of early 2000s stuff like K-Pax and Solaris. If I were to nitpick, I'd say I would personally lose the clock tick at least briefly in the middle for some tonal variety, but that's just me.

Did a hand-pan track last year while I briefly owned one. I sampled it, should do something with that this year, too. This is so cinematic, reminds me of early 2000s stuff like K-Pax and Solaris. If I were to nitpick, I'd say I would personally lose the clock tick at least briefly in the middle for some tonal variety, but that's just me.

I'm glad the clock mixed well....I wanted it to feel mechanical still, and not just a metronome clack. I'm pretty happy with this for as quickly as I had to make it, really forced me to decide and move on. Thank you!

It's been a long time since I listened to Ghosts - went back to check it out. Er, yeah...Trent really leaned into the dissonance on that one, didn't he? There may have been a spot on the track where I said, "this goes on for another MINUTE?!" LOL

Thank you so much. I was enjoying thinking of this as almost a rhythmic drone, and giving it space to breathe in spots...letting it wait before it moved on. So happy it worked. One of my lessons in this year (aided by Dr Frog) has been tightening up my songs. It was fun to go in the opposite direction for a bit.

Oh man, I TOTALLY need to make a sampler instrument! An arpeggiator with that would be amazing....

Thanks! Removing the tick for a bit in the middle and visiting a different theme would be a great addition. It speaks to what electronic tiger was talking about, how it needs a touch more variation. As it was, at that point in the night the clock was literally ticking to get things done

[quote=neon liminal]Beautiful. Clocks are hard! I'm reminded of NIN's The Cursed Clock on Ghosts VI, which becomes quite challenging to listen to, this song, not at all! You've mixed it down nicely so that its just a heartbeat underneath, prominent, but not, well, painful lol. This is a really gorgeous piece. Yay handpan![/quote] I'm glad the clock mixed well....I wanted it to feel mechanical still, and not just a metronome clack. I'm pretty happy with this for as quickly as I had to make it, really forced me to decide and move on. Thank you! It's been a long time since I listened to Ghosts - went back to check it out. Er, yeah...Trent really leaned into the dissonance on that one, didn't he? There may have been a spot on the track where I said, "this goes on for another MINUTE?!" LOL [quote=HoolieBrown]Texture, Timing, Tone. I love how the pan gives off a resonant drone and you gave it an almost... counterpoint drone that shifts throughout the piece perfectly. Everything blends together into big, cohesive work. Like Neon said this is hard to pull off and you did it beautifully.[/quote] Thank you so much. I was enjoying thinking of this as almost a rhythmic drone, and giving it space to breathe in spots...letting it wait before it moved on. So happy it worked. One of my lessons in this year (aided by Dr Frog) has been tightening up my songs. It was fun to go in the opposite direction for a bit. :) [quote=RPLKTR]Did a hand-pan track last year while I briefly owned one. I sampled it, should do something with that this year, too. This is so cinematic, reminds me of early 2000s stuff like K-Pax and Solaris. If I were to nitpick, I'd say I would personally lose the clock tick at least briefly in the middle for some tonal variety, but that's just me.[/quote] Oh man, I TOTALLY need to make a sampler instrument! An arpeggiator with that would be amazing.... Thanks! Removing the tick for a bit in the middle and visiting a different theme would be a great addition. It speaks to what electronic tiger was talking about, how it needs a touch more variation. As it was, at that point in the night the clock was literally ticking to get things done :)