More dragons: Rovocha

[Tyrannocaster]

I have got to get caught up on my forum reading! I have been spending so much time writing and recording that I haven't been doing much reading except on forums that deal with software issues (because I use Reaper and Kontakt constantly and they are both great but complex). Anyway -

Here’s my latest tune, and the sequel to Mother Of Dragons:

https://www.box.com/s/lqw0cwpx6t7oeyfgqiiv

I put the link first because there’s quite a bit to say about this one and I suppose lots of people don’t want to wade through all of it; better to let them find out right away if they want to listen to it all or not.

Anyway, this piece features vocals by Francesca Genco as well as voiceovers by several people. It was these voiceovers that caused me so much trouble, and at this point I do not feel the song is done, but I’m stuck because I simply can’t seem to get the rest of them. Rather than just sit on it (I think the song is cool and worth hearing as it is) I’m going to send it out anyway. Anybody who speaks non-American English is welcome to add sound bites! If I get more I can always add them. I already have American English, Spanish, French, Lakota and Finnish, so I don't need more of those.

Check this out: the first section (after the intro) is a duet for female voice and guitar feedback! It’s three minutes long, with two guitar parts, each one recorded in real time, each one just me riding feedback in the room for three minutes after hitting one note on my Strat. I’ve never heard anything quite like this opening section. I wonder what it sounded like to the neighbors, LOL. No e-bow or anything like that, just old fashioned loud feedback - but under control.

Structurally, there are four sections. They are:

1. Creation (this is the aforementioned part)
2. Summons (a chant, or “The Rovochant”)
3. Dragons
4. Immense power, speed and grace in the sky: Rovocha

One thing that’s really cool about section 3 is the “dragon bone guitar” that comes in at 6:48 to make three short appearances. It’s not a synth, it’s a guitar, and I think it’s nifty. Outside of the dragon bone guitar, I used my usual suspects, ie, my Warmoth Telecaster and my ‘94 Strat Special, as well as my Marshall 18 Watter Lite with an extra gain stage.

I want to thank the people who let me use their voices in addition to Francesca: little Katrina, Lise  (and her mother), Denis, TaWitkaWitko, and Risto. I really wanted some Eastern European or Russian but couldn’t get anybody else of any nationality. As I mentioned earlier, I’m still looking and I can use anybody who does not speak American English - British, Irish, Scots, Swahili, whatever. I just want people who are talking about dragons, which it turns out lots of people are embarrassed to do.

So there you are. I hope you like it; I do.

[EL34]

Another cool tune

I like the faster sections the best

Did you solicit some Italians for the spoken parts?

[Tyrannocaster]

Do you mean did I ask Italians or did I get Italians? I never asked any Italians because I don't know any; I did use two Spanish speakers. My East European contacts flaked out completely on the project, which was too bad. However, my Finnish friend who did one of the sound bites is going to ask around where he works - Finland is truly cosmopolitan and he works at a company where there are 34 different nationalities represented! Surely one or two of those people will be willing to  say a few words.

I like all the parts but I have a special fondness for the slow first section, because I think the feedback and the woman's voice together are beautiful and eerie at the same time; they are also, as I already said, not really like something I've heard before. However, it's slow moving and it's probably excruciating if you're in a hurry.