Furry musicians contest time everyone. Go vote for your favorites ^^

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/1462946/

Hey, not that I think any of you really meticulously follow my Monday/Thursday update schedule, but it's finals week next week, so I won't be posting anything. Had to wake up for an 8:30 French final today....

Anyway, in other news, I went and remastered two of my Chrono Trigger arrangements just a bit:
Undersea Palace - http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2884695/
Strings of Time - http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3338234/

The former I did because of the latter. The latter I did because I have just gained quite a bit of experience with stringed instruments in composing my first String Quartet. It's all finished, 30 minutes long, and is (like the Chrono Trigger arrangement) for the unusual quartet consisting of Violin, Viola, Cello, and Bass, as opposed to the standard with no bass and 2 violins. I always thought that was too top heavy... Anyway, I'll probably be posting the four movements across the two weeks following finals, so look forward to it ^^

Other stuff I'm working on:
The Colo(u)r(s) That Adorn us (http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/1247384/)
Music from Pokémon, Gradius, and F-Zero (eventually)
Commissioned piece for handbell choir

Just so you know. It's now sufficient length to warrant going into my gallery.
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3867942/
Still subject possibly to a little change, but I won't post journals for it in the future.

Also, I finished Frog's theme, but I'm going to wait till after my sonata is all uploaded before I let you guys hear it.

Cheers ^^

I know I have a lot of new watchers that haven't heard it. Originally  randomonlooker did the mastering for it, and it came out very well. However, since gaining significant experience and equipment in piano synthesizing, as well as rewriting some parts I wasn't happy with (most notable the ending) I decided to remaster it using my stuff. It came out spectacularly, and so I've uploaded it.

Mvt. 1 - http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2972409/
Mvt. 2 - http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3009248/
Mvt. 3 - http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3053126/

I also upload this as a precursor for my second piano sonata, the first movement of which will be submitted this week, with the final two movements being submitted the following week. As it's conveniently timed and a sure fire bet, I'll be submitting it to the Furry Musicians contest as well. Several people whom I've shown it to have called it amongst my best work, and I'm sure you'll all enjoy it!

Other stuff I'm working on:
The Colo(u)r(s) That Adorn us (http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/1247384/)
Chrono Trigger - Frog's theme
Music from Pokémon, Gradius, and F-Zero

If you guys have any other requests, I'd be glad to oblige. Time is a bit short these days though, approaching finals week. After that is summer break though, so I'll have lots of free time.

For those who don't know, I've entered a couple music contests. I figure I'll throw out a pitch for them, the one at  furry_musicians has just gone up for voting. You can see the entries and vote here http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/1380780/. My submission was my Tetris Theme A, which is currently my most favorited submission. So if you feel so motivated, a vote would be nice :3. I do want to be fair though, so do check out some of the other submissions, as some of them are quite good as well. Thanks much ^^

The other contest I've entered is the SoFurry contest. The contest deadline for that hasn't ended yet, but you can see the rules here http://sofurry.com/threadview?threadid=2587&pagenum=0. For this one I submitted all four of my Tetris arrangements. You can see the other entries by doing a search for "8bitContest", which is the required tag for all contest submissions.

I know it might seem a bit tacky to ask for votes, but....well there you go xD
The best of luck to all you other musicians out there too!

I wasn't even watching for it! Yaaaay! Not bad for 6 months eh?

This is a journal for Astral's various themes, by category. It includes most, but not all of the total soundtrack. Please report any broken links.
Astral's website can be found here: http://astralthegame.blogspot.com/

Battle Themes:
Random Encounter Theme: Raised Courage
Boss Battle Theme: Building Tension
Final Boss Theme (phase 1): The Final Retournen
(Can't say who) Battle Theme: Battle Amongst Users
Endgame Boss Theme: Rage of Eternity
Maximum Courage

Main Themes:
Title Music: Prelude to Astral
Overworld Theme: Across the Starry Plains
Airship Theme: Freedom in Flight

Town Themes:
School Theme: Brimming with Peacefulness
Xylokoto Theme: Xylokoto Jazz
Village Theme: Serene Winds
Market Theme: The Market Mosey
Snow Village Theme: Snow Passacaglia
Kingdom Theme: Kingdom Theme

Area Themes:
Final Dungeon Theme: Awakening Arena
Normal Ruins Theme: Ruins Theme
Retournen Ruins Theme: Origin of All

Character Themes:
Hayner's Theme
Duraine's Theme: Ballad of Miracles

Hey everyone, I'm sorry to say I have to take a break from posting stuff for a while. It's finals week, and next week I'm moving into a new dorm, and the week after I'm starting at the University of Washington. Needless to say then, I don't have much free time. That and with the stresses of life it's been hard for me to find inspiration lately. I'll be back on my normal schedule in a bit, perhaps posting something from time to time till then. See ya 'round.

For most pieces I compose, I have some sort of other composition that served as inspiration for that piece. I decided I'm going to start noting that in each of my submissions. I'll start by going back and updating all of my previous submissions. My hope is some of you might find it interesting ^^

Also starting next week I should be uploading some of my live piano recordings. They're nothing major, but I just started formal lessons, and I want to post what I have now so I (and you) can see how I improve over time.

Later, kupo!

I've decided to start submitting my stuff on a weekly schedule. From experience I see that my submission rates tend to surge, then back off, and I see that in the midst of these surges, I get less people listening to my stuff because I've in essence saturated the market (all my own personal theory here) and then I notice that of course when I'm in a down swing people don't notice my stuff either. Therefore, I'll be submitting one thing every Thursday, though if I have a big pile of submissions built up I may do so more frequently. My Chrono Trigger string quartet is the first of this batch.

Notable as well, I'm going to also be submitting some live piano performances by yours truly. Some will be my own compositions and arrangements, and some will just be me performing things like Beethoven and such (I hope it's alright by the AUP), so look forward to it!

Oh, also I just got accepted to the University of Washington for Spring quarter :D

For the longest time I've asked myself what the hell is the point in writing in one key signature as opposed to another? Sure there's playability to take into account, but what mood differences does one key signature have over another? Well here I am bored on a Wednesday night, and I decided to do a bit of research and some thinking, and to see what each key means to me. You may see it differently; I'd love to hear your comments.

A minor - According to one composer, the key of sadness. A better word I'd choose is tragedy. Many battle themes are written in this key (final fantasy 2-6 battles). The key of tragedy...

E minor - This key matches well with the tuning of a guitar, and as a result a great many heavy metal songs have been in this key. It is as such been seen as that angry style of music. The key of anger..

B minor - Seen as the key of passive suffering, or as Schubart called it, "a quiet acceptance of fate and a very gentle complaint". Beethoven labeled a B minor melodic idea in one of his sketchbooks as a "black key". The key of suffering...

F sharp minor - Now entering the lesser known keys, this key finds very few well known pieces to associate itself with. The exception being in piano, where in many cases it's easier to play with so many sharps. Speaking from experience, I'd have to call this key very "ugly" in feeling, oft suitable for chords or great dissonance. The key of dissonance...

C sharp minor - Most famously used in Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, otherwise typically only used in piano pieces. To me this key feels not of mere sorrow, but of outright despair. The key of hopeless despair...

G sharp minor & A flat minor - Into the barren wastelands of keys we now tread, for few composers dare write in this key. With lack of basis I'd call it hard to define, but it definitely rings of its half step up, the A minor key of tragedy. There's something more to it though... A hint of anger it seems. I think I've found it: The key of revenge...

D sharp minor & E flat minor - With 6 sharps or 6 flats to choose from, this key is perhaps best left to synthesizers. I can only speak from personal experience, as there's hardly a classical reference to make. Therefore, I deem this: The key of annihilation.

A sharp minor & B flat minor - Traditionally a dark key, and I'm inclined to agree. The key of darkness...

F minor - Traditionally associated with passion, as heard in Beethoven's Appassionatta sonata. Not a key I oft visit, perhaps I'll change that. The key of passion...

C minor - The heroic struggle, the key Beethoven's 5th was written in. This is it, the epic key, the "da da da daaaa" key. The key of the heroic struggle.

G minor - Tragic consummation... This is the key every "game over" theme ought to be in. You lost the game. The key of loss...

D minor - Tocatta and Fugue in D minor anyone? I'm running out of dramatic adjectives here... Halfway between sorrow and annihilation, what's left? Only death... Alright then: The key of death...

No longer will I write a piece in a key because "I haven't written in that key in a while". Now I have something to go by. Yay me!
Oh and...major keys are boring xD

Some of you may or may not have noticed that some of my submissions are broken (defying expectation, very bassy, a couple others). I've tried re uploading the music files, and I've also tried sending those guys at the FA help wiki an email, as well as opening a couple admin tickets... So far after about a month now, no dice. Is there anything any of you might recommend? I could remake the submissions, but I'd rather not unless I really have to.

I have to say, I'm not all that experienced with remastering music. Found out Finale has a basic mixer in it, complete with reverb control! So I went through the majority of my pieces on FA and added reverb and possibly other minor changes to make it sound better. So go check those out. Also happy to say I finally finished my sonata. It's about time! I've been heavy in the classical area as of late, I'm gonna go back to some good ol' video game music for a bit. Those submissions get more favorites anyway =P

Now some ranting. Odd how my life can parallel my music. I fell in love about the time I was writing my second movement, the happy little fugue. Well the night after I finish that movement, my parents found out (the hard way, I'll leave the imagining to you) that I'm bisexual. Naturally, all hell broke loose. Even got kicked out for a night. Set the stage perfectly for my third movement. Maybe if I want my life to go better I should compose more happy music eh?

This is a Directory for my classical music pieces. In particular, it will include anything I have released that has multiple movements. Currently this consists of my piano sonatas and my string quartets. Please report any broken links.

Piano Sonatas:

Sonata No. 2 in b flat minor, mvt. 1 - Allegro
Sonata No. 2 in b flat minor, mvt. 2 - Adagio
Sonata No. 2 in b flat minor, mvt. 3 - Rondo

Sonata No. 3 in d minor, mvt. 1 - Allegro
Sonata No. 3 in d minor, mvt. 2 - Lament
Sonata No. 3 in d minor, mvt. 3 - Vivace

Sonata No. 4 in g# minor, mvt. 1 - Allegro
Sonata No. 4 in g# minor, mvt. 2 - Adagio
Sonata No. 4 in g# minor, mvt. 3 - Presto con bravura

Sonata No. 5 in c minor, mvt. 1 - Allegro Deciso
Sonata No. 5 in c minor, mvt. 2 - Scherzando
Sonata No. 5 in c minor, mvt. 3 - Finale Trionfante

Sonata No. 6 in f# minor, mvt. 1 - Prelude and Allegro
Sonata No. 6 in f# minor, mvt. 2 - Bagatelle
Sonata No. 6 in f# minor, mvt. 3 - Vivace Agitato

Sonata No. 7 in B minor 1 - Allegro Agitato
Sonata No. 7 in B minor 2 - Adagio Pesante
Sonata No. 7 in B minor 3 - Allegro con Brio
Sonata No. 7 in B minor 4 - Moderato Caotico

Sonata No. 8 in F minor 1 - Relentless Chaos
Sonata No. 8 in F minor 2 - Depression
Sonata No. 8 in F minor 3 - Anger
Sonata No. 8 in F minor 4 - Melencorey

String Quartets:

String Quartet No. 1 in g minor, mvt. 1: Grave - Allegretto
String Quartet No. 1 in g minor, mvt. 2: Scherzando
String Quartet No. 1 in g minor, mvt. 3: Andante
String Quartet No. 1 in g minor, mvt. 4: Presto Agitato

String Quartet No. 2 in c# minor, mvt. 1: Moderato Mèsto
String Quartet No. 2 in c# minor, mvt. 2: Scherzando
String Quartet No. 2 in c# minor, mvt. 3: 17 Eight alla Fuga
String Quartet No. 2 in c# minor, mvt. 4: Adagietto
String Quartet No. 2 in c# minor, mvt. 5: Vivace con brio

So I guess this profile of mine is turning into more music than art. I blame Fritzy, after he --holy shit am i really writing a blog? what the hell is wrong with me... oh well at least it's not myspace or facebook. Anyway I uploaded everything i've composed (and completed), so I guess I'm into composing now... I now have over 15 favorites on stuff I've posted, which is nice. I wonder if someday I might actually have random people post messages and start watching my profile and stuff? One can only hope...