Vita Per Diem

SmokeyVW

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Description

album: Change
track 1: 5:18 Adventure
track 2: 1:53 A A B A
track 3: 4:03 Doors
track 4: 3:24 Drift As A Leaf
track 5: 4:26 Apres L'ete
track 6: 3:00 The Grope For Hope
track 7: 5:44 Occasional Pillars
track 8: 2:57 Cloak And Dagger
track 9: 5:45 Einbruch der Nacht
track 10: 2:40 Self Similarity
track 11: 6:17 Vita Per Diem
track 12: 2:51 Man's Desiring
track 13: 7:14 Seven Up
track 14: 1:43 Ice Come Back?
track 15: 5:53 For My Dear Samantha
track 16: 2:58 Regrets
track 17: 6:24 Dawn
...more albums...

Song Description

totally ignore the grid

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Song Stats

Hits: 3740
Comments: 33
Fans: 17
Plays: 187
Downloads: 89

Uploaded: Mar 09, 2010 - 05:33:50 PM
Last Updated: Sep 20, 2011 - 01:03:07 PM Last Played: Apr 05, 2019 - 03:14:01 PM

Song License

Creative Commons License:
Attribution-NoDerivs

Song Actions

Comments

davisamerica

davisamerica said 3331 days ago (March 9th, 2010)

i will ignore the grid
... but you are out of the box here VW... love the tension and flow in the intro. Piano sound is fantastic as well as orch... is this still GB wizarding from you or do you have a new toy? ... i can neaqrly hear the sheet music being turned...amazing track vw... the build at 4:30 or so and resolve is a beauty. ...wow. a"reflective" beauty worthy of a film.

Check out my latest song called ok char2(Vic and Flatrock mix)

SmokeyVW

SmokeyVW said 3330 days ago (March 10th, 2010)

.
i called it film for lack of any other genre i could think of

glad you enjoyed it

thanks
(i'll add some background on this song in my replies to the next few comments)

this is all done in GarageBand 2, with the Orchestra JamPack - started about 2:30 pm, finished about 6:00, posted it about 6:30

at 120 BPM, with no Metronome, record 48 seconds of improv piano (right hand only)
with Snap To Grid turned off, pencil in the left hand with loose semi-coherent timing
place the result to play at the end at 6:00 (5:32 in the final version)

Check out my latest song called Farther

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 3331 days ago (March 9th, 2010)
	no grids great piano sound! a nice mental come down piece. Check out my latest song called Roland Is Just A Machine

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 3330 days ago (March 10th, 2010)
	. the Orchestra Steinway piano synth was used over a wide range of velocities - the soft notes almost sound like the cover is down thanks continuing with background: totally ignore the time grid during this whole project, so it is definitely NOT really 120 BPM Check out my latest song called Farther

magnatone	magnatone said 3331 days ago (March 9th, 2010)
	vita wow, the piano sounds fabulous! are these JP instruments? you ARE the GB wizard - it's so true! this is very cool - i'll be listening to this a LOT - you're such an inspiration to me! Check out my latest song called Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen) and Variations

SmokeyVW

SmokeyVW said 3330 days ago (March 10th, 2010)

.
you are very kind - and you often inspire me, by the way

thanks
continuing with background:

cut it up into separate phrases, making a bunch of copies - spread around the copies to a few separate piano tracks, with a rough plan in mind

the general idea is to introduce the phrases as independent melodic ideas, and by the end pull them all together into the final coherent conclusion

sculpt the phrases by shifting them around and tweaking notes here and there - do not attempt to adhere any rhythmic meter whatsoever

Check out my latest song called Farther

Briton	Briton said 3331 days ago (March 9th, 2010)
	Contemplative. Really makes me think. Like it a lot. Check out my latest song called Don't Leave. (Concept)

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 3330 days ago (March 10th, 2010)
	. i'm happy to hear that - there was much thought put into it thanks continuing with background: (influence of the moment: i had just read about the general scheme of "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" as described by Edward Macan in the book "Pink Floyd and Philosophy" and his ideas about alienation in much of PF's music and lyrics) Check out my latest song called Farther

particledots	particledots said 3331 days ago (March 9th, 2010)
	Brilliant I love the atmosphere, the muted tones, the colour Just brilliant Check out my latest song called I caught my scarf in the sputnik

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 3330 days ago (March 10th, 2010)
	. glad you enjoyed this little thing thanks continuing with background: there are four sections, roughly timed as follows 0:00 - 1 - intro 2:00 - 2 - climax 4:00 - 3 - breakthrough 5:30 - 4 - resolution Check out my latest song called Farther

Ed Hannifin

Ed Hannifin said 3330 days ago (March 10th, 2010)

Spacious...
...with a luxuriously slow tempo, in keeping with a long, slow, relaxed breath...

It's nicely uncluttered, with the repeated 'flute' theme playing against the more contemplative piano...

I like whatever reverb is used on this... whether it's something you added, or something that came along with a sampled instrument, it just sounds natural and right...

Ed

Check out my latest song called Chime (Alone) (Inspired by Particle Dots)

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 3330 days ago (March 10th, 2010)
	. it was actually even slower initially! thanks continuing with background: the intro has the little phrases reordered and chained one after the next - add strings for dramatic effect (sunrise? birth?), flute (birds? nature?) Check out my latest song called Farther

BirdmanWayne94	BirdmanWayne94 said 3330 days ago (March 10th, 2010)
	I dig... ... the atmosphere here. There something suspicious and dark about it, yet the flute's tone brightens things up a bit. Nice melody! Check out my latest song called Groove #7 (SoloMe-o Challenge)

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 3330 days ago (March 10th, 2010)
	. i was trying for a mixture of feelings - and yes, that flute was added to lift it up here and there thanks continuing with background: in the climax, transpose several phrases by multiples of whole-tones to cause some real clashes - the flute gets caught in the maelstrom (is it a storm? modern life?) Check out my latest song called Farther

lengold	lengold said 3330 days ago (March 10th, 2010)
	It was hard... but I did manage to ignore the grid(?). This is very beautiful Bill. Cheers Len Check out my latest song called Decent Girl

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 3330 days ago (March 10th, 2010)
	. the timing is totally loose - i've no idea what the tempo actually is thanks continuing with background: the breakthrough begins with french horns (clarity of vision) - the little phrases mill around, all now in key - the strings are meant to act as glue (clouds departing? finding true meaning in the modern world?) Check out my latest song called Farther

drakonis

drakonis said 3330 days ago (March 10th, 2010)

delicate melodic ideas
love the A and A' motif idea carried by the flute & piano near the beginning, and the carefully paced stream-of-consciousness meandering piano line. It is very zen, as it keeps the mind very concisely focused on nothing tangible at all. How refreshing. Excellent ebb and flow of pacing and color. And an achingly poignant ending to die for.
ttfn,
Drakonis

Check out my latest song called Miwok

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 3330 days ago (March 10th, 2010)
	. you caught on to my game thanks continuing with background: the resolution is simply the complete original improv, now fully re-integrated (a rainbow? dying at peace with the universe?) Check out my latest song called Farther

Cameron

Cameron said 3330 days ago (March 10th, 2010)

Spacious textures
You've created a very contemplative mood here. I like the way you create space between the sounds.

The overall feeling was consistent from beginning to end. Occasionally I would have liked to hear a bit more forward movement, but that's simply a personal preference and no reflection on what seems to be a carefully considered piece.

I, too am curious what software you used on this. The sound was pleasing to the ears and the production values are polished and "convincing".

Check out my latest song called Trio for Horn, Violin & Piano

SmokeyVW

SmokeyVW said 3330 days ago (March 10th, 2010)

.
early on, there were huge gaps of silence. as i refined it, it filled in, perhaps too much?

thanks
continuing with background:

along the way i ended up using the oboe (with its own extra cathedral-sized reverb) as both dividers between, and links across, the sections - they must symbolize something

lastly, it seemed to run a little too slow, so i upped the so-called "tempo" from 120 to 130

Check out my latest song called Farther

scofugate	scofugate said 3330 days ago (March 10th, 2010)
	Nice Bill! This will be added to my SmokeyVW relaxation playlist in itunes along with the trip around the galaxy!! Wonderful, just Wonderful! Check out my latest song called DreamKiller

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 3330 days ago (March 10th, 2010)
	. this one's not quite as relaxing for me, but that's OK thanks continuing with background: i used the matrix reverb on the master bus to contain everything in a large hall Check out my latest song called Farther

SmokeyVW	SmokeyVW said 3330 days ago (March 10th, 2010)
	THANKS I scattered some answers in the previous replies Check out my latest song called Farther

Monkaton	Monkaton said 3330 days ago (March 10th, 2010)
	All Smokey, No Mirrors Very well done Smokey. I like the way you isolate the piano and feel no compunction to add instruments when none are needed. That would be a great temptation for me. Check out my latest song called Blue Tie

ktb	ktb said 3330 days ago (March 10th, 2010)
	VPD I am in a little awe of your restraint. Very delicate and excellent 'negative space'. Great orchestration. Check out my latest song called Blackwater (by Tokai)

awigze	awigze said 3329 days ago (March 11th, 2010)
	quiet and reflective... more like a conversation of ideas and visuals than a song. thanks for all of your music Check out my latest song called If You Can Hang On by Outtaorbit

michaelkoppenheffer	michaelkoppenheffer said 3329 days ago (March 11th, 2010)
	Aleatory Amazing that you're able to make such beauty out of chance happenings and formal processes... Check out my latest song called Till the Tap Runs Dry (album version)

Demeter7	Demeter7 said 3327 days ago (March 13th, 2010)
	It sounds as though you were plinking away in a garret in Paris and occasionally, you whistled because you were content. Then, you got down to the meat of what was on your mind and came up with some ideas. Lovely piece. :) Check out my latest song called Boogieman Boogie Halloween 2012

bud	bud said 3325 days ago (March 15th, 2010)
	Really enjoed this piece Bill and the unfolding back story. The kind of experimentation I've come to expect from you - and always with very musical results. Check out my latest song called mixer 2

billykirsch	billykirsch said 3325 days ago (March 15th, 2010)
	Music for mime artists Or for a museum of modern art. Cool music man. Thanks for sharing the story behind. Very interesting. Check out my latest song called Everything

Henke	Henke said 3320 days ago (March 20th, 2010)
	Music for MacJammers Thanks Bill, this was really a wonderful journey! Made me think of Eno and his Music for... which also has this thoughtful tempo but works so brilliantly with seemingly small means. Great. /Henke Check out my latest song called Summer (Promenade) (WIP)

filmscoremike	filmscoremike said 3313 days ago (March 27th, 2010)
	Love this.. Really liked this. I like the free flowing nature of it. The sparseness of the solo piano is great. The slow sustaining strings are also fabulous. Ignoring the grid yielded some fantastic results! Nice work! Check out my latest song called A Hero Is Born

MikeRobinson	MikeRobinson said 2765 days ago (September 26th, 2011)
	This is a great intro ... ... it is in no hurry to identify itself; in no hurry to make its eventual direction known. The pauses make you learn forward anxiously to wait for the next note. Very nice. Check out my latest song called It Must Be A Christmas Song