July 2008 - Chris Schuette

Weekly Thing #11: Aether

I was out of town for several days last week, so I had less time than usual to compose and record music.  On the other hand, it was great seeing my friends and getting a goofy-looking farmer tan (yeah, I’m pale.)  Since I don’t like living without sleep, I simply decided to do a shorter piece of music.

I wasn’t planning on writing something with a slightly darker sound, but while playing around without some sound effects, I eventually came up with this.  It’s called Aether and it runs 1:04m. Nothing fancy, just simple strings with a rhythm track to give it some momentum.  And isn’t that what we all need in this crazy world? Um, probably not.[powerpress]

Weekly Thing #10: Well Spent

I don’t actually have a great story about how I wrote this week’s music thingie. I was playing around with my Rhodes keyboard and just kinda started playing the rather simple melody. The bass & drums sorta fell into place after that.  Unlike, previous posts, I wasn’t trying for a particular style, or anything. I’m still experimenting with mixing & mastering (i.e. getting everything to sound “right.”) Hey, I’m a keyboard player; I’m lucky I even know what a mixing board IS!  (It’s that pointy thing, right?)

This song is called “Well Spent” and its 2:23.  Thanks for listening![powerpress]

Weekly Thing #9: Film Music

There is no such thing as “generic film music,” no more than there are “generic films.”  Film music can run the gamut from Bernard Herrmann’s score for Psycho, to Danny Elfman’s scores for Tim Burton’s films, to Lalo Schifrin’s jazzy scores for movies like Bullitt.  There are countless film composers with greatly varying styles, so it is inaccurate to claim there can be such a thing as “generic film music.”

So anyway, I wrote some generic film music and I’m posting it here today.  This wasn’t written for a specific film, so feel free to make something up in your head.  Need help? Um, OK; picture a wide-open American prairie in the early 20th Century.  I leave it up to you whether or not Teddy Roosevelt is there.

Since I’m a Simpsons Fan, and I could think of a better title, I’m calling this one “The Embiggened Spirit.”  I just love upsetting English teachers.[powerpress]

Oops! Wrong Psycho

Yeah, so I dialed the wrong number yesterday and left a voicemail for someone. Not deliberately, mind you. I didn’t know it was the wrong number until I received a voicemail from the woman I had mis-dialed, informing me that I dialed the wrong number. Normally, I would think it was very thoughtful of this woman (I’ll call her “Gertie”) to let me know I had mis-dialed; however, she seemed rather snippy about it. She sounded like an older woman, and somewhat cranky. In short, she sounded like a character from Mama’s Family, but not as eloquent and well-spoken.

In the voicemail, she stated that I dialed the wrong number and that I should be more careful when dialing the telephone. Um, I couldn’t agree more.

About an hour later I received another call from Gertie. I let it go to voicemail, because dammit, I’m busy. Her voicemail stated that she was calling again to tell me that I dialed the wrong number and that I NEED to be careful when using the telephone machine. This fact was becoming more obvious to me.

Two more hours went by and Gertie called me yet again. This time I answered the phone:

Me: Internal Revenue Service

Gertie:(oblivious, dang) I received a call from this number but you dialed the wrong number and I want to know why.

(Her voice seemed more shrill than her voicemails let on.)

Me: Yes, Ma’am. Thank you for letting me know. I’m sorry to have bothered you.

(Apparently, my snide, dismissive attitude comes through even when I’m being polite.)

Gertie: Are you being a smart-ass?

Me: Not yet, Ma’am.

Gertie: Well, you need to be more careful when using the telephone. I don’t know why you can’t understand that.

Me: Ma’am, what YOU don’t know could fill a warehouse. (God, I love that line.)

Gertie: What?

Me: I said, “I’m sorry I mis-dialed your house.” Good-bye.

Gertie: I don’t like your atti-

I hung up. Haven’t heard back from her, but just to be safe, I’m gonna stay outta Compton for awhile.

Weekly Thing #8: Populuxe

The music I’m posting this week is old.  Well, actually, it’s “new old.”  I wanted to try something in a late-50s/early 60s vibe…Oh, and I also wanted something with vibes in it.  I originally wanted to try for a Henry Mancini sound, but it seemed to take a slightly different direction, which was fine with me.

The song is called “Populuxe” and it is 1:53 long.  The title refers to something that is reminiscent of 1950s architecture or design.  Don’t say I never teach you anything.  Enjoy.[powerpress]

Weekly Thing #7: Iron Chef 3

It’s official.  The music for the upcoming “Iron Chef America” game for the Nintendo Wii is done.  The game is supposed to come out before Christmas.  Honestly, I can’t wait to see if they spell my name correctly.  (Hey, it could happen!)

Here is the last piece I composed and recorded for the game.  Since it will be part of a video game, I don’t have a monstrously clever name for it.  Let’s just call it “Iron Chef 3” and see if that works.  The song is 44 seconds long, which like the others, will be played as a loop in the game itself.

Have a great July 4th weekend. I’ll be on an honest-to-God Minnesota lake. Sounds wet.[powerpress]