21 Days of VGM (Original music by mklachu)

Day 1 of #21DaysOfVGM 💖
Composed this luscious viola quartet that probably should be playing during a sad death cutscene. I'm super proud of how this track turned out in the end c:

Main influences were Chrono Trigger's "Depths of the Night", Barber's "Adagio for Strings" and uh... Hindemith... because that's the only 20th century composer I care about nowadays (ok that's not true at all).

This is part of a daily challenge called The 21-Day Composition Challenge! This will temporarily take precedent over Tunesday. There's also a Quest Log/Checklist that covers certain styles or parameters (for our consideration, to break out of our comfort zone, etc). 

For those of you who are participating, here are the quests I knocked out today!

Quest Log 1
• The Forgotten Beats
• A Minor Challenge
• Something Borrowed

Quest Log 2
• Silence is Golden

Under The Daisies

Here's Day 2 of the Composition Challenge, aka #21DaysOfVGM! 

I know, this one is *super* underwhelming compared to my track from yesterday, but I looked through the checklist and thought "hm, I've never written a 10-second jingle cue for sleeping at an inn" THOUGH I DUNNO IF IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF A JRPG (oops), it definitely reminded me of Paper Mario TTYD's "sleeping at an inn" jingle... vaguely x)

This is part of a daily challenge called The 21-Day Composition Challenge! This will temporarily take precedent over Tunesday. There's also a Quest Log/Checklist that covers certain styles or parameters (for our consideration, to break out of our comfort zone, etc).

For those of you who are participating, here is the quest I knocked out today!

Quest Log 2
• Nap Time

Quick Replenishment

Day 3 of the composition challenge, and I'm already falling behind. 
Ended up practicing and recording for a special something...
Soooo better late than never? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Anyway, honestly despite recording in F Major all day, I've just had a Bb pentatonic scale stuck in my head and decided to toy with the tonal center/idea of it. I also listened to some Fossil Echo since that was a game I played violin for (composed by the wonderful John Robert Matz), and I guess I felt like writing music that reminded me of overcoming the struggles of life. Insert another shrug emoji here.

Also intentionally threw in some heavy delay on the pizz samples.

This is part of a daily challenge called The 21-Day Composition Challenge! This will temporarily take precedent over Tunesday. There's also a Quest Log/Checklist that covers certain styles or parameters (for our consideration, to break out of our comfort zone, etc).

For those of you who are participating, here is the quest I knocked out today!

Quest Log 2
• Pizz Off - Write an entire piece for strings, using the pizzicato technique for every instrument throughout the entire piece. No bowing or sustained notes!

(omg, I was soooo tempted to record actual violin over it and sustained notes... I can see why this was listed as a challenge now)

The Climb

Day 4 of the 21-day composition challenge. Heavily inspired by Hisaishi's Path of the Wind from Totoro, most likely because I recently saw the subbed version in theaters... gosh dang, that track is so good.

Also originally wanted to go for the newer Fire Emblem feel, but it felt a bit too regal for that... so I only ended up doing that with the lengthy title. Good job, me.

Speaking of which, the title is the way it is because I wanted to create a feeling of isolation and confusion but with a hint of familiarity. Perhaps this track represents the typical anti-hero with amnesia, trying to find answers about their past. Maybe it's discovering their ancestral roots kind of thing. But that general "hmm I think I know but I don't yet" vibe is what I was going for.

Super happy with how this turned out, gotta work on those piano chops though if I ever want to play this again in the future x)

[the mix probably could use some work though, heh]

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This is part of a daily challenge called The 21-Day Composition Challenge! This will temporarily take precedent over Tunesday. There's also a Quest Log/Checklist that covers certain styles or parameters (for our consideration, to break out of our comfort zone, etc).

For those of you who are participating, here is the quest I knocked out today!

Quest Log 3
• Dorian Mode: Write a piece that uses Dorian mode for at least part of the piece. 

I mean, this was unintentional since I was avoiding the quest list today... it's literally a measure's worth but it's implied with the A natural. Soooo C Dorian, I think!

"I have no recollection of this place, yet it feels so familiar..."

Day 5 of the composition daily-challenge. Decided to try something simple with the music box / thumb piano quest. 

Originally attempted to write something more active, but as I started writing, I was reminded of this old music box in the form of this tiny pastel pink piano... how I would play it and wind it up as I started to noticed the notes patter off-beat and how much that annoyed me!! So I ended up writing something more gentle and welcoming.

Chrono Trigger's To Good Friends (Epilogue Theme) was also one of the things that came in mind as I wrapped up this track.

Not gonna lie, my sample pack for thumb piano is pretty garbage, but as I've composed more and more, I've come to realize that this challenge is less about polished tracks and more about getting my creative juices out there and push myself to compose with constraints and new parameters. So far, it's been an interesting journey!

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This is part of a daily challenge called The 21-Day Composition Challenge! This will temporarily take precedent over Tunesday. There's also a Quest Log/Checklist that covers certain styles or parameters (for our consideration, to break out of our comfort zone, etc).

For those of you who are participating, here is the quest I knocked out today!

Quest Log 1
• Music Box

Embracing Childhood Memories

Day 18 of this whole shebang, and I'm writing a tune for a sleazy sleuth, aka a scumbag detective, meeting up with a mysterious person for something? Either way, if I ever write music for a detective, I'll be sure to make it sound even sleazier with muted trumpets and even more blues and all that good stuff.

Phew, just a few days left... 

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This is part of a daily challenge called The 21-Day Composition Challenge! This will temporarily take precedent over Tunesday. There's also a Quest Log/Checklist that covers certain styles or parameters (for our consideration, to break out of our comfort zone, etc).

For those of you who are participating, here are the quests I knocked out today!

Quest Log 1
• If It Ain't Got That Swing

Quest Log 2
• Something Blue

Quest 3
• Super-Secret Meeting

The Sleazy Sleuth

Composing music mainly for myself nowadays. Feel free to reach me via my email or Twitter if you like what you hear and are interested in having me compose music for your projects!

I also record violin, viola, and Otamatone Deluxe if you need me to bring your music to life with my noodling :^)