A potpourri of miscellaneous original tunes.

Demos

"Suffer the suffering no longer"

This electronic rock instrumental hops around between the keys of Bb and G and has a tempo of 89 BPM.

[Please note: as this un-mastered track was mixed using headphones, I recommend that it be listened to via headphones/earbuds to ensure the best listening experience.]

Awhirl Divert

A rework of my entry for the October 2021 Tone2 Demotrack competition for Saurus3.  

The original version can be listened to here: https://hearthis.at/tonedef/tyrannosaur-stomp/

Tyrannosaur Stomp [R3worked]

"They thought that the oasis would be a safe place to take shelter... they thought wrong."

"Ambush At The Oasis" was originally composed for the 53rd KVR One-Synth-Challenge.  This updated version of the track features a more traditional rock arrangement (e.g. rock guitar, rock drums, electric bass guitar, hammond organ, mellotron strings).

The original track may still be found here: https://archive.org/details/KvrOsc53Feldspar/30Tonedef71-AmbushAtTheOasis.mp3

[Please note: as this un-mastered track was mixed using headphones, I recommend that it be listened to via headphones/earbuds to ensure the best listening experience.]

Ambush At The Oasis [Rock Version]

The trials, tribulations, tragedies, and triumphs of traveling alone.

[Please note: as this un-mastered track was mixed using headphones, I recommend that it be listened to via headphones/earbuds to ensure the best listening experience.]

Traveling Alone

"The Night Is Dark And Full Of Terrors... Lord of light, cast your light upon us."

"The Night Is Dark And Full Of Terrors" was originally composed for the 52nd KVR One-Synth-Challenge. This updated version of the track features a more traditional rock arrangement (e.g. rock guitar, rock drums, electric bass guitar, hammond organ, mellotron strings) along with a couple of instances of the excellent Podolski synthesizer plug-in from U-He.

The original track may still be found here: https://archive.org/details/KvrOsc52Podolski_430/53Tonedef71-TheNightIsDarkAndFullOfTerrors.mp3

[Please note: as this track was mixed using inexpensive headphones, I recommend that it be listened to via inexpensive headphones/earbuds to ensure the best listening experience.]

The Night Is Dark And Full Of Terrors [Rock Version]

"The muckety mux keep lying all the time.  The muckety mux keep screwing us big time."

This bombastic track began with a simple rock lick, and took off from there.  It is composed exclusively in D Dorian.  "Muckety Mux" was originally composed for the 80th KVR One-Synth-Challenge and used sounds created by MuTools's modular synth, MUX; this updated version of the track features a more traditional rock arrangement (e.g. rock guitar, rock drums, electric bass guitar, rock organs, and lead synth).

The original track may still be found here: https://archive.org/details/OSC80Mux/tonedef71+-+Muckety+Mux.mp3

[Please note: as this un-mastered track was mixed using headphones, I recommend that it be listened to via headphones/earbuds to ensure the best listening experience.]

Muckety Mux

Muckety Mux [R3worked]

When you and sleep have not connected in days.

"Sleepless" was originally composed for a KVR One-Synth-Challenge and used sounds created by Synapse Audio's Dune synthesizer; this updated version of the track features a more traditional rock arrangement (e.g. rock guitar, rock drums, electric bass guitar, rock organs, and lead synth).

The original track may still be found here:  https://archive.org/details/KvrOscSpecialCm/46Tonedef71-SleeplessupAllNightUpAllDayUpAllNight.mp3

[Please note: as this un-mastered track was mixed using headphones, I recommend that it be listened to via headphones/earbuds to ensure the best listening experience.]

Sleepless (Up All Night, Up All Day, Up All Night)

Sleepless (Up All Night, Up All Day, Up All Night) [R3worked]

"Stylin'.   Always in style.   Always in tune.   Dübreq Stylophone.   Simply stylin'."

A simple track composed for the Dübreq Stylophone 50th Anniversary Global Music Competition.  https://www.facebook.com/notes/stylophone/stylophone-50th-anniversary-terms-conditions/1805186966208182/

This song is comprised of six generously processed instances of traditional Stylophone sounds along with some drum loops and a little synthesized speech.

[Please note: as this un-mastered track was mixed using headphones, I recommend that it be listened to via headphones/earbuds to ensure the best listening experience.]

Stylin'

"Traipse through terror, if thou dost dare to live dangerously."

"Traipsing Thru Terror" was originally composed for the 55th KVR One-Synth-Challenge using sounds exclusively created with Pekka Kauppila's "MauSynth". This updated version of the track features a more traditional rock arrangement (e.g. guitar, drums, bass, organ, strings, synth).

This track  employs a triplet rhythm and is composed exclusively in the "Double Harmonic Scale" (AKA the Arabic/Byzantine Scale). 

The original track may still be found here: https://archive.org/details/KvrOsc55Mausynth/26Tonedef71-TraipsingThruTerror.mp3

[Please note: as this un-mastered track was mixed using headphones, I recommend that it be listened to via headphones/earbuds to ensure the best listening experience.]

Traipsing Thru Terror [R3worked]

Captain Quint unwittingly alluded to his own demise.

"Gruesome Foreshadowing" was originally composed for the 79th KVR One-Synth-Challenge using sounds exclusively created with Archetype Instruments's "Lokomotiv". This updated version of the track features a more traditional rock arrangement (e.g. guitar, drums, bass, organ, strings, synth).

This track is composed exclusively in the key of E Blues Diminished (+ perfect fifth power chords).

The original version of the track may still be found here: https://archive.org/details/OSC79Lokomotiv/g5ToneDeF+and+The+ElectroMetal+Minstrels+-+Gruesome+Foreshadowing.mp3

[Please note: as this un-mastered track was mixed using headphones, I recommend that it be listened to via headphones/earbuds to ensure the best listening experience.]

Gruesome Foershadowing

Gruesome Foreshadowing [R3worked]

An exercise in futility: trying to pin down the exact tonality and scale (or scales) for this track.  There is about a 25% chance it is Db Major.  Inevitably, it is what it is, and I guess I will just have to leave it at that.  

[Please note: as this un-mastered track was mixed using headphones, I recommend that it be listened to via headphones/earbuds to ensure the best listening experience.]

Exercise In Futility

"There is a time and a place for for everything.  The place may be here, but the time is not now."

This track is written in D Dorian with a brief dalliance into D Minor. All of the sounds are being performed by the following BeatSkillz virtual instruments: Synthwave Drums; Synthwave KZ; and Dark KZ.

[Please note: as this un-mastered track was mixed using headphones, I recommend that it be listened to via headphones/earbuds to ensure the best listening experience.]

Now Is Not The Time

"The Fourth of July: the emotional turning point of summer in North America"

Another concept piece performed by Cubic Audio's Ascension virtual instrument along with Addictive Drums 2 laying down the beat.
I composed it during the long Fourth of July weekend shortly after binge-watching season three of "Stranger Things" on Netflix.
It is written in C Lydian Sharp 6 with a short excursion into G Major for the bridge.

[Please note: as this un-mastered track was mixed using headphones, I recommend that it be listened to via headphones/earbuds to ensure the best listening experience.]

The Fourth Of July

Even when you find yourself left speechless, you can still muster up the breath to exclaim: "Vert Der Ferk"?

Vad fan?!

[Please note: as this un-mastered track was mixed using headphones, I recommend that it be listened to via headphones/earbuds to ensure the best listening experience.]

Vert Der Ferk?

Twenty-six minutes before the witching hour... a time of night whose distinct numeric sequence seems to reveal itself uncannily at every opportunity.  What could its cryptic ubiquity possibly be trying to convey?


[Please note: as this un-mastered track was mixed using headphones, I recommend that it be listened to via headphones/earbuds to ensure the best listening experience.]

26 To 3

Even slabs of solid stone tremble from the stomp of a steel-tip stilletto.

This swinging mid-tempo track is composed in A-Phrygian/A-Minor.

Stomp Stone Steel-tip Stiletto

"Catch the grift?"

This track is composed in F# phrygian with a brief interlude in C lydian.

Several new virtual instruments were put to work in this track: UJAM's Virtual Guitarist Carbon; Babylon and Imperfect from W.A. Production; and Soundspot's Unison.

[Please note: as this un-mastered track was mixed using headphones, I recommend that it be listened to via headphones/earbuds to ensure the best listening experience.]

Con Descending

"With the Doomsday Clock now being measured in seconds, there is no time to waste."

This track is composed in D minor with a side-step into C mixolydian for the bridge.

The distorted electric guitars are performed by UJAM's VG Carbon.  All of the remaining instrument parts are performed by the KORG M1 virtual synth.

100 Seconds To Midnight

A reworked version of a rap-rock track written and recorded in August 1990 by the KY Posse (ToneDeF and a longtime childhood friend) re-recorded in August 2020 to commemorate its 30th anniversary.  The musical inspiration for this new version should be obvious.

*LYRICS*

[Spoken intro]
What's the song about?
It's sort of a musical journey, really... you know.
It's a musical journey. 
It's about music... I hope.  
At least that's what you said it was gonna be about.

[Verse 1]
Alone with my monkey just passing the time.
Waitin' for my best girl to arrive.
I fell asleep on the sofa and I started to dream.
About a strange place I'd never seen.
Bright lights and loud buzzers all surrounding me.
I found myself in a pinball machine.
Tilted the game and slid down the chute.
I felt so sick I wanted to puke.

Fell from the sky and landed in the sea.
A big brown shark came and tried to eat me.
Escaped to the shore and jumped on a plane.
My monkey and I are going insane.

[Refrain]
It's a musical journey.
A whimsical dream.
Don't come alone.
Bring your monkey.
Touch him!  Love him!
Can we keep it clean?
If you know what I mean.

[Break]
What?!  Are you kidding?

Go back in!

[Verse 2]
Crashed into a bank called Hospital Trust.
Reduced it to a measly pile of dust.
Crawled through a sewer and saw turtles in battle.
Ran out of there like stampeding cattle.

The sky grew dark with a thunder storm.
We escaped from the lightning with excellent form!
Looked up at the sky and saw a UFO.
Close encounters with an alien foe!

We heard an explosion that was painfully loud.
Incinerated by a mushroom cloud.
I let out a scream and my girlfriend consoled me.
She assured me it was just a bad dream.

[Refrain]
It's a musical journey.
A whimsical dream.
Don't come alone.
Bring your monkey.
Touch him!  Love him!
Can we keep it clean?
If you know what I mean.

[Interlude]
Monkey Time!
Here we go...
...

[Outro]
We've changed a lot since then... and some.
We always had fun when you came down.
If I never did thank you...
Then just let me do it now.
Thank you!
Word!!!

Word.

A Musical Journey

"The truth is whatever suits your belief system."

"Cognitive Dissonance - Selective Reality" was originally composed for the 140th KVR One-Synth-Challenge.  The key of the track is D and transitions between the Aeolian and Dorian modes.  This updated version of the track features a more traditional rock arrangement (e.g. rock guitar, rock drums, electric bass guitar, rock organ).

The original track may still be found here: https://soundcloud.com/tonedef71/cognitive-dissonance-selective-reality

[Please note: as this un-mastered track was mixed using headphones, I recommend that it be listened to via headphones/earbuds to ensure the best listening experience.]

Cognitive Dissonance - Selective Reality [R3worked]

ToneDeF is a software engineer by profession, part-time composer by inclination. He is influenced musically by what he listens to, which consists of hard rock, hair metal, synth-pop, progressive rock/metal, new age electronic, techno/trance, and classics from the Romantic and Baroque periods. It is not unusual to hear tiny shades of commercially successful works within his own humble little ones -- he considers it an homage to the truly talented.

One of ToneDeF's guilty pleasures is recreating the music of classic computer/video games utilizing modern synthesized and sampled sounds. His first submission to SoundCloud was a re-imagining of the main theme music from the classic LucasArts game, "Ballblazer".

Although he has chosen "ToneDeF" as his handle, rest assured that he is not actually "tone deaf".

Who exactly are "The ElectroMetal Minstrels"? They are the virtual musicians "performing" the virtual instruments on each track sequenced by ToneDeF.

Demos

ToneDeF & The ElectroMetal Minstrels