My new handbell duo project...in progress!! !

Post Reply New Topic

OK, so...

Last year I got out a couple of handbell tunes and I was approached about writing a new piece for the church Christmas program this year. Like, the powers that be practically DEMANDED my wife and I do something. So I got busy and started composing and I've had a really good day of it.

So it got me to thinking, "hey, what if I post the big milestones on soundcloud and link to them as the process unfolds until I get a completed work?"

So here is phase 1. First I started out by going to a very quiet place with the iPad and slowly (over the course of about three days) and pieced together a composition using the Fairlight CMI app--used my own sample of a handbell, an FM bass sound made on the Synclavier, a kick drum made from a plastic coffee can, and a couple of samples that came with the app. Thus I got my basic idea down for the handbell part and some harmonies. Honestly, the Fairlight app is probably not the easiest way to go, but I find sometimes I do better getting these ideas out when I work in ways I'm not used to. It wasn't long before I had a good handbell part and my wife and I immediately set about learning the piece.

So over the last two days I've been copying bar by bar the handbell and bass part and recording it on the Synclav. I didn't have quite the bass sound I wanted, so I decided to make one using my new G&L Tribute L2500 electric bass. I only sampled one note, but that was enough. I recorded my bass part and got up for coffee.

After listening to it a few times, I felt the need to add some brass. Oh yeah, we're expecting to have an orchestra playing with us... I used a general purpose, octave-doubling, brass ensemble sound and recorded a quick 5 to 6-part track that I'll eventually edit/cut down until it's playable by 5 brass players. I requested 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, 1 horn in F.

It's still pretty lacking with several empty spaces, but I have yet to add strings, woodwinds, keyboards (to possibly include pipe organ but I dunno...), and rhythm section hopefully including a nice, crunchy electric guitar. Unfortunately I won't get to have real string players, so a string reduction on synth will have to do.

And so, without further ado...


http://soundcloud.com/angelrho/handbells-2011-1

Hey, thanks for the comments!

Yeah...there IS that brass section that breaks up my main theme... I'm at a loss as to what to do. I thought about bringing back the handbell theme just like at the beginning and cadence it, but I have too many things to think about in terms of performance. If I brought it back, I'd just be standing there ringing one bell, and I felt like I really needed to get to the next section where I do a little more bell work and THEN bring the entire section to a close with a cadence. I mean, it's just too repetitive. So making a clear break ultimately works best here.

For now I'm going to leave it alone. I'll come back to it eventually though, because I just don't feel like that part really "goes" anywhere.

Next up: I've just finished adding woodwinds. Just like before, it's REALLY rough and I'm only using a clarinet sound just to get the basic ideas down. Eventually I'll assign parts to flutes, clarinet, oboe, and bassoon, though I'm also going to double a lot of the brass parts as well. That's why the woodwind part sounds really empty at the moment. Once I get everything down, that will all change and there will be a lot more timbrel variety.

http://soundcloud.com/angelrho/handbells-christmas-2011-v2

Just put the "final" touches on the strings. There are still some holes in the strings. Like, strings NEED to be playing but there's also a lot going on in other dominant parts, especially since this piece is really brass-heavy. What I'll end up doing in several places where the strings are absent is double either the woodwind or brass part in the strings. This is, after all, only a sketch. I always struggle with writing percussion parts. Before I do that, though, I need to turn my focus towards the rhythm section. So far i only have bass. I'll be adding electric guitar and drum set next. That will make writing percussion parts much easier. I'll have timpani at my disposal among others. I really want to feature a couple of good percussionists. I'm not a terrible percussionist myself--but writing for percussion is a weakness of mine. And I love challenges!

Anyway--the handbell piece with strings:

http://soundcloud.com/angelrho/handbells-christmas-2011-v3

Heres the demo of the completed sketch. Added guitar/drums/percussion. Personally, I think there are places where the drums/percussion are UNDER-used, particularly in the "slow" middle section. I think I need to bring the drum set back for more of a half-time feel in that passage right before the breakdown. Also rethinking some other decisions about percussion. I'm hoping to be finished with the entire project by the end of the weekend. Here's the link:

http://soundcloud.com/angelrho/handbells-2011-v4