2022

Thundering Large Sea Snake

Posted by sara-garrard

I took part in the latest 2 hour album challenge on one of the hottest days of the year. I wasn’t going to do anything at all, but then I figured that while I couldn’t standing sitting with the heat of my computer filling the room and headphones, I might do something with a lot of live singing.

And, as it turns out, cardboard box percussion. I found this broadside ballad — a very big fish story indeed! — on the Bodleian’s website, as part of a huge project collecting ’em.

I’m a couple years late for the sea shanty trend (and not sure this really qualifies as a shanty), but here’s “Thundering Large Sea Snake” from the MONSTROUS album:

You can get the whole album here with 60 more tracks, pay what you want, and donate to rescuing cats.

Watch this song being made (when the camera wasn’t overheating)

A Tale for the Journey…

Posted by sara-garrard
Tracks 1-5
Tracks 6-10

It was my birthday at the end of June!

To celebrate that week, I worked on or finished up a little set of RPG tracks in my most favourite, most relaxed style. I mean I worked on all but 3-4 of them in a very relaxed, indulgent way, just playing back and back via Logic and adding things where I thought they should go. Honestly that’s something I do fairly often, but in usual circumstances I’d likely also start with a sketch or something a bit more intentional — often more efficient, but I definitely still ended up with some fun stuff!

Also I’ve been using and enjoying the Digital Sound Factory sounds — I got an upgrade to the Kontakt version of their Proteus 1-2-3/Orbit/Planet Phatt set and it really was worth it! …though I was happily loading up enough instruments that I did realise that also each of them is incredibly lightweight (kilobytes), multiple instances of Komplete Kontrol are not.

Anyway.

Above is the set to listen to on YouTube.

And here it is to get on itch.io to add to your game!

And here’s some of the cover/concept art that I generated with craiyon by asking it to mimic Amano’s style!

Continue reading →

Sephiroth x 2 (Crisis Core and Advent Children demakes)

Posted by sara-garrard

In my continuing FFVII demake project, two more — one of them one of the more complicated ones I’ve attempted! Someone suggested “The World’s Enemy”, Crisis Core’s arrangement of One-Winged Angel. Y’know, as you do. But, like happens so much with this, the more I thought about it, the more I…. yeah, why not.

The orchestral arrangements from Crisis Core are top-notch! (And I absolutely love the guitar sound and the string-quartet based ones too – it’s all good.)

And this is Black Water, from Advent Children. The fun part here was translating the band sound – all heavy guitars – into something more workable for FFVII instruments.

Shiba drinking bubble tea in Vienna

Posted by sara-garrard
Shiba drinking bubble tea in Vienna

Somewhat inspired by Parry Gripp songs with the formulation [cute animal] [consuming food or drink] [in location]~

Shiba drinking bubble tea in Vienna! (he’s drinking bubble tea)
Shiba drinking bubble tea in Vienna! (he’s drinking bubble tea)

Shiba inu, shiba in Vienna, shiba inu, are you friends with all the tiny dogs?
Shiba inu, shiba in Vienna
Shiba inu
Shiba inu

Before parting (Robert Burns)

Posted by sara-garrard

And some actual music:) I think it’s been a clear month since I made any song settings. This is a quick recording of a Robert Burns lyric that might be called “The Silver Tassie”, with a new tune by me. My pronunciation is not… stable… I’m afraid, but shh.

Go fetch to me a pint o’ wine,
An’ fill it in a silver tassie;
That I may drink, before I go,
A service to my bonnie lassie.
The boat rocks at the pier o’ Leith,
Fu’ loud the wind blaws frae the ferry,
The ship rides by the Berwick-law,
And I maun leave my bonnie Mary.

The trumpets sound, the banners fly,
The glittering spears are rankèd ready;
The shouts o’ war are heard afar,
The battle closes thick and bloody;
But it’s no the roar o’ sea or shore
Wad mak me langer wish to tarry;
Nor shout o’ war that’s heard afar,
Its leaving thee, my bonnie Mary.

BEHOLD (some kind of crossover rpg fighting game… has a name now?)

Posted by sara-garrard

I mean, the name is ridiculous and I dunno if I’ll stick with it – but I probably should. Ridiculous is absolutely fine for this. My some kind of crossover rpg fighting game soundtrack is nearly ready. And we’re going with Shadows/Infinity: Battle Zone, I guess. (Capitalistion is not confirmed, but high level of specific punctuation seems quite in-genre. And it comes from Shadows of Fortune, my first imaginary game series from my teenage years, x Infinity Crystal and Infinity Crisis. Plus “battle” because it’s a fighting game.)

And now… a listening page!

Go here to hear previews of the 29 tracks!

— and let me know any issues with playing these on various devices as well as whatever general feedback 🙂 Getting back into my webpage making and figuring out audio (…did you know the silent mode/physical mute button on the iPhone works in a REALLY INCONSISTENT WAY? Yeah.)

These are pre any final mixing and mastering (and only excerpts anyway), but here’s the general idea! Do you like the track art? 😀 it’s mostly from artbreeder.