barryvan

Category: Free music downloads

  • Dusk

    Dusk

    Another piece written while I was in WA’s Great Southern region! As I was writing this piece, the evening chorus of kookaburras started up, blending in with the music. And they fitted so well that I felt compelled to keep them in — after all, their staccato laughing fits in well with a rhythmical, glitchy drop.

    This song is intentionally harmonically simple — it really does just stick to the most basic primary chords. I wanted to write something which was optimistic, and joyful, and fun — so nice primary colours, and big open power chords and bouncy lines. And, of course, a whole lot of playing with that mod wheel for vibrato on the lead! I also had fun with the intro — applying a really tight EQ to the intro so that the whole thing sounds fuller and bigger when the song really kicks off.

    Listen wherever you get your stream on. 😉

    Oh, and this piece also introduces a new little “barryvan” logo which I think I like… It’s kinda like a backwards quaver (eighth note) and has some nice forward momentum. Plus it feels a little bit retro futuristic. At least in my opinion. 😝

  • Phlogiston

    Phlogiston

    Back in 2011, I wrote a track called “Conflagration” — a moody EDM track with lots of classical orchestration, built around an ascending baseline figure. Then in 2012, I reworked it into “Contraflagration”, which slowed things down a bit but cranked up the distortion — and, although built around the same basic baseline, reworked the harmony.

    Now in 2021, I’ve reworked it again into a funkier, semi-disco piece that increases the harmonic complexity whilst making the track a little bit more silly and fun.

    And now they’re here together for your listening pleasure wherever you get your stream on. 😉

  • Alone again

    Alone again

    My family and I have been heading down to the south-west of Western Australia for holidays quite frequently; we have a cabin out in the bush near Walpole. I’ve found that heading down there has really helped me to increase the amount of music that I’m writing — something about the place helps me to slow down enough.

    This is one of the first pieces that I wrote down there. I actively wanted to write a more video-game style electronic piece which incorporated a decent amount of swing. I also leaned a bit on my fondness for bitcrushing, which gives sounds a lovely crispy, crunchy texture.

    Find it wherever you get your stream on!

  • Waltz

    Waltz

    I wrote this piece in active contrast with a lot of the other pieces I’ve written over the past while. It’s a small chamber piece that meanders through what is effectively a theme and variations. The arpeggiated piano line is contrasted with the broader viola and cello lines, which weave in and out of each other.

    I wanted to try something a bit different (for me, at least!) by switching the melodic aspects of the piano from the right hand to the left; this results in a repeated ostinato phrase in the right hand while the left hand outlines the richer harmonic and melodic figures.

    In writing this piece, I really just wanted to write something which would give me a sense of space and openness.

    Find it wherever you get your stream on — here are all the streaming links.

  • Exhale

    Exhale

    Probably one of the most down-the-line dance tracks I’ve written in a while! There are still a few unusual elements in there, though. This is the first track that I’ve really used MassiveX on — and I like the results!

    Available now on SoundCloud, and arriving soon on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, and everywhere else.

  • Liminal: Four new tracks

    Liminal: Four new tracks

    I’ve just released four new tracks to tickle your earballs! They mix a lo-fi retro vibe with more modern instrumentation and sounds.

    Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Google Music, YouTube… wherever you like to listen. 😉

    …or just use the embedded YouTube player below!

  • Tears for you

    Tears for you

    The YouTube video includes a capture of my DAW (Reaper) for this track.

    Hopefully the mix is better on this one; I’m still struggling to get the whole thing to sound coherent across the board. Not sure what I’m missing — if you have any thoughts or suggestions, I’d love to hear them! 😉

    Creative Commons License
  • How many do you see?

    How many do you see?

    My style combines lo-fi video game sounds with dance, big sweeping orchestral lines, and piano performances.

    I first started writing music electronically using a tracker — originally ModEdit, but I found my way to ModPlug Tracker (now OpenMPT). I’ve since moved onto Reaper, but many of my pieces retain elements of the demoscene and video game music sound. Combined with my classical music and jazz piano background, many of my tracks don’t fit neatly into any one genre.

    I entered this track in a Native Instruments competition.

    Technical notes on this track:

    • Produced using Reaper DAW
    • Two instances of “The Maverick” NI piano
    • Session Strings Pro for basses, celli, violas, violins + stock Kontakt ‘bones and vowel-morphed choir
    • Bass is a custom Massive patch
    • Drums by Drum Lab
    • Arp courtesy of Oki Computer 2 in Reaktor
    • Bell lead via Rounds
    • Also includes sampled monkey balls and bowed saw, as well as Droopy the Dragon (from Kontakt 3)
    • Lots of Guitar Rig ensembles for Fx, as well as Replika and stock Reaper compressor
    • Performed on a first-generation S61
    Creative Commons License
  • Malcontent

    Malcontent

    This track really hearkens back to music I was writing a decade or so ago. In fact, some of the sounds are from that era, including the “boomwhackers” (which give the “tag” at the end). I’m really glad to have rediscovered these. They’re essentially lengths of PVC pipe which the sampler whacked against her/his head and recorded. I love how they can cut through the mix without being overbearing.

    It’s been a while since I managed to write some music, what with moving house and two small children and the allure of games, but hopefully this track is just the first of many this year. 😉

    Creative Commons License

  • Sky on fire

    Sky on fire

    Once again, it’s been a long interval between tracks. But here’s one at last! It’s quite fun to write in this style, with a half-time feel — the feel popularised by dubstep. I’m a particular fan when used in conjunction with rapid arps, as it bumps up the contrast. 🙂

    Production: It’s about 90% NI Massive, with a little bit of Polyplex, Battery, and Kontakt thrown in.

    Creative Commons License

  • All that I seek

    All that I seek

    After another nearly six-month hiatus, I’m back to writing music! I’ve tried out a few new techniques in timbre and mastering in this track; hopefully they’re successful! 🙂

    Creative Commons License

  • Fly away

    The first track of 2017! This one has a very simple premise, but I think that the treatment of that simple premise makes it into much more. It’s also just loud and fun!

    Creative Commons License