barryvan

Tag: Music

  • Quiet Rituals

    Completed: Thursday, April 16, 2009 (Download)

    Finally, after quite a while, I’ve got a new track out. 🙂 It’s been sitting on my computer for a couple of weeks now, and there are still a few things in it that I would like to iron out, but my inability to get the time to do so means that it’s just been bugging me. So now I’ve decided to just put it up as is.

    Anyway, the track itself is quite a simple piece: I did, in fact, try to make it simple. It’s somewhat influenced by Ravel’s Bolero and the Newsboys’ The Orphan, in that it is constantly building by both adding and removing layers. It’s also, perhaps, influenced a bit by some of Coldplay’s stuff: I was listening to Viva La Vida and Prospekt’s March recently, and I was interested to note that in lots of those tracks there’s the same ‘kick on every beat’-type thing going on.

    Let me know what you think.

    [audio:http://www.barryvan.com.au/music/Quiet%20Rituals.mp3]

  • Relay for Life Cancer Drive 2009

    Josh Whelchel, a very talented composer over in the USA, has organised a great big collaborative musical fundraiser for Relay for Life. The idea is that in return for their donations, people get to hear some great music: digital tracks for donations of $10 or more, and digital+CD for donations of $25 or more. There are really talented artists contributing to this project, and I am too. Contributing, I mean. 🙂

    Head over to the official website for more information.

    Contributing artists

    (This list was lifted directly from Josh’s website)

    • Mustin of OCRemix.org fame and head of Mustin Productions,
    • Jimmy Hinson, talented composer and arranger for OCRemix.org (big giant circles),
    • Kyle Gabler, fantastic composer from 2D-Boy and for World of Goo,
    • Alec Holowka, composer for the successful independent game Aquaria,
    • David Saulesco, super talented Swedish composer known for the Eternal Daughter soundtrack,
    • Inez S. deDeugd-McComas, ultra-gifted composer from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music,
    • Vincent Parrish, composer featured on thesixtyone.com,
    • Jay Tholen, talented and multi-faceted musician leading a successful solo career,
    • Barry van Oudtshoorn, Australian Composer Extraordinaire!
    • Josh Whelchel from The Spirit Engine 2 and Bonesaw: The Game,
    • Jussi Nieminen, a progressive-rock genius,
    • David Thatcher, composer for indie-games,
    • James Starkey, collaborating with David,
    • Shane Lu, virtuoso pianist, and
    • David “Warrior Bob” H. from Trax in Space!

  • Spheres

    Completed: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 (Download)

    Composing an ambient track is a very soothing experience for me. There’s complexity, experimentation, and simplicity, and I find that my mood is sharpened, made clearer, in the writing.

    This is how I’m feeling.

    [audio:http://www.barryvan.com.au/music/Spheres.mp3]

  • Evening with you

    Completed: Friday, January 23, 2009 (Download)

    I admit, I didn’t envisage this track going quite the way it did. 🙂 Comments and criticisms are, as always, more than welcome.

    [audio:http://www.barryvan.com.au/music/Evening%20with%20you.mp3]

  • Music for film and games

    Music is one of the most powerful ways to move people’s emotions. Whilst characters and action tell the story, it’s music that largely determines how people should react to the story. Action scenes accompanied by sharp, aggressive music seem faster; moments of tension are heightened by ominous and foreboding music; and happy reunions bring a tear to the eye when accompanied by majestic, sweeping tunes.

    It’s important to make sure that your movie or game has the music that you want it to have, to convey the meaning that you want to. That’s why at Barryvan, writing music is more than just putting together notes. It’s about detailed analysis of your needs and desires for the music; it’s about constant feedback; ultimately, it’s about getting it right.

    We offer music in a variety of styles, to suit all genres of movie and game. Traditional orchestral pieces, floor-thumping dance anthems, catchy rock tunes: we offer them all.

    Licensing & Pricing

    We offer a number of different licenses for our music. Music may be licensed exclusively to you, in which case it won’t be released elsewhere, won’t be used anywhere else, and is guaranteed unique to your project. Alternatively, for a lower price, you may choose to use music which is already, or will become, available to others for use. For non-profit ventures, we can offer music for free on a non-exclusive, all rights reserved basis. In other words, you can use the music, but we retain the copyright. To find out what license is best for you, simply contact us, and we’ll work it out. Our prices are very competitive, and you can arrange to buy tracks on a track-per-track basis, on a time basis, or on a project basis.

  • Rebellion

    Composed: Monday, October 27, 2008 (Download)

    A glitchier, more off-the-beat track based around a C# pedal point. This one was fun to write, because I got to play with the various sound effect and drum kit libraries I have, and slice up some effect loops from my libraries, too.

    [audio:http://www.barryvan.com.au/music/Rebellion.mp3]

  • The call

    Composed: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 (Download)

    This track tells the story of a conversation between two people, with very different characters.

    It also tells the story of how my musical output soars when I have lots of other work to do for university. :/

    [audio:http://test.pbc.wa.edu.au/music/The%20call.mp3]

  • It’s quiet at home

    Composed: Friday, April 18, 2008 (Download)

    I came home one afternoon really stressed out: it hadn’t been the best day, let alone the best week. The house was empty; I dumped my things and sprawled on the couch. As I sat, I realised just how soothing a few moments of quiet can be. With the opportunity to simply relax, I felt all the stress begin to fall away. This song is how I felt when it was quiet at home.

    [audio:http://test.pbc.wa.edu.au/music/It%27s%20quiet%20at%20home.mp3]

  • Ink and parchment

    Composed: Tuesday, November 25, 2008 (Download)

    I have wrapped my heart in ink and parchment,
    and cast it into your sea.

    [audio:Ink%20and%20parchment.mp3]

  • Nightfall

    Composed: Monday, August 18, 2008 (Download)

    A companion piece to “Drifting”. Also in 7/8, with many of the same stylistic elements. It’s much more brooding, however, and simpler in its execution.

    [audio:http://test.pbc.wa.edu.au/music/Nightfall.mp3]

  • Perdition

    Composed: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 (Download)

    Him the Almighty Power/Hurl’d headlong . . . /To bottomless perdition, there to dwell — John Milton

    (Although it wasn’t inspired by that quotation, it fits well with the track, in my opinion.)

    This is an orchestral piece in loose ternary form (you could argue for a loose rondo form, too). There are lots of time signatures all mixed together, and often layered on top of each other. It’s scored for a Romantic-sized string section, flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, french horn, trumpet, timpani, tam tam, cymbals, snare, bass drum, and harp.

    [audio:http://test.pbc.wa.edu.au/music/Perdition.mp3]

  • Hold me close

    Composed: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 (Download)

    A very simple waltz which crescendoes throughout.

    [audio:http://test.pbc.wa.edu.au/music/Hold%20me%20close.mp3]