Uploaded December 2021 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
This is an annotated performance of a film score for a horror thriller film I will be working on. I wanted to emphasize the main villain's unpredictability and chaotic behavior by making the music reflect sudden twists and turns. In my normal work, I'm always looking to find a marriage between acoustic and electronic instruments. This cue uses the Soma Enner, the Moog Grandmother, ticking clocks, piano, violin, a small hand drum, a darbouka overdubbed and pitch shifted many times to create the big sound, and shakers.
The Grandmother is receiving an arpeggio from the DAW, but since sample and hold is synced, attenuated, and assigned to pitch, we get this atonal randomness.
Similarly the piano is built around atonal quartal chords, with added aleatoric notes from the violin (not specific pitches). I'm also using a small wooden xylophone that is tuned to the pentatonic scale, but a whole step away from the sort of key center that is happening.
I'm using the piezo pickup on the Soma Enner to create effect sounds, scratches, pings, and percussive slaps.
You can make a lot of sound and chaos with just a few instruments, and I hope that the annotations and camera angles help you learn something!
If you enjoyed this, please consider supporting my Patreon: patreon.com/ethanjamesmusic
My shorts channel: youtube.com/channel/UC_BcJob-VaouHlwAKm7mxkA
My long form channel: youtube.com/channel/UCggb6vbFk8aWDY8zqlgK47Q
This is an annotated performance of a film score for a horror thriller film I will be working on. I wanted to emphasize the main villain's unpredictability and chaotic behavior by making the music reflect sudden twists and turns. In my normal work, I'm always looking to find a marriage between acoustic and electronic instruments. This cue uses the Soma Enner, the Moog Grandmother, ticking clocks, piano, violin, a small hand drum, a darbouka overdubbed and pitch shifted many times to create the big sound, and shakers.
The Grandmother is receiving an arpeggio from the DAW, but since sample and hold is synced, attenuated, and assigned to pitch, we get this atonal randomness.
Similarly the piano is built around atonal quartal chords, with added aleatoric notes from the violin (not specific pitches). I'm also using a small wooden xylophone that is tuned to the pentatonic scale, but a whole step away from the sort of key center that is happening.
I'm using the piezo pickup on the Soma Enner to create effect sounds, scratches, pings, and percussive slaps.
You can make a lot of sound and chaos with just a few instruments, and I hope that the annotations and camera angles help you learn something!
If you enjoyed this, please consider supporting my Patreon: patreon.com/ethanjamesmusic
My shorts channel: youtube.com/channel/UC_BcJob-VaouHlwAKm7mxkA
My long form channel: youtube.com/channel/UCggb6vbFk8aWDY8zqlgK47Q
