Darren Curtis Music | December 2020 Patreon Free Music Poll @DarrenCurtisMusic | Uploaded December 2020 | Updated October 2024, 27 minutes ago.
0:00 "The Brave Prevail"
1:24 "Hunting a Monster"
2:37 "Rip it Up"
3:41 "Sanctuary"
4:46 "The Secret Within"
6:19 "Dance of the Dead"

I'm finally back! The move is over and I'm setting up in my new studio space. I'll be working out of boxes for a little while, I'm sure. But the main thing is I'm set up to work on music, the internet is connected so I can finally keep in touch with all you wonderful people, and a lot of stress has been eliminated! I'm super excited to move forward here.

On to the tracks! We have 6 this month. They were all written before I moved, I just couldn't get them together in time.

The first is kind a sort of Irish, pirate, epic orchestral hybrid called "The Brave Prevail." We start with an Irish flute playing our lead melody and soft backing strings. After the intro, we enter a softer section of quick strings and booming percussion that keeps rising until we burst back into our melody. At the end of the sample, the flute and Uilleann Pipes are joined by a horn section playing a powerful counter melody and we're fully immersed in the dangers of the open seas and the promise of glory and gold!

The second track is "Hunting a Monster." I imagined this as a sort of dark, noir crime scene track where the detective is rummaging for clues and finds something very disturbing. We start very simply with a synthy little pluck that I thought set the mood immediately. The horns carry a lot of weight as they fade in and out with their gloomy crescendos. The piano provides a hanging air of mystery and uncertainty. Once the short string notes and percussion kick in, we're thrust into the looming tension and realize just how impactful this is.

Next is the action packed "Rip it Up." It started as a chase theme, but the way it turned out I think it could probably be used for a lot of different action montague things. People weaving in and out of traffic on motorcycles, popping needless tricks in slow-motion as they dodge bullets and conveniently never lose their shades. The main guitar riff carries most of the weight in this one. The horns, strings and drums just add a little underlying layer of boldness to make everything pop. Toward the end, the guitar really starts ripping and the trumpet jumps to the fore with what serves as this track's short melody.

The fourth track is the serene and calming "Sanctuary." We start with angelic voices and soft strings. It was my intention to make an RPG type church theme. I was going for a sense of purity and piety, but I also feel like a tinge of bittersweet sadness may have crept in here unwittingly. After the vocal intro, the harp and tubular bells take over until our choirs return. This time I have some Gregorian monks singing a lower, counter melody to the women and children.

Fifth on the docket is a deeply disturbing, atmospheric horror track called "The Secret Within." We start with spooky soundscapes, effects and the piano. The piano's hard-hitting bass notes add a sense of inescapable doom. Just after the minute mark, we have a rising strings effect that signals the appearance of our cello and violin sections playing a descending rhythm down the scale. I think the picture really worked well with the music for this one in particular. That little house in the middle of nowhere just looks like it's harboring something I don't want to know.

This last track, "Dance of the Dead," is probably the weirdest of the bunch. I started with the idea of doing an off-kilter Tim Burton/Elfman piece that would serve as a demented dance track for a bunch of killer clowns. Instead, it turned a little Victorian-ish, I guess? We've got an organ, piano, a funky sounding drum kit and the Virginal (keyboard/harpsichord family) taking the lead. They all come together to make this, whatever it actually is!

I'll start a private poll for the second tier and higher to cast your vote for the piece you want finished. Voting will end January 3rd, so there's plenty of time to decide!

Thanks so much for your continued support and patience! I hope you've all been well and I hope you enjoy the music! Best wishes, everyone!

Images used under license from Shutterstock
muratart: shutterstock.com/image-photo/sailing-old-ship-storm-sea-background-1686249253

alexkoral: shutterstock.com/image-photo/dark-silhouette-man-hat-rain-on-1838109085

Michal Vitek: shutterstock.com/image-photo/picture-biker-making-stunt-jumps-air-200877314

Sergey Nivens: shutterstock.com/image-photo/woman-night-sky-431669887

Matt Anderson Photography: shutterstock.com/image-photo/hidden-cabin-central-oregon-1198172824

Kiselev Andrey Valerevich: shutterstock.com/image-photo/close-portrait-man-skull-makeup-dressed-717608167

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