Craze Music Productions - Christian Andersson: Music 2009

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© 2010 Christian Andersson - Craze Music Productions. Copyright and All Rights Reserved.
My work is registered at Swedish Musicians' Union and STIM - the Swedish Performing Rights Society.

About 2009

This was the first year where I started to write commercial music while looking for ways into the music market.
It all started with a site where I uploaded my tracks for music enthusiasts, a C64 remix site called remix.kwed.org.
By chance, a game company found my music there and decided to hire me to write the sound track for their online casino game.
While doing this contracted work, I started my own company, Craze Productions, to produce and license music for games.
I decided to investigate the music market in more detail to see if there was a potential to sell more music.
I came up with some interesting ideas, and decided to write new songs, focusing on commercial quality.
While doing this, I tried to learn which genre that would be MY genre - the one I could handle best.
After a while, and after many failed attempts, my conclusion was that classical/fantasy was my thing!

The Ghastly Crypt (Style: Classical / Horror) 2009-12-30

"Sir, do not enter the crypt... Sir, hear me - DO NOT ENTER THE CRYPT."

The peasant shuddered, as if a cold wind suddenly comsumed his thin and pale body.
"... yes... the Dead are better left undisturbed, Stranger...", he murmured, once again, as he hurried back to his hut.

The gloomy autumn evening made this cemetery look even more threatening.
I lit the torch as I approached the door.
An unfathomable stench seeped out from within the dark old crypt.
As the creaking door opened, I was starting to wonder if I shouldn't have listened to the peasant after all...

Curse of the Djinn (Style: Oriental) 2009-12-27

I started out this tune by doing a short 8-bar loop with 1 nylon and 1 steel guitar, and I accidentally stumbled into
some kind of arabic feeling when I added a flute. I got some ideas, and I added a little of this and a little of that,
and 10 hours later, I had a complete little song.
Since I got some really nice feedback from my brother in law on the percussion sound in my previous oriental tune "At the Ganges Temple",
I decided to put down a great deal of effort on percussions in this one too. After all, oriental music often have some really interesting percussion beats.
There's also some lovely song in this tune to enjoy, setting some nice arabic feeling to the whole arrangement.
So, now, relax and enjoy this tune. And... beware the Djinn, for he is Cursed. Yes, mortal. Listen to the Qur'an.

Quran: "… from the evil of the insidious whisperer who whispers in people's breasts and comes from the jinn and from mankind."
(Surat an-Nas, 4-6).

Reaching the Enemy Lines (Style: Classical/Fantasy) 2009-11-06

The dark fantasy genre strikes back with heavy march drums, distant sounds of imminent war and magical spells of thunder.
It seems impossible for me to leave the darkness for a longer time. I often end up in these cruel gothic atmospheres
that I have picked up from Knut Avenstroup Haugens soundtrack to "Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures".
His work to that game is a master piece that does not even need a game to co-exist with. His music alone is true art.

I have worked with this piece during almost 2 months, and finally I was able to finish it off in a manner that it deserves.
Still, I have not learnt how to use the Voices of Passion and Symphonic Choirs to the max.
Hopefully there will be much more of those powerful voice libraries in my future compositions.

Listen, warrior! The war is near! Listen and wish for a merciful death, for the enemy is far outnumbering us.
Yet, there is no choice but to fight...
Wait... What is that sad and seducing song?
Is it a woman crying out for help? Or is it only a Siren, trying to lure the weary warrior into the icy cold waters of the North?

Marvin Funk (Style: Marvin Funk) / 2009-10-24

It's about time to take a break from this friggin' gnomish fantasy crap and introduce you to some real music.

'scuze me, White Boy... can you dig this?
Otherwise, you better get your white a** outta my way, and give place for some serious funkin' stuff!

Winterfall (Style: Classical) / 2009-09-26

Welcome to the land of Winterfall!

This tune starts out a bit slow and sad, but develops into a very wide and pompous
arrangement, much similar to Victory and Peace. So bear with it, the first 40 seconds,
and the reward will come. :-)

I have worked harder with this one than previous 2 compositions (20+ working hours) as I had a nice and promising start
which made me believe that this tune could become something better-than-average.
18 virtual instruments were used, which is actually a personal record regarding the instrumental width of an arrangement.
Each composition is a new challange, and this time, I tried to find a way to a deep and wide sound picture
that was suppossed to give the feeling of an epic movie or some huge fantasy computer game.
It's a long way there, but I keep struggling to get closer to this goal, and I try to have fun all the way. :)

Art by Andy Simmons

Bard in the Castle (Style: Classical) / 2009-09-19

This song was accidentally sprung out of a completely different tune.
I was going to continue on another song (with working name Winterfall) and when I
was trying to come up with something to continue with, this one came up instead.
While Winterfall is 4/4 beat, this one is 3/4 beat, so of course it didn't fit.

Well... since it only took me 4 hours to create the full basis of this new song,
and there was actually something to work with, I decided to finish it.
I spent the next evening to split up the complex initial composition,
adding some nice guitars and a little pizzicato to make it more interesting.
Voilá - the result is here!

Art by Bettina Wahle

Bard in the Valley (Style: Classical) / 2009-09-01

One day, he came dancing through our Valley, singing and playing his flute.
The flute spread a joyful and bright sound through the blooming forest,
and the children of many farmers followed him, jumping, laughing and clapping their hands.

His hands moved over the flute, as if enchanted by magic,
and it was indeed some strange and hypnotizing tunes coming from it...

Little did we know, by then, that a few hours later, he would be gone
and the farmers' homes would be empty of gold, money and treasures.
And all we could remember from those hours was that wonderful hypnotizing music.

Art by Michael Fishel

Day of the Great Battle (Style: Classical) / 2009-08-27

As our army crossed the small brook close to the forest edge, the Haunted Fields opened up in front of us.
It was a sickening sight, indeed, threatening to drive us all to insanity.
Right across these terrible fields, the vile enemy forces could be seen, stretching all along the horizon.
It has become time for the Great Day of Battle.

Soon the fields in front of us will be soaked in red rivers of blood.
On the Haunted Fields, battle will thrive and blood will be spilled.
It it said that the Haunted Fields spares no one - its hunger is... insatiable.
With the Swords of Glory - Gladius Glorificus - we are prepared to meet our fate.
Death? So be it. Tui Fatum Mortis!
Art by Steve Argyle

Victory and Peace (Style: Classical) / 2009-08-22

While I was working on another tune, this song suddenly popped up in my mind from nowwhere.
I just said "Thanks" and finished it.

This is, by the way, something that happens to me quite often:
I am working on a piece, trying to continue or finish it. Then, I discover that the added part is completely
out of place, but sometimes it's good enough to break out into a completely new song.
This was exactly the case here.

This tune is quite short, but it has a really positive and light:ish touch to it, which is nice.
I believe it would suit rather well for a "Quest Complete/Scenario Won" theme in a fantasy computer game.

Enjoy!

Art by Andy Simmons

Lonely Halls (Style: Classical) / 2009-08-21

In the Lonely Halls, the Spirits rest.
Disturb them not - or unspeakable horrors will happen.

It is rumoured that dark rituals were held in those Halls centuries ago,
although no one ever returned alive from this godforsaken place to tell what ever happened there.
The locals complain about murmuring and whispering in the middle of the night
and strange lights can be seen through the darkness from the old keep's windows.

Will you go there? Will you disturb the Spirits?
Then, cursed be thy Name, pagan! For Your soul is already amongst the Doomed!

At The Ganges Temple (Style: Oriental) / 2009-08-11

I've had this little indian/oriental style tune cooking for a while.
From the beginning it was just an "oriental template" project that was supposed to be
a flying start for future oriental song projects. But I got some ideas while setting up this "template"
and I did a fast sketch on something that could become a future song.
When I got the sound libraries Voices of Passion and Symphonic Choirs,
the indian folk singer from the Voices of Passion library sounded just perfect for this little song!
So this is my first tune with song with (supposedly) good quality on the song. :-)
I wanted to do something special with the drums in this tune, so I spent some time on programming the drums.
I used a technique to double up the timpani beats, putting one beat slightly (10th of a second) before the other,
giving more volume to the drum sound. At one point in this tune, there are actually 3 separate drum tracks playing at the same time:
- bongos (Nexus)
- manually programmed timpani (Nexus)
- manually programmed percussion (Halion)
giving a complex and interesting rythm.

I welcome You, oh weary wanderer- step inside the Ganges Temple and relax in a true Indian atmosphere!

An Audience with the King (Style: Orcestral / Classical) / 2009-08-05

I tried out a little brass chord sequence that I hadn't used before.
It gave me a powerful and mighty mood! Then I added a little flute,
that I separated from the brass sequence to keep the mighy power of the brass.
After that, I just continued to add a little trumpet to give some "royal aura" to the whole arrangement.
The trumpet voice actually consists of 3 instruments: 1 trumpet, 1 french horn and 1 extra overlay trumpet.
The combined trumpet voice is from Garritan Personal Orchestra, the very light violin is also from GPO along with the cello.
The rest of the instruments are from Nexus.
I spent around 15 hours on this little tune and the result is pretty OK, I think.

As you step into the castle, the Royal Life Guard removes your armor and weapons.
The inner castle door opens to a long hallway, and the trumpets start playing, giving honor to the King.
After moving through the hall, you see the King, sitting in his throne, greeting you with a warm smile.

Art by Andy Simmons

Knight Roland rides at Dawn (Style: Orcestral / Classical) / 2009-07-29

The harp-and-strings combo gives a wonderful sound.
I wanted to see if I could develop a little improvised start with the harp-strings sound.
I got a start that sounded quite promising, and it took a while to gather the courage to try to finish it.
The brass is from Garritan Personal Orchestra, and the harp and strings and the support brass is from Nexus.
All in all, I spent around 20 hours on this one.
The result was nothing really great, but anyway, it's a nice little tune that can bear a few listenings.

The town gate opens, and knight Roland rides out in the morning on his daily patrol route.
Thiefes and rogues, beware!

Art from Oblivion (Bethesda Softworks)

In the Halls of the Dead (Style: Orcestral / Classical) / 2009-07-27

The torches in the old crypt light up the walls.
Yes... 'tis strange..the torches are lit, although no one has set foot here in centuries...

You follow the hallway and as you enter a small room, your eyes catch a shadow in a corner.
Did something move?

Your lonely footsteps echoe in the halls... Or... was there some other sound?
You stop for a while - listening intensively,
trying to catch even the faintest sound.
But you hear nothing...

Yet, there seem to be something else in here. A presence.

At the end of the hallway there is a door.
From inside the door seeps a blueish light.
This light is not from a torch...
With trembling hands, you open the door...

The War March (Style: Orcestral / Classical) / 2009-07-24

I stumbled upon a good start, and I just had to continue and finish it. The different parts and musical figures kept appearing in my head, and I had to scratch down some notes on a piece of paper. I think I got the most of it into the song. My aim, while doing this one, was to create a heavy and bombastic mood that should be able to keep the listener's interest.

When I listen to it, I see hordes of warriors, marching for war, and they drag along heavy war machines while their chains, tied to the machines, fall to the ground to the rythm of the warriors' footsteps.
Now hurry - quickly! Hide in the bushes, near the road, so they will not notice you... or you might end up in those chains!

Art by John Howe

King's Market at Noon (Style: Orchestral / Classical) / 2009-07-18

One day I was foolin' around with a pizzicato string, and I found a nice little pattern.
It sounded a bit like a horse on it's way to the market. So, I decided to continue on that theme and added a little of this and a little of that, and in the end, this became maybe the best orchestral/classical tune that I have made to this date, in my own humble opinion.

It's a short little tune, but I tried to use some variety all the way, and there's a real bunch of energy near the end of the tune. This is the first composition where I have used tempo variations to make the music more lively and dynamic, and I feel it's a great difference from many of my old "tempo static" compositions.

So, please, I bid you welcome to the King's Market!
The town crier yells: "Hear ye, hear ye! Ecological Swedish Tomatoes - only 10 copper coins each!"

Tony Mafia (Style: Big band / Jazz) / 2009-07-20

My 3rd commercial tune, made for a computer game with mafia theme. I started to google on mafia music, and I found references to Artie Shaw, so I decided to try out a big band instrument setup and make something Artie-Shaw-like. It was really tough and, realizing that the time was ticking, and the target was to spend roughly 10 hours on the song, I didn't have time go all the way to use all the instruments from Artie Shaw's big band.

All in all, I spent 11 hours on this arrangement, and knowing that, I believe the result is OK, although it would be interesting to spend another 10 hours to enrich it with a cool drum solo and to thrown in some other chord sequences. However, time is scarce, and I am currently working on 4 other songs in parallell. But, maybe in the future... :-)

Mad Professor (Style: Experimental/Computer Game) / 2009-06-15

This is one of my first commercial compositions for the gaming industry.
The tune is intended to give the feeling of being in a mad professor lab! The crazy professor mixes his deadly poison drinks while the ill boding pipe organ plays in the background. I had a vision about this song that it would change characteristics. The tempo should suddenly go up when the Mad Professor has completed his terrible experiment, and all the ackumulated craziness in the laboratory is set free in an insane rythm while the violin accelerates the pace and starts playing viciously!

So... as you enter the laboratory and the doors slams shut behind you, you realize there is no way out of The Room of Madness! BWAHAHA!!

Nemesis The Warlock (Style: Orchestral / Computer Game) / 2009-06-11

What can I say? This quote from YouTube says it all:
"One of the best tunes? from a computer game ever " (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdzfOXkZrY0)
I used to load the game Nemesis The Warlock on C64 just to listen to the title tune. (This happens to be a quote from YouTube as well, but this is actually what I did myself.) Maybe you have to be a nerd to appreciate this tune, I don't know, but it is widely recognized that one of the biggest geniuses amongst the 1980s computer composers is Rob Hubbard. He made LOTS of great tunes. In my opinion, this is the most advanced and inspirational atmospheric tune for a C64 game ever (and there's a great deal of competition for holding that title!).
The game was cruel and very violent. The heroe's life force was represented by a hand squeezing a heart, and when the hero died, the hand squeezed the heart into a big and messy explosion of blood. It was debated in Swedish gaming magazines at the time how ethic it was to release a game as violent as this. Ethic or not - the title song captures the whole game atmosphere. It's eerie, cruel, heavy and shows no mercy.
So why did I do this song? Doing a remake is always a challenge. I've seen a very good internet site where they do great remixes of old C64 tunes. But I couldn't find any really great remake of this tune that captures the original atmosphere good enough (in my opinion) - which is a shame since this the original is such a master piece. So I thought it's about time for the best remake ever. ;-)

Finally, after getting most of the tools I needed to create something worthy of the original master piece I started with this in November 2008. It took me around 6 months, calendar time, to finish it, and around 80 hours effective time.
My personal goals with this tune:
- To capture the atmosphere of Rob Hubbard's original tune.
- To do my most advanced piece so far where I wouldn't cheat with the details and that I would be satisfied with the final result.
- To do something different and interesting. Something great... where I mix genres, which is really hard... but.. really interesting. Could I make the tune both sad, aggressive, cruel, dark and mercyless by mixing genres?
- To make Rob Hubbard happy in case he would listen to it.

Go to Music 2008>>>

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