Music and EPQ

8PM is created from scratch. Its bpm is 180. It is a serene and dreamy piece of music, designed to put the listener at ease and at rest.
Throughout the song there is a gentle, silky-like piano being played. With it plays a harmonious guitar and soothing electric piano.
To begin, the piano starts and most of the other instruments join shortly after. This introduction is then repeated again with additional instruments being introduced, such as the steel drums and the accordion.
It then suddenly progresses into a different, deeper key of guitar notes, and consistent maracas, to introduce a mystified feel.
After this strange, mystifying section, the key then changes again and the song is closed off with a soft and tranquil piano, vibraphone and accordion progression, much like the one in 7PM.

Overview

The piano. It is soft throughout the song and all of the notes are of a high tone.

The vibraphone that accompanies the piano at the end.

The glockenspiel that occasionally plays with the piano to give the song a 'glistening' feel.

The steel drums.

The accordion.

The Wurlitzer Classic (electric piano).

The Wurlitzer Classic key change.

The dreamy Steel String Acoustic.

The deep key change of the Steel String Acoustic. I feel as though this section, while sudden, is very significant to the song, as it feels like the 'bridge' to the ending (of the song).

The 2nd key change of the guitar, where the song ends.

(Please note: the screenshots show a different instrument in the green box to what they actually are. This is an error caused when the instrument is changed after the green boxes are created and the name does not update)

Wednesday, 17 August 2016

Newest song: 6AM

17 August 2016

Song

Name: 6AM

Programme used: Logic Pro X

Instruments used:

Elevation Wurlie
Steinway Grand Piano
Polka Accordion
Marimba
Caribbean Steel Drums
Synth E-Bass
Neo Soul+ (Drum Kit)
Boutique 808 GB

The song is created from scratch. The song is very laid-back and slow. The bpm is 160.

The Elevation Wurlie, together with the piano creates a very sublime, angelic atmosphere, in an effort to produce an overall gentle and serene song. The tempo is slow, to signify peacefulness and tranquility, even tiredness.

The accordion accompanies the piano during the second bit of the song, allowing the music to continue fluidly.

The key then changes, introducing a sequence of broken marimba chords as the drums come to a halt, and a new set of piano notes are played, coupled with an accordion, finishing the song off.

Overview

Elevation Wurlie. The echoey effect creates a 'big' and 'lost' atmosphere.

The very simple piano octave chords. The ambience and reverb is turned all the way up to ensure the celestial atmosphere.

The bass notes, that plays consistently with the bass drum notes. They are amplified to give that uplifting feeling.

The steel drums that are introduced alongside the accordion.

The accordion. Very simple sustained notes to give a smooth finish. There are no chords here because I feel like that would make it too harsh.

The ending piano notes. The very last bit has piano notes 2 octaves up, creating low/high chords.

The ending accordion that accompanies the octave chords.

The marimba that replaces the drum kit near the end of the song.

(Please note: the screenshots show a different instrument in the green box to what they actually are. This is an error caused when the instrument is changed after the green boxes are created and the name does not update)

Saturday, 6 August 2016

Title change

6 August 2016

The title has changed from

Does relaxing instrumental music have a calming effect on people?

Does relaxing instrumental music have a concentrating effect on people?

This change is due to the EPQ write-up being focused on whether relaxing music causes people to concentrate. The word 'calming' is a bit vague so it has changed.

Thursday, 28 July 2016

Newest song: 10PM

28 Jul 2016

Song

Name: 10PM
Programme used: Logic Pro X

Instruments used

Steinway Grand Piano
Polka Accordion
Burning Pad
Dark Pad
Synth E-Bass
Crotales
Nylon Synth Piano
Caribbean Steel Drums
African Marimba
Celesta
Neo Soul (Drum Kit)
Boutique 808 GB (Drum Kit)

This song is created from scratch. The bpm is 230.

This song, like 9PM, is quite different to the other ones I have created. It has a bizarre, strange feeling to it.

The Burning Pad is the main background instrument. As well as the simple G chord notes, it creates an accompanying percussion sound with it.

The Nylon Synth Piano, Steel Drums, Marimba, Celesta and Crotales play simple, happy progressions.

A constant bassline and drum beat plays throughout most of the song, backing up the other instruments. There are occasional tambourine taps and clave hits (these come from the Neo Soul and Boutique 808 GB drum kits).

At the end of the song, when the Burning Pad notes turn into Piano notes, Dark Pad and Accordion chords simultaneously play to close off the song.

Overview

The Burning Pad notes. This instrument also creates a percussion-sound along with it.

The bass notes.

The Nylon Synth notes. Cheerful and simple.

The Steel Drums, which I feel are very ambient and atmospheric.

The Celesta. There are three deep notes playing alongside the high notes.

The Marimba notes.

The ending Crotale notes.

The ending Dark Pad and Accordion chords respectively, adding to the ambiance.

(Please note: the screenshots show a different instrument in the green box to what they actually are. This is an error caused when the instrument is changed after the green boxes are created and the name does not update)

Sunday, 24 July 2016

Newest song: 9PM

24 Jul 2016

Song

Name: 9PM
Programme used: Logic Pro X

Instruments used

Steinway Grand Piano
Wurlitzer Classic
Pulse Legato Bass
Neo Soul (Drum Kit, Maracas)
Wurlitzer Modern
Marimba
Glockenspiel
Polka Accordion
Steel String Acoustic
Bright Mk II Blackface (ambient electric piano)

This song is created from scratch. The bpm is 205.

The feel of this song is different to the others. This one, while relaxing, has a more foreboding and melancholy ambience, compared to the happy tone of the other songs.

The piano is dominant in this song. Its notes are fairly repetitive but have a different twist each time, pursuing that dark feel.

The Wurlitzer Classic chords are minor, which further adds to the grim feel. There is no drum kit in this song. The only percussion present is consistent maracas.

The song is structured in a particular way. It begins with a piano introduction, and then the maracas come in.
It then proceeds into broken chord notes played by the Wurlitzer Modern, before going back to the piano.

When the next Wurlitzer Modern section appears, it is accompanied by Marimbas, and then continues to play alongside the next piano section.

The Bright Mk II Blackface plays throughout the whole song apart from the end, and this gives the song a more celestial ambiance. It is, however, much quieter than the other instruments and may not be noticeable. There are also constant guitar chords playing throughout the song. The chords are similar to the Wurlitzer Classic chords, being minor and grim.

The song then ends with sustained Wurlitzer Classic notes, a completely different piano progression, and an accordion. The feel of the ending is a little less dark than the previous sections, which could be interpreted to give a feeling of optimism and hope in a pessimistic song.