First demo is nearly ready Wednesday, 7 January 2009

So I’ve got a demo to email over to Adam, and here’s the great revelation: my instruments will be trumpet, viola and cello. I have chosen these for a variety of reasons – one is that I really like the trumpet and I don’t write for it enough. It can be cheeky and lyrical at the same time. Another reason for choosing this combination is that I am a string player, and this helps when you are writing for small groups because you know the characteristics of the instruments well enough for them to sound good.

I wanted to create a sense of mystery and a slight dark edge by mixing major and minor (which can sound like happy and sad feelings all mixed up). So if this music ends up in the final version maybe you can listen out for that. My demo is in 3/4 time, which is a bit like a waltz. I started using a 4/4 rhythm but it sounded like it was a bit stuck in the mud. The cello and viola are playing ‘pizzicato’, which means that they pluck the strings instead of bowing them.

For now, my music demo is made using my computer, which has all the sounds that I might need, although it’s not as good as real instruments. I get to use real instruments in my recording session in Edinburgh, and that’s when the music will really come alive.