Here's an easy reference for all the Art Jam posts and music I wrote this year.
You can download DJ Tent Mode's 2022 EP, "It Seems Familiar" at this link.
DJ Tent Mode's hot new track drops now!
Download "Liminal Spring" here.
This track is so named because I started it in April, and the season had evaporated away into summer by the time I was done.
There wasn't a specific prompt that I was aligning to, but I was envisioning a late-game Dr. Wily Castle stage from the NES Mega Man games. Mood wise, I think this is established with the high-register lead 50% duty cycle square (channel 1) contrasted by the the sub-division that the (triangle channel) bass provides. The 1/8th notes in square channel 2 provide substantial harmony and texture too. Overall I think this is the best executed in the piece's intro which ironically only plays once and doesn't loop. But I like the callback to the intro right before the loop quite a bit!
I'm the most proud of the cool timbre in the channel 2 square. It's got a reasonably steep volume decay, but the distinct sound is achieved by alternating the duty cycle of the square wave every CPU tick. It's a neat effect and I like how it sounds in the context of the piece.
Process wise, I think I ended up feeling a bit "stuck" this time partially because I had such a simple noise channel drum line for so long. Because it was there for so long, I ended up feeling that the music was also quite simple. Incorporating additional snare hits and cymbal splashes fixed that feeling, but came into being quite late.
Overall, I struggle with how short the piece is. I think it could use a few more melodic ideas to extend the main chorus or bridge. So something for next time!
This Genesis action game has a pretty amazing soundtrack! As the explosions surround your character, the music makes you want to either plug in some nice headphones and adjust that slider up to the top or possibly turn down the volume so you can barely hear the audio at all.
DJ Tent Mode’s Mega(drive) Mechanical new track drops now!
You can download an mp3 of “GEMS (Generic Electronic Machine Sounds)” here.
Cross posting the Insert Credit Art Jam thread.
Insert Credit January 2023 Art Jam Artist Statement
Your party is half dead. Some of them are fully dead, but you did make it back to town. You walk into the darkened shop and it's time to refill your Magic Points.
DJ Tent Mode’s Magical new track drops now!