Richard D James SoundCloud - A Gift To The Fans

  On 2/2/2016 at 10:00 AM, Skeletron said:

If anyone is interested, here is almost all of organ 28 in a single MIDI file:

 

https://mega.nz/#!31FEzI4b!JatD8jyFfqtphWJPHB2J3lXTKafb2qZ3rtMCCLxnfoU

 

I went back through the Ableton project for my organ 28 cover, took all the bits I had transcribed, and placed them in a MIDI clip as closely as I could to how they're arranged in the original track. So the entire track is there, but there are some empty spots that still need transcribing. Section D1 was transcribed by someone on Reddit, I forget who...was posted in earlier in this thread. There are a few large empty sections that I haven't had the time or willpower to learn and transcribe, but much of it is there. The whole thing is 256 measures long.

 

And then I went full OCD and gave it my best lazy-undergrad-musical-analysis. Harmonically, I think it's undoubtedly one of RDJ's most intricate tracks. Not even considering the free-jazz-robot-voice section, it goes through at least THREE major key changes (Bb, to Ab, to E major, to B minor)...and the Bb major sections are often on the verge of modulating to G minor.

 

Cheers!

 

Notes:

The red colored text are the sections I did NOT transcribe in the MIDI. I just left empty space.

Yellow text I are only partially transcribed (some major instruments left out).

Also I didn't bother transcribing the acid bass in Section A or percussion throughout.

Measure numbers refer to the MIDI while time stamps refer to that corresponding spot in the original track.

 

[sECTION A (Bb major)]

m. 01 - 66 ~0:00

 

[bREAKDOWN]

m. 67-74 ~1:53

 

[bRIDGE 1 (Bb major)]

m. 75-86 ~2:05 (no percussion)

 

[sECTION B1 (Bb major)]

m. 87-126 ~2:31 (percussion re-enters at m. 95)

[sECTION B2 (Ab major)]

m. 127-158 ~3:36 (direct modulation to Ab)

 

[bRIDGE 2]

m. 159-166 ~4:31

 

[sECTION C]

m. 167-171 ~4:45: (pre robot-voice progression)

m. 172-191 ~4:53: (Nobukazu Takemura-esque blubbering robot voice)

 

[sECTION D1 (E major)]

m. 191-223 ~5:29

[sECTION D2 (B minor)]

m. 224-255 ~6:23

 

 

I saw this interview before where Richard says he doesn't know how to read or write music. Though it could one of his infamous lies, I don't know how he could write something this complex without having a pretty good understanding of music theory. Unless he truly is from Mars, of course. Can he really make something this beautiful by smashing keys and twiddling knobs?

  On 2/6/2016 at 6:59 PM, DavieAddison said:

 

  On 2/2/2016 at 10:00 AM, Skeletron said:

If anyone is interested, here is almost all of organ 28 in a single MIDI file:

 

https://mega.nz/#!31FEzI4b!JatD8jyFfqtphWJPHB2J3lXTKafb2qZ3rtMCCLxnfoU

 

I went back through the Ableton project for my organ 28 cover, took all the bits I had transcribed, and placed them in a MIDI clip as closely as I could to how they're arranged in the original track. So the entire track is there, but there are some empty spots that still need transcribing. Section D1 was transcribed by someone on Reddit, I forget who...was posted in earlier in this thread. There are a few large empty sections that I haven't had the time or willpower to learn and transcribe, but much of it is there. The whole thing is 256 measures long.

 

And then I went full OCD and gave it my best lazy-undergrad-musical-analysis. Harmonically, I think it's undoubtedly one of RDJ's most intricate tracks. Not even considering the free-jazz-robot-voice section, it goes through at least THREE major key changes (Bb, to Ab, to E major, to B minor)...and the Bb major sections are often on the verge of modulating to G minor.

 

Cheers!

 

Notes:

The red colored text are the sections I did NOT transcribe in the MIDI. I just left empty space.

Yellow text I are only partially transcribed (some major instruments left out).

Also I didn't bother transcribing the acid bass in Section A or percussion throughout.

Measure numbers refer to the MIDI while time stamps refer to that corresponding spot in the original track.

 

[sECTION A (Bb major)]

m. 01 - 66 ~0:00

 

[bREAKDOWN]

m. 67-74 ~1:53

 

[bRIDGE 1 (Bb major)]

m. 75-86 ~2:05 (no percussion)

 

[sECTION B1 (Bb major)]

m. 87-126 ~2:31 (percussion re-enters at m. 95)

[sECTION B2 (Ab major)]

m. 127-158 ~3:36 (direct modulation to Ab)

 

[bRIDGE 2]

m. 159-166 ~4:31

 

[sECTION C]

m. 167-171 ~4:45: (pre robot-voice progression)

m. 172-191 ~4:53: (Nobukazu Takemura-esque blubbering robot voice)

 

[sECTION D1 (E major)]

m. 191-223 ~5:29

[sECTION D2 (B minor)]

m. 224-255 ~6:23

 

 

I saw this interview before where Richard says he doesn't know how to read or write music. Though it could one of his infamous lies, I don't know how he could write something this complex without having a pretty good understanding of music theory. Unless he truly is from Mars, of course. Can he really make something this beautiful by smashing keys and twiddling knobs?

 

 

Philip Glass explained that he had no formal training, that he bought up gear from junk shops and made music w/ whatever he could make noise with.

 

that said, it doesn't mean that over time he hasn't learned these things in his own way.

it's possible to arbitrarily put music theory rules on a piece of music in retrospect if you are that concerned about process that you think everything has an explanation.

You intuit things by listening to and being exposed to music as well as being innately musical. The good thing about electronic music is that it lets these types of people create, without the barrier to entry that favours bookworms and 'good students', people that aren't necessarily creative , or have any taste, but are good at rote learning and regurgitation. So chalk it up as another positive outcome for humanity thanks to technology. I mean it's only 12 tones, it's not high level plasma physics. [-;

I don't agree with that at all, I'd say it's more to do with being inherently analytical. Your post comes across as a weird inverse-snobbery.

the music richard makes doesn't need any background knowledge in music theory or anything, the term music theory is kinda weird anyways. only classical music composers really need to know that kind of stuff, and by classical music composers i mean real classical music composers, excluding people like glass who do a completely different thing, just with similar instruments.

 

doesn't mean that you can't write a complete music-theoretical book about organ alone, which is a good thing in my oppinion.

you can analyse this music, but you don't have to necessarily in order to enjoy/make it. also the absence of a professional musical background can help talented people like rdj be real innovative, because they don't have rules they're subliminally following.

  On 2/6/2016 at 7:50 PM, Richie Sombrero said:

I don't agree with that at all, I'd say it's more to do with being inherently analytical. Your post comes across as a weird inverse-snobbery.

lol, sure being analytical, breaking things down to having a deeper understanding, being intuitive, shit loads of practise. There are many things I could add, to fill out my post so that it's more 'inclusive', doesn't offend those who spent all that time learning music theory and now perceive that their decades of effort is being written off by some smart arse on a message board who wrote a quip off in a few seconds. In general though creative people are less organised, this has been shown in study after study, and conversely more organised people are more organised (and conformist) and less creative. Sure you need some healthy magical balance of both to be able to drive the creativity to some sort of end without getting sidetracked. This is usually in a form of manic persistence to the exclusion of all else though, not necessarily a manifestation of organisation, and starts with the foundation of an innately creative person.

 

So at the end of the day, I guess I was attributing an exclusivity to creativity, sorry, but it just is. Somethings are immutable, there is nature over nurture, not everyone has the same innate proficiency, or even the same ability to gauge their proficiency (taste). At least not until we can start rewiring the brain. This doesn't mean that I don't fight against this, I draw every day, in the hope that eventually, I'll be able to create reasonable facsimile of that which is in my imagination and around me. Just have to work that muscle as they say, and parts of the brain have been known to expand or contract with use or neglect. heh, nwae ... don't be put off, this is an open ended diatribe, have a go, see what happens. [-;

  On 2/6/2016 at 8:36 PM, Scarb0 said:

the music richard makes doesn't need any background knowledge in music theory or anything, the term music theory is kinda weird anyways. only classical music composers really need to know that kind of stuff, and by classical music composers i mean real classical music composers, excluding people like glass who do a completely different thing, just with similar instruments.

 

doesn't mean that you can't write a complete music-theoretical book about organ alone, which is a good thing in my oppinion.

you can analyse this music, but you don't have to necessarily in order to enjoy/make it. also the absence of a professional musical background can help talented people like rdj be real innovative, because they don't have rules they're subliminally following.

I agree that if you're writing for an orchestra, music notation would be an essential tool. Plus there are so many tricks which are useful which a knowledge of theory would elucidate one to and without which we wouldn't have ended up with a lalo schiffren or Charles Mingus.

wats with the syro track upload on the aphextwin sc?

  On 2/7/2016 at 12:20 AM, MisterE said:

wats with the syro track upload on the aphextwin sc?

It's a song off his new album Syro.

  On 2/6/2016 at 6:59 PM, DavieAddison said:

 

  On 2/2/2016 at 10:00 AM, Skeletron said:

If anyone is interested, here is almost all of organ 28 in a single MIDI file:

 

https://mega.nz/#!31FEzI4b!JatD8jyFfqtphWJPHB2J3lXTKafb2qZ3rtMCCLxnfoU

 

I went back through the Ableton project for my organ 28 cover, took all the bits I had transcribed, and placed them in a MIDI clip as closely as I could to how they're arranged in the original track. So the entire track is there, but there are some empty spots that still need transcribing. Section D1 was transcribed by someone on Reddit, I forget who...was posted in earlier in this thread. There are a few large empty sections that I haven't had the time or willpower to learn and transcribe, but much of it is there. The whole thing is 256 measures long.

 

And then I went full OCD and gave it my best lazy-undergrad-musical-analysis. Harmonically, I think it's undoubtedly one of RDJ's most intricate tracks. Not even considering the free-jazz-robot-voice section, it goes through at least THREE major key changes (Bb, to Ab, to E major, to B minor)...and the Bb major sections are often on the verge of modulating to G minor.

 

Cheers!

 

Notes:

The red colored text are the sections I did NOT transcribe in the MIDI. I just left empty space.

Yellow text I are only partially transcribed (some major instruments left out).

Also I didn't bother transcribing the acid bass in Section A or percussion throughout.

Measure numbers refer to the MIDI while time stamps refer to that corresponding spot in the original track.

 

[sECTION A (Bb major)]

m. 01 - 66 ~0:00

 

[bREAKDOWN]

m. 67-74 ~1:53

 

[bRIDGE 1 (Bb major)]

m. 75-86 ~2:05 (no percussion)

 

[sECTION B1 (Bb major)]

m. 87-126 ~2:31 (percussion re-enters at m. 95)

[sECTION B2 (Ab major)]

m. 127-158 ~3:36 (direct modulation to Ab)

 

[bRIDGE 2]

m. 159-166 ~4:31

 

[sECTION C]

m. 167-171 ~4:45: (pre robot-voice progression)

m. 172-191 ~4:53: (Nobukazu Takemura-esque blubbering robot voice)

 

[sECTION D1 (E major)]

m. 191-223 ~5:29

[sECTION D2 (B minor)]

m. 224-255 ~6:23

 

 

I saw this interview before where Richard says he doesn't know how to read or write music. Though it could one of his infamous lies, I don't know how he could write something this complex without having a pretty good understanding of music theory. Unless he truly is from Mars, of course. Can he really make something this beautiful by smashing keys and twiddling knobs?

 

this is awesome. thanks for doing this

  On 2/7/2016 at 12:32 AM, StephenG said:

 

  On 2/7/2016 at 12:20 AM, MisterE said:

wats with the syro track upload on the aphextwin sc?

It's a song off his new album Syro.

 

god i hope the metz-track finally gets released on this one...

  On 2/7/2016 at 12:20 AM, MisterE said:

wats with the syro track upload on the aphextwin sc?

 

I know he said it was his favorite off of SYRO. Maybe he's thinking it didn't get the praise that XMAS_EVE and aisatsana received and decided to give it some more attention. It's definitely one of the best off of the album imo.

 

 

The track that baffles me the most is the Orchestrated Rhubarb he uploaded. It's the only song he's uploaded that isn't a part of an official release.

is this version mastered differently? sounds a tad more full to my ears. maybe because i'm fucking blasting it right now ffs!!

can't hear a difference, 100.0% match for badassery

hope we find out about something new this month. I remember a lot of the "inside knowledge" rumors said Feb was the month for something new. MFM?

 

EDIT: just realized didn't minipops used to be on the soundcloud. Must have replaced it with this.

Edited February 7, 2016 by Bubba69

What's really going on with the color changes thing?

 

Richard started doing it, now Mike's doing it on his soundcloud (Tan to purple and back to tan again).

Well the thread for that track has been bumped a lot lately (I only browse by 'view new content').

So it's def an indication that he's still lurking here imo.

Whether or not it's a cryptic hint at something iunno...

Edited February 7, 2016 by hello spiral

  On 2/7/2016 at 6:44 AM, Hail Sagan said:

What's really going on with the color changes thing?

 

Richard started doing it, now Mike's doing it on his soundcloud (Tan to purple and back to tan again).

 

Semaphore.

  On 2/7/2016 at 7:47 AM, hello spiral said:

Well the thread for that track has been bumped a lot lately (I only browse by 'view new content').

So it's def an indication that he's still lurking here imo.

Whether or not it's a cryptic hint at something iunno...

 

yes, must be lurking and toying around with us..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGdpcQAIuKE

 

Do you want to report a ufo?

  On 2/7/2016 at 6:28 AM, Bubba69 said:

hope we find out about something new this month. I remember a lot of the "inside knowledge" rumors said Feb was the month for something new. MFM?

 

EDIT: just realized didn't minipops used to be on the soundcloud. Must have replaced it with this.

 

minipops is on the warp sc page :-)

 

this is a song I play on repeat

I know this probably sounds borderline creepy, but I'd like to hear the music Rich makes for his children, like maybe some wondrous beautiful things with no restraints... it's nice a thought for me