From a sketch to full orchestration

I had an idea for a piece of music that was going to be challenging to write.

The concept for the composition was going to be how each decision, every action we take has a potential opposite outcome; how a thing can have two possible fates.

I wanted a stable bass-line with two completely different melodies sitting on top of it.

I wanted the piece to sound like two parallel universes singing next to each other.

I started off writing a simple sketch for the idea, just using a violin, a piano and a drum. Here it is…

Once I’d finished the sketch I wanted to have a go at orchestrating it. I’m very new to orchestration and honestly, I barely know what I’m doing but I could hear in my head how I wanted it to sound, as if all the notes were already there – I just had to find the right mental code to unlock all the sound so I could fully hear it.

I love the process of orchestration. I begin by thinking about the colours and textures of the music and how I’d want it to feel if I could touch it and feel its curves and rough edges.

I wanted the piece to morph into a different feeling and this was a good way to practice transitions (I am rubbish at transitions).

So here it is. I imagine it as a theme for a film noir. A dark thriller about a beautiful spy who isn’t all that she seems. Imagine the cinematography by Gordon Willis!

Anwyay, I really hope you like it. It was top fun to do.

Want to hear some of Emma’s voice work? Click here.

Want to hear more music? Click here.