4 Tips for Writing Ambient Chord Progressions
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 2 авг 2024
- In this video I take a brief look at harmonic conventions in David Wise's ambient music from the Donkey Kong Country series.
TWITTER: / 8bitmusictheory
PATREON: / 8bitmusictheory
David Wise Interview footage from: • David Wise (Composer) ... 
Игры
Thank you 8-bit Music Theory. Chords: Major or Minor, sometimes 5ths / 4ths. I don't think in terms of 9ths / 13ths - but it's where the bass note is in relation to the chord inversion. Dissonance is intended - never accidental. Composition driven by how it feels. Close spacing of intervals derived from hardware limitations - but I still use this technique as it compartmentalizes instrument specific frequencies over the harmonic spectrum - everything has its' place. I try not to over-think it.
No way. Is this the real David Wise?
@@howard_blast yes.
Thank you David. You are doing what I dream of doing. I love ambient music, and I'm going to make ambient music just for the love of it. Thanks for what you do. You're a hero.
I aspire to make music as well as you, big fan!
So cool to see you here! I work in game audio now because of Aquatic Ambiance, so thank you.
"Use smooth voice leading."
*Donkey Kong vocalizes*
very smooth voice
i was searching for this comment
They’re finally here, our DK crew
C O C O N U T C R E A M P I E
LOL
@@tysonasaurus6392 DK Country, 2 and 3 are undeniable in the group of the best games ever! :)
the aquatic ambiance theme gave me some seriously surreal dreams as a child
baack then, video game music was soo emotional :) sometimes we played just games for the music ;D
thats the reason i love videogame music:)
I still listen to it when I want to relax.
Good music to get high to
My name used to be Donkey Kong, but then I took an arrow to the knee. Now they call me Diddy.
"A lot of rules can be broken" he said while glitching Mario Kart 64.
"Where we're going, we won't need roads" ::uses a chord voicing with a minor ninth in it::
David Wise was a wise man indeed.
Still is.
Carpaccio Yeah
I remember how proud i was for owning donkeykong country 1 & 2 17 years ago.
I remember how the nintendo service told me that the snes could do ‘’CD quality’’ audio, i was astonished about that.
Favorite VG composer
High quality, worth-more-than-money-can-buy musical analyses on beautiful video game music pieces.
*_WONDERFUL!_*
David Wise's stuff is always the best
He”s above you.
even better when you realize THAT HE DID SOMETHING THAT WAS ACTUALLY ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE ON THE SUPER NINTENDO
the waveforms don't like constant drones, BUT HE DID IT ANYWAY
at least that's my understanding
1:17 Oh boy, there was a hidden cave? Now I have to get out my old Nintendo again - Thanks for that :/
Alrota Music hahaha yeah I was watching the gameplay too
rofl I said the same thing. I never knew that cave was there
When I was a kid Blockbuster was running a game competition for DKC2 and everyone was blown away by all the tricks this little kid knew. I was taking out people 10 years older than me. I won the competition and got a bunch of marvel trading cards.
After school today I saw this in my sub box and was watching it. My friend was next to me, and at 2:58 he asked me with the most confused voice “wait, WHAT did he just say?”
ya he lost me there too
yknow it's just one of those vamps
@@doooouge1136 "Cm9 Abmaj7(#11) vamp" just means that this *fancy chord* and *another fancy chord* can be *a musical thing that repeats throughout the whole track that sounds REALLY good* (vamp).
You touched on something that has always grabbed my attention when it comes to compositions, something that I call "contextual justification" because I have no other name for it. I'm wondering if it has a name.
For example, when trying to figure out a chord while learning a piano piece, sometimes you'll get the chord right, but it will sound wrong. Chords with "forbidden" or ugly intervals that, on their own, are quite unpleasant to listen to. However, when the surrounding music gives each of the notes in the chord a "justification" for being there, it suddenly sounds pleasant and harmonious, constants being a simple example of how this can be achieved.
Does this concept have an official music theory name?
Hmmm. If it does have a name I'm not sure what it is. Contextual Justification sounds good to me!
PiercingSight dont know of a specific term but another one you could use is relative meaning.
I think I know what you mean, crunchy, tense jazz chords which - played in isolation, sound harsh and unusable. But in context, can sound like "home" or "longing". It feels like it has a lot to do with voice leading - probably not the term you're looking for, but it must be about how the leading tone and inner voices build *toward* something crunchy/"ugly" - they "prepare" you for the sound. And when you finally reach it, it's justified and feels right, as you say.
Contextual Justification. If it's not the official name, it should be!
yeah I agree here. Either voice leading can make the ugly intervals sound good in context by adding tension or being in close proximity to a note in the previous chord, or sometimes reinforcing the crunchy note can make it feel nice. As adam neely would say, repetition legitimizes.
THICC chord extensions
Gotta lay that harmony on THICC
That B-flat Add2 voicing is straight out of the Steely Dan playbook. It's most prominent (with more colors at times) on Peg from Aja. It's one of my favorite kind chords to play, too!
jaxvon that's awesome
That was a very good explanation. You would not believe how hard it can be to explain constants some orchestra players. I make use of this in all of my music, as I love the way different chords illuminate the main melodic pattern. It's like life progressing, with the circumstances changing.
those ledger lines tho
Nobody:
David Wise:
__
__
__
__
__
_ •
This is one of your best videos yet :D
agreed, dkc 4 lyfe
Totally agree! I almost felt hypnotized after watching this
Damn, makes me wanna save if for a special moment. Hahahah DK is love. As its soundtrack.
I agree maybe the best because the topic has never really been touched upon before!
Been waiting for this! Thank you. Was worth the wait!
I know almost nothing about music theory and I still watched this video
This is by far my favorite channel of recent. Great stuff!
Possibly my favourite video of yours yet. Great stuff.
Your analyses are great! Love this channel!
just came across your channel again. absolutely brilliant stuff.
i always geek out when i see there's a new vid by you, and i'm never disappointed. insightful work, as always!
Thank you! Your channel is amazing!!
Another incredible video. Amazing work, man!
Dudeeee your channel is so good! I'm learning so much, thank you!
Incredible video, very insightful! Looking forward to more like this from you.
you are such a good youtuber! love what you do so much man
One of the best analytic video I've seen on the master of ambient, Sir Wise! Hope to watch some more of your great content.
This video is so amazing and really brings together so much of what I like about really well crafted ambient music. Thank you, thank you, thank you for making videos that go deep like this!
That may have been the most jarring choice for outro music after a video about ambient music!
It's not often that you find a video as good as this! Holy God I'm blown away!!!
man, i'm so glad you covered this!!) i was looking for this topic among your videos yesterday when i saw that Disasterpeace video because one of the tracks there sounded almost exactly like Aquatic Ambience and here you are - making a video out of that too! I'm learning so much from watching these, so thank you!)
awesome video!!! really appreciate having the sheet music on screen, and especially the discussion of the stacked intervals. different way of thinking about harmony than i have in the past, very cool!!
This video is downright amazing. I hope I am able to apply something I learned. Will watch again and again!
Dude your videos are the best..... blending my two favorite passions..... well done!
I could watch this video all day everyday! Your analysis and subsequent explanations are amazing.
This has to be my favourite channel HANDS DOWN! Thank you for the great content, there’s nothing better than music and video games :)
Your videos are the best! So easy to follow and implement. I'd gladly donate to your Patreon for more content like this!
Love these videos! Has really helped me out in my AP Music theory class. Thanks for making these and i wish you the best of success in the future ^.^
One of my new fav channels 👌🏽
Man! What'a channel. Just discovered it yesterday and I am freaking out on how awesome your analysis are. A big hug from Brazil
Thanks for this! I have been a long admirer of David Wise's work so it is great to see it analysed like this. Not only that but I have been wanting to write an ambient music album for a while and honestly I have picked up some great tips from this video! Thank you so much!
It’s really nice. First time i stumble upon the channel and it helped me understand music theory a little more.
I may patron you my dude
Awesome explanations. Never seen such a good analysis of David Wise's work!
im so glad i subscribed to this channel!! these tips are rly cool and useful
It feels like you're reading my mind sometimes. I was just planning on getting into ambient music and I had nowhere to start, and now you've given me everything I need to start exploring the genre! Thank you!
Love David Wise and your efforts!
Great analysis and content as usual man. Props!
I'm in love with your analyses.
This has helped me to understand some of the stuff that I love about the music I write. Absolutely invaluable
Your tutorial came to me via algorithm and it got it right. Superb content packed 11 minutes. Thank you. I'm gonna check out your other tuts now.
So interesting and helpful! I love your series :D
Love your intuitive analysis of the compositions...puts some structure and words to things I'm occasionally doing with improvisation and giving composition some more context...😌🎶🙏
This is awesome; so great that you also focus on the less conventional melodically-driven pieces, but also these terrific soundscapes and what makes them special. Still always get chills when I listen to Aquatic Ambiance.
I find myself watching all of your videos twice a year. And i needed to come back here and just thank you. This video REALLY helped me write an ambient 2 chord vamp on a synth pad
This was very educating. I have subbed. I've never been able to read music or wrap my head around music theory until I've discovered your channel, and now I love to think about the reasoning behind compositions rather than just 'hearing' it. Gives a totally new perspective on enjoying music and the subtleties between different artists' styles.
Excellent video! Love the high-quality examples. David Wise really was a pioneer in video game music.
Just an amazing video.
Thank YOU!
Perfect timing! You always seem to know just what i'm looking for
Thank you for covering DKC, one of my favorite series. And the attention Aquatic Ambiance and Stickerbrush Symphony are, I feel, especially deserved. These songs are truly magical, and the first time I heard them I was breathless.
Thank you so much for this video! It inspired a piece of music I just wrote tonight. Your channel has been so crucial to my development as a composer, I can't stress enough how lovely it is to have someone break down music analysis while presenting it so concisely and clearly with visual and aural aids. You're awesome and many of us are grateful for your content, keep it up!
I have no idea what im watching but its so well explained, I can't look away
Thank you so much for this video! I needed to have a rewatch ^_^
I learned so much about music theory in your videos, so i improved the style of my own soundtracks for my game. I am very thankfully!
I've been in love with ambient music before I even knew what ambient music was. Excellent choice in tunes. DKC has always been dear to my heart from childhood. This video is so educational and and only rekindles my love for music. Thank you so much for making this and all your others, too.
I just want to say that I really appreciate what you do. Your attention and description of music theory invigorates my attention towards scoring, especially in some of my favorite video games. I admit my knowledge of chords beyond 7ths is very minimal, so I always feel like I learn something when I watch one of your videos. Keep doing this kind of stuff please. It really makes a difference in some peoples lives, more than you may imagine.
This channel is simply amazing, thank you very much.
Amazing analysis! Aquatic Ambience is the only on that triggered my memory from the game. Love those flute sounds. Loved the breakdown
This is really a brilliant discussion. I'm not aware of many formalised resources which establish 'rules' for this genre, but in one short video, you've done just that. Bravo!
Oh wow I had no idea you did a video on dk country 2! Awesome! I really love the ethereal atmosphere created by these tracks which is so contrasting to the rest of the soundtrack (which is sublime btw).
Instantly subscribed
Where has this channel been all my life?
Great video as always, David Wise is AMAZING
Great video yet again!
These videos are fantastic!
Bi annual tweet... Ha!
Awesome video. I LOVED DKC's ambient as a kid so seeing it broken down like this nearly brings a tear to my eye. 😂 Keep up the good work.
I have a strange feeling you love David Wise's ambient music. Not sure why.
who doesn't?
How can you not be sure why?, just listen to the donkey kong country soundtracks and come back after that..
@@Starlightbooper It was likely sarcasm. "I have a strange feeling, I'm not sure why" is the base of their comment. They're just poking a bit of fun at how he speaks about David wise a lot.
Amazing video! It inspired me a lot
I just started writing some ambient chiptune pieces of my own and this video is a godsend. Great advice and a lot to think about!
Mortistar
Excellent video. Thank you for enhancing my song writing.
This video was in my recommended list and I'm so glad I found it.
Yes! This is what I needed, Thank you!!
Nice. Featured my top 3 songs from this series! Then again, I really like ambient music. Now I just understand why a little better!
One of the best videos I've ever seen.
I want to continue thumbs upping this forever, if I could, please.
Wise's three example tunes in this video are my all time favorites!
I like the tip format of video. Nice!
These tips are awesome! So useful. I love musical devices like so.
I love this channel!
Great vid. David Wise is awesome.
I think covering the great soundtrack behind this series was very "Wise" of you. And I love how keep everything simple and don't get caught up in all the complicated "(Jungle) Hijinks" of music theory. You K. Rool man!
Aha. Have a like for the puns.
The puns are strong with this one.
You get a like for the way you worked in the title of Jungle Hijinks alone.
*this* was "uncomplicated"?? I loved it, don't get me wrong, but holy cow it was information-dense...
Khryberos if you think about it too much, then you'll be in (Torchlight) Trouble. He broke down David Wise's ambiance into 4 simple steps. If you just focus on the steps, and use the transcriptions as guidelines, it won't look like such a (forest) Frenzy
As a self-taught musician who's still learning the ropes and loving every minute of it, I don't understand the technical elements behind much of what this video is conveying. But, I do appreciate it very much and I've watched it twice trying to glean as much out of it as I may. I prefer more aggressive music such as EPIC, cinematic, and orchestral compositions, but I have recently come to love ambient music like that which is spacey, cosmic, and creates the sense that one is journeying through space and time. Learning more about chord progressions -- making them smoother and less jarring -- is what you've explained in great detail and exactly what I've needed. Thanks!
I love this channel. Thank you for making it exist. 💙💚💛🧡💜💖❤
such a great theory video with awesome music - thank you!
I don't think I've ever had ambient music and its basic principles explained to me so well. Thank you!
i loved it!! i LOVE AQUATIC AMBIENCE and i love how u broke it down. brilliant!
10/10 video homie, perfect analysis and explanations, good video earned a sub
One of the best channels on YT!!
I learned a lot from this video. Some concept I learnt from jazz, but overall I got a new viewpoint. Thanks
Wooooow amazing video!! Keep doing videos like this please!
My favorite video yet. This is exactly my style of composing.
I've been writing ambient alot of ambient music this time around and this is exactly what I've been doing! Nice Job! Also making use of clusters and quartal/quintal voicings can produce some very nice results