Surya Ravaya--Sound of the Sun

Surya Ravaya--Sound of the Sun (Progressive Bhairavan)

Composed by Thisura Samarakoon and played by Pamath Praveena with Farfetched Tangmo Band.

https://www.fiverr.com/workingspot
musiola.com


****** Song Summary *************
Key=A , Tempo 86, Length (m:s)=2:58
No intro. 30 bar chorus, from bar 1 to bar 30. Repeat x2 choruses

RealTracks in song: 1009:Bass, Electric, HardRockThrash Ev 085
RealTracks in song: 641:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm HardRockThrash Ev 085 (B:sync)
RealTracks in song: 640:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm HardRockThrash Ev 085 (A:16ths)
RealTracks in song: 1840:Synth Pad, PopModernGrooveMellow Ev16 075
RealTracks in song: 2761:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm RockHeavy16thsMurrayA-B Ev16 090
RealTracks in song: 2760:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm RockHeavy16thsHighMurray Ev16 090
RealDrums [in Song:RockThrashHalfTimeEv16^5-a:Snare, Open HiHat , b:Snare, Crash Ride

*******************
I'd seem a few videos/introductions to the Byzantine scale with limited examples of how to harmonize (build chords) to support it. I finally hit on one that gave several suggestions on top of a good overview.

Here's a text link for any interested.

https://pianoscales.org/byzantine.html

The Byzantine scale is know as "Bhairav" in Indian classical music--hence the subtitle. I believe it is also referred to as the Double Harmonic Minor scale.

Ordinarily, in pieces not culturally appropriated by internet amateurs, the melody is played over a drone of either the root note of the key or the I Chord--in this case, A major. I wanted to keep the timbre of a drone, but have the backing change chords.

I borrowed heavily from a video lesson and added his knowledge to my own experience in attempting to create emotionally compelling progressions and "harmonized" this scale in the key of A. If it is "showing off" to use more than three chords, then I am a swinging exhibitionist. I used all 7. Most are triads, but I snuck in a V7b5b9 because it was recommended. Happily, at least two of the guitars played the thing.

Satisfied, I went to Fiverr.com to seek a flute player to wail over my progression. One of the first to reply is based in Sri Lanka. It turns out "he" is a team of two. I listened to their samples and liked what I heard, so they got the gig.

I have to tell you, that after a bit of a slow start as they tried to interpret my intentions, they were off to the races and what they delivered was beyond my expectations. Me and my skinny amateur butt are very proud to present it here under their names and banner.

There is an alternative view of this process floating around on these boards. If you prefer to interpret everything according to that, feel free.

My ear is not nearly so good as to proclaim every note in this is in the scale, but they followed the chords (which are) in what guitar-speak would call "chord tone soloing", and I'm confident they both understood and followed the purpose of the project--flutish "grace-notes" being the possible exception. (Can you imagine an expressive flute solo without them?)

I mixed this in Reaper, a process that is somewhat over my head. I'm not used to mixing so loud for the sake of loud, and I hope that the backing isn't more annoying than I intended. The guitars were pretty crispy right out of the box, but I compressed + gained them a little further, bounced them to one track and enhanced the stereo spread somewhat.

Compression + gain was also used on the flute, primarily so I could boost the quieter bits to get that flavor in Pamath Praveena's play audible against the wall of distorted guitars.

The opening was a mix of drone (also created in BIAB with every low-pitched, held instrument I could locate and fit in the mixer) and part of the mix I sent to Fiverr--both reversed.

EQ adjustments were also on every track. The drums got a bit of stereo widening as well.

Enjoy, if possible. It's still worming it's way through my mind's ears and has never failed to get me going.

BIAB 2021 Audiophile. Windows 10 64bit. Songwriter, lyricist, composer(?) loving all styles. Some pre-BIAB music from Farfetched Tangmo Band's first CD. https://alonetone.com/tangmo/playlists/close-to-the-ground