PG Music Home Forums General Discussion Songwriting Source of inspiration - lets study favorite musical highlights

I'd like to try out something here - Let's talk about YOUR musical influences.

As the subject is very broad, I try to give some idea for what I'm after:
I love discovering new music, but also discovering new things I should be listening within songs, be it a radio-pop-song or symphonic orchestra playing some small phrase within 60-minute long concert. I'd like to hear Your favorite moments with songs you have chosen, and why those small moments or whole songs affect your music so much as an composer/arranger (try to point out what makes it so special or what listener should listen for). If you can, give some insights to how the part/song is structured and works like it does (educate us!)

I guess it would be preferable to throw either Spotify or Youtube links with specific time already marked (right click Youtube video and use "copy video URL at current time"). It might be best not to put embedded Youtube videos, as it probably breaks structure of your message / list.

So here is my selection in no specific order, which is heavy influenced by "larger-than-life moods" (... well, soundtrack genre...):

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Ed Sheeran - I See Fire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fngvQS_PmQ

One of the best folk ballads around. It has very nice voicings and it became my first piano song which I studied very carefully in order to understand what makes it to sound like it does. I'v made an Youtube video for beginners, in which I explain how to voice this for piano ( https://youtu.be/wR74Cfrht88?t=42 )

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Alan Wake - Deerfest
https://youtu.be/Ax__pmu1xBQ?t=139

Petri Alanko is one of my favorite composers and his Alan Wake soundtrack was big influence for me to get into soundtrack -genre. This short intercept is one of me most unique chord progressions in all it's simplicity. I'v discussed about this chord progression within VI Forum and it's power seems to come from altering major/minors and resolving sustains. Transcript of this particular part can be downloaded as PDF from here http://vi-control.net/community/attachments/petri-alanko-alan-wake-deerfest-pdf.4064/ (thanks to great community of VI Control, who helped to transcribe it for me).

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Panu Aaltio - Water Cycle (01:05 -> to the end)
https://open.spotify.com/track/4Ui1hUa0ciicslprdwP5a6

Panu Aaltio is one of those names who are rising within film industry. He has roots within computer music (under alias "Firestorm" back in 2000) and he made soundtrack for Finnish documentary "Tale Of The Lake" (which is nature documentary about water & lakes). When I heard this song playing on movie theater right before the ending credits I almost cried. Very powerful arrangement. I guess the percussions here play out big part, but it's about the overall tone and mixture of different instruments.

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Chance Thomas - Lord Of The Rings Online - Legacy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGV5j1mHrMo
I rarely get excited over video game soundtracks as much as I'v been over whole "Lord Of The Rings Online - Riders Of The Rohan" -soundtrack by Chance Thomas. In my opinion it's orchestration is masterpiece, and you can hear how the song flows and blends between themes. Whole album is full of this kind of masterful themes and moods with wide range of instruments.

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Moonsorrow, a Finnish black metal band, is absolutely the biggest influence of everything I do musically! No kidding! I love all the kinds of band and genres, be it George Strait -country or John Williams symphony, but the biggest influence really has been a black metal band.

Strangely enough, Moonsorrow opened my mind and how I perceive music. It thought me to *listen* music much more closely and keep even more open minded, even as I had been listening for metal bands for over 15 years before.

The mastermind behind Moonsorrow, composer/keyboardist Henri Sorvali, is one of the most talented composers I know. He works at Rovio (The Angry Birds -company), is multi-genre-talent, and according to Wikipedia idolizes Frank Zappa, Danny Elfman ja Jeremy Soule

I know not many users within this forum can even stand this kind of non-musical "rubbish". It's hard to understand what the musical idea is, as you are probably getting stuck within its aggressiveness and groaning singing style... still, I have introduced this band for many who dislike this kind of music, and ultimately quite a few have been amazed how they have grown over these few songs I have made 'em to listen.

Unlike one might initially think, Moonsorrow doesn't sing about devil worship -- it's lyrics are historic tales influenced by Finnish folklore... and no, that S -letter within their logo isn't Nazi-symbol either (yeah, the press already tried to make headlines over this subject last year).

Hearing the intro of "Huuto" ("The yell" or "The shout") for the first time was one of the biggest moments for me. No matter if you like or dislike rest of the song, I hope you get my point about the intro... I also had to choose Ruttolehto, as it also has very powerful melody within both intro and recurring theme. Also both songs are long, over 15 minutes, but have very masterfully crafted structures with recurring and altering themes, which leads to hypnotic feeling while listening (but this of course requires multiple listens, as you need to get familiar with songs)...

Moonsorrow - Huuto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRg8Tg-oM_A ( Intro )

Moonsorrow - Ruttolehto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcuusxiIWrc ( Intro )
https://youtu.be/CcuusxiIWrc?t=345 ( Recurring theme, which leads to instrumental C-part at around 6:55)

btw: I love the comment someone gave to "Ruttolehto" on Youtube: "Who else likes the part from 0:00 to 15:22?"

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Opeth - Windowpane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEaf9LqIUZQ

Opeth - Hope leaves
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Anuzo1_KSY8

Opeth has been second most influencial band for me. Even though being death metal band, their jazz influenced ballads are amazing ("windowpane", "hope leaves" etc). I spent three years just learning to play these songs with guitar. You should listen for chord voicings, especially the bass lines, and how the melody of singing builds over those voicings.

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Porcupine Tree - Trains
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UHwkfhwjsk

As an honorary mention, Trains has been one of the most influencial tracks for me. It has very clever backbeat and open chord voicings with guitar, which make that repeating chord structure to float for whole track. There are many great live versions of "Trains" available within Youtube and you should check 'em out.



Please share what you think of my choices - feel free to tell if you you discovered something new, ask if you'd like to know something more, or simply tell if you didn't like choices at all! Also, please share your song picks, and feel free to throw anything, be it "Gangnam Style" or dixieland jazz!

Since my musical interests are widely diverse... from Country, old and new, to hard rock like AC/DC to ZZ TOP, to jazz, to pop, to old soul..... man... where do I start?

For now, I'll sand bag it.

David Gilmore of Pink Floyd on his Comfortably Numb Solo ("Pulse" live version). That whole solo is so inspiring. It builds up dynamically slowly and ends up in a wave like guitar tremolo usage. It`s really like surfing on a wave of melancholy.
And even though I never use the whammy bar on my guitar, it inspired me to explore new techniques and sounds in regard to achieving special kind of moods.

Sandra

That's fantastic that you are exploring! I've always believed it's "fair game" to use any tool to try to express and relate an emotion musically.

I think a lot of people stop short because they hear someone overuse a device, not to relate but more of a "look at me" kind of thing.

You, I believe, are on the right path!

And I agree, that is a cool solo!