Welcome to our forum. A Message To Our New and Prospective Members . Check out our Forum Rules. Lets keep this forum an enjoyable place to visit.

Check out our 2023 Group Christmas Project HERE

AAA
Avatar
Please consider registering
guest
sp_LogInOut Log Insp_Registration Register
Register | Lost password?
Advanced Search
Forum Scope




Match



Forum Options



Minimum search word length is 3 characters - maximum search word length is 84 characters
sp_Feed Topic RSSsp_TopicIcon
What is it That Makes Us ❤ 'Spaghetti Western' Type Music?
Secret formulas?
Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 (13 votes) 
Avatar
ELCBK
USA
Members

Regulars
February 4, 2022 - 7:09 pm
Member Since: June 10, 2020
Forum Posts: 7759
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

@ABitRusty -

Oh yes, I caught it!  

AND, ONLY because you posted it! 

I loved the John Carpenter film, but I was still kinda shocked that the music was... nothing memorable.  AND, I don't think it was because of Morricone - I suspect it was a John Carpenter calling. 

 

In one of the videos I posted, or article, someone said something along the lines that this genre/style of music "evokes a feeling of dread or despair, but then hope"

I figured if I can understand where this is coming from, then I'm in a better position to emphasize and improvise around these traits.  

No doubt about it, the instrument choices composers make - can greatly influence a film!

 

 

 

 

Posting tutorials And Video Sheet music of the Spaghetti & Sci-Fi Western Style Film - in this thread: 

https://fiddlerman.com/forum/i.....c/#p123204

Avatar
ELCBK
USA
Members

Regulars
February 4, 2022 - 9:20 pm
Member Since: June 10, 2020
Forum Posts: 7759
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

ABitRusty said
facepalm ...but i think it sounds like a sea shanty..

Your comment's been rattling around inside my head. 

I understand your reasoning, but just never felt that - I've possibly too much 'cowboy' imagery associated with the series to see it differently. 

Your comment also got me thinking, 'unexpected' and 'unusual pairing' - then I realized that's been true of Akira Kurosawa's film scores as well as Morricone's scores. 

I have to tell you, the very 1st thing that came to mind with all this, is the choice of music for this scene in "The Warrior's Way" (2010)!

...the Sailor's Hornpipe - in the desert.

 

Avatar
ABitRusty
Members

Regulars
February 4, 2022 - 10:55 pm
Member Since: February 10, 2019
Forum Posts: 3915
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
23sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

ive not seen any of the series other than the clips youve shared ..the book of fett sounded more nautical or pirate to me i guess.

out of place soundtracks that work...most of the kill bill series.. but cant share any of it.  that one above does too.

i guess to your original question or thought of how to incorporate what you like about these would be to firat find out what key something is in.  you could do that by playing the song and use one string and pluck each note up the chromatic scale till you find one that just seems like its home.   Then using that loopz app from a while back and find a groove on it that is as close to the song youre working on.  then from that note that feels like home...say its g...play the loopz app and just play around with the scale that has that note as the root. a G scale in this example.  for chords that means the major chords will be G for I.  C for IV and D for V. minors will be Am Bm and Em.   if you want to modulate for 8 bars make one of the minor chords the root then for 8 bars make G your home.   like record those double stops then play that back while you play the scales.  use the viola for the double stops and the fiddle for your improv melody.

One way to get started.  Thats probably a repeat of what weve said before but its fun.  

Avatar
ABitRusty
Members

Regulars
February 4, 2022 - 11:02 pm
Member Since: February 10, 2019
Forum Posts: 3915
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
24sp_Permalink sp_Print
5

@elcbk and drone tracks work really well too.  so for example...instead of the loopz app play a G Am or Em drone track.  even an A or E drone track and play around with the scale.   just start by playing the scale...then change up the notes and note lengths.   the drone tracks work great because one they help keep you focused on tuning and 2 there isnt a groove so you can change up how you play the scale and not be locked in so much to any specific rhythm.

Avatar
ELCBK
USA
Members

Regulars
February 5, 2022 - 7:13 am
Member Since: June 10, 2020
Forum Posts: 7759
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

@Gordon Shumway -

I may not recognize it right off, but your comments are helpful. (lol)

@ABitRusty -

Thank you for your great suggestions and thoughts in this thread! 

...overwhelmed myself with info at first. 

You're probably right about intervals.  I must be, at least subconsciously, aware of more intervals, otherwise I probably wouldn't be able to pick up tunes very quickly.  Pretty sure playing different genres has helped, but if you asked me to point out what interval I recognize - it would only be 3rds, 5ths and octaves. 

I learn a lot of little basic tunes/motifs, but after going over a couple of the analyzes, here, I feel the need to spend more time on chords.   

Had these in the back of my mind for quite a while, but this thread has brought their importance into focus for me.  

I want to: 

  • 💖 Learn "chord progression riffs", instead of just my fun little melodies, I think it should help me develop harmony - and more freedom of expressing emotion.
  • 💖 Experiment more with adding in little touches of special FX to tunes - just acoustic things that are possible right on my instrument. 
  • 💖 Think more 'outside the box', by mixing styles/genres and rhythms in what I play. 

Tough Decisions Emoticon

...I still have snow.

- Emily

 

Avatar
Gordon Shumway
London, England
Members

Regulars
February 5, 2022 - 7:26 am
Member Since: August 1, 2016
Forum Posts: 2425
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Update: -

1. Minor keys

2. Jews harps

3. Mexican trumpets

4. Mexican electric guitars [/joke] (Fender have a factory at Ensenada)

5. Lots of reverb

6. Coconut shells

7. Rattlesnake rattles

Don't mention it.

Andrew

Avatar
ELCBK
USA
Members

Regulars
February 6, 2022 - 3:40 pm
Member Since: June 10, 2020
Forum Posts: 7759
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
27sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

I am still skeptical that just playing music in a minor key, along with those instruments, automatically yields 'Spaghetti Western' music. 

My brain is still bouncing around too much to be able to look closer into a comparison of 'Spaghetti Western' music, but I suspect it's more something along the same lines as with the 'James Bond' Film music. 

 

https://png-4.vector.me/files/images/5/8/58398/james_bond_007_thumb.png

 

- Emily

Avatar
ELCBK
USA
Members

Regulars
February 11, 2022 - 7:57 pm
Member Since: June 10, 2020
Forum Posts: 7759
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
28sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

More music I consider under the 'Spaghetti Western' umbrella! 

Can't find any sheet music, but the 1st Season of the TV Series, "Warrior" (2019) has a great soundtrack composed by Reza Safinia and H. Scott Salinas - that Spaghetti Western feel throughout, but a few tracks feature Hip-Hop & Rap. 

...first place I heard "The Rights of Man" was played on a concertina in one of the 1st Season episodes.  Originally a Bruce Lee concept & produced by his daughter, Shannon Lee - all sorts of twisty plots in the middle of Irish & Chinese gang wars, set during early years of our Wild West Chinatown. 

I still need to listen & try to play more before I come to any conclusions. 

All observations welcome! 

- Emily

Avatar
ELCBK
USA
Members

Regulars
February 11, 2022 - 9:49 pm
Member Since: June 10, 2020
Forum Posts: 7759
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

I should've posted some music from the film "The Warrior's Way" (2010) that was more relevant to this topic, than the Sailor's Hornpipe scene. 

The film score was composed by Emmy Award winner, Javier Navarrete (Spain) - famous for many film scores like, "Pan's Labyrinth" (2006), "Wrath of The Titans" (2012), "Byzantium" (2012), etc... 

Anyway, worth listening to more of the film score. 

 

Wish I could find some sheet music, oh well! (lol) 

 

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YYK2yCxNg1U/TnQFQt7INxI/AAAAAAAAAvk/lkNEh48cjMs/s1600/The+Warriors+Way+2010+DVDRip+XviD.avi_001215005.jpg

...doubt if it will happen this year - hope to start transcribing pieces I end up liking well enough, but right now I'm just attracted to some riffs. 

- Emily

Avatar
ELCBK
USA
Members

Regulars
February 12, 2022 - 11:49 am
Member Since: June 10, 2020
Forum Posts: 7759
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Just realized both of "The Warrior's Way" pieces have a very strange structure. 

I wasn't aware, from the description, that each video intended two distinct tunes, or is a set of 2 - yet, the 2nd half of each video is a drastic style change from the music of the 1st half. 

Reminds me of the video I learned "Freemount Bypass" from - decided just to think of it as 2 individual tunes (and only learned the 1st). 

AND, I've just looked everywhere I can think of & can't find THAT video, so here it is (Celtic Note). 

 

It's been too long since I've watched "The Warrior's Way" to remember if this is some 'artistic style' used throughout the film score, or simply setting a mood per film scene - which may explain why I see no soundtrack album.

Avatar
ABitRusty
Members

Regulars
February 12, 2022 - 1:27 pm
Member Since: February 10, 2019
Forum Posts: 3915
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
31sp_Permalink sp_Print
5

@elcbk i really like that warriors way top video of the 2 you shared...up there ⇑ 

since you explained what the movie is about I get the transition in tunes.  

freemount bypass...we went down the trail on that one!  did you ever get it worked up into a version you liked enough to play? 

Avatar
ELCBK
USA
Members

Regulars
February 12, 2022 - 9:43 pm
Member Since: June 10, 2020
Forum Posts: 7759
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

@ABitRusty -

I'm still playing around with Freemount Bypass, but I basically stop at 2.48 minutes into the video and repeat the 1st part. 

I see the structure as: intro, A, chorus, B, chorus, C, chorus, then I repeat A and chorus.  Thought about taking part of the stuff that comes afterwards in the video (which seems SOOOO unrelated to the rest of the tune) and maybe play it after 1 to 2, or each chorus - kinda like taking the place of any improv. 

Think I've finally played it so much, I'm ready to experiment.

 

Really like the idea of Jon Meyer's "Kontakt Prototype" you shared in the "Where to Begin Recording" thread, MUCH better than this software by Fluffy Audio (which just seems like cheating). 

 

 

 

I'm definitely more enthralled with the idea that a few, well chosen notes & chords, maybe the cadence - can have such a HUGE emotional impact! 

...playing around with Boba Fett at the moment. 💖! 

AND, trying to see what more I can get out of bowing... besides a twang - haven't quite figured out how to do THAT on demand, yet. (lol)

Avatar
ABitRusty
Members

Regulars
February 13, 2022 - 3:28 pm
Member Since: February 10, 2019
Forum Posts: 3915
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
33sp_Permalink sp_Print
5

well thats cool!  i havent seen this one.  

Forum Timezone: America/New_York
Most Users Ever Online: 696
Currently Online: Cajun
Guest(s) 111
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)
Members Birthdays
sp_BirthdayIcon
Today Michael Browder, EBurrell
Upcoming Sofia Leo, TKDennis, FiddleDetroit, CookiesViolin, JPferrman, Designer 88, LyleA, Stephen, Dorque, Trisha, Elaisa, Gordon Shumway, dougga, Russionleo, JohnG
Top Posters:
ELCBK: 7759
ABitRusty: 3915
Mad_Wed: 2849
Barry: 2690
Fiddlestix: 2647
Oliver: 2439
Gordon Shumway: 2425
DanielB: 2379
Mark: 2149
damfino: 2113
Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 3
Members: 31662
Moderators: 0
Admins: 7
Forum Stats:
Groups: 16
Forums: 81
Topics: 10589
Posts: 134214
Newest Members:
SoCal335, Jan Howard, edwardcheng, Oscar Stern, bryanhanson, bittruster, fiddlecastro, jackdaniel, romanmills08, creativestringsinfo
Administrators: Fiddlerman: 16429, KindaScratchy: 1760, coolpinkone: 4180, BillyG: 3744, MrsFiddlerman: 2, Jimmie Bjorling: 0, Mouse: 5305