Hello. My name is George Marshall and I am the founder of Any Old Music. I am a composer with over 10-years of experience, having completed work on 50+ projects for video-games, films and the concert hall. In 2020, I completed my doctorate in Music Composition. My PhD was on constraint and how it emerges in creative projects. For example, team discussions in video-game projects. If a video-game team presented a mood-board and certain briefs, these constrain and challenge the composer to compose in a particular way or style. Less quantifiable than, say, the application of serialism, but probably just as (if not more) constraining and creatively directing. It was during my PhD that I realised that there would only be two outcomes for me as a composer: I became a professional composer who needed to compose lots of music in not enough time. I became an amateur/hobbyist or semi-professional composer who needed to compose less music but still with not enough time. With this in mind I eventually opted for something more along the lines of semi-professional, but with an ambition of setting up Any Old Music as a means of helping similarly time strapped music makers. Particularly those in the second group, the hobbyists and semi-professionals, whose composing competes much more for time against other aspects of life. Composition is incredibly rewarding. You never stop learning and developing as a composer. Furthermore, many of us boast renegade autodidactic personalities to a certain extent. My hope is that Any Old Music’s self-paced composition courses can help composers to continue growing, by learning through creating and doing so in their own time.
"Bounce into action with Sautillé: the string technique that'll have you springing to life"
Term of the Week: SautilléFrom Any Old MusicSautillé (Fr.; springbogen, Gr.; saltando, saltato, It.) is a bowing technique used in string instrument playing, involving rapid bouncing of the bow on the strings. It creates a quick and articulated sound, often used in fast and lively passages for a staccato effect. Sautillé could be thought of as a hybridisation of ricochet and spiccato techniques, using the spring of the bow on both up and down strokes. Technically an off the string* technique, it can become close to an on the string* technique in rapid passages due to there being little time and space for the bow to lose contact with the string. *On the string and off the string bowing techniques distinguish bowing techniques or articulations where the hair of the bow leaves (off) or does not leave (on) the string between strokes and notes. Did you like this week's term, if so, let me know by clicking here. Or, if you have an interesting term, let me know by simply replying to this email! |
New, Exclusive and Highlighted ContentLast week I shared a new analysis sheet deck on Elgar's Introduction and Allegro for Strings. Here's another link for anyone who missed it: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zUhhv5YUQhQLkpk1KT53lGgSZNtinhx6/view?usp=sharing This morning I have been pleased to take a request for analysis sheets on John Williams' Flag Parade and my follow up article (see below), where I attempt to turn the analysis into an original composition. Therefore, I plan to make those the next analysis sheets that I create. If you have any requests from our library of older articles/videos, please get in touch by replying to the email and I will aim to prioritise those articles for analysis sheet creation! Don't forget about the exclusive content you gain access to as an Any Old Music newsletter subscriber:
Smells good. What's in the Any Old Music School oven?Later this week, I will be releasing a video about my "Introduction to Orchestration" course. The video will provide a detailed overview of the course's features, along with a live demonstration of what the course will look like. During the video, I will be conducting a condensed lesson on voicing and shooting it in Zoom. Keep an eye out, I'll likely share it in an email with some more exclusive email content! What have I been up to...Music stuffRecently, as well as slogging away with plans for "Introduction to Orchestration", I have been writing music for a video game called It's Grim Up North. Specifically, I've been creating epic brass-only boss music for a battle against a Monstrous Humanoid White Rose animated by aliens to attack the game's protagonist, Terry. It's a unique project, and I'm enjoying the chance to explore new musical styles. Here's a sneak peak of a sketch score and NotePerformer realisation, if you fancy it: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/85wy99wtgj56peh/AACrxpB7rqlgiiEE7obkEAJwa?dl=0 (Not sure how on earth I am going to play it all; I am desperately out of practice ATM haha!) (The score will be pretty rough, it is literally a detailed sketch "warts 'n' all", with random notes I leave myself!) Non-music stuffI went to watch some Rugby League in Hull last Thursday to see my team, the Wigan Warriors, play against Hull FC (also known as the "Airlie Birds"). Although we lost 14-10, it was an exciting match that went down to the wire. It felt good to attend a game again, as I've only been to one other game since before covid. What have you been up to musically and non-musically? I'd Love to hear from you! Simply reply to this email :) I hope you have a great day. If you have any questions or comments, please get in touch by replying to this email. All the best, George P.S. If you have any questions about Introduction to Orchestration then please reply to this email, I would love to hear from you and answer any concerns. |
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Any Old Music
Hello. My name is George Marshall and I am the founder of Any Old Music. I am a composer with over 10-years of experience, having completed work on 50+ projects for video-games, films and the concert hall. In 2020, I completed my doctorate in Music Composition. My PhD was on constraint and how it emerges in creative projects. For example, team discussions in video-game projects. If a video-game team presented a mood-board and certain briefs, these constrain and challenge the composer to compose in a particular way or style. Less quantifiable than, say, the application of serialism, but probably just as (if not more) constraining and creatively directing. It was during my PhD that I realised that there would only be two outcomes for me as a composer: I became a professional composer who needed to compose lots of music in not enough time. I became an amateur/hobbyist or semi-professional composer who needed to compose less music but still with not enough time. With this in mind I eventually opted for something more along the lines of semi-professional, but with an ambition of setting up Any Old Music as a means of helping similarly time strapped music makers. Particularly those in the second group, the hobbyists and semi-professionals, whose composing competes much more for time against other aspects of life. Composition is incredibly rewarding. You never stop learning and developing as a composer. Furthermore, many of us boast renegade autodidactic personalities to a certain extent. My hope is that Any Old Music’s self-paced composition courses can help composers to continue growing, by learning through creating and doing so in their own time.
Hello Reader, I hope you're doing well! It's George from Any Old Music, and I’m excited to share that the first day of 30 Days of Counterpoint is now available as a free preview. If you're interested in counterpoint, especially at a beginner or intermediate level, feel free to dive into the first day’s content. Here’s what you’ll find: Day 1's Video Lesson: Foundations of (1st Species) Counterpoint Lesson Quiz: Test your understanding of the first lesson Skills Quiz: Focused on interval...
Hello Reader, I'm thrilled to invite you to this week's episode of Breaking Down Morning Mood, where we'll dive into a score annotation of Grieg's "Morning Mood" (link to score video, YouTube) from his Peer Gynt Suite No. 1. Get ready for an exciting exploration of this musical gem! Here's what we'll cover in the video: Uber quick recap of last week's preliminary episode where we gathered resources and background information to set the stage. Simple prepping of the score, ready for...
Starting today, we're embarking on a new approach to provide you with practical and engaging music composition lessons and insights. Say goodbye to the "Term of the Week" newsletter. Instead, I'll be sharing in-depth analyses of compositions, meticulously breaking them down to provide you with insightful observations. Don't worry, I'll keep them concise and free from excessive images and links, making them perfect for your Monday work break or an evening read. I understand that this shift may...