Okay. I said there would be some changes to the blog. It seems like they're happening right now. :) In the post titled "Some Changes," you might think I spoke quite harshly. But we're dealing with so much unnecessary chatter that I wrote that note hoping outlining the roadmap from the beginning would make it somewhat more coherent. Yes, we all love rock music (and its variations), and yes, we all know that art is created and made by people. But why not use the chance to expand our options? At least we're trying.
Now, let's get to the main point. First of all, the project is called The Dark Throne - A Tale of Crown and Shadow. As always, I started by writing, figuring out what to do, how to do it, and what kind of thing it should be. First, a general structure and plan were formed. Then that plan turned into a short story. Then that story grew and grew. It might sound silly, but it expanded enough to become a book. You can check out the book at this link and buy it to support it. Let me state from the outset that the story in the book is epic fantasy, but with a highly psychedelic approach (a self-going valley, country borders shifting arbitrarily, etc.), and that it's actually a story from about 20 years ago. The funny thing is, I actually started writing with the idea of making a few songs using AI tools. Of course, I'm not bothered by where it ended up.
The story consists of 12 chapters. Naturally, there are 12 songs on the album. Each song tells, or completes, a chapter in the book. I should mention that I put a lot of effort into writing the lyrics. It had to have a structure that ran parallel to the story's plot. In the end, I can confidently say I'm satisfied with that. Then the melodies and harmonies began to emerge, the chord progressions took shape. I especially want to emphasize that it wasn't easy, as I wanted the songs to be in the style of the Progressive Rock. They had to evoke the 70s while also being adaptable to modern times. Mind you, nowadays you can make a song with just a couple of beats. Thinking about it now, it seems absurd. 50 years later, the point we've reached isn't exactly great. Anyway, let them make and sell their own music, it doesn't concern us. In short, I love the music made in the 70s, and I tried to create something that's a tribute to it, but also a bit modern.
I should mention that it was the result of a difficult and lengthy process, even with AI tools. Because no matter how many recordings you make and upload, how many chord progressions you determine, and how each instrument plays, there are still many things you can't control. If you want it to be close to what you want, you have to recreate each song many times, I realized that. In the end, I haven't quite achieved what I had in mind, but I'm happy with the result. I also wanted to add something of myself to the vocal part, so I recorded my terrible voice, digitally tweaked it a bit, and added it. Oh, and there's this: I produced so many tracks for this project that I couldn't choose between some of them. While deciding between this and that, I realized I had enough recordings to make two albums. I initially compiled 12 tracks from The Dark Throne - A Tale of Crown and Shadow. Then, I selected another track that I thought was just as good. I uploaded that to YouTube as The Dark Throne - A Tale of Crown and Shadow Alternative Version. You know that whether you like it or not is irrelevant if I don't know why. So, I'd appreciate it if you could briefly explain your reasons in the comments.
