Excellence in Music and Worship
Original Musical Compositions and Thoughts on Worship
This is a piece I wrote for a friend for his wedding, performed by his brother, Nathaniel Carter and the Lone Star Brass Quintet. It combines the simple melody of a contemporary pop song with a Renaissance-like accompaniment of the brass, with linear diatonicism.
This was one of my first acapella choir carol arrangements, written for my church’s annual Christmas service.
This work extends the story of a cowboy’s journey to rustle his cattle in the midst of a West Texas thunderstorm.
The original work, Débandade, for string quartet, was written to commemorate the transfer of the Tom Lea painting, ‘Stampede’ to the Ellen Noel Art Museum in Odessa, Texas.
The piece was extended to include two more movements, written for triple string quartet and string orchestra, depicting the cowboy’s long walk home and fiddle dance as he shares his story with his friends and family that evening around the campfire.
I. Débandade
II. Périple
III. Danse
This is an arrangement, or, as I like to call an essay, using the theme of this famous hymn.
(Click here to purchase the string quartet score, the string orchestra score, or the MP3.)
This is an arrangement, or, as I like to call it, an essay, using the theme of the famous hymn to create this short composition.
(Click here to purchase the string quartet score, string orchestra score, or MP3.)
Through-composed
Now that I have conducted several looping experiments with the Integrated Frequency system, this is a short through-composed (non-looping) composition.
The first section is in R20 (essentially the key of E), using the full spectrum of the 30-note scale. The middle section is in R30 (the key of B), again using the full scale-range. The final section returns to R20, however, the ending chord cadences on B Major, while the ending low note is E.
The first and last sections are in 75BPM, congruent with the R20 scale, while the middle section is in 56.25BPM, congruent with the R30 scale.
I endeavored to use interesting aspects of the overtone scale, such as melodic microtonal gestures, contrapuntal chromaticism and harmonic motion.
(For more information, please see my article Integrated Frequency)
Microtonal 2
In this experiment I used the same ascending and descending scaler pattern in multiple related overtone scales. In each 30-node scale, I used the upper partials to create the microtonality.
In the R5 family, I used R5, R10, R20, R40, R80, and R120 in 75BPM and 150BPM, from their respective tempo family. The root tempo of this family is whole-note = 18.75 (.3125Hz).
In a related branch from that group, I used R30 in 112.5BPM and 225BPM, its respective tempo family. This family is derived by multiplying the above 18.75 x 3.
I also used R35 and R70, another branch from the R5 family in 131.25BPM, its tempo family. This family is derived by multiplying the above 18.75 x 7.
I hoped to create a ‘whirring’ of scales against each other, all related, yet in their own distinct families, like branches off the trunk of a tree.
Polyrhythms and polytonalities are created by the scaler interactions.
(For more information, please see my article Integrated Frequency)
Microtonal Melody - Microtonal 1
This experiment was designed to showcase microtonality as ornamentation. In traditional performance, we use vibrato, portamento/shifting, and even intonation differences to shape a diatonic or chromatic line. These are all uses of microtonality in our traditional Western tradition.
I wanted to take that concept one step further, using the upper partials of the microtonal scale, R20 in ornamentation and melody.
Underneath the melody, using harmonies derived from the central nodes of the R20 scale, I created a progression to accompany the melody.
Aesthetically, I attempted to give some ‘personality’ to the melody by manipulating the attack time of the synth’s ADSR remotely. The melody declares, ‘I’m weird, but I have something important I want to say.’
I also, with a controller, manipulated the first partial of the additive synth I built, to create vibrato (LFO) in the voice, for the accompanying harmony part.
(For more information, see my article Integrated Frequency)
Diatonic, Chromatic, Microtonal Serial
This experiment deals with the same 10-note pattern used in the Chromatic/Serial example above, in three sections of the overtone scale: 1) the lowest ten nodes [diatonic/harmonic], 2) the middle ten nodes [chromatic], and 3) the highest ten nodes [microtonal]. Using the same pattern in each of the sections created the same contour of the theme, but not the same intervals, since the intervallic differences of the lowest ten notes are wide and the intervallic differences of the highest ten are much smaller.
What I found interesting is that the motif could be recognizable, even feeling like an exact reflection, when comparing it against each of the three ranges. The intervallic differences between each of the ranges of the scale didn’t seem to alter the recognizability of the pattern.
From this experiment, perhaps a new way of dealing with motivic development can be obtained: what I call ‘motive ballooning.’ Consider drawing a motif on the outside of a balloon with a marker. Then blow the balloon full of air, and the written motif expands. Let the air out a little, and the motif shrinks, etc. The motif is still recognizable, even though the size of the intervals change.
In this piece, I used two different tempos in the family of R20, 75BPM and 120BPM, so each of the three parts of the R20 scale had eight versions of the motif: Prime, Inversion, Retrograde, Retrograde/Inversion in 75BPM and 150BPM. This, all in all, gave me a total of 24 different versions of the motif, each of them only used once, in the traditional serialist ethos.
Even though serialism is employed, each of the three sections of the overtone scale are harmonically and tonally congruent, as all notes exist inside the same overtone scale. Harmony and Melody or, one could say, Vertical and Horizontal properties are one and the same.
(For more information, please see my article Integrated Frequency)
Melody
This is a single melodic line, stretching over the span of a several-octave overtone scale. Using the melody canonically in R40, R60, R120, R160, and R200, the lines create counterpoint against each other.
R60 and R40 are related. R40, in this instance represents tonic and R60 represents Dominant.
(For more information, please see my article, Integrated Frequency)
Harmony
In this experiment I took a traditional harmonic progression derived from a single overtone scale, in an arpeggiated pattern, and distributed it to other related overtone scales, in their corresponding tempo families.
I used R40, R120, R160, and R200 in their tempo family of 75BPM and 150BMP. I used R60 and R120 in their tempo family of 112.5BPM.
The corresponding relationships created by the harmonic progression in multiple overtone scales and corresponding tempos creates polytonality and polytempo.
I kept R60 in 75BPM to experiment with a Tonic/Dominant relationship between the two instances of R40, then R60. R60 is derived from the 3rd overtone of the root frequency of .3125Hz. The third overtone is the ‘fifth’ scale degree. So, the chord progression was played in R40 (Tonic), then it was played in R60 (Dominant) in the same tempo, then finally back to R40 (Tonic).
Rhythm/Bass
This was an experiment in two different overtone scale/rhythms: R5/R10 against R30/R60. The familiar rock style is challenged by the convergence of the two tempos and scales, creating polytonal and polytempo moments.
Only two compositional components were used to create this piece: a bass pattern and a rhythm pattern.
(For more information, please see my article, Integrated Frequency)
A Bit ‘O Jazz (for Chamber Ensemble)
This was my first attempt at ‘serious’ composition. I wrote it when I was around 13 years old for my Junior High School Orchestra. I wasn’t asked to write it, I just thought that if I had enough initiative to write for the group, the director would elect to perform it, or at least read it.
My naivete brought me some initial disappointment from the director of the ensemble. He had other plans for how he wanted to budget the rehearsal time for the group.
However, since I played in the Midland-Odessa Symphony at the time, the resident String Quartet and a couple other musicians told me they would be glad to read it for me after one of our rehearsals, which is the recording posted here.
This was my first journey into the world of composing and the rewarding feeling that comes from getting a group to play one’s work, along with the thrill of capturing the recording.
Hope you enjoy it!
This is a composition for acapella choir, using the famous text from the Bible, as Mary greeted Elizabeth. (Lk. 1:46-55) The miracle of The Seed being placed in her womb, the Word becoming flesh, Heaven touching earth is even more astounding knowing that it happened to a young girl who was unsuspecting of her destiny to bear the Child Who would be the Savior of the world.
This was a live performance by the Odessa Christian Faith Center choir, directed by Stephanie Carter, Christmas Eve 2021.
Hope you enjoy!
Movement 1
Movement 2
Movement 3
Movement 4
This is an experiment in modulation between the three overtone series ‘keys’ of R30 (B), R20 (E), and R22.5 (F#). There are chord progression sequences that can be made within a single overtone scale, as shown by previous experiments. In this experiment, however, I seek to expand the harmonic possibilities by essentially creating a tonic, dominant, and subdominant framework.
In addition to the above concept, I added a 12-note chromatic line, developed with the common serialism components of Prime, Retrograde, Inversion, and Retrograde/Inversion.
As the keys shift, the tempi and 12-tone lines also shift. Since the 12-tone line is derived directly from the same overtone series of its underlying harmonies, we see that serialism and harmony can co-exist.
In this work, tempo, harmony, and chromatic serialism are compatible and congruent.
This experiment, using Integrated Frequency, is an exploration into harmonic progressions both within the overtone series itself, as well as modulation to other overtone series following the circle of fifths derived from the original series of R20 (root 20 Hz). (More to come on this process in Integrated Frequency II ).
In this short piece, six overtone series are used, along with their corresponding tempos. The tempos are also in relationship to one another ‘by fifths’ if you will, following the same sequence. Within each key, harmonies are derived in their own progression. Think of it as a harmonic progression inside another harmonic progression.
The point to this experiment is to show the subtle intonation differences between the keys as they modulate from one to another. Everything is inter-related to R20, which creates cohesiveness, even though there are multiple microtonal shifts.
Hope you enjoy!
This is an experiment in modulation between the key/tempos of R40 (eighth-note = 150) and R27.5 (eighth-note = 206.25). The melody, harmony, and tempo all shift from one key to the other, alternating back and forth, from zone to zone. Creating tuplets in the melody, also gives rhythmic dimensionality to the changing tempi.
More information: Integrated Frequency
Hope you enjoy!
This experiment deals with thematic materials used from Integrated Frequency 1: ‘Full-range Melody’. However, in this case, the melodic phrase is used in three different keys: F#, B, and E. Each key is derived from within the global root of R20. The corresponding tempi relating to each key is as follows:
F# = 168.75BPM
B = 112.5BPM
E = 150BPM
The tempo/scale relationships formed between each of the parts create a macro-polyrhythm of 9:12:16 as the melodies repeat. Each of the relationships constantly change as they inter-weave with one another.
Hope you enjoy!
Here is a version of Gelukkig I made with the East West Symphonic Library. The many textures and articulations necessary for this work to be successfully produced maximized the software’s capability.
Hope you enjoy it.