Breakthough - I get the point of "The Suite" now.

A while back, I had commented on the "End of the World" suite (I'm referring to my piece, just to be clear, which is on the music page), saying "There are aspects of each movement I don't like, plus, I'm still trying to decide what I actually want the sound of the suite to be as a whole." Obviously the second movement is the one that needed the most work, so I planned to re-write it first, but had ideas in general for how I'd want to redesign the first movement. Well, the other day I cracked a musical idea for it that works really well, and will expand it from the little short ditty it is into a full-blown piece in its own right. Plus, I think I'll challenge myself and actually do lyrics in it for once - it's high time I broke that ice and started writing actual songs. Plus, it's kind of important for the re-working I had in mind - from a love piece to a more remorseful one, dealing with acceptance and moving forwards. It's more powerful and more meaningful a theme, especially for me to be able to connect with (for reasons that should be obvious).

So once I had my idea I started thinking about how I could more neatly tie together the piece as a whole. In my head, I devised several ways I could connect the second movement with the first and last, and there's a couple different ways I can do this, and I'm excited about getting started on it. So I figured, okay, so let's think of some of the things I know I want to do with the first movement - I know I want to go a bit more minimalist with it while at the same time emphasizing/infusing the piece with a more electronic vibe. Then I thought, well, another thing I want to do is replace the percussion loops with original beats, always a fun challenge for me and allows me to, I dunno, feel more independent about it by knowing that I composed everything and the only thing tying it with GB is the fact that it's MIDI. Then I thought, well, that's going to be pretty hard, since this piece needs a kind of specific beat in order to "sound" right.

Then I thought, well, why not just replace the percussion with synthesized/electronic percussion as a whole, since I wanted to do some more sampley/technoey things with it anyway. But, I debated, that would remove the only connection that movement has with rock? This was already one of my biggest concerns with the piece - it didn't have enough rock elements.
Then I realized - it doesn't matter. The third movement has it covered and then some.
And then I realized - oh my god. The point of this piece is to tie three distinct styles together into one. Three distinct sounds - electric panic, thoughtful and beautiful vocals, and determined rock.
AND THEN I REALIZED.
OH.
THE END OF THE WORLD SUITE IS A METAPHOR FOR A BREAKUP.
DUH.

And it all makes sense now. We all know a broken heart feels like the end of the world, and that's what the first movement represents - the point when everything falls apart. It's chaotic. It's the "event" in our apocalypse. Second piece represents the period of retreat and self-reevaluation. It's our survivors picking up the pieces and re-evaluating their world. Third piece is our survivors, determined, getting out there and kicking ass with newfound determination. And it all ties together and makes sense.

So I've found the muse behind the suite, and really, it was waiting there for me all along, I just had to discover it.

So I think you know what you can expect next. The whole suite is getting a makeover in a big way - going for a *dramatic* re-interpretation of Ordo Ab Chao - an expansion on the second movement so significant it might as well be called a brand new song (and will probably be retitled. I'm thinking "I'm Moving On."), and probably retouching the third movement again, just cuz, you know, I can. :)

Peece.