[adamfarr]

Anyone remember the alternative TV themes challenge, from sometime last century I think? This "ambitious" contribution seems like it’s taken forever to produce but here it is, finally.

Thanks to the multifaceted @5guys Named Lars who never asked to be part of this but he (they) and I were chatting and he sent me various ideas and a very jazzy middle8 progression, to contrast with the not very jazzy rest.

Lyrically, I decided to concentrate on the Irene Adler character and some of Sherlock's less heroic sides (as I think Benedict Cufmhsoubxoisfchd's Sherlock does).

For musical inspiration I tried to ask myself how Camille Saint-Saëns must have felt when asked to write the theme for Jonathan Creek. Sherlock of course played violin and so could only be accompanied by a string quartet. I tried to inject some urgency and "chasiness" into the backing (and a key change, hurrah!). For a TV theme it seemed important to kick off with a relatively big chorus and to keep the whole thing short and punchy.

For this I didn’t really like the BBC Symphony strings - they are a huge orchestra with too many voices, and so for most parts I went back to the Sonivox Orchestral Companion which I think sounds “woodier” and less smooth (still a bit much for a string quartet but closer I think).

I decided to keep the traditional left to right panning of the string quartet. This does take the “bass” (cello) way out to the right which isn't very modern, but makes everything feel wider and roomier. As a curiosity, I used two free Black Friday plugins on the lead vocal: CLA Echosphere (just the slap delay) and Fresh Air (just a bit of middle and even less high).

So thanks for bearing with me while I catch up with last year’s competitions. Yet again, I have ambitions of being very productive this year...

All constructive and specific comments much appreciated!


The Only One (Alternative Sherlock Theme)

CH
The only one, who threw me off my case
The only one, who drew me to a different chase
The only one, who played outside the rules like me
The only one, who made men into fools like me
 
V1
I’m a missile not a battleship
My radar softens with companionship
I’ve come to tolerate fraternity
Romance was never of much use to me
 
CH
 
V2
Addiction sitting like a ticking bomb
I need immorality to keep me strong
Bored of being the smartest in the room
Temptation comes to fill the vacuum
 
M8
Domination,
Deception and drugs
Harlots and hounds
Detectives and thugs
What this city needs
Is a mistress and master
Who’ve got what it takes
To handle each other
 
FINAL CH:
Fools like me, you threw us off the case
Fools like me, you drew us to a different chase
Fools like me, never normally confused
Fools like me, I never understood your clues
The only one...

(c) Adam Farr / Chris Underwood 2021

[Paulski]

Hi Adam et al
Well this is different from you
I like the hook repetition and your vocals get better every song.
Interesting how it's all orchestral - gives it a beatly vibe which is nice.
I can also hear it as a rocker so the song has legs as they say.
Enjoyed the listen!
Paul

[pompeyjazz]

@adamfarr @5 guys named Lars This is fabulous. Those Sonix strings sound really good. Like you say, the BBC stuff is maybe too big. Lovely acoustic guitar and great vocals. Really interesting to hear you do a string arrangement. How did you find it ? Super stuff both

[montydog]

Hello @adamfarr
I think the lyrics are very clever and have some lovely Holmes references. The string arrangement is fabulous - Beatlesesque as someone has said. Vocally I'm wondering if a lower key may have been better, It sounds to me like you were right at the top of your register for too much of the time which made it sound like it was an effort rather than comfortable. Some voices sound great when pushed but I don't think your does. The song itself is great though.
M

[Wicked Deeds]

Wonderful!  super beginning and then the immediate engaging lyrics.  The lyrics are not quite as serious as the musical backing but they make for a delightful song.  Musically I think the string arrangement is really good and I could easily hear this an an introduction or ending to the tv show.   


It's great to hear your willingness to embrace different genres and your desire to explore musical ideas.

Cool!

I

[MichaelA]

Hi Adam, some people will be saying ‘late? what is he is late for? ..Challenge, what challenge is this?’

But I remember...just about. The old challenges are the best after all. We’ve done three since this one, did you notice? 

Anyhow...very jaunty and entertaining. Brave sticking to just the strings but of course it suited the subject matter very well. I like some of your delicate motifs, I was going to call them riffs, but far too common for this gentleman’s arrangement. Very good arrangement at that, very Musicals musical - could be a light interval in something like Les Mis...

The chorus is memorable for sure, so would suit a TV theme, and your vocal is almost humble English eccentric ...suiting Sherlock except for the humble bit.

Entertaining and smart lyrics too. Nice key change. Super entry overall.

I did think the M8 distracted a bit from the jaunty momentum. Maybe some double time rhythm in there might help?

As a side comment, I liked your strings pack. Quite realistic for midi. And you layered up your orchestra admirably well

[ChrisPrice]

An amazing piece of music. And, yes, it would certainly work as a TV theme. I don't use strings a great deal but I'm fascinated at how real they sound here. I can't offer any crits as this isn't really the sort of music I would usually listen to - that's not meant to sound derisory in any way, but this is incredibly well done. I wouldn't know where to start putting something like this together.

[5 guys named Lars]

Always chuffed to get a credit but to be fair to @adamfarr this is very much his song. He played me his demo before Xmas & the basic song was almost the same as it is now so God knows what I did!? 
I do like it very much & I love Adams orchestral work. I was also impressed by the preparation Adam made while writing the song..he goes into amazing detail about the characters & the mood he wants to create. I wish I wasn`t such a lazy bastard. 
Very nice song Adam..great job. 

[Neil C]

Adam,
lots to like her, great. ambition and you pulled it off.
Cool lyrics as every and a supportive soundscape.
Nice one. Convinced me to buy the strings!!!!
:-)
Neil

[kevysc]

@adamfarr Very clever piece, some great strings and super arrangement. Nice vocals too.

 On my (admittedly not very good) headphones, the strings sound a little too separated (i.e. high left, low right) and it might be worth playing around with the panning.

However, that's a small nit ... really nice original work

Cheers, Kevin

[IronKnee]

I loved the New Holms cast and stories!!
So I had to give a listen.

Terrific...........love the strings, and the lyrics are good.
Tremendous fun, and put a big grin on my face.........despite the drug addiction reference.
Good stuff,
                           -T

[Jamie]

@adamfarr
Hi Adam, very nice arrangement and some striking chord changes in there too. Strings sounded very authentic, well done, not that easy imho. As someone said before your singing performances are improving with every outing. And, as I think I've said before your production skills are improving all the time.

Very good!

Cheers

Jamie

[adamfarr]

Thanks everyone - this was a labour of love indeed (started in November) and I was pleased with how it came out (and how it went down).

@Jamie thanks so much glad you picked out the chord progression - I do like to go outside the diatonic chords a bit if I can

@ironknee  many thanks - I quite like the way he is a (very) flawed hero; perhaps a PG rating?

@kevysc I know what you mean about the panning but without anything else in the picture I decided I quite liked the separation. Many thanks for the comments!

@Neil C - thanks for the comments - I think you'll really like the strings, the sounds are good and lots of articulations to play with

@5 guys named Lars - well that middle 8 is definitely yours! And a few of the lyrics. Thanks for your contributions and comments - I do make it hard work for myself

@ChrisPrice great comments, many thanks - not my normal indie rock bag for sure but the forum challenges are a great opportunity to try something different

@MichaelA - many thanks for the detailed comments - I like the middle8 as a contrast to the choruses but perhaps it's not the "highlight" that it could be. Always a tough one.

@Wicked Deeds thanks for the compliments and encouragement which mean a lot coming from someone with your high standards

@montydog thanks for the review and glad you mostly liked it - I have to say it felt comfortable to sing but my voice is always a work in progress, I know. Inching forwards!

@pompeyjazz many thanks indeed - yes the strings did take a long time to work out. Fun and amazing what we can do nowadays (and all the more impressive the George Martins who didn't have all these tools)

@Paulski - a rocker eh? I never really thought of that but why not? thanks for the great comments.


Thanks to everyone who listened and/or commented - sorry it didn't really happen for the challenge itself but got there in the end.
 

[Viscount Cramer & His Orchestra]

Well Adam it's certainly very catchy. I was hooked on that chorus by the end.
Great work on the strings...I was also a bit knocked by the high/low panning at first but got right into it in the end. As you say it fills it all out a lot here where ther's not loads else in the space.
And those strings sound good too!
I got those Sonivox strings the same time as you did but never used them for anything in the end. They're not bad though are they? Especially for a few quid!
Nice work on this.

[MonnoDB]

Very dramatic @adamfarr and @5 guys named Lars Really like what you did with the strings - a fab build through the piece and very imaginative and interesting to build the whole thing with strings and vocal - and brave. It certainly paid off.

Lyrics are super! Wordy is right up my street 😁😁. Fab! Production sounds great to me too. (Love what you did with  ‘ Vacuum ‘)

Great stuff!

K