Full-length LotR Parody Movies

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

The one thing I did flag is that Curufin's music starts very quietly. Is that deliberate, to put the emphasis on the vocals? The silent beat (is it an entire bar?) I can use to fade him ominously in, so no quibble there.

hS

The pause is an arbitrary length between the end of one recording and the start of another. We can make it as long or short as is pleasing and/or makes sense with the visuals.

Part of why Cur's part sounds quiet is that it's a transition from a multi-instrument fff to a mere couple-instrument f. I clearly did not spend enough time listening to these in sequence, it sounded moderately loud without the comparison. If you like it, I'll leave it as is, or give the first downbeat a little more strength. I did deliberately take out some jazzy details I had initially, going for a simpler start to allow the vocals to stand out more (this is also what a bunch of the performances do), but the volume was not really thought out. Let me know what you prefer there for singing to it, or for the feel in general.

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

The pause is an arbitrary length between the end of one recording and the start of another. We can make it as long or short as is pleasing and/or makes sense with the visuals.

I'd say it's a bit long at the moment; watching the 2014 show, Cur's part comes almost immediately after Finrod's long note finally fades off.

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Part of why Cur's part sounds quiet is that it's a transition from a multi-instrument fff to a mere couple-instrument f. I clearly did not spend enough time listening to these in sequence, it sounded moderately loud without the comparison. If you like it, I'll leave it as is, or give the first downbeat a little more strength. I did deliberately take out some jazzy details I had initially, going for a simpler start to allow the vocals to stand out more (this is also what a bunch of the performances do), but the volume was not really thought out. Let me know what you prefer there for singing to it, or for the feel in general.

Given that it wasn't deliberate, I have no qualms about suggesting making it stronger/louder. ^_~

hS

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

I'd say it's a bit long at the moment; watching the 2014 show, Cur's part comes almost immediately after Finrod's long note finally fades off.

That's what is would have been, if we played everything in one file at one speed. So we seem to be on the same page here. The pause now is artificial, because it's two connected recordings, but there is absolutely no issue cropping out more of it on Audacity.

Originally Posted by Hui

Given that it wasn't deliberate, I have no qualms about suggesting making it stronger/louder. ^_~

Will do! Also on the to-do mental list for myself not to forget, fix the intro so that it doesn't sound like a broken police siren. And get a move on with the next part.

[Galadriel55]

Some to-do's attended to. Any updates for that list of things to fix? (Slash are they actually fixed or do they need more fixing?)

(I am really excited that RL is finally coming together, and this song is moving forward)

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Some to-do's attended to. Any updates for that list of things to fix? (Slash are they actually fixed or do they need more fixing?)

(I am really excited that RL is finally coming together, and this song is moving forward)

My brain is frazzled, so I can't say whether it's fixed, but I can offer a performance:

Progress 3, sung

Finrod's second verse is an utter Frankenstein of recordings, I had to mash together about six different clips, but see previous comments on brain-frazzle. I could have re-recorded most of them to avoid the errors.

The one thing I've noticed is physically impossible is taking a breath on the "through your messes! / You alone" and "neither bards nor warriors / We're bound in Song" line transitions; there's literally no time (unless I'm mis-parsing the tune). Which is probably fine for a professional singer, it's only a couple of lines; in my case it means there's likely to always be a second clip snuck in there.

hS

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

The one thing I've noticed is physically impossible is taking a breath on the "through your messes! / You alone" and "neither bards nor warriors / We're bound in Song" line transitions; there's literally no time (unless I'm mis-parsing the tune). Which is probably fine for a professional singer, it's only a couple of lines; in my case it means there's likely to always be a second clip snuck in there.

Hmm, yes, I can see that problem. Unless the beat is broken to speed up the first line, there's very little space for breath.

Three options that I see:
1) What you said above - patch multiple recordings if needed, no shame in that. The way I see it, if we are gonna do this by recording rather than anything resembling live performance, we might as well pick the best bits of the best recordings for the final take, who cares if it's not one single take.
2) Slow the whole thing down. I think it can tolerate being a little slower without losing momentum, but not by much. An option to consider.
3) I can add a blank bar in there. There are some performances that add blank bars in the middle of Feanorion parts throughout the musical - especially the slower and "heavier" rock/metal versions like this tactic. I am personally not a fan of the really slow pace and lyric breaks, I feel that they take away the momentum and rage without adding anything of value. However, I am willing to experiment with this if you think a break in this spot in the music would make life significantly easier.


Listening to the recording, I feel like the end of Finrod's bit ("in songs to be --- if you love me still") is odd. Almost like I have an extra bar of music there by accident. I am not quite sure what's going on or why it feels weird. The equivalent Feanorion part, with the same number of beats, sounds fine. Did it sound weird to you as well? I'll have to take a closer look tomorrow.


I have to say, I really appreciate you doing "progress" singing recordings. It sounds different sung out loud than it does in my head, and helps with the editing with some practical feedback. In previous songs too.

[Galadriel55]

Gettin' the swing of it - literally, and all that jazz. Perhaps with an epic movie there at the end. I have been enjoying this greatly, and dancing along to the "I have words to say" stanza. ^.^ This one is mostly as an update, but feedback welcome as always and I'll try to incorporate it as I write / edit. I haven't done anything yet to the timing of the breathless lines, but the options still stand.

[Huinesoron]

Right back at you!

Actual out-loud comment after listening to this through: "God that's a good song." ^_^

I've thrown a few tweaks into the words along the way, and may have allowed Curufin to play with the tune a little on his 'to death you'll go' (I can't help it - response lines always make me playful).

I've also discovered I was talking utter rubbish about the breathless lines; they're perfectly doable and should not be changed. I think I was tired last time, it's just a matter of making sure to steal a breath at the previous break, and not being afraid to push to the end of it.

I've looked back at the "songs to be / if you love me still" gap. It often catches me out while singing it, but actually listening sounds absolutely fine.

Still no video; I'm having too much fun singing it!

hS

[Galadriel55]

I have to apologize for the long wait. Initially I expected to have something new to post in "a few days", which dragged out on an on. Unfortunately, with a lot of RL stuff piling up, I haven't even been able to open the music file since a day or two after that last post. I know I will not be able to work on it much over the next two weeks, and my goal was to finish by this week - but that's just not going to happen realistically. This is gonna have to be bumped to the new year. I'm sorry about the long delay.



We are on the same brainwave with the response lines here. It's like they're not so much singing as articulating in tune. And I recall thinking that that style might also work well for the part where the bros berate Finrod, and I think I was planning to succumb to the jazzy style and give them a walking bassline for that section instead of the melody... when I get there. Uuugh, I wish I could just do it right now.

[Galadriel55]

...And I made it to the end before 2020 is out! (in my time zone at least)

The penultimate link

Not quite final, as I think the end can be a tad more dramatic, and I'm not sure if the transition to Quarrel would best go here or in the beginning of the next piece. But I made it to the end of the lyrics and that is exciting!

I feel that this was a bipolar sort of song for me, swinging from not being able to come up with anything workable to some sort of musical mania where I had to persuade myself that putting in a waltz countermelody just because I can is not necessarily a good idea. Anyways, I really loved doing it, especially the jazzy parts. I feel that this is another piece where a lot of the musical decorations will be lost once the voice is added (which is expected, and ok) - so I'm really enjoying it for now while it's still bare.


Happy New Year to all!

[Galadriel55]

Sorry for the triple post, I think the last for the next little while.

Renunciation - final

Touched up the opening and the ending, and the middle seems to be working too. Let me know if there are any spots that need adjustment (warning - occasional key changes which I am not sure I did right, so let me know if it sounds odd to you), but otherwise I think I'm happy with this as the final version of this piece as a stand-alone. It's possible to make the transition to Quarrel to overlap directly with the last hanging note, to make it very smooth, but that would probably make videoing more difficult and is also probably not really necessary to still connect the two once we put them together.

Whoa! I really love this song. It's become so danceable. However, much as I love to chair-dance along to the bros, I vote for "I wish no revenge etc" as my favourite moment.

How do you feel about jazzy Cel&Cur? Should we keep them for Quarrel, or return back to a saner version of the characters which do not threaten to tap-dance across Nargothrond's caves?

[Huinesoron]

Yessssss. Happy new year to you too!

This is a fantastic song - it just keeps getting zippier! It's no surprise that I couldn't resist throwing together a draft sung version as soon as possible:

The Renunciation of Jazz

I'm not at all certain I've got everything in either the right place or the right tune, so please tell me if anything's off! It all needs rerecording to get the voices right anyway.

Seriously well done - it's a difficult song and you made it shine.

I vote for keeping the Dancing Feanorians if it's appropriate. It makes me imagine a danced staging of the show, where they each come in and take a turn with Finrod before ending up in a hectic spiral with one another while he slow-dances off with Beren. (Be grateful I know nothing about dancing or I would be roughing this version out already!)

hS

[Galadriel55]

Apologies for the delay in response, it was because I was waiting for an evening when I could could make this to toss back. ^.^ I can't let you have all the fun. Unfortunately I only had time for two goes, one for the second Feanorian and one for everything else on a single breath, so you can guess how it went. But it's so fun to sing!!! I spent the first couple evenings just listening to your recording, it's fantastic - I can't wait for the "real" copy!

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

This is a fantastic song - it just keeps getting zippier! It's no surprise that I couldn't resist throwing together a draft sung version as soon as possible

Love it love it love it!

Originally Posted by Hui

I'm not at all certain I've got everything in either the right place or the right tune, so please tell me if anything's off! It all needs rerecording to get the voices right anyway.

Definitely the right place, and I think the right tune too! :-) The only spot I think is not in tune is "there's no blood on my hands, they're clear" - that's one of the confusing chord changes I was talking about, and I am not sure whether I played it correctly, but the way it's written it's higher than the corresponding line in the first and last stanzas (the same as "I bare my soul", but I think that one is in tune with the instrumental). Ugh, it will be fine regardless - it's awesome!

And the only line that I think could be done differently is "Won't you go along". I wrote it as a sort of drawl, and I think musically it doesn't work out as well if the speed is kept normal. The call-back can either go on top of it, or after - I think there are several options here, just didn't have time to play around with it. Do you prefer it back at a "normal speed"? That's fairly easily done, just two bars to modify. It's just that the notes don't match up to the normal speed lyrics, and it would bug me for the rest of time if I don't fix it to match. Or if you like the drawl, we keep it as is. Seriously, please do let me know if you think any place needs adjusting.

Originally Posted by Hui

I vote for keeping the Dancing Feanorians if it's appropriate. It makes me imagine a danced staging of the show, where they each come in and take a turn with Finrod before ending up in a hectic spiral with one another while he slow-dances off with Beren. (Be grateful I know nothing about dancing or I would be roughing this version out already!)

Oh no. This made me imagine different dancing styles for the different characters, debating how well swing would look like on the bros - and of course Thingol has to ballet onto the stage in full ballet gear to break up the sweet couple, and that's not an image that I particularly wanted stuck in my head. o.O


But I haven't been completely idle: The Bickering Brothers, coming soon. (basically, samples of all the melodies with their chords - hurrah for simple songs with repeating chords and no key changes!) Mainly, a check for singability (not too high or low?), and for speed. Right now it's a bit slower than Renunciation was. The issue is Thingol: if the song is too quick, he ends up tongue-twisting (V1); if it's too slow, he ends up drawn out (the rock versions, especially those that put extra break bars after each line, ugh). The solution is of course to just record at different speeds, like the intro in Renunciation - but out of curiosity I looked through a handful of performances and they all maintain the same tempo, which seems to also work for most (V1 ends up slowing down a bit, Thingol is on the verge of not being able to pronounce anything). Also out of curiosity, I just tried to sing Thingol along to V1, and it's possible - though would take a bit of practice to enunciate at that pace. The other considerations would probably be how it flows following Renunciation, and the the faster Feanorian bits (I tend to tongue twist on "kid, you must be joking" if going fast). Do you have a preference for how fast we should go here? I detest the drawn out break bars in all the songs, they slow everything down far too much and I would rather not do those, but I am fine with both a fast and moderately paced Thingol. At this time, the speed is almost exactly matched with V2 Thingol but a touch slower than in the Renunciation accompaniment - to use for reference.

[Galadriel55]

I did something really stupid. I told myself this morning, I will do some music, and when it stops coming easy I will transition to doing work. 10 hours later, I have a choice between finally getting a tiny bit of work done, cook some food, or trying to sing it. Guess what I chose.

I haven't forgotten about Quarrel, this was only supposed to be a couple hour side thing while I was in the mood for the grotesque. But this preliminary (and off tune, sorry!) version shows I need to rethink some of my impromptu harmony in the middle before doing a proper recording.

I will so regret my epic procrastination... But it was also so worth it.

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Apologies for the delay in response, it was because I was waiting for an evening when I could could make this to toss back. ^.^ I can't let you have all the fun. Unfortunately I only had time for two goes, one for the second Feanorian and one for everything else on a single breath, so you can guess how it went. But it's so fun to sing!!! I spent the first couple evenings just listening to your recording, it's fantastic - I can't wait for the "real" copy!

^_^ ^_^ ^_^ That's fantastic. There's a few lines I'm going to steal for my own version (I can't remember which now, but rest assured it will be done). I'm currently working on the video, and will re-record at some point to match it.

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Definitely the right place, and I think the right tune too! :-) The only spot I think is not in tune is "there's no blood on my hands, they're clear" - that's one of the confusing chord changes I was talking about, and I am not sure whether I played it correctly, but the way it's written it's higher than the corresponding line in the first and last stanzas (the same as "I bare my soul", but I think that one is in tune with the instrumental). Ugh, it will be fine regardless - it's awesome!

And the only line that I think could be done differently is "Won't you go along". I wrote it as a sort of drawl, and I think musically it doesn't work out as well if the speed is kept normal. The call-back can either go on top of it, or after - I think there are several options here, just didn't have time to play around with it. Do you prefer it back at a "normal speed"? That's fairly easily done, just two bars to modify. It's just that the notes don't match up to the normal speed lyrics, and it would bug me for the rest of time if I don't fix it to match. Or if you like the drawl, we keep it as is. Seriously, please do let me know if you think any place needs adjusting.

I'll take a look at all these, but I don't think anything needs to be done to the instrumental.

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Oh no. This made me imagine different dancing styles for the different characters, debating how well swing would look like on the bros - and of course Thingol has to ballet onto the stage in full ballet gear to break up the sweet couple, and that's not an image that I particularly wanted stuck in my head. o.O

Yesssssss. Though I can only imagine the look on Melian's face as he pirouettes around her.

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

The Bickering Brothers, coming soon.

Took me a couple of tries to find the melody, but once I did I think it works. I haven't recorded it though.

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

I did something really stupid. I told myself this morning, I will do some music, and when it stops coming easy I will transition to doing work. 10 hours later, I have a choice between finally getting a tiny bit of work done, cook some food, or trying to sing it. Guess what I chose.

It sounds like a weird twisted Christmas song; if you ignore the actual lyrics, the minions sound like little Christmas elves talking to Santa. I love it!

hS

[Huinesoron]

And having stolen the computer back over lunch, I've finally managed to get this done:

Renunciation of Nargothrond: The Animated Classic

I firmly resisted the urge to have Cel'n'Cur bouncing around the screen, though they do get the most animated entrances yet. I'm positively bouncing along to this one still. ^_^

As ever, any tweaks to the singing or animation let me know - I did my best on the recording, but there's always room for improvement!

Can't wait to see what's up next - I either get to continue the Madcap Feanorions, or break out Sauron again. It's a win-win!

hS

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

And having stolen the computer back over lunch, I've finally managed to get this done:

Renunciation of Nargothrond: The Animated Classic

Squeeeee!

...And oooh, the crown! *dies*

Originally Posted by Hui

As ever, any tweaks to the singing or animation let me know - I did my best on the recording, but there's always room for improvement!

It's fantastic! I think my favourite singing part is the back-and-forth fight in the middle. And the favourite animated part goes to the crown! It's just so perfectly drawn and placed with Finrod fading out - brilliant! (Second favourite is the Feanorions' appearance)

If you really wanna tweak it in the sense of "Why only an A when it could be an A+", the only place I might look at is Finrod's opening stanza, in particular "to arms, people". All the stuff in the middle, the fighting and all, sounds amazing! And the ending is perfect, singing and animation and all.

I'm gonna go rewatch it again, for like the 10th time now.

Originally Posted by Hui

Can't wait to see what's up next - I either get to continue the Madcap Feanorions, or break out Sauron again. It's a win-win!

Any preference? They're both lying open on the table, so to speak, though I think I only got one or two lines into Quarrel so far.

I've been thinking for Minions to drop it a little lower, if that's still in your Sauron singing range, because the Minions are just a tad high for me. If it's a pitch lower I'd try to do them in a nastier voice. I hate doing that to music that's already written because it makes it sound weird, but it won't be a big drop and I think it will be worth it.



In unrelated news, I only now realized that the Nargothrond backdrop is adorned in Finrod's colours.

*goes off dancing with some words to say on this matter also*

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

...And oooh, the crown! *dies*

The crown is staying there until Thingol occludes it at the end of Quarrel, because Symbolism.

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Any preference? They're both lying open on the table, so to speak, though I think I only got one or two lines into Quarrel so far.

I've been thinking for Minions to drop it a little lower, if that's still in your Sauron singing range, because the Minions are just a tad high for me. If it's a pitch lower I'd try to do them in a nastier voice. I hate doing that to music that's already written because it makes it sound weird, but it won't be a big drop and I think it will be worth it.

No preferences, and the drop should be fine; I can push Sauron pretty deep.

Do you have any preferences for what the minions should look like? I'm avoiding Jacksonian orcs, but can go any way after that. I think most performances just go with spandex, so, y'know...

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

In unrelated news, I only now realized that the Nargothrond backdrop is adorned in Finrod's colours.

Which is going to be the main animation change for the Quarrel. I has plans.

(The Finarfin-serpent border took quite a while to get right...)

hS

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

Do you have any preferences for what the minions should look like? I'm avoiding Jacksonian orcs, but can go any way after that. I think most performances just go with spandex, so, y'know...

There is a certain part of me that is inordinately fascinated with the performances that depict Sauron's minions as being, well Minions - not Orcs, not Men, not Wolves or Telvidos, just Minions of undifferentiated species. I am not too sure if/how Speciesless Minions would translate onto a visual form; to paraphrase you, I Don't Art. But I think I would be delighted with anything that's not too recognizably Jackson-orc, whatever those petty creeps end up looking like.

Originally Posted by Hui

Which is going to be the main animation change for the Quarrel. I has plans.

I can hear the hands rubbing together from across the screen.

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

There is a certain part of me that is inordinately fascinated with the performances that depict Sauron's minions as being, well Minions - not Orcs, not Men, not Wolves or Telvidos, just Minions of undifferentiated species. I am not too sure if/how Speciesless Minions would translate onto a visual form; to paraphrase you, I Don't Art. But I think I would be delighted with anything that's not too recognizably Jackson-orc, whatever those petty creeps end up looking like.

Ah, so you're thinking something like this!

No? No, perhaps not.

So I've gone through the, uh, three performances with costumed minions, and wound up pretty much drawing one from each. I've turned them all into hairless, earless white things, which are then costumed to evoke Wolf (2014), Bat (2010), or, er... Creepy (2002).



I had to remove the seams from the 2002 mask, because it came out looking like a fish-man, which is a bit too far afield. As it stands, I think they're all tolerably Orcs or Other.

Incidentally: do you prefer the title "Sauron's Creed", "Sauron's Minions", or "Sauron and His Minions"? It can go any which way.

---

Also! I decided in my madness to see whether a live-action recording of these songs was at all possible. And, er... actually kinda?

The Oath of Feanor (Live)

Lip-synched, with Curufin slightly out of synch, but given all the other issues it didn't seem worth fiddling overmuch. With a bit more time/effort I could make something decent of it, but this will do for now.

hS

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

Ah, so you're thinking something like this!

Ah! The perfect Minion!

Originally Posted by Hui

So I've gone through the, uh, three performances with costumed minions, and wound up pretty much drawing one from each. I've turned them all into hairless, earless white things, which are then costumed to evoke Wolf (2014), Bat (2010), or, er... Creepy (2002).

Looks cool! And Creepy is, well, really creepy. The 2002 is more, um, Scarecrow? But this is just Creepy. In the best way imaginable. ^.^

Originally Posted by Hui

Incidentally: do you prefer the title "Sauron's Creed", "Sauron's Minions", or "Sauron and His Minions"? It can go any which way.

I don't feel strongly about it either way, I think they all have merits. I just really enjoy calling it Minions on here, ever since that song kept coming to me during odd times in the day, and I was very amused at being haunted by the minions. Also, minionsminionsminionsminions. It's fun. But for the official name, no particular preference.

Originally Posted by Hui

Also! I decided in my madness to see whether a live-action recording of these songs was at all possible. And, er... actually kinda?

The Oath of Feanor (Live)

Lip-synched, with Curufin slightly out of synch, but given all the other issues it didn't seem worth fiddling overmuch. With a bit more time/effort I could make something decent of it, but this will do for now.

Wow! Cel and Cur look so much alike, they really must be siblings!

sorry, I had to. It actually looks good! More than kinda! With a lot of potential. Erm... Step 2 of the project? Play dress up and try to coordinate dance moves? I would be absolutely up for that version of the performance... erm, once I get through Step 1. I have to remember not to get too far ahead of myself. There are still more than half the songs to write. But absolutely!

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

I don't feel strongly about it either way, I think they all have merits. I just really enjoy calling it Minions on here, ever since that song kept coming to me during odd times in the day, and I was very amused at being haunted by the minions. Also, minionsminionsminionsminions. It's fun. But for the official name, no particular preference.

Then "Sauron's Minions" it is. ^_^

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Wow! Cel and Cur look so much alike, they really must be siblings!

-_-

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

It actually looks good! More than kinda! With a lot of potential. Erm... Step 2 of the project? Play dress up and try to coordinate dance moves? I would be absolutely up for that version of the performance... erm, once I get through Step 1. I have to remember not to get too far ahead of myself. There are still more than half the songs to write. But absolutely!

Or do the whole thing in head-and-shoulders shots and call it Finrod-Zoom. Complete with between-song comedy bits.

~

BEREN: I must see Felagund your king! I must see Felagund your king!

[Beat]

EDRAHIL: Yeah, he said he was going to be here, do you want to give him a ring?

~

MINIONS: [Silent mouthing]

SAURON: [Long-suffering sigh] You're. On. Mute.

~

FINROD: How shall I stay
At Throne of Day
A witness mesmerized of other people's doom fell?...

AMARIE: Oh! Um, can everyone hear me all right?

~

GALADRIEL & FINROD: But at the end of Loss, in land released from grief and pain
The joining of our hands will light the sunrise of new day.

GALADRIEL: Next slide, please.

hS

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

Or do the whole thing in head-and-shoulders shots and call it Finrod-Zoom. Complete with between-song comedy bits.

!!!

~

BEREN: I must see Felagund your king! I must see Felagund your king!

[Beat]

EDRAHIL: Yeah, he said he was going to be here, do you want to give him a ring?

[beat]

EDRAHIL (again): Um, Aran, you need to turn your camera on in order for him to actually see you.

~

C&C: It's just a shame to give him back his crown.

[beat]

[awkward silence]

MELIAN: (muffled phrases, can make out the words "last time" and your line")

THINGOL: *Cough* Oh, uhh... *potato chip bag rustle noise* Uhh, right. Um. What's the purpose of this squabbling?

~

LUTHIEN: Now! Let him come forth from iron cage and walls!

MINIONS: Boss just texted saying he'd be happy to, er, "come forth", but his internet keeps cutting out.




(Sauron's long-suffering sigh is my favourite though)

[Galadriel55]

Uh, I need a bit of advice and maybe a sanity check.

So, I got to the point where there can be a good interlude between "Get you gone from me" and the Elves being spotted. The conservative thing to do would be to play the themes from the intro, which flow very easily and smoothly and will pose no trouble whatsoever to insert between the stanzas. But, I can't just do the logical thing, no. After you posted the animal-inspired picture, I had a thought that maybe I can get the whole thing to descend into an organized chaos of animal noises and other spooky sounds. So, Sauron's words are currently followed by the best mimic I could achieve of howls, growls, meowls, croaks, poltergeist bangs, and randomness, with the possibility of adding other sound effects on recording (I strongly considered ghostly wails, creepy cackles, and things that go creak in the dark among other things, but I don't have sufficient instruments going to make them happen). However, having listened to this cacophony in recording, it sounds just that - a cacophony, without any animal-inspired noises actually resembling what they're supposed to. Is it too much? Should I take out that part and just leave the conservative chaos? Or keep the backbone of that part but record all sound effects from voice rather than play them with instruments?