Hi everyone,
Track 3, "The Weddell Sea," is now out for release. I redid this track several times to capture the exact mood I was looking for. Not an easy task.
Where Are We in the Story?
This track focuses on the days between leaving South Georgia and reaching the heavy-pack ice.
Capturing the Mood:
To nail the feeling of this part of the expedition, I delved into three different books, watched a few documentaries, and even the BBC TV series on Shackleton. It was important to capture the atmosphere on board the Endurance.
From the high tensions of the departure, the fundraising, and planning to the eve of the Great War, the expedition started as an emotional journey that was a rollercoaster for all. Finally, they set sail—the mission was on. So I went in for a relaxed but exciting atmosphere for this track.
Instrumental:
From the beginning, I felt this track needed to be instrumental, contrasting the tension and drama of "Eve of the Great War / Leaving South Georgia."
"It's a Long Way to Tipperary"
I couldn't resist including Leonard Hussey's famous banjo playing of "It's a Long Way to Tipperary," which he played to the Adélie penguins. My co-producer, Peter, played this on his banjo, recorded it on his phone, and sent it to me. Ironically, Hussey was the expedition's meteorologist, and Peter works for NZ Metservice.
Shackleton his diary described how the Adélie penguins would waddle up to Hussey when he played his banjo, seemingly curious about the music. It was a moment of light-hearted relief amidst their enduring severe conditions.
Clark - Clark
The crew noted that the Adélie penguins they encountered had a call that sounded remarkably like they were saying, "Clark, Clark." This provided the men with some amusement during their otherwise challenging and bleak situation, even though no one on board called "Clark."
I searched for recordings of Adélie penguins that sounded like "Clark" and added them to this track. I also added the sound of a group of men enjoying the moment as Shackleton described.
Getting the Sound
See my post on the Roli Seaboard for more details on how I achieved the sound for this track. Click Here >>
Royalty-Free:
Keeping it free: All tracks have been released royalty-free on social media.
Coming Up Next:
The next track is proving to be quite a test. I've already explored several different directions with it. It will focus on breaking into the heavy-pack ice. I feel it would be upbeat and exciting for everyone on board.
Let me know your thoughts on this below. It would be good to get it right.
Stay tuned for more updates, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
Thanks for listening,
Tony
Yes, you can not forget the Banjo!