Cosmonaut Analysis

By: James Warren Morris

Master of Music in Scoring for Film, Television, and Video Games
June 27th, 2019

Morris 2

Index
Introduction.............................................................................................................................................. 3
Overcoming the DAW ............................................................................................................................. 3
Utilizing my Jazz Background ................................................................................................................ 6
Finding Video and Visual Cues .............................................................................................................. 8
Compositional/Orchestration Approach .............................................................................................10
Harmonic Language ..............................................................................................................................14
Conclusion ..............................................................................................................................................20

Morris 3

Introduction
Throughout this year, my primary focus has been discovering my sound. Particularly this
semester, my search for outward expression began with self-evaluation. To begin this process, I
first had to ask myself what elements I value in my music. I concluded that a fundamental
building block to my sound is the incorporation of complex harmonic language. My goal was to
bring this into any genre that I composed for, utilizing it in synthetic, orchestral, and hybrid
scores. To incorporate this, I focused on integrating elements of my jazz writing, such as
melodically weaving through the harmony. I combined the harmonic language with my
orchestration and compositional process, to best showcase the various jazz elements . A challenge
I had to overcome in this process was how to better integrate the writing process into the DAW. I
felt that my orchestration was better when I composed in music notation software; this is
problematic as it increases composition time and goes against most industry standards. Thus, my
biggest challenge to overcome was to become more comfortable with the music notation
software and the programming capabilities that other DAWs provide.
Over the course of this year, I feel that I have made significant progress in not only my
composition process but also how I view my compositions and the idiomatic language I call
upon when composing. A key factor in this was the internalization of language from this musical
genre. During this internalization process, I employed my jazz composition techniques, and in
this paper, I will analyze how I incorporated these various techniques into my writing as well as
discuss my journey to find my sound.
Overcoming the DAW
Becoming more comfortable with composition and orchestration in the DAW has been a
pivotal concept in improving my composition skills, a challenge I tackled this last semester.

Morris 4

After continually grappling with the feeling that my compositional process was more attuned to
the visual nature of music notation software, such as Sibelius, I decided to examine my process
to identify my limitations, analyze why I felt I had restrictions in DAWs such as Digital
Performer, and determine how I could overcome these issues.
This led to an extremely important question: was my compositional process being
diminished by the DAW, or was I not conveying my musical thoughts and emotions with
conviction and the DAW was emphasizing this shortcoming? The answer to this question was
critical to my analysis and has influenced my process moving forward.
Through self-reflection, I concluded that my compositional ability was being diminished
by DAW, because a number of my other well-respected compositions were created outside of the
DAW. Now to tackle the critical component of the initial question: how was the DAW limiting
me? Why was it limiting my workflow and how could I overcome this? I felt that the most
limiting factor was the visual limitations of the DAW. Instead of seeing music as I typically have
for the past 15 years, I was forcing myself to alter my perspective. I challenged myself to
experiment and see how this process could be improved.
One extremely important aspect that I felt I wasn’t conveying adequately was the effort I
had invested into the internalization of my own musical approach. I was letting the visual
weakness of the DAW limit my musical expression. This problem should never happen and once
again, it opened an existential exploration into the internalization of music. I began by revisiting
my roots in jazz and considering how I had internalized this language from my past
performances and experiences, and how I later incorporated it into my orchestral compositions.

Morris 5

The first step in this journey was to digest copious amounts of music. I began by thinking
about modern day composers such as Silvestri, Williams, Newton Howard and Desplat. Similar
to the way I explored jazz lineage, exploring who was influential to these composers was
fundamental to understanding their music. So, I began listening to earlier composers, exploring
how great composers like Dvorak, Fauré, Holst, and Dukas would elicit such compelling
emotional responses in their music. During this analysis, I paid special attention to their
orchestration techniques, as well as harmonic content.
A key point here, is not just listening to enjoy the music (passive listening) but instead
listening to understand it (active listening). This is a key concept that must be understood before
moving forward. Listening to internalize music is a concept that I will revisit quite often in this
paper. It is an idea that is present in all musical cultures across the world. In African tribal music,
internalization is done through body movement as well as group communication while singing.
In Irish music, it is through dance and improvisation that music is created and collectively
internalized. These themes can be found throughout history and across the globe. The
internalization process is pivotal to the creation and understanding of music, without which,
composition would not be possible.
After lots of active listening, my task shifted to analyzing what was obstructing me from
being able to implement the elements I had internalized. I began by changing my compositional
approach to one with which I was more familiar. I explored complex harmonies, in a manner that
I was more accustomed to, by placing markers in the tracking window to see the harmonic
approach I wanted to take. This felt extremely liberating, as it resembled a “lead sheet” approach,
one that I was more familiar with and have used extensively in jazz music. By doing this, I could
now focus on melodic language, and explore more complex melodic figures while adapting them

Morris 6

to harmonic changes. This discovery was enlightening as it provided me with a harmonic bed
from which to develop my ideas. Previous to this, I felt that I was simply floating, with no
concrete harmonic language to anchor my piece.
Another approach that I used in my piece, which I often utilize in my jazz playing, was
the recontextualization of melodic material. I would play the melody of another song, but in a
new, more interesting way and over different changes from which the melody was written.
Likewise, I would slightly alter the melody of the song that I was currently playing, most often a
“standard”, to make it more interesting. I realized I could apply this on the spot
improvisational/compositional method to my orchestral compositions, to alter my melody to a
new set of harmonic changes. This effectively enabled me to play something new to keep interest
in the piece and provide forward motion. With this revelation, I was able to apply voice leading
techniques and compositional approaches that I would normally utilize in jazz music.
Utilizing my Jazz Background
A core concept of this year, through each course, has been the search for “our sound”.
This entailed utilizing our past experiences in combination with our personal orchestration and
compositional techniques to not only aid the story line behind the picture, but also develop our
own unique musical identity. I have grappled with this concept multiple times throughout this
year, with particular emphasis during this semester.
This process began with an exploration into my own harmonic language. Where does this
harmonic content come from, and what story do I want it to tell? Harmony in my opinion, is
what gives the melody context to enlist an emotional response from the viewer. One often views

Morris 7

the melody as “beautiful”, but personally I feel that harmonic structure is the foundation for the
intended emotional response, with melody expanding upon this.
To begin this exploration into my harmonic language, I first examined my roots in music.
Having come from a background of studying jazz intensely for the past eight years, I decided this
would be the base from which I would develop. What does jazz provide as a fundamental
building block? Firstly, strong harmonic content with complex chordal structures. You rarely see
a simplistic triadic approach in jazz. The most fundamental building block of jazz music is the 7 th
chord. Altered to your liking, but never changing, this chord plays a pivotal role in jazz music. It
pulls you to the tonic and brings you home. In film music, this chord can be quite restricting
however, due to the inherent nature of the pull towards the tonic. Lucking, there are
manipulations one can make to this chord to pull your ear in the same direction, and still
maintain harmonically interesting cadences. The tritone substitution for instance pulls you in the
same direction but not as overtly as a simple V-I cadence. With this, I felt the harmonic nature of
jazz music was something that I should actively attempt to incorporate.
Communication in music is another part of jazz that is fundamental to its performance.
Without communication, jazz music wouldn’t exist. The conversation during the performance
brings interesting and new nuances to the music, seeking a euphoria where players are so
interlocked, communication becomes effortless. I try to emulate this conversation in my music,
having the exchange of ideas between players and sections. Breaking away from the standard
melody/counter melody concept, thus creating an interwoven pattern of both the rhythmic and
melodic structures that creates a unique sound identity.

Morris 8

Likewise, I try to incorporate my love of Be-Bop’s angular lines into my voice leading
approach. This genre of music pushed boundaries and moved jazz forward. It sought to challenge
the way we viewed the music of jazz, breaking away from strictly listening music and moving
into a deeper, more harmonically complex genre. I try to incorporate some of these angular ideas
into my music, bringing in more interesting parts in conjunction with inner communication
within the orchestra, as I discussed earlier.
Compositionally, I often employ orchestration ideas that I would employ in my jazz big
band writing. I utilize the trumpets in a triadic manner, with the fourth voice doubling the top
line for support. Likewise, my French horns sometimes substitute for my trombone voicings,
providing harmonic stability in my lower voices while the upper voices play harmonic
extensions. Woodwinds often mimic compositional techniques of my saxophone section,
providing both extensions and harmonic foundation simultaneously. Through establishing this
process, and relating my jazz background to my orchestral approach, I was able to advance
closer to what I felt my sound should be, finding my voice through my past musical experiences.
Finding Video and Visual Cues
After emailing and contacting multiple production companies and independent film
makers, I finally heard about Blender, an open source 3D creation software. Volunteer teams
create open source animation short videos that are free for use. After emailing them, I found a
video that had the audio files available. This way, I could remove the music from the video and
only use the dialogue and sound effects.
An important part of this process was to find a video to which I could apply my learnings
and experiment using interesting orchestration techniques. In regards to my journey of finding a

Morris 9

video that would be suitable for me to grow as an artist and showcase my skills, I must recognize
the contributions of Alfons Conde. He encouraged me to explore textures within the orchestra
and utilize the harmonic language that I bring from jazz. He also urged me to continue listening
and exploring the language of great composers and incorporating this language into my own
writing. Alfons has insight into the path each student should pursue to advance their writing, and
understands how best to utilize the experience of the London recording with such an amazing
orchestra. This is exemplified in his unrelenting pursuance of the optimal image that he believed
would allow each student to explore their unique harmonic voice and to employ idiomatic
language, both through composition and orchestration.
Composing to this unique and interesting animation was an important part of this thesis
project for me. Over the course of this year, we have been giving lots of focus to narrative
analysis, which played a key role in my compositional process. Incorporating this into my
composition was an interesting task, especially when limiting myself to using strictly orchestral
timbres. As such, my spotting for the video used a more holistic approach. It emphasized
orchestral timbres that I had selected during my internalization phase.
There were 3 main points in the film that I sought to emphasize. The first being the
descent of the cyclone. This phase allowed me to utilize interesting woodwind textures as well as
experiment with different techniques from the strings section, such as pizzicato, col legno, and
harmonics. Narratively, I sought to emphasize the uneasy nature of the sheep character and
juxtapose the dark, satiric nature of his quest to kill himself. Musically I began with high
woodwind textures, light and playful, playing off of the dark humor in the scene. To meld the
transition to the next section, I use a low bass drone with a high flute line, and a horn melody
coming in to weave between the 3 parts.

Morris 10

The second was the “chase” of the cyclone taking the sheep character away. Here, I felt
the main mood and goal of this section was to keep the emotion and high energy moving
forward. As such, I used techniques from composers such Williams and Holst to keep the
momentum and not waiver in the pace of the scene. The main compositional foundation of this
section is the ostinato that is introduced in the violas, providing pace and intensity to the scene. It
constantly moves the composition forward and moves with the narrative points of this section.
My last narrative change is when the character is picked up into the cyclone. This created
a perfect context for me to take a more chaotic compositional approach, and use lots of melodic
cells as well as interlocking rhythmic parts between sections to create forward motion and chaos
for the character. It also reflects the hectic nature of the cyclone with all the bright colours and
fast cut changes, which also reflect the inner nature of the character. To begin this section, I
transitioned with a triple figure in the violins. This gives a light and floating feeling as the
character is picked up. Once in the cyclone, I use chaos to showcase the wild nature of the
sequence. A key example of how I contextualize this in my musical approach is in the violin line
that is moving frantically and is being exchanged between violins one and two at bar 106. It
creates a randomness in the melodic approach, yet consistency in the harmonic nature, to
emphasize the chaotic journey this character is undertaking.
Compositional/Orchestration Approach
My compositional approach with this piece was to encapsulate what I considered “my
sound”, with particular regard to orchestration techniques. I started by studying scores and
listening to an extensive amount of music, constantly trying to showcase the language I had
internalized over many years while also musically challenging myself. One compositional
approach that I attempted to accent this semester through self-exploration, was the amalgamation

Morris 11

of themes and textures from the orchestra, in conjunction with rhythmic based concepts. A core
concept that I discovered while studying the various scores was that in this idiom, compositions
have less “sections” in their music and more fluidity throughout the cues. This became a
fundamental part of my studies: attempting to employ this concept in my own compositions
while trying to facilitate and emphasize an exchange of ideas between orchestral sections and
narrative themes.
Another concept I experimented with was the idea of rhythmic displacement. Famous
saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi discusses this is his book “Vol. 4 Melodic Rhythms”1. This book first
exposed me to the idea of melodic displacement. This concept can be seen in my composition
through the interconnection between the orchestral sections, specific instrument families, as well
as individual parts all attempting to alter various rhythmic cells, creating constant interest. A
rhythmic cell that I manipulate in this piece is a five eighth note pattern. The intervallic relation
between the notes changes as we progress, but the rhythmic cell, and specifically the duration of
this cell, remains consistent.

Figure 1

1

Bergonzi, J, Inside Improvisation Vol. 4 Melodic Rhythms, (Advance Music, 1998)

Morris 12

In figure 1, you can see the application of rhythmic displacement within textural
groupings. The rhythmic cell is displaced by a quarter note, creating a more intriguing and
interesting rhythmic part that is less predictable. Additionally, you can see the triadic approach I
incorporated from my big band writing. Here I utilize the upper woodwinds in a similar manner
to that of the trumpet section in a jazz big band piece; a triadic approach playing the extensions
on the chords.

Figure 2
In figure. 2, you can see the application again of the rhythmic displacement in the string
section. The first phrase is displaced by a quarter note with every subsequent phrase arriving on
the downbeat. One interesting thing to note is the textural changes being applied in the motif.

Morris 13

Figure 3
In figure 3, I employ another textural development, but in this instance, using a
combination of col legno and pizzicato. This not only is an intriguing texture but also prefaces
the changes in the motif that are about to follow. Please note the intersectional passing of the
five-note figure between the woodwinds and brass, again being displaced from the reset of the
strings.
Also, in figure 3, there is another direct correlation with my past jazz language. In the
clarinets, you can see dovetailing between each player’s part, passing a more angular line back
and forward. The angular and more virtuosic line is a direct relation to that of Be-Bop, a phase of
jazz originating from the mid-40’s. For easier playability, I dovetail the line into two clarinets.
Yet if you analyze the phrase as a whole, you can see the chromaticism, fast runs, and complex
technique that is often associated with Be-Bop language. Additionally, in the woodwinds, note

Morris 14

the rhythmic cell displacement, again, the same duration of five eighth notes with a slight
variation on the rhythm of the phrase. The cell is put into a quarter note triplet, using only four
notes but still maintaining the duration of two and a half beats. This is done to add intrigue to the
line, but by keeping it the same duration, it creates continuity and fluidity to the piece – a core
idiomatic concept of orchestral writing.
The same rhythmic cell used in the beginning is now passed to different instrument
families: the horns, oboes, and then trumpets. You can see the rhythmic displacement present in
each of these figures, while simultaneously communicating with the string family. Likewise, the
exchange of similar orchestral textures with slight variances is quite intriguing. I utilized similar
textural flavours through the use of stopped horns, the oboe family, and muted trumpets. While
as a whole, they have similar sound qualities, each has a unique timbre to them which keeps
interest in the piece.
The theme of rhythmic displacement is present throughout this piece with specific regard
to the five-note figure we discussed earlier. By utilizing this concept, it allows for new and
interesting variations on material we previously heard, simply by displacing the phrase and
exchanging the idea between different orchestral sections. This is a direct translation from my
jazz experience and utilizes a concept that I digested in a very personal manner.
Harmonic Language
Another concept that I sought to employ, as I discussed earlier, is complex harmonic
language, commonly found in jazz. There are a few instances in my composition that are prime
examples of how I employ this style of writing, with specific regard to voicing and the
similarities it draws with jazz big band writing.

Morris 15

A sub-category of this that I find quite intriguing is the semitone clash and utilizing it in a
musical way. One chord that plays an interesting role in my mind is that of the minorb6 chord.
The consistency of the minor triad juxtaposed to the dissonant nature of the b6 creates a
dichotomy of both movement and stability. This is exemplified in figure 4 where I utilize a C
minb6 chord, purposely placing the semitone clash in the middle of the chord. In this context, the
dichotomy of movement and stability as I previously discussed plays into the character’s
uneasiness: his want to leave the island but weariness of not trusting the strange traveller he just
met.
Furthermore, figure 4 both shows the harmonic maturity in the voicing, as well as
showcases the voicing techniques that I bring from my past jazz experiences as I discussed
earlier. In this section, note the voicings between the trumpets and flutes. The flutes are playing a
triad with the trumpets. However, the woodwinds are playing the top two voices and the
trumpets playing the bottom two voices. This voices a minor triad with the fourth voice playing
the same notes as the top voice but down an octave. This is directly correlated to my own style of
writing from jazz music as I would employ this same technique when writing trumpet phrases.
The only difference from jazz would be that the trumpets would most likely play an upper
structure triad on the chord in jazz. Here, because of the natural dissonance in the chord, I chose
to enforce the main triad in the top voices.

Morris 16

Figure 4
I later add some colour tones with the b7 on the chord, in octaves with a staggered
entrance. This way, the note stands a better chance of being heard. However, its intended use is
to contribute to the overall feeling of the sound rather than hearing the individual notes
themselves. Additionally, the cascading entrances contribute not only to the harmonic language
being fully felt, but to the forward motion as well, with the semitone I discussed earlier being

Morris 17

enforced in the first bar in the upper register and similarly it also being enforced again on the
second bar in the lower octave.
Another example of the utilization of my jazz harmonic language is shown in figure 5.
This figure shows horizontal planning with successive major 9 chords over the third in the bass.
This density in the harmonic language is a direct derivation from my jazz harmony. Horizontal
planning is a technique that is quite often used in jazz big band writing, a specific example would
be in a group such as Super Sax, who use horizontal planning when playing Be-Bop language but
in a big band saxophone section style. Not only am I more comfortable with this harmonic
language, which aids in my compositional process, but I believe it also provides more harmonic
options to achieve an appropriate emotional response from the audience as well as providing
context for further expansion of the harmonic language.

Figure 5

Morris 18

One key concept that I firmly believe in, is the necessity for the contextualizing the
expansion of harmonic language. To clarify this statement, if one is to play “outside the changes”
or plays intentional harmonic clashes, one has to preface as well as precede this harmonic density
with expanded harmonic language. By limiting your harmonic choices, you limit the possibilities
for emotional changes as well as your ability to respond to appropriate narrative changes without
allowing your music to have intentional dissonances in the harmonic vocabulary. Therefore, by
using more mature harmonic language, I am able to pivot quickly and create more of an
experience to the music, both advancing the musical content and reacting to the narrative shifts
in relation to the picture.
Thematically, there is a re-capitulation of the harmonic language in figure 6. At the end
of the piece, I re-use the thematic material from figure 5, but create a much denser harmonic bed.
The upper voices move upward chromatically, and the lower voices move downward
chromatically. This has a direct narrative relation as it exemplifies the stretching of the sheep
character in the cyclone. Musically, it creates a much denser harmonic bed as it is starting to go
“outside” the harmony as it is being pulled apart. This would not be possible had I not prefaced
this with “harmonic foreshadowing” as I spoke about earlier in regard to figure 5. Previous to
this, there are a multitude of individual parts interlocking, creating interesting individual
melodies and rhythmic cells that communicate with each other. Since this part is extremely
intricate, it also allows for what I call “harmonic stretching” or moving harmony in an extremely
dissonant and complex way, that almost makes it unrecognizable, but maintains its identity
through the use of rhythmic content. I however, still maintain harmonic consistency with the fast
violin phrase being passed from one section to another, as well as maintaining the repeated
ostinato pattern in the violas.

Morris 19

Figure 6
The complex violin phrase at the end of the piece closely resembles a concept from John
Coltrane. One of his revolutionary improvisational ideas is coined his “sheets of sound”, most
famously from his early days with the Miles Davis Quintet. Coltrane would practice stringing
together lots of long melodic ideas and fast phrases that he would seamlessly connect over a
piece of music while improvising. This concept was inspirational in my development as I sought
to investigate how Coltrane achieved this sound. I utilize this concept, which can be seen in
figure 7, where I take inspiration from Coltrane to provide motion to the piece as well as
harmonic clarity.

Figure 7

Morris 20

Conclusion
This year I have grown and expanded in more ways than I can even fathom. Not only did
I musically advance my knowledge, but I found something that I was missing. I captured a part
of my compositional process that was just out of reach and I could never quite grasp. I brought
new elements into my writing, both through the practice of composition and through the people I
met and the ideas we have exchanged.
I found new methods to incorporate my past experiences into my writing, as I tried to
explore what my “sound” would entail. As I grow as an artist, I hope to expand on these ideas,
not only internalizing new flavours and colours and showcasing these in my writing, but also
exploring the idiomatic nature of film music, and how great composers use not only their
experiences, but also the narrative of the film and how that plays into their compositional style. I
am teeming with excitement for what the future holds. I will bring my experiences from Berklee
Valencia and all that this amazing experience entailed with me.