I created this theme in the style of music used in classic spaghetti westerns from the 1960s, made famous by composers such as Ennio Marchione.  To capture this vibe I used an instrument called the Fender BassVI, which is actually a guitar tuned down one octave lower than a normal guitar tuning.  This instrument was a popular choice for getting this type of twangy barritone kind of tone.  It was used on lots of film and TV soundtracks from the 60s as well as popular hits by groups such as The Beatles and the Beach Boys.  You can hear this sound in the Beach Boys hit “Dance Dance Dance”, “I Get Around” as well as Frankie Valli & The Four Season’s hit  “Sherry”.   For this track I played the Bass VI as well as composing the orchestral arrangement and guitar accompaniment.

I wrote this song cue as a “dramedy” style theme to be used for scenes involving comedy, awkward first encounters, or quirky couples meeting each other for the first time.  It could also be used as background music for product advertisements, or web videos.  The music is supposed to convey the feeling of happiness, friendliness, simplicity, connection, and light-hearted conversation.   I used pizzicato strings, oboe, bassoon, acoustic guitar, upright bass, and modern grooves to create this theme.

My father passed away recently.  As a tribute to him it inspired me to record some solo guitar pieces that I’ve been working on over the past few months.  The song “Keepsakes” was one that I just finished only a few days before he passed away.  One of the things that I always liked about my Dad was his love and appreciation for music.  He used to like it when I would play solo acoustic guitar for him at night before bed.  He wouldn’t provide compliments very often (usually razzing me instead as it was his nature to tease), but I knew that he enjoyed it just the same – and it always made me want to try harder to play something that he would enjoy.  I have him to thank for introducing me to Bluegrass, Hank Williams, Western Swing (Bob Wills), Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Ernest Tubb, and other great music.

Rest in peace Dad!