Writing Music: Hello/Lacrimosa

After spending the last few weeks listening to Two Steps From Hell and Skyrim, I’m now on a bit of a strings kick with my listening habits. I always find string music very inspiring. The versatility of the instruments is amazing, and the music they create is even more so. I have so many favourite pieces of instrumental music involving strings, but one of my current favourites is from The Piano Guys. It’s an epic cross-over not only of songs, but also of musical periods. It’s a mash-up of Adele’s Hello and Mozart’s Lacrimosa.

This piece has a sad, introspective feel to it, full of quiet regrets. The cello heightens the sorrowful mood with its crying strings. Plaintive rises in the music are contrasted by much softer, more reflective moments. It’s an excellent piece for listening to while writing scenes where a character is regretting their actions, looking sadly back at something in the past, or mourning something in their present. It would do well for most genres, but especially for anything set in the real world. The video for this piece is also gorgeous, and well worth watching if you have a couple of minutes to spare.

Do you enjoy pieces mixing modern and classical music? Do ever write listening to instrumental versions of popular music? What are you listening to at the moment?