Ke$ha: Tik Tok - STRING TRIO COVER (split screen, one player)

Ke$ha: Tik Tok - STRING TRIO COVER (split screen, one player)

This is the 16th video in my continuing series of classicalized popular music. One of my goals in doing these popular music video projects is to help keep string instruments relevant. I mean to do everything from help keep current string students interested in their instruments, to introducing the violin to new listeners who maybe had no idea that a violin can play all their favorite popular songs too.

My approach in arranging and performing: I simply play the music its its most traditional sense as "pure" music, I arrange the score respecting the integrity of the music so that my performance is as true to the original song as is reasonably possible. This way you can see it without all the distractions such as lyrics, electronic sounds, unnatural instruments, exaggerated beat machinery, etc. that have nothing to do with pure music -- the melody, harmony, and rhythm. All 16 of my covers are full length, and are in both the exact same key and tempo as the originals. The original video of the song may be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OKlzm6BQ8A

To do this video, I listened to the original song and by ear wrote out a sheet music score, then arranged it as a trio for 2 violins and viola, and then performed it. I recorded each part separately. I was able to sync up and mix the 3 parts on my computer with the free sound wave editor, Audacity. To do the split screen, I used AviSynth (scripting based video editing and effects utility) in combination with VirtualDubMod (a free video editing utility) to sync up and render the two videos into a single split screen video. The sound then had to be synced to the 3 videos playing simultaneously and properly* mixed.

* Additional 4 days later: I apologize for the extreme separation of stereo channels. When I mixed I was just using my old default settings without even really giving it a good listen before I uploaded. Once I heard it on headphones, I completely agree with Rodier1128 that this was a botched stereo job. Apologies to all who hear it on headphones, its not really quite as noticeable on speakers so I missed it. I have since remixed it, but youtube's audioswap function wont let me change my audio to my new and better mixing of my parts. I could delete and re-upload the video, but at this point I'd rather not ... as peoples comments and views etc would be lost. What's done is done. But I can offer the better audio to those who ask for it.

I had some difficulty deciding what to do with this song, given my approach outlined above. I had a smaller amount of musical material to work with than usual from the original. The harmonies consisted of almost three chords repeated every 2 bars for the whole piece with no development, save for the bridge. A melody in any traditional sense was non-existent a large part of the time. There were no musical notes in Ke$ha's "talking" parts, which was for all of the verses and most of the song. The melody of the chorus was largely a single F-natural repeated over and over. There is musical precedent for this single note repeated idea, Beethoven did something like that in the 2nd movement of his 7th symphony. The bottom line is that I did stick to my original approach, play what's there so you can see the song for what it is musically. Although for the talking melody, I did elect to create and substitute a melody. I did as little new material as I could so as to stay in the spirit of this project. So my melody is not all that interesting, it's basically derived from the chords and the general tone of the words, favoring which ever note the rest of the harmony wasn't covering so as to fill out the chord.

For those that do not know what a viola is, its basically like the violin but bigger and lower sounding. It plays 5 notes or about half an octave lower than a violin, on the notes it shares with violin the viola sounds deeper, and it reads a different clef (alto) for its sheet music. Description of a viola for violinists: "A big honkin violin, missing the E string at the top of the range and gaining a C string at the bottom of the range and reads a funny looking clef". Also, in a survival situation, the viola would be preferred, as it burns longer. The viola is just a Knilling student model, 17 inch.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Kesha
• ke$ha
• tiktok
• tic
• tok
• tick
• tock
• clock
• pop
• music
• cover
• violin
• viola
• arrangement
• string
• trio
• instrumental
• money
• hat
• split
• screen
• classical
• double
• one
• man
• band
• avisynth

[EPARANOIAOFFICIAL]

You make the song sound less like a girl talking in a really bitchy voice and more like it belongs in a Shakespearean play. Good job, this was "fanta$tic".

[SongSubscribers]

hes so pro he got hats made outa moeny

[haleynmayhnm1]

hi! im in the 6th grade and play viola i was wondering if you had any sheet music to this song?

[musicymusicallife]

wtf is with the money hat O_O EPIC ME GUSTA

[watermelon2001rocks]

you are awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! how do you play that cause i play violin too but i can barely play anything! p.s. watermelon2000rocks is my cousin!!!!!

[watermelon2000rocks]

you look familer

[watermelon2000rocks]

why are you covered in money?!?how do you play tik tock on the violin? i wanna know..

[PaulaAbdulRoxxxx6]

i have a problem with you... cant believe you like the REDSOCKS! but i mean besides that, great job! xD

[TerryFilming]

@maryrocks21 lol troll

[madameturquoise]

Do you sell your arrangements because I would love my students to play your arrangements

[kursten55555]

Maryrocks21 your just trolling its amazzing!!!!! (like to see u do half as good)

[maryrocks21]

sound stupid and ur ugly