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I’m Dave Wirth.
I’m a film composer based in Austin, TX.
I write my blog for the creative wizards of the world, for those who find joy in creating something new.
Thanks for stopping by.
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Kaffir Piano employs a variety of unconventional production techniques to make its less-than-two-minute track stand out. It is bass-focused, but not to the point of overshadowing the other elements. The atmosphere it creates lingers over the guitar and bass, perfectly capturing that moment when you come home from work at 6 PM, and it's already dark. You're home, but the day has slipped away.
Upcoming Releases Playlist
Latest Music Review
Elements is a fearless sonic experiment where distortion, emotion, and chaos converge, redefining beauty through discomfort and profound atmospheric depth.
More Articles
The Nightmare Machine, or #ApprehensionEngine, is a unique device designed for #horror film sound design. Created by film composer Mark Korven and his collaborator Tony Duggan-Smith, this one-of-a-kind instrument produces sounds so unsettling, it elevates a horror film from kinda scary to truly terrifying. This blog post is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this ultimate horror-film foley device.
It's a passion of mine to look into the musical past and see if I can salvage old projects. Old and abandoned projects end up refreshed and invigorating once I get into the recycling mindset. Before 2016 however, I had a very difficult time actually finding any projects to recycle in the first place…
Learn how to apply Pareto's Principle to enhance your creative process. This approach encourages prolific creation while managing expectations about sharing your work. Embrace imperfection and focus on quality over quantity in your artistic endeavors.
This blog post discusses the journey of creativity, highlighting the transition from initial excitement to facing challenges. It emphasizes the value of routine, the shift in perspective on "no's," and the fulfillment found in artistic expression.
Deep Cut Music Samplers
Blasts From The Past: Music Releases from Fire, Fire, Red Star Down!
Kaffir Piano employs a variety of unconventional production techniques to make its less-than-two-minute track stand out. It is bass-focused, but not to the point of overshadowing the other elements. The atmosphere it creates lingers over the guitar and bass, perfectly capturing that moment when you come home from work at 6 PM, and it's already dark. You're home, but the day has slipped away.
Yellowish is a hip Hop beat from 2004. Recently discovered and remastered. For a behind the scenes look at KidShy, click here.
When the tree branches hold a great deal of weight with ice and snow, when the air seems almost too still for breathing, and when driving anywhere horrifies you, "Music For Ice Storms" is the remedy. This is music that serves you well if you'd just rather... not.
No.
Think.
For.
Me.
Part of the joy of Eurorack synthesizers comes from their melodic generative algorhythms. AfterLater Pachinko, a clone of the epic Mutable Marbles module, serves as a random chance machine, allowing musicians to set the guidelines for melodic construction. In other words, I specify the notes I want, the range I desire, and the rhythm I envision.
Director Maurice Moore challenged composer Dave Wirth to create a score for Finding Solace that could stand alone from the film. Drawing from America's cinematic legacy, Wirth crafted a 65-minute orchestral soundtrack blending drama and horror, using piano and guitar to evoke tension and intensity, achieving a remarkable feat in independent cinema.
Back in 2004, during a stint with Americorps in Austin, I created about two dozen hip-hop beats under the moniker KidShy. My friends in the program basically made up a ragtag crew building trails and chopping down invasive trees, making $42 a day, and surviving on whatever hustle we had.
Greatly influenced by both Abul Mogard and Tim Hecker, Dual Portamento evolves relentlessly into a bold, undiluted intensity.
Explore the depths of experimental music with Evil Gima's Elements. Experience intentional sounds that challenge and invite.
Play Artful by The Double Headed Seagulls invites listeners on a journey through vibrant lo-fi electronica and jazz guitar chords, showcasing dreamy synths and an energetic playfulness.
Slowcore Christmas by Grande Valley Auction Incident. I recently stumbled upon a couple of Christmas songs in my back catalog. They’re quite slow and reminiscent of "The Red House Painters," of the most incredible slowcore bands ever.
Archive Volume Three by Grande Valley Auction Incident
Lodern (coming from the old German verb “to blaze”) by Wicked Cities From A Distance, is music of transformation. Inspired by the relentless change in the modern era, Lodern invites you to suspend time, enter the liminal space, and exit a little wiser.
Fractal Magic is the fourth track off of Ambient 2022, Vol. 2.
Teleporter is the first track off of Ambient 2022, Vol. 2.
Ambient 2022 Vol.2: One hour listening experience for work, mental engagement, and concentration. Perfect for study, cooking dinner, drawing, light vice expression, and interesting love-making.
Stereotactic is the third track off of Ambient 2022, Vol. 1.
Memories of Rain is the first track off of Ambient 2022, Vol. 1.
Ambient 2022 Vol.1: One hour listening experience for rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation. Perfect for reading, watering plants, small repetitive tasks that need to be finished only by you, and psychedelica.
The Place She Dwells is a full-length feature film from Motivate Pictures, starring Sarah Niarkos and directed by Maurice Moore.
New Music Video and Single from Evil Gima: IT\AM. IT\AM is the first single from the upcoming release Alluvion by Evil Gima. Alluvion comprises 8 dark-cinematic experimental songs.
In 2021, I purchased my first Eurorack synthesizer. The obsession with the quality of analog sound took hold very quickly. This album of sketches and tests came directly from experimenting with the synthesizers on the Eurorack. I doubt I'll ever buy another digital synth plugin again...
Behind The Scenes
The Nightmare Machine, or #ApprehensionEngine, is a unique device designed for #horror film sound design. Created by film composer Mark Korven and his collaborator Tony Duggan-Smith, this one-of-a-kind instrument produces sounds so unsettling, it elevates a horror film from kinda scary to truly terrifying. This blog post is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this ultimate horror-film foley device.
It's a passion of mine to look into the musical past and see if I can salvage old projects. Old and abandoned projects end up refreshed and invigorating once I get into the recycling mindset. Before 2016 however, I had a very difficult time actually finding any projects to recycle in the first place…
The humbling and humiliating behind-the-scenes journey of creating "Archive Volume Three" and what it’s like to revisit recordings from two decades prior.
Conflict. The best music has the right amount of it. This post is a behind-the-scenes look at how Lodern, by Wicked Cities From A Distance, incorporates a great deal of conflict to keep the listener engaged, despite it's ambient appearance. Tons of info on the creative use of synthesizers and sound design.
Articles: Storytelling With Sound
The music on your film is a powerful tool to deliver fresh perspectives, and believe me: Fresh perspectives are vital. This article goes deep into Audio Perspective, i.e. the music being written from the most compelling perspective in the story. Mastering audio perspective can make your movies far more relevant, relatable, and successful.
If you’ve ever wondered how you can use music to communicate a compelling perspective, this article is for you. Let’s hit it!
Without structure, without recurring motifs, without a backbone, a movie doesn’t stand a chance of being remembered. So, how can a unified film score help a movie be more memorable? Where can composers find these unifying motifs that make a movie awesome, and once we find them how do we organize and weave them into a brilliant tapestry of sound and story?
This post goes deep into the creative process, into the search for the creative motifs that can make a movie into a living beast. When these building blocks are found and sprinkled throughout a movie in both the narrative as well as the score, the movie ends up living on it’s own, independent of the people who created it. It becomes alive.
Choosing great music for your film is easy when you consider that all music has color. If you knew what made a piece of music energizing or relaxed or heavenly or intense, you would undoubtably have an unfair advantage in the wild game of filmmaking.
In my strong opinion, music is color and knowing that makes you stronger as a storyteller. This article takes a deep dive on what causes music to have a specific color and how you can use this knowledge to get an incredible soundtrack for your film.
How can you get the viewers of your film to feel the story viscerally? In a primal way? In order for your work as a storyteller to be received well, this post goes over why it’s so important to frame your work around the idea of emotional impact.
Specifically, this post goes over the factors that contribute (or take away from) the emotional impact of a story. I go in depth about the process of priming the people you work with (including the film composer), and how this one simple process will help you get the most memorable and emotionally impactful film possible.
The Nightmare Machine, or #ApprehensionEngine, is a unique device designed for #horror film sound design. Created by film composer Mark Korven and his collaborator Tony Duggan-Smith, this one-of-a-kind instrument produces sounds so unsettling, it elevates a horror film from kinda scary to truly terrifying. This blog post is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this ultimate horror-film foley device.