Difficulty Level

Link to Streaming Service
https://soundcloud.com/user-639826435/eyes-on-the-cards

Description
A joint collaboration between Woolstone and Blue Lava for the 38th Weekly Note Composing Jam. Eyes on the Cards is the title track for the imaginary game, "Bust the House," an blackjack rogue-like strategy game where you play as Rasca, a sly card counter on a vendetta to bust every casino in town, including the largest one of them all, El Castillo Grande. This theme is a fast-paced, jazz/swing title theme that sets the tone of the game. This track draws inspiration from upbeat big band-style jazz tracks that are common in video game casino levels. We used a jazz ensemble complete with trumpets, trombones, saxophones (alto, tenor, and baritone), with piano, jazz organ, and upright bass. We also added vibraphone and bongos to help contrast the high energy color jazzy flair with a lounge-like feel. We relied on jazz tropes including using the Blues scale, a swing rhythm, heavy reliance on syncopated melodies, a walking bass, big horn-section stabs with scoops and falls, jazzy drums with emphasis on the ride cymbal and low tom, and a bridge with improvisational soloing (a back and forth trade-off between Blue Lava solo and Woolstone solo). We also manipulated the vibraphone, piano, and some percussion elements to create a sound emulating winning a slot machine for extra casino flavor. We had a lot of fun on this collaboration and we hope you enjoy this high-energy, high-rolling casino track that we think perfectly fits the theme "Let's Go Gambling"!