I first thought about writing instrumental songs in June 2021 during an international flight. I started taking guitar lessons in August 2021. At the same time, I was also taking classical piano lessons from my great piano teacher Ilana Pomeranz. In September 2021, I wrote my first song - The March of the Wardens. By January 2022, I had three compositions and decided to release an album with a target of eight songs. The same month, I met Arthur Struck - my guitar instructor who heavily influenced my songs. I studied music theory and applied the techniques I learned from my piano and guitar instructors to my songs. In March 2022, I decided to name my album “Farewell to Midgard”. By June 2022, I had composed all eight songs. After a long summer break, I studied music production in September 2022 and started recording my songs in the order I have written them. I worked with Damon Fadjo - a music producer - on my songs between September 2022 and December 2022. The song composition and the playing technique should get better as the album progresses. Each song has a story and I tried to explain the conception - how the initial idea came to me, the execution - what each section of the song represents, and the mechanics - the musical theory behind it - below. Thanks for listening!

1) March of the Wardens

Credits: The bass, the rhythm guitars, and the solo guitar are played by Cem. The drums are programmed by Cem. The song was composed in September 2021. This track was recorded in September 2022. It was released in December 2022 with the rest of the album.

Conception: I wanted the dedicate the first few songs to my family. I had this melody in my head resembling the theme song of the movie I loved The Last of the Mohicans. I thought about two rhythm guitars repeating the melody would set a good foundation to write a guitar solo on top. Since the song would be quite heavy, I thought about dedicating it to my son. I remembered the oil painting I made for him in May 2021- The Warden. Since the melody sounded like a march, I named the song “March of the Wardens”. I thought whenever he looked at the painting, he might hear this song.

Execution: The song starts with a strong drum beat followed by heavy bass. You can hear the wardens marching. As they get closer, the rhythm guitars introduce the main melody. Then, you can hear their leader shouting at the group through the solo guitar. His battle cry echoes through the ranks. He is singing about their glorious battles. Their march slowly fades away as they head to their next battle.

Mechanics: The song is written in D minor with 4/4 measures at 100 bps. It is composed of two simple chords switching between D and C (1-7). The power chords do not hint a scale, but the solo comes in D minor, thus forcing C to be C Major. Please note that at the time of this recording, I did not know even which notes I was playing. The foundation is a set of triples. The drum sets the framework which is later embellished by the bass and the second rhythm guitar. First, the solo introduces the chorus. It then moves on to scale rundowns and arpeggio jumps. The second rhythm guitar briefly switches to a steady note to avoid any conflict with the arpeggios. Solo then moves to triplet escalations and de-escalations with a long steady verse in the middle. A small change on snare hits highlights the march. It ends with the chorus fading away.

2) You are Mine

Credits: The bass, the piano, the acoustic guitar, and the solo guitar are played by Cem. The drums and the cellos are programmed by Cem. The song was first written in the summer of 1991 and later composed in November 2021. This track was recorded in September 2022. It was released in December 2022 with the rest of the album.

Conception: My second song was a natural choice. When I was 20 years old, I wrote a song for my girlfriend (who is now my wife) in college. 30 years later, I could still remember the chord progression, but not the words. I decided to change this old love song to an instrumental piece and add some piano in the background. I decided to break the song into three pieces with a piano transition between each piece. The song does not have a chorus. The guitar solo is composed separately for each piece reflecting different phases of our relationship - when we first met, when we got married and when we had kids.

Execution: This love song starts with a slow and sweet melody. The piano opens up the first chapter. The solo guitar tells its story. The remaining two chapters follow the same structure. The song ends with a fading piano transition hinting that the final chapter is yet to be written.

Mechanics: The song is written in C major with 4/4 measures at 70 bps. It is composed of four chords - C major, A minor, G major, and E minor (1-6-5-3). The acoustic guitar was initially supported by piano which was later changed to Cellos to lay a sweeter foundation. The speed was also bumped up from 60 bps to 70 bps to keep the momentum up. The guitar solos jump through the notes of the C major scale. Again, I did not know music theory too much then and I played whatever sounded good to me at that time. Some note bending gets introduced in the first chapter. The last chapter has some triplet runs -which were too fast to play at 70 bps (thus the reason why it was first written at 60 bps). The drums and bass stay steady throughout the whole song.

3) A Walk through the Alley

Credits: The bass, the rhythm guitar, and both solo guitars are played by Cem. The drums are programmed by Cem. The song was composed in November 2011. This track was recorded in October 2022. It was released in December 2022 with the rest of the album.

Conception: My third song was composed for the last remaining member of my family - my daughter. Similar to my first song, I got inspired by an oil painting I painted for her in June 2021 named The Mediterranean. I imagined us walking through the alley in that painting. The sound of the rhythm resembles a nice stroll through that alley where our voices echo. You can hear our conversation back and forth. The solo guitars are tuned and slightly panned to reflect our voices. During the chorus, we talk in harmony complimenting each other’s thoughts. If you listen carefully, you can hear me starting the conversation by calling out her name “Sude”. The solo phrasing matches the lyrics of a Turkish poem I wrote for her - which may be a reason why some find the song to have an oriental flavor.

Execution: The song opens up with a nice strolling rhythm. The conversation starts with the first solo guitar reflecting the father. The second solo guitar responds back reflecting the daughter. After the initial verses, the chorus kicks in emphasizing the harmony. The conversation continues and ends in harmony for the second time. Their voices fade away as they walk through the alley.

Mechanics: The song is written in G minor with 4/4 measures at 90 bps. It is composed of four chords - G minor, B flat major, C minor, and F major (1-3-4-7). The guitar solos use mainly the G minor scale since I still lacked music theory knowledge when I composed the song. The solo guitars play at least an octave apart. The harmony was created by repeating the solo phrase in different octaves and playing it together in harmony of thirds. The drums and bass stay steady throughout the whole song.

4) It is a Lie

Credits: The bass, the keyboards, the rhythm guitar, and the solo guitar are played by Cem. The drums are programmed by Cem. The vocals are sung by Cem. This song was written first in the fall of 1993 and later composed in February 2022. This track was recorded in October 2022. It was released in December 2022 with the rest of the album.

Conception:  After finishing the family songs, I wanted to work on other pieces based on my ideas. I picked up on a song I wrote when I first came to the USA in 1993. I remembered the chord progression and the melody but not the verses. I decided to write one non-instrumental piece that followed a standard song structure with an intro, verses, chorus, bridge, solo, and outro. I wrote the lyrics (shown below) after several iterations with some help from my son. Following my guitar instructor's suggestion, I changed the drum beat, the bass, and the rhythm guitar melodies and also introduced a bridge to keep the listener's attention throughout the song. Further, I embellished the vocals with solo guitar phrases. The toughest part was the vocals. In the beginning, I searched for vocalists but then decided to record it myself after learning the Flex Pitch feature of my DAW Logic Pro X. Finally, I had to introduce keyboards to support my voice.

Execution:  The song opens up with an energetic rhythm. The solo guitar embellishes the intro. As the rhythm changes, the vocals pick up. Towards the end of the verse, the bass speeds up, and the solo guitars are introduced to build momentum for the chorus. The second part of the chorus is embellished further with the solo guitar. Song transitions to the second verse. After the chorus, the bridge slows down the song. The vocals ask the listener to reflect on the verses. A short solo picks up right after the bridge. After the solo, the song closes with a short verse and a fading chorus.

Mechanics: The song is written in B minor with 4/4 measures at 120 bps. The main piece is composed of four chords - Bm, G, Dsus2, and A (1-6-3-7). The bridge is composed of four chords - F#m, A, C#m7, and E (5-7-2-4). The solo guitar uses mainly the B minor scale emphasizing triad structures (the first time in this album). The drums, the bass, and the rhythm guitar change across different sections of the song (the first time in this album).

Lyrics:

Watching the days pass me by, searching for meaning before I die.

Craving for comfort, any reason to stay alive.

No use in getting mad. We have been dealt the same bad hand.

We love. We hate. We dream and wait, then realize

It is a lie. A big lie. It is a lie. Can't deny the big lie. It is a lie.

Living in an illusion to deal with all this confusion.

In a story we tell that can never end that well.

Lost in a dream space, wasting time in this lonely place.

We  wonder why we laugh and cry, then realize

It is a lie. A big lie. It is a lie. Can't deny the big lie. It is a lie.

Maybe we can break this spell. Nobody knows, who can tell.

Millions tried and failed before. Could not see a way out from this hole.

Can we handle what we seek? Maybe we are all too weak.

Our lives are passing by, and we all chose to live with this lie.

We live and die. We wonder why, then realize

It is a lie. A big lie. It is a lie. Can't deny the big lie. It is a lie.

5) Farewell to Midgard

Credits: The bass, the keyboards, all rhythm guitars, and the solo guitar are played by Cem. The drums are programmed by Cem. The song was composed in March 2022. This track was recorded in November 2022. It was released in December 2022 with the rest of the album.

Conception:  After the first four songs, I ran out of ideas and chord progressions. My guitar teacher suggested that I should take the songs I like, transpose the chord structure and change the rhythm to come up with new songs. I followed his advice. Interestingly, the two songs I picked, Let it Be by the Beatles and Don't Stop Believing by Journey, had the same chord progression (1-5-6-4). I transposed it to D major and changed the rhythm. With some help from my son, I came up with a groovy bass line with a catchy drum beat. For the first time, I wrote a guitar solo based on triads following the underlying chords. I was mesmerized by how melodic it sounded. I introduce my other learnings along the way, emphasizing the 7th note, single string moves, Bach-style phrasing, and some bending. This song was the turning point in the album where I was able to create something new from what I learned. I named it Farewell to Midgard as it represented the best of what I have become.

Execution:  The song opens with strong bass and drum supported by background acoustic guitar and keyboards. The solo comes in melodically jumping through the triads. A signature that serves as an anchor is introduced at the fourth measure of the solo. Phrasing jumps to the higher octave. The rhythm transitions to a heavy guitar. The second solo comes in full energy on top building momentum. The phrasing changes every four measures but the signature stays the same. Rhythm further changes and the second rhythm guitar introduces a complimentary melody. The first solo is then laid on top of this rhythmic melody as the song slowly fades away.

Mechanics: The song is written in D major with 4/4 measures at 140 bps. The main piece is composed of four chords - D, A, Bm, and G (1-5-6-4). It switches to D, A, F#m, and G (1-5-3-4) for some variance. The solo uses triads for each underlying chord to sound melodic. A signature based on the first inversion G triad is used to anchor the song as the phrasing changes throughout the song. The drums and bass stay steady and strong, as the solo goes in and out of its groove.

6) Echoes of Time

Credits: The bass, the rhythm guitar, and the solo guitar are played by Cem. The drums are programmed by Cem. The song was composed in April 2022. This track was recorded in November 2022. It was released in December 2022 with the rest of the album.

Conception: After Farewell to Midgard, I wanted to write a heavier song using a metal sound. I remembered a melody I used to sing to myself in middle school. I replicated the melody using power chords and added a chord progression on top. With this song, I wanted to keep the solo simple but vary the underlying rhythm. I made sure the bass and the rhythm guitars change continuously throughout the song. I named it Echoes of Time, reflecting on the fact that time is relentlessly grinding through our lives as we change our rhythm with it.

Execution:  Rhythm guitar opens the song with power chords. The bass and drums join and lead to a transition. The rhythm guitar and bass play on each other and change every four measures. The solo plays on top of the rhythm repeating its phrasing every 4 measures highlighting the rhythm changes.  In the chorus, the rhythm guitar plays the melody with power chords while the solo guitar screams on top. This structure is repeated three times.  Due to its fast energetic rhythm, this is the fastest thus the shortest song in the album.

Mechanics: The song is written in D minor with 4/4 measures at 120 bps. The main rhythm is composed of three power chords - D, F, and C  (1-3-7). This is the first time the solo uses 1/16th notes at 120 bps in addition to hammer-ons and pull-offs. Since power chords are used, the solo was able to switch to a pentatonic scale towards the end with some bending. 

7) Hamster Wheel

Credits: The bass, the piano, the keyboard, and the solo guitar are played by Cem. The drums are programmed by Cem. The song was composed in April 2022. This track was recorded in November 2022. It was released in December 2022 with the rest of the album.

Conception: I wanted to include a song that highlights the piano playing along with the solo guitar. I came up with the chorus melody first, then built the chord progression around it. I wanted this song to have some tension. The sharp dissonance piano rhythm combined with a high-intensity guitar sound did the job. I also wanted to push the solo speed as much as I can. I included a bridge that slowed down the song for a little break. This song is about our everyday struggles. We chase success mindlessly and struggle through life, going up and down, never seeing the end of this ruthless cycle - like a hamster on a wheel. The solos speed up in the verses to reflect this endless game and the melody goes high and low hinting at our struggle.

Execution: The piano opens up and lays down the uneasy foundation of the song. The solo guitar rips into the piano unexpectedly - like waking up in the morning to an alarm sound. The day begins slowly but speeds up with one step forward and two steps back. The bass and drums get more complex through the verse. During the chorus, we reflect back on this endless struggle. After two verses, the bridge slows down the song and you can hear us complaining through the bends. Without finding any resolution, we go about the same routine with the third verse and the song ends abruptly as we come to the end of our lives.

Mechanics: The song is written in E minor with 4/4 measures at 115 bps. The piano melody switches through Em-C-Em-C- D-C-Em (1-6-1-6-7-6-1). The bridge uses Am-G-Em (4-3-1). This was technically the most difficult song to play in this album. I had to record the piano's left and right hands separately. The fastest part of the solo runs through 1/16th notes at 115 bps across 4 measures. I ended up recording multiple takes and patched my way through those sections.

8) A Kind Heart

Credits: The bass, the acoustic rhythm/solo guitars, and the distorted rhythm/solo guitars are played by Cem. The drums are programmed by Cem. The song was composed in May 2022. This track was recorded in December 2022. It was released in December 2022 with the rest of the album.

Conception: The last song was composed for my brother. I wanted to put all my learning into a single piece. Per my guitar instructor’s suggestions, I created an acoustic rhythm built on three guitars complimenting each other. I carried that logic to the distorted rhythm with two guitars. I alternated the solos among the classical, rock, Spanish, and blues guitars. I included a bridge and introduced new soloing techniques like tapping and trilling. It was a fun song to compose and play. It reflects my relationship with my brother which changed over our lifetimes. Throughout it all, he always had a kind heart.

Execution: Three acoustic guitars open the song and introduce a layered sweet melody. A classical guitar plays the first solo on top. The song builds its energy as the distorted guitars take over the rhythm. The second solo is a melodic rock solo with some tapping in the middle. After the solo, a bridge is introduced and the third solo plays on top - more with a Spanish guitar flavor. After the bridge, the triple acoustic guitars reintroduce the main melody. The fourth solo uses a less distorted sound with a Blues flavor. As the rhythm gains momentum to distorted guitars, the fifth solo comes flying on the top with some trilling. The song slowly fades away as the solo jumps around different triads and techniques.

Mechanics: The song is written in C major with 4/4 measures at 112 bps. It uses the same chord progression I used on the 5th song - Farewell to Midgard. The main melody goes through C-G-Am-F (1-5-6-4) and switches between Am(6) and Em (3) for the third chord. The bridge uses  F-C (4-1). The solo uses different styles on top of the same chord progression. For example, the third solo plays between the measures rather than starting and ending at a measure. It also has 1/16th and 1/4 notes all mixed - creating a Spanish guitar sound. Solos combine all the techniques I learned - tapping, trilling, bending, triads, and inversions.

Here is a quick glimpse of my studio where I composed, recorded and mixed this album.