Period III continues with another 12 midis. This period was significant in two other ways; Firstly, I was temporarily out of work, allowing me to spend more time crafting and composing music; and secondly, it was in this three month period that family and friends began hearing my music for the first time, and it was their feedback - insistance, in some cases - that ultimately led to my "going public". Amongst the early reviewers were my former boss, Andrew, one of my closest friends, Ian Mackinder, and my brother, Paul, as well as a number of friends "met" through Yahoo Messenger, my IRC client of choice. # Name (Length) Size Download Links Comments       36 Get The Message (5:15) 63K There's always a temptation when working on a piece of music to add just a little bit more - a variation here, an extra fill there, a little more of this, a tweak of that. Sometimes these extras can add to the song, at least as often they muddy it. This tune didn't need any extras; thankfully, I "Got The Message" and left it be. This sounds almost as good on the SB-Live as it did on the Awe-32, so I expect to have a remix available fairly quickly - there isn't a lot to do! 37 Two Steps Forward (9:54) 206K Everything in this piece starts 2/16ths of a bar earlier than it should, hence the name! A great piece of melodic pop. Needs only slight remixing to work on the SB-Live - the drums need to be turned down and the piano and bass turned up, is all. 38 Plastic Mantra (7:17) 73K One of my flaws is that I don't suffer fools gladly, and have even less time for those who prey on them, especially religious hard-liners.who insist that their way is the only way (and please give at the door on your way out). When I heard that some television evangelists were now accepting donations by credit card, my outrage manifested in this rather sarcastic tune, for which I make no apologies. This sounds almost as good on the SB-Live as it did on the Awe-32. 39 Rajah In D (12:31) 11K Zipped (159K Unzipped) This was going to be progressive rock. But the tune conveyed visions of elephants laden down with treasure, swaying back and forth as they carry gifts and captured wealth to the master of the local land. Exotic Spices, golden statues, carved ivory, gemstones by the bushel.... This doesn't quite work on the SB-Live. The uptempo chorus betrays the prog-rock origins of the piece. But there are 2½ variations on the verse before you get there... trusr me, when you get to it, you'll know it! 40 The Game Of Life (5:17) 11K Zipped (136K Unzipped) This tune is from the same stable as "Two Steps Forward" and "Get The Message", but clearly shows the danger of overworking a piece of music. There are nice bits here and there, especially in the chorus, and it might possible be salvaged, but the melody line is so cheesy that I'm not sure it's worth the effort. 41 But I Still Sleep Alone (8:51) 54K This piece is very personal - to me and just about every other bachelor out there. It captures the lonelyness of the blind date - the apprehension as you prepare, the excitement and fear when the hour actually arrives, the doubts and second-guessing that follows - and the depressing realisation that it's come to nothing, and you have to do it all over again. This sounds smoother and silkier on the SB-Live but lacks the bite and some of poignancy of the original. 42 Don't Give Up Easy (7:42) 63K Yes, I know the title is ungrammatical, but this is a tale of determination and stubbornness when you're right, as told from the perspective of a simple, uneducated, woman. Inspired by films like "Erin Brockovich". The SB-Live completely buries the melody, alas. 43 Valediction (6:11) 54K A Valediction is a farewell salute - the most famous being "Hail Ceaser, we who are about to die salute you" by the Gladiators as they entered the arena. These days it has a more general meaning as a heartfelt goodbye. This has remained #1 on my personal favorites list for longer than I care to remember. The SB-Live doesn't do the tune justice. This will obviously be one of the high priorities for a remix! 44 Electric Melancholy (5:46) 44K Three of the last 4 have been sad songs (including this one). That's sheer coincidence, I assure you! This tune actually more whistful than depressed, and with a strong uptempo componant. Alas, it sounds horrendous on the SB-Live - so much so that a successful remix might not be possible.. 45 An Air Of Menace (4:17) 48K When your work is described as "Cinematic", you start trying to use it to paint pictures of scenes. In this case, a man striding through fog-shrouded streets. To look at, there is nothing sinister about him, though he wears a clock to keep the misty air from soaking his clothes; but he nevertheless exudes a presence, an air - of danger, of menace. This doesn't sound quite as good on the SB-Live but it still works. If my favorites were detemined by successfully achieving the goals set for a tune, this would certainly be amongst the winners. 46 Take A Chance (12:26) 201K There are times in composing when experience tells you to do one thing and instinct another. Most of the time, experience wins - and it should - but every now and then, the instincts are right, so you should never ignore them. In this tune, I followed my instincts faithfully and it worked perfectly - every time. Which means that at the end of it, my experience had grown vastly. This sounds almost as good on the SB-Live as it did on the Awe-32. Different, but just about as good.. With a little remixing, an SB-Live version might even be better. 47 Getting Better (8:26) 135K By now I was throwing out tunes that were so far above the standard of complexity and appeal that I had set at the start of the year, with less effort than even a mediocre tune of the time would have taken. This piece of midtempo pop came together in less than an hour, start to finish, and was titled in recognition of my growing self-confidence. The verses sound very thin on the SB-Live, and the chorus buries the melody under the bass I'm afraid. A substantial remix is required here.