Behind the Music: Big Adventure, Brave Heart, Tiny Feet

The Tale of Forrest Gump, Devastation Caffeine, and the Cheeky Motif That Became My Sonic Compass

Jul 04, 2025

This one didn’t start like a lot of the others.

Big Adventures, Tiny Feet, Brave Heart kind of wrote itself, or maybe a more apt way of saying it would be: it wrestled itself out of me.

I was deeply moved by Alan Silvestri’s Forrest Gump theme (I mean who isn’t though). I was really struck with how simple yet how profound it is.
Such a simple melody that beautifully combines child like wonder with bittersweet ache.
Alan, you are a genius

Naturally, I thought: “Right. I’m gonna write something just like that.”

Whenever I compose music however, it usually turns into some epic cinematic, but I really wanted to try and write something more reminiscent of the Forrest Gump theme.
This time, I was going to write a masterpiece that was subtle and restrained.

Spoiler alert: It didn’t happen.

Turns out trying to not be yourself in the name of art is futile and a total time waster.
I spent what felt like hours scrapping melody after melody for being too quirky, too syncopated or too weird.
Basically too ‘me’.
And I got stuck.
Like full on writer’s block stuck.

I finally squeezed out the first piano motif (the one that starts the song) and immediately felt annoyed and disheartened with a side of “Ugh”!
”There I go again. Too quirky.”

Defeated, I made myself a coffee and had a dose of ‘what’s the point in trying new things’ caffeine.

Then came the beautiful, exasperated moment of artistic surrender.
If what naturally flows out of me is cinematic, then why fight against it.
Just go with and see what happens.

First came acceptance, and then came the music.

This new song turned out to not just be another cinematic instrumental.
I was inspired to write a Forrest Gump style theme,
but what emerged was the theme song of me.

This is how I see life. How I feel it.
This melody is the one in my soul when I’m walking my dog,
or staring into space with a coffee.
Standing bare foot on the grass,
or collapsing into bed at the end of the day.
Literally all the time, this melody IS me.
It makes my spirit smile, because it is my spirit.
I can hear me in it.
This my theme.

The Contagious Frequency

As this song started to emerge, it sparked a thought about everyone’s frequency being contagious (I wrote about this in another post).
I wanted a song that embodies that notion.

So I passed the melody (joy motif) around the orchestra:

The piano introduces it.
The clarinet responds.
The bassoon chimes.
The flute adds its little flair.

Everyone gets a moment.
Everyone brings their own timbre, their own take.
Everyone feels the joy and embodies it in their own unique, brilliant way.
Everyone is aware of their own contagious resonance so they are intentionally sharing the frequency of joy.

And the result is a beautiful cacophony of unbridled joy with a side of an infectious giggle.

Honestly, it sounds like how I wish people operated.
Each of us singing our own quirky little melody, intentionally resonating in joy, passing that energy around and allowing others to add their flavour.

The magic is only made more beautiful because we don’t all sound the same.

I was inspired by Alan Silvestri’s melody, I caught the frequency, followed the feeling, wrote my own from the resonance,
and now I pass it to you.

Music as Medicine

This song is my theme yes, but it was born through trial.
The last few years has been the most gut wrenching time of loss, betrayal, hopelessness and despair.
I suppose that’s why the Forrest Gump theme landed so poignantly.
It resonated with the part of me that still held onto hope.
It resonated with the part of me that said ‘this can’t be it..this won’t be it’.

I deeply believe music, frequency, and resonance can heal us.
Not metaphorically - but literally.

It bypasses cognitive logic, skips the “what happened” and speaks straight to the body. To the soul.

So I set out to make a song that could do two things:

Pull me out of the pit when I’m barely breathing
And amplify joy when I’m already flying

A track that could remind me who I am when I forget.

The Sound Of Brave

Big Adventures, Tiny Feet, Brave Heart was created from the question:

What does it sound like to take your first brave step,
even if your knees are shaking and you don’t know the way?
When you’re not ready… but you go anyway?

I wanted the sound of someone who chooses joy.
Who turns toward grief and still looks for the beauty and magic (even if they’re just small moments).
Someone who keeps going, barefoot, teary, a little bruised - but fiercely unwilling to forget the joy they know they came here to broadcast.

I wasn’t trying to make a song.
I was trying to make a resonant frequency for my own healing.
A sonic permission slip.

A resonance that says, ‘hey, you’re allowed to heal’.

What You’re Really Hearing (with Your Soul)

This 4-minute cinematic frequency journey is designed to build hope and forward motion, through the encouragement to be bravely take the first step.

So let’s pull back the curtain to find out the science behind the feeling.

Tempo = Nervous System Entrainment

75 BPM = your resting heart rate
Breath slows, shoulders drop

On Your Marks, Get Set, Feel:

0:00-0:30 - First Steps
The motif is introduced by the piano, the soul thread instrument of this piece.
It’s playful, cheeky, and connects us to our child-like wonder and wide eyed curiosity. You know, the one you had before the self-consciousness took it over.
The joy in the cheeky syncopated melody is contagious, and immediately it’s responded to by the clarinet and flute.

The plucked strings respond and emphasise the curiosity and playful energy, whilst the whimsical upper-mid timbres of the solo woodwind instruments stimulate dopamine and provide a sense of optimism, novelty and forward movement.

Dominant frequencies:

150-600 Hz: Engages the emotional body and safety.
2k-8k Hz: Gentle highs add sparkle without sharpness. Interpreted by the brain and nervous system as hopeful and expansive.

These frequencies mimics theta and low alpha brainwaves - triggering a feeling calm and safety. The vagus nerve relaxes, shifting you into the parasympathetic (rest and restore). Once here, the heart rate and breathing slows, the body exhales as it feels safe and open.

In essence, this song is hugging your nervous system.

It releases the same feeling and hormone (oxytocin) as when you hug someone you love. Honestly, it’s impossible to listen to this song, hear these frequencies and be in the sympathetic system (fight or flight).

0:30-1:00: Discovery Begins

As the motif (joy) is passed around the orchestra, the instrumentation thickens and become layered with harmony and texture. The choir enters, adding the human element (relating deeper to us) while the motif as we know it begins to change. It’s never lost, but the motif evolves into a more communal interpretation as it no longer belongs to one instruments, but to the entire orchestra.

The orchestration grows more complex and layered, however is never overwhelming.
No harsh edges are heard and no jarring rhythms are present. This ‘ease of sound’ is tied together by the sweeping strings. A euphoric build up to something that we anticipate will be beautiful. It’s all smooth and consistent, whilst still maintaining the feeling of forward motion.

The resonance is starting to awaken remembrance in you body.

Dominant frequencies:

300-800 Hz: The sweet spot of emotional storytelling. The body feels safe enough to feel.

With these frequencies, the limbic system is activated, triggering memories and stored emotions through a deep sense of nostalgia.
The fond reminiscent feeling of ‘oh I remember that’.
The fond memory of your favourite climbing tree as a kid, or remembering your childhood best friend.

The frequencies softly guide you to unlock fond memories.

1:00-1:30: The Heart Opens

This is where the magic starts to take place. The added guitar strums create a steady, reassuring rhythm while the piano continues to spread the joy through a call-and-response with other instruments. Due to the nervous system already been soothed and supported through earlier frequencies, it’s now ready to do more than observe. It begins to apply meaning. Even subconsciously, this is where emotional processing begins.

You might not know why you’re tearing up… or smiling… or both.
But your body does.

Dominant frequencies:

70-170 Hz: Bass emphasise engages chest and heart. Promotes warmth and sincerity.
300–800 Hz: The heart of emotional storytelling
Rhythmic grounding: Rhythmic strumming and breath-like phrasing give the body a sense of presence and stable guidance.

We are still in the parasympathetic system and theta-alpha brainwave territory. The limbic system continues to engage, but now is processing emotions associated with memories. This is where tears, goosebumps, or a cheeky shoulder dance can take place.

This is resonance at its finest.

I create dynamic restraint here. The instrumentation unexpectedly becomes sparse and intriguing, inviting you to lean in (physically and emotionally) into the music. Its like the song is about to whisper a secret.

1:30 - 2:00: Integration
The sonic journey continues to evolve.
A new melody and motif emerges.
The piano (joy, childlike wonder) is given full permission to sing a new song, with the support of the orchestra.

It’s inviting you to express your true authentic autonomous self. To ditch self-conciseness and fire the self judge.

To return to the unbridled, unfiltered, joyfully vulnerable version of you.

The instrumentation thicken to warm low brass, shifting the frequencies and timbre setting the scene for what comes next.

Dominant frequencies:

150–400 Hz: Warmth and physical safety. No threats here, just fun.
300–2500 Hz: A broad, balanced range allowing sparse emotional engagement.
8k–10k Hz: Soft dip in sparkle, more introspective.

This is peak parasympathetic activation: total safety, total comfort and total openness. Your body is no longer just listening but processing.
Emotional integration is occurring on a subconscious level as the memory reconsolidating zone is activated. Old dusty emotions are taken off the shelf and are gently refiled and/or released. This is probably while you are physical tearing up, or laughing (I do both of these depending on my mood).

2:00-2:30: The Glow
Cue the key change and with a rockin’ drum entry.
A new variant on the old motif is introduce by, yes you guessed it, octaves on the piano. The re-emergence of this ‘old friend’ melody triggers the comfort of nostalgia, whilst the evolution of the motif invites us to also evolve.
The choir swells and the warming, affirming timbre of the trumpets are playing a counter melody to compliment the piano.

There is still forward here, but the melody is smoother, calmer more soaring.
Not so syncopated and cheeky, but grounded, confident and a little wiser.
The orchestra is now playing at the full range spectrum, giving you the full emotional spectrum to contemplate.

Think of it as now we are using the entire piano, as oppose to just the middle section.

The soaring highs and the grounding lows are activated given us permission to explore our own emotional range.

Dominant frequencies:

150–400 Hz: More prominent base = Greater grounding.
400-1500 Hz: Heart to brain connection, still sweetly storytelling.
5k-8k Hz: Sparkle returns, signaling continued wonder.

This section activates high-alpha brainwaves, easing us into an active awareness state. Again, this is all happening without us knowing it. We are just ‘lost’ in the music. Isn’t the power of resonance magic?!

Emotions rise and dopamine release continuous as a reward to staying with the emotion. Open, calm, and now bravery is entering. The full emotional spectrum is on offer here. The highest of highs and lowest of lows, all safe and all grounded.

Permission to feel everything.

2:30-3:00: Return
As the emotionally rewarding conclusions is reaching the peak of this song, our expectation are almost met, but are withheld.
I wanted the music to be surprising and unexpected.
We as humans long for resolution and reasoning in our lives (and music).
We can sense the sonic landing is approaching, and we greatly desire that full on dopamine hit, however I throw predictability out the window through dynamic restraint.

The orchestration suddenly becomes sparse, creating, suspense and anticipation (in a good way). The nervous system instantly responds. Quickly the body is shifted into the sympathetic system (fight/flight) creating a rush of ‘pay attention’, swiftly followed by an immediate return to the parasympathetic system (rest/heal) calm.

It’s an intentional emotional roller coaster, one created by your amygdala (emotional alert system) and prefrontal cortex (conscious processing) activating together. A soft, yet safe jolting. The frequencies here are still full spectrum again allowing the listener full emotional access to themselves and processing what they need to.

All we have to do is allow the resonance do its thing.

3:00-3:30: Emotional Climax
Finally, here comes the full body ‘yes, that is me’.
The full orchestra swells, the piano climbs higher and higher in octaves, the grand trumpets warm us with affirming long notes, the quick notes of the strings hold tension and rhythm, the guitar strums in conviction and the drums ground the entire piece by holding a steady heart beat.

All play well together for a full, expansive, unbridled celebration of joy.
Here we get full parasympathetic closure (nervous system is soothed), high gamma-spike (cathartic, insightful), and we receive a full dopamine release (euphoria, yes please).

All this is felt to the steady, trusted, familiar 4/4 metre.
We are coming home.

3:30 - End. Welcome Home, the Fire is Ready
The cheeky motif makes a quick return on the clarinet’s low, warm, reassuring timbre, like an old friend showing up with a pizza.
Then, it’s gently handed back to the original joy creator (the piano) to play it an octave up.

Our nostalgia is satisfied.

The frequencies here guide us to integrate this song and feeling now body through introspection, nostalgia, openness, safety and curiosity.

Dominant frequencies:

The piano takes the melody in high octave: 2k–5k Hz, sometimes extending higher. This is bright, childlike wonder, vulnerable and fragile with a side of pure and sincere.
This is the soul-thread of the piece, the child’s eyes in which we are seeing the world.

The bell tree says ‘chimes’ in: 6k–10k Hz. Our openness, our emotion and our spirit. It gives the glimmer of the pice, creating an exhale that tells the soul ‘something is going to happen, and it’s important’. This is the tingle.

And finally, the harp glissandos, combined with the string plucks glue this all together at around the 100hz to 6khz mark. They lift the emotions whilst also keeping it grounded.

It’s delicate, it’s vulnerable, but safe.
Our nervous system is given permission to feel the feeling we have locked away.
Let it out.
Be curious.

It’s a full emotional, somatic, brain wave journey all designed to create a resonance of openness, safe fragility and vulnerability, childlike hope, and evoke a brave to be circus and discord all these emotions at once.

Wow.
What a trip.

Good time for a snack!
Make it warm, gooey and all comfort.

Here’s the optimal listening ritual:

This track was made for transformation.
But to really receive it - you’ve got to choose presence.

Use headphones. You can use speakers or play it in your car, but the song is designed in wide stereo to create a fully immersive experience. Headphones will let you be completely present with the music and deepen the sensation of emotional envelopment
Find a dark, quiet space, or go for a walk. Be in a place where your nervous system can fully exhale. Or if you prefer, head outdoors into the sun and go for walk. Take your brave steps in beat with the music (it’s a quick pace, get that blood moving).
Bring a warm drink or snack. It’s all about creating a safe environment that allows your system to receive. (A toastie or gooey chocolatey snack is strongly encouraged
Sit or lie down. Press play. Close your eyes. Breathe. Eliminate all distractions - an eye mask can help you go even further.
Feel whatever comes up. Grief. Joy. Anger. Nothingness. Just don’t push it away. Let it speak. Give yourself permission and patience to be with your emotion.
Journel. Write everything down. The body has just processed a lot. You have gotten flashes of visions, or feelings. Write it down. It doesn’t have to make sense. It has to be felt.

The resonance knows what to do. Trust it.

One Last Thing

I made this song to resonate.
Yes it’s my theme song, but it can be yours too now.
A little sonic companion to hold whatever you need it to hold.

If something stirred in you - a tear, a memory, a goosebump - I’d love to know.
Drop a comment. Slide into my DMs. Or just say:

“I came, I saw, I stepped bravely, I made a bare-footed coffee.”

That’s the dream. Truly.

Let the joy rebuild you.
That’s what this melody was made for.
A cheeky grin through the tears and a brave little step forward (with tiny feet).

That’s what the song does.
And now - so do you.

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