composition

Theme from a Sitcom You Never Saw

Because I write in a wide variety of styles, I get a lot of “you should do a [$GENRE] song!” Sometimes these are intriguing challenges, and sometimes I have to politely say, “hey, yeah, maybe,” while internally knowing that it will never happen either because I don’t have any clue how to do it, or because I know that the end result probably isn’t going to be as satisfying as the person thinks it will be. This isn’t limited to my friends, though. The Song-A-Day folks will occasionally throw out a song prompt or challenge: Disco Monday; Write in Locrian … Continue reading

Mare Nectaris

As I’ve mentioned previously this month, I do worry about these ambient pieces being unenjoyable for others, but two comments on the Song-A-Day site made me feel a lot better about it.  I think my favorite track this year is Mare Imbrium. What could be more beautiful, more emotionally satisfying? I wish I had written that one. Derek Greenberg I think I’ve listened to “Mare Insularum” like five times in a row now. Wesley Thompson These are both people whose work I respect greatly, so getting feedback like this is one of the most valuable external things about Song-A-Day.1The main … Continue reading

Hymnos

The last four days have been electronic or beat-based, so I was in the mood to go back to some orchestral instruments. My sample library acquisitions over the last couple of years have been as much of an expansion for me as when I got my first sampler in the late 80s, my first really good workstation synth in the late 90s, not to mention what digital audio workstations (DAWs) have done to make professional-level production achievable in the smallest of spaces. I’ve made use of the Eric Whitacre choir library before, but wanted to do something that really featured … Continue reading

Laska’s Dream

With the frustration of Sineposts not being finished still fresh on my mind, I wasn’t sure what was going to happen with today’s song. Many times when I write anger while I’m feeling it, the results aren’t great. I lose any sense of subtlety (what little I already have) and am just thrashing around instead of focusing that emotion into something that speaks to others as well. But sometimes, thrashing around is exactly what is needed. Break stuff. So what an utter and pleasant surprise when I first loaded up the pizzicato strings and played the opening riff. I could … Continue reading

I’m Going to Candyland

Sitting down in the studio after an evening of socializing, I was in a pretty chill mood. I had two false, though promising, starts that ended up in the sketches folder, but the third time was the charm, as I landed almost immediately on the beat that sparked the rest of the track. I made some pattern edits and then duplicated the kick twice to get the additional notes I needed, then looped that for awhile and built up the various synths. There are pros and cons to being under the influence in the studio. On the plus side, I … Continue reading