I’m taken with the idea of learning how to write songs.  Why would I think I can’t given all my training and experience?  Well, it’s the mindset of stripping away what you know and going in with a blank mind – not imposing your experience.  Commercial songwriting especially – taking a leap of faith into [...]

Continue reading " School "

It’s such a mistake to think that there is this thick line in life separating commercial music and art music, or that it can be contained in the confines of originality or profoundness.  What I’m getting from bending my own rules about where to draw inflences, floors me.  
With Tori, the concept album becomes lieder. [...]

Continue reading " Tori Amos – More Study "

Musically, slowed down yesterday and just listened, which is an activity I am uncomfortable doing due to catching ear worms.  Spent a good part of yesterday writing a bit, and will probably do a bit more this afternoon if I have some time.
The turkeys came by yesterday, and I was surprised that a male was starting to [...]

Continue reading " EOY – whats that mean? "

Oh yes, there is plenty to thank.  Its a bit redundant to consider doing so, but “comfortable” seems to me a much more rewarding word than “rich” (if that were the case).  Small things are worth enjoying.  A cup of coffee in the morning.  Warmth in the cold.  A bit of light.  A good chair. [...]

Continue reading " Thanksgiving "

A half hour of improvisation a day, helps keep the theorist away.  My weekend motto.  
After the first two days attempting to come to speed, I switched at the end of the session last night to focus only on the right hand – fluttering to get the fingers moving.  There seems to be a lot [...]

Continue reading " A half hour a day "

Once George W. Bush had seized the moment, standing on the pile of rubble at Ground Zero and mouthing into his bullhorn a John Wayne oath of vengeance, the country as a whole began to buckle, yielding up decades of hard-won civil rights and allowing itself to be manipulated by cynical appeals to patriotism, xenophobia, and [...]

Continue reading " Delusional Self Centered Composer "

photo credit: def110
I spent considerable time this weekend reviewing the current buckets of thematic material, mostly tonal, for this neverendingandexploringviolinwork.  And, I must say….nothing new to say…except perhaps…I…still…believe it might work.
But, the question really popped up – should I continue to spend considerable time chasing this bird, or should I go back to the [...]

Continue reading " Lost Weekend "

My arms are too long from stretching across this desk to try and read my laptop. And my continual reaching and leaning in is killing my back. So, I went online and purchased this which will be arriving Wednesday:

Came down to two choices…two products. One by Ergo on Demand and the above by [...]

Continue reading " Ergonomic Arms "