This month...a free piece, a new single, thoughts on writing & writer's block, and some recommendations.
Free Piece
It's no secret that I love a waltz. There is something about playing in three that just feels so good. Here is a short waltz with some colorful harmonies. It uses a majority of the fretboard, so it provides good practice in shifting positions. Be sure to bring out all the voices in the harmonies. It's a deceptively challenging little tune.
My newest single, "Song from an Open Window", is out today. Please consider adding it to your favorite playlists and sharing with like minded listeners.
The tune began where most of my music begins nowadays...at my desk in my classroom. It was just an improvisation that I videoed in case I wanted to use any of it later. After listening back, there was something about it caught my ear, so I spent a little time working it into a short piece.
Here is the original improv/demo video...
Downloads & TABs are available on my website. Downloads are also available on Bandcamp.
Thoughts on Writing & Writer's Block...
Up until a few years ago, I was a firm believer that writer's block was a thing. I would spend months feeling frustrated and unproductive, sitting around waiting for a muse to show up. When it did, I would be lucky to write a couple of pieces before it left again.
During the pandemic, a few things changed my perspective on the whole concept of writer's block.
1. I asked an expert...
During one of my talks with David Crosby, I asked him about his take on writer's block. He explained to me why he doesn't believe in it, and he shared the advice he received from Joni Mitchell about always writing things down. Watch here...
I have always transcribed music after I composed it. These were completed pieces. I rarely transcribed the music during the process. I left everything to memory. After this conversation, I made a new habit...
2. Journals/Videos
I have always been in love with writing music with pencil and paper. During the pandemic, I bought myself a pack of manuscript journals. I had a lot more free time during the pandemic, and I wanted to try to use that time to compose. I made a commitment to write everything down in a journal. Whether it was a complete piece, a handful of measures, or one short motif, I wrote it down. I also used my phone to video every idea and saved it in a Dropbox folder.
From the ether, on to paper, and then into Sibelius.
Over the last few years, I made this a habit. Every note is documented and saved. Having every idea written down and on video sparks the composing/editing process for me. It leads to inspiration and new ideas. Something written weeks ago can be revisited with fresh ears, giving it new possibilities. This has helped me to complete more pieces than ever before.
I have also become pretty good with Sibelius. Once a piece is in its draft stage, it goes right into Sibelius, and awaits editing and finalizing.
I never want to say the words..."I've forgotten more than I've written." ever again.
3. Creating Daily...Making it a Habit
Once school resumed in-person at the end of the pandemic, I started a new routine of waking up earlier, doing some yoga to combat my sciatica, and getting to school an hour before students started to show up.
I promised myself I would use that hour every morning to write music. Even if I felt uninspired, I forced myself to write something. It didn't have to be great, it didn't even have to be good. It was all about the process of writing...anything.
This quickly became a habit. I looked forward to seeing what would come out every morning. I was writing more than I ever had before. In the first ten months of doing this, I wrote music for two albums, a bunch of solos and ensemble pieces for my students, numerous arrangements, and even an entire book of short studies for classical guitar.
The power of positive habits is undeniable. Since creating these little habits, I no longer believe that writer's block is a thing. It is always process vs. product. I believe that writing every day opens a channel to the muse, and keeps it open. Not everything will be good...a lot of it will be crap...but something gets written, and that something will spark an edit or something entirely new that has the potential to be a great piece.
Finding silence and solitude in our world today is virtually impossible. We are overloaded with noise and distractions. This is a wonderful book exploring ways we can still find the solitude and silence needed to create assiduously in an extremely disconcerting world.
Ralph Towner's At First Light is exactly what you would expect. Brilliant.
How inspiring is it, that age 83, Towner is still writing and playing at this level? It's incredible.
I will never complain about my hands hurting again.
Ciro Hurtado is one of the best guitarist out there playing traditional Latin / South American music. His melodies, tone, touch, and feel are all amazing. I am a big fan of his work.
Luna is a beautiful record. It puts you in a good place. Check it out.
My brother from another mother, Dave Kurtiak, (we've been friends since age 4) leads a funky ensemble out in Seattle called How Now Brown Cow.
This group of funk/jazz improvisors show up on a gig and pull music from the ether. The results are always groovin'.
That's all for now. As always, thank you for reading these and for supporting my music. I am forever grateful.
Oh...let's not forget...
It is the start of the 2023 baseball season. The Pirates are 1-0 and in first place. I am going to savor that while it lasts...a few more hours. Let's go Bucs!
