My Next Album, What Should It Be?

Hi All

I would like to solicit feedback. I have several new pieces completed and near completion and am planning on what will be the concept behind my next album. I write several different styles and I am not sure exactly what to put on the album. Make it all piano solos? Put in some pieces with accompaniment? Mix it up with ambient?

Do you folks like to listen to clearly defined albums or do you like it mixed up having a simple solo piece followed by an orchestra followed by electronic floating?

I would love to have your views! You can listen to several of my pieces on http://emptinessdances.com

Reactions are welcome
Thanks
G

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

Welcome G ~

I am going to put out a mass mailing to handle your request so you can utilize it and tabulate answers.  I am honored to have you here and will check back.  Your music touched me deeply.  I will give more answers as well by Monday.
Best always,
Kathy

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

Your piano solos are so beautiful! I love piano but I'm all about change so I like a Mix. Either way your music goes deep and resonates the soul. Thank you for sharing your wonderful talent.
Blessings,
Rain

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

My feeling, and I do have some experience with this, having worked in the music industry for quite some time, is that there must be both cohesion and variety on a successful album (cd.) I think that all  of the music on your website is beautiful, and very touching.

Does any of it resonate with you in the way that stringing one song after another would create a larger story? That might be one way to go - start simple, build, put in that climactic song. and then end with a simpler piece again. In that way, the music becomes like a journey or experience.

Just an idea…

Andrea

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

Your song Satyavati did it for me.  I am going to listen to the other pieces and will get back.  The first thing that occurred was I felt you to be interested to your audience rather than interesting, and that along pulled me into a different universe.  You truly are a master.  Not only was this first section technically perfect but the music spoke to me in a way that my imagination created whatever dreams that needed to surface and more.  Thank you… Standing O's!

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

Thank you for noticing that. I learned along time ago that music happens as a result of everyone in the room. I just happen to be sitting at the piano. Everyone hears themselves really so to think I make music would be simply a big mistake. This isn't a metaphysical or spiritual philosophy. Its the way things actually happen. Without the ear there is only sound. With the ear there is music.

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

Thanks for this. I have about 28 different ways of combining the tunes. Still struggling with that illusive something that dictates the order. That first song, traditionally, has been critical in establishing the vibe for the entire album. So that is a big choice as well as the title song.

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

all the pieces are absolutely lovely! i understand why you're in a quandary of choice. my  personal preference moves a bit toward an album of the solos with ambiance, but i think whatever you choose will be wonderful!

all the very best for you in your selection!

namste,
Kristen

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

what a delightful experience!
I started with the piano… and in the middle I went to added strings… I love piano, but the strings attach to my heart…
then I started trying to play them simultaneously, and not sure if I was hearing one over the other or whether they mixed well together, having 2 separate piano tunes with several separate strings… it also was an interesting experience…
and was thoroughly fascinated with how you put these all together! I liked the full sound, even when they were not necessarily the same melody, and added guitar to another…
I imagine you would get wildly enhanced with mixing many of them together!
then from collaboration and ambience, what a combination those sounds created…
I am not a musician, but loved putting the different things together…
so I seem to agree with the person that said to follow your own journey, with some solo and some mixed… and building it up, and then ending with a mellow.
but I would have some solo, but then use several musicians to add a flavor of their own to make a beautiful melody of harmony, to make a distinctive flavor of fullness… if those are appropriate terms to go with music… so much to choose from and what beautiful sounds to explore!
thank you so much for sharing… wish you the best of luck putting this all together! looking forward to hearing more!

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

When mixing it all together the number of combinations are mind boggling. Sometimes I will try a bunch of different ones until my ears fall off. Sometimes I know just which one to go for (or at least I think I do)

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

I really like the mellow approach you take.  Sometimes people use the piano as a very assertive and dominant figure in music, but i think it's best fit as a subtle but sometimes quick paced whim.  Personally i really liked the solo's you did though the strings added in aren't bad, i think they stress the delicate mood a little too much sometimes.  Strings seem to create a sort of DRAMA feeling that makes things important. 

Just my thoughts ;)

Carl

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

G, this is such a gift, to be able to listen to your work and talk to you. This beautiful space in which we can do it..sublime!

Flowing with the posts above, I realize that's the way I enjoy an album too: as a journey. Something like Andrea's idea too.

I guess it depends where I listen to the music. If it's in a work environment, it needs to be all mellow and without too many surprising notes [though that may wake up sleepy people sometimes! ;o]
If it's for meditation, starting with The Tempest, for example, to draw in various energies, and then go within toa very quiet place and out with increasingly complex tones.

If it's for a healing session, then something that's complex but harmonious throughout.

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

Hi G - great idea to ask people - loved the intro to Emptiness Dances and Original Face in the piano solos.  I love the purity of the piano, and could quite happily listen to piano music all the way through…..
What do you have in mind G - will you let us know
Love Tai

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

Woooowww. I am touched by all the responses and very grateful for you comments. All your thoughts are helping this solidfy for me. I have always both played an written in many styles and often combined things pretty much as I felt it in the moment. But I do find as I get older I am thinking more of my audience then myself and want to put out collections of music that work for people's lives.

I would say that at this moment I am leaning towards combining some things and not having it all piano solo although my love affair with the piano is obvious and it will be the centerpiece of the affair. I will probably not use the more dramatic orchestral things since I think the overall vibe will remain subdued and pianistic

It is also very gratifying to know that people are interested in the compilation. With so many younrger listeners downloading songs I was wondering if I would witness the demise of the “album”, with the artist vision lost in the personal mix.

I have nothing against the latter I am just happy to know that there is still an audience for an entire work.

Well that is my thought's at this juncture. Hmmm….. it just occurred to me. Would this be an interesting blog for you folks. Would you be curious as to what a composer goes through trying to work these things out. I could twitter or blog it and sow the process from my perspective?

Thank you all again
G

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

“Would you be curious as to what a composer goes through trying to work
these things out. I could twitter or blog it and sow the process from
my perspective?”

Yes! and Please do!

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

Wow… What a brilliant blog that would be… the process gone through has to be a magical tour of spirit with imagination with technical.
We look forward to it.  I listened to the songs in a new unit of time today and agree you have such a gift that feeds the soul.  I will check back.

Thanks for this Meenakshi!
Kathy

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

This is a beautiful gift, thankyou for sharing.  I've never really thought about what works for me when it comes to experiencing music, but now that the question has been asked, here are some thoughts:

I find I get the most excited by pieces that have dramatic contrast within them, for example combinations of simple melodies and solos (acapella like harmonies) within the context of larger or more complex collaberations.

In terms of compilation, there's always the tried and true symphonic process of introducing a theme, offering contrasting simpler and fuller elaborations on the theme, and then providing a fully integrated reprisal of some sort, whether climactic or anticlimactic in nature. 

Or, as has been also suggested in other postings, there is the imagined journey process.  (I'm listening to “Ambient Thought” now and its putting me in a magical, idealistic, peaceful place.)  I'm guessing that some sort of intentional combination of the developmental and journey oriented approaches would be very engaging. 

Based on what I'm listening to, however you choose to compile and arrange your works will be wonderful.  I love the solo piano, ambience, and the accompanied works.  I'm a big George Winston fan, I think of his work largely in terms of ambience alone.  Your work adds a dimension of intention to the ambience.  I'm not just sitting in the rain or snow or forest when I'm listening to your work, I'm on a journey.  I'll buy and recommend your CD, just let us know when and where.  Let us know if you ever get to Atlanta to perform. 

take care,

Dave

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

Hello Again

In keeping with my word I have been blogging on the subject pretty much daily. I posted the latest entry this morning and you can read it in the blog section of Gaia. I welcome your comments.

G

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

Hi G

I listened to your CD once again and I am still taken with the solo piano.

Aesthetics can be such a vastly misunderstood branch of philosophy and I so look forward and respect how you unfold the process you go through to create.  I find that all of the others artists could listen to your music and pick up a brush and something magic would form.  Same with playing at the computer.  You lift up mankind.
Lee

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

Like I always say all art is such a subjective experience and dynamic. You can't actually separate it from the moment, the time, the people listening, the weather… us… well… everything.

So i ask people what moves them. Of course, I am the one who as to decide what goes where but I like to think I am enhancing people's lives so I want to know what people want… what is meaningful to them. Of course, the surprise is also what is meaningful so in the end I will spring something on you all.

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

“Do you folks like to listen to clearly defined albums or do you like itmixed up having a simple solo piece followed by an orchestra followedby electronic floating?”

Jesus, man, you have some great music on your website!

Listening to your music, it leans heavily towards the meditative … so, you can have an entire album with just your piano compositions. Yes? There is no need for a relief from any of it.

ST

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

Thank you Sr. Temple. Most of my music has been coming out meditative lately, Even the more melodic pieces. Trying to pare it down for the album is quite trying.

On a practical note there are only about a gazillion solo pianist out there these days so I am also trying my best to distinguish myself a little. Although as of tonight I now have enough pieces to make a mostly piano album. My wife keeps telling me to make two.

G

Re: My Next Album, What Should It Be?

Hey G,

You be the dog.

I am a moron when it comes to business, marketing, sales, etc. So, if you want to make money, run away from me.

Spiritually, I always tell people to do what they want - to live from their beings. Also, I tell people to go with their intuition.

What does your intuition tell you? It is probably dead-on.

ST