I had a minor epiphany while helping my girlfriend create a composition assignment for her music students. Why not create a composition from a single rhythmic line first, then add pitches later?
Composing Rhythms First
Catchy Dissonance with Nathan Graves
I talked with my cousin, Nathan Graves, who fronts the band With a Gun for a Face and writes solo music under the name Kurtz. Nate's music is usually pretty dark and dissonant, but strangely catchy. The more I listen, the more I like it.
Going Solo with Guitarist Peter Frey
In this episode, Kazyak's Peter Frey debuts his new, more personal album See the Forest, See the Trees. He also shares his philosophy on soloing, the pros and cons of touring, and his advice on promoting your music.
The Art of Lyrics with Fiction Writer Ryan Ruff Smith
In this episode, Ryan Ruff Smith and I talk about a bunch of lyric-writing techniques, including seeing the big picture, using subtext, writing as a character, and focusing your song ideas.
Pop Music Theory with Beatles Expert Mitchell Johnson
Join me in the inaugural episode of my new podcast, Composer Quest. I'll be picking the brains of composers and songwriters to gain some insight into writing music. For the first episode, I interviewed Mitchell Johnson from Spencer McGillicutty.
Cagetones Live @ MNKino
If you've been following my musical history, you'll recall that back in February my friend Nick Syman and I resurrected our experimental improv group Cagetones to complete the RPM Album-in-a-Month Challenge. We recently had the opportunity to play our first live set together in four years, at the Continue reading... “We Want Your Thoughts”
Demented, sugary chaos - I guess that's how I picture this new song written by my cousin Nate Graves (aka Kurtz). We started working on it back in April, but we got stuck trying to add percussion. I originally thought a steady Radiohead-esque beat would work, but it felt kind of plodding to me. So Continue reading... Part of the Family – How to Fake a 90s Sitcom Intro
A few weeks ago, my friends and I set out on a quest to create an intro for a sitcom that doesn't exist. Why? Mostly for the hilarious challenge to use every sitcom intro cliche in the book. Here are our rules of thumb:
Open with random shots of transportation, a skyline, and a helicopter view Continue reading... The Lingerer: A Neil Gaiman-Inspired Mini-Opera
Is opera a dying art? Maybe, maybe not. If it is, the English National Opera has defibrilator paddles poised and ready. The ENO has started a mini-opera competition, and they're hoping to rejuvenate opera for a younger generation through an online crowdsourced project.
Scriptwriters, composers, and Continue reading... Tips for SpinTunes Songwriters
A mysterious, webaholic music lover known only as "Spin" once took it upon himself to start a songwriting challenge, free and open to anyone in the world. The SpinTunes challenge usually has around 35 participants, who are pitted against each other in four rounds of songwriting. The judges include Continue reading...