On the second day, I added more layers to the drums of my new musical work, some strings to represent the infinite potential of my infant self, and a dirty electric guitar to represent the impact of my mother. I also extended the B section to 64 bars with the thought of using flex tempo later to increase the tempo in that section in order to express my increasing infantile panic. (more…)
I have wanted for some time to compose a musical work which expresses in some way the rich panoply of unexpressed emotions that I feel towards my mother. The rage, panic, resentment, disappointment, sadness, grief, anger, terror, sympathy… and perhaps even love. I have had a few unsuccessful attempts in the past, but so far, this white whale has eluded me. (more…)
In the subject Creative Music Technology at university last semester, I was asked to listen to a collection of experimental and electronic music to stimulate my creative imagination, and to write what I liked and didn’t like about it. Here’s my rather cynical take on the genre. (more…)
After two years in the making, I’ve finally released my first electronic dance music (EDM) track, Pumpin’ Out Some Sick Beats! (more…)
After spending 3 years studying Music Performance at Sydney TAFE Music, I now have one of these: (more…)
I played the inaugural Stanmore Music Festival last year, which was held on 16th November 2019. In anticipation of the big day, Margot and I both applied for busking permits with Inner West Council, the local council which governs Stanmore.
I put my application in on 24th September 2019, thinking that 8 weeks notice should be plenty of time to get my permit, and went ahead and played despite not hearing anything back.
Well, my permit just came through, over a year later, and 10 months after the festival. (more…)
The Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) has transformed the process by which musicians and producers create sound recordings. Since the first DAW was invented by Micro Technology Unlimited in 1979, the features available to the sound recordist have exploded over time. This has been fuelled by the growth in raw computer power available, along with an ever-increasing array of digital music- and sound-related hardware and software accessories, all with ever decreasing costs. (more…)
Tim Minchin is a thoughtful performer who combines the power of music and comedy to both entertain and impact his audience, while expressing what is on his mind in an engaging and memorable way.
I first came across Tim when a friend offered me a ticket to his Sydney show during the Ready For This? tour in 2009. While I’d never heard of him before, I was immediately drawn in by the proficiency of his piano playing, the intellectual nature of his comedic observations, and his bizarre teased hairstyle. (more…)
I’m finding it hard to get to sleep at night. In the lecture this week, we learned that Wagner described discovering the work of Liszt as being like a sedative that enabled him to sleep. My favourite music by Wagner is Ride Of The Valkyries: (more…)
I’d write something brilliant, but this week I’m not really sure where to start. What’s missing is my motivation. All my musical and comedic friends have had all their gigs cancelled. You can’t even go to a café anymore. My artistic vision is in the doldrums and it’s hard for me to write my essay online. Seems like the big question in the lecture this week was whether a musical performer should focus on himself and his instrument, or just be a conduit for the composer. Never mind that, I’m wondering whether there will be any opportunities for live performance in this brave new world at all. (more…)