Stan Stewart - @muz4now

### Please share! * Share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Share on X (Opens in new window) X * The truth is: I’m enjoying listening to music by other people. And that is more true than ever about Edward Givens. ## Truth and Fiction Edward and I “met” on BlueSky recently. I was immediately drawn to his interest in multiple art forms as both an artist and a curator. Poetry, visual art, and music are all part of his sharing on the BS (BlueSky) network. The same is true of his music releases on BandCamp. Along with his original music and songs that have influenced him, he shares poetry (written by himself or others) and visuals (video and still images) that are quite captivating. > At length the melody steals into my being. I know not when it began to occupy me. ~H.D. Thoreau ## The Earth, Indeed Like poetry, the music of Givens’ album, “Terra”, is not easily captured in words. So, I’m choosing not to share a lot of verbiage. Instead, I’ll let you know a few things I appreciated. The rest, I’ll leave to your listening ears. As I listened to the opening track, “Somber Meditation”, I was struck by the seeming lack of meter. The truth is, like several other pieces on this album, I suspect there is a sense of time in spite of what my ears told me. By the third time I listened to this composition, I could feel a pulse. > By some fortunate coincidence of thought or circumstance I am attuned to the universe, I am fitted to hear, my being moves in a sphere of melody, my fancy and imagination are excited to an inconceivable degree. ~H.D. Thoreau ## Terra truth Every track on this album led me to a sense of ritual. I could see campfires and a lone drummer. The other elements of the music seemed to come more from the forest surrounding the campfires than from the human beings sitting in circle. Once again, Givens — the artist — paints a picture of something intriguing and beautiful. I guess what I’m truly saying is that these compositions are evocative and deliver a sense of magic. And in these times, we can use all the magic we can get. Thanks to Givens for delivering a bit of a spell with the album “Terra”. > This is no longer the dull earth on which I stood. ~H.D. Thoreau ### Please share! * Share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Share on X (Opens in new window) X * ### Like this: Like Loading... ### _More for you_ * * * ### Discover more from Stan Stewart - @muz4now Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe

### Please share! * Share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Share on X (Opens in new window) X * * * * **BandCamp** **Mirlo** **YouTube** **Peertube/BassPistol** **Bandwagon** **Apple Music** **Tidal** **Pandora** **Deezer** **Spotify** (if you must) **Jam.CoOp** **YouTube Music** * Bluesky * Mastodon * Facebook * X * More social networks * BandCamp * YouTube # Stan Stewart – @muz4now ### Please share! * Share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Share on X (Opens in new window) X * ### Like this: Like Loading... ### _More for you_ * * * ### Discover more from Stan Stewart - @muz4now Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe

Stan Stewart - @muz4now

### Please share! * Share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Share on X (Opens in new window) X * Some things matter. Some things matter more. ## Nothing Wrong With A Day Job I’ve gone through periods when my only income was from music. However, throughout most of my adult life, I’ve had a non-music source that provided most of the money coming into my accounts. In addition to writing, composing, arranging, performing, and recording my own music, I’ve almost always had another music “day job”. Sometimes, these have been performing and directing music for a variety of organizations. Though typically, this work has been for a church. ## Service Music If you’ve been following my story for a while, it’s likely that you know I’m an ordained minister who only served as clergy for a brief time. After a few more years, I started to provide music for a variety of congregations. Because of my understanding of both theology and musicology, I have been able to serve this function well. Not long ago, I took one of these church music positions as a second day job. It had promise. But my spouse asked me why I seemed so miserable while trying to do this work. I realized that I needed to take a risk. This risk was to address my concerns head on without knowing the outcome. I had no idea how sharing my story would be heard. But I did. I asked to meet. We met. All of my concerns were heard with a gentleness and openness that I had not anticipated. ## To Work Another Day The result was that my position at this church became a source of joy for me. Instead of misery, these negotiations allowed me to shift. I wrote new songs, conducted choirs, sang solos, and did it all with a sense of integrity. Fortunately for me, joy is contagious. The minister, the music committee, the choirs, and the congregation have responded in kind. I think that’s pretty cool. I can’t promise bliss in the music programs I’m leading. But I can say that, for now, something good is happening. And that’s a good enough reason to carry on. ### Please share! * Share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Share on X (Opens in new window) X * ### Like this: Like Loading... ### _More for you_ * * * ### Discover more from Stan Stewart - @muz4now Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe

Rollback of government’s ability to limit climate-heating pollution will make families ‘sicker and less safe’, environmental advocate says

Stan Stewart - @muz4now

### Please share! * Share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Share on X (Opens in new window) X * Here’s my next track in this trilogy of tunes. First there was “Spoiled 4 Us All“. Now, Crash Landing encourages us to avoid a crash. ## How Not to Crash You understand my theme now: rock music with a message of humanity. We know how not to crash. It’s clear that we live on a fragile planet. Let’s treasure it. I don’t need to use a lot of words. Human beings can care for each other and for the environment we live in. More times than I can count, I have seen it happen. Let’s do that. Listen to CRASH LANDING – from a #RockMusic trilogy Click To Tweet ## Made Up Let me share a little about the song itself. The choir is singing words that I made up. It’s mostly for the effect. But if we were able to translate it, the meaning would be, “Wake up!” The woodwind on this recording is the Chinese Bawu. Like the Armenian duduk in the first track, this is another reed instrument with a clarinet-like tone. I appreciate the mournful nature of its sound. Thanks for listening. And thank you for following along! ### Please share! * Share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Share on X (Opens in new window) X * ### Like this: Like Loading... ### _More for you_ * * * ### Discover more from Stan Stewart - @muz4now Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe

### Please share! * Share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Share on X (Opens in new window) X * On one hand, I’m really thrilled with the initial reception of “Cosmic Theories“. On the other, it has made me more aware of being down to earth. ## Where Am I? I often have my head in the clouds. (Maybe that’s why I am so drawn to those fluffy things in the sky.) This is probably part of what makes me so driven to pursue writing music. My flow of creative output keeps some part of me fed. This release (Cosmic Theories) definitely fed a part of me that needed to express itself. Between personal, regional, and global stories, there is so much for me to mourn and so much that concerns me. ## Earth I press my feet into the ground. Solid, I feel it uphold me. Daily life is not so solid. Often, I feel swayed around as if in a stormy sea. That swaying led me into creating this suite. I needed something more cosmic, beyond this earthly domain, to slow that unsettling sway. And for whatever weird reason, that made me think of cosmic creation theories. ## Cosmic So, there I was. Back in the recording studio. (Not working on my folk song album.) I had recently updated some sound libraries from Eduardo Tarilante, so they were right in front of me. “Hey, why not use these?” Of course, they turned out to be the perfect tools for me in this project. Key sounds fed into the ideas for the next track. And a suite was born: Cosmic Theories. Thanks for listening. ###### Fediverse Reactions * * 2 likes ### Please share! * Share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Share on X (Opens in new window) X * ### Like this: Like Loading... ### _More for you_ * * * ### Discover more from Stan Stewart - @muz4now Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe

### Please share! * Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X * * * * **Apple Music** **YouTube** **Tidal** **BandCamp** **Spotify** **Deezer** **Pandora** * Bluesky * Mastodon * Facebook * X * More social networks * BandCamp * YouTube # Stan Stewart – @muz4now ### Please share! * Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X * ### Like this: Like Loading... ### _More for you_ * * * ### Discover more from Stan Stewart - @muz4now Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe

### Please share! * Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X * My life is rich and full right now. I wonder if this is true for you, too. There are just these 3 excerpts from my first full concert of piano improvisations I thought you’d want to see and hear. I’m presenting them to you here. ## The Beginning I don’t know about you, but when I do something new, getting started can be the toughest part for me. I was scared and nervous. People arrived. Originally, I had planned to start by introducing myself, thanking everyone for filling out the “freedom is…” cards, and offer some logistics. But at the last minute, I decided to start by playing the first improvisation on the beautiful grand piano at 69 East Main in Trumansburg. Here it is. I pulled it directly from the livestream. I’ve added in a few of the index cards to give you a taste of the moment. Obviously, I’ve improvised on the piano. You have probably heard one of the more-than-twenty piano improvisation releases (albums, singles, and suites/EPs). ## The Ending Improvisation In fact, you’ve also probably seen/heard the middle piano improvisation in my “Freedom, the Beautiful” music video. Like the other two videos, I pulled these entirely from the livestream. As a result, you’ll notice there are a few glitches and the audio is not of the highest quality. I still think you can get the feel for the improvisations and the concert. Then, finally, there’s the closing piece: A prayer. Except this prayer has no words. It’s a piano improvisation that is my prayer for the future and the freedoms of people in the USA. Thanks for listening and watching. ### Please share! * Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X * ### Like this: Like Loading... ### _More for you_ * * * ### Discover more from Stan Stewart - @muz4now Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe

Stan Stewart hiked & traveled and all we get are these photos of his beautiful mid-winter destinations: Taughannock State Park & Mount Hood.

### Please share! * Share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Share on X (Opens in new window) X * The unsigned musician landscape is ever-changing. For me, SoundCloud is one more clarifying story. ## Staying and Leaving I’ve seen platforms for independent musicians come and go. It’s hard for me to believe that it’s been years since SongWhip went from being an essential musician (and fan) tool to completely gone. SoundCloud still exists and it seems to work well for some musicians. Not so much for me that I’m willing to pay for it. ## Clouds and Sounds When I first upgraded to “Pro” on SoundCloud, it was an experiment for me. My alter-ego, _Stanley G_ , needed a distributor. So I chose SoundCloud for that purpose. Unfortunately, my experiment did not succeed. The tools, analysis, and environment did not impress me. There were also some unresolved questions about how much access LLM/AI tools have access to the platform. One of the most annoying things for me was all the spammers who are on the platform. So, I cancelled my paid subscription. That means that all the tracks by Stanley G will be removed from streaming platforms. I’m okay with that. It was an experiment after all. ## G’bye, SoundCloud I found the subscription price quite high. The analysis tool data did not match what I saw for the same tracks in the Apple Music artist tools. Add to that the unsolicited messages and I grew weary of the platform very quickly. Don’t get me wrong, I know that lots of my peers appreciate and even enjoy SoundCloud. More power to you! If it’s working for you, then keep working it. I’m not sure if I’ll release any of these tracks through another distributor. It seems unlikely given how little interest there’s been in them. ### Please share! * Share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Share on X (Opens in new window) X * ### Like this: Like Loading... ### _More for you_ * * * ### Discover more from Stan Stewart - @muz4now Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe

### Please share! * Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X * It’s true. It’s not a fantasy any more. ## Release Time Just a quick note to let you know that I’ve released “Fugue and Fantasy” to all the streaming radios. To find which ones, visit this page: Fugue and Fantasy #PipeOrgan #NowPlaying (And if you find it on a streamer that I missed, contact me here or on social networks. Thank you!) The reason I decided to do this is because of you. Many fans said that they thought I should share this to a wider audience. So, that’s why I’ve finally released it everywhere. Thanks to all of you who encouraged me to do this. ## In Related News Thanks to everyone who downloaded “Fugue and Fantasy” on BandCamp, I was able to contribute a decent amount to the local Advocacy Center for Tompkins County. This organization does such important work to help people escaping violence in their homes. I am glad to be able to help in this way. And if you want to continue to download this album, I will continue to give. Thank you for your generosity. ### Please share! * Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X * ### Like this: Like Loading... ### _More for you_ * * * ### Discover more from Stan Stewart - @muz4now Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe

### Please share! * Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X * In my previous post, I wrote about pushing. And not pushing. ## Keep Pushing Specifically, I wrote about _not_ pushing down a sustain pedal while pushing _too hard_ on a creative project. Well, some of you thought that I needed to provide examples. Ideally, those would be audio samples. The idea is that these would demonstrate the different sounds that range from the initial inspiration to the overdone (and now abandoned) version. I want you to get what you ask for. So, here you go. ## Sustain This Normally, when I play a piano, I make ample use of the sustain pedal. Basically, this keeps the felt dampers from stopping the sound. In other words, the sound keeps going even if I lift my hands off of the keys. The ankle fracture is on my right leg. That means I can’t put too much weight or pressure on that ankle. So things like driving and sustain pedal are “out” for now. Piano without the sustain pedal can sound a wee bit odd Click To Tweet ## Sustained. Not sustained. I started my new composing/recording project with piano improvisations. That’s not unusual. However, this time I intentionally played without any sustain pedal. (Though I thought I wouldn’t be able to use my left foot to press this pedal, I later discovered that I can.) But first I need to give you an idea of what these improvisations sound like with a “normal” sustain pedal throughout. Press the play button and listen… Sustained Piano (from “Rudimprenatz”, Copyright ©️ 2024) Here’s that same segment as I originally improvised it (with no sustain pedal). Unsustained Piano (from “Rudimprenatz”, Copyright ©️ 2024) ## Hearing Is Believing When I listened to that unsustained improvisation, I thought, “No one will ever listen to this. It sounds stunted and unreal.” So, I set out to make an arrangement that sounded better. Using a broad range of sounds, I created this trying to overcome the “stunted and unreal” sound of the sustainless piano. No Piano at all (from “Rudimprenatz”, Copyright ©️ 2024) Which of these 3 sound examples do you like best? Choices are sustained piano, unsustained piano, or no piano. Let me know in the comments or via social networks. It only took me 3 days of listening to this pile of sound to decide that I could not continue. I had started with stunted and moved on to a weird barrage of noises. Choosing which way to go with our creative work can be complex or simple Click To Tweet ## Let’s Start At The Very Beginning One thing I could have done is gone back into all of the piano improvisations and added sustain pedal. That seemed very contrived, plus it sort of made me go back on my word that I would create these without that particular crutch. So, I listened to the original recordings again. To my surprise, they sounded like the most authentic of the options. There was a vulnerable beauty in those raw performances created in the moment. (I reserve the prerogative to mix in some of the other sounds, of course.) Soon, you’ll be able to listen to these recordings. Thanks for your support. Main photo is by decrand via pixabay. ### Please share! * Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X * ### Like this: Like Loading... ### _More for you_ * * * ### Discover more from Stan Stewart - @muz4now Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe

## Get Well Soon #OrchestralMusic #NowPlaying https://muz4now.com/2025/get-well-soon-orchestralmusic-nowplaying/

### Please share! * Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X * I don’t count myself as a banjo or guitar player. Yet they keep showing up on my tracks… ## Back Down the Road a Bit About a year ago, I started to release a series of four albums in the DreamState series: Dreams, Liminal Space, Lucid Dreaming, and Awakening. At that time (and still to this day), I was deeply focused on the inspiration from dreams. Hopefully, some of that shone through the tracks that I wrote. At the same time, I pushed myself to learn and use the music technology available to me. Some of that is pretty boring and geeky. But I will enjoy sharing these bits of banjo and guitar tech with you today. I think they’re really fun. Revisiting the #DreamState albums for music and technology fun Click To Tweet ## DreamState Quartet ### “DreamState: Awakening” releases to music streams everywhere ### For The Love Of DreamState ### DreamState – to accompany your dreaming ### Dreaming is not just what happens while you sleep ## Guitar Evolution As I’ve matured as a musician, I continue to focus more on the piano (and keyboard). I’m not really a guitarist though I used to play one for the portability. My shift away from guitar means I’m really appreciating the great virtual guitars available. On “Lucid Bossa Nova”, I featured a great sounding Evolution Steel Strings by Orange Tree Samples. Orange Tree always does an excellent job of sampling instruments. Plus, I’m accustomed to their interface. Check out the animation showing where the strings are being held down. Music technology offers creators new ways to include instruments in their music Click To Tweet ## It’s not all banjos and guitars Not all virtual instruments have flashy animation. Some just sound good. I’d say that’s the case with Tina Guo cello by CineSamples. This VI has been around for a while, but still holds up fairly well. I used this cello side-by-side with RealGuitar “Classic” (aka classical) from Music Lab on the track Morning’d Better Come. Music Lab put some nice touches in this VI including the animated guitar image. Cellos and banjos and guitars … oh my! Click To Tweet ## Banjos R Us I think the banjo sounds so cool. In addition to several songs that include real, live banjo played on them, I have just as many with virtual banjos. Plus, I’ve already done a comparison of three virtual banjos. Please read and hear it here. The sound of the banjo can create a story in the mind of the listener Click To Tweet ## From Banjo to Guitar Now, I’ll shift back from banjo to guitar. It’s possible that I may have saved the best for last. Ample Sound makes excellent banjo and guitar (and other) VIs. Above, you saw and heard their banjo. In “a day in the recording studio of an indie musician” I shared a video of their China Dongxiao (flute). Now for one of their incredible metal guitars. They named this one Hellrazer and for good reasons. I did not use any tricks to create the introduction to “Be You” using only this guitar. With nine strings, I had plenty to work with. Check it out. Virtual instrument makers are often very creative people Click To Tweet ## More Dreamy Stories Creative Insights ### Liminal and Lucid – dreamstate interplay Read More Creative Insights ### Exploring Each DreamState Deeply Music ### DreamState: Lucid Dreaming for your listening ears Music ### We All Have Our Own Dreams – beatcity 4th song release ### Please share! * Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X * ### Like this: Like Loading... ### _More for you_ * * * ### Discover more from Stan Stewart - @muz4now Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe

## What Makes A Happy New Year? Digging My Way Out https://muz4now.com/2024/what-makes-a-happy-new-year-digging-my-way-out/