The Art Of Sound

Early Demos from "There is Logic in my Madness too"

2012-01-08T01:14:00.001-05:00

Here is a quick post with a link to a few very early demos/mixes from the new album...

Feedback.... good or bad... as always.. is very welcome...

New Album on the way.....

2011-12-20T18:42:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been over a year since my last entry here and I have been busy working on the new album which will be called "There is Logic in my Madness too" which will, as usual, be a limited edition release.

I'll be posting up a few 'edits' from the new album shortly but for now, I just wanted to thank all those who have written to me. I really do appreciate all the great comments and critiques.

I wish you all a Happy Christmas and a very Peaceful & Prosperous New Year!

"The Art Of Sound"

Accidental Adoration

2010-11-21T11:17:00.002-05:00

Here is a track from the new album, due out in early 2012. 'Accidental Adoration' was based on an idea I had a while back but it was only recently that the whole theme and idea came together into a complete piece. Created entirely using samples and home brewed synth sounds within Logic. In many ways, this is probably the most technically 'complicated' piece I have ever written but I hope the end results justify the amount of time I have put into this.... Well, maybe!

To listen to the track, please use the Soundclick 'widget' at the top of the page.

Too Far Apart.... Movie Soundtrack

2010-10-27T09:39:00.002-04:00

A new extended track... based on a soundtrack I composed for an unreleased movie about a year ago. The song's main themes are presented here in a edited 30 minute version from the original 90 minutes runtime.

The track was created and performed live using Logic, Omnisphere and several homegrown samples and softsynth patches. No 'real' guitars or vocals were used...

The story behind the music is about two people... A guy living in the Everglades of Florida and a woman living in Southern Ireland.. Both inexplicably linked through their dreams... where they fall in love but with no chance of ever meeting in person....

To play the track, "Too Far Apart", please use the Soundclick gadget at the top of the page!

Lost in a Dream - A new EP Album

2010-10-26T23:10:00.001-04:00

So, after a long break I have finally finished my new EP ... called "Lost in a Dream" You can listen to the five tracks by using the soundclick gadget at the top of the page... I hope you enjoy it!

Part 1 (Green Mix) - This is a piano only version of the first track. Created using Logic's own Steinway Piano sample and then added a touch of reverb, again using Logic's own plugins. The track consists of 16 bar loops which were all played live, each time adding or subtracting a new 16 bar loop to build up layers...

Part 1 (Red Mix) - The is the 'full on' version of the first track created using various third party plugins such as Discovery and RP's Blue. For any SG1 fans, you might find the main theme slightly familar. (Hint-Think Asgard!)

Part 2 - A dark and moody track created using just Logic's own plugins with a couple of additional drum loops to add some movement. Another track that builds over time... into a climatic ending....

Part 3 - A track with a Middle Eastern/Indian flavor... Lots of Indian percussion drum loops combined with synth sounds created in various 3rd party plugins...

Part 4 - A long ambient style track to finish off. Created mainly using Omnisphere... and built up over time adding various pads and effects until it reaches a somewhat 'classical style' middle part then slowly de-evolving back again until the end...

Think Floyd... Where's the Pig???

2010-04-21T12:31:00.002-04:00

For all you Floyd fans out there....

Something I cooked up a couple of days ago.. featuring 'guitar' sounds using the wonderful RealLPC Les Paul Plugin, several home made FX via Guitar Rig 4 and various drum samples I have been working on for the last few weeks.... plus a couple of 'specials'....

Use the Soundclick Gadget at the top of the page to hear the track

Without her... feat. Alicia's Keys

2010-04-12T08:39:00.010-04:00

New track.... This is a piece I wrote and performed using NI's Alicia's Keys. A warm and very expressive piano that I would highly recommend to any ballad song writer. Full of nuance, this piano cries out to be played... and with careful use of the sustain pedal and the overtones settings you can get very worthwhile results. I also used IK's Philharmonik for the string quartet.. again, a very useful tool in any writers armory!

Use the Soundclick Gadget at the top of the page to play the track

For those that have been asking and wish to know.. here is a breakdown of what was used where and with what....

Created and edited using Logic 9.1. Performed on my Roland A90 EX Keyboard

Track 1 - Native Instruments 'Alicia's Keys' Piano with no added Ext FX
Track 2 - Home Made Drum Loops filtered with "Filter Freak1" and a touch of 'echo'
Track 3 - Scarbee's Pre-Bass enhanced with MaxxBass
Track 4 - 'Synth Blips' using RealLPC "Les Paul' and Guitar Rig 4
Track 5 - String Quartet using IK's Philharmonik with PtVerb's 'Church' setting
Track 6 - Acoustic Guitar Strums using NI's Kore 2 Guitar Player
Track 7 - One solitary Reverse Cymbal from NI's Kore 2 Cymbal Set 1 and 'Echo'

No post processing.......

That's it!

Enjoy...

The Lonely Heart

2010-03-04T21:26:00.002-05:00

I took this photo of a little bird, looking lost and lonely in the snow, a couple of weeks ago and she became the inspiration for this new piece.

Use the Soundclick Gadget at the top of the page to play the track

I composed and performed this track, using Logic to score and arrange with L.A. Scoring Strings for all the string sounds & Miroslav Philharmonik for the wind and brass ensembles, in just under three hours this afternoon. Both plugins are wonderfully expressive & creative additions to any composer's 'toolkit' I feel.........

Fireflies Indie Rock Mix - Owl City

2010-03-01T00:34:00.010-05:00

First up - Massive thanks and props to Adam Young, Owl City & Universal Republic for the original track!

This is the final mixdown of an 'Indie Rock' style, 'lite' remix of a recent hit. Tried to give it a heavier 'feel' with guitar augmentations and extended track time while trying to retain the original feel as much as possible. I only had the original track to work with so I had no choice but to work in the original mix as part of the end result. No real guitars were harmed or played in the making of this track.

Use the Soundclick Gadget at the top of the page to play the track

Created entirely in Logic 9.1. Plugins used are LPC, Kore 2, Amplitube 3, T-Racks and Miroslav Philharmonik along with a few Apple drum loops, Apple FX plugins and many hours of eq'ing & editing!

The lead "guitar" solo and "cello" parts were played live via my A-90EX midi controller keyboard with minimal post editing to retain a 'live' feel....Hey.. I'm no guitarist (or cellist for that matter!!) but I kinda like it! Does it work for you too?

Any opinions and/or feedback welcome.... good or bad!!!!!

New Track - The Meteor Shower

2010-02-16T23:39:00.006-05:00

I was looking up at the sky late last night, on one of the few clear nights around these parts recently and I saw the most amazing meteor shower... which inspired me to write this new track...

Use the Soundclick Gadget at the top of the page to play the track

I wrote this gentle, ambient style piece just using a few presets and some home brewed sounds and fx from the amazing 'Alchemy' softsynth by Camel Audio. One of my favorite synths these days....

RagaLogi Released!

2010-02-15T11:50:00.002-05:00

The last week or so has been pretty rough here with much snow and many power outages stifling the creative spirit but I finally managed to put together a new track called RagaLogi!

Use the Soundclick Gadget at the top of the page to play the track

RagaLogi is a fun dance track based on a set of Indian drum and vocal samples I have been working on for the last few weeks. The lead parts were recorded 'live' with minimal post editing to retain as much of a live feel as I could.... Play loud and get ready to dance!!!

Winter Trees

2010-01-31T13:39:00.001-05:00

As it was such a beautiful though cold day here today, I thought I'd post up a few photos I took to share with you all, while I work on my new piece of music.

Snowed in...

2010-01-29T17:30:00.002-05:00

Well, as some of you might have gathered by the recent weather forecasts, I am snowed in and it looks like staying that way for at least the next 72 hours or so. Thankfully, the power is still on and I have plenty of wood, food and other supplies so it's not as bad as the last time, late last year. Work on the new album came to a halt this week due to further, unexpected issues with damp and mold from the flood but the new washing machine has been installed, the pipes all checked and most of the water damage has been cleaned up, so it should be business as usual by early next week.

Anyhow, here is a shot of the studio under snow.....

Brrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!

Back to normal...

2010-01-26T10:30:00.000-05:00

The basement has finally dried out, a new washing machine has been ordered, it stopped raining and snowed instead, the squirrels are back in force, running like crazy.. up and down the deck waiting for me to feed them so, everything is back to normal today... well, as normal as my life ever is!

Starting work on a new idea I had over the weekend. I'll post up some of the score snippets later today hopefully.

Here is my dog's opinion of the squirrels....

Floods.........

2010-01-25T10:08:00.006-05:00

Having had a major storm over the weekend, my studio is currently drying out after a bit of a flood hit the basement..... not due to, I might add, the bad weather exactly... but in fact, a washing machine that went postal.... Long story but anyhow, this means no work today. However, I am currently planning a new project and so look for updates later this week.

So, as I cannot actually create music today, I thought I'd give an outline of the various outboard equipment I use in my studio to do so;

Keyboards and Midi Modules
Korg Oasys, Korg Triton Classic, Access Virus KC, Supernova II, Roland JD800, 3 Roland JD990s, Roland XP-30, Kurzweil K2500RS, Korg Karma, Minimoog and as my primary Midi Controller a Roland A-90EX.

Computers and Softsynths/Samples etc
Apple iMac 4 Gig 3.06Ghz, 3 Mac Mini's (That are nodes for my iMac run Logic) , Macbook Pro, 2 Hackintoshes based on Dell Notebooks and a Mac Mini Server that is connected to 6.5 TBs of HD space where I store all my samples and music.

Logic Pro 9, Omnisphere, L.A.S.S, NI Komplete 6, Kore 2, Chris Heins Guitars, Rob Papins Collection of Synths, Korg Legacy Analog & Digital, impOSCar, Pettinhouse's Direct Guitar, EWQL Composer's Collection, EWQL Symphonic Choirs with Exp, Spectrasonics Symphony Of Voices, Nexus, Vanguard, BFD and a whole host of others I have probably forgotten/Left out....

Breakdown of "Cello & 5 Legs"

2010-01-19T11:53:00.009-05:00

Here are the basic elements of the 'Cello & 5 Legs' track.

This song was written entirely in Logic 9.1 over an eight hour period. The initial idea was the 'effected piano' riff. To that I added the 'Left & Right' Piano chords and then the 'Bassline'. The 'sequenced guitar' which comes in during the 'gated synth' part towards the end, started life out as an alternative version of the 'effected piano' riff. The 'Main Lead Synth' riff appears several times played on two different synth sounds along with an additional 'swoop' synth to give added texture and movement. Finally, I added the 'Cello Theme' which is played not only on the L.A.S.S. Cello but also on a series of different synth sounds as the piece builds. The L.A.S.S. Cello was played live without having to edit velocities etc... Yes, it is that playable! Drums, which initially were very basic 5/4 patterns, were replaced late on in the process with different length loops created in Ultrabeat along with some Apple Loops to give a slightly strange and 'not quite stable' effect.

Click on the photos to see larger versions!

The 'Effected Piano' riff (Steinway + FX)

The Main Cello theme (LASS Solo Cello)

The Bassline (Thumbstroke Bass)

The 'Left' Acoustic Piano riff (Steinway Piano Hall)

The 'Right' Acoustic Piano riff (Steinway Piano Hall)

The 'Sequenced Guitar' riff (Acoustic Guitar + FX)

The 'Main Lead Synth' riff (Various Logic Synths)

Dance for Cello and 5 Legs (Dance and Trip Over Edit)

2010-01-18T22:33:00.006-05:00

I have just finished my latest track for the new album "View From The Top" due out at the end of the year. The track is called 'Dance for Cello and 5 Legs' and features the LA Scoring Strings (L.A.S.S.) Solo Cello which currently I believe, is the best sampled Cello available. This mix of the track is the 'Dance and Trip Over edit' and is based on a 5/4 meter with a sort of odd, dance like, feel... though it is intended to be a part of a soundtrack for a bigger project I'm currently planning.

Use the Soundclick Gadget at the top of the page to play the track

Anyhow.. enjoy and as always I welcome any feedback good or bad!

First Entry

2009-12-31T13:56:00.000-05:00

The aim of this blog is to detail the day to day creation of music by The Art Of Sound in the new studio set high upon a mountain. I'll be putting up extracts, clips and photos of everything that I create so you can follow the whole process from the initial ideas to the finished pieces as well as notes on what actually takes place inside my poor frazzled brain!

I'm no guitarist!

2009-12-31T11:56:00.002-05:00

Question : "What guitars and amps do you use?".
Answer : The truth is, I don't play guitar...... I'm a keyboard player only so what you hear in any of my songs... are guitar emulations created on either my Oasys or via Logic using various softsynths & Guitar Rig. I've tried to learn the guitar but to no avail (My fingers just don't work the right way) and so, I have spent the last few years learning how to play 'guitar' via my keyboard setup.....

Older Music

2009-12-31T11:35:00.002-05:00

At the top of this blog you will find my Soundclick gadget which lets you listen to some of the music I have written and performed over the last few years. I'll be adding to this as and when I can. Enjoy!