Each week, I first summarize my adventures in making music. Lately, I have been composing tracks for the Disquiet Junto, the Naviar Records Haiku Music Challenge and, this year for the first time, Weekly Beats. I also have other projects and collaborations I will share occasionally.
I also bring together the perspective I shared in posts on social media (currently Mastodon) about the music industry in the section: Music + Tech + Law. These thoughts are intended to come from me as a consumer of, and participant in, the entertainment business. However, I cannot completely separate the thoughts I generate from the part of my brain I use for my day job as a lawyer experienced in technology contracts and intellectual property.*
My Music
This track started out on my Push 2. I have a set of dice like this I use to help me avoid getting stuck on a decision when I first start a project. I used those to decide on the key and the elements I started with. Here it was the electronic ride sound and pad you hear at the beginning. From there, I added tracks by alternating between melodic and percussive elements. I added parts in two different scenes until I had what sounded like two different parts of the same song. From there, I stripped out pieces of each of those scenes and dragged them up and down until I felt like I had a rough song structure. I then moved over into Arrangement View which is where my songs really start to take shape.
In other exciting news, my new post-rock instrumental band, Coral Ghost, is releasing its first single next week on 5/31! The band features me on drums and my friend Tim on guitars. Please check out this preview and stay tuned!
Music + Tech + Law
As a drummer with tinnitus and someone who has one surgically-repaired ear drum, I consider hearing aids a “when” not “if” proposition. I have tried to preserve my ears the best I can with hearing protection, but I still notice my hearing starting to fade. I used to get really down about it and even doubted a future in making music, but I have come to accept my limitations and appreciate the hearing I do have. Now with advances in hearing aid technology like this, I am optimistic.
I have had my fair share of band t-shirts. As my new band gets off the ground, I wonder if we will ever get to the point of offering a shirt at a merch table - or if we even want to. I watched this video and it was eye-opening even though the findings were not all that surprising given the state of the fast fashion industry. I have not been paying attention to the Fashion Act, but it seems like it will have an impact on the market for band t-shirts and other music merch.
*My opinions are not my employer’s and this material does not create an attorney-client relationship, is not intended to convey legal or ethics advice, and does not guarantee the same or similar results in all cases.