The Value of Consistent Practice as a Musician

This is pretty obvious for people like me but you just can’t take for granted the value of consistent practice as a musician. As an instrumentalist, I would always like to build up my chops. By doing so, it takes me one step towards realizing musical ideas in a more tangible manner.

I was reminded of the value of practice when I was watching an episode of Matt Groening’s Futurama. This particular episode featured Fry in his attempt to become a performer and composer. He was trying to learn an instrument called a Holophoner (a sort of clarinet that also produces holographic images). He sucked at it and so he made a deal with the Robot Devil which involved exchanging his human hands for the Robot Devil’s hands. It was an amusing episode with plot devices similar to every work of art involving a deal with the devil and redemption.

With all the humor aside, what struck a chord in me in that Futurama episode was the fact that Fry said, “There’s so much music in my head but my stupid hands can’t keep up.” Well, I could relate to that very well. As a composer, I want to accurately express what’s in my head using my hands playing my instruments. It is very frustrating when you find yourself being unable to do that. Should I go on a bargain with the Devil for that? Of course not. Whatever is acquired without hard work often fades away fast. Becoming a virtuoso doesn’t happen overnight, and that’s why practice is very important.

Consistent practice is the only way any musician can take their chops to the next level. As an example, all of the musicians in Dream Theater wouldn’t be the virtuosos that they are if they didn’t practice. Unlike stories people typically hear of rock stars, these guys have practice rooms with instruments and metronomes backstage. Their bassist, John Myung, is an excellent model of commitment to practicing. He warms down by playing bass before a show and then cools down by playing bass again after a show. That’s the reason why he can shred like John Petrucci and keep time like Mike Portnoy.

So is the point of practicing just for building chops and be able to perform face-melting wankery? Of course not. It’s just a means to an end. Imagine how it could be easier to be able to write and record music if you could play in an instant what’s been ringing inside your head. As a composer, achieving such is a dream come true. Nothing could be more satisfying as a composer and musician than hearing your ideas come to life as you hear it in your head.

Whether you want to build your chops on the piano or guitar or you want to build your compositional skills, practice will always get you closer to becoming the best that you can be. That is the value of consistent practice as a musician.

Now, please excuse me while I get back to practicing piano, guitar, etc.

Easy Sleep Music Release of the Day: “Saving Grace”

The good people at a7records have made another easy sleep music piece of mine available for public listening on the Easy Sleep Music YouTube channel. This piece is called “Saving Grace”.

“Saving Grace” is mostly a piano piece with the requisite background synth pad and binaural beat per Easy Sleep Music specifications. Other instruments that play the main theme on various sections of the piece include my new Greg Bennett Concord 3 electric guitar and a virtual instrument that imitates a veena (an Indian stringed instrument similar to a sitar).

There are many reasons one can think of why this piece is called “Saving Grace”. It actually is a reflection of my faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and how much I find comfort in the fact that the Lord had decided to offer up his life to save me and the rest of us from God’s wrath. Now, I know that there are some who read this that may become uncomfortable about my expression of faith. Let me clarify that I am in no way imposing my faith but I’m requesting that you keep an open mind as you read along while I explain the inspiration behind this piece. I leave it up to you whether or not you would decide to believe what I believe. God never forced anybody to believe in him anyway; otherwise we’d all be robots without differences in opinion.

According to Romans 3:20, “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” There is nothing that man can do to merit salvation. No amount of prayers, devotionals, offerings, money, indulgence, service or good works could make us justifiable before God. Romans 6:23 even goes on to state, “For the wages of sin is death….” As we are tainted by our sinful nature, God sense of justice demands exact payment, and death is what we we deserve.

Romans 6:23 doesn’t end there. It continues as, “…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The fact is that though we deserve to be separated eternally from God,  he provided a way back to him through his son Jesus Christ, God who became man, the perfect sacrifice. I’m sure many people would argue otherwise but here we find the beauty in believing in Jesus Christ. Unlike all other religions of the world where  people have to continuously work their way towards salvation/deification/etc. without any form of assurance, Yeshua Hamaschiah proves he is a just and loving God through his sacrifice for you and me.

My personal faith has a lot to do with this piece called  “Saving Grace”. Many people want to sleep at night feeling secure and loved. That is how I want to feel exactly when I go to bed each night. “Saving Grace” as sleep music would remind me how much God loves all of us that he willingly became human, sacrificed his own human life and then conquer death in order to cleanse us free of our debts. If you truly believe in your heart and trust that Jesus alone has done so, then He will bestow upon you that saving grace (John 3:16,  John 14:6, Acts 4:12, Ephesians 2:8). You no longer have to go through all the steps and rituals to buy your way into heaven as Jesus has already done that for you. If you think about it this way, it would be easy for you to do good and become at peace and relaxed at night or any time of the day. I hope to share such an experience with all of you and I pray that you get that well deserved rest and feel that assurance you would find only in Jesus Christ as you listen to my music.

A New Easy Sleep Music Release via a7records: “Tranquility I”

I have here a new easy sleep music freshly released by the good people at a7records. Listen to it and watch the video below:

If you would ask what exactly is going on in the music, then I’ll gladly talk about it so here it goes.

“Tranquility I” is basically what some people would describe as a minimalist piece. The entire piece is based on the motif played by a vibraphone in the first two bars. Supporting the “Tranquility I” motif is a synth pad in the background. Little by little, more instruments join the vibraphone for a buildup of sound. The marimba harmonizes with the vibraphone and the sound gently grows as the flute and clarinet introduce themselves.

A soon as the flute and clarinet finish their phrases, the sleep music journey continues in the second section as an otherworldly synth pad provides another dimension of sound. The clarinet then plays a variation of the main motif and the flute then enters after a few bars of the clarinet solo. The marimba then enters as a third wheel in harmony with the clarinet and flute.

Soon as the flute and clarinet quiet down, we proceed to the third and final section which begins with the marimba playing a gentle solo (still based on the motif) accompanied by a droning bass pad in F. The vibraphone then enters a few bars later. At this point, it would be easy to imagine the marimba and vibraphone as gentle drops of water. Soon after, as the piece modulates from F to G, we once again encounter the atmospheric synth pad followed by the clarinet and flute as all instruments play the final closing bars, hoping to send you all off to dreamland.

That wraps up my notes for “Tranquility I”, one of my new easy sleep music pieces released under the a7records label. If you’re still reading this, I guess you should listen to “Tranquility I” again and start drifting off to a more peaceful state of mind.

A Fairbanks Piano at Club Balai Isabel

My family and I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to escape everyday life for a day and a half in a place called Club Balai Isabel. It’s a vacation spot in Talisay, Batangas where we enjoyed a great view of Taal Lake and Volcano, buffet-style meals, and cozy accommodations. Though it was brief, what more can we ask for? It’s a trip sponsored by my wife’s employers that gave us a chance to live like kings and queens for a day. From my own personal end, it provided me with an opportunity to refresh my creative juices and play a fantastic antique piano.

Other than the fact that it was a good opportunity for quality time with my wife and child, I thought of the trip as a way to get inspired to write some new music. Since we decided to bring our own vehicle instead of riding on a hired shuttle service, I was able to bring my nylon-stringed guitar and Zoom H4n recorder, and a laptop, essentially a portable studio ensemble. I was able to record a few musical ideas on the H4n after gaining a fresh new look at the sights, something that I have taken for granted on numerous occasions. However, the afternoon of that day led me to discover this antique piano.

The piano was an upright piano built in 1910 by the Fairbanks Piano Company of Southern California. It had the appearance and feel that you would expect from antique instrument. It was no Yamaha, Steinway or Bechstein but it did have a remarkable character or its own.

As you would have noticed, I am a sucker for pianos and other fine instruments. I just felt the need to play it and see what I can do with it. My wife was initially resistant but then she asked permission on my behalf so that I can play it. As you would see from these videos, I really took advantage of that opportunity.

In order to make my sense of shame and shyness disappear, every time I played on the piano I ordered a drink or two (one of which is for my son). I even managed to record my son playing J.S Bach’s “Bouree in E Minor” on that instrument. I also was able to perform a number of pieces while I was there.

About a few hours before returning to Manila, I was able to record myself playing that wonderful piano, and so here’s how it all turned out as I played for a very small audience consisting of myself, microbes, some flies and perhaps one or two people passing by. I played five pieces all in all: an improvisation, Chopin’s Revolutionary Etude, Debussy’s 1st Arabesque and “Reflets Dans L’Eau” from Images Book I,  and a sketch of my original composition entitled “Waltz on Water”. You can watch and listen to my “live set” below courtesy of the all-powerful YouTube. I’d also like to dedicate this performance to the late Bernabe “Totchie” Galang, my uncle who’d probably have no idea what I’m playing:

01 – Improvisation

02 – “Revolutionary” Etude (Op. 10 No. 12) by Frederic Chopin

03 – “Arabesque No. 1” by Claude Debussy

04 – “Reflets Dans L’Eau” by Claude Debussy

05 – “Waltz on Water” by Mark A. Galang

Would I say that it was a concert-worthy performance? Of course not. I’ll be first to admit that even though I desire such skills, I’m no Lang Lang, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Daniel Barenboim, or Cecile Licad. My excuse would be that I’m more of a composer rather than a concert pianist so I was more of trying to coax out some more creative juices courtesy of that piano rather than trying to please a crowd. After all, you won’t expect me to play pop tunes for solo piano for some people who merely dine and treat pianists as if they were Muzak machines. Anyway, the point is that I really felt happy being able to play a vintage instrument that was still in playable condition, and that doesn’t stop me from trying to act like as if I were a concert pianist, hehehe!

The Challenges of Writing Sleep Music

Sleep deprivation is a problem in contemporary society. The demands of today often call for long work hours that would stretch the strength and patience of anybody. What’s worse is that instead of being able to rest, some people couldn’t even sleep at all. This is where a variety of interventions come into play. You have the allopathic medical solution (drugs) and alternatives that include sleep music. As a musician, nothing can be more fulfilling than one person finding your music to be helpful. However, the ironic twist to that is making sleep music can be very challenging and tiring.

In my experience, composing sleep music gives me that dose of irony. I write music with the intent of inducing deep sleep yet sometimes I myself get sleep deprived working on it. This has to do with the fact that an 8-minute sleep music track can take around 16 hours to write, perform and record, mix and master. If you are a musician like me who does all of the music production processes, you know what I mean.

Melody is an important aspect of my music, and that’s why I try my best to introduce it in sleep music. However, composing a melody for sleep music is one heck of a challenge. It should be interesting enough to be appreciated yet it should be serene and calming to induce sleep. Put in the fact that prior to recording, I have to practice playing some of the instruments live myself. It can take up to an entire day to do just this.

When I get the chance to record the music, it’s all a mix of playing pre-composed written ideas and improvisation. Another challenge at this stage is to make an arrangement (or in many cases, improvise an arrangement) that would be serene and calming yet remain to be musically interesting.

As much as I love shredding on a guitar or playing runs like Chopin on the piano, you can’t do that in sleep music. At one point, I even tried to pull something out of Debussy’s book, a fast run that sounds smooth. My artist manager didn’t think that would fit in a sleep music context. What I learned here is another challenge to writing sleep music: restraint and control. While it may seem to be natural for players to insert fast runs into a seemingly slow piece of music, it takes a good amount of impulse control to prevent showing off while writing sleep music.

The last challenging thing I can think of at the top of my head when it comes to sleep music is mixing and mastering. These production processes also consume a lot of time. Imagine yourself having to listen to your track for 10 times or more, one segment at a time, in order to mix it. This is the equivalent of reading an embarrassing section of your diary over and over again. Mastering your own tracks is like that too except that you would be listening to two or more complete tracks over and over again to see if all of them fit well in an album. The repeating drone of a binaural beat, which is designed to make your brain shut down for sleep, doesn’t help much either in keeping your concentration up.

Writing sleep music shouldn’t be taken for granted. Just like playing prog, jazz fusion or modern classical music, sleep music has it’s own heavy set of challenges as well. It is good to know that one would easily reap the rewards of doing so.

Anyway, if you’re off to go to bed, check this latest easy sleep music track of mine from a7records:

 

Flipbook Assignment 01 Complete

Just yesterday evening, I have finished my music composition and sound design project for Flipbook’s (www,flipbook.asia) initial digital gifts. It was tough but it was a really great experience.

It’s a good thing that I had some assistance from my wife and son, performing voice work for some of the animation cuts. I could never have accomplished the project without my new Zoom H4n, a great handheld recording device that seems to turn any room into a recording booth. A couple of times, I even used a car as a booth with considerably good results.

Anyway, all that’s left for me to do now is wait for feedback from Flipbook. After accomplishing this feat, I now have some time on my hands to give my cats their long-awaited bath sessions, something that they’re not so thrilled about.

Project from Flipbook Nearing Completion

I just finished 8 out of 10 animation clips meant to become “digital gifts” by Flipbook. I just hope I can complete pending compositions as well as sound design for the last two clips and then proceed to working on a new music transcription assignment courtesy of Music Preparation Services in India. I’m hoping that all would go well as I wake up tomorrow early morning.

While I’m feeling drowsy and ready to pack up for the night, I’m glad I had supper with my wife and son at Sen Lek, great Thai food on a shoestring budget.