This piece was designed as the theme song for an imaginary detective series

On Youtube : https://youtu.be/U9AU223mhZ8?si=SYgQ1puWiEcjulRH

#filmscore
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Buried Secrets

It's a song about those moments when the world amazes me- when the beauty and mystery of the world around me knocks me over.
Specifically, wandering back from the Old Town in Hastings after a couple of drinks on a lovely Summer night. The picture is one of my lino prints and shows Tackleway in Hastings, along with one of the badgers we see all the time round here, and are mentioned in the song.

Wonders and Sighs

RPR09_44

Piano Sketch 20 Mystical Spring Sky

- Thinking about the fickle weather of spring...

Piano Sketch 20 Mystical Spring Sky

I do not expect anyone to understand this piece. I am not sure I understand it myself. I consider this one of my best pieces....more specifically, I like the idea. The fact the piece is likely to sink without trace has no discernible bearing on my affinity for the idea behind it.

Piano Concerto No.1 (3rd movement) Op.22

My Method of Composing and Producing

I'm sharing my method of composing and producing music recordings in case other composer-producers like me might find ideas worth exploring in their own work. I use this method for Classical, Avant-Pop or Neo-Folk Instrumental genres, not for Ambient and Soundscape pieces. Non-composers might find this explanation interesting, but having a bit of music theory background will definitely help. I consider myself a humble learner when it comes to music theory. 

I owe a debt of gratitude to British musician and educator Gareth Green, whose Music Matters online courses and free YouTube lessons have taught me so much over the past few years. Thanks to his instruction, I’ve moved from struggling to compose music by trial and error to something more enjoyable and productive. The knowledge I've gained has taken my work in new and expanding directions. As the saying goes, “Theory is not a cage — it’s a map. It doesn’t make the journey for you, but it keeps you from getting lost.” 

When I start a new piece, I begin by choosing a key, and picking a scale drawn from one of these sources:
 
1) Western Tonal / Functional Harmony - major or minor chords I II III IV V VI VII
2) Modal Harmony - Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, etc.
3) Slonimsky's "Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns" 
4) Messiaen’s "Seven Modes of Limited Transposition" 

For many pieces, I also decide on a progression, one as a simple as I IV V, or something more elaborate.  

Next I create a "scales and progressions" piano track in my DAW (digital audio workstation software) and enter the chords I to VII in my chosen key. These harmonized scales serve as a basis for writing multipart harmonies and finding pivot chords for key modulations. 

At the start, I know what instruments I want to use, making adjustments along the way. I tend to write chord parts first, then melodies created through a mix of improvisation and direct input in the DAW. Sometimes I start with a melody.

I develop melodies and variations of a phrase by some combination of: a) passing it from one instrument to another, transposing it by an interval that sounds pleasing, b) reversing it, c) inverting it around the tonic (first) note of the scale. These are well-known methods. 

After completing a section, I choose another scale and maybe a new key and repeat the process until I have a draft of the entire piece. Then I export a recording and listen to it “offline”, take notes of errors and new ideas, and incorporate them back into the piece. Often this “compose / listen / compose” cycle is repeated many times. These iterative cycles include adding new ideas, polishing transitions between sections, changing the arrangement, and incorporating expressive details like accents, and articulations (staccato, sustain, portato etc.). I’m often working several different pieces at once. 

Last is mixing and mastering: balancing the loudness between instruments and adjusting elements like reverb, compression, and equalization. I tend to mix as I compose, even though many producers frown on that approach. I find mixing as I go helps me envision the completed piece and make adjustments to the choice of instruments; it self-inspires me when the piece is starting to sound good.  At the end I do a final mix, but as the saying goes, “A mix is never finished — it’s surrendered.”

In the end, this method gives me a basis for exploration and creativity and helps me stay focused. The goal is always to make a piece of music that feels expressive, cohesive, and emotionally resonant.

Suite for Woodwinds and Percussion No. 2

Of Moths and Moonlight

I used to work in a municipal council depot in the late 1980’s and met some brilliant characters. Ronnie was one of them - he used to walk 3 miles each way to work/home. He had interesting views on life! It’s a bleak folk song but with some humour thrown in. They all used quite fruity/earthy expressions and I wanted to capture some of that. I hope you enjoy it. Mastered by RCD Digital. 
Lyrics 

Cough up the green, like a dying mans wheeze 
Mould on the walls, there’s no enjoyment 
Clothes so damp, they’ll rot your bones
It’s all frustration and disappointment 

Life is a sore that never heals

Day after day it’s just
Walk to work, pick up them bags 
Throw them in as the packerplate screeches 
Home, eat, soak my plums if I’m lucky, then sleep
But it’s still dark when I wake up! 

In all weather we work, shine, snow and rain
Fevers and puking, we push through the pain
But don’t think the boss will let you be late 
The old man will lose it and show you the gate!!

Life is a sore that never heals

Day after day it’s just
Walk to work, pick up those bags
Throw them in as the packer plate screeches 
Home, eat, sink some pints if I’m lucky
And sleep, but it’s still dark when I wake up 

And the great and the good, shiny and monied
their perfect kids with daddy and mummy 
What’s it to me where they live, what they do
How they’re doing in school, or where they holiday to?
I don’t care , it’s not my life
Leave me alone! 

And now there’s lots of management around
To save some money and cut some rounds
But there’s only so much these old bones can take
Push me too hard and the old back will break

Scratch cards! Yeah scratch cards
Thank God for scratch cards 
One lucky match,  I break free
But until then, it’s the same old routine

Day after day it’s just
Walk to work 
Pick up those bags
Throw them in as the packer plate screeches 
Home, eat, sit and rest if I’m lucky 
Then sleep, but it’s still dark when I wake up! 

James Whiteman copyright (lyrics 2017; music 2025)

Ronnie’s Lament (The Loader)

on the road from Maribor to Bamberg I noticed a sign that said Quellverkehr - sounded like an interesting title for a synth-based instrumental. Hope you enjoy. Downloadable CC BY. 

Quellverkehr

Change the Ending

Our take on the popular 1967 hit song by Sonny and Cher “The Beat goes on”
Music and vocals by Bruce Conover
Guitar and additional piano arrangements and mix by Tarde última
https://soundcloud.com/tardeultima
Play ☑ like ☑ repσst ↺ ☑ share with yσur friends ☑

The Beat Goes On (Conover / Tarde última)

If there was only two traits that came through in my music, I would hope that it would seem to be effortless and inevitable.
The Kind Place Studio

The Beat Goes On (Conover / Tarde última)

conover