A wonderful and emotional song, which leads one into an area of calm. Forget about everything and listen to the dreamy sounds and vocal.

thoughtful music...good listening up my way Bruce...Ed

An eclectic playlist of collabs with a great artist and friend, Bruce @Conover

Puerto Rico / California 
:)

Collabs with Conover

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

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

#filmscore
#filmsoundtrack
#netflix
#series
#sadmusic

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

All music by https://soundcloud.com/tardeultima
vocal scratch, lyrics by conover
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When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you.

If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do.

Like a bolt out of the blue
Suddenly, it comes to you
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true.

Wish Upon A Star* Conover/Tarde Última

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
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The Beat Goes On (Conover / Tarde última)

Another incredibly fun to do collaboration with Bruce Conover. We can’t stress enough how talented a storyteller, producer and vocalist he is! This was a privilege to do, hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Music, vocals and lyrics by Bruce @Conover
Guitars, synth solo and additional piano arrangements by Tarde última
October 2015 

Lyrics:

Over there by the window I had a desk and I'd write my songs
Up against the wall I had the guitars

This used to be our home

What would you say if I told you I was never coming home again?
Well I'm never coming home again

Here's the keys. Hope the next family can make it their home.


This Used To Be Our Home (Conover / Tarde última)

https://soundcloud.com/ilabarca
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Estoy Saliendo De Aqui  [Labarca/conover]

Original Music bed composed and performed by Claes Steen @ https://soundcloud.com/cermat
Vocal, guitar solo by Ignacio Labarca at https://soundcloud.com/elephantpr
Horns,Vocal and Lyrics, Production and Mix by conover
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I Love You, Come Back   (Conover/Steen/Labarca)

@juswel: Original Bed composition, bass, drums and guitars
https://soundcloud.com/elephantpr: Vocals, lyrics and Backing vocals
@gotchi Orchestration and Horn Section
Concept, production and Mix by conover
© 2018 Conover/Labarca/Welin
Mastered at Abbey Road Studio by Alex Gordon
www.abbeyroad.com/engineer/alex-gordon
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Hazy mornings with you
Everything’s gone downhill

We’ll cruise through the stars
Just making up together
This beautiful collision

I know you know I’d do anything
Cause you care and I do
You and I so beautifully collide
This beautiful collision
This beautiful collision

Just a last time then I’ll disappear
All of our tainted years

We’ll cruise through the stars
Just making up together
This beautiful collision

I know you know I’d do anything
You care and I do
You and I so beautifully collide
This beautiful collision
This beautiful collision
This beautiful collision
This beautiful collision

Mastered at Abbey Road Studio by Alex Gordon
www.abbeyroad.com/engineer/alex-gordon

Beautiful Collision (Labarca/Welin/Gotchi/Conover)

Emerging from the vibrant rhythms of Puerto Rico, I am a passionate bedroom producer with a project that's continually evolving. My goal is to craft tracks that not only resonate with my listeners but also translate powerfully in live performances.

I owe a great deal of my growth and inspiration to the incredible SoundCloud Community, whose support has been instrumental in my journey. This gratitude fuels my commitment to creating music that connects and uplifts.

Collaboration is the heartbeat of creativity, and I am actively seeking like-minded artists for local or online projects. If you're interested in blending our talents, please feel free to send me a private message.

Your feedback and comments are not just welcome, they're invaluable. They help me refine my art and keep my music evolving. 

Let's connect and create something extraordinary together.

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

Wish Upon A Star* Conover/Tarde Última

conover

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