Living in the mountains of Oaxaca, Capulálpam de Méndez, has deeply inspired this piece. The track opens with the sounds of wind and birds, weaving you into the heart of nature's embrace. Intricate guitar melodies then take center stage, exploring themes of balance and fragility within the natural world. The music reflects on the enduring spirit of ancient civilizations, a testament to resilience, but also pays homage to the people of Capulálpam de Méndez who have become my adopted family here in Mexico. Their warmth and kindness are a constant source of inspiration. The piano serves as a roadmap for this musical journey, while the guitar takes the lead on the melody.

°°Español°°
Viviendo en las montañas de Oaxaca, Capulálpam de Méndez, me ha inspirado profundamente esta pieza. La pista se abre con los sonidos del viento y los pájaros, entrelazándote en el corazón del abrazo de la naturaleza. Las intrincadas melodías de guitarra toman entonces el centro del escenario, explorando temas de equilibrio y fragilidad dentro del mundo natural. La música reflexiona sobre el espíritu perdurable de las civilizaciones antiguas, un testimonio de la resistencia, pero también rinde homenaje a la gente de Capulálpam de Méndez que se ha convertido en mi familia adoptiva aquí en México. Su calidez y amabilidad son una fuente constante de inspiración. El piano sirve como hoja de ruta para este viaje musical, mientras que la guitarra toma la delantera en la melodía.

Renacimiento

Live Reflexion #024

method: guitar, pedals, voice, audacity
narration: just what the poem says (okay, offering a clue to toying with the clew: there is light - lux - as the main topic here, things you can and cannot perceive, that might and might not be at all - beyond mere appearances. Remember, however, how a haiku works - surprise overcomes you in the last line, not the one before that which still sets the natural and supernatural scene, no matter the momentum of tension it builds! - ... and, of course, a bow to a certain British poet's perspective on totemism might be in the cards as well ;-)
image: copyright jo richter ... using the illustration on a packaging container  used to transport guitars

poem/ copyright jo richter:

in winter's midlight
crow's crystal inverse shadow
lifting fingered feet

luxury

Asedio

Blackout

written, performed and produced by Richard Brown.

Lyrics:

I feel it comin I feel it within
My worlds getting darker the lights getting thin
I’m dying of hunger I’m dying to live
The spell that I’m under has left me in sin

Father you tried to break me
Sisters and brothers always leave
Mother why does your heart bleed
Why is a friend the one in need

It won’t be for nothin if I’m not to win
I’ll take what I’m given and drink it like gin
I’ll crawl through the darkness against the cold wind
And claw at your feet til you let me in

Father you tried to break me
Sisters and brothers always leave
Mother why does your heart bleed
Why is a friend the one in need

Blackout

Moon Tales (Instrumental)

Wish Of Silence

Contemporary work for String Quartet, Woodwinds and Percussion.

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 Chamber Ensemble 2024

Suite For Chamber Ensemble 2024

Unpolished stones

24 3 17

Take a Trip into the Deep State but Beware you may never Return...

Deep State Inc

I am a composer and producer of instrumental music in several genres, including ambient soundscapes, electronica, orchestral and chamber music.  

Musical influences include John Coltrane, Igor Stravinsky, Gustav Holst, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Tangerine Dream, Robert Prince, Frank Zappa, Brian Eno, Heinrich Ignaz, Franz von Biber.

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 Chamber Ensemble 2024

Jim Lynch