I love the slow progressive unfolding of motifs, textures, melodies.

Nice. Blissful. Floating freely. I love the electronic staccatto motive, with this harmonious field combined.

the heart of winter
Thanks to Francesco(@francescocartocci ) for the inspiration and for the gorgeous guitar playing.
Our other collaborations:
@soundcloud.com/rosindust/sets/grazie-francesco

initial digital idea (video sketch)
https://youtube.com/shorts/ErjY15S-tYU?si=lupDHa8xz8s_38-c

il cuore dell'inverno  with Francesco Cartocci

Marco Lucchi : synthesizers

for the current Diquiet Junto challenge
https://disquiet.com/2025/01/16/disquiet-junto-project-0681-drama-course/

*

Photo by Daria Gabriel 

19 gennaio 2025

Aeolian winds [Disquiet # 0681] alt version

Image created by me.
https://www.deviantart.com/leehon/art/Clogged-Mind-945020182

Failed Distractions

Peaks Twinned

Sunglasses Needed - Valentino

Work for 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 Woodwinds and Percussion No. 1

Suite For Woodwinds and Percussion No. 1

Remember the magic of the childhood and the wild days. It might still work. 
Written, performed and recorded by Neli CoKo, 2025, all rights reserved. 
Thank you for listening :)

Lyrics
When we were young, we were able to fly
No fear no doubt, pain just passed by

Remember The Magic

The world was big, a space for dreams
It was crowded by possibilities

Remember The Magic

We made some miracles come true
What you desire and what you dream is up to you

Remember The Magic - Neli CoKo

Funny Kind of Sad

*Spoiler alert*
This is a track I made today while waiting for my upcoming release Ava —
a project built entirely with new, custom-made sounds.
But this one...
Sublime just happened, shaped in the moment of waiting.

No plan. No pressure. Just presence.
Let it unfold slowly.

Sublime

Flamingos

Interlude / fracture / sonic corridor
RHELX  – field whisper processing, grain cut-ins, subharmonic traces
TréPein – modular synthesis, feedback mapping, spectral noise carving
• Engineered at Site 17, Friedhof Audio Unit
• Field textures: broken transceivers, brittle bark, interstitial static
• Mastered at Parasite.Orb-Circuit Studio

#TréPein #RHELX #GraveModulation #Schneise #ModularSynthesis #PostWave #InterludeTrack #Hauntology #ExperimentalSound #NoiseCorridor #ElectroacousticArt #SonicFragment #DarkWave #PostPunkArt #AvantPop #SoundCut

GRAVE MODULATION – Schneise –  TréPein × RHELX

"I'm a mellow artist, aging 68. I love and release eclectic music, from post-classical to drone. My fave instrument is the Mellotron."

Così, sinteticamente, di solito mi presento.

In genere compongo musica partendo dal suono delle tastiere, ma il mio vero strumento è il registratore.

O i software di registrazione.

"I was made for loving and making recorded music."

Confido da sempre nel potere evocativo e orfico della musica, nella sua capacità di riconsegnarci a mondi più veri e più giusti, più belli di quelli in cui di solito viviamo.

"Ich bin ein kosmische Kurier"

I'm using these tools: Mellotron micro, Waldorf Blofeld synthesizer, Behringer Crave, IK Multimedia Uno synth, Roland Juno synth, Volca keys, Casio digital piano, micropiano Korg, Manetron (iPad app), iTampura (iPad app), Eko 11 (...) string acoustic guitar, electric violin, Orla analogic expander, tenor, treble and descant recorders, soprano and tenor tin whistle, Akai, Roland, Alesis and Arturia controllers, upright piano, Squier 3/4 electric guitar, melodica, Bubble Harp (iPad app), Schoenhut toy harp, soprano ukulele, Eko acoustic guitar, Peavey Composer acoustic guitar, Kurzweill micropiano, Boss and JamMan loop stations , Behringher multi-fx, Olympus portable digital recorder, Phonic, Behringer and Yamaha mixers, Audacity, Paulstretch, various players and plug-ins .. (that's all, folks, I think ..)

latest releases

https://chitrarecords.bandcamp.com/album/lieder-ohne-worte 
https://ambientologist.bandcamp.com/album/suggestiva
https://ambientologist.bandcamp.com/album/venusia
https://hibernate.bandcamp.com/album/as-riddled-as-the-tide

for further works please go to my bandcamp page
https://marcolucchi.bandcamp.com/

and to 
http://webbedhandrecords.com/
http://www.laverna.net/home/
https://silentflow.org/

iTunes and Spotify as well ..
feed and share ..
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1TRilVaDaQw0ksGqU5tuCh?si=zXD-0xFWS-2yrUs542SH9A

SoundCloud è la piattaforma musicale che preferisco perché è soprattutto il regno degli amateurs, di quelli che fanno musica per sé e per gli amici .. come quando da ragazzi si condividevano con gli altri le invenzioni e le creazioni .. io sostanzialmente sono rimasto lì e così .. non sempre, ovviamente, ma spesso ci trovo delle cose che valgono altrettanto - se non di più - rispetto a quelle più affermate e conosciute

Aeolian winds [Disquiet # 0681] alt version

Marco Lucchi

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Steve Inglis

Steve Inglis

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