Animo is Latin for Courage and was a good theme for a Veteran's Day tune, done with piano, horns, strings and percussion. Improvised and impromptu, with the horns and strings doubling the piano line and the percussion tracked to the piano performance. 2021-11-11.

Animo (Courage)

Using Chapman Stick and synths to propel a melodic hook forward, to the sound of Mi-(chigan) Stick Dragon Scales.

MiStick Dragon Scales 2021

This is the isolated track of the piano riff and chord progression I created first, that later became "Real Good Time (Extended Version)," available at iTunes and fine e-stores everywhere. 

Real Good Time (Piano Only)

Real Good Time (Extended Version)

Layered vocal love song over acoustic guitar and electric bass riffs, Detroit-style drums. Words and music by Stephen Sink and Paigan Productions.

You and Me

Completely improvised on the spot and recorded in one take on e-piano.

11-11-11 Extemporaneous

Solo piano in a classical vein with New Age Jazz overtones. A nice walking melody, that  starts to run--and then jump and dive bombastically until your soul explodes with awesome pounding rhythmic figures and hummable melodies. And then the rain...

Stark Reflections, Then the Rain  -- Solo piano

In remembrance of my mother of 78 that just passed. Mom, we love you so much, "All This Time." Vocals by Synthesizer V's Hayden and Solaria. Words, programming, and music by Steve Sink.

(Chorus)
All the memories make me, make me, cry--oh why?
I can't let myself to forget you
For loving me, all this time
All this time 

Starting with the birth of me 
Going through the worst of me 
Loving you was always what we do.
Long after the step was gone 
Right before the worst would come 
Right before the end is here
We will miss you. 

Chorus

Never had the luck in men
Staying through the worst of them
Loving you was always what we do.
Long after the Wayne was gone
Right before the Jim would come
Right now is the time we fear
We will miss you.

Chorus

Always gave your love for  free
Turned your cheek to Hate, Envy.
Loving you was always what we do.
Long after my faith was gone 
Yours stood strong and still kept on
Right before the End Time's here
We will miss you. 

(Bridge)
Now or then or forever when
Amen, we will  see you again
All this time, all this time, all this time 

Chorus

Never had the luck in men,
Staying through the worst of them
Loving you was always what we do

Always gave your love for  free
Turned your cheek to Hate, Envy
Right now is the time we fear
We will miss you 
Starting with the birth of me, going through the worst of me
Loving you was always what we do 
Long after the step was gone, right before the worst would come,
Right before the end is here, we will miss you 

Chorus

(Ending)
All the memories make me make me - cry oh - why - oh - why - oh - why - - all this time, time.

All This Time --Synthesizer V's Hayden & Solaria

Main vocals sung by Synthesizer V's Hayden, with Solaria an octave up and in the background. Piano, electric piano, two guitars, NS/Stick bass, and drums.

“Taking it all to heart” by Stephen Sink

I've been thinking never drinking alone 
I've been keeping never leaving alone
And we never take it at face value 
Unless we go along
We won't surrender unless we have to 
Keep on pushing it on 

Life is funny 
It takes two most times 
Just to see clearly 
Things I should see anyway 
Could it be me or could it be you 
Taking it all to heart 

I want to be with you just you for all time 
I want to love with you you know it’s not lying 
Our love will last forever until the end of time 
Our love is strong together until we bend but never break

Life is funny 
It takes two most times 
Just to see clearly things 
I should see anyway 
Could it be me or could it be you 
Taking it all to heart 

I want to be with you just you for all time 
I want to love with you you know it’s not lying 
I want to be with you just you for all time

Taking It All To Heart  - Synthesizer V's Hayden

I was writing a pop/rock love song called "Baby, Come Back," and it morphed into a love song to Cthulhu called "Cthulhu, Come Back!" I wanted to write a song from the perspective of a cult member of a dark religion of the Old Ones. I took the normal lyrics and subtly made them more sinister when talking about the Dark One.

Rock funk with a strong melodic guitar, and massively harmonized vocals from Synthesizer V. Featuring the lead vocals of Hayden. 

“Cthulhu, Come Back!” Words and music by Stephen Sink

Cthulhu, come back
Love me more
And I will be here 
For you now and forever

Dark Lord, bring back
Your dark love
But I don't deserve it
I'll do better 

Tentacle loving makes me feel dread
Makes me feel, feel despair
The Old One’s calling me home 
Makes me feel fine 
Makes me feel As One

Cthulhu, come back
Love me more 
And I will be here
For you an eternity 

Dark Lord, bring back
Your dark love 
But I don't deserve it 
I'll do better

Tentacle loving makes me feel madness 
Makes me feel, feel as one 
The Old One’s calling me home 
City of R'lyeh 
Makes me feel cosmic horror 

Cthulhu come back
Love me more 
And I will be here for you an eternity

Dark Lord, bring back 
Your dark love
But I don't deserve it
I'll do better 

Tentacle loving makes me feel madness
Makes me feel, feel as one 
The Old One’s calling me home 
City of R'lyeh
Makes me feel cosmic horror 
Cthulhu

"Cthulhu Come Back!" --Synthesizer V vocals

Funk rock soul pop.

Vocals by Synthesizer V's Hayden. Vocals programmed by Stephen Sink. Lyrics and music by Stephen Sink.

“Trust Me Now” by Stephen Sink

Perfect times rarely get noticed
Times go so fast, times blow right past
Times might not last long

Prechorus
Friends are all we have to share this world’s
Pain and joy and love for people
Family, friends, and pets, neighbors,
Making the world better for all of us

Chorus
You should trust me now (whoa oh)
Two could just be how (oh no)
Why would there be doubt (woe oh)
We could rock it out (let’s go)

Perfect lives barely get noticed
Life goes so fast, life blows right past
Life might not last long

Perfect things fairly get noticed
Things go so fast, things blow right past
Things might not last long

Prechorus
Chorus
Guitar Solo

Prechorus
Chorus

Perfect lives barely get noticed
Life goes so fast, life blows right past
Life might not last long

Perfect lives, you should trust me now

Trust Me Now -- Vocals by Hayden (Synthesizer V)

Blues rock song featuring several emulated singing voices from Synthesizer V. 

“Ooh Wow Ooh (Ooh Wow Ah)” by Stephen Sink

Life brings me pain
Pain sings me strange things
To my brain ooh ooh ooh ah oh oh ooh
I can’t make myself care
I can’t make it alone (no)
I’m just faking along (oh)

Ooh wow ooh
Ooh wow ah
That’s the sound I make ooh oh
Every time I see you
Ooh wow ooh
Ooh wow ah
You make me feel good (oh)
You shake me like tree wood (oh)

Ooh Wow Ooh  -- Rock vocals by Synthesizer V

Original melodic guitar blues-based rock instrumental.

Featuring a collaborative effort between multi-instrumentalist me (keys, NS/Stick bass/guitar, drums, etc.) and several different algorithms to generate melodic lines. I generate several versions of the melodies using "algos" (algorithms, but shortened to sound cool and techy), wade through them and edit them, and prune them, and splice them together; or stitch in new MIDI captured by me playing keys. I also feed my melodies into the algos and have them chop them up and drop mathematical equivalents of psychedelics and generate new variations of my lines. A true collaborative effort between man and machine to make music.

Once Upon A Time -- Rock melodic instrumental

Blues rock piano with the crooning vocals of Synthesizer V's Hayden, and then backing vocals by Solaria (Soprano), Natalie (Alto), Kevin (Tenor), and then Ritchie (Bass). Blues rock piano using a classical A Harmonic Minor chord sequence that I invented for several classical piano pieces in the past (Am Dm G C F Bb E Am) and have thrown all of my favorite blues piano tricks and riffs onto that classical structure.

“I Want the World (You)” by Stephen Sink

As a young boy I swore
I’d never sell out.
Now I’m older and I’m
Selling every way.

As a young man I swore
I’d never lose out.
Now I’m older and I’m
Losing every day

Chorus
I want the world to see
I have you girl with me
I need no guarantee 
What I want is what I need 
And that’s the two of you and me
 
Making it anyway we can
We won’t find out now 
Until the end of time
How this all ends

Chorus
As a young boy I swore
I’d never get out
Now I’m older and I’m
Getting it every day

As a young man I swore
I’d never make it out
Now I’m older and I’m
Making it every way

Chorus
Making it anyway we can
We won’t find out now 
Until the end of time
How this all ends
Chorus

I Want The World (You)

Funky rock bluesy jam with electric clavinet, Hammond organ, wah guitar, acoustic fingerstyle guitar, crunchy high-gain lead guitars, funky bass, and drumming with a funky swing.

Featuring the vocals talents of Synthesizer V's emulated singers Asterian (Baritone and lead), Hayden, (Tenor BG), Natalie (Alto BG), Solaria (Soprano BG).
“Don’t Go” by Stephen Sink
Intro Crooning 

So know bro, flow grow slow 
Show crow below, no yellow snow 
Show hello, po faux glow 
Escrow, oh no, oh no no 
Bro go slow, chateau flow,  yo

Chorus:
Wah-ah-ee go, yo 
Wah-ah-ee go, oh no no 
Don’t go 
Wah-ah-ee oh, bro 
Wah-ah-ee oh, if you go 
Go slow

Overflow bio dough
Quid pro quo, fellow mellow foe
Hoe agro, mow fro toe
Tarot, oh no, oh no no
Bro go slow, Merlot flow, yo

Chorus

Nouveau crow, tableau glow
Know dough forgo, pro although slow
So shallow, flow fallow
Shadow, oh no, oh no no 
Bro go slow, Cabot flow yo

Chorus

So know bro, flow grow slow 
Show crow below, no yellow snow 
Show hello, po faux glow 
Escrow, oh no, oh no no 
Bro go slow, chateau flow,  yo

Bridge (X4): 
Na na nani nani
Na nan ni nani
Na na nani nani
Don’t Go 

Chorus X2
Ending (Woe, Don’t Go)

"Don't Go" - Synthesizer V vocals

I started out trying to make a J-Pop style pop tune, as you do, and all I had was a MIDI drum loop that I found on the internet that was labeled "J-Pop Disco" and no other backing tracks. So I thought it would be fun to bring in country-flavor baritone guitar, and some Celtic fingerpicking on a 12-string acoustic, and make a country J-Pop song. And then I added fiddle to the whole thing, and suddenly I had my hook with a catchy melody and real song sections. I actually have vocal melodies all blocked out and ready for me to figure out what this song is going to be about. 

But for now, here is the instrumental I'm calling "J-Pop Country."

J-Pop Country (Instrumental)

Psychedelic Prog Rock with analog keyboards, big stadium drums, pyrotechnic guitars, and layered vocal harmonies.  

"Infinity's Canvas" by Stephen Sink and Udio.

A mandelbrot set in motion, don't blink your eye
Zooming deeper, there's a world to unveil
In the heart of the math, a truth that never fails
Preceding 
As it unfolds, the beauty grows, ah

Verse 1
In these geometric throes
In patterns bold, and edges sharp, ah
Let these shapes compound, 'cause I'm drawing near
To Fractal Lands
Infinity's reel
And chaos forms the perfect bout
Fractal dreams forever

Symmetry spirals, it's a wondrous sight
Across dimensions, we take our flight
Chasing borders that will never end
Through the fabric of space, we blend

[Chorus]
Edges twist, they turn, they dive, ah
In this complex world, we're alive

Every line's a journey, every curve's a tale
A never-ending maze that we traverse
Infinite in essence, in this fractal grail
We're riding on the edge of the universe

[Chorus]
So we soar through this fractal dimension, ah
In a dance with the echoes of mind
In a dance with the echoes

[Solo]

Now gaze upon the Mandelbrot shore, ah
Castaway in a sea of math and lore
Escaping time in an algorithm's bind
Complexity that's one of a kind
Absorbing the chaos, pure and raw, ah
Within the silence, a hidden awe

Infinity's Canvas

Guitar instrumental featuring melodic rock riffs and searing solos over crunchy guitars and piano and finger-picking acoustic guitar.

Laid Back, Laid Forth -- melodic guitar instrumental

"Funky Clav" is one of my personal favorite instrumentals of 2024. I later turned it into the song "Don't Go!" but I'm now liking the instrumental version much better than the vocal singing version. In spite of the funky clav throughout the piece, I'm doing most of the lead on Hammond B3 organ, with NS/Stick 8-string bass, and some Fender baritone guitar and lots of 12-string acoustic guitar.

Funky Clav

A collaboration between Chapman Stick enthusiasts who also play a shit-ton of other instruments: Stephen Sink and Scott Kerr. Railboard bass, piano, and drums by Stephen Sink; solo and rhythm guitars by Scott Kerr. Paigan Productions.

A ROCK INSTRU-METAL (TM). 

Chromatic Jack -- Stephen Sink & Scott Kerr (SINKERR)

Someone asked for "An exploration of Spirituality, Technical yet Expressive." And thus the prog rock tune "Spirit Chewality" was born, crafted by Chapman Stick enthusiasts Stephen Sink (Paigan0), and Scott Kerr (Jayesskerr/Tapicus Maximus). Together, we are the prog rock INSTRU-METAL band SINKERR.

Instrumentation

Steve Sink
Bass: Chapman Stick Railboard (Sapphire Blue, 10-string)
Rhythm Guitar: Gladius 6-string
Acoustic Guitar: Acoustic-Electric 6-string
Piano: Pro Tools stock piano plugin. “Bright” 
Drums: NI Machine + NI Studio Drummer + samples 

Scott Kerr
Bass and Melody intro/outro: Chapman Stick Grand 12-string 
Rhythm, Solo, and Lead guitars: Malmsteen Strat

Spirit Chewality -- Stephen Sink & Scott Kerr (SINKERR)

A Rock Instru-Metal done by Chapman Stick enthusiasts Steve Sink and Scott Kerr (SINKERR). Progressive rock to melt even the stiffest of faces!

Instrumentation:
10-string Anodized-aluminum Railboard (SINK)
12-String Grand Chapman Stick (KERR)
6-string Fender Mustang guitar(KERR)
Violin (KERR)
Drums (SINKERR)
Keyboards (KERR)

Produced by Scott Kerr.

A Monstrous Thing of Beauty (SINKERR)

Electronic music made demoing with the Roli Lightpad and Seaboard Block. All sounds stock Avid Pro Tools.

Sol Invictus

Bow to the Master of Spiders, with a fusion blend of Blues, Rock, Metal and Jazz.

SINKERR is Steve SINK and Scott KERR

SINK: NS/Stick (8-string bass) 
KERR: Vocals, Strat (6-string), Violin & Drums

Produced by Scott Kerr.

SINKERR -- The Master

One week on the Harpejji K24. Here is the sound of the Harpejji raw and dry straight from the two channels and simply mixed together into straight stereo. No EQs, no compression, no effects.

Stephen Sink

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