Solo Piano.  Created in Real-Time at the St. Wenceslaus Church, St. Louis MO.

Year of Music: May 22, 2025

The Fish

Sam Burns Awakening

This piano track was originally recorded on October 12, 2013 using Ableton Live 6 and the GALAXY VINTAGE D piano library.
The piece is the 2nd movement of Rachmaninoff's Piano Sonata No. 2, recreated as a DTM (desktop music) arrangement.

In May 2025, I revisited and updated the mix and sound design to improve both the spatial feel and pedal behavior.  
The GALAXY VINTAGE D library (final version from around April 2020) was again used, but this time with refined settings in Kontakt and additional EQ adjustments in Ableton Live.

Particular attention was paid to:
– Fixing an issue where certain low-end notes would ring unexpectedly when specific pedal values were used (possibly a bug or quirk of the library).  
– Rebalancing the stereo field and midrange thickness, which were overly emphasized by default effects.  
– Carefully tuning pedal resonance, string and damper noises, and room placement to create a more intimate and natural acoustic impression.

This version aims to deliver a more expressive and believable virtual performance, while staying true to the spirit of Rachmaninoff's lyrical writing.

Headphones recommended for full nuance.


Sergei Rachmaninoff – Piano Sonata No.2 in B-flat minor, Op.36, 2nd Movement

Lors d'un après-midi

Capturing (on an old piano, some time ago)

Forgetting

Mur en bois

01 - Lake Street Waltz

I improvised this composition using the Audio Recorder feature in the Casio PX-S3100 Stage Piano, recording the piece to a USB thumb drive. I then imported it into Steinberg Cubase for further processing and mixing. 

© 2025 ROGER HOOPER

Photo in the art work by Bryn Young on unsplash: https://unsplash.com/@brynsta17

ADRIFT

The Year of Music project began in May 2011  there has been a new musical creation posted each day.  Each new piece is created in real-time.   The project is currently in its 13th year.  To date, there are over 4700 "Daily Doses" in the project.

Richard’s live performances take audiences on a journey away from the busy world and into a calmer, less chaotic mental and emotional environment.  Drawing on his classical training, jazz and pop familiarity, Richard creates music thru an improvisational process.  His music has been called a soothing elixir for the soul, mind and body.

In 2016, composer/contemporary pianist Richard Carr moved to the Monterey Bay area of California after living in his native St. Louis area since 2005.  Richard spent 10 years working as a pianist in the night clubs, hotels and restaurants of the French Quarter of New Orleans prior to Hurricane Katrina.  He has released twenty-fiven solo albums and one collaboration in the contemporary instrumental /new age genre.

Aware of the meditative quality of his music, Richard has been exploring the healing side of his music.  Working in the holistic community of St. Louis, Richard developed the I AM Creative Sessions. These sessions are personal sessions in which Richard creates music for the client’s intention or focus.  In essence, he creates a soundtrack for the intention.
  
Currently Richard's electronic keyboard set-up includes Kurzweil PC3x and PC4x,  StudioLogic Numa 2-88,and the Roland boutique synths JP-08 and JX-03.

Maine jazz, classical, roots, rhythm & blues pianist. Accompanist, keyboards, special band projects, musical theater, composer, & teacher. Let's talk music.

Media Composer, pianist, synthesist, product trainer for Casio,.

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