I have always written on the

Perhaps my first memories of a piano were from below one.

Though it might not seem natural from our perspective today, as a toddler, crawling around on the floor was what I did best, and the resonance under ours could be exceptional.

Some of my earliest memories include seeing my grandmother tapping her shoes against the pedals as she played on the piano a variety of classical works. It was certainly my first intro to Chopin.

I recall sitting at the piano as a young child, on the right side of my father. I would try to pick out and mimic the melody line. He played entirely by ear and he would often play musical tricks on me. He would play, changing up the melody to fake me out as I expected it to go somewhere else. What a great connection between father and son.

I wrote songs as a child and sang along with everything I did, including playing with toy soldiers. Even a walk down a street had musical accompaniment that I would hum. I must have been a little odd.

And I was inspired by a combination of Classical, Rock, Folk, Show music, and more.

When I sit down to write at the piano, the music comes first for me; chords and progressions. There are times when something catches my ear differently. That’s the spark! I’ll let my fingers do the walking and take chances. As I learn the piece, I’ll play it over until I can remember it enough to grab a recording. These days, that’s when I run upstairs and record it on a track with Logic Pro. That is a Mac(apple) based application just like Garage Band, but maybe a bit more versatile. The program records anything I write. I can write for the string, flute and any other instrument I wish to add. I play it and it records and notates it musically, mistakes and all.

Once I lay down a track of the song, even if it is incomplete I will record and hit save. I can breathe. The inspirational moment may have passed and now the work becomes due.

I will sometimes record a simple rhythm, playing the piece over that beat, recording it once I get it right, saving it.

The original, is saved but muted and not playing.

And maybe I will sing a little over the piece the beginnings of a melody that the chords lend themselves to. Usually, I am more likely to add a new track and play along with the chord progression, emphasizing the melody I feel I hear. Ok, maybe there is still some inspiration going on. The creativity doesn’t end because the work begins.

I use third party DAW’S that help me mimic the sounds of wind, percussive, and stringed instruments, and of course many other.

Spectrasonic’s Trillian has great bass guitar sounds, and Keyscape, very nice pianos to choose from. Stylus Drums also made by Spectrasonics is a good program for drums. There are so many to choose from.

I use:

Synthogy- Ivory -Piano

EAST WEST- Play- Strings and horns

Aplied acoustics Systems- Strum- Guitars

Also on board helping me is my oldest who has graciously provided me with his talents when I can grab him away from a busy schedule. He plays guitar on many of my pieces, which I will always notate for the audience when he is in the mix.

I use an Imac, a digital keyboard, an audiobox usb, Presonus converter, a less than great mic, and my wits!