I wrote this song in 2001. Wanjiku was inspired by the book Pedals of Blood, recommended to me by my step-father Bruce Baron, who studied…
Read Full Blog PostLesson 139: Simple 3 chord Tune “Melisma”
Yesterday I wrote a short 3 chord tune by writing the melody first using a minor pentatonic scale. Many great songs use a pentatonic scale…
Read Full Blog PostLesson 138: 6 Bar Tune
Here’s a simple progression with a chromatic melody. It’s in the key of G starting and targets iii minor (maj7) and I using substitute secondary…
Read Full Blog PostAeon, an Original Piece for Marimba and Saxophone
I wrote a short original piece for my friend and Marimba player Michael Compitello. Mike is an amazing musician whom I’ve had the honor of working with at KU. This is a duo piece which is a study in cycle 5 motion using minor harmony.
Read Full Blog PostComposition “Maker’s Curse”
I find that composing is a great way to spend time alone and to work out ideas that you may also use when you improvise.…
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