Silence.
Are you comfortable with silence?
...
Here's another original jam! It's synth-driven, yet 80's-sitcom inspired! ;-)
Sometimes I make creepy music. I don't often share it... but sometimes I like messing with beats, chord progressions, and various sounds. As I was putting together the end, I kept catching a glimpse of light bending off of glass on a cabinet... it was weirding me out! The creepy music creeped me out! ...
I've taken a liking to Facebook Live. There are other platforms of similar live-video-streaming services, but Facebook is the network I spend most of my time on, therefore, Facebook Live makes the most sense for me to use. So, what do I use it for?
My dad has embedded a very simple concept in my mind from an early age... If you want to accrue wealth, don't spend more than you make. That's it. For whatever reason, gear companies have figured out how to speak to musicians' insecurities...
Monitor mixes are kind of funny to me. Often, in venues that hire up-and-coming acts, the sound engineers aren't necessarily hired because they...
Have you ever typed your name into Google to see what comes up? I have. I come up as...
...and I've got a free gift for you in this very post...
Let's talk, briefly, about...
Why try to take on the world if you can aim for a number... In this case it's 1,000! This is...
I was working on some worship music for the upcoming Easter services last night when I realized... I make a LOT of memos and...
Charles Horton Cooley was an American sociologist that coined the concept of "The Looking Glass Self".
In a nutshell, it goes like this:
"I am not what I think I am and...
Here's a TSO-inspired version of Hark the Herald Angels Sing that I made this past Christmas.
-VIDEO-
R.I.P. Paul O'Neill.
I feel sad.
I just found out that Paul O'Neill (co-founder, co-creator, co-producer of Trans-Siberian Orchestra) passed away yesterday.
This guy was one of my biggest inspirations when I was taking piano lessons in high school. My friend Liz and I saw TSO for the first time at the Civic Center in Des Moines back in 2003 or 2004... They were slowly building traction. As I recall, they may have filled up half of it -but they played like they had sold out Wembley Arena. They put the sound board in Liz and my seats, so they escorted us to front row / center. Needless to say, it was phenomenal!
After the show, Paul and the band did a free meet and greet after the concert. Paul talked with Liz and I, gave us autographs, and also gave us Susan B. Anthony dollars for good luck on our tests in high school. I was crushed when my silver dollar went missing in college -after all, I needed all the luck I could get on those tests! The line to talk with him wasn't incredibly long, but I vividly remember that it moved slow -because he gave EVERYBODY his full attention when they were face to face. It's a fond memory for sure. I remember asking him about working with Aerosmith on the Classics Live 2 album. I'm sure I told him he was great and that his music inspired me (as eloquently as a 16/17 year old is capable of). He was amped to answer our questions and seemed legitimately excited to be talking to all of us. The guy made legendary music, but he cared deeply for the fans of his art.
This guy made some phenomenal music. He and Robert Kinkel's powers combined to create Trans-Siberian Orchestra was a serious game changer. The show will go on -but his memory will remain.
I certainly will not forget Paul O'Neill.
Thank you for your music.
Thank you for the inspiration.
Thank you for your time!
-T.
Here's my abridged cover version of "A Mad Russian's Christmas". This was the first Trans-Siberian Orchestra song I ever learned how to play on the piano. You inspired me deeply.
RIP, Paul O'Neill.
A practical offstage practice that will make you a better onstage performer, and an overall more pleasant contributor to society, is by getting in the habit of smiling and saying...
Like many of the things I write about, this post is completely subjective -but I'm going to dive into what works for me time and time again during sound checks.
I try to keep. It. Simple.
Anything I play during...
Friends and family want to support you in everything you do. That's a given.
If what you have to offer is good -fans will be...
This is a pretty straight forward post. Here's my guidance towards talking onstage.
You can say whatever you want... BUT...