When One Quartet Is Not Enough – Of 2s, 3s, and 4s
A quartet can create full musical structures. So what is it that two quartets can do better than one? Especially in three.
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creative process
Putting together “the band” … or 2 of them
What happens when one recording project calls for not one, but two bands? Stan Stewart explores the battle of his bands.
Too Much In The Creative Pipeline?
Too much creativity? How is that possible? When the pipeline is full… All Sorts Not only is my creative pipeline full, but it’s probably far too diverse. This is not unusual for me. I seem to always have creative pursuits in a variety of directions. This moment is no different. But it seemed like an
Recording Studio Changes and Progress – #recordingstudio
The old computer in my recording studio was getting tired. And it showed. The Recording Studio Upgrade Yes, I know it’s part of planned obsolescence and such. Still, I’d been saving up for this for almost as long as I’ve been working on my folk album. During this time, the models I’ve been looking at
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Creating Through Limitations – Scales of Creation
I’m supposed to be confined to my long-term project. But here it is again: a brief interruption. Confined Since I was off the rails of my folk song album, I decided to give myself a challenge. “Hey! If you’re going to mess around, at least do it with purpose.” This time, I chose limited instruments,
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“Ritual & Mayhem” by the numbers
Numbers may mean something. Or they may be random. Let me break it down for you. Five, Six, Seven In my suite named “Ritual & Mayhem“, I created three tracks: Invocation, Mayhem, and Ritual Dance. The first of these I wrote in 5, the second in 6, and the third in 7. What I mean
What’s in the works? How to keep moving even when it hurts
Having a broken ankle has changed things. I’m having to take things slow since I’m still on crutches. Staying Home But don’t think for one second that my life is at a standstill. There are always projects around the home. Oh yes, things are still moving. While my mobility is more limited, my spouse is
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Duos – Scales of Collaboration
Duos may be the most basic form of collaboration, but they demonstrate all of the challenges and beauty of two-heads-are-better.
Composing Detours – How Pauses Help Creativity
Stan Stewart composed a track for a competition and then questioned whether that was a bad idea. Are detours helpful or harmful?
Holiday – Taking Time Away From It All
I need to take time off from the routine. When I lived in Scotland, we called this a holiday. Vacation or Holiday I like that word. Here in the USA, this is called a vacation. I guess there’s a sense in which I want to “vacate” my typical schedule. But I really appreciate the intention