Nothing Lacking – Nothing Wasted

As you know, I’ve been pondering earth and creating music to match. Nothing wasted, but… Well, things didn’t turn out.

Waste Not Want Not

The 11-minute piece I had composed was not what I wanted. I had the sense that I had wasted a lot of time writing, mixing, and mastering this music. Well, let me take a step back.

My spouse is one of my best critics. She is also a very kind and sensitive person. We were on a road trip and I asked if I could play the most recent iteration of this opus. She said, yes.

Never one to waste words, I anticipated listening to every single one she said. Well, she had to take a breath before she offered her feedback. I knew that was a part of her response. (Again, she never was unkind.)

Step Into the Driver’s Seat

She nuanced her comments with, “You know that violin part at the beginning…” But I could tell she was not enamored with the piece. Eventually, she said that if I was going for a downer on the earth this might fit. But if I wanted to offer any sense of hope, she could not find it.

I told her there was a major chord at the end intended to give the sense of hopefulness. The unsaid bits were not wasted on me. Obviously, I had expected too much out of a single chord. It was not a hopeful piece. It was an indictment of the human race regarding the earth.

Wasted Opportunity

After we returned home, I emailed my co-composers on this project: Edward Givens, John M. Davis, and Terry MR (Purple Rhapsody). Each of them were tender and kind with their responses. “Hey, keep whatever you created… you can repurpose it.” And thankfully, I agree.

For now, I’m thinking of the first attempt as “Prologue to Earth”. The next iteration is much more hopeful. But in a way, it’s more demanding.

The new anthem for earth demands that we waste nothing. We do not have time, atmosphere, nor degrees (temperature nor separation) that can be wasted.