AN INTRODUCTION TO THE DOMESTIC SKETCHES

This year I’m working on a collection of solo piano singles called domestic sketches. Here are some of the background thoughts behind the work.

-At its core all these pieces are a celebration of family and home. These works are mostly about instilling a sense of appreciation for those who we share a roof with.

-I wanted to create some music that is almost journalist in style. Instead of trying to emulate the sound of a grand piano in a studio, I’m trying to create a sound of a piano in a living room. Because these works were recorded in my home, the space itself becomes a character in the works. You can hear the traffic out side, kids playing in the background, and the way the piano interacts with the specific space of my home.

-The pieces are short often only exploring one single idea. From a compositional perspective this has felt freeing. It’s a little less high stakes and is a nice change up. Also, I have less time for composing in this season and these little miniature works reflect that.

-One idea I will be exploring throughout the project is using some prepared piano techniques (duct tape, fabric, paper on the strings).

-I’ve been frustrated with the financial constraints of making art. At its core I want to keep creating and writing music, and I don’t want money to be the thing that stops me from making stuff. I feel like under normal conditions pretty much every one else makes money other than the creator. Sweetwater makes money, the studio engineer makes money, the mastering engineer makes money, distrokid makes money, and Spotify makes money, all while the artist is in the deficit. So for all of these projects my budget is literally zero. I am recording it on my lap top using garage band.