This is perhaps one of my favourite of yours, love the key changes and adventures with the parallel key. I have heard of that before but learnt something from this that I should explore in my own compositions some time.
I always feel like taking a music theory lesson from you after I read your notes about the keys you’ve used! Wouldn’t F major be directly related to Db major since the F is the Db major chord’s 3rd? I’m hiking in gorgeous Ireland at the moment and don’t have my piano to play this out on! Plus what do I know. I love the piece regardless, and as someone else said it has a soft quality to it. Here when it rains lightly they call it soft weather, and it’s been doing a lot of that lately. This piece echoes off the 40 tones of green the Irish say they see here. It sounds like what thick moss on rocks and trees would sound like if we could hear it.
Oh, I love Ireland and its 40 tones. Soft weather is such a lovely phrase - and thank you for comparing this song to thick moss on rocks and trees. Not sure anything could make me happier!
Alright, so you raise a fantastic question re: Db major. The thing about Db major is that instead of an A natural in the key, you have an A flat (there are five flats in Db major: Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, and Gb). That makes the F chord in that key an F minor, not an F major. So, in other words, in the key of Db major, F is the 3rd scale degree, but the chord built on that F is minor: F-Ab-C (as is true for every 3 chord in major scales). Does that make sense? I hope you can find an old piano in some Irish castle so you can play this out!
Yes! I totally get that about the F minor. Cool. Thank you. A piano in some ancient stone ruin—that would be so perfect wouldn’t it? Tonight I’m looking out over the Dingle Bay and I’ll walk along the shore tomorrow and say hello to Ireland from you.
Also want to say I was very moved by all you said in your interview that you shared recently. More about that another time. You went through some very tough times, physically and emotionally. It shows in the sounds you make. I’m glad you’re doing so much better now, and being a dad too. Blessings—
Great mood here, Fog Chaser. The sound has a lightness and brightness to it, and that thread holds. Listening to this piece prompted me to revisit some of your previous posts as well. I appreciate how the music you post here has a lot of variety in terms of emotion and feel while maintaining a consistent tonal palette. It all has a softness to it but none of it sounds “the same” as the previous one (I mean this in the positive sense). The words about completion as elusive also resonate. Thanks for sharing.
That's wonderful feedback, Matt - thank you so much. I mostly just feel like I'm reinventing the wheel every time I sit down to write — like I've never done it before — and I always worry that I'm just doing the same thing over and over. So, it's really helpful to know that you're hearing variety across the tracks — that means a lot. I always look forward to seeing and hearing what you're cooking up over at Tree & Booms.
"This newsletter has always functioned as an accountability tool for me — my self-imposed deadlines force me to let good enough be good enough. So, thank you for giving me the space to experiment in this way, to write constantly and share it with you. It means the world."
Absolutely feel the same way. I think if it wasn't for having my own page, I'd just have drafts of things sitting in a more unfinished state than when they go out and never actually seeing light beyond my own screen.
Cool - thank you Brian! I can’t help but feel like the borrowed chords are like an unexpected but fitting word in a poem, or an unexpected line break or something.
I love the ambling nature of this song. It feels like a meandering stroll through the woods—maybe in part because I can visualize Forest Park so well 🌿
On your note of letting good enough be good enough, one of my favorite quotes on art is from Erin Morgenstern: “Art is never finished; it is only abandoned.” I remind myself that a lot, that at some point you have to just let go and move on from a piece.
That quote has so many attributions from the at before, including the poet Paul Valery (about poetry) and Leonardo daVinci. But it sure rings true every day.
I love that quote! It’s so true - just gotta move on. And yeah, I stuck close to home on this one. What an incredible gift we have here in Portland with Forest Park.
Thank you for another beautiful gift—this one feels very rich and deep. As always, I really appreciate the music theory notes—you make what often seems to be an arcane taxonomy meaningful.
Oh boy, do I ever resonate with the desire to keep tweaking and tinkering! The last piece I wrote was the same way. Nearly wrecked me. "But at some point, you just have to stop." YES (I say, weeping). And isn't it true that the "flaws" make it better? More human? Anyway, I love what you've made here. Heartwood—perfect name. The chords are sublime—dappled-light-on-the-forest-floor sublime—and all the swells and crescendos carrying them. Poem-wise, you couldn't have picked a better one.
Thank you so much, Al. And yes! I noticed that theme in your most recent piece (which is so damn good by the way) — "O, who cares, who cares! Let it be Enough. Let the forgotten moment be perfect in its brokenness. It is over, done. The day is dead; the moon moved on." Yes, just letting things be enough. And also, maybe, saying to ourselves — hey, you are doing your best. Anyway, your post was lovely. And those plum tree photos are stunning. Thank you for listening to this new one, too — it means a lot.
Thank you, Matt. I appreciate that very much. 🌸 The irony of including that line ("O, who cares, who cares...") in a piece of writing I genuinely struggled to let go of, was not lost on me. 😂 Agreed - it's important to remember you're doing your best, and that "best" can look different week to week, month to month.
Oh wow, I like this one Matt. I think it's the modal interchange part that I'm digging so much, though I'm not sure I know enough about music theory to say for sure. I tend to call it dissonance, but I'm probably wrong. Whatever it is, I think I hear it too in Adrienne Lenker's song, "Ruined," which you may well enjoy. (And too "Promise" by Ben Howard, for different reasons.)
Thank you Tom — yes, you're probably picking up on some dissonance. Great catch. Like, "hey, that doesn't sound quiiiiiite right, but I like it?" I love Adrienne Lenker, and that song is fantastic — I hear a lot of distortion in that song, sort of wobbly little bits and bobs that dip in and out of the key, making things feel unsettled. Anyway, always appreciate you making time to listen. Thank you!
This is perhaps one of my favourite of yours, love the key changes and adventures with the parallel key. I have heard of that before but learnt something from this that I should explore in my own compositions some time.
I always feel like taking a music theory lesson from you after I read your notes about the keys you’ve used! Wouldn’t F major be directly related to Db major since the F is the Db major chord’s 3rd? I’m hiking in gorgeous Ireland at the moment and don’t have my piano to play this out on! Plus what do I know. I love the piece regardless, and as someone else said it has a soft quality to it. Here when it rains lightly they call it soft weather, and it’s been doing a lot of that lately. This piece echoes off the 40 tones of green the Irish say they see here. It sounds like what thick moss on rocks and trees would sound like if we could hear it.
Oh, I love Ireland and its 40 tones. Soft weather is such a lovely phrase - and thank you for comparing this song to thick moss on rocks and trees. Not sure anything could make me happier!
Alright, so you raise a fantastic question re: Db major. The thing about Db major is that instead of an A natural in the key, you have an A flat (there are five flats in Db major: Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, and Gb). That makes the F chord in that key an F minor, not an F major. So, in other words, in the key of Db major, F is the 3rd scale degree, but the chord built on that F is minor: F-Ab-C (as is true for every 3 chord in major scales). Does that make sense? I hope you can find an old piano in some Irish castle so you can play this out!
Yes! I totally get that about the F minor. Cool. Thank you. A piano in some ancient stone ruin—that would be so perfect wouldn’t it? Tonight I’m looking out over the Dingle Bay and I’ll walk along the shore tomorrow and say hello to Ireland from you.
Also want to say I was very moved by all you said in your interview that you shared recently. More about that another time. You went through some very tough times, physically and emotionally. It shows in the sounds you make. I’m glad you’re doing so much better now, and being a dad too. Blessings—
Thank you so much, Alice - enjoy Ireland!
Great mood here, Fog Chaser. The sound has a lightness and brightness to it, and that thread holds. Listening to this piece prompted me to revisit some of your previous posts as well. I appreciate how the music you post here has a lot of variety in terms of emotion and feel while maintaining a consistent tonal palette. It all has a softness to it but none of it sounds “the same” as the previous one (I mean this in the positive sense). The words about completion as elusive also resonate. Thanks for sharing.
That's wonderful feedback, Matt - thank you so much. I mostly just feel like I'm reinventing the wheel every time I sit down to write — like I've never done it before — and I always worry that I'm just doing the same thing over and over. So, it's really helpful to know that you're hearing variety across the tracks — that means a lot. I always look forward to seeing and hearing what you're cooking up over at Tree & Booms.
A delight, as always!
"This newsletter has always functioned as an accountability tool for me — my self-imposed deadlines force me to let good enough be good enough. So, thank you for giving me the space to experiment in this way, to write constantly and share it with you. It means the world."
Absolutely feel the same way. I think if it wasn't for having my own page, I'd just have drafts of things sitting in a more unfinished state than when they go out and never actually seeing light beyond my own screen.
Yes, 100000000000%. Without this, I wouldn't finish anything, ever.
Wow - really really great. Did not expect post-rock chamber music when I clicked play, but damn. Lovely stuff.
Right on, thank you, Dick! Glad you clicked play!
Same! :-)
Beautiful, and I liked the borrowed chords, surprising and a good feel!
Cool - thank you Brian! I can’t help but feel like the borrowed chords are like an unexpected but fitting word in a poem, or an unexpected line break or something.
I love the ambling nature of this song. It feels like a meandering stroll through the woods—maybe in part because I can visualize Forest Park so well 🌿
On your note of letting good enough be good enough, one of my favorite quotes on art is from Erin Morgenstern: “Art is never finished; it is only abandoned.” I remind myself that a lot, that at some point you have to just let go and move on from a piece.
That quote has so many attributions from the at before, including the poet Paul Valery (about poetry) and Leonardo daVinci. But it sure rings true every day.
I love that quote! It’s so true - just gotta move on. And yeah, I stuck close to home on this one. What an incredible gift we have here in Portland with Forest Park.
Listened to this all weekend. One of my favs of the latest season for sure
Thank you friend 🙏
Contemplative and evocative. Thanks for this!
Thanks for listening, Scott!
Thank YOU for creating and sharing such beautiful work!
This is gorgeous. Really beautiful layers and I love the modulations.
Thanks so much, Ben - I feel like I need to explore the world of modulations even more, maybe do a proper key change one of these days.
Mesmerized by this one. I feel the softness and vibrance of spring in its fullness here.
Thank you, Kayti - I’m so glad those elements are present. That’s exactly what I was feeling when I was writing it.
Thank you for another beautiful gift—this one feels very rich and deep. As always, I really appreciate the music theory notes—you make what often seems to be an arcane taxonomy meaningful.
Thank you so much — I'm glad those theory notes can be helpful. I will keep adding those!
Oh boy, do I ever resonate with the desire to keep tweaking and tinkering! The last piece I wrote was the same way. Nearly wrecked me. "But at some point, you just have to stop." YES (I say, weeping). And isn't it true that the "flaws" make it better? More human? Anyway, I love what you've made here. Heartwood—perfect name. The chords are sublime—dappled-light-on-the-forest-floor sublime—and all the swells and crescendos carrying them. Poem-wise, you couldn't have picked a better one.
Thank you so much, Al. And yes! I noticed that theme in your most recent piece (which is so damn good by the way) — "O, who cares, who cares! Let it be Enough. Let the forgotten moment be perfect in its brokenness. It is over, done. The day is dead; the moon moved on." Yes, just letting things be enough. And also, maybe, saying to ourselves — hey, you are doing your best. Anyway, your post was lovely. And those plum tree photos are stunning. Thank you for listening to this new one, too — it means a lot.
Thank you, Matt. I appreciate that very much. 🌸 The irony of including that line ("O, who cares, who cares...") in a piece of writing I genuinely struggled to let go of, was not lost on me. 😂 Agreed - it's important to remember you're doing your best, and that "best" can look different week to week, month to month.
Gorgeous!
Thank you, Duane!
What a delightful listen and then to scroll down to find my favourite poem 🙌🏻🧡
Thank you, Casper! Yes, it's such a lovely poem. Thank you for being here!
Oh wow, I like this one Matt. I think it's the modal interchange part that I'm digging so much, though I'm not sure I know enough about music theory to say for sure. I tend to call it dissonance, but I'm probably wrong. Whatever it is, I think I hear it too in Adrienne Lenker's song, "Ruined," which you may well enjoy. (And too "Promise" by Ben Howard, for different reasons.)
Thank you Tom — yes, you're probably picking up on some dissonance. Great catch. Like, "hey, that doesn't sound quiiiiiite right, but I like it?" I love Adrienne Lenker, and that song is fantastic — I hear a lot of distortion in that song, sort of wobbly little bits and bobs that dip in and out of the key, making things feel unsettled. Anyway, always appreciate you making time to listen. Thank you!