I am not really a musician.
I can’t play anything well enough to even remotely comfortably perform before others. But I do produce music as my hobby, and I absolutely love doing it. I consider myself a beginner, although I’ve been at it since 1993. If you find the courage to listen to my music, bear this in mind (what I just did there is called expectation management).
In making my own original music, I’m frighteningly unproductive. I am generally interested in working with singer-songwriters who are in no hurry whatsoever.
Mission Statement
To make music I enjoy, the way I enjoy.
Timeline
Here’s a rough description of how I ended up in the music non-business. For more detailed descriptions, see the sub pages.
1967
It Was a Very Good Year
I have listened to music practically all my life. Since I was able to hear, I listened to and liked whatever my mom listened to: Tom Jones, Elvis, Ella Fitzgerald, Simon & Garfunkel, and so on.
Late 70’s
Kraftwerk
I started to develop a taste of my own, and hearing Kraftwerk’s Die Roboter (yes, the German version) in the late 70’s shoved me in the electronic direction.
My dad told me I would regret it later if I didn’t start playing an instrument. He was right.
Late 70’s
Early 80’s
Synth Revolution
I started listening to Kraftwerk, Ultravox, OMD, Simple Minds, Depeche Mode and other similar bands. And I thought the word “synthesizer” had a nice ring to it.
1984
Some Great Reward
When I bought Depeche Mode’s Some Great Reward in 1984 (having been a fan since See You in 1982, isn’t that just so cute?), I really started to listen to details. Some Great Reward sounded like nothing I had ever heard before, and it was excellent studying material, due to the huge amount of details. A friend of mine had both a C-64 and an Amiga, and from time to time we used to get together and sequence our favorite DM songs. The “hobby” didn’t stick back then, as I didn’t have constant access to the machines, and my sequences didn’t sound anything like the originals, which put me off a bit. Making music, I decided, was for talented people. I then actively continued to analyze DM sounds and song structures, still obviously enjoying the music as well.
1984
1992
Own PC
In late 1992 I had got my first job in the software industry, and I decided it was time for me to buy a computer, which in those days meant a 386 PC. I remembered how fun sequencing was, so I bought a Gravis Ultrasound card, which I think was one of the few sound cards with actual sample RAM. I continued to sequence my favorite DM songs for couple of months.
1993
It Begins
After having read about the MIDI protocol, I decided a MIDI keyboard was just what I needed, and I got one. I was by no means a good keyboard player, but I could play a melody after I heard it. It usually took me a couple of tries, but eventually I got it right. I occasionally also picked up my guitar and strummed away with it a bit, although quite poorly. Much like today.
Late one night in 1993, while studying for an exam the following day, it occurred to me that composing was basically just a matter of putting notes in an order which sounded pleasing, and to surround them with even more notes in another pleasing order. So I skipped studying that night and wrote/produced my first song ever, from start to finish, following the by then very familiar Depeche Mode song structure. After the exam (which I, amazingly, passed, even though not having slept the night before), I went home, pulled another allnighter and sequenced my second song, went to bed, slept the entire following day and got up and immediately produced my third one. Needless to say, I was hooked and absolutely amazed I had it in me.
1993
2005
Piano Lessons, part I
I took up piano lessons. I attended regularly, two times, one year apart.
2016
Piano Lessons, part II
I took up piano lessons, again, and attended bi-weekly, regularly for several weeks. Look out for Piano Lessons, part III!
2016
Today
Still Trying to Work It Out