Teach4Endurance

This is certainly my longest track (up to this point); this is due to the outgoing Coda at the end. It's kind of in the realm/inspiration of "Take Me Back" by Lynyrd Skynyrd. In essence, the coda takes you down the stream to bring an end to your journey. Be ready, as well, for the 2nd portion of the coda (as it lifts off with a heavy guitar and choir!) Hope you enjoy it!

This one is quite interesting. Call its inspiration a cross between Muse and just seeing the new Batman movie. The song has a dark, yet mellow groove (albeit the ghost talking to you in the background is a little eerie). It's really cool how a song comes together from a simple guitar riff and then off I go into another world! That's the beauty of music!

"Dusk to Dawn" is a pretty adventurous track . . . at least for me it is. Some tempo and key changes are present give it a feeling a time actually changing (i.e. dusk to dawn). Part of the song feels like you're walking down the street in New York City, with your best strut. Then, the tempo changes and it's time to take off your walking shoes and chill till' the dawn.

"Spanish Radiance" is a track in which I give a nod to the beauty of Spanish guitar elements. Sprinkled throughout the track are simple guitar runs, which illuminate the beauty of the Spanish guitar sound. Furthermore, if listened to closely, you'll hear a really cool bass line laying down the song's foundation. Enjoy!

"So Long" is kind of mellow instrumental rock. I really love the break groove I found on the B string. It's my favorite part of the song. It kind of has a longing feeling to it, hence the title.

There's nothing complicated with "Down the Delta." This is simply a southern rock groove at its grittiest . . . at least my grittiest:) Hope you like it!

Don't ask me how this one came about; it's pretty different for me, but I like it. The title holds the key to my inspiration for this song (as does the quote and color in the art); not to mention the name after the quote:) So while my Prince had more talent in his pinky fingernail than most do in their entirety, this song is still my "nod" to him, thanking him for his inspiration on me.

"Wait for Tomorrow" is a pretty laid back track. No inner Judas Priest or Iron Maiden coming out on this one. This one is for putting on headphones, breathing deep and going night night. Or at the bare minimum, getting some relaxation.

It was time to shred a bit. "Face the Mirror" is the heaviest track I've done in quite some time. It's always fun to let it rip and release my inner Judas Priest or Iron Maiden (I'm just not near as good:)) Be careful if you turn this one up; the bass line might just melt your face off . . . but with rock n' roll, that's a good thing!

"Outside Looking In" was actually inspired by one of my favorite band's songs: "Wish You Were Here" by Chicago; hence the ocean waves in the beginning. Beyond that, this is simply an ethereal, ambient journey of the mind. Listen with headphones . . . especially for one of the guitar tracks. You'll be in La La Land:)

"Life Before" is not very difficult, but I really think this chord blending is quite beautiful. It's also easy going . . . something that our species seems to have lost sight of. We love rushing to get absolutely nowhere. This song is the antithesis to that notion.

"Frayed Seams" may be my most ambitious track, yet. Multiple guitars, violins, an uptempo backbeat . . . it's all in there. Each of these elements are components of the "seam" holding this musical track together. Enjoy!

"It's Complicated" is a track that came relatively easy to me, once I discovered the hook I was looking for. That hook being one of my favorite chord blends (A - A/F# - A/E). With this part in place, it all came together. Hope you enjoy it!

"Swept Away" is all about letting the subtle wind take you where they. Dance along and cherish the journey. What's unique about this one is not trying for perfection. When I listen to some of the great classic rock bands, there are imperfections in some of the recordings; and that's what makes them so authentic and real; less polish and more grit!

From a chord structure standpoint, this is a really simple track. However, I was going for the "crunch" on this one. I was actually inspired by an awesome Judas Priest song for this one titled "Lochness." I'm certainly not Glenn Tipton or K.K. Downing, but I'm happy with the results.

"Clock-watching" is one of my favorites. It's a little different in the fact that it's all in flat chords, which I haven't done much of in the past. My solo runs are also a favorite of mine; they're not fast or flashy; but in solos, sometimes the beauty is in the notes you don't play or in the ones you let sustain themselves. Regardless, hope you all enjoy it!

While this song sounds nothing like Rush (although I do love their catalog), the title and feel of the song is heavy, but also mysterious. This got me thinking about how the beauty of music is brought to us through technology, etc. And with this immediate transfer of energy comes power: the power of music. Even though we may not see it, we certainly can feel it and hear it!

This track evokes a feeling of coming out of a sleepy haze and greeting the new morning with a smile and a sense of gratitude. This song just makes me happy. Hope you like it!

"Passing Hours" is a melody-scape of sorts. Its base element is my guitar tuned in Cmaj with the capo on the 5th fret, creating a brighter melody of sorts. The theme is inspired from when I present to people around the country; many seem to act like life is a sitcom where you'll get a rerun . . . hence just letting the hours pass. When in reality, the only thing that truly matters is RIGHT NOW! Ho...

"Where I Fall" is a simplistic rock tempo song in Cmaj. What I truly am proud of is how its rock tempo early on turns into something inspirational when the violins crescendo. It's a nice little juxtaposition. It's kind of asking: "Will someone be there when and where I may fall?"

Close your eyes and let the astral plane take you on a 2:20 journey. Don't turn it up too loud though or the glass ceiling effect will shake the rafters (the E, F#, G# chorus). This song is layered like a cake with 4 guitar tracks, a piano, bass, and of course . . . the glass ceiling:)

"Rebirth" is unique as its guitar track is on the heavier side; however, there is no drum track per se. It has percussion backing, but its focus is the journey the guitar goes on . . . especially teetering between major and flat chords. Hope you like it!

"Neverland" is a creation I'm proud of. Slowly but surely, I'm allowing myself to set my fingers free and produce some lead runs. Not sure why I've waited this long, but I like the color the runs add to this track.

Cascade is the newest track to be added to my "Water" album/playlist. A cascade is a powerful flow, which is how this song feels to me. It builds up a current (if you will) and then unleashes in the chorus, only to recede back to its mellow verse structure.

Celestial is another of my mind-warping compositions. Set in the key of C major, it certainly takes you for an ethereal sort of ride. By coincidence, the intro bars sound similar to "Hey You" by Pink Floyd. Did not intend that, but I can certainly hear it. Apparently they've made a mark on my life:)