FROM MELANCHOLY TO MAGNUM OPUS

On October 9, 2011, I posted my first teaser on Instagram. My love for music has made it an everyday part of my life. I like to take ownership of what I paint on my canvas like an artist. Hence, I have this peculiar relationship with music. As a vocalist and quasi-synthetic, music sometimes comes to me “in color.” When I hear symphonic music, it appears to me in my mind as plumes of smoke. Imagine wet, neon-colored paint in slow motion. My first memory of this sensation was when I was in the 7th grade. Although I wasn’t the most proficient tenor saxophone player, I made it to jazz and symphonic bands. I recall our orchestra performing the theme to “The Exodus.” The music was beyond moving. As I counted out measures and waited for my turn to join the rest of the band, I began to cry and feel this unusual sensation. I was overwhelmed by what I was experiencing, and I dared not let my fellow bandmates see me cry. I honestly thought something was wrong with me.

I fall into the music, hearing nearly every instrument, a genuinely ‘aurgasmic’ and unexplainable experience. This form of synesthesia happened again about 11 years ago during the last few years of my grandmother’s life. To escape the grief, I would find myself succumbing to the craving to write and design. I would quickly lose track of “time” almost every night when creating my music productions. I had to create an ambiance to make the beats and record the vocals.

During those inspirational moments, I wanted to design, develop and build my repertoire of sounds. I would do so by directing my attention to the stream of consciousness and the source of creativity. Some call it God or The Universe, and I call it my Divine Source of Creativity.

Alone with a Real-Tek 4-track mixer, a Dell Inspiron using Ubuntu, an iPad 2, a bunch of loops, D.A.W.s, some cool music-making apps, and a Shure PG58 mic. With no money or budget, I created my first self-produced music project. I had been a recording vocalist for nearly 15 years at the time, so making instrumental music was utterly unorthodox. Nevertheless, it was my introduction to sound design and music composition. I called it ‘Light Travel’ because it quickly flew as I learned. I shared the first 27 minutes of this music project. I would spend many late nights beat-making & sequestered away in my late grandmother’s guest room.

I discovered my production style by trying not to sound like anyone else. Yet, learning from digital trendsetters. Modeling out-of-the-box…