Below are three of my most recent releases on Insight Timer. (The most recent one is a combination of melodies from both my courses on Insight Timer.) They can be accessed by clicking on the image:

HEALING PIANO MELODIES

MAGICAL PIANO – SONGS OF HEALING & HOPE PART 2

SONGS OF HEALING & HOPE MAGICAL PIANO COMPLETE

My magical piano tracks are related to a new course that is not yet available on Insight Timer. It is named “Songs of Healing & Hope.” More about my course can be found on the second menu for “Courses” at the top of this site.

It is interesting for me how much I’ve enjoyed creating solo piano.  I am a guitarist and don’t even know how to play piano!

But I have found the world of editing piano to be magical. Every single midi note on the computer makes a difference – whether it’s sustained or it’s velocity is soothed.

I asked my talented piano arranger to give me two different types of piano styles for each of the 10 songs associated with my course. One was a melody clip, which had an intro, verse, chorus and tag. I planned to use that clip at the end of each song lesson for my course. The second, was a creative “ambient” version. I used those clips as sweet notes that floated in the background of my lessons.

Whenever I received my arranger’s rough recordings, I immediately immersed myself within the notes. For melody clips, I attempted to make them as faithful to my guitar version as possible. I’d sing the melody aloud, and when words caused notes to repeat, I would simplify it. I’d also change chords if they didn’t quite match the guitar notes I wanted.

Every melody clip I worked on quickly became my favorite. If I had to pick my top three, they would be: Music Saved Me, Angel in the Sky, and The Unknown. To hear those melodies, as well as clips from my first course, go to this link about my recent track release of “Healing Piano Melodies.”

The ambient/creative clips were incredibly unique. I fell in love with them, even though they weren’t always reminiscent of my song. But with careful listening I could usually find subtle chords and melodies hiding in them.

Piano editing was a lot like working on a jigsaw puzzle. I condensed 15 minutes of piano into five minutes or less. I listened to multiple motifs and excised sections that I liked. Connecting all the pieces required different tempos, ritards and great patience. Below are my three favorites for Take Me Away, My Dream and The Unknown.

Once my course was finished, I wanted to put the clips together to form a meditation track. There were 20 clips and I entertained different possibilities for combining them. I could have a track of only melodies and another one comprised of ambient clips. But after a lot of listening, I decided that I liked  a mixture. Many people appreciated longer tracks for meditation; all the clips together would have been over an hour. I decided instead, to create two tracks with five songs/10 clips each.

Being a professional illustrator has some advantages. I hardly paint anymore, and prefer playing around with Photoshop. Just for fun, I’ll share some of my cover designs I fooled around with.

Below is an earlier release of solo piano with the same format for my first Insight Timer Course: “Healing Grief Through Music.” Clicking on the image accesses the meditation track.

This has been a challenging time for so many people, myself included. I am grateful for having healing music in my life. I picked the word magical because it evoked joy and lifted my spirits. I love sharing the music that soothes and comforts me.

I loved these roses so much, that I had to stop and take a picture.

I hear those piano clips playing in my mind all the time. It elevates my life.