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D O N E (for now) 🔉 — This semester, I got to take a class on 20th century chamber music with the most amazing, eclectic, and knowledgeable professor who currently focuses her scholastic research on minimalist drone music. Getting to learn from someone equally fascinated by this style of music as I am ignited so many things. It validated my interest, incited creativity, and motivated me toward playing and making art that truly speaks to my character. — This recording is less of a piece, and more of a “musical journal.” I start with a unison sustained pitch, and I just add in the harmonies, layers, and textures I hear in my head as I go along. What I’ve noticed above all is how much this can change depending on the things I’ve experienced in a day! (Link to full track in bio!!) — Thankful for a good first semester of my DMA, thankful for friends, thankful for coffee, and thankful for the ability to create for the sake of creating. Happy Saturday, friends!

Feeling the ILLINOISE today as I just finished the first semester of my DMA! — Here’s a little bit of “The World’s Columbian Exposition” from Illinois by #sufjanstevens played on keyboard instruments and drums! C Major is such a fun key. 13/10 definitely enjoyed myself too much. 2000/10 love grooving in 5/4 more than anything. Also, I’m DIGGING that @utaustintx is giving me like the next 5 weeks off. Be good, friends! — @asthmatickittyrecords #music #musician #musicianlife #cover #fun #drums #marimba #vibraphone #happy #done #break #groove #recording #jam #friday #austin #texas

Two and a half years since leaving Nashville, and a Google Hangout with these two last night made me feel like I never left! — @ban_austin and @natsmays are the kind of grounded, cool, confident, and goofy friends that I believe everybody needs at least two of. Their friendship did a world of good for me in my undergrad in helping me see the world outside the practice room and how genuine relationships with others are truly jet-fuel for creativity and joy. As long as I’m not in Nashville, I’ll miss them a ton! But hey, isn’t technology great? — #friends #hangs #goodtimes #thankful #shouldhavebeenthecastforferrisbuellersdayoff

S I M P L I C I T Y — Have any musicians out there ever paired something crazy hard and something crazy easy on a show, only to have literally everyone in the audience freak out about the thing that didn’t really test your ability? I think that’s because there’s so much power, beauty, clarity, and hidden fragility in things that are simple. — Btw, I had SO MUCH fun with this. It’s a simple progression in the lower voices with a half-note rhythmic “motor” and a static drone that kind of glues everything together. As it repeats, I either add a pitch to the pulse or change them completely, which effects the character of the repeating line. — Especially in the midst of finals and juries, this kind of work is honestly my favorite. It gives me much needed space to relax, think outside the box, and get stuff out of my head and into the world. Happy Wednesday, fam! — #music #musician #musicianlife #create #percussion #percussionist #vibraphone #minimalist #compose #art #artist #creative #space #sound #layers #process #work #relax #calm #fun #inspired #chill #austin #tx

perfectly clear ☀️ #vscox

C R E A T E — I think Austin is starting to influence my work a little bit. Today I experimented with some distorted drones and synth with interlocking patterns on the vibraphone put over it all. (Best with headphones if you got em!) — Let me tell you, this instrument is SO versatile, and I’ve always wanted to make music that people can understand and relate to without listening to a lecture. Living in this town, being around good company, and having space to explore my creativity and interests at @utaustintx has been SUCH a blessing in my life. — Excited to be wrapping things up this week before heading home for Christmas. Be good, ya’ll! — #music #musician #musicianlife #compose #create #art #minimalist #mood #communicate #sound #thankful #recording #space #creativity #original #layers #fun #chill #artist #inspired #weekend #saturday #austin #texas

Just taught literally the most fun lesson to one of my drum set students here at @utaustintx! Today was all about “creativity from the ground up.” — Today I presented a “blank page” of 2 measures of straight 8th notes with a snare drum hit on 2 and 4, handed the pencil to the student and said “you can add accents, dotted notes, and sixteenths. You just can’t accent beat 1 with the hi-hat, and you have to have a kick drum note at the very beginning.” — What resulted was talking through rhythmic phrasing, trial and error with added notes, suggested groupings, difference in feel when fast vs. slow, leading into certain beats of the measures, and balancing dynamics between the “voices.” — What was really amazing about this was that I didn’t write this end result, the student did. Asking questions like, “what makes sense there?” or “what would make this feel better?” or “what could you do to mess yourself up a little?” led to an awesome and straight up DIRTY groove. — Believe in your creativity, friends! It can lead to some really incredible places! — #drums #drummer #percussion #teaching #learning #practice #groove #feel #composition #creativity #improvisation #musician #musicianlife #original #inspired #foundation #tools #results #fun #encouragement #belief #process #instinct #sound #goals

I N T H E Z O N E — Phasing is so dang hard. You know when you’re at a rock concert and everyone’s clapping to the beat but the physics of sound has other plans which results in the multitudes of people being somewhat off from one another? Imagine learning how to do that intentionally and perfectly while controlling how fast it happens at the same time. Sounds simple, but it’s honestly completely insane, and I’m learning more about it everyday. Thankful for experienced folks who have come before me that help us young grasshoppers try to make sense of it all! — Piece: Steve Reich - Piano Phase (1967) — #music #musician #musicianlife #minimalism #phasing #hard #learning #practice #work #crazy #headache #concentration #pacing #process #marimba #percussion #fun #sound

Finished my last jam-packed Monday until 2019! Endlessly thankful for coffee, God-given energy, good views, and these mild December days that seem so unique to Texas. I declare nap-time 😴 — #fall #december #thankful #work #busy #tired #almostdone #views @utaustintx

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