I know I said I’d try and post up a music entry at least once a week, and it seems I failed to keep that up right from the start. Such is me and my wondering brain…

This week I present a song from one of my favorite musicians of all time – Joe Satriani. Joe (or Satch) is a guitarist without peer in my opinion, at least so far as rock music is concerned. There are a lot of instrumental guitarists out there, and some of them are probably more technically proficient than he is, but for my money none of them has his combination of heart, technique, and soul. He isn’t about an endless procession of scales or hammer-ons. He doesn’t play songs that are one long solo. He’s about songs with power and skill, but also with melody. I love his work, and I celebrate his entire catalog.

This song, “Home,” is from his self-titled CD. I love it. The first time I heard it was as I was driving, and I had to pull over because it was so damn powerful. I makes me sad and happy all at one. I wish this video was of him performing it, but this was all I could find. I hope you enjoy it.

I love the guitar. I always have. Especially the acoustic guitar. Of all the musical instruments out there I think it has the most versatility, the most range. It can sound so hopeful and joyous, yet it can plumb great depths of pain and sadness. There are so many ways of altering its tone, from different string sizes and materials, to how the body is shaped and where the sound holes are placed. An Ovation sounds different from a Takamine, which sounds different from a Martin. And don’t even get started with the differences between a 6-string and a 12-string, or we’ll be here all day. No other instrument can match it.

I used to play guitar, once upon a time. Never all that well, mind you, never passed the level of a newbie picker, but I enjoyed it. I even learned to play a few songs, like “Silent Lucidity” and “More Than Words.” Of course, all I could handle were the rhythm parts. The solo or feature work would always be outside my range. Perhaps if I’d played it more, put more of my focus on it, I could have become better at it, but that’s the problem when want to explore multiple forms of art. At some point you have to choose which one you’ll make a career out of, and which will always remain a hobby. For me, writing prose won out. After a time I gave up the guitar entirely, gave away my last acoustic, and moved on. Now the closest I get is playing Rock Band on the Xbox. Surprisingly enough, it’s a satisfying experience, scratching my musical itch just enough. I do miss it though, sometimes awfully bad. The feeling of playing a song you wrote… Eh…

But, even though I don’t play anymore, my appreciation for the guitar burns just as brightly as it ever did. I especially enjoy instrumental songs, be it of the electric or unplugged variety. To express that love I think I’ll start posting videos of performances that I find moving. Hopefully you’ll feel the same way. I might only post them once a week, or I might do it daily. I don’t know. Music is a central part of my life, though, and I want to share it with the people who care and who are interested. If that’s you, then let’s go…

First up – Antoine Dufour. This is him performing his song, “Glimmer of Hope.” I’m not a fan of many of his songs, but this one… this one blows me away. I can’t listen to it and NOT feel inspired. It’s just beautiful, and his technique is impeccable. Enjoy.

Well, while I wait for my chosen readers to get back to me with their thoughts on my novel, I thought I’d take a moment and talk about music. More specifically, I thought I’d talk about the music I like to write to.

I am not a person who enjoys silence. Whether I’m reading, writing, or even trying to go to sleep, silence drives me to distraction. My brain misses the input of sound, and in its place my mind wanders unceasingly, so I always have to have some sort of sound playing. When I go to sleep I (my wife needs this too, so I know I’m not alone in my peculiarity) use a sound machine that generates a rain-like noise that fills the room. When we go on trips, I use my iPod and a set of speakers for the same function. 

When I’m reading or writing, though, I prefer to listen to music. When I’m reading I can listen to almost anything, but when I’m writing I usually stick to instrumental pieces, as the sound of a person singing will occasionally distract me from the intensive task of typing the story I see playing against the inside of my skull. Movie and video game scores work the best, as they usually focus on themes, and for whatever reason those get my mind in the proper gear for when I need to setup a mood. Classical music is also a good source, but the complexity of some pieces can actually work against me. So, most of the time, I play a soundtrack when I settle down to write, and it makes all the difference.

John Williams is, of course, a great source of inspiration. Whether we’re talking about his scores for Star Wars, Jurassic Park, or Indiana Jones, his ability to create a sense of excitement and wonder is almost unmatched. My personal favorites are the scores for Episode III and Episode VI, both of which have a goodly mix of dark and light elements, evoking heroism and villainy in equal measure.

David Arkenstone, while not a film score composure, is another one of my go-to musicians. His CD’s can be found in the New Age section of most music stores, but most of it sounds like soundtracks for movies not yet made. How Hollywood hasn’t discovered him yet, I don’t know. The first work of his I ever heard was “In The Wake Of The Wind.” I bought that CD back in 1990, and I’ve been a fan of his ever since. “Atlantis” and “Celtic Book Of Days” are two other CD’s that see heavy rotation when I write.

Tommy Tallarico composed the score for the video game “Advent Rising.” While I have not finished the game (I’ve only played the first couple of levels), I can tell you that the score is magnificent. It swells with drama, and the choral work is divine. I heartily recommend it.

The last piece I’ll mention with this entry is the score for the film “Wing Commander.” While I still haven’t forgiven Chris Roberts for ruining the translation of his video game franchise onto the big screen, I do think the score for the movie is incredible. Kevin Kiner was the composer, and it is a favorite of mine. How something so wonderful could come from such a terrible movie is a mystery I’ll never unravel.

Well, I think that’s all for the moment. There are other pieces that I should mention, and in the future I will. If you are like me and you prefer to write while listening to music, then I recommend you seek out the CD’s I’ve listed here. You won’t be sorry.