O.k. there's prolific and then there's guitarist/keyboardist/composer/producer
Calvin L. Coolidge II. How prolific you ask? Well, between the time
when
we finished the conversation and I wrote this intro, Cal recorded
ANOTHER
album! Wow! With four records already under his belt, Cal's set to
release
three, correct that, four brand new albums: Voyage,
The Very Best of
Christmas, Thy Gates of Beauty and the literally
just recorded solo piano
record, Peacemaker. Does he sleep?...
I've heard two of Cal's records -- the solo-performed, electronic-based
Club Tiaj and Seconds, an album featuring Cal's
melodic guitar playing
in a more traditional band/ensemble setting. Joining Cal on the Paul
Speer
produced and engineered Seconds are: Paul Speer on synthesizer,
saxophonist/flutist Richard Warner (David Lanz, Tingstead & Rumbel),
cellist Traci Hoveskeland, bassist Doug Barnett (Deniece Williams,
Hank
Crawford, Phillip Bailey), drummer Steve Hill, percussionist Matthew
Burgess (Ann Wilson - Heart, Spencer Davis), organist Larry D'Amelio,
bassist David "Dano" D'Amelio and engineer Steve Carter.
For those of you who are wondering about Cal's name and the URL for
his
website (www.30thpres.com) the answer is yes, he's related.
You can learn more about Cal, by checking out his website.
Jamie:
I thought this was a terrific question when I was recently talking
with
John Beaudin of the Breeze in Calgary, and rather than just steal
it outright,
here's a somewhat modified version: What do you know now that you
wish
you knew before you recorded your first album?
Cal: In few words: employing
efficient methods to organize sound affords
more time for creating music.
For example, the guitars on Clear Dream Day were recorded
using a
4-track tape recorder. Respecting time required recording as few
takes as
possible. For musicians, like those who appear on Seconds,
this ability to
perform on "first take" is often a result of years of playing with
countless
hours of daily practice.
By assembling data electronically, a computer completes instantly
what
once were time-consuming tasks. Therefore since there is a reduction
in the
amount of time spent on administrating sound, like adding reverbs
or
addressing fades, more time can be allocated to the production of
music.
The saved time is invested composing music that contains hundreds
of
enhanced instrumental sounds, delivered in a variety of styles.
This process
began with the eclectic Club Tiaj and evolved to the
recently released
Gregorian chant-like Meditations on God and the Meaning of
Life. New
soon-to-be-released recordings capture an assembly of several orchestras
and choirs performing rich and powerful themes. Experiencing this
type of
music was nearly impossible just a few years ago.
Other recently completed recordings include Hymns, solo piano pieces,
Rumbas, and folk dances ala Pennsylvania Dutch as well as some pop
music that includes singing. There are even plans for an all-out
guitar-glittered recording.
Cautious, although a computer can accomplish much with its speed,
it
won't do everything. It won't teach theory or the traditional rules
of
composition. It won't provide the ranges of the orchestral instruments
nor
will it teach the reading of music. It won't apply voice-leading
techniques or
indicate which timbres blend. It won't instruct how to play an instrument,
and it won't provide the creativity needed to complete a cohesive
composition.
It cannot evaluate music. It cannot correlate social events to sound.
It
cannot give a historical perspective on how music evolved and how
scales
were established. Most important it cannot determine taste; nor
can it
heighten style or appoint technique.
It takes time to perfect a craft, gather data, study, gain experience,
and
apply information toward improving effectiveness. Hopefully the
use of
today's timesaving advancements can spawn great masterpieces,
presenting enthralling music greater than what man has ever known.
Jamie: That's
a great perspective on technology and such a positive
outlook! You seem to be in an incredibly creative period -- an amazing
number of projects on the go! Have you always been so prolific?
Cal: Applying
the technology that is now at our disposal is creating a lot
of product, possibly opening many new creative doors. For producers
it is
certainly collapsing some previous barriers that time and task held.
This
may be one of the most exciting periods for the expression of creativity
perhaps ever known, yet the deployment of this technology is also
a
double-edged sword.
The barriers of time and task are not eliminated; they are simply
shifted to
the consumer. Since production is quickened, they have more products
through which to sift. Consequently, competition for their time
becomes expensive.
It's understood of course that the ease afforded by implementing
these
technological advancements can quickly elevate those who may do
little
more than touch a few keys on a programmed computer. Initially exciting,
they may believe that they are creating masterpiece after masterpiece,
but
under such circumstances producing an unintended abundance of the
mediocre can often be the result.
For those seeking such big returns with little effort, paradoxically,
relying on
this technology can allow the level of their performance skill to
deteriorate or
be underdeveloped. This will likely mean that those who demonstrate
high
performance skill first and then use this technology second, which
is evident
in your work, Jamie, will stand out.
The majority of products that will be produced with the aid of a
computer will
no doubt be applied commercially, given the presence of money, but
there
is also an increased likelihood that the true artistic geniuses
of our time will
have an opportunity to surface. Put another way, far more paint,
like the
results from a computer, is used commercially than on canvas. Yet
Picasso
likely would have still created masterpieces had he used a computer
only.
Similarly, a word processor will not turn one into the next Shakespeare,
but
if there are Shakespeares walking around this planet, perhaps we
can now
find them.
Employing technology, in short, can quickly manifest visions. The
quality of
a vision's expression is rooted first in its attributes, and next
in exercising
the skills required to bring forth that vision. Looking at the process
from this
view means that dreams create reality, analysis follows creation.
It is a real pleasure to know Jamie that there are artists like
you who
demonstrate heightened performance ability. This shows to others
the
rewards of years of disciplined practice. Approaches like yours
raise
standards, which is a welcomed event these days. Music like this
defines
dedication and discipline and these are the characteristics that
could be
more abundant! So congratulations to you on the release of My
World and
for exercising tenacity to complete it.
It is interesting that you use the word "prolific" in your question.
This is the
very word others use to describe the completed but as of yet unreleased
works. They say they use this word because of the many coordinated
melodies. They may be looking for the music term polyphony.
The source of this apparent creativity seems to come internally
from a
never-ending presence of music. Those who have witnessed a composition
being created are often surprised to then learn that it was born
right on the
spot as a finished piece, unrehearsed. Exploring various origin
theories don't
actually explain this process. Perhaps visual artists "see" countless
images.
Perhaps statisticians endlessly calculate mathematical formulas.
One
biological theory suggests that this propensity may develop at an
early age
when the brain is forming its processing pathways. The addictive
theory
says that we spend a lifetime trying to relive that first enjoyable
moment.
The religious explanation says that it's a gift from God. Each approach,
and there are many others, has its own appeal to different people.
Without
being controversial, whatever the case, perhaps it's sufficed to
say that
there is an acceptance of this internal activity and acting upon
it may be
beneficial.
Jamie: First
off... thank you so much for your compliments! This is such a
tough business -- positive comments are definitely appreciated!
You made
a number of excellent points in your last answer. For me, one of
the most
interesting was: "The barriers of time and task are not eliminated;
they are
simply shifted to the consumer." I've never thought of the "problem"
exactly
this way. There certainly is a lot of music out there right now.
Some would
say too much music. So the question is: How do we, as artists and
label
owners, make it easier for the consumer to sort through the ever-increasing
number of recordings?
Cal: You're
quite welcome! Much deserved too by the way. Your playing on
My World is outstanding.
To help customers sort through products, we need to improve ways
of
presenting information that is highly organized and for producers
to display
identifying markers. Centralization (consolidation) will likely
bloom as we
progress.
Customers need identifiers to distinguish location. The first identifier
is, of
course, your performing name and that needs to be displayed repeatedly
on letterhead, business cards, web site, pamphlets, CDs, and any
other
place where it will be seen. Another identifier is a description.
Artists need
to find the few best descriptive words for their music. Slogans
use verbiage.
Another powerful identifier is the use of pictures. Logos use pictures.
Here
your choice of color, theme, and placement become important. Customers
want to learn succinctly what it is you have to offer. They want
to quickly
identify you and your product. It is up to producers to make it
easy for
customers to find you.
The task of helping consumers sort through music will likely not
be
completely up to the labels or artists, however. Great strides have
been
made with search engines, for example, and with some Internet shopping
sites that categorize music. To sort through a vast amount of data,
it is
likely that there too will be more categories, not less. For the
sake of a
customer reaching you, it may be best to convey which category most
closely resembles your music.
With such large product numbers it becomes even more important to
be
organized so customers can more easily find a selection.
Jamie: I
could see the two albums of yours that I've heard, Seconds and
Club Tiaj, being placed at different ends of a record store.
Both of them
are fantastic but stylistically quite different albums. What, if
any, are the
common elements running between the many different styles you work
in?
Cal: Thank
you for the compliment, Jamie!
Hopefully these recordings WILL be in different locations in a music
store,
or even in different stores entirely. The markets for each are expected
to
be different and hopefully these recordings will participate in
diverse
markets that appear to be emerging.
The next few recordings sound neither like Seconds nor Club Tiaj, by the
way, so there are even more people to reach and more music to experience.
Understandably, everyone who has heard these recordings side by
side
seems to do a double take. The expectation seemed to be for Club
Tiaj to
sound stylistically similar to Seconds, since its‚ release followed Seconds.
On the surface, they seem to not have anything in common: Seconds uses
an ensemble of traditional acoustic instruments to deliver its soft
guitar-centered melodies. By comparison, Club Tiaj is upbeat using
synthesizer to produce rhythmic multi-timbre music.
Story telling appears throughout the world and seems to be a common
denominator of people. People love a good story, but they may not
like the
same story. Performing different styles of music is like telling
different
stories. As we tell different stories, we entertain and capture
attention.
So it is with the different weaves of Club Tiaj and
Seconds; they tell two
different stories. Regardless, however, of what story is told, it's
important,
a requirement actually, to be proficient in its‚ presentation.
The commonality of Seconds and Club Tiaj may not lie in the style, the
instrumentation or the structure. Their commonality is the effective
delivery
of different styles and the surprise that they came from the same
source.
Jamie: Somewhat
along the same lines, on your website you write:
"Composing music is like acting. The objective of a great actor
is to play
their roles so convincing that the audience is unaware that it is
this same
actor who is playing another different role. I think this can be
done with
music." Do you prepare for a musical role in the same way an actor
would
(i.e. back story, sense memory, etc.)?
Cal: The
preparation for composition comes from practice, the study of
history, the arts, Western music theory, physics, and biology.
One experience of music is that it's theatrical. It communicates
with illusion.
Slip on a pair of headphones and you're in another world. Through
vibrating
air, mood and imagery ignite. The instruments are the characters,
their
individual part is their line, the piece is the plot, and the language
is the
style. The playwright is the composer. The director is the conductor.
The
performers provide the emotional expressions that bring the characters
to life.
The acting analogy is used to describe the aspect of objectivity
in performing
and composing. Being objective is to compose and perform without
regard
to one's personal dilemma. The objective approach is a tops-down
method.
The key phrase: find a need and fill it. The "need-filling" is other-centered;
allowing others to tell you what they want and then you provide
it to them.
This approach uses surveys, questionnaires, and focus groups as
part of
the information-gathering strategy.
Some folks in the arts compose or prefer to perform pieces that
relate
primarily their personal circumstances. This is subjective and is
a
bottoms-up approach. The key phrase: here's the product, find the
market.
This approach uses advertising and other attention-getting techniques
to
introduce their product. It's unlikely that the two approaches can
fully
separate as there are interactions between them.
Being familiar with Western music theory is another way to prepare
for
composition. One note can change the mood and the direction of a
piece.
One note could link what would otherwise be a distant key change.
One
interval can make a passage sound open or transparent, like stacking
perfect 4ths or perfect 5ths. An enharmonic could be placed within
a
harmonic structure, making the tone a flat 7, which could then resolve
to
the third of a tonic, or the 7th could be part of a French 6th resolving
up a
1/2 step, perhaps establishing another key entirely. Fortunately,
the
possibilities are endless.
Preparation for a composition, if it's called that, is, like a performer,
the
years of study and experimentation of how tones sound together and
how
they are used to create different styles and moods. For example,
playing in
the flat keys (some of them being Db, Eb, Gb, Ab, Bb for example)
can
sound warm or darker than when playing in the sharp or natural keys
(some
of them being C, D, E, G, A). Knowing this one bit of information
can aid in
the construction of a composition, and moving between the two can
really
create some very expressive music.
Reading studies on the effect of music are too part of the preparation
process. These studies include how music is used in business. As
many
may already know, the predominate key used for gaming machines is
C major. C major seems to bring about happy, or happy-go-lucky,
feelings
when the mostly assessable triadic melodies are arranged at certain
tempos. Other recent studies appear to indicate that restaurant
patrons
tend to spend more when classical music is played. If these studies
are
accurate, then it might be concluded that frequency and timbre is
a stimulus
that creates not only an emotional response, but also a behavioral
response.
Learning how the ear responds to vibration is also very helpful.
Generally,
higher frequencies are perceived to sound more prominent even at
lower
decibels than are lower frequencies at greater decibels. Lower frequencies
rumble while high frequencies can sound shrill. This has to do with
the
structure of the ear, speed of the vibration, and the type of waveform.
Also informative is how the brain processes auditory information.
Some
studies show what areas of the brain different sounds and events
stimulate.
These studies include being aware of the emotions that are tied
to learning,
for when we first hear a piece of music or learn anything new, emotions
are
also involved.
The creative side of composing can be more kinesthetic. Questions
such
as what note order will promote a feeling, what creates a sense
of flow, the
sense of direction? Here's an example: some composers believe that
using
a melody that often skips intervals creates movement and excitement.
By
doing so, they believe, the listener remains on their toes, so to
speak,
because it's not too easy to tell which direction is next. Conversely,
playing
intervals in linear order, like playing scalar lines, creates predictability,
thus
a sense of security and ease is perhaps developed. Finally, the
repeated use
of one constant note, called a pedal tone, creates either tension
as we wait
for a change of direction, or boredom, depending on the context.
The influence of events and listening to other people's music is
also a
large factor influencing creativity. Hearing the sounds of a carousel
can
immediately bring to mind images of a carnival and perhaps be linked
with
a feeling of innocence. Here the use of flutes, bells, organ, cymbals
and
snare drum can mimic that occasion. These sounds stress the higher
frequencies that seem popular to young ears. Music that "makes you
want
to dance" can bring memories of groups, celebrations, and parties.
Here, a
defined constant beat is needed perhaps using lower frequencies
to establish
a pulse. Soft symphonic music can perhaps bring feelings of protection
and
comfort, maybe imagining being inside on a rainy day. Mid- to low-range
frequencies with smooth attacks and long decays might create this
environment.
These are some of the components that help define the makeup of
the
illusionary wonders of music and these elements converge during
the
process of composing.
Jamie: You've
worked with Paul Speer on both Seconds and Club
Tiaj and
you're back together with him on your upcoming record, Voyage.
Paul's
obviously an extremely talented guy, but what specifically does
he bring to
your projects?
Cal: As
an established record producer, Paul Speer provides clarity and
experience. Paul's credentials include producing over 200 albums
as well as
being a recognized artist with gold and platinum credits for music
and video.
His awards for music video include two Emmys and a Grammy nomination.
Much of the credit for the sound of Seconds goes to
Paul. Arranging the
sessions with top musicians meant that he had to not only know their
work,
but also know how their playing style would fit on the compositions
for
Seconds. With the exception of some synth fills, Seconds used acoustic
instruments. Paul's idea was to approach Seconds this way to make
the
compositions shine.
In all of the later works, Paul has applied his expertise at mixing
and
mastering. Applying the right amount of equalizing and reverb, for
example,
comes with experience. It can take years to develop this knowledge
and to
learn how such adjustments are going to effect a sound when placed
in
context with other instruments. Preferring to invest time in composition,
aspects like these are best placed in the hands of a professional.
Because Paul brings these recordings to industry standards, the
final
product plays as a polished sound whether it is broadcast or is
being played
in consumer electronic gear. Professional expertise like this can
make all
the difference as to whether a recording sounds great or sounds
merely
homemade.
Pleased with the results of our association, these are just a few
of the many
things that Paul Speer has contributed to the recordings.
Jamie: You
make a good point about sound quality. I think it really does
matter. My advice to artists, just starting out recording, is not
to try
mastering at home -- especially on your first project. Things can
go horribly
awry! We've briefly touched on the business side of the record business,
but
I'd like to get your take on where you think everything is going.
Looking five
or ten years out, what do you think will be the same about the industry
and
what will be different?
Cal: Predicting the future is a difficult task. There seem to be a few
theories
and historical guiding observations only. Of course, past performance
is no
guarantee of future results!
Strong economies seem to produce a greater number of independents.
Since there is a greater amount of capital available, new ventures
can begin.
During such times, independents seem to enjoy expressing tomb-filled
views
of monolithic demise as they begin to build their dream with confidence,
believing in their future. Here, desire and belief is the currency
for change.
As independents multiply, the economy becomes diverse.
Sagging economies tend to support monopolistic structures, as in
uncertain times people tend to gravitate to what they believe is
the security
of the tried-and-true. Capital to fund new ventures is scarce and
the
economy consolidates. Such consolidation develops as attempts to
reduce
overhead are addressed.
Capital is usually invested where the returns are believed to be
the greatest.
Generally, most anything that will be cheaper, better, and faster
will lead the
way and a prosperous future may belong to those who can deliver
what the
market desires. For the producer, it means assessing the current
cycle and
providing a product that has appeal. In weaker economies, this may
mean a
more serious approach of providing better quality items. In stronger
economies it may mean producing novelties that have a lighter feel.
It's too difficult to predict specifically what may be or what may
not be over
the next decade. However, it may be more important to assess a cycle
and
to be prepared, having a few types of products ready to be introduced
at
different intervals in various economic scenarios.
Jamie: And
you certainly have a few albums ready for release. Besides
Voyage, you also have The Very Best of Christmas and Thy Gates Of
Beauty coming out soon. Sounds like we're going to be hearing
a lot from
you! Will the upcoming releases be on your own label?
Cal: Yes,
the plans are to put these into market under the 30th President
Productions label name.
Although much detailed work is involved when running one's own business,
it seems easier to get new music to market this way, taking one
step at a
time. The vision for 30th President Productions is to market memorable
music only. "Memorable" means original music that has direction
using
definitive melodies and rich harmonies that speak with emotion and
meaning. The goal is to make available new music that celebrates
positive
experiences.
Jamie: Well
best of luck with all of your upcoming releases and thanks for
taking the time to do this artist-to-artist conversation!
Cal: Thank
you, Jamie. Always a pleasure and good luck too with your
endeavors. You certainly are a talented performer who deserves nothing
but
the best!
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