I have been woefully neglectful of my site since the release of my album last year.  Life has a bad habit of getting in the way of that which is truly important (which is updating this website, obviously).  However, just because I’ve been doing a poor job of marketing my own music doesn’t mean that I haven’t been writing and recording!  I am continually playing around and composing.  Pretty sure that the day I stop is the day I turn back into the stardust which originally formed me.  As a few of my favourite astrophysicists have pointed out, the matter from which we are made came into being in the hearts of stars, and was spread through the universe by supernovae.  So, the kiss of life which gave us all breath was actually the violent deaths of uncountable stars, billions of years ago.  They died so that we might live.  One might say that the music I create similarly is the product of a supernova.  I certainly can’t take the full credit.

So in that theme, this song is tentatively dubbed “Starkiss”.  Maybe it refers to romantic nights spent under the stars, or perhaps it refers to the violent supernovae which put us all here in the first place.  You decide.  It’s not a complete song.  Rather, it’s just a rough recording of me rambling around on the keyboard in the middle of the night.  It will probably find its way onto some sort of official recording eventually, since I love to play it.  This is its first incarnation.  I will record and post the current version that I’m playing around with these days by and by.

Let me know what you think in the comments!

As always, you can hear more of my music (including samples from my latest album) on my music page.

- Mons

Well after many years, the new album is done, printed and available for sale.   I had a hugely successful album release over the weekend and sold almost all of the first printing of the cd.  I’m ecstatic at the wonderful reception it has been getting.

Purchase the album (and listen to samples) on the album page.  Also, check out the awesome artwork from the cd cover!

Cover art for the "Mons" self-titled album

There is a bit of a snag however.  Before I can release the album into widespread distribution (iTunes, Amazon etc), I have to resolve a small issue.  Another artist, located in Washington D.C., decided a while back that “Mons” would be a fantastic name for his experimental electronica project.  His name isn’t Mons (mine is), but as far as I know since he’s been using it to sell cds for some years now, he can claim it as a trademark.  As far as I know, this doesn’t stop me from using my own name, but it does create some confusion in regards to searching for my music on iTunes, or musician profiles on cdbaby etc (if he’s already cdbaby.com/mons, then what would I name my profile?)

So, either I need to somehow convince this guy to release the trademark and stop using my name (Mons), or I need to come up with another name under which to make music.  If any trademark/copyright lawyers want to contact me with suggestions, feel free.

Also, if you have suggestions on what I should call myself if I need to change names, leave a comment and let me know!  “Mons” was so perfect.  I’m rather heartbroken that someone has co-opted my name for their own endeavours.

I can still sell the albums myself of course.  So, if you would like to purchase a cd (which may become a special collector’s item if I am forced to change my artistic name), then head over to the album page or click the button at the top of the side bar on the right!

Thanks, and enjoy!

- Mons

I’m in the depths of the final preparations for my album release (October 31st!), but I thought I would throw up a short clip from one of the new songs on the album.  This is music inspired by a beautiful poem written by a friend of mine (which will be included in the cd insert actually).  This piece has actually changed a lot over the course of its short life.  It began as a pure piano piece and has since morphed into the much dreamier, more ambient piece I’ve posted here.  Hope you like it!

As always, you can hear more of my music (including other samples from the album) on my music page.

- Mons

Wow, It’s been over a month since I’ve updated the site!  If you’re reading this, then thank you for checking back every once in a while, despite my unforgivable inattention.  Well, hopefully a little forgivable actually, since the reason I have neglected to update the site is that I’ve been extremely busy working on my debut album!  The production/mastering process continues, but if all goes well it will all be finished for the end of the month, and I hope to have the music available for digital distribution several weeks after that (assuming it takes several weeks to get it added to iTunes/Amazon etc.)

Anyways, to give you an idea of what I’ve been working on, I’ve included the (beta) album version of Dandelion at the top of the post.  It represents what I’m doing with the album, which will be a mix of re-recorded/re-mastered existing material that you may have listened to before, and some new material that you have not.  The original version of Dandelion was only about 2 minutes long, and an incomplete vision of the song.  A sketch if you will, as are many of the bits and pieces I post online.  The album versions are the complete vision, and so Dandelion is re-imagined in its full 6-minute length with a lot of new material and revision of the old material.

Other songs which will appear on the album are redone versions of Angelus, Dancing in the Light, Silhouettes, Winter Melancholy, Simple Needs and a few others, with a bunch of new material to boot (which I may preview when the madness is done in early November).  Anyways, hope you like the new material that I have included here, and I’ll keep you posted on the album’s progress!  Twitter (@monstunes) is probably the best way of keeping track of updates and so forth regarding the album.

As always, you can hear more of my musical work on the My Music page.

Wish me luck!

- Mons

(If the embedded youtube clip isn’t working, you can watch it on vimeo: http://www.vimeo.com/6195295 )

As always, comments are welcome! This is my first attempt with the camera and basic video editing, so if something is off quality-wise or whatever, don’t hesitate to make a suggestion!

- Mons

When I announced that I would write a theme song for the winner of my Unnamed Melody Contest, I was intending to do a short, simple and memorable fanfare like the opening of the Superman Theme.  Sometimes I get carried away with my music though, and so instead I have produced was is probably my most elaborate song thus far in terms of orchestration.  Dancing in the Light (Doreen’s reward for naming the Unnamed Melody -> “Silhouettes”) is a 3.5 minute piece for Piano, Cello, Viola, Violin, Oboe, Clarinet and French Horn.

This is one of my rare happy pieces.  I figured it wouldn’t be nice to create a sad, melancholy theme song for someone, so this is the result, a lighter, more whimsical piece.  Someone compared it to music from a Disney movie, which is both high praise and appropriate I think (at least in terms of the feel, not necessarily the quality).  It’s meant to evoke dancing, twirling, freedom, romance, smiles, peace and joy.  As always, I’m interested to hear what imagery it creates for you!  It’s always different from my own, which is wonderful.

Beams of light illuminating the sanctuary of St. Peter's Basilica, taken on my trip through Rome.

I’ve actually learned a lot about my music production software while writing this piece.  I use Sonar Producer 8, which is a fantastic piece of software.  However, I realize that I’ve only scratched the surface of its capabilities.  For example, what have I been thinking not using the piano roll view?  It’s the easiest and most powerful way to edit MIDI data.  Previously, I had been using the staff view, hahaha.  I still have a long way to go in terms of learning proper orchestration and production/engineering, but I think this is an improvement.  I’ve been getting a lot of feedback from you guys via various methods and I can say that I really appreciate it all, praise and criticism alike.  They both help me grow as a writer/musician/producer.  If you have suggestions, please leave me a comment!

You can download the song here: Mons – Dancing in the Light (Doreen’s Theme).

As always, you can find more of my music on the My Music Page.

Hope you like it, and thanks Doreen for naming Silhouettes!

- Mons

Mons – Silhouettes

UPDATE: I’ve chosen “Sillhouettes” as the name for the previously “Unnamed Melody”.  Thanks Doreen and everyone else who gave suggestions and feedback!  See the full contest results here.

This is a song I wrote a week or two ago for piano, cello/viola and choir.  It’s a sad tune, something for which I seem to have a knack.  I have no idea why, to be honest.  A lot of my music comes to me from a place beyond my ken.  It arrives and I have no choice but to set it down as notes, music, recordings.  Like so much of my music, this one arrived in the depths of the night… Perhaps when my conscious mind is less able to prevent my subconscious from bridging the gap between the real world and the (my?) dream world.  My world of music.

A humble church on the Greek island of Santorini

The song still needs a lot of work.  Like other songs I’ve posted here, this is just an initial sketch.  The cello/viola part needs reworking, the choir might be replaced by a deeper-register cello, who knows.  So, constructive criticism is welcome!  I have no trouble coming up with melodies and harmonies, but engineering/producing my music is a real hurdle for me.  I can make music, but I struggle to make my music sound GOOD.  Like I am a poetry master, but I have trouble using a pencil.  Anyone know any good intro books on music production?

That brings me to The Contest!  As you can see, the song doesn’t have a name!  Whatever breaks through from my subconscious to give me melody occasionally does not at the same time provide a title for the tune.  So, I’m hoping that my music can inspire imagery in one of my listeners to the point that an appropriate name surfaces.  Give me your suggestions in the comments along with an explanation, and if one of the entries strikes my fancy, I’ll come up with a suitable reward.  Perhaps a little theme/fanfare for the winner?  Everyone should have their own mini theme, like television characters.  Something they can hum as they walk into a room.

So, check out the song and let me know your thoughts on an appropriate name!  Hope you like it.

As always, you can find more of my music on the My Music page.

- Mons

This is a Piano piece I recorded several years ago.  It, like the other “rambles” is an unplanned, unedited live performance (as is the bulk of my piano work).  This is a quieter, slower song than the previous songs that I’ve posted – the upbeat piano piece Good Morning and synth/drum-based Ramble (which really has yet to be properly named).  I think the original title of this song was “So Emo”, hahaha.  Anyways, I don’t like to go back and alter these pieces.  To me, they are more than merely songs and melodies to be perfected.  They are snapshots of my thoughts and emotions at the time of recording.  Changing them almost seems to me like drawing mustaches on high school photos.  I sit and play, and whatever is in my mind or heart flows out.  In that way, playing the piano is meditative and cathartic to me.  The fact that people seem to enjoy listening to my musical releases (pardon the pun) is icing on the cake.  I’ve always played primarily for myself, and likely always will.

The sleepy town of Biassa, Italy. I stayed here while exploring the Cinque Terre.

I am thinking of doing a summary post at the end of each month.  Sort of a roundup of the various things I’ve posted that month to make it easy for people to catch up on things that I missed.  I am also working on organizing and presenting my own music a bit better on the site.  Perhaps with links to all of my releases on the “About Me” page, or a distinct page for my music beyond just the search results for the “Mons’ Music” category.  If you have any ideas for the site, or things you would like to see improved, let me know in the comments!

Download Mons – Last Night.mp3

Thanks for listening!

- Mons

This is another very recent “Ramble” (ie: a live unplanned original performance), but unlike the last one which was synth and drums, this is done on the piano.  I think I was inspired in part by the freshness and beauty of morning sunlight streaming through a bedroom window; the little bits of dust illuminated in the beam of light, floating softly in the air.  Sometimes I have difficulty naming my songs, but this one came easily.

Sunrise over Santorini illuminates the cliffside villages, sprinkled like a dusting of white frosting on the volcanic rock.

You’ve probably been noticing that I’ve been accompaning the posts of my own music with fairly random pictures.  They’re all photos I’ve taken on my various trips (primarily from my trips to China and Europe/North Africa).  I received a lot of inspiration during those trips, so often the pictures are not quite as unrelated as they might seem.  Or maybe I just think they’re pretty and want to spice up the posts a bit, haha.

Let me know what you think of the music in the comments!

- Mons

I play my piano/keyboard every day.  I have to.  If I don’t play for a day or two, my hands start to twitch and I start playing imaginary pianos on table tops and stuff.  So, usually for at least 30 minutes a day, I’ll sit and just play whatever comes to mind.  It’s always different, usually new, and often recorded!  I record because I’ll often come up with some pretty neat melodies or ideas as I play, and by recording what I do, I can come back later and expand on the ideas, or at least not completely forget what I had done.

Chinese acrobats at the Shanghai Opera House

Most of my purely piano pieces are that I’ve posted here are of similar provenance.  I’ll sit and play, and what I record ends up being pretty decent.  I don’t only do this with piano though.  I love sitting at my keyboard and playing around with different synths and sounds.  Sometimes I’ll go to a music store and find their most expensive keyboard and just sit for 2 hours playing around with it, exploring the synths and effects.

Anyways, I think I’ll start posting more of these “Ramblings”.  Recordings of myself just going off on whatever instrument without any real editing, post-processing or structured intent.  This one was done last night and is basically a live performance, with both the synth and the drums each done in a single take.  I have a v-drum set, so that’s an actual drum performance, rather than a sequenced drum loop.  I had a lot of fun playing it, so I hope you enjoy listening to it.

You can download it here.

Leave a comment and let me know what you think!

- Mons