photo by Richard Petrucci

How did you get into making music, and how did arts education (or lack thereof) affect you and your music?

I got into music seemingly late when compared to others who go on to pursue it as a career. I’ve got a pretty extensive background in acting, and having participated in a lot of youth theater I was never far off from music. I wrote a lot of silly songs, sang, and played around with the sound of my voice a lot. Around the age of seventeen I started going mad thinking of new ways to express a bunch of things I wanted to say. I remember it vividly: sitting in my bedroom and making this very honest goal to write a real song with a deep meaning…if even only to myself. Within a four hour period I had written words for not one, but two songs complete with melody. But, there was a problem! I had absolutely no experience playing an instrument, and similarly knew nothing about song composition. I went on educating myself about all things music. From theory, listening to new and strange things and an excessive amount of failed attempts at collaboration with other trained musicians. Finally I started teaching myself day by day how to write what I heard as fitting music to accompany my words. I can’t label myself a music genius, but I have found an amazing creative outlet and am entirely comfortable with the approach I’ve grown into.

The fact that I had no music training when young makes me feel less confined by the (sometimes) creative boundaries a classically trained musician might face. I speak on behalf of some musicians who have communicated this very restraint to me. It’s all just very dependent on the person and their own individual abilities. So essentially, I approach my songs in a most open-minded way. It might almost be considered some form of sound design opposed to actual “songwriting.” I just enjoy manipulating the sounds on my keyboards with very few limitations.

Dearling Physique “There’s A Kid In There (demo)” (mp3)

(MySpace)

This post is part of our 60-hour blogathon in support of music development and literacy within the Twin Cities. We appreciate you visiting the site – but before you go, we ask that you consider clicking the Donors Choose banner below and giving what you can to help enrich the lives of a number of local children through music and reading. Thank you. – Culture Bully