Author: jaymathes

  • Remembering Music Theory

    Today, for the first time in a couple of years, probably, I sat down at the piano with my music advanced music theory book in hand. I opened it. I read. I played a few chords. I can’t believe how much has slipped away of these past few years. All composers should never forget – and the best do – that there is a myriad of tools at our disposal.

    Today, I needed a refresher on augmented 6th chords. Don’t worry if you have no idea what I’m talking about. This is just a group of three chords that composers use to move a piece of music to a new key.

    It was awesome. It’s the first time in a long time that I’ve been excited about composing non-popular music (unpopular music?) like orchestral stuff and jazz. Anyway, it made me want to go back to school to study music as a grad student.

    I doubt that will happen.

    Anyway, if you’ve been thinking about going back to school, I’d love to hear from you about what you’d like to study and what school you think you’d like to go to.

  • A Poem for 1 AM

    Zombie brain started just about an hour ago
    That means all decisions are indecisions
    Or at least that’s what should be so

    No man is as productive at 1 AM as at 10
    I struggle to think clearly now
    Though I swear I’m focused on the task at hand

    Just minutes more til I break the omnipotence barrier
    We all seem to know more about everything
    Temptations become a blare in your ear

    Your muscles have stiffened up, you discover
    As you adjust in your seat, in front of your monitor
    You now feel uncertain, and shudder:

    Should I have gone to bed hours ago and chosen sleep over an exam, a paper, my ego, straining for that higher grade – or any grade at all?