I am very, very pleased to announce the release of the album version of "Where Did The Horny Toad Go?"! The album is now available on iTunes and is in the process of being distributed to several other online merchants as well.
However! For a limited time - a week or so - I have decided to sell the album myself and to allow you to pay what you want. The only condition is that you must pay at least two dollars. Of course if you would like to pay more, then that is greatly, greatly appreciated, but if times are tight, and $10 seems a lot, then believe me, I would much rather you listen to the album for two dollars, than not hear it at all! (I wanted to make the minimum $1, but paypal charges a minimum of $.32 a transaction!)
I am also hoping that if I offer the album this way, some people might just take a chance on some new music. So pay what you feel you can right now, don't be embarrassed, and know that I really want you to have the album! I know how it is to like music, or at least want to support it, but not be in the mood to depart with $10. If you're embarrassed to offer only two dollars, because you know me and you don't want to seem cheap, then simply come up with an anonymous email address and buy it anyway! ;)
So here is how it works. Click the Paypal "Donate" button below, and enter the amount you wish to pay. Yes, you can use a credit card. Then I will email you a download link through wetransfer.com. When you download and open the high-quality mp3's with your music player of choice, the cover art should download as well. If it does not, just let me know and I will send it to you separately. If you do not wish to use the button below, you can also simply go to Paypal.com and "send money" to stevenstarkmusic@gmail.com.
Make sure you use the email address where you want me to send the link - or include a note if you want me to send to a different email address.
It may take a day or two for me to email you the files, but I will do it as soon as possible. If you want the album immediately, you could go to iTunes, or cdbaby.com, and purchase it there for $9.99 - obviously, I am thrilled if you choose that option as well!
Here is the Paypal "Donate Button". Below that is a sample from the album - the "Opening Credits" of the movie. Thank you all for reading about this and for listening! Please check out the film if you have a chance. It is an inspiring, entertaining, and very well-made piece. If you are familiar with the horned lizard, or remember them from your childhood, then you will find the film highly enjoyable. Check out the trailer here.
Thanks again, Steven
Hi, Steven-
ReplyDeleteI got this right away, and we listened to it last night.. very delightful. I can tell you had lots of fun composing it. I hope it drums up more soundtrack business.
Which do you like more.. symphonic style composition, or this kind of spare instrumental work? I guess that coming up with melodies is always the toughest part, either way. I am just amazed at the magic that a clever melody can create.
Best wishes!
Burk, thanks so much! I really appreciate your support!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy sparse textures - particularly duets. I think the essence of music is counterpoint between two voices. The human ear can distinguish two voices - any more than that, and we hear more of an aggregate texture of all the sound, with perhaps a dominate voice or two - which is also great, of course!
The thing with film scores, is:
One: The music must serve the visual, so it's a challenge to create pieces that stand on their own (hopefully), but also are not too distracting from the film.
and
Two: The music must accompany what is happening, so it weighs heavily on the forms of the pieces. A great little melody might have to be scrapped if it's too long for a scene, or if something happens on screen that needs a particular sonic detail.
These are two very challenging elements for me. Composing melody and rhythm are very enjoyable to me - harmony is a bit more challenging, but form is by far the hardest part of composition.
One exercise I like to engage in to appreciate great composition is to play a bit of a great piece that I am not super familiar with. Then, perhaps after a full statement of a melody, I will hit pause and try to imagine what is going to happen next. It's always easy to simply imagine the melody repeating. Then hit play and hear the inventiveness of what the composer does as he/she expands the melody, sending the music into new developmental directions while preserving the familiarity of the established material. Amazing stuff.