My Other Music Site

I realize this is a little confusing, but I have two music websites of my own in addition to several accounts on various external websites such as MySpace and CD Baby. This page is one of my music websites. On this page I discuss my music in a more casual manner but do not specifically promote it for sale. This page primarily serves as a database of my music for the purpose of listing all my compositions and describing each piece in some detail.

My other website, located at http://music.keithwiley.com is my commercial music website, where you can listen to samples of my music and purchase CDs and sheet music. If you want to purchase my music (and permit me to encourage such activity), please head to that site pronto.

Cheers!

Other Places to Find my Music

Introduction

I have been writing music for most of my life. My music comes in two specific flavors: electronic ambient and neoclassical-sounding solo piano. My setup is pretty basic actually, considering my general proclivity for computers. I have a lovely Korg 01/WFD synthesizer, with a typical little cheap MIDI interface for connecting to my Mac. I use Finale to score my music and use the Korg's internal sequencer to record it, although I have experimented with GarageBand some too. It's pretty simple actually.

I have discovered that I have a strong sense of musical synesthesia, in which certain pieces have a distinct color to them. Where a piece evokes such an experience I have noted in the database below. This effect is generally very weak however, and I readily admit that it is probably not true synesthesia in the clinical, neurological sense of the word.

I used to group my music into albums which I would compile after I had written and recorded about an hour's worth of music. I do less of this now that we live in the internet age when I can distribute songs on an individual basis. As you can see below, I designed my own albums covers. Obviously, they come from the era of cassettes.

Album Covers (designed and drawn myself)

Music Database

Album: Solo Piano Genre: Piano
All music in this album can be previewed and purchased on CD or as sheet music on my commercial website, located at http://music.keithwiley.com.
All piano compositions starting with those originally included on Album 3 (Total Eclipse) have been pulled aside into the distinct piano collection listed here. Piano compositions from albums 1 and 2 are still listed under those original albums. It is interesting to note that I have never had a synesthetic experience with piano music. Go figure.
Title	Date	Length	Notes
Sinusoidal	080819	5:56	It took me several years to finish this piece. I had it pretty much nailed down early on, but a variety of other priorities kept me from writing and recording it. In the end it post-dated my previous composition, Epic, but nearly four years! Sigh. It's a good piece though.
Epic	041023	7:10	My piano music has become increasingly complicated, if not actually any more technically complex. I would rank this as one of my preferred piano pieces.
Angelina	040606	3:58	Pronounce the 'g' as an 'h', basically with a Central American or Spanish accent. Written for Angie, the super swellest gal of them all.
Dawn Over the Ice Cathedral	031117	2:08
Remembrance Waiting	030115	5:48	One of my better pieces I believe.
Racing the Storm	000925	3:13
Sália	970320	5:34	Accent on the first syllable. Written for my girlfriend at the time.
Apology	970212	6:48	Definitely one of my favorites. I never really thought the name of this piece fit properly. It was chosen by someone else when I couldn't think of a name. In hindsight, I am unsatisfied with the result, but now I associate the name with it and it would feel odd to rename it. Ah me.
Following the Red Queen	960604	3:10	Originally part of the Album 4 (Mental Notes), I have since pulled it aside into the piano collection. It doesn't really fit with the electronic ambient music on Mental Notes, it was just grouped there by chronological association.
Train of Thought	950722	4:24	One of my favorite piano pieces, and ironically, one of my earliest. Originally part of the Album 4 (Mental Notes), I have since pulled it aside into the piano collection. It doesn't really fit with the electronic ambient music on Mental Notes, it was just grouped there by chronological association.
Daydreaming	940119	4:10	Originally part of the Album 3 (Total Eclipse), I have since pulled it aside into the piano collection. It doesn't really fit with the electronic ambient music on Total Eclipse, it was just grouped there by chronological association.
Album 4: Mental Notes Genre: Ambient Electronic
Title	Date	Length	Notes
Deep	960731	8:01	I love this piece. Pseudo humpback whale sounds set against what feels like an acoustic impressionistic representation of deep water. I don't know how else to describe it. Synesthesia: navy blue, although that may be influenced by the overt whale overtures.
Winter Thaw	960707	6:53	Very long introduction. Actually, most of the piece is introduction, leading up to a powerful final climax at minute 5:00. Synesthesia: a very icy white/aqua-green.
The Unknown Land	960619	3:53	I don't know to describe this piece. The name seems vaguely fitting however. Take it as you will.
Transcend the Mind	960514	6:44	This is a pretty heavy piece. It starts off slow and relaxing but about half way through transitions to a new theme that steadily grows in intensity for the remainder of the piece.
The Legend of One	960229	6:20	Slow, exploratory for lack of a better word.
(Rain)Forest Green / Machine (two movements)	950703 950709	9:04	Two movements grouped together to form a single coherent piece. The transition is unmistakable. One of a few pieces named for its synesthetic qualities (first movement only).
In the Fairy Kingdom	950425	7:16	This is a pretty good piece. While I don't generally think of it when listing my favorites, I nevertheless find myself listening to it a lot.
Album 3: Total Eclipse Genre: Ambient Electronic
Title	Date	Length	Notes
Metamorphosis	940601	6:05	This piece is similar to those on the Tribal Beats collection, but lacks their strong stereo effects.
Grendel's Domain	940502	5:45	After a hazy and mysterious introduction this pieces gets really dark and heavy. Love it or leave it.
Chain Reaction	940422	5:27	This piece is in a seven-beat time which sounds like it is always tripping over its own feet.
On Mercury's Heels	940210	4:02	Possibly my absolute favorite piece. Light-hearted, flitting, doesn't take itself too seriously. Synesthesia: sky-blue, thus the name.
The Quest	940404	6:04	This piece is in a five-beat time which produces a nonstop flowing or rolling sensation. This piece is very relaxing up until the powerful climax (which I suppose is less relaxing). Synesthesia: burgundy, although a much weaker effect than my other synesthetic pieces.
Cosmic Voyage	940325	6:54	Heavily layered, definitely one of my favorites. Synesthesia: gold yellow, although it feels flecked with black. One of the only pieces whose synesthetic effect is not a solid color.
Merlin's Spell	940308	4:10	I composed the introduction for this piece in an effectively random way by slowly tapping keys in an arbitrary order but with a steady trend up the keyboard. When I sped it up to full speed, many interesting patterns emerged that I had been unaware of while slowly tapping keys one at a time.
Luna	940224	4:25	Foreboding and intense. Go with it.
In Search of Questions	940411	8:01	I simply do not know how to describe this piece. It's kind of relaxing I suppose. Synesthesia: teal.
Album: Tribal Beats Genre: Repetitive, Rhythmic, Hypnotic, Heavy Stereo Effects
The tribal beats collection is very different from my other music. Highly repetitive themes with strong stereo effects are incrementally layered to form pieces that grow, meander, and finally fade. These pieces are best appreciated when heard with either headphones or well-positioned speakers to fully reproduce the stereo qualities they contain. To fully experience these pieces listen to them in a pitch black environment and let them fully engulf you. I have come to realize in retrospect that the tribal beats bear a strong similarity to two other pieces, Repetition from Album 1 and Metamorphosis from Album 3. Those pieces lack strong stereo effects however.
Title	Date	Length	Notes
Frontier of Knowledge	930807	4:53
Indian Influence	930802	6:27
The Lost City	930616	7:13	One of my favorite tribal beats.
Glass Orchid	930523	5:52	One of my favorite tribal beats.
Album: Miscellaneous Genre: Various
I have written a fair number of pieces that don't fit into any of my other collections. They would have formed Album 5 but in the internet era I don't really organize my music into albums anymore.
Title	Date	Length	Notes
Unnamed	001015	5:08	Jazz, for lack of a more appropriate label. Although initially repetitive, give it a chance. I like the transition at about minute 3:30. It is also interesting to note the stark similarity between this piece and Remembrance Waiting, especially in their identical opening theme. This is no accident: one was born from the other (Remembrance Waiting came first I believe).
Direct	001007	6:51	Electronic, repetitive, vaguely technoish...very vaguely.
Unnamed	931205	3:32	A booty-shakin' reggae beat. Can't listen to it without moving. The primary instruments are sax and flute with strong percussion undertones. The offbeat is an electronic keyboard.
Album 2: 110% Genre: Ambient Electronic, Piano, Pipe Organ
Title	Date	Length	Notes
Genesis	930228	13:19	This is a very powerful and mysterious piece with several dramatic transitions. Give it chance, it's long.
Dreams of a Distant Land	930404	5:44	Ethereal sounding, what more can I say?
Amazon Sunrise	930213	5:17	This piece consists entirely of panflutes, although some reach registers and rhythms that may sound slightly unnatural.
Dance a Little Faster Please	930412	2:45	An upbeat, quick-paced piece with heavy use of trumpets and electronic keyboards.
Nocturne 1	930318	12:22	Piano.
Toccata in F# Minor	930128	5:58	Pipe organ, admittedly influenced by Bach's famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor.
1000 Shades of Red	930116	6:52	This piece was the first to make me realize I had some degree of musical synesthesia. This piece was obviously red, as per the resulting name. In fact, it feels exactly like the name, many different values ranging from pure red to much darker reds.
A Little Peace of Mind	930309	3:57	Jazzy, smooth, relaxing.
Album 1: Advice from a Caterpillar Genre: Ambient Electronic, Piano, Pipe Organ
I never really wanted to name my pieces, and on my first album I pretty much refused to participate, so I just enumerated them as intimations in the spirit of the album's name. That is, the caterpillar's advice comes in the form of a series of hints or suggestions, each one a track on the album. For all subsequent compositions I have attempted to come up with a name, although in many cases it has been difficult and I have ended up not liking the eventual name. Oh well. Many of the songs on this album were composed before I purchased my synthesizer and consequently were composed entirely on (and originally intended for) a piano. I merely recorded some of them with synthesized instruments because I thought they fit well once I got my synthesizer. The exceptions are the last three pieces (Intimations 8, 9, and 10), which were composed after I got my my synthesizer.
Title	Date	Length	Notes
Intimation 10 (also named Repetition)	921120	8:21	This piece is similar to those on the Tribal Beats collection, but lacks their strong stereo effects.
Intimation 9 (also named Piano & Strings)	921020	9:35	Piano and strings. Slow, moody.
Intimation 8 (also named Toccata)	920912	4:45	Pipe organ, admittedly influenced by Bach's famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor.
Intimation 7	920105	5:08	Piano.
Intimation 6	910418	4:03	Originally composed on a piano (if I recall correctly), although recorded with synthesized instruments instead.
Intimation 5	911002	4:03	Originally composed on a piano (if I recall correctly), although recorded with synthesized instruments instead.
Intimation 4	910821	3:35	Mostly piano with some soft synths in the background.
Intimation 3	910529	2:57	Piano and synthesized instruments.
Intimation 2	9112??	4:03	Piano.
Intimation 1 (three part sonatina)	910226	9:15	Piano, a three part sonatina.