November 19, 2016

Press Release: Instrumental Composer adds new Ambient Music Album

Posted By: C.A. ambient music, ambient music artists, epic music, instrumental composer, jordan new releases, logan utah, theme music, timeless music

New Album Releases: Instrumental Composer adds to Ambient Music Collection
Epicworld Cultural Academy interviews Jordan about his music album release of “Variations”.

Jordan is an instrumental music composer who has done a variety of projects in the entertainment business. He has done sound for more than eighty productions in live theater and has done post production work in film and TV. He has released music albums “Solace”, Award-Winning “In Motion” and No Limit to the Skies (20^th anniversary edition) and is now to release this latest album “Variations”.

This new album “Variations” is not entirely a new album is that right?

Well, it is new to everybody else. Actually it is a mix of both. A few of them are the original concepts and a few of them are original in title only and were rewritten from the sketchbook idea to make it interesting. I highlighted the pieces I originally wanted to complete and made them better and more interesting to listen to. I figure no one really wants to hear my ideas that were only partially there.

Where are you from originally, where did you grow up?

I started in the East and ended in the West. I was born in Erie Pennsylvania and grew up in the Chicago area went a number of other places went to a tech school in Wisconsin and moved to Utah. I lived in Texas and Florida somewhere in between there and covered many states along the way living in few different cities in Utah. I just love the mountains and the scenery.

You won an award for your ”In Motion” album. Tell me about it?

To tell you the truth, it wasn’t the album I expected to win, but it is quite popular, and “Random Fire, from that album, has remained at top of charts at Number One Music, ever since its release in 2014. It is a very different album from my popular debut album, “Solace”, which people like for stress relief. I got a number of fans who really enjoy the (“No Limit to the Skies”) 20^th anniversary album, as well, in South America and all over the world. I am just glad that it came out well and enjoyed by those listening to it. All I have to say is with this album “Variations” it is a variety of music from soft to a dynamic sound. I tended to mix it up a little bit to give it hence, a little variety.

What made you decide go back and rewrite this album?

To be honest, I have been working on this other album and bit off more than I can chew and needed more time to complete it… and by the way I am still working on this other big album project, I just need more time. Life happens to me as to most of us quite frequently. It’s been a couple of years and fans are asking me, when is the next album coming? Then I kept thinking about “Variations” and thought to myself, I have that album just sitting there on the shelf and no one even knows about it, and thought, what a waste. Let’s see what I have here.

Why is it called “Variations”?

At the time it was just this montage of music I wanted to keep on a sort of digital notebook. I liked the ideas of the music and didn’t want to just toss it aside. I also didn’t know when I would have the time to go back and go over these concepts. Apparently it took close to 18 years to consider. Hopefully to answer the question, some of the pieces are quite different and dynamic. For example “Times Past” and “Heavy Steel” are complete opposites.

Is there any new music added?

The original album concluded with a Reprise to “Moving Forward Triumphant” which was a written version for a short film selection I wrote the music for. I felt like the Reprise was redundant and I decided I didn’t need to include it. So I added “Pulses” to give it a nice conclusion to the album and it is a bit different from the others. I figured the “Variations” album was a good place for it.

In what way is ‘Pulses’ different?

A lot has changed over the years with new tools in technology; I was trying out some of them with “Pulses”. The approach with these tools was a little different. There are several ways to write music or how to do it. It was a little bit of a learning curve on some of it, but made a lot of new progress and learned some new angles to try. I think technology is great until it decides to think on its own and leaves you out of it. There are a lot of great tools now available to use. Compared to 18 years ago we’ve come a long way.

Has anyone asked you why you write music?

Actually I don’t think anyone has asked me why exactly, it is more like what are you doing this for? There is no future in it. I would then ask why people become lawyers or pilots or anything. Some do it for the money; others love what they do. They are right, the music business is a tough market, being a needle in a haystack.

I do it for many reasons. Many of us would consider it a type of calling to do so, which I believe. I was probably eight or ten years old when I began having these ideas that have been provoking me to move forward with this. I thought it would be nice to make this music a little more like the great symphonic masters with a little twist. I also thought I am not a music theologian— I don’t read music that well. Of course many times I would ask myself; “How am I going to do this?” and hope that people listening will understand or enjoy it and that it would be memorable, that they would replay it often. I study the classic composers a lot, and try to capture the timeless quality that makes their music memorable.
I am grateful for tools and music technology of today to make this possible. The other reason I do it is because I love doing it. I like to put music to my thoughts or different ideas and get you to think, or put people in their own understanding of where they see themselves when listening to them.

You mentioned this next big album, do you have any idea on your time frame?

It still may be a while, but it is indeed coming. It has been quite the undertaking. There are a number of pieces and elements to it. It is definitely thought provoking and hopefully in a good way. I call it the big album because there may be a lot of music pieces to it, possibly being 2 CDs and that it does have a big full rich sound to it. I have a couple of ideas for a couple of other albums that may come first.

“Variations” album and other Jordan albums available at:

http://jordanmcclungmusic.blogspot.com/
http://jordanmcclungmusic.com
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jordan134

"In Motion" Album Interview with Jordan

New Music Album Adds Energy to Instrumental New Age

Viewed 27,110 times

By: C.A. Davidson

Published for Logan, Utah (Area-Info.net Jan. 30, 2014)

Epic Heroes Academy
interviews Jordan about his music album release of “In Motion”.

Jordan is a music composer who has done a variety of projects in the entertainment business. He has done sound for more than eighty productions in live theater and has done post production work in film and TV. He has released his music album of “Solace” in 2012 and has just released his next album “In Motion.”

You have done a number of “live” productions and working in film and TV. How long have you been composing music … is this something new?

No, I have actually been composing music longer than doing sound for these other things. I have been interested in composing music since I was young. I have always been interested in sound and productions and how things worked. I went into the more technical side having been a little afraid of composing music mostly not knowing what may come of it. Most people know that in the creative world or being an artist is known as the starving artist field. I did want to go into something that would keep me off the street. Deep down I have always loved doing this kind of thing and for years have been writing off and on while focusing more on the technical aspect with other areas of my occupation.

How does the “In Motion” album compare with your “Solace” album?

Well, I guess the title of the album says it all; they are really two different albums. “Solace” is written for one setting and “In Motion” for another. In contrast to the calming pace of the “Solace” album, you will find that “In Motion” also lives up to its name, with a lively and upbeat pace. It is still in the New Age instrumental genre, but with added energy. I actually wrote both albums at the same time, but figured that “Solace” made a better introductory album.

With your growing “Solace” fans worldwide how do you think they will like “In Motion”?

That is hard to say. People like what they like. I try to compose timelessness in my music. Some may say this new album sounds like it was from a movie soundtrack. I have quite a bit more percussion instruments in this album compared to the orchestrations of “Solace.” I like to think I have mixed the orchestra of classical music with a little bit of rock music to make it a little bit interesting. I know that there may be those that have a preference of what they like to hear and hopefully it will come across the right way. “Solace” was more relaxing, while “In Motion” is more of a pick-me-up. There may be some it may not appeal to; there may be others who like the best of both worlds. I am hoping this will draw a different audience in the long run.

What inspires your music?

Inspiration for me comes in different ways. I love classical music, I grew up with it; we always had it playing in the house. It always sets a nice atmosphere. Those were the masters of music. I like to write music that transports you by sending you to a different place that you can go for yourself. A person who paints a painting or writes a book is taking you on a journey. I like to think I am trying to do the same thing with music and while doing it I would hope the listeners would paint their own story and not just in one way, but each time they hear it. I also think it can take them to a place that would help them feel comfortable or like being at home.

How long does it take for you to write a piece of music?

It varies, some music comes together quicker than others. Some music has taken anywhere from one day to several years. It comes at different and at the most random times. Morning, during the day, middle of the night and even at random places. It is like having a song in your head you can't stop thinking about. Unfortunately I am not always where I can be to write it down.

Do you have plans for another album anytime soon?

Most definitely! I just don't know how soon it will be. I have a number of albums in mind and a number of pieces of music in the works. One of them may be a real long album. I will say this much, one of the next albums will be on a richer setting giving you a sense of depth. If you liked the “Solace” album, I hope you would enjoy these next ones....then again it is hard to say what will come first. You're in for a bit of a ride with “In Motion'', but in the meantime I hope you enjoy the journey.

“In Motion” New Age Music Album by Jordan now available for CD or download at Nimbit Music,
CD Baby, or
Amazon

No Limit Sound Productions 2014

"No Limit to the Skies" Album Interview with Jordan

Press Release: Game Music Anniversary Album

Viewed 5,770 times

By: C.A. Davidson

Published for Logan, Utah (Area-Info.net Jul. 24, 2014)

Epic Heroes Academy interviews Jordan on his latest album release: the 20 year Anniversary Special Edition of album single “No Limit to the Skies”, Game music shorts.

So 20 year anniversary, I thought the “Solace” album was your first release?

The “Solace” album was my first official release. I have done a couple of album singles in the past that were not released to the public. “No Limit to the Skies” was officially my first single. At the time I was a teenager working for a video game company that needed some music pieces composed for an air combat simulation game. The music I composed for that game was not used for that project. They became a collection of music that ended up being shelved. I later added them as an album single that I thought I could use on other projects and never seemed to get there with them. I had other projects that demanded more of my time.

Why did it take you so long in releasing the album?

I worked in “live” sound for a number of years and did some post production work on a number of other projects and assignments over the years and didn't make time for it.

What was it like to working on the game project at the time as a teenager?

It was a bit overwhelming at the time. I was still young as a composer working on quite a big project. I guess you would call it my big break which I was grateful for. I was still learning concepts and theories and now working with deadlines and wondering how to apply and incorporate concepts into some of the animation sequences. This was an air combat simulator experience on a new type of game system console. Still learning things as I went along. I wasn't sure if I was going to get the ideas I needed to make the headway that was intended. It took some work and then the music came. Even with today's technology, music inspiration still comes the old fashioned way.

I know I already asked this previously, what brought you back to composing music?

I don't think I really left; I was just delayed for a while. I have always enjoyed composing music. Music is my passion, it has been a number of years composing when I could between projects and making tunes at times, but it was never far from my thoughts even with all the distractions between now and then. I love composing, I always have... sometimes I wondered how I was even going to create some of these themes, but they came.

What was it like to work on a project that was animated or had a picture to music?

Some of the gaming concepts were new at the time with 3D rendering and not your normal 2D games. I actually enjoy doing music for picture or film. At the time it was a new experience, I had melodies that I would imagine, but would leave it for the listener to put to the music. I think that still applies even now. I hope even though the music was intended for one thing, does not mean it can't have another meaning or be interpreted differently. I enjoy putting timelessness in my music. It may have been said before by those who compose music in the film industry, that half the work is done when there is a picture to reference by, all it needed was some music to bring out the picture. I would feel the same way.

“No Limit to the Skies” is more like an album single. Why is shorter than the others?

I originally wrote these tunes for the game at the time and they were not intended to be a full album. I really wanted to release this album for those who couldn't afford to pay for the full album price. These are original concepts. Some of the music concepts went on the “Solace” and “In Motion” albums and were started from here. I have had fans ask when more music was coming, I guess this is a way of tiding them over until the next album.

I understand you have another album scheduled in 2016. Why so far out?

Well, it is still kind of hush-hush... Of course, the reason for the longer time period is that composing takes a lot of time. This is going to be a big project. It is scheduled for 2016; I just hope that is going to be enough time to meet the deadline. There will be more to come on that project at another time.

No Limit Sound Productions 2014

Links:

CDBaby

Nimbit Music

Amazon

Jordan: Solace October 25, 2014

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