Project Name: Purple

Thanks to the slowly growing number of people who have read the post :) 

I'm sure everybody who posts with a budding band or project feels like this - it can feel a bit like a black hole out there.  I have no way of knowing if people are getting to the music from here (but i know a steady, small dribble of people are finding their way to it from somewhere).

It would mean a lot to me if anyone could be kind enough to post a comment or two. I resolve to do my bit and do likewise for others

Cheers

Thanks for your positive comments, great to hear you enjoyed it :) Especially good to hear that I managed to make a 1hr instrumental interesting - that was definitely a core aim.

If you have a chance to try Under A Binary Tree I'd love your comments on that too. 

Thanks for your great comments Warrplayer, having listened casually to the Mirror People stuff it's obvious that you are no mean musician yourself.  It means a lot to have your positive comments.

The negatives you point to are absolutely fair, and yes I do feel at times that my ambition overreaches my abilities. I do have a competing ambition to make the best music I can within the limitiations I have, favouring listening pleasure over temptations to show off technical ability. I hope that I'm getting better at playing skills, at patience with takes, at creative editing to realise what I'm after and at creating quality music within my limits. Obviously sometimes the two right slow notes played right are more effective than the 30 notes played fast.

But sometimes I do wish I could shred with the best. Also the idea of collaborations is appealing.

I'll return the favour and comment on Mirror People once I have had chance for a less casual listen

Cheers  :)

DocDan wrote: I do have a competing ambition to make the best music I can within the limitiations I have, favouring listening pleasure over temptations to show off technical ability. I hope that I'm getting better at playing skills, at patience with takes, at creative editing to realise what I'm after and at creating quality music within my limits.

Improving your craft in every area is never the wrong thing to do. Handling everything can make you a much better player at each individual instrument  for sure. On the other hand, I always try to play with people who are way better than me. (which is easy to do if I'm not playing solo). Both paths have their advantages.

Guzzman wrote:    There are maybe one or two parts I didn't like as much as the rest (especially the piano solo around 15'20''), but that doesn't spoil the thing as a whole. What I like about instrumental music is (and please don't take that badly) that you can listen to it while doing something else like reading or (as I did today) writing something. "11 Bells" is excellent background music for reading, in my opinion. I'll grab "Under The Binary Tree" as well and listen to it. If you want, I'll let you know what I think about it as well.

I absolutely don't take that badly, and I agree.  I listen to a lot of instrumental stuff at work, because work is mostly words and I don't like competing words.  I'd love to think that if you give it more attention there is stuff there to listen to, but I love the idea of it just washing over you.

I'd appreciate any critique you have of "Under A Binary Tree" - my wife thinks it's "weirder" and therefore I guess "less accessible" (but that may be because she has heard 11 Bells more). I'm currently working on album 3 so I'm loving any critiques - positives and negatives, it all helps me to grow as a musician and hone what I'm doing.  Even the negatives that I disagree with are helping me define in a better way what it is I am aiming for.

BTW if you have any stuff posted that you want me to return the favour on I'd be happy to do so.

Dan

warrplayer wrote:   Improving your craft in every area is never the wrong thing to do. Handling everything can make you a much better player at each individual instrument  for sure. On the other hand, I always try to play with people who are way better than me. (which is easy to do if I'm not playing solo). Both paths have their advantages.

It's true that in some ways I'm starting to feel like a Jack of all instruments, master of none, but if you cut right into me there is a bassist at the core.  I do play regularly with other musicians and in recent years have been exposed to some truly excellent keyboard players.  I find that every new musical venture or experience improves my abilities in the others.

With this project I have never felt it has to be all me, but for practical reasons that's the way it has been so far. This way I can get it done in short bursts when I have an hour or two at a time, without having to pre-arrange things. Also this way at least in this one project I have total artistic control.  

I'd like to thank everyone who has commented so far.

I hereby pledge that if anyone is kind enough to listen and comment, I will give quid pro quo - I'll do the same for you.

Marcusmax wrote: Hi DocDan. I've just finished listening to 11 Bells. This is really interesting music. I think your playing on all instruments is plenty competent enough for this material, I mean it works really well and I totally agree with what you say about music not necessarily being about technical wizardry, as long as you can realise your material competently enough, which you certainly can. It's difficult to give detailed feedback based on one listening but I think your composing is imaginative and adventurous, ranging from nice melodies and chord sequences to much more gutsy and rocky. Like some others have said, I am drawn to some sections more than others and wonder about the length of this piece - perhaps it could have been somewhat shorter and more punchy for that but you clearly set out to produce something large-scale which is very difficult to do and still maintain interest, which you do manage to do. All-in-all, I think you've done a great job here. Some sections are really exciting and immediately appealing.

Thanks for the encouraging words 

Dean wrote: Technically Purple do not qualify for addition as the project falls into our "unsigned" criteria (the albums are only available as "free downloads"), and our policy is not to add unsigned bands.   I am prepared to accept this nomination on behalf of Crossover Prog for further evaluation if all Subgenre Team Leaders agree to my suggestion of allowing artists that permit free-downloads of all their mateial to qualify as "signed". (re: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=62095 - my proposal in the SCZ )   @Dan - sorry, this isn't meant to be a downer on your music or this thread, I'm just pointing out a technical hitch to inclusion into the database, I haven't had chance to listen to your material yet, but will do in the course of time. Perhaps this thread would be better in http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_topics.asp?FID=82 - this section of the forum.

Thanks for this Dean, and I don't at all take this as any kind of downer, I am fully aware that this project is unsigned, hence why I am here.  Of course I would be totally up for it to be included in the database, if deemed suitable.  Is there anything I should be doing towards that or should I just sit back and see?

Thanks for pointing me to the "Official "Review Our Music" Board" board - as far as I read it from the stickies on the board though, I should wait for if/when the project is included for that?

Dan

Hi - 3 things:

First I am now my own official "record company". It didn't take much (aparantly for digital download and streaming you don't need much).  While I am no "signed" the albums are now official releases.  Does that change my status?

Second, for anybody who is interested, album number three will be release in quarter 4 2011 (provisional date, 11.11.11) there is a blog about the creation at http://purplemusicblog.blogspot.com/ " rel="nofollow - http://purplemusicblog.blogspot.com/  , is you are a facebooker and you "like" it ( http://www.facebook.com/Purpleproject" rel="nofollow - http://www.facebook.com/Purpleproject )you will get snippets of news and factiods, advance access to the music, rough mix snippets and all sorts (and I will be launching a viral marketing game when the album comes). Oh and the website is revamped.

Third - just bumping the post up back tot he top to see if anyone's watching, still no answer on whether I could make it onto the database (I know you guys are busy )

Cheers