Doxter S’ Blog

Copyright Registration Certificate Finally Arrives

Copyright Registration Certificate Finally Arrives

(Eyes in the Dark, December 29, 2016)

Doxter S at Crimson Studios follows a methodical process for creating great music. (See my recent posts). An essential part of the process is Copyright Registration. This has been made easier in the computer age and the cost is minimal. I encourage anyone writing, performing, recording, and producing music and lyrics to check out the United States Copyright Office website.

I am showing the most recent Certificate of Copyright Registration I have received. This arrived yesterday (August 5, 2017) in the mail. As you can see the date of filing was December 29, 2016. That took a little more than 8 months. I’m pointing this out because I was ecstatic that it arrived this soon. For whatever reason, for the last 2 years (coinciding with the recent presidential primaries and election) the average time to get one of these was much longer. I’m talking 18 months!

These official looking documents are symbolic of the value our nation has given to those who create great music. I know they aren’t really attractive, and I just file them away in a drawer. But they are important just the same. I believe just as important as belonging to a performing rights organization (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC) and signing with a label.  I have even offered to my close friends in the music business help with navigating the Copyright Office website.

I welcome anyone wishing to share their experiences navigating the United Stated Copyright Office with Doxter S. I will include your response in an upcoming post.

 

 

Published
Categorized as Music

We Love Summer Let’s Find Somewhere to Go

We Love Summer

Let’s Find Somewhere to Go

Doxter S says: We Love Summer. Let’s Find Somewhere to Go. That is the chorus from one of many songs by Doxter S.

The song Summer is about going somewhere with someone you love. Falling in love. Staying in love. Going to the mountains, the islands, the Grand Canyon, Galapagos, Côte d’Azur.

Summer is when you stop working and start relaxing. It’s is about bright blue skies, puffy white clouds, blue oceans, and green trees.

Summer means vacation. Shops are closed in Paris. Kids don’t want to think about school. Parents don’t want to think about work. Lovers only think about each other.

Summer is hot, breezy, bright, and hopeful. Smell the suntan lotion, the boardwalk, the kettle corn, the cotton candy. Wear light and skimpy clothing. Sandals. Bare feet. Swimming, sailing, golfing, water skiing. Scuba diving. Concerts out under the stars.

The attached image is from Bermuda.  The idea is to put your feet up and gaze out at the ocean. This can only mean Summer is here at last.

 

 

 

 

Published
Categorized as Music

Musical Composition: Create A Colorful Melody

Musical Composition: Create A Colorful Melody

We all can appreciate the color and variety of great music

Doxter S says: Creating a great musical composition is like painting a colorful image for the auditory mind.  Music intends to convey a message, instilling emotion and meaning into there heart of the listener. We create great music using a combination of melody and rhythm, tempo and pitch, and words.

The most familiar American musical style, the 12-bar blues, is divided into sections. This conveys a sense of call and response. Most popular music is built up using sections. These sections are commonly know as introduction, verse, bridge, chorus, and outro.

When creating a great song it is important to make each section distinct from the others. This will add variety and notify the listener (and members of the band) where we are and where we are going. The ability to make otherwise similar sections sound unique and refreshing is a useful skill in music creation.

I selected the image for this post because it illustrates the structure for a great song. These homes are on the coast of Grand Cayman Island. They are all essentially of the same design. Progressing from the front (intro) through the middle sections (verse, bridge, chorus), and ending in the back (outro), just like  great song should sound.

Adding varying colors for each section makes similar sections distinctly different, which make the whole complex much more interesting and enjoyable. This visual analogy should help a would be composer think about that next new song that’s been incubating in there back of the mind, just waiting to come to fruition when the time comes to start writing it down and recording.

Doxter S invites every one of you to join him on this great adventure into music creation.

 

Doxter S has been working on Nothing

Doxter S has been working on Nothing

(it’s everything I hoped for!)

( (Doxter S) wrote, recorded, and produced his original song entitled “Nothing” just a few years ago, and now it’s time to update and rework the performance and style. There are new transitions using triplets that resolve back into the initial syncopated beat that is carried by the drum track. The rhythm guitar intro uses more interesting chord shapes than before, wth built in mini-licks and there is more suspense leading into the bridge and the chorus. The score for the new version is available on MuseScore and can be found here.

Creating new songs is a complex process starting with inspiration and proceeding with ideas for lyrical hooks, and of course the musical equivalents, usually is the chorus. Nothing has musical hooks in the bridge transitions between the verses and before the chorus. These remain the same as was originally produced. The original version had a straightforward rhythm and standard I, VI, VI chords. This new version musically has more depth, complexity, and more feeling, in my opinion. It is very much like a vintage wine that is getting better with age, but with a lot of rewrites and a fresh new recording.

Since writing the original version of “Nothing” I have written most of my new songs using MuseScore, a Creative Commons website that encourage collaboration and sharing musical ideas. I decided to provide links to these scores along with the usual links to iTunes and CD Baby on my Discography pages in the same spirit of sharing.

Many successful popular songs are remembered more for the cover versions done by artists other than the composer, and I expect this new version of Nothing will be well received as an improvement. I’m just starting the vocal tracks and will be recording my self playing live piano and at least 2 acoustic guitars.

 

 

 

Great Music Needs Great Inspiration

Great Music Needs Great Inspiration

(not so much the human sacrifice)

Doxter S writes: Great music needs great inspiration. When we travel to the Mayan ruins near Cancun, the most impressive structure is the temple at Chichen Itza , a massive structure shaped as a pyramid, with large external steps on all sides. It is tempting to climb the steps to get to the top and view the surrounding Yucatan jungle. However, getting back down to ground level can be a problem for some, especially with fear of heights, at least without a helping hand. That may be because this was the site for a ritualistic human sacrifice. Those were the good old days. The Mayans worshipped the sun, and it was considered an honor to climb the steps of this Temple of The Sun (Temple of Doom) for a ritualistic beheading.

The location, however, does inspire the creation of great music. The entire geologic site is immense, surrounded by lush foliage, and populated by very friendly and helpful Mexicans, many of Mayan descent. There is a pulse, a heartbeat, that can be felt in this ancient place. Today, this site hosts a rock concert of sorts during the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. The local tourist organization puts on a show of Sound and Light that is both entertaining and informative. The temple is lit up with projections of images relevant to the storyline above, including the Bird-Snake God Quetzalcoatl. The music is mysterious, mythical, rhythmic, but not very memorable. It is only intended to provide background to the images. It does reinforce the belief that music is a necessary part of all peoples lives, past and present.

Doxter S thinks Chichen Itza is a great location for outdoor concerts. Plenty of space. Stadium seating. Fresh air. Just don’t drink the water.

 

Doxter S Celebrates 5-Years

Doxter S Celebrates 5-Years

5-years after launching Crimson Studios

It’s hard to believe that 5 years has gone by since Doxter S launched Crimson Studios!

We were in Philly when I decided to start writing and producing music, looking forward to a new career that allowed freedom of expression and unlimited possibilities. Of course, there has not been any easy money, and it takes time to get any recognition. We were filled with hope for some new adventure, and I think we are finally getting there.

There’s Always a Critic Somewhere

There’s Always a Critic Somewhere

Continuing an Ancient Tradition

Traveling along the Dalmatian coast these 3 Critics caught my attention and I just had to capture the image.

These guys are centuries old, dating back to the great Venetian empire along the Adriatic coast of Croatia.

Of course they had singers, songwriters, and performers back then, so why not a few Critics to spice things up.

I thought the features and facial expression on these guys reflected the true nature of a Critic of The Arts.

If you stare back at them you will see something very extraordinary happening.

“When I look into a mirror, at the face I see, is that really me?”

MIRRORS

Doxter S completes his newest original composition entitled “Mirrors”.

It’s been a couple of months since publication of “Monday” by Doxter S. This new song (Mirrors) is inspired by revelations of life and the universe after watching “Genius” on National Geographic.

Did you know that light takes the shortest path (in terms of time) when it passes from one medium to another?

(Google Fermat’s principle to learn more).

My point is, a beam of light must already “know” where it is going before it gets there!

If only we all had that advance knowledge, our lives would be simpler and less troubling.

My revelation was that, when we look at reflections in a mirror, we are seeing what we are “meant” to see.

 

 

HELL HATH NO INTERNET !

Doxter-S.com remains alive and well (as long as our internet access works)!

Of course we don’t nave streaming music without the internet, and this should make fans and listeners worry about how they can listen to their favorite music during such times. The easy answer is to purchase your own copy and save it on your iPod, iPhone, Galaxy, Droid, or whatever.