About
“The true beauty of music is that it connects people. It carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers. ”
— Roy Ayers
David is a musician, music producer & educator with over 30 years experience in live and recorded music and has practical experience and insights drawn from leading and producing a wide variety of performance-improvement related projects, and from the world of the performing arts.
He has experience gained in his career in recorded, live and radio environments in the UK and overseas. His technical skills in music technology is supported by experience in studio environments, live performance and theatre over the past 30 years. He has NCFE Music Technology and Performance Arts qualifications.
David has collaborated in both live concerts and recording studios with popular acts 'The Chosen', 'The Wayward Sons', and 'Stinkfish'; and supporting headliners such as Bad Manners, Then Jericho, Marcella Detroit, Blue and supports with Tony Hadley in UK and Cyprus.
SOUNDTRACKS & PRODUCTION
David enjoys composing songs, soundtrack and sound production for video, film and games and has recently worked with Tears for Fears producers Chris Hughes and Tim Oliver at Real World Studios in Wiltshire.
PERFORMANCE
He supports local band productions in and around Bath & Wiltshire, UK. His main instrument is the keyboard but is accomplished on acoustic guitar and orchestration. He utilises any other acoustic and software instruments that he can find. He's currently playing in CoverGirl, CocoLoco and Pipe Dream, and David Bowie Experience.
LEARNING & EDUCATION (SOUTH WEST)
Working with All Instruments Ltd, David offers a range of face to face tutoring covering topics from music composition, technology, and business. He can support your need to know how to write music, and will cover composition techniques applicable to many genres, to Sampled Orchestration, which teaches you how to create realistic MIDI mockups from your sample libraries, he can cover specific areas of study so you can tailor your learning to what suits you the best.
If you're just starting out and are interested in learning at an easy pace in any aspect of music then this would be great way to start developing your skills and gain confidence in your musical abilities. Generally, the areas cover the following:
1. General Composition (using DAW, Piano or Guitar)
If you are looking to boost your music-writing skills without a specific focus on its potential media application, then a general composition lesson might be for you as your introduction to writing music. If you struggle to actualise the musical ideas in your head, then this will help. I can teach you how to write traditional 4-part harmony and master cadences, as well as taking a look at more advanced musical techniques.
2. Media Composition
If you want to learn media composition and explore the industry, I can help you learn how to set up your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) for writing to picture, spotting a film/TV show, how to deal with clients, how to write for different genres and areas of the media music industry, mixing your sampled or live music like the professionals, orchestrating and composing music for specific orchestral instruments or groups, plus anything else.
3. Music Technology
Music technology cover a wide variety of topics that allow you to understand the fundamentals of creating music with your computer. Learn how to build templates for different kinds of setups, how to use sampled instruments to inject life into your compositions, and how to mix your orchestral and hybrid tracks in a professional way. I can help you with your musical sound design to break down the modern hybrid sound and teach you how to recreate a wide selection of common effects and techniques.
4. Piano or Acoustic Guitar Lessons for Beginners
If you just want to learn the piano or acoustic guitar to play your favourite songs and maybe learn some theory, then I am more than happy to do that too. Please leave your message and contact details here.
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REVIEWS
Gary Calamar from GO Music is a music supervisor whose television credits include True Blood, Dexter, House, Six Feet Under,The Man In The High Castle. and the new series, Titans. I was lucky to have chatted to him recently and play him one of my scores called Film Noir. He said "Some nice score music. I thought it worked really nicely – really nice atmosphere to it. You're obviously a really talented guy. I really loved the atmosphere of the track". I asked him if I should write actual songs or just orchestration. "Do what comes naturally to you and do what your muse tells you to do". He emailed me later to invite me for mimosas in LA.
Chris Mollere, music supervisor for The Vampire Diaries and The Originals. He was kind enough to listen to my track called Cry which he said was 'a beautiful piece of music' and told me to focus on this style of performance for the many libraries out there. He thought that this would be perfect for television and gave me some great advice.
Check out music on this site or sign up to the mailing list.
CREDITS
- Farhad Ghavamian - music production collaboration www.audioha.com/music.
- Solent Video Ltd - music production soundtracks for industry products
- Express FM Radio Beds and incidental music
- Power FM Radio - In sessions with Scott Mills and Pete Wardman
- British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) - stingers and beds
- Blake Productions - 'Blake's 7 (2019)' TV programme soundtrack
- Audioha - collaborating with LA based Farhad Ghavamian. Audio engineer and musician for motion picture industry Hollywood. www.audioha.com
- Paul Karcz: film/tv composer & producer at Northern Score, Wisconsin. www.northern-score.com
- Katie Hallam: singer songwriter. Recorded and produced EP.
- The Kite Collectors: Producer. Provided keys, orchestral arrangements & backing vocals for 'Shockerwick 135' album for The Kite Collectors, released Oct 17. Producer, mixing and mastering for their new album 'Switch The World Back On' released Dec 2022, and single 'This Time' (2023) . Check out their catalogue at Paisley Records site and YouTube.
- Funkensteins: Studio mastering 'Music is My Medicine' album for Bristol based neo funk/rock trio Funkensteins - February 2018 at Colston Hall, Bristol at the Jelli Records 10th Anniversary.
- The Box Dwellers: Keyboards to 5 tracks for the EP released in January 2018. First release for The Box Dwellers (Paisley Records) featuring: Robby Allen, Luke Smith, Darren Day, David Pinching and Alan May. Available now on CD. at http://www.paisleyrecords.com/the-box-dwellers.html
- Catmandu: Orchestration and production for Bath based band Catmandu track called 'Skyfall' - have a listen here.
Real World Studios Sessions:
- Jantine Haij - Writer, singer and artist Signed to Sony Music as a writer, Jantine has worked with Skrillex, Monsta X, Hardwell, Alison Wonderland. https://www.instagram.com/jantineannikaheij/?hl=en
- Nicole Fermie - Singer, guitarist and writer Apart from her own left-field projects, Nicole has also contributed guitar and/or vocals to Goldfrapp, Andrea Corr and Erica Knockles.
- Mark Haywood - Collaborated with songwriting, keyboards, synths
- Georgie Ward - Production, piano and synths on single. Composer Georgie is working with Dua Lipa, Hannah Peel, British Paraorchestra, Zara Larsson and Will Gregory’s Moog Ensemble
- John Sandberg - Drums, guitar, vocals and production.
- Tim Oliver - Mixer, engineer and producer. Over the years Tim has worked with a wide range of artists including Goldfrapp, Ludovico Einaudi, Robert Plant, Stone Roses, The Happy Mondays, New Order. http://www.timoliver.co.uk/
- Chris Hughes - Producer, composer, drummer Former drummer with Adam and the Ants, Chris went on to produce major records with Tears For Fears, Robert Plant, Lloyd Cole and many more. https://www.chrismerrickhughes.com/
- Solent Theatre, Portsmouth - Stage Management, and some lead roles in production
- Melksham Music and Drama (MMAD) - Producer, composer, studio engineer for choir vocals for original musical production. http://www.mmad.org.uk/about-us/