Stan lists some of his musical jazz influences as Michael Becker, Bob Berg, David Sanborn, Dave Koz, Gerald Albright, and Najee. In other genres, he loves well written music with quality. He’s studied great song writers such as Irving Berlin and Cole Porter, Elton John/Bernie Taupin, Billy Joel, Bill Withers, Carole King, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Stevie Wonder, and even John Mayer.
Welcome Stan! Here are some of the questions we here at DM would like to ask you:
Do you have a personal philosophy about music? If so, what is it?
Oooo this is a loaded question! I don't know how many people know this, but an article was brought into the university I attended by the jazz director about a change in how 'popular recorded music' was to be implemented by the major labels.. and by the big music industry in general. There was a term invented to describe it - “disposable music“. Like a Dixie cup, a razor, a drinking straw... if the music was too 'memorable' and quality-written, it wasn't to be used anymore; not enough fast income to be derived from it from a business-standpoint. Remember the 60s with the Beatles and British Invasion groups with so much memorable music? Or the 70s with great bands like the Eagles or Elton John, the 80s with Jackson Browne or Stevie Wonder (big in the 70s too)? As soon as the 90s hit, big music industry put 'disposable music' into play… 'flash in the pan-on to the next one!' mentality... and it's even worse today! Do you even remember a song by the Backstreet Boys or NSYNC? You're not supposed to! It's disposable! They're used for the life of the song(s), and then thrown away! Maximum income from minimal effort! AND--no one wants to cover these songs--they're CRAP! SO MUCH CRAP is on 'popular Top 40' radio! You won't see another 'Eagles' or 'Doobie Brothers' or big group like that. We gotta listen to the 'classic rock stations' that have popped up in recent times to hear them over and over, but that doesn't help the new musician.. Also, in order for some artists to sell today, Mr. Clive Davis of Arista Records is convincing vocalists to do COVER TUNES!! And what do they cover? Songs from the 60s and 70s and 80s!!! i.e., Rod Stewart, Clay Aiken, Barry Manilow... it's amazing. The only time I've heard new quality music is if it comes up from independent means. Like the bands Creed (too bad they broke up, but that happens), Collective Soul, and Evanescence. (I hope I spelled that right)
Top 40 Music nowadays are really slickly produced, recorded, and marketed in the best way money can buy, but for the most part it's crap in a gilded box! You can spray perfume on it, put glitter on it, even bejewel it…it's still CRAP!! The only salvation we have to fight this is for independent music to bring back the quality over quantity mentality.
Do you play out live anywhere? If so, where?
I gigged for 20 years and stopped this year . I had to. 1. my wife's health has deteriorated to where I need to stay with her all the time and 2. I can't do anything that can be construed as 'work' for fear that I can be jeopardizing my disability payments .. thus I play and record for self-fulfillment--for free.
Why is being an independent musician important to you?
I can do what I want, when I want.. No one telling me how, when, where, or what to write or play! Maybe some of my music might entertain as many people as possible one day...I'm not out for fame or fortune, just to share my gift with the world as far as it'll go... I just take things as they come.Tell me a little bit about your experience since joining the DM community.
That's easy.. I love DMusic! A friend of mine suggested it and I investigated, looking at the music shared by various artists here and the comments made-- I was hooked. I immediately subscribed and started sharing my music! I also love to collaborate and that is very much encouraged here. I've always collaborated with musicians online with musicians I hang out with on IRC (Internet Relay Chat) but DMusic is better because of the ability to present your music on the web worldwide. I even convinced a few of my online IRC buddies to join DMusic and try to convince as many as I can to come! What I enjoy here at DMusic is the variety of artists in different genres and the ability to communicate with each other that I haven't seen on other 'music sharing' sites. I love the sense of community here. You can send 'shouts' to anyone here or leave them a quick 'dnote' and they'll usually get back with you quick if not immediately. The only thing I wish DMusic had that I understand they DID have in the beginning but was phased out from lack of use was IRC chat…but I compensate by chatting with people from DMusic using my instant messengers! DMusic has been the greatest place I've found on the net for my music! DJEV took a liking to it and played it on her radio show, Tameasdust put it in the morning rotation on the DMusic station, and DMusic has had me as a main featured artist as well as the jazz genre featured artist for some time now! I love it here and the people here are so great! DMusic is my musical home!
You felt welcomed then?I've never been treated better, seriously.
What was your initial reaction?
Well, being the 'new guy' I kind of looked around and saw who was doing what and who was doing music I was interested in or was interested in my music. Turned out the first two was Gene Hilbert and Chillinbuzz. I approached them and was met with open arms and started collaborating. The result is on our music pages. After that, other people became interested in collaborating, Bluenevus, Snoogans775, Rodrica (hers is coming up), etc. and I'm very happy to collaborate with them!
Do you think the internet has altered the path of music as an industry? If so, how?
Yes it has.. Anyone can market their music directly to a world-wide audience as they create and intend it to be heard. Never before in history was there a vehicle for this other than being signed to a major company that has the habit of bending artists to their will through contracts that are not necessarily to the best interest of the artist.
Any advice for other musicians out there when it comes to using the internet as a medium for getting your music heard?
Come to DMusic! It's a great place to post your music and direct people to come hear it--isn't it nice to have your own URL? for instance, mine is http://saxsinger.dmusic.com ..with my own artist name in the URL!! I don't know of any other music hosting site that offers as much as DMusic does that does that for you. Now as far as music-business stuff-as I explained earlier, I don't do music for profit--just for personal fulfillment and enrichment so I don't pursue business opportunities for my music. I just enjoy it being heard by as many people as possible without profit.
You play a mean sax! What kind of saxophone do you play?
I play a Selmer Paris Mark VI Tenor Sax with a Brilhart Level-Air stainless steel mouthpiece with a 5* opening and Vandoren Jazz 3-1/2 reeds.. I also use Hempke 3-1/2 reeds but not on the recordings I've done thus far on DMusic. I have good news! I've just purchased an Akai Pro EWI 4000s for Christmas! EWI stands for 'Electronic Wind Instrument' and it's not only a midi wind controller (similar to a keyboard controller but played like a sax or clarinet) but it also has a built-in analog modeling synth with expression tweaks to the patches. With this instrument I can play solo synth lines like I play sax , with all kinds of expression a wind controller can offer! So keep in mind from now on I can play sax or EWI on future collaborations! the website for this instrument is: http://www.akaipro.com/prodEWI4000S.php ...this will explain the instrument in full detail.
What kind of recording software do you use?
Well, I hope this doesn't sound too complicated: 1. I use Cakewalk Sonar to write my music in midi and render midi-virtual synth (vsti or dxi)- .wav; 2. If I use loops, I sometimes render midi-vsti-dxi-.wav + loops in Sony (formerly Sonic Foundry) Acid Pro and use various plug-ins when applicable; 3. sometimes I multi-track in Acid Pro (with applicable plug-ins) but usually I'll render my tracks separately to .wav so I can multi-track and record in Sony (formerly Sonic Foundry) Vegas, using various applicable VST and DirectX plug-ins; 4. Finally, I master my finished tracks in Steinberg Wavelab using my mastering plug-ins The plug-ins I use for my virtual synths and processing for recording and mastering vary song to song. If anyone has specific questions with what I use, you can send me a dnote and I'll go through what I did with the song with you .
Now, you ask, why don't I use something like Steinberg Nuendo or Cubase SX because they're 'all-in-one' instead of my process? Simple… First, it's what I've done since I owned my first copy of Cakewalk 5 and Sonic Foundry products and , second, Steinberg products with the exception of Wavelab and their plug-ins make me cross-eyed (e.g., Nuendo and Cubase SX)!
Everybody I know has their idea of a “dream musician”, someone who for some reason you just love to listen to and admire. If you could play with one of your "dream" musicians, anyone at all, who would it be and why?
This is a toughie! I have many people I would like to play with! If I had to pick just one of them it would have to be 'Weird' Al Yankovich. I was the nuttiest, craziest guy in college with one way-out sense of humor and I wanted to be 'Weird' Al's sax player! Of course he doesn't use a lot of sax in his music but hopefully that would change with me added hah ha! Seriously, whether you like him or not, he's a very brilliant artist. He's still around making hits too! His latest hit, 'White and Nerdy', made the billboard top ten and he never before had that in his career. I think he's finally getting the credit he deserves as an artist. Why would I want to be in his band? Well, I have always been a big Dr. Demento fan (that's where 'Weird' Al started) and I always put my own 'weird' parody lyrics to tunes everyday...to my wife's chagrin (it kind of bugs her sometimes especially if it's a song SHE likes). I guess out of all the other artists out there I relate to him most.I really appreciate you’re taking the time to do this interview, Stan. I have one more question for you though. What’s in the future for Saxsinger?
Keep on making music as best I can. 'Full steam ahead!' To have as many people listen to and enjoy my music as possible. Again, I don't seek profit with it, just do it for personal fulfillment and enrichment. Hopefully people enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoy making it! One thing I must say though, is that I enjoy collaborating and making music with others as much as I do making my own. I feel fortunate so many people online want to collaborate with me as much as I want to collaborate with them, especially here at DMusic!
