Voices #29
◦ “voices” is the place where we ask, artists reply and you read.
here we got:
David Aimone
answering some questions. We have already observed his ambient / electronic / new age work here.
[1. IDEA]
■ The A. O.: The track from “Changes” that we prefer is “RainSong”. Can you tell us how it came to light?
► David Aimone: Well, about half way through making these tracks I realized there was a theme that was loosely about seasons. I love a nice rain storm, just like waves at the ocean, and can zone out on these sounds. I decided to create an atmospheric piece, fairly straightforward, to end “Changes”. I used two guitar like arpeggios, left and right, to emulate the steady rain through phases of harmonic changes. I backed this up with actual rain sounds, and some contained but expressive musical motifs in the background.
I ended up using environmental sounds in most of the songs on the album, not always depicting specific seasons or weather events, but also atmospheric sounds to place the music into a place and time. Meadow sounds, distant church bells, thunderous synth recreations, and so on.
[2. CREATION]
■ The A. O.: How do you usually approach composition? Do you start with a concept, a sound, a state of mind or what else? How do you generally proceed from the initial seed to the complete work?
► David Aimone: It used to be, with songs, having lyrics or a chord progression, then working from there on developing the entire song.
I’m not doing songs now, and things are much more based on improvisation at least to start with. I’ll start with a range of different things: a specific but found sound on a synth, or start with a specific instrument in mind. From there I usually just play and improvise, and these pieces mostly start from the keyboard.
I’m not really a keyboard player, but I just improvise and I’ve arrived at the point where I’m competent enough on the keyboard to only have to make occasional corrections or changes in software. I’ll often play some guitar, mostly on my electric Strat I’ve had since I was 15 years old. I’m no virtuoso, but extremely “connected” to that guitar, and my style is fairly close to David Gilmour’s slow but expressive style. As far as keyboards, I have discovered the Roli Seaboard Rise 2 and have found that keyboard, along with a well-paired computer based instrument, to be extremely expressive. More expressive, in fact, than any other instrument I’ve played (with the possible exception of my electric guitar).
Then I add one or more instruments to the mix as I see fit at the time. With additional parts I try to instinctively add both harmonious and dissonant chord structures and changes, creating opposite feelings and harmonic combinations through dissonance and resolution.
This new album,“Changes” came together far more quickly than my other albums. I ended up using a specific set of instruments, not really by choice but that’s how it ended up. I realized the songs that were coming together for Changes were eclectic but had a core similarity in their mood and expression. After about 10 weeks, I had a group of 8 pieces that worked well together.
[3. FEEDBACK]
■ The A. O.: What do you hope listeners feel or experience when engaging with your music?
► David Aimone: I hope they get lost in a world of sound and hear something new each time. I also hope that they are challenged by the juxtaposition of beautiful harmonic structure with dissonance. In some ways my recent music is ambient in nature, but also leaks beyond that label via more varied form and harmonic modulations. I’d like the listener to be carried away on a bed on musical relaxation, but I’d also like them to be able to discover something new with each listen.
[4. IDENTITY]
■ The A. O.: In a world saturated with digital music content, how do you try to keep your sound distinct and personally meaningful?
► David Aimone: I write, record and listen to my music for myself. It is actually self-therapeutic. Bottom line is that while I do care what others think of what I do, that is totally secondary to what it does for myself to help keep me sane in this insane world. Beyond that, I try to create something new each time and not fall into the same patterns and ruts. I use different instruments, techniques and approaches to keep myself interested. Finally, I have given up on perfection and allow imperfections to exist in the music. Many years of doing various musical activities has allowed me to work under the theory of “guided serendipity”, where imperfections arising from a generally sold musical base are allowed to survive and exist, and give the music a distinct sound.
[5. INFLUENCES]
■ The A. O.: Mention 3 albums that you consider relevant to your musical path and why.
► David Aimone: ○ Bach Cantatas: harmony and counterpoint don’t get any better than these.
○ The Beatles: The White Album, an eclectic and fractious masterpiece.
○ Genesis: Trespass, while an immature album, the dueling 12 string guitars and harmonic changes are genius.
Here’s bit on how I arrived here doing music again, if you’re interested.
My family has a lot of music in it. My grandmother played piano/organ for silent movies in Paterson, NJ when she first arrived here in the 1920’s. Before that she was part of a “family” band in Germany with my great-grandfather who was a well known trumpet player and comedian. My aunt played violin in the Paterson Philharmonic.
Growing up I learned the trumpet (at my parents’ direction), but lost interest in playing it when I had to be in the marching band in high school. I am self-taught on the guitar, learning by playing to records by the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Allman Brothers, Neil Young and so on. In high school I took music theory, which the teacher taught by often using Solfège in the classroom. One day, after class, the teacher insisted I join the two choral groups and I did. In college I continued to sing and take classes in music, though it was not my major, and played guitar and singing in a few rock/original folk bands. During my high school years through the years after college I always had a four-track tape machine and wrote and recorded songs, culminating in the 2004 CD “Isle of Glass”. Then I went on sabbatical from music for personal health reasons and took up photography instead.
In 2022 I rebuilt a small computer based recording system in my basement, and starting sketching out pieces through mostly improvisation. I wasn’t (and still am not) looking for perfection, but focusing on expression.
[6. REGARDS]
■ The A. O.: Leave us with a quote you love.
► David Aimone: “Done Is Better Than Perfect, Because Perfect Is Never Done” (various sources in various iterations)
And perfect is not human, and therefore not art.
▪ P.S.: ABOUT PASSED RECORDINGS, the “label” that encouraged me to develop my work further.
Passed Recordings operates more as a collective than a label, aiming to be artist led at all times and supporting each other as much as possible. Everyone gets an equal say in anything that affects the group. We band together to deliver the absolute best atmospheric, ambient, experimental and electronic music straight from our hearts to your ears.
We believe that through our music we can truly do good – aiming to: Inspire awe of established and up-and-coming artists with our shows (Passed radio show & Synaesthesia Sunday);
And to do so with other events such as film screenings & listening parties; compilations to raise money for good causes & signal boost the music of others.
Passed Recordings’ values centre around the label’s principals and the friendship amongst the artists – meaning our label, as much as it is a bastion of exceptionally talented artists, is also a wonderfully supportive micro-community that empowers and encourages us to keep improving & releasing, while staying true to ourselves.