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MilkMan-Dan
The touch of my fingers to the ivory. Now that's worth fighting for.

Daniel Stang @MilkMan-Dan

Age 36, Male

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Edmonton

Joined on 2/18/05

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Christmas and Things

Posted by MilkMan-Dan - December 25th, 2007


Wow, Where do I begin?

I guess the first order of bussiness is to say to each and every one of you, a very Merry Christmas.

What is it about Christmas that brings out the best in almost everything? I hope you all have been spreading the love and cheer this holiday begs for.

As for "Sand Castles", my newest creation.... all I have to say is "Wow". Since it hit front page it recieved over 100 reviews!... Thats a record for me... a huge record. So my only guess is that you guys liked it :). Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed. I can't possibly reply to all of them in time for the holidays... but know that I read EVERY review I get... I never miss one.

I know the voice wasn't up to par for some... but others didn't mind it. This encourages me, and in the new year I'll be actively seeking Voice lessons. I would also like to speak to someone who has experience setting up audio for Vocals... you know... the more technical side of things. We shall see what is to come in the future, but I'm excited.

Many of you have mentioned that I should send these things to Record Labels. You must believe me when I tell you there just isn't a market for my kinda amatuer work yet. Besides... what would you rather do... buy my cd or hop on newgrounds and talk to me about my latest work? I've thought about opening up myself to Donations to purchase equipment and VST's... but thats a little much don't you think? If you ever wanted to donate to the Milkman-dan fund however... I suppose sending anything via Paypal to friendlyfire_88@hotmail.com would probably work. But seriously... i don't expect anything at all, I just get asked alot if I have a cd they could buy... and well thats the closest you'll probably ever come to purchasing MMD product.

By the way. My name is Daniel Stang. I live in Edmonton, Alberta... you know... that city in Western Canada. I mean really?... Milkman-Dan?... haha I made that name when I joined Newgrounds and didn't care about submitting audio... and then... well... it kinda stuck.

So I guess my last question to you guys is... what is really close to your hearts... what keeps you awake at night thinking?... I'd like an idea for my next song :). Also... do you like the piano more than piano + different instruments?

Just talk to me people... I like you... your my family :)

Christmas and Things


Comments

In my opinion, I believe that the piano is the best part about your music, and although I believe that, I also believe that you need the other intruments to give the music variety and power that a piano can lack.

I also heartily believe that you should do more songs as opposed to just music. Sand Castles, and Just Begun were wonderful. Just make sure you still do some music without vocals as well.

If I had money in my paypal account, I would definitely donate to you...when I do get some money in there that's what I'll do.

Piano and Orchestra. With a rock style. That is always killer. A reason I love 'Sand Castles' because of the orchestra rock sound.
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What keeps me awake is thinking of the girl who I cant get off my mind, and I feel like I know her so well, but in reality we will never be together cause she'll never know I love her.
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Good song idea ^?
Hope it helps. Good Luck!

Oh yeah, I forgot.
Songs with singing = Greatness.
Good luck!

Honestly, I'll take anything from you, be it vocals or extra instruments. Someday...someday I'll donate money to one of the greatest audio artists in Newgrounds.

The thing about your music is the emotion you put into it. I have an extremely hard time doing that since I use software, I can't record anything with my own piano because I lack the things I need. The result is a monotone, technical song =/

Keep it up, mate, and good luck to you.

Dan, your music is really amazing. It's soooo beautiful. Oh and by the way, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas, you devilish music-making person you.

Here, I'm sending you a present. If you don't get it though, I'm going to blame the internets. It's all the internet's fault.

I'm curious however. How did you manage that setup with the whole empty theater? Looks pretty nifty. Also, it that piano yours? If it is... Nice man.... Nice.

As for the CD, I had a small idea about that. I can imagine that you probably have a whole lot of rough work and scrapped songs all strewn about, right? Throw those on a CD along with high quality versions of your songs and I'm sure people would buy it. Its nice because both parties get something. You may think that people wouldn't like it because it "isn't worth that much" but it's more about the donation anyway. You just get something real nifty in return ;P

Anyway, all the best.

A present?... I gots no present... but your words are pretty awsome as it is. Thanks.

The setup with the Theatre? hehe... my uncle is a professional piano tuner/photographer... and he had a booking to tune the piano in a concert hall. I asked if he could snap some pictures for me at the helm of the piano. What you see is the result. So no... sadly that isn't my piano... but I've played many like it... man I love them.

As for the CD's. I just don't want to end up making a bunch of CD's and sending out about 5... just to make a couple bucks. If you want I can always make another account and upload my scraps onto it. or you can just contact me and I'll send you scraps lol... doesn't at all matter.

Belated Merry christmas my good man. Take care.

Personally I enjoy both just the piano and piano with multiple instruments but I think piano with other instruments is more full and more complex. It makes it more exciting and more moving. As for ideas for new songs... I don't really know. My grandmother passed away recently and I wrote lyrics for a song about it but haven't been able to put a song to it. So that is something that I hold dear to my heart. By the way I wanted to say thank you so much for blessing me as well as others with your music. As a musician it is a true inspiration.

I think i like more only piano... i always loved piano, the sound of it is just so... emotional/touching.

And about what keeps me awake all night, hmm, two things:

- The love i feel for someone close to me;

- Feel terrified for thinking that life isnt forever and that someone close to me can "go away" (die);

I'll leave you with this two ideas (i think the second one could fit in a good song... really soft and touching.)

Ok, i'm done here :D, wanna see more and more from you!

Your work is brilliant, as you probably know. Don't deny it either, because if you're like me, you'll try and belittle yourself. you have a gift, and a love for what you do, and you should be proud of that. I have no doubt that if you began delving into classical forms and things like that, you'd be having your music played in opera houses and the like.

As for what to do musically, I can't say. It's your music. As for me, I just look at nature and try and harness the beauty in something. Find something that you're passionate about, and just think about it without words. Use your mind to write it first, not your fingers, then let your fingers figure ot the best way to translate what you thought up into a song.

And as for words, it's also up to you. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a song is worth a thousand pictures.

Regards, mate. I hope to hear back from you.

MJTTOMB

Piano & orchestrated is a very good mix, and I have noticed you seem to be very good at.

One thing that would keep me awake (and is on the happier side, which I believe you are aiming for) is perhaps a girl I like, or am dating and we hit a bump. Not one of those bad bumps, the kind of bumps you need to work together to get over, that test your relationship and keep you thinking at night. It's amazing the effect relationships have.

Also as for donations... I could never send it through PayPal. Although I would like to send you a donation of some sort, to support you, it would have to be through mail if anything. It would only be like a 20, but I feel like I need to support those who I respect and who's music I enjoy very much.

I am in Canada, like you. So if you wanted to send me your Mailing Information over PM, I'll see if I can donate. If not, I still wish you a Happy New year!

:-)

Thankyou very much for the consideration, that alone is donation enough. Tuck that 20 away and buy your girlfriend some roses :). Tell her you love her and never let her go.

Happy New year to you both and thank you.

A huge record well deserved... It must be, without any doubt, one of your greatest song ever!!
I didn't mind the voice at all.. I think you sung very well, but I wonder how you recorded it? In a studio perhaps? Because it's such a good quality.

No market for your music? I wouldn't say that.. Of course they are all on newgrounds for free, but you could delete them all here and start selling them on cd ( Start downloading while you still can people ^^ )....
Yea well.., better not start selling your songs ;), By which I mean.. Thís songs...
I think there's truly a future for your music.. you should try to find someone professional who's interested in your songs.. and who wants to use them ( I can picture myself easely a film with your music in it.... must be great )

Anyway... tried to make a Paypal account, but I can't :p I don't have visa, mastercard or american express to do foreign payments...
Someday.. someday, you will receive a mail with money attached to it ;), but till that happens.. Use your own money to buy VST's ^^.

what keeps me awake at night? Nothing really.. your music is just, well.. without sounding too much exaggerated, ... great as it is. Can't add anything to that..
Oooh maybe 1 idea: you could make a song on French fries! tell the world they're actually Belgian fries, and not french! The whole world has this wrong :)

And yup.. It's a very nice piano on the picture..

OMG I forgot to say Merry Christmas to Dan! :(

What keeps me up at night is trying to think of how I can make a BIG difference somehow, like making Youtube or Wikipedia or something. I finally started something just recently called GetSomeKnow.com, although there's anything on it yet. I'm hoping to put all kinds of tutorials on it though, starting with Flash. Hopefully it'll help a lot of people somehow.

I like piano+instruments more. I usually like the more grandeur orchestral songs. Piano solos are still good though. :)

you know it may seem kinda weird to you but you are the one that got me into new grounds you see, what happened was my brother was on NG looking for a song for a movie when he stumbled upon your song "the final movement" i asked him who made that song then he showed me your profile after he did that i spent the next 3 days on new grounds none stop that was back in early 07 and i didn't bother signing up till just recently since then i visit usually at least once per day
so i than you M-man for indirectly getting me interested in such a well "colorful" community

Ebunnie

Thank you so much for sharing the amazing music you have composed with us. I don't know if you have checked recently, but I have been leaving reviews for some of your songs =) They truly do deserve all the praise they are given.

I don't have a PayPal account but I am STRONGLY considering setting one up to send you a donation, as I would LOVE to buy a cd of your music. Yes, I know it's free here, but I almost feel like its illegal. I would gladly pay for your music. It would be worth every penny.

I myself am not a composer (my creativity is somewhat lacking :P ) but I am a very firm believer that music is the heart and soul of many a topic/film/game/etc and that it makes or breaks the result. Your music, if used in ANYTHING, would easily gain votes.

I freely admit that during shows and games the sad scenes can make me cry. But whether it is that strong or not is ENTIRELY dependent on if the music truly fits the scene. Otherwise it distracts me from the moment and it doesn't hit me as hard as it should. Just imagining some of these scenes as your music plays in the background brings tears to my eyes.

As for things that keep me up at night.

Not living up to the expectations of not only my family but of myself and my own potential.

Also, the thought that I might go my life without ever finding a special someone and starting my own family is a fear to me. In a word: Loneliness.

I know those are more on the sad, depressing side of the scale, but it's all I can give you to work with, as if I was worth bothering over =)

Again, thank you so much for giving me and so many others the pleasure of your music. It has truly blessed me and I only regret not finding it earlier. To credit that, I thank Evil-Dog for having "The Beautiful Savage" on his favorite song list in his page, it was what led me to you.

P.S. as for the instrument prefference, Piano itself is a beautiful item with you at the controls. I love the full instrumentals as well however, it adds depth and more emotion to the music, and can give you the clearest of images of a personal scene that the music gives to you and you only. This is possible because of your composing and is a great gift that I hope never leaves you.

Thank you again.

youre the best musician on newgrounds.
i really dont have much more to say.

i was lead on my bed at night my girl, just chilling out with your playlist on

laying through love is a lie and if i could live again

perfect moments

wow i havent been on lately and i missed sending a Merry Christmas to the best composer on NG by over a month...thats depressing

anyways it seems i am in the majority when I enjoy the primary instrument as the piano, which is clearly your instrument of choice. However your addition of the many more classical instruments is unmatched in skill, and really adds depth to the songs. It reminds me very much of Yanni, and his one album which is centered on piano but with fabulous backup ("In My Time" is the album i think)

Just a guess here but I think your Sandcastles song did so well because first off it was so incredibly full of emotion, and second because almost anyone can relate to it. I think I may have said this before but I about cried when I listened to it because of ... eh off topic. But thats the thing with your vocals too. I admit that they are not the best vocals in the world, but genuine emotions override that and give the song beauty. So don't worry about your singing too much, the beauty of the lyrics is overpowering. Which reminds me that Sandcastles also was about something that few people write about. Most songs are about love(not that there is anything wrong with that) but it was so different...well you get the idea.

That being said for whatever your next piece is I feel its hard to contribute an idea simply because for you to achieve that emotion so prevalent in your songs it needs to be "from" you. But for a little brainstorming, the feeling of earned and deserving triumph can make a fabulous song. On the darker side the feelings of futility, and hopelessness are 'good'. Hopefully u cant relate to that anytime recently. I hope that got ya thinking or set a spark or something.

also i need to gain access to a paypall account because someone else said it here, It feels like pirating getting this quality music for free. Hoping that I contributed somewhat to getting MMD to get an idea, I wait in earnest for the next song, vocals or no, I am sure none of us will be dissapointed.

goodluck

3 things that are really close to my heart are my gf, music and my fmaliy

im not inteligent.
but you make the best music.
it sounds so well made.
wish i had your skills.
ty for leting us fans listen to your works.
bye

Nice work man. I've been a fan of your music since I first heard it and I'll tell you now that I have all of your pieces on my Zune and I love to listen to it when I need a relaxing. I've read some posts on here about possibly seeing your work in movies in the future and it is definitely possible. I have used a couple of your pieces for a game I had to make for a computer programming class about a year ago (so don't worry, I'm not making any profit off of it, lol) and they fit in with my game so well, it was kinda like you made them specifically for my game. Actually, that's how I found out about your work by searching for some solid background music for my game and I fell in love with your stuff so I will tell you thanks now for all the work you have put into your music. Keep it up and I will be looking forward to your next piece. And btw, I'll be up in Edmonton late April for a trip with my high school's music department so who knows, we might bump in to each other. lol. I'm down in Montana so it will be a little bit of a ride to get there but oh well, its for music and I think we both agree that music rocks. Have fun and I'll be looking for your next piece.

What keeps me awake at night? thinking of the creative potential that is lost through the toils of the world, and how it takes special people to rise above that, and press onwards just to make people feel their hearts move, maybe for the first time in years. To have the strength to pass over the failings of this world, now THAT is a gift worth fighting for.

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