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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

EMT

Edmonton

Joined on 2/18/05

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Something To Consider

Posted by MilkMan-Dan - September 26th, 2007


The time is soon coming where I will begin releasing my new work.

In light of such an event (as small as it may be)... I think it's time I wrote a short biography on how and why I write my music, so that you may better appreciate and understand what I write.

Let me take you back.

As a child my first encounter with the piano was at the tender age of 5. My Grandmother had a nice little upright that was never played but always kept in tune. I began to tinker... it was wonderful. Though to others it sounded much like the ailings of a wounded animal... it was music... the beginning of beautiful music.

I wanted to learn it... but we had no money for piano lessons back then. So I contented myself with tinkering... day in... day out.

The first song I ever learned to play , was the "Adagio Moonlight Sonata". Your probably familiar with it, and wonder how at the age of 6 I could learn such a song. Well my auntie showed me the notes and left the rest up to me (I don't think she ever expected me to remember). But every chance I could I learned more, until I knew it all by heart. It was then that I decided I never wanted lessons... I wanted to learn it all by myself.

Over the years I fine tuned my skills... never passing up an opportunity to play. I knew I was getting good when my Grandmother went from telling me to "Stop Banging" to... "Play me something, please won't you Daniel". It always brought me so much joy to sit at a piano bench.

When 2000 rolled around I was in elementary and the whole school learned a song in tribute to the millenium. I took it upon myself to learn the song on the piano and when I had fine tuned it... I played it for my music teacher. He was taken back and insisted I played it for the millenium ceremony.

That was big... it meant the world to me. The whole school... every child, teacher and peer looking to me on the piano as they sang. From then on... I was inspired, nothing could hold me back.

It wasn't until about 3 years ago that I began composing my own work. Well thats a lie... everything I played was practically my own composure since I never had sheet music to work with and even well known songs carried a different style when I played them. The transition to writing new material wasn't hard... it was naturally the next step.

Somewhere in this time... the piano became something totally different to me. It was who I was... it was engrained in my soul. To play it... was simply a passion. If I was having a rough day... I NEEDED it to cope.

And so here I am... writing my music for newgrounds, reaching a larger audience than I could ever possibly reach on my own. I have been well recieved and for that I thank you. I have shared my emotions with you... my life. Every song embodies a moment in my life... and with it, an emotion.

Let me give you some insight into how I write my music.

First of all... I never write anything down... EVER! It is in my head and that is where it will always stay until I forget it. There is absolutley no way I could write down my music the way it's meant to be played in any language, you cannot convey emotion in little black blobs on lines.

Every note is played by ear... every note is actually played.

When I write a song, I play each instrument on my midi keyboard... one at a time. I continue to add each instrument until the song is complete. If I screw up a note... I simply erase what I've done and start over from the beginning of the song. I do not digitally edit my work to fix my mistakes. That being said, you'll probubly notice in almost every song a flaw or two. This is simply because after the 50th time replaying the song I count my losses and let the flaw stay.

It is also interesting to note... that even though I own a very expensive microphone... I cannot sing. Now I've joined every chior I could possibly join... but somewhere along the line my voice changed and I simply can't get it to sound good enough to compare with the music. Otherwise you would hear alot of lyrical pieces... alot of them. Anyone know any good voice editing programs or voice lesson programs?

To sum it up... my music will never be famous or perfect. But I like it that way. It's my passion, not my job and I am only too happy to share it with you guys.

Just remember... if someone tells you, that you need lessons to learn something... remember that someone had to learn it themselves first at some point... and you can too.

Sincerely,
MMD

Something To Consider


Comments

a SHORT bio?

That's a book right there, man

thank god Dan! I was afraid you would never grace Newgrounds or us again. You'll always have my support, and my ear my good sir.

Also in the picture you look like you want to steal that piano... don't steal the piano Dan >:3

Good to have you back, let me know when that new stuff is streaming in, so I can relish in my envy, and then eat your brains.

This comment really moved me. It's really nice to know the story behind the music--It makes it all that more personal.

I've only been listening to your music since about a month ago, but it really is amazing. You put so much emotion into your songs, and I can really feel that. They're not just "pleasing" to listen to, but really touch the soul. I know that sounds corny, but that's really what your music does for me. I'm really glad you created some more music to share.

ctually, I'm more of a singer. I got interested in music through some fine arts courses that I had to take, and I'm glad I have, because I really enjoy singing. It's cool to learn that you've learned everything yourself. I can't play the piano as well as I'd like, but I've slowly been working on it. Though I'm learning from a book, I still have to read the music and play it myself, which can be a challenge at times. It's a good challenge though, and so rewarding when I do learn to play something. But mostly, I've been more motivated to start playing the piano, because I've been making some music as well, but it's really not quite as rewarding to make something with a computer program that you can't really play. So, I've tried to write stuff on the piano, and I can usually get some cool sounds, but nowhere near a decent full song. Hopefully I can do that soon. It's going to take a lot of work though.

It's hard to explain the feeling that music gives, but it's something wonderful that cannot be replaced by anything. Thank you for reminding me of this fact. (Not that I forgot, but I can't think of any better words :P)

All I can think to say is that I'm glad I still check your page often enough to find something like this, in hopes to find it of course...Also I'm very happy that you found the inspiration to share this with us, thanks for that..

Although, I have some of those little nice "tinkerings" in my head, only writtin in my brain and sounded through a keyboard, I really need to get a midi cable to share some >.<, I'll get right on that (Darn my procrastination, it will probably be yet another 3 months).

Once again thanks, and bye the way, check out the flash on newgrounds called "The Composer" I'm sure you will be touched by it too..

Sincerely,
~TheWisestMagi~

Dood,
First off, I know you can sing...So what you say is a LIE. hahaha. Well, may not be well enough for your own ears...but, if I can EVER offer you my voice...and I'm pretty sure you've heard the softer things, I'd be more than happy to. I'm just a mail away...and...few hundred kilometers.

Anyways man,
The score is....

Well, you know.\m/

Wow...I guess I never realized how privileged I am to be taking piano lessons.
I've been studying piano since maybe I was about...5 years old? I've hated the pressure at times, but man alive!! I think that's all changed for me now.
Your musicality is brilliant, you are truly a great composer.
On perfection: humanity as a whole is flawed. That's life. This may sound paradoxical, but I believe that the only way to be perfect or for something created by a human to be perfect, it must not be perfect. If something was truly "perfect" as we tend to think of perfection, it would probably be an illusion.
Perfection is imperfection, and vice versa.

I'm gonna stop waxing poetic/philosophic now, and go listen to your music some more.

Lyrics...perish the thought...Though I am not doubting your ability MMD, I personally like music without voices to the point where, to me, a piece with lyrics on Newgrounds sounds...strange...to say the least. I await your next piece with great anticipation

Sincerely, The-Indifferent-One

If only I could. All my life I have enjoyed music, all my life I have listened to tunes that just pop into my head...these don't belong anywhere...they just come. My first instrument was a recorder, and was it my life for awhile. I was never able to get good with it, I never had the control. Later on I found something that I truly loved...it was orchestral music and thus did I eventually get into playing the violen and I got very good at it. Thus, as fate would have it, money shall always be an issue and that violen had to go. I have never played one since.

Years later I took a music technology class whose teacher felt that the only way to understand music is to have the ability to read and write it. I cannot read it, I never will be able to, but in that class I found a passion and with that passion I found an instrument...THAT instrument was the piano. I sat down and it just felt...right. It felt like I should be there, this medium of emotion in front of me...without thinking I set my hands upon the keys and played. I just sat there and let my hands slide over the keys...playing whatever came to me from the recesses of my mind. Unknownst to me the entire class had stopped what they were doing and were staring at me, I found out later from the teacher that he had never heard anything like that and asked whether or not I have been playing for a long time. I said "No, this was only the second time I have ever had the privilage of sitting down behind a piano."

Throughout that year I played here and there never bothering to record what I did, and why should I? The stuff I played would always be with me, and though I could never reproduce what I played...I could still play what I felt.

I have never touched a piano since. Money issues...its always the money...and with this I find that I have found someone alot like myself. Except in you I see what I could have become. I still wonder if I will ever be able to get a piano of my own, and hopefully this will happen while I still have the ability to sit down and place my soul in my fingers, wanting to begin a symphony whose heart is layed down upon the notes, the very keys of that instrument that has been used throughout the ages.

Hopefully newgrounds will be able to hear what I can do...hopefully.

-AJ-

Btw...check out the audio artist Hania...she might be the voice you are searching for ;)

Hi Dan! Looks like I have some new subissions of yours to catch up on...anyhow, you have always been my favorite Ng Audio Artist, and ou've been a huge inspiration of classical music to me! Today I submitted my first Audio to the Portal, and I couldn't have done it with out you! Thanks, man!

You never cease to inspire people, Dan. Through your music, or with your words. Thank you.

Good God man! I take back what I said earlier! please..i beg of you..make more

Enthusiastically, The-Indifferent-One

Thank you for returning to us. I love your music pieces. Really I do.

You are... the greatest artist on Newgrounds.

I envy you. :)

Wow man. I'm glad your back. I was an immature person when I found Newgrounds. I found my way to the AP and listened to you. I've used your music to help me cope when I felt like I could handle. To have you back is a blessing and I damn this society for making it to where the mainstream can't find you. All of my friends don't understand your music. I listen to Metal but I can have this mix right in and not care. It was a sad day when you left and now today is the opposite. Besides being an amazing musician you're also a gifted writer. I know you may not remember me when I sent you a PM asking why you were leaving and whether you would continue to submit,as I knew you would keep making music. I remember it though. You've really touched me with your writing and music. For the sake of all good things please continue making music. Don't ever stop.

You seem to have a firm grip on the heart of the music--what it truly means to be an artist. I appreciate and respect that

I never really understood how you could come up with all these great melodies. Of course I knew that you never had music classes, so I think that , in a way, these classes focus more on rythms then on melodies. (I know because I've been to classes for over the last 10 years). Still never could I come up with a good-sounding song, not even a tiny melody.
When I first heard your songs (I still remember, it was "Tears of Divinity"), I really wanted to play and compose such songs myself. Frustrated because I really couldn't, I just kept playing sheet music.
Last year I finished music classes, but I really didn't want to give up just like that, I wanted to keep playing, and one day start writing my own songs.
Since I was that determined, I bought my own digital piano (perhaps you can remember that I was looking for this Yamaha DGX keyboard, and asked you if you could recommend it?), and now that it's in my room, I've already composed one song. you're right, you really can't write it down, it has a certain rythm that can never be done justice on paper.
just like you I occasionaly played the piano at school, for a quite big audiences, and altough I was always very nervous at first, I could never regret doing it...
To end this long comment, I just wanted to add, that normally I can never listen too long to a certain song, cause I always get bored of hearing them after a while.
Well it's strange but that's not the case with your songs, I just keep listening to them, and altough, I really must say, I know composers who are much more professional, and who write harder songs, I prefer your music, and not theirs.

A matter of understanding another person's life is a concept of knowing that you've seen through that person's eyes and know what they've seen. As a writer I know what all you've gone through. Not wanting to be taught, not wanting the help, wanting to learn it all on your own. The quest for neverending knowledge, from music that not only entertains, but captures an audience, to words of a writer that captures people's interest, but their soulds as well.

Considering the thoughts that you have brought upon here I sense you seek knowledge and creation, but do you really sense such a thing, does anyone really seek creation, to feel and know that what they've created is truly adored by others. Do you feel an accomplishment, or are you creating through soul and spirit?

...Remember it is dangerous for one person to be alone with their thoughts.

Sir, I must applaud you. For your genius, your wonderfully well produced music, for your unique abilities and modest character. You sir, belong with all the Angels of Heaven in their infinite choir (please forgive the praise if you do not believe in Angels or Heaven).

If you would indulge me, I'd like to hear you play Moonlight Sonata.

I am learning the piano as well, and am about to post a cool classical song, but nothing like what you do. You truly are a great artist and are devouted to your work, even past high school. Great job man.

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