Composed by Jonathan Wing on December 31, 2024
For my final piece, I went back to the basics 🎻
9 hours of music - that is how much I scored in the year of 2024. This year was incredibly hard and exhausting. What began as a "simple" daily composition challenge eventually blossomed into a full-blown multimedia project with mixing, complex orchestrations, video animations, even coming up with a new title every day. It exercised a lot of creative muscles I wasn't even planning on at the start, but I'm proud of myself for showing up every single day even when I barely had even 30 minutes and I was falling asleep (there is one composition earlier this year which I originally penned on a napkin when I was at a dinner because it's all I had time for, which I then transferred to Dorico when I got home!).
Some days were easier than others, when I had a tune in my head or a new idea I was excited to try – but 90% of the time I would approach a blank score with no idea in mind, which was always scary. But it got easier as time went on, as I proved to myself that anything is possible as long as you show up consistently and are determined to follow through to the end. Repetition and consistency are the keys to unlocking the unknown. I am completely self-taught so this was a year of so much learning and growth. I am only just beginning, but if I've gained anything from this project it is a greater sense of confidence in composition and also discovering my own voice. To me, success is not in the individual scores but in the simple act of doing. No excuses, no complaints, no expectations. The desire to create perfect masterpieces every time is based on a myth of the creative genius which only slows you down and prevents you from finding the truth in your art. As Picasso said, "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working," which has been my mantra for this project. Don't wait around for inspiration to strike. Get to work, just start, and it will find you when you least expect it. I will admit there are times during writing that a certain chord voicing would literally make me cry. There is something so magical, empowering, and uplifting to hear your chords and melodies go from a piano to a full orchestra. Such is the awe-inspiring power and beauty of music. 🥹
My parents passed away a few years ago and I miss them both so much. They were the biggest champions of my music, always rooting for me, and I only just wish I could share these compositions with them. I know they would be so proud. 💔 This new year I'm also celebrating being 5 years sober, so channeling my grief into creativity and music has been one of the most healing things of all. ❤️🩹
Thanks to everyone who supported me. I wish you all an amazing 2025, may it be filled with endless love and creativity! ✨
P.S. Stay tuned this year, I'll be uploading longer pieces of music, some synth & electronic experiments, maybe some software tutorials and more!
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This project is a daily composing practice designed to develop a regular habit of writing no matter what. Good or bad days, inspiration or not, it's about showing up consistently, being ok with mistakes, and learning from it along the way.
“It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap and your work will be as good as your ambitions… you’ve just gotta fight your way through.” —IRA GLASS
Technical Specs:
- Composed in Dorico 5 Pro
- Playback assisted by NotePerformer + NPPEs (VSL Synchron, BBCSO Pro, SSO) + VEPro for various alternate libraries
- Additional mix tools include VSL MIR Pro 3D + FabFilter Plugins
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