The World of Composing

I have to admit that I don't have alot of formal musical training. I've dabbled a bit with theory, but I don't really have the patience to study music formally. I compose by ear, largely putting together sounds that seem cohesive to me. With jazz vocals, I prefer to improvise, and enjoy being given phrases left to my own interpretation. It works for me. What more can I say?

The World of Music

Creating has many faces, and I find that many artists are versed in several avenues of creativity. For me, it's pretty much narrowed down to photography, writing and music. I can't cook, that's for sure. Sewing? Give me a break.

As a vocalist, I love jazz and the freedom it allows with improvisation. Some of my influences include Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Sting and Stevie Wonder. I can't really read music, and I don't have the patience to learn, so I rely on my right brain for inspiration.

I also fool around with the keyboard, and have created a number of songs through Garageband. Most of my original material reflects my many travels, and my interests in ecclectic styles of music combining a variety of genres.

To hear some of my music, go to:
http://www.icompositions.com/artists/grathy

Here are the links to my CDs:
http://cdbaby.com/cd/mcgrathnasr
http://cdbaby.com/cd/marymcgrath

Hello to all of you and welcome to my blog.

Inside you'll find a wealth of information regarding photography, writing, music and a variety of other topics.

As a freelance writer, photographer and composer, my work has appeared in a number of magazines, newspapers, books and on several web sites. Hopefully you'll find my work informative and perhaps entertaining.

Thanks for stopping by!
Mary McGrath
www.marymcgrathphotography.com

The World of Inspiration

What is inspiration? Is it synthesizing something and converting it to a new form? Is it approaching everyday things from a new perspective? Some say creativity is born of pain. I say creativity is in all of us, if we simply find those things that are of importance to us, and then indulge our passions accordingly.

The World of Creativity

I believe we're all inherently creative. Some of us are creative in publically acclaimed areas. Others are creative in quiet ways that rarely receive attention. How do you muster up creative juices? Sometimes it's by simply taking another route, trying something new, getting out of your comfort zone. For me, I try to describe the mundane in an unusual fashion. Use new verbs. Try new adjectives. Look at the object and throw new words at it. In photography, I try to approach the subject from an unusual angle, often rendering it in an abstract fashion. In music, I try to break the barriers of musical styles. What is music anyway, but a symphony of sounds that render themselves pleasant to the ears?