Sound Travels
Now accepting students + recent tour reflections, releases, & music in motion
Hi everyone,
It’s been a little while. I hope things are mostly positive in your orbit. I’m aiming to be more consistent with this newsletter moving forward, maybe monthly or bimonthly… We’ll see how it goes.
Today, I’d like to announce that I’m accepting new students for private lessons and share a few recent highlights from the music side of life.
Now Enrolling New Students
Have you been wanting to dive into or deepen your skills in modular synthesis (hardware or VCV Rack), music production in Ableton Live, or guitar? Well, I have a few openings for private lessons. I teach both in-person here in NYC and online.
Here’s a glimpse into what a few current students are working on:
Sam is learning music theory through modular synthesis, aiming to write better songs and build a live set.
Jacob is exploring generative composition on modular synth. Each week we build a patch around a new concept, take detailed notes, and record multiple takes of the results.
Esme is tackling classic guitar solos. She’s currently working through some iconic Metallica.
Ben is focused on finger-style guitar and improvisation in the Celtic and Irish traditions.
If that sounds like something you’d be into, or if you have your own creative goals, I’d love to hear from you. Simply fill out my lesson form to get in touch.
Music Update
It’s been a packed year creatively, full of exciting projects and challenges. Back in February, I toured the South and Midwest with support from a Foundation for Contemporary Arts grant. It was one of my favorite tours to date. I met so many people doing important work, whether that’s uplifting experimental artists, running inclusive performance spaces, or bringing music to kids in need. Honestly, it made the world feel a little less dismal.
Then in April, I hit the road again with dates on the West Coast, Midwest, and in Canada. I played in a variety of groups and really got to stretch out as an improviser. A standout moment was Exit Points, where I played in a quintet with some truly incredible players. I’m still riding the high from that one. Here’s a pic:
👉 Also, here’s a video of my set at Elastic Arts in Chicago in April.
I recently wrapped up my Generative Etudes series with the final three releases this spring, including a special CD edition of Vol. 3 on 3OP. You can check out the full series (9 different editions!) on Bandcamp. This was a massive project, and I’m really glad that all the etudes are now out there for folks to listen to.
Lastly, I wrote a new work for The Movement Project, which arrived right as I was thinking about how much I’d love to collaborate with dance again. If that one ever gets released, I’ll make sure to share it here.
Well, that’s all for now. I’ll be back soon with more updates, along with some ideas I’ve been wanting to write about.
Thanks so much for reading.
Warmly,
Matthew Ryals