Artist/Band: Ron Sanderson
Music Genre: Christian
Other Genre: Classical Electronic Ambient
Websites or Social Media Pages
http://www.youtube.com/@roniesanderson
https://www.facebook.com/100063339511174/
Bio
Formative Years
It would be fair to say I first got into synthesizer music when the Switched on Bach series first came out in about 1968. From here, it combined my love for classical music with fresh new sounds and a whole new world of possibilities.
I learnt Piano and Bass guitar at a later stage and used the bass in bands for many years.
Because I had an interest in electronics in the 70s I used this knowledge to enhance our music at that time. I think I was the first to have a frequency divider for a Bass so it gave an octave lower. Later, I built a filtering device that emulated a choir sound from a keyboard, and we used this at a large outdoor concert to great effect. So for me music involved innovation.
Next up
I enjoyed a wide variety of music, including Medieval music to contemporary music, as well as rock, pop, and film music scores. I love a great sound.,
I see the synthesizer as a classical tool more than just a sound effects device, and it ties in with my other favourite instrument, the Pipe Organ.
From the 70s till now, I would have spent untold thousands of hours doing sound engineering for both live and recorded artists ( mainly small-time artists). My first album was Concepts Volume 1 and was first made in about 1978 on reel-to-reel, and it got a full play on a local radio station, which was very special. At this time, I may have been the first to play an all-synthesizer outdoor concert in Adelaide at Elder Park.
Here, I used a Tangerine Dream-style theme and a classical work.
Now days
With the advent of the internet and music DAWs, I find composition more convenient now and use both keyboards and “soft synths” and an amazing Virtual Pipe Organ program.
With electronic music, I like the authenticity of sound or realistic sounds, and also more of the synth sounds that are available.
With my more formal classical works, I use a music score program, as this allows for true polyphony and a music score after, if anyone wants to play these. The 5 string quartets were made using this, and the Choir Angelica series was also made with this.
With the impromptu concert series, they are more live played and are only modified to join sections together, and a video is added to go with them.
I use AI images a lot in these to add a bit of interest or theme to the works.
Where to from here?
I am realistic enough to know that I will not be the next big thing ( not Taylor Swift etc ), but it is good to get new and differing types of music out into the community because many out there like these styles. Which is why I’m here.
My newest works at times reflect the 20th-century French Organist who used large broad sounds and
many different tones in their works. Now and then I’ll do a Gothic period style as they lend themselves well to synthesizers.
Some of my music has “dark” themes, while others are bright and grand.
They all have a story to tell and have visions of eternity in some of them. My largest work goes for 25 minutes ( on YouTube as & Days ) and is a story of the universe.
Gear and Gadgets
I run a Gothic-style keyboard stand for the sake of videos and presence.
It has a Casio keyboard with effects pedals added, and a 61-note MIDI keyboard which runs a pair of Roland synth modules. This adds both traditional and contemporary sound to the music.
Both keyboards also run a Virtual Pipe Organ via the MIDI, so in effect, I can have truly symphonic works all at once. There is also a standard pipe organ-sized pedal board to complete the setup, which, when recording a work, can add real depth to the sound.
I then finish off these with a DAW before releasing the works.
I enjoy this whole process but it can also be demanding at times.
I hope you found this interesting,
Ronald J Sanderson,
What Musical Genre Do You Feel Best Describes Your Music And How Would You Describe Your Sound?
The majority of my music has a type of classical, electronic synthesizer feel to give an orchestral effect. I sometimes use a minimalist sound with rich dynamics and multiple tracks to get the right effect. The styles can range from medieval to contemporary.
How Did You Get Your Name? Is There A Story?
I simply use my name.
What Are or Have Been Your Musical Influences?
This is the fun bit, but essentially I grew up with both the old big band era of music and older songs of the 20th century (we had a pianola), and I loved the chords and sounds used in these works. The classical music had a big impression on me as a younger person, but soon found the “Switched on Bach” series launched me into synthesizers and the influence of Bach, Handel, and Monteverdi. Listening to the radio and the regular bands of the times helped develop a passion for bands, and this led to learning Bass guitar and Piano over a few years. I am still discovering new (old ) works to this day and draw upon both Gothic era music and some of the French modern composers particularly with organ and choir. Other influences would have to include Tangerine Dream ( the Rubicon album), Yes, Vangelis, and many of the movie score composers, etc.
What Are You Working On Now? Any Future Collaborations We Can Look Forward To?
At this stage I am composing a new Pipe organ symphony, using a music score program. What the program lacks in authenticity of sound, it makes up for with polyphony and a printed score.
The Impromptu concert series has been successful because it gets a video to match the music. These works use both synthesizer and pipe organ and so have a rich large sound.
What Is Your Ultimate Goal In The Music Industry? What Is Your Plan Of Action?
My ultimate goal would be some recognition and maybe getting a role in a movie one day. Or at least say with the string quartets ( which have scores) is to have one of them played at a concert.
In about 1,980, I had a brand new work played live on the radio, which was awesome too, so even getting something on air is wonderful.
My action plan is making sure I have a product that is good enough and using various means to promote it.
What Is Your Favorite Track To Perform Live and Why?
In a more general setting, I enjoy playing bass in live performances, but that is with a band. As a solo, I have found that a Tangerine Dream type sound using a sequencer for bass works well, and I use to open with the theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey. The selection depends on where and to whom
What Has Been The Biggest Challenge In Your Career Thus Far?
Finding time to be creative and balancing that with everyday life is ongoing.
Overcompletions and disappointments can be hard, especially when I spent 18 months part-time on a new music for a play only to have the playwright pass away, so it never got used. That hurts.
What’s Your Typical Songwriting Process?
I use 3 basic methods to produce a new work. One is to enter the notes one at a time onto a music score program, which is how I made the 5-string quartets and edit them on here. It is a slow process but easily edited for errors.
The next one, having thought about it for ideas, is to set up some chords and try out a multi-track recording, and add the various parts and or sound sets to it. I used this method on reel-to-reel in the 1970s to 80s, and it was used in Concepts volume 1.
I now prefer to play all the parts in a single run if possible, as if it were a live show, but it gets recorded instead. This method is used on the Impromptu concert series. I use a DAW on a PC to join the tracks and finish off the process.
How Has Social Media Influenced Your Career As An Artist?
It can be a very useful tool to get new or existing works known in the first place. Again, it is a painstaking process as not everyone is just going to flock to your socials. I have to constantly build on it and be proactive. On the other side of it, I see or listen to other artists to see what they do and get ideas. Fortunately, I have managed to avoid the “haters,” so for me it has been a good experience.
What Are Some Tracks and Artists Currently On Your Playlist?
I tend to listen to YouTube a lot, so I have mainly performers rather than bands. I have found that groups like the Thomas Tallis singers and other Renaissance era groups, Paul Fey, Daniel Roth, and others like them (organists) are often on my list. Yes, I will listen to Hip hop, country, gospel rock, etc.
There are some good synth players out there who I find inspiring and often have tracks on YouTube.
What Did You Do Before You Started Making Music?
I learnt some electronics and sound system designs, so it was a logical progression to use this in my music, as far as gear goes. It also benefited the band I had then. Later, the sound engineering side of things was used in producing other artists and church services for 30 years. I still make up my leads, speakers, and sound gadgets if I can’t get them off the shelf.
Any Advice For Young People (Men or Women) Who Want To Succeed In The Music World?
What a big subject this can be. Find a style of music that inspires you to want to be something bigger! Find a good musical instrument that you can afford. Learn to play it properly, this could be formal lessons, a book, or online. Make sure you can at least read chord charts or sheet music as this expands your horizons. Use your ear to recognize chords and intervals (note spacings ) and that all-important tuning with other instruments. If you can get into a band or group, you will enjoy playing more and get a good lift out of it, and hopefully, you will gain that all-important confidenceence.
Last but not least, do not waste too much money on gadgets, amps, and keyboards as it is no substitute for ability. I have fallen for this trap often, yes, it’s nice to have stuff, but playing ability is what you get known for.
What Would You Change In The Music Industry If You Were A Top Music Executive?
The tendency to stereotype types of music into a few “boxes” makes it hard for differing styles to get up and running, particularly if you’re not US or UE-based, and this seems to have something to do with the algorithms on various platforms.
If I were a top Music Executive, I think I would have pressure on me to find artists who can make money, rather than being free to give something new a try.
How Do You Feel About Originality?
I love it. Even with the general mainstream top pop bands, there is a lot of scope for originality. A country band usually has the same ingredients in it, but now and then there is something just different (just as an example ), otherwise there are just a lot of similar items out there.
I do try to be different, but not so different that the musicality is lost and becomes a horrid din.
On the other hand, nd if you go to a gym, there is that banal drum loop and autotuned singer, nauseamum, ugh! Let’s be a bit different.
Is There Anything Else We Should Know About You Or That You Would Like to Add?
Whether you’re a part-time musical person like I am, or a paid studio or orchestra player, or even a sound engineer, I think it is a truly wonderful thing to share a deeper part of your soul with others in the field of music. It must take you on a journey filled with mystery and ins