Beginning
Releases January 1st, 2024
By Ear's debut album of seven songs- one improvised in each key, A to G- all focused on the joy of a new year.
Improvised piano instrumentals
Music has such a powerful influence upon us. It's such an integral part of our lives. But where does music come from? How is it created?
Inspired by the Romantic era impromptus, By Ear is a new musical project seeking to flourish the creative spirit. All songs are written in the moment, created from mere inspiration, all done in imago dei.
About
By Ear is the improvised piano instrumentals of Nathan Warren. After majoring in music his first year of college, life led him down a different career path but he always enjoyed creating his own music. Nathan is coming back to his roots musically and is now opening up his piano instrumentals to the world.
Nathan is married to his high school sweetheart, Jennifer, and has two awesome kids, Levi and Selah. He also pastors a small church south of Houston.
FAQ
Why improvisations?
The simple answer is I've always enjoyed writing songs in the moment rather than formal, by-note playing. Improvisation is quite common in jazz, guitar solos, and has a history dating back to the Romantic era. Also, I only have a limited amount of time with life responsibilities. I highly recommend David Reed's book, Improvise For Real, for a thorough plan for improving improvising.
What's with the letters and numbers in the song titles?
The letter is the musical key the song was composed in, and the number tells which song- first, second, third, etc.- has been written in that key. Similar to classical music notations, just simpler.
Doesn't by ear mean playing music perfectly after hearing it once?
Yes, but it's also a euphemism for figuring things out as you go, i.e. improvisation.