Tim Miller’s compositional style is an immersive blend of electronic textures, organic phrasing, and evolving sonic landscapes, shaped by his improvisational approach and deep engagement with technology. Using the Reason digital audio workstation, he crafts dynamic pieces that balance spontaneity with structured development. His compositions often begin with musical cells—short, motif-like phrases—that he manipulates through Reason’s powerful sequencing, looping, and processing tools. These cells serve as the foundation for exploration, gradually evolving through layering, rhythmic displacement, and timbral variation, creating a sense of motion and transformation.
A key element of Miller’s sound is his use of the Electronic Wind Instrument (EWI), a breath-controlled synthesizer that allows for expressive phrasing akin to a traditional wind instrument while offering an expansive palette of electronic tones. The EWI’s ability to control pitch, dynamics, and articulation in real-time makes it a versatile tool for improvisation, seamlessly integrating with his evolving musical structures. Through this combination of improvisation, electronic manipulation, and structured variation, Miller’s compositions achieve a balance between fluid expressivity and intricate design, resulting in music that is both atmospheric and deeply engaging.
During the pandemic shutdown, I was juggling several projects when I suddenly found myself with plenty of spare time—and a touch of boredom. My brother-in-law, Keith Matz, and I came up with the idea of blending our work into something that straddled the line between a slideshow and a video. We decided to let the music guide the visuals, with Keith selecting the photos that spoke to him, and me arranging them into a video format, carefully timing each image to align with the flow of the music.
Under 32
The composition’s original title was Buoyant Stars. Through a collaboration with my brother-in-law, photographer Keith Matz, we decided that the piece inspired a feeling of winter scenes, thus Under 32 became a reality.
Under 32 is a sonic exploration of evolving timbres, shifting spatial perspectives, and controlled randomization of pitch probabilities. In this composition, a single musical cell serves as the foundation but is subjected to continuous transformation, ensuring that no phrase ever repeats in exactly the same form. Through the use of offset cycles and controlled randomization of whether a pitch will play or not, the timbral elements of the voices move independently, creating an intricate web of textures that drift and morph over time. Timbres use the pizzicato string for a launch point being carefully sculpted and combined, shimmering and blending in an ever-changing soundscape.
A key element of Under 32 is its spatial design, where sound is placed across the stereo field randomizing where in the field and when a tone will appear . Instruments and synthesized tones emerge and recede from different positions, creating a sense of movement that enhances the piece’s immersive quality. This effect is best experienced through headphones or in an environment where speakers are spread wide, allowing the listener to perceive the intricate shifts in space and depth. The result is both fluid and expansive, a journey where sound is in a constant state of transformation, never settling, always evolving.
Whispers of Dryads
Whispers of Dryads is a sonic reflection of the deep, spiritual presence found in the forests of Southeastern Michigan, inspired by countless walks I took to cope with the isolation during the solitude of the pandemic shutdown. As I was contemplating the challenge of capturing my emotional state while on these walks, the idea of the Dryad came to me. A Dryad is a mystical tree spirit from Greek mythology, traditionally associated with oak trees but later representing the spirits of all trees and forests. As guardians of nature, Dryads are deeply connected to their trees, embodying their life force, and are often depicted as elusive, ethereal beings who only reveal themselves to those who show reverence for the natural world. Whispers of Dryads seeks to embody the living essence of the trees and the unseen energy that pulses through the natural world, capturing the gentle interplay between towering oaks, rustling leaves, and the creatures that call the forest home. At its heart, the EWI serves as the primary voice, its timbre—a blend of English horn, cello, and bassoon—evoking both the earthy warmth and the ethereal mystique of the woodland realm.
Here Keith’s images capture the natural beauty of the forests surrounding the Huron River, its parks and surrounding landscape provide the backdrop for the music.
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Dappled Sunlight (Sunlight Journey)
Dappled Sunlight is a musical reflection of a perfect summer day—warm but not too hot, a soft breeze rustling the leaves, and puffy cotton-ball clouds drifting lazily across the sky. It was composed during 2020-21, a time of both stillness and transition, as the my mother neared the end of her long journey through dementia. Rather than a lament, this piece is a quiet celebration of her spirit—a tribute to her vibrant, gentle, and compassionate nature always searching for the light.
The music naturally calls for imagery of the sky. Keith has a unique ability to capture the emotions stirred by looking upward, preserving those fleeting moments when the sky seems to speak directly to us.
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