Kim Riemer

I am a composer of mostly instrumental music, usually in the instrumental rock genre. This is where I usually post my guitar oriented tunes. I also compose electronic music, using a variety of software synthesizers.

I've been experimenting with composing in a more minimalistic style, cutting down on instrumentation, focusing on one instrument, while allowing a couple of textural layers to flesh out the composition.

I am currently working towards releasing a cd of original material which will have more of a mainstream focus on vocal songs leaning towards Rock General kind of thing.

I play guitar, bass, and keyboards.

If you enjoy my music, please take a moment and rate my songs, or post a comment, I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Thanks for listening.

Kim

I started writing songs in 1983. Like many others I began to experiment using 2 cassette decks to put together some crudely recorded demos.

In 1986 I quit the wedding band I was playing in, sold my PA system, and bought my first 4-track cassette recorder.

Somewhere around 1990, my 4-track started to malfunction. The mechanism for the play, fastforward and rewind ceased to function properly due to metal fatigue, which means I wore it out.

At this point I was looking for something different, and I began working with a Korg M1 music station and a Korg wavestation midi'ed up to a Roland MC microcomposer sequencer thing, which brought about a major change in my sound. My 4-track still functioned as a mixer, so I'd run the stereo out from the synth with all my tracks sequenced into tracks 1 and 2 on the 4-track and would mic up the guitar amp through tracks 3 or 4 and record the guitar track or a vocal on the fly, being mixed straight to cassette.

In the spring of 1996 I purchased my first computer, and recording software from Steinberg, Cubase VST. And that was the beginning of my move into the world of digital recording. Today my studio has undergone a third major upgrade to professional quality hardware and software, and still centers around Steinberg software, Cubase 4.

And now the songs are starting to happen, the lyrics are happening, and the time seems right. So I have started to work towards releasing a cd of original music.

I used to play live in a cover band, but as of May 10th 2008, I've decided to focus my work in my home studio.

As you listen to some of my music you will see that I've written songs in several different genre's. Everything from Rock general, Instrumental rock, Country, Jazz,Classical, Acoustic rock,Blues, Ambient Electronic, Instrumental Electronica, and Film music.

You might wonder what's influencing this stuff?

For my vocal rock songs, artist like Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Adams, John Mellencamp, Bob Seger, Keef Richards,Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits, are big influences of mine.

Then there's my rock/metal influences such as ACDC, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Rush and Dream Theater.

Then there's also the instrumental side of things with influences from the likes of Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Jeff Beck and Yngwie Malmsteen.

There is also the blues side as well, with influences from Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eric Clapton Muddy Waters, Jimi Hendrix, George Thoughrogood, BB King and John Lee Hooker.

Then there's the acoustic stylings of Michael Hedges and Lenny Breau.

For the classical stuff, it's Leona Boyd's classical guitar, and Yo Yo Ma's Cello, and also Mozart.

For the country tunes, I lean towards Willie Nelson, and Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings as well as Hank Williams Sr.

And while I'm on the topic of musical influences I have to mention the Beatles and Frank Zappa, and Elvis.

My studio is centered around a MusicXPC computer, a MOTO 8Pre firewire audio interface, and Cubase 4 recording/sequencing software.Tannoy Reveal 8D active studio monitors, DX4 M-Audio monitors, M-Audio Keystation Pro88 USB Keyboard and 2 acer visual display monitors. For effect plugins, I'm using Waves Gold Bundle. For VST instruments I have the V Collection from Arturia, The Analog and digital collection from Korg, Propellerhead Reason, Drumkit from hell drum software from East/West, Garritan Personal Orchestra, Ivory Synthogy, And from Spectrasonics, Atmosphere, Trilogy and Stylus. Guitar Rig 2. Fender "Mexistrat" guitar, Gibson Les Paul Studio guitar. BC Rich Acoustic guitar Traynor 4x10 guitar amp Pod XT Live floor pedal Peavy Bass, Crate Bass amp, Vox bass amp. Apex Studio Condenser microphone package.

There are alot of fine musicians on this website. We probably all started out on our own, probably on 4-track cassette recorder or using the 2 cassette bounce overdub thing, moved on to keyboard sequencer workstations, then into the digital age with the newly affordable computers, and recording software.

We all probably turned out less than spectacular recordings of our music, I know I did. Over the years however, I've noticed the quality of the recordings are improving, the songwriting has improved along with the performance being captured onto hard drives all over the world.

It seems as if we've all gone out and bought books on mixing and recording, and worked on our musicianship skills.

Over the years Soundclick has been here for us all, while others have come and gone. Even a giant like mp3.com got swept away, seemingly by greed.

But Soundclick has remained with us, so thanks for giving us a home for our music. Happy 11th Soundclick and many more. :)