Interview with pianist and composer Steven Cravis
Steven Cravis is a pianist, composer and soundtracks producer in San Francisco, influenced by Sting, George Winston, Hans Zimmer and Andreas Vollenweider. His works have been heard in the award winning QUELL app, Animal Planet, CBS, CNN, NBC, Matchroom Sport (UK) and more. We have conducted an interview with him.
How unique is your music? What do you consider is different about creating video games music?
My music is unique in that it comes from a mixture of my dreams and feelings, combined with melodies, chords and improvisations that come from years of playing some classical, and mostly jazz. The difference when I've composed for game or puzzle apps is that the game programmers may suggest the main feeling or idea before I create the music, as oppose to me coming up with just anything that I feel.
Which of the apps have your music on it? Which is your personal favorite?
Orisinal.com (flash) games on desktop, have many of my compositions, both already-composed, and specially composed for the games. At Orisinal, 'Critical Zone' has one of my favorite short scores, because it was unlike anything I had done before; a repeating loop of an almost 'Star Wars' like riff. Calm (very popular relaxation app) is now starting to include some of my music and I hope to be working more with them. My favorite track in Calm is one of the pieces from my Healing Piano album because of the floating and ambient nature of the piano recording which was done at Piano Haven Recording Studio. The Quell zen-style puzzle app series have 100% custom created (specifically for this app) music, and some of my personal favorite tracks were "Distant Hearts Longing" and "The Letter Unopened" now available on the album 'The Quell Collection', and 'Where Are You' now available on the EP 'Quell Zen Soundtrack'.
In your opinion, who is a bigger music influence: Sting or Hans Zimmer?
Sting has been a bigger influence because I've followed his music longer, since The Police and all the way through his solo albums, and have just always felt a connection with his musical choices, - his chords, rhythms, and melodies. Hans Zimmer is more of an influence on my symphonic compositions such as "Remembrance", "Le Val de Loire" and "Olympian Dreams" and I always like the stories Zimmer tells with his music in movies.
Why did you choose the New Age genre?
Since the 1980s I connected deeply with the piano sound of like rural folk pianist/composer George Winston and classical/jazz pianist/composer Liz Story. I knew that I wanted to create a similar type of piano sound with my own compositions, which started my journey into recording several New Age piano albums.
True Reflections - Solo Piano
The Sound of Light - Solo Piano
Healing Piano
Cloudwalker
The rest of my albums have layers of multiple instrumental sounds, often still including piano. All albums can be found through https://www.stevencravis.com/streaming
How does it feel to be able to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism with your music?
It feels satisfying to create artistic inspiration, relaxation and optimism with my music. I believe music transcends everything else, and has a purpose to heal and unify everyone, not separate or isolate anyone. I feel purposeful when I create this music and share it with the world.
The piano album listings:
True Reflections - Solo Piano
The Sound of Light - Solo Piano
Healing Piano
Cloudwalker
Special piano album which I recorded under the artist name aka Happy Halloween Music:
Haunted House Piano Serenades
All streaming options for my music are now at https://www.StevenCravis.com/streaming
True Reflections - Solo Piano
The Sound of Light - Solo Piano
Healing Piano
Cloudwalker
Special piano album which I recorded under the artist name aka Happy Halloween Music:
Haunted House Piano Serenades
All streaming options for my music are now at https://www.StevenCravis.com/streaming
Sheet Music: https://www.stevencravis.com/store
Connect:
Subscribe to Official Newsletter: https://www.stevencravis.com/newsletter/
Follow on:
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/stevencravis
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/stevencravis
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/stevencravis
TV and Film production companies can now license music at https://www.stevencravis.com/licensing-music/
(USA only) STEVEN CRAVIS RADIO on Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/station/play/3693348422306970951
Quell app: http://www.fallentreegames.com
Calm app: http://calm.com/sleep
Orisinal (flash) desktop games: http://www.orisinal.com
