GRAMMY® recognized recording artist and composer Ryan Farish recently released his 16th studio album – Wilderness, something which was inspired by the tranquility of the outdoors.
Described as impactfully emotive, Farish stated that “in many ways, the music of ‘Wilderness’ embodies what I feel has been the most intentional music I’ve ever created.”
We caught up with Ryan Farish to understand how this album came into being, and plenty more.
T.H.E – Hey Ryan! How’s it going and what have you been up to?
Ryan Farish – Hello, and thanks. I’ve been making a lot of music in the studio lately, and the pace doesn’t seem to be slowing up anytime soon.
T.H.E – You just released the title track from your upcoming album – Wilderness. How did it come about?
Ryan Farish – ‘Wilderness’ was an album that I set out to push myself into new directions, and with a singular intention in the music. One of the things that set this album apart from any of my previous albums was the addition of my own vocals in many of the songs.
T.H.E – Talking about the album, this happens to be the 16th studio album of your career. How do you successfully manage to ensure that each album has a different narrative to tell, and that comes alive via your productions?
Ryan Farish – Music for me has always been a natural extension of who I am and a snapshot of where I am in the season or moment. Thankfully, I never have to force new music. Music is in my DNA, it’s who I am and living my life as an Artist is something that I’ve never questioned.
T.H.E – How long has the album been in the works?
Ryan Farish – About a year.
T.H.E – How will ‘Wilderness’ prove to be different from your previous album – Primary Colors?
Ryan Farish – It’s music that all follows a theme, it incorporates for the first time in any of my songs and albums, my own voice and vocals.
T.H.E – What is the significance of the name – Wilderness. What is the message that you want to give with this album?
Ryan Farish – Often times people look to nature, or the outdoors to represent a place they can escape to reconnect with themselves, to dream or to find peace, clarity, and inspiration. The music of this album was made with the intention to help carry you to a place like this, wherever that may be for you.
T.H.E – Given that you are a brilliant producer as well with a lot of experience, what would be your top tips for upcoming producers?
Ryan Farish –
- Don’t hold on to your music too long, realize that practice does make perfect as the saying goes, so your 100th song will be better than your 10th.
- Don’t just buy tons of plugins expecting that there’s a magic plugin that can fix your mixes, or make you sound amazing. There’s no substitute for hard work and lots of it. Learn to play by ear AND to read music (if you choose). I believe, playing by ear should be the first priority of the two. Think about it, you learned to speak before you learned to read. Music is a language, approach it the same way.
- It’s important to listen to recordings from the past and to stay on top of what is relevant now.
- Listen to music from many genres, be a well-rounded listener of music from many periods, genres, and cultures.
T.H.E – Thanks, Ryan! Can’t wait for the release of the album.
Ryan Farish – Thank you so much, it was a real pleasure.
