Track
On
Music
Darby Orr presents Zen Garden
When a valued client reached out to us with a need for music for mindfulness, we identified a need in our library for more tranquil, relaxing, spacious, and ambient tracks, and we knew exactly who we wanted to compose them...
Darby Orr is a Los Angeles-based yoga & meditation teacher, retreat leader, writer, and musician/composer. His yoga and meditation work emphasizes mindfulness and joy, focusing on maintaining a creative life without “suffering for your art" – who better to create an album of music to improve mindfulness practice?
Hi Darby! What was your intention when sitting down to compose Zen Garden?
Zen Garden is a soundtrack to still the mind and quiet the thoughts. Like ourselves within the meditation practice, the music is completely present and doesn’t have a goal or destination. It is peaceful and optimistic, inspired by the organic tones of nature.
How does your expertise as a yoga and meditation teacher inform the music you compose?
For me, the process of composing meditation music is itself a meditation practice. I’m a big believer in priming my environment, so I rearrange my gear, change the lighting, and create a workspace of tranquility conducive to the task.
What can you tell us about your composition and production process?
I spend a lot of time experimenting with tones and FX and how they interact with each other. When the pieces are in place, I often record the song's main elements in one live pass using the keyboards and controllers that surround me. Limiting myself to only using two hands helps keep the essence of the song simple and focused. I then embellish the tracks to add subtle depth and richness. Each step of the process involves a lot of meditative listening to make sure I’m honoring the track's intent and not my composer ego.
What is your inspiration when composing music for yoga and meditation?
Nature is the biggest inspiration for my music and yoga/meditation practice. It has stillness and flow, stability, and subtle growth, all the while connecting us both to ourselves and to everything around us. I guess I’m a modern Transcendentalist from the school of Emerson and Thoreau. They used words to convey this connection; I use music.
How do you see the music you created on Zen Garden being used?
I picture the music of Zen Garden being used with both images of organic tranquility and surreal movement. Zen Garden is the perfect counterpart to emotionally rich visuals that instill a journey of contemplation. In the past, I’ve been quite surprised by the many ways my meditation music has been used. I often get notes from writers who listen to my music while working on their latest book. I know a successful sculptor who creates these deliciously dark pieces often listens to my meditation music while he works. Light music and dark sculptures, so surprising and yet an example of the balance of nature. I’m excited to see where the music of Zen Garden is employed. I have no doubt it will be wonderful and surprising.
Listen to Zen Garden here.
Darby Orr is co-founder of Bhavana Flow Yoga. You can find his classes and workshops at bhavanaflowyoga.com.