music | morlanstudio

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In 2002, I stopped playing and performing music. While I occasionally worked on music using a DAW, the process felt empty and stressful. Hearing the same piece over and over became a bit much, and by the time I finished a project, I didn’t want to listen to it anymore.

By 2019, my studio, only 100 square feet, was full of paintings and drawings. It was becoming impractical. So, at almost 65 years old, I decided to purchase a small synth. At least I wouldn't need extra space to store recordings, just a jump drive.

The synth arrived unexpectedly on my late brother's birthday. One thing led to another, and here I am, creating music again. I didn't know much about the equipment available these days, so there was a lot of trial and error. After a few years, I found the gear that produces a sound that I enjoy.

In the past, I created and perform songs, typically three to five minutes long. However, I needed to break away from that. It became monotonous playing the same songs repeatedly, with the audience anticipating familiar tunes.

So, I've decided to create a sonic environment - a predictable space. Akin to visiting the beach, the forest, or a park. At the beach, for instance, you expect certain beachy elements and a somewhat predictable atmosphere. That's the kind of music I create now. Like visiting the beach, listeners can arrive at any time and depart whenever they please.

My goal has been to be able to sit down and record an hour of music without stopping. I figured, at the very least, I'd have new music to listen to throughout the day, and it would be effortless to share it.

Gear Info

Maximum Gear Setup

(in the order of the signal chain)

BOSS TU-3, BOSS DS-1, CBA Mood, CBA Condor, CBA Blooper, CBA Thermae, CBA Onward, Strymon Brig, Strymon Cloudburst, Hologram Microcosm, BOSS RC-5 then the signal goes out to amplification.

Minimal Gear Setup

(in the order of the signal chain)

BOSS TU-3, BOSS DS-1, CBA Blooper, CBA Onward, Strymon Brig, Strymon Cloudburst, BOSS RC-1, BOSS RC-5 then the signal goes out to amplification.

Note: the BOSS RC-5 is only used as a 32bit recorder to record the sessions.

My Guitars

PRS SE CE24 with D'Addario Nickel Wound - Light Top/Heavy Bottom strings.

Gibson Les Paul Tribute with D'Addario Pure Nickel Jazz Medium strings.

1959 Gretsch 6124 Anniversary Model single pickup with D'Addario Nickel Wound - Light Top/Heavy Bottom strings.

With these I use a stainless steel slide and a sustainer. I have both the EBow and AEON sustainers. I like felt picks but also use my fingers, they create a warmer sound.

My guitars are always tuned in Open C.

PRS SE CE24 guitar — above: PRS SE CE24 Charcoal
(I sanded off some of the
finish and Tru-Oiled it)

Maximum gear setup — above: **Maximum Gear Setup**
(the MICROCOSM has been
replaced by the BOSS RC-1)

Minimal gear setup — above: **Minimal Gear Setup**

music projects

(the music on my project sites will always be free to listen to)

After much exploring,
I’ve arrived at these distinct projects,
each defined by the gear used.

For detailed gear info click the info icon above.

3T3.ca

The 3T3.ca project uses the Minimal Gear Setup with sequenced patterns using a KORG Volca FM synthesizer along with a KORG SQ-1 sequencer. The sequences are recorded into the 16 tracks of a CBA Blooper.

3T3.ca is a mixture of guitar and synthesizer.

3T3.ca is seasonal music and plant photography. The site hosts nine 20-minute pieces (3 hours total). New uploads replace the oldest, and the photo updates each time. Each set of three new pieces is compiled into an album.

3T3.ca on Bandcamp has hour long albums for sale. The albums are the latest nine; earlier albums are rotated out.

To use the 3T3.ca interface click the dot to open the player. Each dot in the ring represents approximately 20 minutes of music. Select as many dots as you like; they’ll play in the order you choose. Click the center dot and the music starts playing.

intothesky.ca

The intothesky.ca project is a single long-form ambient piece. It uses the Minimal Gear Setup without the synthesizer. Just the guitar, the pedals, a stainless steel slide, an EBow, a felt pick and me standing, looking out a window at the sky.

mod25.ca

The mod25.ca project is a very different kind of project for me. I'm using the Count to 5 pedal by Montréal Assembly and the Meet Maude pedal by Fairfield Circuitry with my 1959 Gretsch guitar using the AEON sustainer and the stainless steel slide with a felt pick.

Both of these pedals are very unique and both are uniquely Canadian. I really liked both of them but didn't know what to do with either.

One day I thought that I'd try using the two of them together and I really liked how odd they were together. For the project I combined the names; Meet Maude with Count to 5 and came up with mod25.

There are 9 pieces approximately 3 minutes each for a total of a little over 30 minutes. It's noisy, it's chaotic, it's wonderfully noisy and chaotic.

mod25.ca on Bandcamp has the 30 minute album for sale. Only one album is available at any one time.

jefmorlan on bandcamp

jefmorlan Bandcamp screenshot — above: jefmorlan on Bandcamp 2025-01-05

Then there's jefmorlan on Bandcamp. This is where posting my music began and they seem ancient now. It's interesting how quickly things change, no?

There are two album concepts here. First was a woman with a bird on her head and then sleeping people.

Both of these album concepts use the Maximum Gear Setup with a Gibson Les Paul Tribute using an AEON sustainer with a stainless steel slide and my fingers.

The difference between the two is that sleeping people only uses the AEON sustainer. No picking of the strings.

Below is the story of awwabohh:
a woman with a bird on her head.

With sleeping people, my wife was very ill, and while she slept, I played the music in a way so as not to wake her.