Quiet Thoughts: Easier Originals, Vol. 1- Spiral Bound Music Book (PRE-ORDER)

Quiet Thoughts: Easier Originals, Vol. 1 came together while I was working on my Lost Notebooks
project. That project started when I began playing through old manuscript sketchbooks, old iPad
scribbles, voice memos, and half-finished song ideas that had been sitting quietly for years. At first, I
thought I might find enough music for one book and one album. But as I kept digging, I found more
than 100 unfinished songs, and eventually hundreds of finished and unfinished ideas that had never
been shared. What I thought would be a simple project turned into a multi-month rabbit hole.
In the summer of 2026, I released two original songbooks from that collection titled The Forgottens,
and Lost and Found. But along the way, I discovered something I wasn’t expecting. Tucked inside all of
those old notebooks were dozens of shorter, simpler pieces that still had something meaningful to say.
Some of the most simple songs had the strongest melody and emotion.
Many of these pieces were only a page or two long. Some were written during quiet moments. Some
felt more like musical sketches than big concert pieces. But as I played through them, I kept finding
little melodies and ideas that stayed with me. They were simple, but they weren’t empty. They had
feeling. They had space. They had a kind of story and emotion that I loved.
While we were in the recording studio working on music from the Lost Notebooks project, we started
to realize that some of the strongest songs were also some of the easiest to play. That surprised me
a little. I think sometimes, as musicians, we assume that a piece has to be difficult to be great. But
this book reminded me again that beauty can be found in simplicity. Emotion in music doesn’t always
require a lot of notes. Sometimes a simple melody, played with feeling, can say more than something
far more complicated.
I hesitated to use the word “easier” with this book because I didn’t want more advanced pianists
to overlook it. These pieces are approachable, but they are not meant to be throwaway pieces or
beginner exercises. They are original piano solos written to be enjoyed by anyone who loves peaceful,
thoughtful music. A developing pianist can use them to build confidence and musical expression. A
more experienced pianist can use them as a place to slow down, breathe, and enjoy the sound of a
simple idea.
In that way, this book feels like a natural companion to my Easier Hymns series. Those books were
created to help pianists play hymn arrangements that sound beautiful without feeling overwhelming.
This book has a similar purpose, but with original music. My hope is that these songs can be played in
homes, lessons, recitals, quiet evenings, and moments when you just need a little peace at the piano.
The title Quiet Thoughts felt right because that is what many of these pieces feel like to me. They are
small musical thoughts that finally found a home.
I hope you enjoy playing through this collection. More than anything, I hope these pieces remind you
that music doesn’t have to be complicated to be beautiful. Sometimes the simplest songs are the ones
that stay with us the longest.

Song List

1. Meek — Page 4
2. Quiet — Page 6
3. Thoughts — Page 8
4. Raindrops Easier — Page 10
5. Bird Song — Page 12
6. Summer Rain — Page 14
7. Slow Down — Page 17
8. Falling Leaves — Page 20
9. A Listening Ear — Page 22
10. End of the Storm — Page 26
11. Imagine That (First Song) — Page 29