Imagine a wooden mallet.

Imagine an Orrefors crystal.

Imagine that mallet taps crystal.

""I can tell you, you shall hear of the highest
crystalline merits that I can think of, to-day: and I wish there
were more of them; but crystals have a limited, though a stern,
code of morals; and their essential virtues are but two;--the
first is to be pure, and the second to be well shaped"--John Ruskin, 1875  (public domain)

"The Seven Virtues" comprises seven melodic instrumental pieces, each titled with the name of a virtue. The pieces are minimalist by design and spirit, and each is comprised entirely of the sampled sound of wooden mallet upon Orrefors crystal, processed through the software synthesizer called Sawcutter 2.0. Processing of the sound reflects the facets of the crystal--with an aim to give the sound an atmosphere, and not to process the sound beyond recognition.

These virtues favor a sharing economy. They are offered for commercial or non-commercial use, under a Creative Commons BY license. You need not seek permission to make such a use, with attribution. You may sample, remix, or utilize the pieces in video, film or other projects, with attribution to gurdonark. Although the core sample is the same for each piece, the pieces vary in their approaches. Take and download those virtues you wish or lack, and feel no compunction about downloading only what you wish. These virtues are to be shared--and not to become burdens in their own right.

No donations are sought for this work. If you feel moved by virtues of your own, then donate funds to your local animal shelter. Over 300,000 pets in the United States alone await adoption. These pets can experience joy, and it is a virtue to help them. These virtues are to be enjoyed. Life is full enough of the reminders of error and sadness.

Those who do experimental electronica often find comfort from the cold climate of incomprehension through communication with one another. If you've enjoyed these pieces, then gurdonark will enjoy hearing from you.

Faith, hope, love--and the greatest, we are advised, is love. Let us hope for a world in which compassion takes hold and madness recedes.
 

 
ambient, electronica, instrumental, chill, weirdbient, minimalist, melodic