Carter Bennett Music

19/04/2024

“Avatar” is now out everywhere featuring !

This song has taken many forms…I switched up the arrangement too many times - even after Ny had already recorded her vocals! It was an ever evolving project for a while there.

I wrote the original instrumental and hook right after I got home from seeing Avatar: The Way of Water in the theater. I was creatively inspired by that movie in so many ways. The visuals were stunning, music incredible, and the story was moving. I was home from college on Christmas break and all I had was my MPC and computer on the kitchen table. Got to work immediately as we got home from the theater.

This version isn’t exactly that version anymore, but the spirit of it is still there. That movie had such a breath of fresh air in it. The way the tribes live harmoniously with nature and each other was extremely emotional for me to see. Although they’re aliens, it felt so incredibly human.

This song represents (at least to me) a sense of longing for something that’s deeply ingrained within the core of human nature. A togetherness. An escape to a reality of how we are supposed to live. A pull to run away and explore new lands and commune with new people. Maybe as a new person yourself. Thus, it’s title.

Love you all, thanks for listening and (maybe) reading!

Mix .music.official
Master

🩷🩷🩷

12/04/2024

“Back 2U” is out now!

I wrote this one about my safe space- The Cabin. It’s about the longing to be there. Needing to be with my family. The feeling of picking myself up and finding a way back to where I belong - not to be consumed by toxicity or darkness when it closes in. Which is does. Often. Depression and anxiety is a very real thing, and I don’t talk about it all that much. It’s very sensitive to me, and I feel vulnerable talking about it. I’m not healed, but I’m healing.

If you are going through something, rest assured that it will pass. Put your faith in God and the people you love. Create art. Read. Exercise. Pray! Most importantly remember who you are and where your heart resides. Remember you can always get back. Remember you are loved. You were intricately created for a reason.

I wrote this tune originally as a folksy guitar song, but slowly it morphed into what it is now. Probably for the best, I have too many ballads out right now ha. Maybe that version will come out someday as a B-side.

Thanks to all these folks for contributing to the project:

Bass ._
Electric Guitar
Percussion .on.socks.music
Chimes .watt.music

Mix .music.official
Master

I love you all, thanks for listening! Stay safe and God bless.
🩷🩷🩷

p.s. the “2U” title styling is an ode to my biggest influence, Prince👀

28/02/2024

Phases, Vol. 2 will be out this Friday! It will include two new songs, “Flower Child” and “Scootie” along with the previously released “Sooner or Later” and “Blue”.

Phases, Vol. 2 is a small collection of tunes I wrote at the piano. 3/4 songs I wrote and recorded in the same weekend last winter without leaving my room for a few days.

I was in search for a way to express the many emotions I was experiencing at the time, and felt the only way I could really do that was by isolating myself for those days. It was therapeutic and allowed this project to take form.

This EP explores the emotional contrasts of love and loss. This project also encompasses some of the densest vocal arrangements I’ve recorded. The voice to me feels like the clearest path to the soul, which is why this project has my voice stacked sometimes over 40 times. Different ranges indicate different feelings and sides to my expression. It was my way to really express what I was feeling at the time.

I think that’s why I lean towards the falsetto as much as I do. It’s such a vulnerable way for a guy to sing, and that vulnerability is what I try to bring to my music.

Thank you for listening and reading.

Phases, Vol. 2 💙💙

Love,

Carter

Mix: .music.official
Master:

31/12/2023

2023 encompassed the strongest array of emotions. When looking back, this year has brought on more life experience than the past few years combined.

Love, loss, and heartbreak. Rapid change and the realization of life’s delicacy. Candidly - it’s been the hardest year of my life.

Through it all there has been growth. New chapters and personal development. I’ve found solace in friends, family, music, and most importantly God. We’ve had joyous times that served as beacons of hope in an otherwise dark year - each serving as a reminder of life’s paradoxical tendencies.

l feel extremely blessed.

Sending love to all. Happy New Year💜

14/12/2023

The album is done.

Special thanks to for having us out to finish the record today. It was such a blessing. I can’t believe it’s done.

Special thanks to .music.official and .watt.music for wrangling this project with me here at the finish line so that this one will finally go out. No more vault projects haha.

It was a magical experience to finally hear this work as I’ve heard it in my head for the past year(s).

Soon enough it will be yours to experience as well.

Love,

Carter

21/11/2023

This past Friday, the very first TiffinKidz album was released. This project is extremely special to me in so many ways…and it’s been a blast to put together. I’m so proud of these kids.

For those of you who don’t know, at the end of my sophomore year I proposed the idea of modifying TU’s kids choir to instead becoming a recording project. I thought it would be a great way for local kids to learn about the studio and what goes into making some of their favorite songs. I also thought it would be great practice for me as a producer to recreate pop songs and work with young vocalists.

The past two years we’ve been doing just that. Once a week we met afterschool to record this album.

This project is really my first album I’ve ever produced all on my own. I recorded and played all the instruments (except guitar on “Shallow” - thanks Colton Fleure haha), mixed, mastered, and finished this whole thing. I did this to prove to the kids that they can do the same thing. That it is possible to do it all yourself and make it happen.

This “do-it-yourself” ideology is what inspired me from the start back when I was their age and saw people like Jon Bellion creating songs independently. It blew my mind. I was inspired by people like Ryan Stuempges who told me I could do it too if I worked hard enough at it.

7 years later and I’m still working at that. I still have that same fire I did at 15 in awe of the possibilities of music.

This project is really the start though. The first of many albums to come. I’m so incredibly proud of these kids…so talented and wise beyond their years. They’ve really grown so much and become incredible young musicians. Unreal what they are able to do, and it’s been a blessing to have been a part of the start of their musical journey.

Thank you Tiffin University Music Department for this amazing opportunity and thank you Jessica Briney for co-directing this project with me.

Check out the project!!! Much love to you all. 💜👊🏼

12/11/2023

Incredible experience playing with this weekend. so blessed to have joined the crew this summer. Excited to see what the future holds 🙏🏼

20/10/2023

Thank you all for streaming my EP “Phases, Vol. 1”! This weekend I made it back up to my grandparents cabin in Northern Minnesota to sort of reset. The cover for “Birds” was shot here years ago, and the birds you hear in the background are from this space.

So many memories up here…

During the pandemic I came up here and lived “off the grid” for an entire summer. It was one of the most enriching experiences of my life…I’d spend my days waking up early to do outdoor chores and work on the cabin. I’d listen to as much music as I could while I was working, and then I’d spend my nights in the bunkhouse recording and practicing based off of what I listened to that day. Most nights, especially during the week, I was the only person on the lake. It was incredible.

Since my family sold the house I grew up in, this place has truly become my new definition of home. Northern Minnesota…in the middle of nowhere.

So much of who I am and what my artistry reflects comes from this place.

06/10/2023

“Phases, Vol. 1” EP is out now! After years of writing and recording countless songs that never made it to the release stage, it feels great to finally put something out. Take this project as a small introduction and invitation my musical world.

Thank you so much to Andrew Ospina and Brian Hernandez for mixing and mastering this project! Without you guys, these songs would be collecting dust in the ole vault.

Thank you to all of my friends for contributing their talents to my project as well!
Evan Watt (Bass, Chimes), Justin Ferstler (Guitar), Colton Fleure (Guitar), Jess Briney, Audra Sennish, Jo Ochenduski (Background Vocals), Daulton Shields (Drums), and my Grandpa Jerry (Wise Words).

Thank you for your continued support with my original music! All this posting has been weird for me…I’d definitely rather be in my room recording more songs and hiding. For now it’s what i gotta do i suppose!

love,

carter💜


watt.music .music.official .never.stops.singing

02/10/2023

This Friday my EP "Phases, Vol. 1" will be out everywhere! Within it are two unreleased songs - "Birds" and "Round 2". The next few weeks I will be sharing a bunch of behind the scenes footage I gathered over the past year that highlights the creative process behind this project.

Special thanks to Andrew Ospina and Brian Hernandez for mixing and mastering this project!

Also special thanks to all these people for their contributions to the project!
Evan Watt (Bass, Chimes), Justin Ferstler (Guitar), Colton Fleure (Guitar), Jess Briney, Audra Sennish, Jo Ochenduski (Background Vocals), Daulton Shields (Drums), and my Grandpa Jerry (Wise Words).

And thank you to YOU for listening and reading this far!!!

This year I'm opening up the vault and sharing what I've been up to. This EP is only a small part of a much larger project on the way - thank you for your continued support with my music!

Let's goooooooooo!!!

08/06/2023

The Human Harmonizer (Part 2) - Here’s a little behind the scenes clip about the harmonizer I used on the record!

This section is towards the end of the pre chorus. When I’m writing a tune, I try to make each section it’s own little world first within the arrangement. When it comes to production, I can heighten that because the arrangement already lays the groundwork so that it’s a lot easier. I feel that you gotta make it sound good on its own with just the piano before you can really get a solid production going.

A lot of times when peeps show me their work, they keep saying their song is losing energy or gets boring. They tell me they want to add more production to make it explode. This is such an easy ideology to fall into…however if something isn’t working, just rewrite it. Change up the chords, add some counterpoint. Or just cut that section of the song! For instance this song was at one point 5 and a half minutes long. WAY to long and elaborate…it just felt too bloated. I had a couple sections that got cut or rewritten. Some sections became other sections at a different part in the song. It’s just part of the process of sculpting a song and it’s really wild to see how dramatically different it all can sound so quickly with a few changes.

I used the harmonizer, along with a bunch of organic vocal harmony takes to build this wall of sound at this point in the song. Paired that with a bit of reverb automation, it gives a little palette cleanser of sorts to make the last chorus hit a bit harder.

I also used that spot as an opportunity to drop some of the instruments for a moment to give space and let the arrangement breathe. Then when I bring in the chorus, - this time with the ole MPC drums - it hits harder than it otherwise would have. But only because I took pieces away right before and allowed for that impact to occur.

Thank you all for watching, reading, or both. Song is out TOMORROW!!!

Love,
Carter

08/06/2023

The Human Harmonizer (Part 1) - Here’s how I recorded the background harmonizer/vocoder parts in my single “Human” that comes out this Friday!

Had a little too much fun laying these parts. I wanted something that had a synth/string pad sort of feel, but was a bit more flexible. So I riffed and hummed to my song with the harmonizer on until I found something that worked. It was pretty wild because I was committing to how the harmonizer would catch my voice, while recording it live.

This helped me think a bit more creatively with melodies and parts. Usually I’ll just play something in on the keys or a guitar, but using my voice like I did with this plugin on it was so interesting and felt very expressive.

If you don’t have it yet, check out the harmonizer. It’s really interesting and inspiring to use.

Thanks for watching!

Love,
Carter

08/06/2023

Piano Breakdown (3/3) of my single "Human" that comes out this Friday.

Nerding out over whether I should have used a minor 4 or diminished 2 chord. Felt like a complete poser when I told .manfredo I loved the minor 4's she had been playing at one of her performances...turns out they were diminished twos. I guess my ears were just not on that night...so much still to learn.

Went home and experimented with them. It was the sound I was always looking for! hahaha

I was working on this song at that time and swapped it out. Had to keep it in.

I rarely use minor 4 chords anymore, instead I opt for the diminished 2. It gives a similar vibe, but feels a little more fresh in my opinion. So if you are working on a song with a minor 4, maybe try swapping it out for the diminished 2. It may inspire something different in your song. Or use it at the end of a song with lots of minor 4's to give it a new breath of life so you don't exhaust the idea.

I always try to sneak one of these into a song of mine now. Some instances more subtle than others.

I know a bit of this is kinda jargon heavy and totally nerdy but these are the little things I'm thinking about while I'm writing that I think end up making a big difference in the final product. I don't necessarily always think in terms of theory all the time, but it helps me convey a certain feeling quicker. That way I can write faster and keep moving creatively.

Thanks for watching! Song is out Friday!

Love,
Carter

08/06/2023

Piano Breakdown (2/3) of my single "Human" that comes out this Friday.

I love these sorts of chord movements. The chromatic move seems to just add so much to a progression...It's traditionally found in classic singer-songwriter and gospel tunes, but if you listen closely, it's in a ton of music.

I snuck it in a few times throughout the song to give the slightest extra push when I thought the arrangement needed it.

Thanks for watching!

Love,
Carter

07/06/2023

Piano Breakdown (1/3) of my single "Human" that comes out this Friday.

Had a whole other produced version in E that will never see the light of day...lives on the ole hard drive. Was definitely a belting type beat. Sometimes ya just gotta change the key I suppose. Save the voice and admit it's a smidgen to high. Younger me would have just dragged midi and been lazy haha. Instead I ended up changing the whole aesthetic and re-writing everything. Feel, instrumentation, everything. Kept that hook though.

I wonder if anyone will ever find the song in Ab that inspired the rewrite...I sure hope not. Eh, they still sound a bit different and have completely different subject matters. I think I'm safe. Maybe. Best of luck if you go looking hahaha

Bunch more behind the scenes videos coming to you daily if you dig them. Thanks for the support and all the reposts already. I appreciate you all.

Love,
Carter

05/06/2023

This Friday my first single "Human" is yours.

The past few years I have refrained from releasing music. I've written hundreds of songs, nearly released them, and then decided not too. I just never felt "ready".

As a recovering perfectionist, I have trouble truly finishing my art. However I decided that if I was really going to keep doing this music thing, I needed to make strides to overcome my issues...or at least try to!

With that said, this song truly exemplifies that energy. The vulnerability that comes with being a human everyday in a world where we are expected to be something more (whether it be by our own standards or from the people that surround us).

I hope that this song helps even just one person grow to accept themselves as a human being - much like it helped me while writing and recording it.

Thank you all for sticking with me all this time. I appreciate it so much.

Love,
Carter

28/03/2023

Incredibly proud of my brother JT and the rest of Vocal Point for killing it this weekend at their semi final.

This weekend was so special for many reasons, and I’m so glad I was there to see this all unfold. It reminded me of the key experiences that contributed to my falling in love with music in the first place. Lots of deja vu moments for sure, ha! It was moving to see not only the bond these kids have with one another as a group, but furthermore with the community that surrounds them.

It’s remarkable to witness these young musicians performing at such a high level…very inspiring and motivating. It’s also a key reminder that we didn’t get into music to be famous or to make a hunch or money. Chase algorithms or go viral. We did it because of the MUSIC. Arguably the most humanistic expression of art we all have. It was apparent that all the groups this weekend were truly connected to their music, sharing their stories with so much soul and authenticity.

I was really emotional witnessing it all in the audience this time rather than on the stage. Arguably just as exciting! Hats off to Vocal Point, Ryan Stuempges, and Varsity Vocals for making this experience possible for all these kids. It’s what it’s all about.

Good luck in NYC Vocal Point!!!

22/03/2023

If you have a few seconds, please vote! If I win, I have the opportunity to win a full scholarship to Berklee for their summer program! Voting ends at noon!! Here’s the link: https://instagram.com/stories/briidgeapp/3063472329024111504?utm_source=ig_story_item_share&igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

My friend Devyn is also a finalist in this competition as well, the poll for his song is just a few clicks after mine. Please vote for him too if you have a few spare seconds. Thanks!!!

08/03/2023

Nerding out 24/7 🤓🎹🎧 The tunes are about ready to share….

28/09/2022

really feeling these songs. can’t wait to finally share with you guys what I’ve been working on all this time.

📸

03/09/2022

growing in the shadows…

Lotta hours in here with Deskir] and

Thanks and for making me switch to ProTools this summer. Miss you doods.

Deskir] with the 📸

22/08/2022

Here we go again. One last time.

26/07/2022

Merry Christmas in July! Here’s Marvin Gaye’s “I Want to Come Home for Christmas”. Performed this one with Word on the Street at ‘s annual Christmas at the Ritz concert this past December.

Miss y’all. Can’t wait to jam again here soon.

09/07/2022

Chicago

28/06/2022

17/06/2022

Chicago.

06/06/2022

Caught a game on the way outta town today. So proud of ya, Lukey. Pitched great!!

03/06/2022

So proud of bringing the soul tonight with 🎵🎤

07/05/2022