Moodtapes

Moodtapes
Background information
Years active 1986 (1986)– present
Labels Moodtapes
(A Ron Roy Production)
Website moodtapes.com
Members Ron Roy
Past members Ray Colcord, Frank Josephs, Jim Lum
Ron Roy shooting "Pacific Surf"

Moodtapes (a registered trademark) are a series of nature/relaxation videos and audio collectibles (DVD, LD, CD) produced, directed, and filmed by award winning producer and director Ron Roy. They were some of the first of the New Age nature documentary genre in the 1980s and 1990s along with Windham Hill and Narada Productions.[1] They include cinematography of natural scenery footage edited in harmony to original instrumental music by Ron Roy and various other professional composers.[2]

Sixteen videos and eight audio CD's were released in the Moodtapes series from 1986 to 2011.

Credits

Ron Roy served as the producer,director and cinematographer on all the video productions and the producer/composer of original music on Pacific Surf, Whispering Waters, Contemporary Christmas, Sizzlin' Christmas and others.[3] He also designed all the productions album covers and artwork utilizing the original photos he took while on location for each project. While filming one production, Ocean Reflections, Roy joined the San Diego State University Marine Mammal Research and Conservation team capturing bottlenose dolphin images with R. H. Defran,[4] the director of the Cetacean Behavior Laboratory.[2]

Moodtapes only solo CD – "Energy" – was produced by Ray Colcord, a ASCAP, BMI, and Drama-Logue Award winner. Colcord also produced Aerosmith's second album Get Your Wings as well as numerous TV themes such as The Simpsons, Big Brother, The Facts of Life, Silver Spoons, and Boy Meets World.

Album releases

Pacific Surf DVD Album Cover
# Release Date Album Genre Duration Reviews Ron Roy as Other credits
1 1986 Tranquility Easy listening, new-age 33:23 AllMusic:
[5]
producer, director, cinematographer Ray Colcord (producer); Eric Bikales (artist)
2 1988 Energy New-age 47:43 FMQB:
positive [6]
producer, director, cinematographer Ray Colcord (producer); Eric Bikales (artist)
3 1987 Floral Fantasy Easy listening 49:37 Billboard:
positive [7]
producer, director, cinematographer Carmen Dragon, Eric Bikales (artists)
4 1989 Autumn Whispers… Winter Dreams Easy listening, new-age 53:30 producer, director, cinematographer Eric Bikales (artist)
5 1991 Contemporary Christmas Easy listening, Christmas music 44:52 producer, director, cinematographer, composer, arranger Frank Josephs (composer, arranger)
6 1991 Ocean Reflections Easy listening 43:03 producer, director, cinematographer Ray Colcord (producer); Eric Bikales (artist)
7 1992 Natural Environments - Whispering Waters Easy listening 44:00 producer, director, cinematographer, composer Frank Josephs (artist, arranger, composer)
8 1995 Pacific Surf Easy listening 47:20 producer, director, cinematographer, composer Frank Josephs (arranger); Frank Josephs (composer)
9 1996 Romantic Classics by Firelight Classical music 44:24 producer, director, cinematographer, arranger Frank Josephs (arranger)
10 1996 Whispering Waters New-age 44:07 producer, director, cinematographer Frank Josephs (composer, artist)
11 1997 Moments - Serenity New-age 56:00 producer, director, cinematographer Frank Josephs (artist), Jim Lum (guitarist), Eric Bikales (artist)
12 1998 Nature’s Bouquet New-age 54:46 producer, director, cinematographer Frank Josephs (artist, arranger)
13 2009 Romantic Classics by a Gentle Mountain Stream Classical music 48:37 producer, arranger Pachelbel, Tchaikovsky, Debussy (composers); Frank Josephs (arranger)
14 2009 Romantic Classics on Piano Classical music 48:54 producer, arranger Pachelbel, Tchaikovsky, Debussy (composers); Frank Josephs (arranger)
15 2009 Romantic Classics by the Sea New-age, classical music 50:51 producer, arranger Pachelbel, Tchaikovsky, Debussy (composers); Frank Josephs (arranger)
16 2011 Sizzlin' Christmas (single) Christmas music, Rock 3:35 producer, director, cinematographer Frank Josephs (arranger); Jim Lum (guitarist)

Media coverage

Ron Roy shooting "Ocean Reflections"
Ron Roy surrounded by Moodtapes
US INTL "Gold Camera" Award for "Pacific Surf"

The Moodtapes videos and music received national critical acclaim in Billboard,[8] The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times [9][10] and numerous others.[11][12] They have been featured on leading entertainment television shows such as Entertainment Tonight, Live with Regis, and The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Their presentations have been played in heavy rotation on Musical Starstreams, Los Angeles smooth jazz station KTWV and charted "Top Twenty" on the national Adult Contemporary Music charts. Moodtapes iTunes podcast "Relax with Moodtapes" achieved "Top Ten" status in their Fitness & Nutrition category.[13]

Therapeutic reviews

Various authors have recommended Moodtapes in their publications to use for relaxation and to treat insomnia.[14][15][16]

Commercial success

Moodtapes reached their greatest commercial success during the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s by becoming "top sellers" in thousands of specialty stores in the United States, most notably The Nature Company outlets, Natural Wonders specialty stores, and also reaching an audience of millions via the Reader's Digest Video catalogs.[14] Bloomingdale's department stores also featured Moodtapes as "A Best Bet Gift Idea" in 1988.[2]

References

  1. "New Age Music: Moodtapes". New Age Journal. 5. 1988.
  2. 1 2 3 Spies, Michael (6 September 1988). "Video producer-director in mood to take comedy show sitting down" (PDF). Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on 13 October 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  3. "Ron Roy". Internet Movie Database. Amazon.com. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  4. "The Profile of R. H. Defran". sci.sdsu.edu. San Diego State University. 2004. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  5. The review score of Moodtapes by Allmusic
  6. "New Horizons: Energy by Eric Bikales". FMQB Magazine. May 1989. Archived from the original on 16 November 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  7. "World's First Video Bouquet". Billboard Magazine, Volume 100, #39. 24 September 1988. Archived from the original on 16 November 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  8. "New Age Tapes Evoke Soothing Atmosphere". Billboard Magazine, Volume 99, #6. 7 February 1987. Archived from the original on 13 October 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  9. Deming, Mark (1991). "Moodtapes: Ocean Reflection. Review Summary". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  10. Seibert, Perry (1991). "Moodtapes: Contemporary Christmas. Review Summary". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  11. Barbara Greenleaf (1986). "The review of the "Tranquility" video by Ron Roy". A/V Update, Volume 1 - #4. Archived from the original on 13 October 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  12. Pat McCoy (1988). "The review of the "Energy" music by Eric Bikales". Mainly Adult Contemporary. The Exclusive A/C Review. Issue 149, Volume 4. Archived from the original on 13 October 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  13. "Podcast: Relax with Moodtapes (by Ron Roy)". iTunes. Apple Inc. 12 April 2006. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  14. 1 2 "Alternative Avenues for a 'New Age' Video". Video Extra. April 1987. Archived from the original on 13 October 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  15. Ellen Mohr Catalano (1990). Getting to sleep: simple, effective methods for falling and staying asleep, getting the rest you need, and awakening refreshed and renewed. New Harbinger Publications. p. 118. ISBN 0934986932. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  16. "Psychedelic Video High On `Atmosphere`". Sun-Sentinel. 24 April 1987. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
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