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Ryoma: Mercersburg’s newest band

Sophie Han ’27

Sep 27, 2024

Ethan Stiffler ’25 and Billy Quick ’25 have officially announced the formation of their new band, Ryoma, sparked by their mutual love of and enthusiasm for music creation. 

Both are talented in their own right, and with their dynamic performances previously showcased on stage, Stiffler and Quick have built a strong bond as close friends and collaborators. 

“It wasn’t a definite formation, but primarily spurred from our mutual fondness in playing and making music,” Stiffler said, “And as we got into the studio, somehow, we naturally started to write music together.”

Stiffler explained their songwriting process. “We start everything by ourselves, from recording the guitars and bass in the studio. We work together by creating something small individually at first.” Quick added, “Then we play it to each other, and expand it by adding more of what we both favor.”

Quick shares that he finds the process emotionally rewarding. “When you make something that you’re proud of and later listen back, it can be so surprising to realize that it was you who created this music from scratch, and the countless efforts are worth it.”

Although the details of the band’s style and upcoming projects are still under wraps, the duo has revealed some of their insights and experiences. “Everything revolves around the guitar. The lyrics, the vibe, and the other instruments all follow,” Quick said, “The songwriting process gets more creative when you experiment with different guitars, which offers more room to creative music with its range of notes.”

Drawing from their experience in the Jazz Band together, Quick added its influence to his style: “I feel like it takes part in the music genres that I enjoy, and probably it will too for our band’s music genre.”

The duo draws inspiration from their previous experiences, from their performances at the seasonal Spoken Word events to unexpected moments. “Last weekend, during a football game, I had this sudden idea for a new song,” Quick shared, “ So, I just started adding guitar loops, drums, pianos, and lyrics subconsciously. At some point when you make music, you realize that you need to take a break and wait for a spontaneous revelation.”

“One of the most important things is not to stress about the future,” Stiffler and Quick said about the band’s future plans. “We’re already constantly writing music off and on, which is progressing pretty well, and so we just want to focus on the present and the things that we can control.” Stiffler added, “But we’re planning something big, like working on an album and collaborating with people in Art Practicum to capitalize our band and creativity.”

The formation of this band has left eager audiences awaiting their next move, and both musicians are excited for what’s ahead. “Embarking from sharing our favorite music to creating it together, it’s fascinating how things progressed,” Quick reflected.

To those interested in writing music, especially potential musicians on the Mercersburg campus, Stiffler offered his advice from his journey, which started in his early sophomore year. “Don’t hesitate to start, and don't worry about whether it’s perfect right away. My first piece of music was a complete flop, but I learned that writing music is a skill, really. And there’s always room to be skillful at it.”

Interested readers can find the band’s music on Spotify under the name Ryoma, where they currently have 14,000-plus monthly listeners. 

Copyright 2024

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