MUSIC
Music has been a central creative force throughout Ran Ballard’s career, shaping both his approach to storytelling and his understanding of performance, rhythm, and audience engagement.

Beginning as a self-taught multi-instrumentalist, Ballard developed early proficiency on piano, guitar, bass, and drums, eventually focusing on keyboards and composition. His early professional work included the progressive rock band Axcraft, which signed to Capitol Records during the mid-1970s.
Following that experience, Ballard created the progressive rock project START, built around synthesizers, emerging music technology, and a tight three-piece performance format. The group released its debut independently through Ballard’s own label GO NOW Records, achieving airplay on more than 150 college radio stations and building a national following through independent distribution and live performance.

,MEDIA VORTEX STUDIO 1998
Beyond performing, Ballard became deeply involved in the technological evolution of modern music production. Through his studios Hydra Tech, Media Vortex, and Mediaologie, Ballard worked with producers including Quincy Jones, Richard Perry, and Burt Bacharach while helping introduce digital recording systems, synthesizer programming, and new production technologies during the industry’s transition from analog to digital production.
Ballard also developed sound libraries and programming environments for emerging synthesizers and studio systems, working with manufacturers including Digidesign, Korg, Ensoniq, E-Mu Systems, and Roland.

LI VE PERFORMANCE
Live performance has remained an important part of Ballard’s musical experience. During the early years of his career working in Las Vegas showrooms, he worked directly with performers including Frank Sinatra, Ann-Margret, and Liberace while serving in the sound and production departments for major stage productions.

Chuck Berry acknowledging Ran Ballard following a live piano solo 1984.

Ballard continues to write and release music through the project START.ROCKS, with recordings available on major streaming platforms.

MUSIC AND BOHEMIANZ

One of Ballard’s earliest gigs with synthesizers came in the mid-1970s when, at eighteen, he was asked to compose and program electronic music cues for a Siegfried & Roy stage production in Las Vegas. Working with early synthesizer systems, he began experimenting with atmospheric transitions and musical motifs designed to support stage movement and storytelling.

Ballard later wrote and produced music for film soundtracks and theme material for projects including Dragnet ’87, The Great Outdoors, Loose Cannons, and several independent films. That experience working directly with picture and narrative pacing would later influence how music functions inside Bohemianz.

Throughout the series, the character Van is a developing musician. Rather than relying on exposition, the audience gradually experiences his musical growth through short performance fragments, rehearsal moments, and evolving compositions that appear between scenes.
Early in the story these musical cues are simple keyboard sketches. As the character’s ambitions expand, the music becomes increasingly layered and complex, quietly reflecting his creative evolution.

START.ROCKS
Music available on streaming platforms:
Spotify
YouTube