Mastering Silence
Songs for when your head won't quiet down.
"Fifty-six seconds of intentional calm — a single lungful of air in a world that has forgotten how." — Discover YOU RADIO
Music
Three places to start.
Breathe
Electric guitar instrumental. Some things don't need words — this is one of them.
Where Those Two Rivers Meet
Written for the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers. You can love a place like a person.
Held
Piano, pad, and open space. For when you need something to hold still around you.
What They're Saying
Closer to a prayer than a performance.Discover YOU RADIO
A really emotive and tender blendWe All Want Someone To Shout For
Unforgettable vocal qualityFolk Rock Alchemist
Beautifully crafted songThePlaylistArchitect
Beautiful guitar workJelle Ravesloot
Immersive guitar riffingGabriele Catoni
Very nice sound and compositionNeue Meister
Çok başarılı bir parça (A very successful track)Burak — picked up Held for his playlist
Really enjoyable. It's excellentRhythm Revolution
Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!Kiraz Müzik
Tabs & Sheet Music
Guitar tabs also on Ultimate-Guitar.com. Sheet music engraved with LilyPond.
by Mastering Silence
FACGCE Tuning, Capo fourth Fret All fret numbers are relative to capo [Intro] Harmonics e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| C|<16>-----------------------------------------------------------------------| G|<16>-----------------------------------------------------------------------| C|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| F|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| Riff 1 (play twice for abridged, or four times for full version) e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| C|-------------0------------0------------------------------------------------| G|----0---------0----0-------0-----------------------------------------------| C|---0-0------0--0--0-0----0--0----------------------------------------------| A|-11---11--11-----6---6-7---------------------------------------------------| F|0--------0------8-----6----------------------------------------------------| Riff 2 (play once for abridged, or twice for full version) e|0-----------------------------------0--------------------------0-----------| C|0-6/8p0-------------11\8--------8p0-0--------------------------0-----------| G|0------8\6p0------------------------0-6p0---------11\8-----8p0-0-----------| C|0----------------0----------0-------0----6/8p0--0--------0-----0-----------| A|0--------------0--------------------0--------------------------0-----------| F|0------------8-----------6----------0----------8--------6------0-----------| [Outro] Harmonics e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| C|<16>-----------------------------------------------------------------------| G|<16>-----------------------------------------------------------------------| C|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| F|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| ************************************ | p Pull-off | / Slide up | \ Slide down | < Harmonic start | > Harmonic end ************************************
by Mastering Silence
FACGCE Tuning, Capo second fret All fret numbers are relative to capo Part 1 e|----5-5------5-7-5p0-------------------------------------------------------| C|---0-0------0-0-0-------------------0--------------------------------------| G|4/6-----4/6---------9\7\6p0--0-4p0-0--------------------------------------| C|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| A|--------------------0------------------------------------------------------| F|0-------0-------------------4-----0----------------------------------------| Part 2 e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| C|9\7\6--------9----9\7\6---------9-----7p0--------0-4p0--0-----------0-4p0--| G|-----7----6h7----------7-----6h7---------6p0-----------0-7p0--------------0| C|--------------------------------------------6p0-------------6p0------------| A|--------------------------------------0------------------0-----6p0---------| F|0-----0-0-0---0-0-0-----0-0-0-----0-0-----------4-----0------------4-----0-| Part 3 e|-5-5----0-0-------------------------5-5--0-0-------------------------------| C|--0-0----0-0-----------9/11-9--------0-0--0-0-------------9/11-9-----------| G|7-----6-----4/6h7-6-4/6------11\7-7-----6-----4/6h7-6-4/6-------11-9-7----| C|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| F|6-----4-----0-------0-------------6-----4-----0-------0--------------------| ************************************ | h Hammer-on | p Pull-off | / Slide up | \ Slide down ************************************
Piano only arrangement · Mastering Silence
Engraved with LilyPond. ↓ Download PDF
Can't read sheet music? Neither can I. Use the interactive player below to follow along note by note.
Held
Adagietto ♩= 68 · A minor · 20 measures
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Lyrics
More lyrics on Bandcamp and Genius.
Lately it's been hard to count my blessings My mind's so cluttered, call it messy The way I feel when I look at you And all the things you do The feeling I get from your touch No amount of songs could ever be enough I'd throw my body over every puddle Just to smell the rain in your hair You can call me obsessive Whatever you will Cause I'll be whatever you want My mind's so cluttered You could say I'm lost I'll do my best to keep you safe at all costs And if I had the money, we'd fly away Forget about the problems of yesterday Finding different ways to clear my mind You're the only way I want to spend my time My hands are shaking. Please squeeze them tight When I'm with you, everything is alright My hands are shaking. Please squeeze them tight When I'm with you, everything is alright You can call me obsessive Whatever you will Cause I'll be whatever you want My mind's so cluttered You could say I'm lost I'll do my best to keep you safe at all costs Oxytocin when we kiss Late nights where we sit and reminisce The windows cracked just enough The feeling I get from your touch Oxytocin when we kiss Late nights where we sit and reminisce The windows cracked just enough The feeling I get from your touch You can call me obsessive Whatever you will Cause I'll be whatever you want My mind's so cluttered You could say I'm lost I'll do my best to keep you safe at all costs
[Chorus] On my knees again, stuck inside my mind I hear a voice, is it me again this time? Sailed off course trying to find my way back home An empty boat with broken bones [Verse 1] Talking to God, I try to pray every day Open my ears up, do things His way All about love, I don't have time for the hate Music in my ears, here's my life, press play As I found out, not all things are true No one has your back that lies with you Keep your family close, let them know that you care When it comes down, love's all that there is [Chorus] On my knees again, stuck inside my mind I hear a voice, is it me again this time? Sailed off course trying to find my way back home An empty boat with broken bones [Verse 2] Tunnel vision makes it so hard to see I can smell death, he's always trying to creep I'll aim my flare up towards the sky But it won't work, now where, where's my light? Living on bread alone, no salt in the water, I have nowhere left to hide To tell the truth, all my fruits gone rotten, but I know there's a hero inside [Chorus] On my knees again, stuck inside my mind I hear a voice, is it me again this time? Sailed off course trying to find my way back home An empty boat with broken bones
[Instrumental] New goals, new heart, new reasons Change it all, but still blame it on the seasons I don't even know where the time's gone Please wake me up, turn the lights on I'm getting so tired of sleeping Dreaming without believing [Instrumental] I feel like a coat in a closet — I do best when I gather dust But give me some time and I'll clean right up Blame it on the seasons, blame it on the pain Blame it on the past — but I don't ever change I'm getting so tired of sleeping But I'm done dreaming without believing [Instrumental]
Instrumental guitar Take me back home Where those two rivers meet I want nothing more than to live out these dreams I'd let the current clear my mind, set my worry free This weight is way too heavy for me to carry Take me back home where those two rivers meet I'd trust the water to carry me, to the place I'm meant to be Take me back home, take me back to me
[Intro – Instrumental] Woooh… [Verse 1] It's dark outside But you shine so bright Put your lips against mine With our fingers entwined [Chorus] Hold me close and don't let go I'm still falling Every time I look at you Your love's the only thing I know I'm still falling Like the first time I saw you [Instrumental] Woooh… [Verse 2] It's been 10 years but it still feels new Each day my love grows for you After all that we've been through It proves our love is true That's why I'm still falling for you [Chorus] Hold me close and don't let go I'm falling, still falling Every time I look at you Your love's the only thing I know I'm still falling Like the first time I saw you [Outro – Instrumental] (No vocals)
What is Mastering Silence? Well, to me, I guess it's learning How to control your thoughts We're constantly surrounded by noise Or some type of distraction To take us away from reality To grow from it We need to face it Everywhere I go, these shadows follow me Seen them on the walls and now they're hollering Fists in the air, they're not going anywhere Dancing back and forth with the fire's flare Feel their eyes on me But I'm not scared Feel their hands push me Trip, fall down the stairs Splish, splash, gotta get back right Whip back, I nearly lost my sight But how can I practice these words I speak When I'm too busy stuttering? Time and time are passing by Up every night stuck wondering why I play this game, I feel this pain Why it is I act this way? When it's hard, please don't give up When it's hard, please don't give up When it's hard, please don't give up Please don't give up Breathe revival on this beat Help you climb out when it's deep But how can I practice these words I speak When I'm too busy stuttering? I hear your word, that's wisdom learned A love like this is never earned You're standing up I'm bowing down In your palms my name is found Fill me up Make me whole Mend my heart You have my soul Fill me up Make me whole Mend my heart You have my soul I'm tired of living this way My mind feels constantly dazed Every day I pray There will be better days When it's hard, please don't give up When it's hard, please don't give up When it's hard, please don't give up Please don't give up
Walking down the street Painting a fake smile towards every face I greet I don't want to feel this way My mind runs helplessly towards disarray I can't accept defeat I'll keep fighting 'til my heart's last beat I have amazing love I can't give up I'm down by the river The water washes me clean The tree's arms wrapped around me I feel so free I can't accept defeat I'll keep fighting 'til my heart's last beat I have amazing love I can't give up And I call this place home It's a place only I can go And I don't feel pain here My mind's ever so clear I can't accept defeat I'll keep fighting 'til my heart's last beat I have amazing love I can't give up I can't give up
About
Mastering Silence is the stage name of Dustin Leonard Jolley (born December 8, 1996), a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and independent music producer from the twin cities of Lewiston, Idaho and Clarkston, Washington, where the Snake and Clearwater rivers meet. Raised in the Inland Northwest, his work spans hip-hop, indie rock, acoustic folk, and instrumental music. Known for emotionally vulnerable lyrics and melodic compositions, he has released music independently and in close collaboration with producer Logan Wallace (H0M3SYK), his close friend and creative partner of a decade.
Early Life
Dustin was born in Lewiston, Idaho, and raised in Clarkston, Washington until 2009, when he moved to Bountiful, Utah to live with his father. He graduated from Bountiful High School in 2015. Growing up, he spent countless hours on LimeWire and BearShare, exploring music and curating his digital library. His home became a spot where his older brother's friends came to fill their MP3 players with music. He also made mixtapes and played them through his home stereo, laying the foundation for his passion for sound.
He began playing guitar in 2010 after his dad gave him an old Dean ML X. Without an amp, he practiced unplugged for months until his father could afford one. Despite his love for music, Dustin struggled in formal music education — he failed band badly in fifth grade at Grantham Elementary School and later failed guitar class at Bountiful Junior High School.
Career
In 2016, after connecting with H0M3SYK through a Facebook group, Dustin began a long creative partnership with producer Logan Wallace. Together, they have released multiple projects:
- Songs I Wrote Instead (2020) – An emo rap EP exploring depression, anxiety, and healing.
- Amazing Love (2020, expanded 2024) – A piano-driven alternative rock project.
- Piece by Piece (2023) – An indie rock album that embraced mic distortion and glitch effects, turning gear failure into artistic texture.
- Midwest Lofi (2024) – A collaborative lo-fi album with producer "sleeping with shoes on," blending guitar loops with chill beats.
- Paperweight (2025) – A compilation of past singles.
- Insomnia (2025) – A raw, collaborative album with H0M3SYK.
- Changes (2026) – Sparse acoustic guitar. Change as constant, not event.
- Held (2026) – Piano, pad, and space. The newest release.
Main guitars: 2024 Fender Standard Telecaster, 2024 Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Hummingbird, 1971 Epiphone 6830, 2002 Schecter C-1+ Diamond series. Ulnar nerve issues have slowed his guitar work, but the project keeps going — shifting toward MIDI composition and lyrics as the primary vehicles.
His music doesn't fit neatly into one genre, but it's always honest. From his guitar instrumental "Breathe" (2022) to a prolific run of acoustic and experimental releases through 2025 and into 2026, the work keeps moving — closer, quieter, more itself.
Outside of music, Dustin spends a lot of time outdoors with his wife, two kids, and their Australian Cattle Dog Jip, rescued in 2016.
Jip — Australian Cattle Dog, rescued 2016
"If you write for everyone, you write for no one. I write to stay alive."
Philosophy & Style
The music is always searching for something honest. Themes of mental health, faith, love, and survival show up constantly — not as subjects to write about, but as things he's actually living with. The instrumental work carries as much weight as the lyrics. Sometimes more.
Influences
A list of bands and artists who have stuck with me over the years.
Robert Johnson, Lightnin' Hopkins, CeDell Davis, Junior Kimbrough, R.L. Burnside, John Fahey, Jad Fair, Daniel Johnston — Townes Van Zandt, Blaze Foley, Johnny Cash, Neil Young, Bob Dylan — David Berman, Stephen Malkmus, Mac DeMarco, toe, Silver Jews, Pavement, Purple Mountains, Modest Mouse, The Cure, Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers — Brand New, Taking Back Sunday, The Starting Line, Dashboard Confessional, Andrew McMahon, Jack's Mannequin, Something Corporate, Cute is What We Aim For, NeverShoutNever, The Scene Aesthetic, Stephen Barnes, Mayday Parade, American Football, Moose Blood, Modern Baseball, A Rocket to the Moon, Chase Coy, Metro Station, Hellogoodbye — Escape the Fate, Chiodos, Christofer Drew, Sleeping Giant, For Today — Levi the Poet, Listener, Hotel Books, Tiny Moving Parts — Keith Green, Bryann T, Lecrae, Trip Lee, KJ 52 — Eminem, 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, Young Buck, 2Pac, Biggie, Wu-Tang Clan, DMX, South Park Mexican, Insane Clown Posse, G Fredo — Sublime, Bob Marley, Slightly Stoopid — Prince, Micki Free, James Brown, Dion, Buckethead, Erik Satie — guccihighwaters, fats'e, atlas, Lil Lotus, Family Pet, Bladee, Yung Lean, Nickasaur, Making April, CatchingYourClouds, among many others.
Connect
I'd love to hear from you.
StreamingListen Everywhere
Tour Dates — 2026
This September I've been given the privilege of joining The Extreme Tour — a faith-based community outreach tour where artists use music to show up for people who really need it. No festival stages. Just real communities, real people. It's their mission, and I'm honored to be a small part of it. First time on the road in 15 years of making music.
If you're in any of these areas, come find me.
Support My Music
Every bit keeps this music alive and breathing. There is no label budget, no marketing spend. Just someone making honest songs and hoping they reach you. No amount is too small.