your past musical "lovers"

My dearest tortured composer,

I write to you with a tale from one of the great composers of history. 

I write to you with this tale because I do believe this little practice could unlock a river of musical ideas that could take a lifetime to get through. 

In fact, it could be all you ever need to write music. 

It is simple, however using it will require both skill and artistry. 

And it all starts with Joseph Haydn.

Did you know that Joseph Haydn used folk songs from his childhood in his symphonies and string quartets?

Haydn grew up in rural Austria surrounded by folk music. 

Later, when he composed works that are now considered classical masterpieces, he included melodies similar to the songs from his village.

The people from Haydn's hometown could actually recognize "their" tunes within his compositions. 

I think of this as "musical archaeology."

Digging up our earliest musical memories and using them in new ways.

We all have childhood songs stuck in our heads whether we want to admit it or not. 

The music that played in our Walkmans or Ipods before we had any training or knew what "good" was. 

These early tunes shape how we write music today, whether we realize it or not.

They’re in our “musical DNA.”

And fortunately for you, there’s a way to use these early memories to make music today.

Step 1: Create Your Musical Timeline Playlist

Make a list of 20 songs you loved before you turned 20.

Find that old mixed tape an ex made you that had that one song you listened to 127 times after they dumped you.

Include anything that you really loved:

Nursery rhymes, cartoon themes, pop hits you'd never admit to liking (Backstreet Boys fans can go ahead and stand up).

In fact my dear tortured composer, the more you hate the song or piece now, the better.

Step 2: Listen With Analytical Ears

Listen to your playlist as a composer, not just for nostalgia:

What rhythmic patterns show up in multiple songs?

What chord progressions do you hear again and again?

How are the instruments or voices arranged? What is the “band” ? 

Think about it. Notice stuff. Be a person. Listen with an open mouth. Eat the music with your ears.

Step 3: Select Your "DNA Sample"

Pick one element to "borrow" from one song:

A rhythm pattern 

A melody shape

A chord progression 

A texture 

A structure 

Or the instrumentation and arrangement

Just note it down for now you filthy animal, you.

Step 4: “Transplant” Your DNA Sample

Take that element and use it in your current style:

Move a bass line to a higher instrument. Give a vocal melody to a cello. Take a slow ballad chord progression and speed it up. Use a rock drum pattern for woodwinds.

Don’t make it super obvious. You don’t want to get sued. But honestly, if someone sued you for it, it would probably help your career (not legal advice). I mean if Barbara Streisand sues you, that’s probably going to get you some gigs (definitely not legal or financial advice).

Right now I’m talking about just a little bitty snippet. Not a full piece. Because eventually you can take one of the elements of your past musical lovers and turn it into something. But before you do that…

Step 5: Define Your Current Style's DNA

List at least elements that define how you compose now.

Here’s some examples that could help you define your current style or genre: 

Melody - Short or long? Smooth or jumpy? Major or minor?

Harmony - What chords do you use most? Are you thinking more vertical or horizontal?

Rhythm - Regular or irregular beats? Simple or complex patterns?

Texture - Many voices at once or just a few? Thick or thin?

Form - How do you structure pieces? Sections that repeat or continuous flow?

Orchestration - What instruments do you use most? How do you combine instruments?

Pacing - Does your music move quickly or slowly? Suddenly or predictably?

Don’t @ me here talking about the things that define genre. Think of it however you want. Just define 10.

Step 6: Create the Hybrid

Write a piece that combines your "borrowed" element with your current style. 

If you define 10 elements of your current style, substitute in a few from your old style.

So you’d have a list of 10 elements of a piece of music.

6 could be from your current style.

And 4 could be from your past musical concubines.

The interesting part happens in this mix. Where your childhood musical memory meets your current skill.

And try many different combinations of these. 

The first few may not sound great, but if you do 5 or 10 little sketches, or 100 if you’re feeling super frisky, this could produce some real gold. 

AND you are forced to define what your current style IS. Have you done this? Can you do it? Could you tattoo on it your back? Do you know it like the back of your hand?

Odds are your current “style” is a vague, amorphous blob of undefined balderdash.

So this exercise is like a double whammy bag of burritos.

You’re getting a whole enchilada for not too much at all.

Does it take some time to set up? 

Yeah. But it ends up being like totally worth it, man. 

You listen to music you used to love with a whole new lens.

Like an explorer or a scientist. A pirate on a shanty ship of musical creativity sailing the high seas.

You’re searching for stylistic elements you can “steal” and bring into what you’re doing now. 

What do you think? Try it out and let me know how it goes. 

And remember...

The world waits for your music...

Luke

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