Music Composition

I've always been fascinated with the creation of music - not that I can create music, but how others put together all these sounds to create something so beautiful or something that rocks!
There has been several cases over the years when an artist composed music only to get hit with a law suit later saying they stole a melody or a riff or whatever... there really is nothing new under the sun right ?
I'd like to know how the artists here compose and write music. How do you know that when you're writing, it's not an old sound in the deep recesses of your right hemisphere drawing from a song you already heard ? Ultimate question: how to create a "new" song ??

Luckily, it has been proven that you can't really copyright a chord progression. There are going to be instances where things accidentally are the same.

But, when writing on the guitar, there are more than just chords to think about. HOW you play them and emphasis them can make them sound different.

How do I know I am writing a new song? I guess I really don't. But, if I were to hear a song that sounded very similar to something I am working on, I would change mine up.

I admire people who have given the gift to write songs and music.
You can express yourself to write songs about hard times in your life, or how God changed your life.
Writing music seems to be very hard.
How do you start an intro, a bridge, a solo?

I wrote several songs in my earlier to late 20's. I looked back on a few of them a couple of years ago and the lyrics where horrible....and the music wasn't much better.

IMO there are way more people who can play a musical instrument well than there are people who can write a song well.

Care to share those lyrics? I mught could help rewrite them.

The possibilities when writing a song are practically infinite. Here are some of the factors:
- Instrumentation and effects
- Available musicians
- Arrangement
- Chords and/or riffs
- Tempo
- Lead melody
- Lyrics
- Style

However, most composers in popular music (and including a lot of modern worship music) have chosen the same chord progressions, known as 1-5-6-4, 1-4-6-5 or 6-4-1-5. You could play "Blessed Be Your Name" or "Don't Stop Believing" with the same chords, believe it or not.

When I write music, I try to write free from influence of music I've heard lately, but sometimes it's almost inevitable that something is going to sound similar to something I've heard lately. It's hard to make something original that still sounds good - but it's certainly doable.

Like I said earlier, most composers (I avoid the term "musicians" because they don't seem to be such) tend towards the same format for all their songs, to make them more marketable. More power to them if they're going for sales and popularity. I just want to make good music.

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However, most composers in popular music (and including a lot of modern worship
music) have chosen the same chord progressions, known as 1-5-6-4, 1-4-6-5 or
6-4-1-5. You could play "Blessed Be Your Name" or "Don't Stop Believing" with
the same chords, believe it or not.

That IS interesting, see, a music novice like myself would never know that. Pretty cool.

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1-5-6-4, 1-4-6-5 or 6-4-1-5

sounds like what I hear when I sit in the dentist chair for a check up. You know, when they poke that stick in the gums around your teeth and say 2-2-1, 2-1-2, 3-2-2....

alldatndensum wrote:

Care to share those lyrics? I mught could help rewrite them.

Hmm possibly...gonna have to see if I even have them anymore.

A good example of "nothing new under the sun": I'm listening to Peter Furler's solo album he put out a couple years back.
- The album is good, it's not bad. BUT I don't care for it, and the reason is, I've heard it a zillion times before even though this is the first time I've listened to it.
Peter (and whoever) sat down to pen these compositions, and what came out was the same cookie cutter sounds that have been on the last few Newsboys albums.
It'd be nice to hear some real unique songs again, like in Newsboy's earlier days. Back then they understood how to change up a song and throw in a unique beat. I find his new album to be rather lazy writing, since it's so simple and boring.

reason a lot of CCM is so boring to me... and the new Disciple..

Guilty/Forgiven wrote:

- The album is good, it's not bad. BUT I don't care for it, and the reason is, I've heard it a zillion times before even though this is the first time I've listened to it.

This is part of the reason I am less than impressed with Seventh Day Slumbers new worship album....same songs, same arrangements...it's just really boring me.

You made me curious Gary what lyrics you have written a very long time ago.

DBF - that video is GREAT !! I laughed so hard !
The dude did another video on Christian bands... very funny stuff:

I didn't think either of them were funny and I, in some parts, felt rather mocked.

I don't think the kid's intention is to mock, since he's a Christian himself. Guess it's just a matter of interpretation. Just silly videos.

I actually thought the Christian music one was funnier than the other one. Not sure I completely agree with him, but I appreciate his enthusiasm and delivery.

I don't fully agree with him either, but he does address some of what we're talking about - ie it all sounds the same. Even kids in the generations that are being targeted (like him) are hearing it and not liking it.
It makes me recall the fact that my kids totally love 80s music (there's a reason for that).

It really all does sound the same to me. I imagine most of you have heard Gangnam Style… Well, Psy's new song Gentleman has the exact same structure, so far as I listened (I gave up because the video was creeping me out).

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It makes me recall the fact that my kids totally love 80s music (there's a reason for that).

I didn't feel mocked by either video and the kid makes some fabulous points.

1. Modern music tends to be very shallow and repetitive. All the groups sound pretty much the same.

2. We spend too much time on thinking about if a band is Christian or not. Obviously, you should be able to tell what they believe with just spending a little time getting to know about them.

3. Older music is better.

4. Most modern worship music is shallow and repetitive.

^^^^ What Alldat said

I agree with the two previous posts.