Topic started by rjay (@ 206.152.113.140) on Thu Aug 24 12:45:43 EDT 2000.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.
Composing Secrets - Tracks and Instruments
Most songs have the following structure:(you can
think of them as parallel tracks)
1. Melody
2. Bass
3. Chord/Accompaniment
4. Drums
5. Percussion
Melody is sung by the singer or could be the
'solo' played by an instrument, when singer
is taking breath. In most music,
melody states the theme of the song/composition
and carries the emotion. All the other tracks
should provide a context to what is says or
reinforce and enhance it.
Human voice, flute, sax, trumpet, and synthetic
sounds serve well as melody instruments.
Drums set the basic pulse and rhythm and there
are many drum kits: acoustic, jazz, techno(used
in ;chandralekha - Thiruda; for example), power
(pottu vaitha kadhal thittam) and many many more.
Bass is usually played by a double bass - huge
violin, plucked like a guitar, or with a guitar
itself. With electronics, synth bass sounds are
generated from keyboard itself(kadalikkum pennin
kaigal - has a wonderful synth bass sound
in its intro.) Slap, Electric, Fretless,
are a few more common sounds. I will get you
recordings of these in isolation.
Accompaniment or backing is usually provided
by piano or guitar class of instruments.
And there are two types: block chords, where
you play the whole chords and hold them,
versus arpeggio and broken chords where
you strike the notes one after another.
In most western music, piano and guitar
are 2 pieces of the five piece orchestra
(voice, piano, guitar, strings, drums)
Strings typically provide counterpoint,
but can also play accompaniment.
My definition, Counterpoint is nothing but alternate melody
which either responds to the lead melody
or plays against it. Examples to follow.
Percussion is the name given by westerners
to all non-western beat instruments! ;)
Shakers, Morocos (chicku chiku) and sticks
and claves and others are examples.
Even bongos (from Africa) and our Tabla are
named percussion, but they are actually
drums because they can play alone and provide
rhythm without the drums.
We can proceed learning in two ways:
(i) We will explore the General midi sounds
128 instruments (16 categories and 8 in each)
and one drum kit. We will take each sound one
by one and learn to identify it and see what
its unique value is and how it has been used
in TFM. I can upload audio demos.
(ii) We can later see the song structure along time
axis (measures) - in terms of intro, theme, break, pallavi
, charanam structure and learn how orchestration
is effectively varied to serve the needs of
the listener at each position.
Basically, tracks and measures are the two
dimensions to understand a composition.
As an aid we can pull apart some famous songs of your choice to see how they are put together. And I can take one of my own compositions and share what thoughts and decisions guided its creation.
Game?
Here is a link to the tutorial that RJay has prepared:
Melody Making Exercise.
Responses:
- Old responses
- From: satsona (@ 203.199.192.162)
on: Fri May 16 01:16:34 EDT 2003
rjay
kudos for starting a wonderful thread..
i hope the thread maintains the topic and continues to provide good info as it does now.
cheers
- From: rjay (@ 156.77.105.122)
on: Fri May 16 10:17:23 EDT 2003
Melody understanding exercise - the phrase yard stick
1. Take a simple chandam - let us say
Daa Daa | dadadada | Dee | -
2. Pick up a musical mood (raga/tala combination)
Easiest way is to sing a song you want the mood of. In fact I am going to fix that for you -
Singalathu chinna kuyilae (if you are from last (my) musical generation ;)
or
Kadhal Rojavae from Roja
3. Sing the song to establish the mood.
4. Now sing the songs pallavi melody outline using our phrase.
Please DO NOT Read further, before doing it!
Since you have chosen a different chandam, you will have to drop notes or add notes! This forces you to forget the original songs chandam and grasp only its skeletal movement.
5. You begin to see that the notes on the First Daa and First Da and Dee are the three skeletal tones characterising the melody!
6. Now sing the anupallavi with same phrase,
more hard work and more reduction!
7. Sing the entire charanam with chosen phrase.
What you have done is you have abstracted out the
varying chandams using our normalizer phrase amd strip out the ornamentations and
it helps you to see the skeletal movement and shifts your emphasis to macro-design of the melody.
You begin to see which notes are used as starters and enders in pallavi, as against anupallavi, as against charanams three parts (beginning, middle section, ending).
- From: rjay (@ 156.77.105.122)
on: Fri May 16 10:28:29 EDT 2003
Exercise for lyric writers
--------------------------
1. Pick up a chandam
Da Da | Dadadada | Dee
2. Next write as many lyrical phrases that
match. You can think of your own or
you can pick from songs. First dont bother about
meaning, even nonsensical phrases are OK.
Phrases that come to my mind immediately are
Kaadhal kanirasa mae
Kaadhal kasakuthay yaa
Kannan mananilai yai
and my own:
Puththam puthuula gam
Maalai kathiroli yae
With slight variations you can use
Poovae Poochooda vaa
3. As your force yourself to make at least 25, you begin to see your brain is working hard.
Like a race, keep 1 minute timer and force yourself to write 25 phrases.
DONE? PLEASE DO NOT READ FURTHER WITHOUT DOING.
IF YOU DO SO, I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONSEQUENCES!!!!
Congratulations, you have turned on your subconscious flow and quietened your critical mind.
You will be surprised with your output. You will see that the first 10 output were cliches and hesitant and the later ones are authentic!!
By fixing to one phrase, you have simplified your creative problem. By going at it beyond the point of comfort, you have transfered the task from your normal lazy brain to real problem solvers who have been sleeping.
4. Now that you have all this nonsensical phrases, how do you make a song out of this mess!
5. Easy - Out of all you wrote, one particular line would have appealed to you most, choose that as the subject and now try to write around that line.
6. Do not be overcritical, dont allow anyone to make fun of you, say thanks and move forward. As you keep doing, it will improve.
Here is what I am going to write (free flow):
(DO NOT READ BEFORE YOU FINISH)
Maalai kathiroli yil
Minnum marakkilai yae
Veesum kaatrini lae - Isai
Paadum sirukuyi lae
Naanum umaippo lae
Aagum naalvaru mo
Naanam marandhu vit
taadum naalvaru mo
- From: UV (@ 134.113.4.168)
on: Fri May 16 12:49:47 EDT 2003
rjay where to write message and response in this thread or your yahoo groups.?!
I recently happened to listen to a IR speech where he said when started as assistant to GK Venkatesh he was in charge of giving notations to orchestra.
IR said that he didnt know much or in his words zero. ,he said would make so many mistakes like putting 'Ma' inplace of 'ga' so forth ended being made fun of by the entire orechestra but over period of time he struggled and learned so he would sing the tune and find where the sadgamam starts and from there picked up. Looks like even geniuses had to do their learning ;)
but how much ever one learns theory,masters instruments etc still doesnt make them all composers i think 'creativity' is the thing,thats inside some persons,in this case it is 'X' factor that differentiates them from the others.
We had many composers but only a few MSV,Raja,Rehman was able to create an impact.
(again 'x' factor)
just my 2 cents
-Ganesh(UV)
- From: rjay (@ 156.77.105.121)
on: Fri May 16 13:08:24 EDT 2003
UV
Genius are just people but those who chose to
persist despite difficulties and focus on only one activity for the whole lifetime!
Do you think Raja or Rahman feel comfortable everytime they sit to compose? They still would have the doubts and discomfort but force themselves to go ahead and do it anyway?
By making genius and creativity as mythical and magical, what are we gaining?
And finally, are you going to accept the fact that you are not a genius?
- From: UV (@ 134.113.4.168)
on: Fri May 16 13:26:16 EDT 2003
Rjay :)
'And finally, are you going to accep the fact that you are not a genius?' - LOL I am not falling for that one.
Answer: No I am not a genius but person who is striving his best to learn,appreciate music thats all.
I always and will prefer to be student as everyday as I sit before my instrument,i learn something. Recently i also happen to discuss lots of music with a talented musician,cant reveal name ;) but its helping me grow so much,opened myself to new ideas.
So good listening,practice,exchanges of ideas are all helping me but i am not yet there to qualify myself as a composer(by own self imposed meters)
anyway I am working/practising a small piece on mohanam will upload later no fancy stuff though ;)
- From: kiru (@ 192.138.150.249)
on: Fri May 16 13:55:15 EDT 2003
I have nothing to add about composing here..but I am becoming a fan of rjay's writings. What he says is true, I believe. It does not have to be music. It can be your job. One needs to feel that he or she can do SOMETHING or ONE THING very well. This is the only way to success ..true success (others might succeed in the short term with some short cuts..but never mind them).
I am telling you rjay is a wise man :)
(BTW, everybody should try to compose/write lyrics for simple songs. All of us dont have to become movie composers. this can be a fun/intellectual past time )
- From: rjay (@ 156.77.105.121)
on: Fri May 16 14:31:33 EDT 2003
Music and lyric writing used to be everybody's sport when we all lived in villages. Everyone extemporized and sang and performed and enjoyed their creativity.
Mass publication of music and movies raised the standards to such a high level that a whole state of 4 crore people has only 10 composers and out of them only 2 prominent ones? and remaining 3 crores and so many lakhs and 98 people blind consumers?
Well, That IS ridiculos!
Music has become spectator sport too. Yeah, I would like to watch the world cup but I should enjoy more playing my own street cricket too.
Same way, more and more of us should get into creating music and lyrics. Keep doing daily and allow sh*t to come out, dont bother about quality. Quantity has a way of creating quality.
I read an American songwriters interview - he says everyday he writes 25 songs and out of them one may appeal to him!
We are not here to be intimidated by Rajas and Rahmans to go through life just consuming THEIR ideas and praising them as geniuses. We can make unique contributions too. Well, even Deva, when he for a moment ceases emulating Raja or Rahman, creates his masterpiece!
- From: rjay (@ 156.77.105.121)
on: Fri May 16 14:36:56 EDT 2003
There is a book called 'Flow: the psychology of optimal experience' - which talks about finding your activity in which you can immerse for hours without being self conscious.
There is a second book - called the Einstein factor which has specific techniques for liberating your perception and flow of creativity.
There is a third book - a masterpiece in teaching drawing. It is called 'Drawing on the right side of the brain' It has a section on quieting your critical conscious mind and allowing ideas and imagery to flow from your subconscious.
All the ideas I write are derived from such books.
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