Music Composition

Instrumental music

If we want to write instrumental music, either a sonata or an orchestral piece, we only need to focus on music.

In this case we don’t have to write lyrics, but our music composition skill should be more effective than in the case of a song.

Songrwriting

On the other side if we want to compose a song, we need to focus on the mixing of music and lyrics.

How can we compose in this case? Do we need to start from lyrics or music? Or do we compose both at the same time?

My advice is to always start from the music and then write the lyrics. This is the easiest and most common songwriting approach.

This method can be used for any style, whether we want to compose a song or a lied, a ballad, an aria or a ditty.

The secret of using chords effectively

G minor chord, F major chord, C# minor chord…there are many different chords. So how do we know how to use them and most of all how can we create effective chord progressions?

To do this we only need to know two essential music composition principles:

• every chord is obtained by superposing third intervals using the notes of the scale we are composing in
• every chord has the same function and role of the corresponding degree of the scale

Let’s imagine we are in C major scale. On the first degree of this scale we can build C major chord made up of C E G (superposing thirds). Since the first degree is called Tonic and has a restful role, the same applies to C major chord.

Knowing each role of a chord we can easily create many chord progressions and use them in our songs.

Inversion: an essential music composition tool

If we want to improve our compositions we also need to use inversions.

How can we create inversions?

Let’s imagine we have C a major chord (made up of C E G). Depending on the note that we play in the bass, we can have different chords:

1. Root position chord (if we play C in the bass)
2. First inversion chord (if we play E in the bass)
3. Second inversion chord (if we play G in the bass)

These chords sound very different from one another so by using the same chord in different inversions we have a higher array of composing tools.

Seventh chords: let’s move a step forward

If we want to give our music composition an interesting flavor we need to use seventh chords.

These chords can be easily obtained starting from a triad by superposing a new third interval to the last note of the basic chord.

Depending on the kind of basic triad and seventh we can have different kinds of seventh chords. Here are the most common:

• Minor seventh chords: made up of a minor triad and a minor seventh
• Major seventh chord: made up of a major triad and a major seventh
• Dominant seven chord: made up of a major triad and a minor seventh (built on the dominant of any major scale)
• Half diminished seventh chord: made up of a diminished triad and a minor seventh

Advanced music composition: using modulations

Every piece is made up at least of two parts, for example a song is made up of the verse and the chorus (or refrain).

One of the most important secrets of music composition is to differentiate one part from another by working on different elements: the arrangement, the melody…

Maybe one the simplest ways of differentiating is to modulate to another key.
Modulation is the switching from one key to another, for example we can start a song in C major key and then write the chorus in A minor key or in any other.

In this way we can obtain a very effective contrast between the verse and the chorus.

Let’s learn to create chord progressions

Chord progression is the essential basis of music composition. By knowing musical harmony and theory in depth we can create very effective chord progressions with a vocal melody on it.

We can also do the opposite: first writing the melody and then harmonizing it in different ways, using different chord progressions.

To summarize there are two kinds of composing methods:

• Composing a chord progression to then write a melody on it.
• Composing the melody and harmonizing it with a chord progression.

Both are good methods!

What are non-harmonic tones?

Non-harmonic tones are all those notes which can be used to compose a melodic phrase, even if they are not part of the chord itself.

There are different kinds of non-harmonic tones and depending on their features we can divide them into two groups:

1. Basic non-harmonic tones
2. Advanced non-harmonic tones

Basic non-harmonic tones

These are some very simple notes such as passing tones and auxiliary tones that can be used to create a conjunct motion, which means that the melody moves by steps.

If we want to have disjunct motions (by skips) we need to introduce the escape tones and the reaching tones.
All these notes do not affect the harmonic result.

Advanced non-harmonic tones

If we want to give our music composition an interesting flavor, we need to compose a tune by using also ‘appoggiatura’, suspensions and pedal tones.

The main feature of all these notes is that they can affect the harmonic result. So a normal C major chord will sound much more interesting in the case I’m playing such a kind of notes in the melody.

1. Using a piano accompaniment

Creating an accompaniment for the piano is maybe the easiest way of arranging a piece and sometimes we can obtain some great results with it.

In this case we need to know the most common accompaniment techniques.

2. Using a pop arrangement

This is most common way of arranging a song. Of course there are many different ways of arranging a song and you can chose the one that fits best.

I personally suggest to use the following steps to get the best from your song:

1. Create the rhythmic structure working on the drums and the bass. This is maybe the most important step.
2. Use some rhythmic guitar patterns or some keyboard pads.
3. Introduce some other parts where the voice is off
4. Differentiate the verse from the chorus by using different instruments and different voicings.

3. Arranging for an orchestra (orchestration)

Orchestration is the most difficult way of arranging since we must be able to master a high number of instruments to create a good orchestral score.

Moreover if we want to have a very effective instrumentation, it is advisable to study another music composition subject: the counterpoint.

This subject will allow us to mix many musical parts in a very effective way.

A very common composing method

There are many different music composition methods and it is advisable that everyone find out his own method.
But at the beginning we can start from some models and try to imitate them.

Here there is a very common composing method made up of some steps:

1. Improvise some melodic phrases and chord progressions (separately or together)
2. Record them or write them down
3. After some hours play them again and try to judge them from a critical point of view
4. Work on them and try to improve them progressively
5. Record them or write them down
6. etc.

In this way our compositions will be very effective.