Building Blocks of a Composition

Developing Composition

In this video, we're going to be looking at developing composition.

Review of Previous Concepts

We've gone over the concepts, building up the idea around the music, including:

• Pre-production
• The tools that we need
• The sketches
• The ideas that we're going to start building out (melodic rhythmic seeds)

Now finally, we're going to look at composition and how we can build out these ideas, moving parts around to create tracks that:

• Flow
• Tell stories
• Evolve

Expanding Sketches into Composition

At this stage, we're expanding those sketches we already created. A composition involves:

• Modulating different parts: For example, if you have an instrument like a guitar playing a solo, it may raise to a different octave or change over time.
• Building on the beat and melody: This makes the composition more unique and interesting.
• Arranging the pieces: In other words, we're building a story that evolves over time.

Important Note:

It's essential to keep in mind that this stage is not about fine-tuning every single sound or focusing on EQing or mixing. Instead, this is still songwriting, where we write out different parts.

Example: From Sketch to Working Composition

As an example, let's revisit the sketch of a song.

• Intro: This soft little intro sets the stage.
• Beat Introduction: The beat comes in, waiting for the next idea.

Now, if I take you into the working composition, you'll see how I expanded that initial sketch.

• Changes to the Intro: The intro has changed slightly, incorporating a new bass and other elements.
• Sections: Notice the introduction of new sections, such as:
  • Variation
  • Bridge
  • Breakdown back to earlier parts

You can see that it's starting to develop a story and flow through different moods.

Final Composition

When we open the final version, we see how the working composition has developed into its own piece. While it's still not the final printed version where everything is mixed and mastered, it is a solid final composition.

• New Elements: Notice the new guitar part, which enhances the story.
• Variations and Bridges: Different elements give depth to the overall composition.

Understanding the Building Blocks of Composition

Now, let's discuss the different parts that make up a composition.

Track Example Breakdown

• Intro: The yellow part in a track.

  • Sets up the arrangement.
  • May not be in the same key as the rest of the song.

• Verse: Contains the details of the song, such as:

  • Story
  • Imagery
  • Emotion
  • Each verse has different lyrics to support the chorus.

• Chorus (Part B): The element of the song that repeats at least once, characterized by:

  • Greater musical and emotional intensity than the verse.
  • In electronic music, this often shows up as a drop with a repeating large synth.

Advanced Composition Elements

• Bridge: A contrasting section that allows for a change in scale, new instruments, or an entirely new vocal part. It helps break the monotony of repeated verses and choruses.

• Pre-Chorus: An optional section after the verse that connects to the chorus with intermediary material. It often provides a transition using subdominant or similar transitional harmonies.

• Solo: This section showcases an instrumentalist or a particular instrument, creating unique variations within the track.

• Break: Commonly found in electronic music, the break is where elements fall away, often building tension before rising back into the next section.

Conclusion

To summarize, these are the different parts that build up a composition:

• Intro
• Verse (Part A)
• Chorus (Part B)
• Bridge
• Pre-Chorus
• Solo/Variation
• Break

This overview provides a solid foundation for understanding the components of composition, giving you a place to start and encouraging you to explore different ways of looking at it.