Musical Concepts

Fast Songwriting: Building Concepts for Your Music

In this video, we're going to continue on with fast songwriting by looking at how we can conceptually approach our music, the story behind it, and the overall mood we want to convey. This foundational work will help us create a solid narrative to draw from during the songwriting process.

Stages of Music Production: Stage Zero - The Concepts

Stage Zero is where we build musical ideas. This includes:

• The idea of the music
• The message behind it
• Creative imagery
• The feel and mood
• Your intention and statement as a creator

The Importance of Conceptualization

Being a musician or a creative person is fundamentally about expression. We all have feelings and experiences that are worth sharing or discussing. In fact, we are often more interesting than we might realize, and music is a powerful medium to share our stories.

Building Your Concept

1. Creating a Mythos:

   • I think of my music as creating a mythos, a whole world or place where the music exists.
   • This allows for a narrative to unfold with interesting characters that engage the listener.

2. Visual Inspiration:

   • As a visual person, even though I'm making music, envisioning a space or scene greatly influences my creative process.
   • Example: One of my songs was inspired by the image of a person jumping into a cave with water at the bottom. The scene included iridescent lights, and I produced sound design to match this imagery.

3. Exploring the 'What' and the 'Who':

   • It's crucial to ask:
     • What is in that space?
     • Who is in that space?
   • This promotes an imaginative approach, allowing us to play without being overly logical.

Concept Music Guide

I created a Concept Music Guide that provides questions to help you articulate your production goals. You can fill it out and use it as a helpful resource.

Utilizing Video for Inspiration

Let me show you a cool technique involving video:

• I often play a video on another screen while composing music to see how my music can enhance the video's mood.
• Note: This technique works in Ableton Live (Standard and Suite versions). You can import video (.mov files) into your project and use the built-in video viewer.
• If you don't have Ableton Live, consider playing the video through alternative software.

Examples

1. Good Example:

   • A slow, groovy song paired with imagery of a woman dancing captures a mysterious mood. This resonates because I've experienced similar atmospheres at parties.

2. Bad Example:

   • A boardroom setting is an obvious mismatch for my music. The vibe is all wrong.

3. Another Good Example:

   • A video depicting a summer house gathering conveys a relaxing vibe, fitting perfectly with a different track.

Finding Inspiration

Check out YouTube or Vimeo for artistic videos. I often prefer Vimeo for its unique content. Download or simply watch these videos while you produce to spark new ideas.

Conclusion

This overview of Stage Zero and concept building in your music creation process should inspire you to explore and expand your creativity. Personally, I've found these techniques incredibly beneficial; they enhance my music production and make the experience more engaging, especially since I'm a visual thinker.

I hope you enjoy experimenting with these ideas and come up with some amazing concepts for your music!