Creative writing in music can happen in many different ways and begin from many different angles. If you’re a singer or just someone who thinks up songs and melodies, you might want to learn to play guitar or piano to provide accompaniment for your singing. In this method, the creative process will first begin with a melody and then the a harmonic accompaniment will be developed to help shape the mood and fill out the aural spectrum. The creative process of music can also happen from doing just the opposite. Accompaniment instrumentalists on guitar and piano will often create a the harmony of the song using chords and structure of the song first in order to inspire a melody or multiple melodies. In some cases, musicians with or without experience will conjure up a melody and harmony simultaneously. In all of these cases the composer will, or at least should, have a general sense of which type of rhythm the melody and harmony will play to. Those with experience composing on paper or recording music will naturally have an easier time documenting the songs they hear. Mozart, considered a brilliant musician and composer of his time, was maddened by his inability to write all of the music he could hear in his head. In order for Mozart to hear the music that he would write, he would have to have the whole orchestra present. He lived during a time that preceded recording devices. The modern day musician is blessed with a gamut of recording tools to literally fit every budget. I was once able to record a couple songs while sitting passenger on a couple hour drive using my handheld Boss Micro-Br recording device and a Traveler Escape acoustic/electric guitar. For under 200 dollars you can get a handheld device with direct line-in inputs, on board condenser mics, vocal effects, instrumental effects, stereo effects and full mixing capabilities. If you own a Mac computer and haven’t checked out the Garage Band program then you probably don’t realize you have a luxury at your fingertips that so many of our most revered classical and pop composers could have never dreamed of. The biggest problem with technology and songwriting though is that many people forgot about the songwriting part and become enamored with the gear itself. The music industry has progressed to a point where there is no end to the selection of any type of product you are looking for. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands of choices for home recording gear. If you’re into writing music then keep your focus there. If you like to record your music then pick a device, learn how to use it, and then use it rather than shopping for the next newest model. Feel free to post links to your music or websites.
Check out this sourcebook on writing music.
by Musicguru
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