Song Writing 3. Experimental music

Do you always write your music using the same instrument? Do you always use the same five – eight chords, and just change their order around? If that’s the case, then you’re doing it wrong! Now, you might be thinking to yourself – how can that be doing it wrong. It seems to work for 90% of all bands played on the radio.

And, this is true. But then, Nickelback gets played on the radio a lot, and do you really want to follow in those footsteps? (please say no! please say no!)

The best way to get out of your grove is to try something completely different.

If you normally create electronic loop based music, then try finding yourself a piano. If you often use guitar, try to find a loop based program. Or just try something completely different.

There’s an interesting program out there called Literature to Music. You can find it at http://www.literature2music.com/ and what it allows for is copy and pasting any text. You can then press the generate music (after playing with a slider or two to set tempo / instrument) and you will have a song created. Why is this important and not just a random hodge-podge of madness? Because you can use this as inspiration for anything you create in the future.

Might I suggest throwing your last essay into the generator, and listening to how it sounds? Or use a favourite book. Anything like that.

All of a sudden you can start building your own song around this. Change it where change is warranted, and keep it where it works.

By using something like this, you may find yourself looking in a direction you never would have even considered before. Honest and truly, keep your mind open, and see how far you can press towards the unknown.

A final suggestion: head on over to http://www.reallybored.net/games/punk-o-matic_music_creator and click on random. Now, work with this and work a song around it. Not your style? Use what they’re coming up with and try to slow it down, make it a tad bit more calm – whatever. This is just another way you can create something from seemingly “random madness.”


Online “music creators”
http://www.literature2music.com/
http://www.kongregate.com/games/Starburst/notessimo/
http://www.reallybored.net/games/punk-o-matic_music_creator