ivycali-blog

[ivycali-blog]

Vocal Melodies--------

Attitude (Why), Groove (How), & Contrast (What) are (as far as I can see) the only essential elements to create a song. 

Melody, Harmony, Dynamic, Repetition, Chords, Scales, Frequency Rates, Voices, etc. , EVEN TEMPO! are only tools to use, symbolically and precisely/effectively changing the context of the groove. When these tactics are implemented to their extremes, or in a baseless way however, they can affect the song’s/section’s whole attitude in an unintended way. “Attitude” contains both logic and emotion, therefore “to blend with, or harmonize with an “attitude” outside of yourself for a purpose (or variety of possible purposes), or to project an “attitude” into the external for others to blend with.” is a perceivably appropriate phrase to describe the purpose of music's existence. Vague Visualization Technique: Each lead has a start, a journey, and a finish; along with possibly many areas/registers. For each CHORD (yes, chord) played and/or motif, give yourself a starting point (home base), and a final point (finish line), and dance around on the way from one to the other. You can give yourself more points between, but I’ve learned 3 (is do-able) and above gets a little overwhelming. When you begin singing, hit higher points for lighthearted/Intense feels, and lower points for more Serious/Calm feels. You can skip entire areas/registers for openness or play notes side-by-side (walking feels more organic/speech-like), add more space between/hold notes for effect, create patterns with incomplete or tense structures then complete them in the next repetition, etc. (each note/cluster of notes and area/key/register have a specific feel/character about them that others wouldn’t.)Just remain conscious of how you groove between these designated points you created in your mind (they don’t have to be specific notes, they could be as broad or specific areas as you’d like, although Idk how you’d implement that), and remain conscious that the current motif either links back up with a repetition, or transitions into another motif. That can be cool and interesting. (You must remember where you’ve been... to know where you want to go.) <— From a Berklee speech I watched

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P.S. : More Thoughts: -The more notes you sing in a given motif add depth and “trails” to the emotions felt. AND/OR Attitude/emotional depth can be created through rhythmic and melodic variation. -Combining “miniature or incomplete motifs” to produce a whole motif creates complexity. -(The “Why”, “How”, and “What” reference at the beginning was a nod towards Simon Sinek’s “Finding your why” Ted Talk.) -Remember that singing is basically melodic speech patterns. Simple melodies lock the message into a simple emotional construct (vibe), more complex melodies give the message a more complex feel. If you’re sad, there are certain speech inflections and accentuations you would make vs if you were just kicking it on your couch. -I watched a video on “melody mining” where he explained that the more you listen to a song, the more you hear a, or many, “ghost melody(s)”. You can use these to write your main melody/harmonizing melodies. -A song is 1 or more entities/instruments portraying their own common/similar attitude/groove/dance, usually cohesive or harmonizing to the overall attitude/groove. Each similar dynamic *usually* gravitates together. -#1 Rule in music: As Wim Hof says: "Feeling is understanding." -Lead melodies/flows are like a dance. -If you want to be taken seriously: Just as you cannot be nervous and thrash around when dancing, you MUST be confident/cocky and controlled when presenting your attitude and groove. Cognitive dissonance (nervousness, with or without a degree of confidence) and confliction over possibilities destroys the intent behind the art-piece. Contain & Direct. -Words, sounds, & patterns are logical; Melody, noise, & tone/texture are emotional. Music is attitude, and attitude is both. Attitude (Why) is the logical confinement and/or directing of emotion towards a point/points (Toward an audience, friend, self, the universe, etc.). Groove (How) is the moving, evolving, current representation of that attitude. The Contrast (What) is the arranged pattern, or map, of dynamic (Similar/Opposite) grooves/aspects within the overall song. -In the realm of art and creativity, you don't have to do anything, but you CAN do EVERYTHING.

[ivycali-blog]

Notes on the Tao Pt.3

Feel too much, and you cannot think. Think too much, and you cannot feel.

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Death takes all, and makes a mockery of all of our achievements and strides, but in the end, it takes even worry in it's grasp.

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I forget where this quote came from, but I'm gonna paraphrase it cause it's great with meditation and mindfulness:) "When you walk, just walk. When you run, just run. When you dance, just dance."

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Subconscious language: Empathy opens the door, intuition guides. Conscious language: Intelligence sees the pattern, logic directs.

To learn about the conscience, you must go through the subconscious. To learn about the subconscious, you must use your conscience.

Observation + Internalization/Analysis + Application + Correction (if failed) is (unofficially) the learning process.

Through this process, you can customize your subconscious, your conscience, and your external world, toward the ideal world for you. There was a quote about this next thing I'm gonna say but I can't find it lol: Whatever your conscious mind feeds your subconscious mind with become your internalized thoughts, and those internalized thoughts become the shape of your soul and character.

Rational learning takes place from the outside/objective perspective. Emotional Learning takes place in the internal/subjective perspective.

Subjective - Emotion Objective - Logic

If we are never switching our mode of focus, one of the two is atrophying and falling out of our awareness... Which is it?

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Turn habit to wisdom, and wisdom to habit.

[ivycali-blog]

Notes on the Tao Pt.2

Even the smallest judgement... the smallest ("I like this more than that"/"This is better than that") about ANYTHING... even our own sensations... causes a division. This particularity forms a barrier between - YOU and THAT THING, or ANYTHING that carries with it THAT THING you judge and/or like a little less than other things.

(There can also be a division between a piece of you, and the rest of you, but that's a topic for another time. If you're interested in this topic, I recommend looking into Carl Jung's process of Individuation and the archetypes, as well as his idea of "the shadow" and it's connection with repression of negative attributes of the psyche.)

These divisions are a natural by-product of our need for survival and belonging, a by-product of being human; but being unaware of the divisions you make can put yourself or others in unknowingly tough/divided/impossible/closed-off situations.

(Particularity)=(Closed-mindedness)=(Disgust)=(Prejudice)=(Avoidance)=(Hate & all the "-isms" (Racism, Sexism, Elitism, etc.), even political or religious Intolerance.)

Opinion & Personal Observation: Remain open-minded to open-mindedness, otherwise you and I both lose.

[ivycali-blog]

Notes on the Tao

Observation: This universe, and each universe contained within it (Each of us, subjectively) do not have "rules", or "guidelines"; instead they have a system of "natural languages", or "grains" of which they flow with the most ease.

The more "natural languages" (both Inside and Outside of yourself) that you can learn to move in harmony with (Gravity, Time, Contrast, Opposites/Duality/Non-Duality, Thought, Emotion, Craving, etc.), the less dissonance, or blockages, you will encounter in your path of peace/balance.

When we are born, we already know how to navigate this difficult terrain with an exception for the "natural language" of rational thought. We are in our fresh, natural state. Unbroken. They say our rational brain begins it's development around the age of 9, and simultaneously shuts off the development of our subconscious mind. (Half of you is still around 9 years old. Think back to those memories.)

As life and our rational brain progress in their development, we become more and more rigid in our "protection mechanisms" created by our soul's protector, rational thought... and we begin to crack.

These protections close us off to different "previous offenders" of unpleasant, or even dangerous experiences that today may not be as unpleasant or dangerous as they once were. These previous offenders are most often the KEY to clear the obstacles in the way of our peace. In a quote by Joseph Campbell: "The very cave you are afraid to enter turns out to be the source of what you are looking for. The damned thing in the cave, that was so dreaded, has become the center."

The path to ridding ourselves of these neurosis requires the extreme desire for self-awareness towards one's own purpose,

and constant reboots and corrections with one's way of life,

as well as exhumation of ones courage and self-love,

but if one can stick with this path of self-awakening, then one can learn to let their biology live in harmony with nature, and with people. To let go and let live on both sides of our stubborn skin-fence.

P.S. When you're in a bad place, consciously ask yourself: What am I subconsciously protecting myself from, really? What am I closing off to? and what am I doing to protect myself from that thing?

[ivycali-blog]

Musical Ideas From My Notebook pt.5

Everything you do that has structure can be analogous to songwriting. Petting Kiki (my cat) - Motif 1: Rubbing her stomach, Motif 2: Scratching her chin, Motif 3:etc. It’s all about Timing & Placement, variety, and how each motif interlinks.

Each genre has instruments that are native to it, & within those, a few prominent/strong instruments are frequently used. (Hip-hop: Bass & 808′s)

Every moment is important.

Lack of melody in the vocals, & consistent/straight-time rhythm puts a lot more emphasis on the drums.

Write a song imagining a theatrical, musical performance. <--Nightmare Before Christmas

What is causing you to bob your head the most? The hi-hats/cymbals? Kicks? Snares? (In Travis Scott’s “Skyfall”, it’s mainly the cymbals you’re moving to.)

What are some things that if you did them, said them, or heard it/them, that it would cause an extreme emotional response?

Vocal flow - Swagger/Attitude pace - Like Tank God said in the Rockstar beat deconstruction video, the hi-hats create most of the swagger of the song, and hi-hats/vocals have almost identical rhythmic flow patterns.

Work backwards, and ask yourself: When I listen to this song/section, what do I want to hear? How do I want to move/groove? How do I want to feel?

Cadence/movement of the voice in music- very speech-like, yet exaggerated when important moments arise

Continual instrumental play beneath vocals = A point/situation/concept being unfolded

Instrumentals annunciated/straight-time/matched with vocals = A very important point/situation/concept being told as fact.

What (part of the) scene is the song/section portraying?

Music is like sex, it’s “play” for the purpose of finding/charging an immense amount of (pleasure/completion of desired goal/feeling). (The structure of each are relatable as well)

The combinations of patterns used to culminate the feeling of the chorus can be of any variation or variety, as long as they tease elements of the chorus.

Long structure? Or shorter? ABABC? ABABB? ABCCCC? Infinite combos for different experiences/end feels.

Best musicians are those that have the best “pleasurable auditory transactions” with their listeners, or make them dance a dance they would want to dance again.

Every situation in life has movement & feeling structures in relation to the human brain/experience. Mimic each structure for desired feeling.

Some structures have no climax. All contained structures have smaller structures contained within.

Some things like music/sound, drugs, and sex are innately pleasurable, but need an effective delivery, or structure, for maximum impact and linger time.

Motifs are programmed bits of pattern, mostly programmed for a purpose, such as pleasure or function.

Certain people connect with some aspects of a song/motifs vs. others.

Frame (How) of Music (What) for a purpose of pleasure or function (Why).

Fibonacci sequence with dynamic & intensity. “Phi” moments? (Sound field on youtube)<-- When, & how many instruments are introduced?

What do you want the song to “taste” like? (Aesthetics)

Ad-libs & harmonies should be used to accent/reinforce the words/message being said.

Sensations aren’t either bad, nor good. It’s the context added with our expectations (of the outcome) that determine the resulting sensation/reaction.

Start with writing the chorus first sometimes.

If it’s listenable, it doesn’t matter how much sense it makes.

Which rules you choose to break, which notes you choose not to play, and where you choose to place spaces/breaks determines your perceived artistry.

For hip-hop & vibe music, use a few “dense, short, & to the point, feeling motifs”, & repeat where necessary/needed.

Repetition creates rhythm. Hip-hop & dance music are rhythm-heavy.

Put in & take out the “feeling” or driving motifs to keep the same vibe going for extended periods of time, or change beat, intensity, register, etc.

For each motif, you want an attention grabber, a “playing around” technique or comprehendible pattern, and an end to reflect on or link into the next motif.

Nothing makes complete sense until you’re involved & in the moment with it.

If you build it (a song/movie/building/experience), they will come. Most people don’t actually want to be creators or visionaries, most are connoisseurs and consumers.

Genres & frames are lifestyles.

Find the rhythm, & your mind finds the melody.

The ideal limits the possibility of anything greater.

A parable or lesson taught about an ideal/icon influences those most compatible/gravitationally matched with the lesson to pursue the same path (of thought).

Music - A pattern put in place that can be experienced & used/enjoyed over and over again.

Does the motif contain enough information to signal the correct response?

The surrounding environment frames the subject. In music, every added track affects the feel of every other track.

The most frequent/most noticeable note or beat sets the groove.

1-chord songs - Rhythmic, stationary

2-chord songs - Back & forth, taking you from “home-base” to another platform using a specific transition based on the key being used, then back to home base.

3-chord songs: further evolving of the “2-chord” concept, home-base to platform 2, to platform 3, then back to home base.

More chords mean more transitions/transitional motifs. (Transitional motifs take over/hijack the role of the transitional feeling between the two chords’ transaction.)

Tease a movement in a direction, or just tease, tease, tease, then give.

To have a pattern is to survive in safety. To break a pattern is to thrive in adversity/adventure or to perish.

We follow direction/emotional gravity/momentum wherever it may go simply out of curiosity. (Curiosity - lack of resistance to a possibility of positive outcome)

A song is just a framed, elaborated upon, idea.

When writing music, the thought “why not?” is an important one.

There are no proper or improper songs, just songs you want to listen to/are gravitated to, and songs you don’t/aren’t.

Step into character when you are performing or writing. (The vocalist/guitarist/pianist/etc.)

An instrumental melody communicates the intent of the persona/character playing the instrument.

Lead - akin to vocals, gets the attitude & swagger out there. This is the overtone of the song/section, so it’s important to pick a strong instrument.

Rhythm/melody - The reinforcement, or the undertone. For the secondary tone of the song, it’s also wise to choose an instrument with strong personality.

Framing is reinforcement.

Each new instrument added needs to be less prominent, more simple, and more “accented”.

Simple melodies are versatile/combinable/repeatable.

Don’t write or perform for the “Choir of the indifferent”, “Das Man”, or “The masses”. Perform for you and yours, only.

A song is a presentation of a feeling/experience out for adoption be the listener.

You know what you like and where you want the direction to go. Keep variety & motion.

Intended frame, presented frame, and perceived frame always effect the total feeling of the artwork.

Aesthetic experience is all about the focus and journey of the senses and how they relate to the mind/heart.

The drums carry the tone/texture of the song’s heartbeat. (Egg timers and pencil tapping are soft and relaxed, while snares and explosions are hard and intense). How does the song’s heart beat?

[ivycali-blog]

Musical Ideas From My Notebook Pt.4

Pace: Straight-time, accelerating, decelerating. Combinations: Staggered, Clustered

Shape: Ascend (Types? Stairsteps, Back & Forth, straight, etc.), Descend (Stairsteps, Back & Forth, Straight, etc), Linear Cominations: Staggered, Clustered

The music is a symbolic representation of the message/vocals

Pop songs are more mathematic/artificial than drug-out/speech-like songs.

Build the song up to meet the imagined/intended outcome.

Repetition, solos, & breaks aid absorption.

Aesthetic sounds have lots of texture.

Megan Thee Stallion (Feat. DaBaby) - Cash Shit: “Slurp” sound - highly aesthetic, “lack of concern” vibe

What would you be doing in the situation the song is portraying? Sipping while driving or grinding (Cash Shit) (Song is about grinding, then you get a relaxed “slurp” every now and then to give it a confident/relaxed feel.)

What elements do I want to include? Then how and when do I want them to play out?

Pattern: Comprehendible variation/Texture: Blended/rapid/incomprehendible variation

We learn through association. The more things you can relate/associate with a concept you’re trying to learn, the easier the process will be.

What are your repeating motifs? What do you want (them) to absorb?

Create a cheat sheet of helpful songwriting tips to set at your desk. (Plug n’ go)

What media/influences surrounded you during your youth? (1995-2007) Use aesthetics/associations from those sources.

The lyrical message could be like a dream/fantasy scene. (Erotica lol)

“Does this song sound “insert intended vibe” enough? Create a convincing soundtrack of tones, feelings, & dynamics to frame your “intended vibe” song.

Gunshot=gangster, so overtime the gunshot goes off, you’re reminded what type of song this is. Your brain goes “gangster!”

Write a “_” <-- (vocal attitude overtone) song about “_”.

During writer’s block moments, listen to Post Malone, Travis Scott, or any other artists that keep it simple & to the point.

Post Malone - Rockstar (”I feel just like a rockstar”<-- Main point)

Variety, contrast, rhythm, & melody<--incorporate these wherever you can

It’s all about where the lead melody is in relation to the rhythm melody/bass

Setting=context/vibe component

“Roots in the ground” song: Short motifs (at end specifically) -->Short, playful notes, not emotional

Straight-time beats vs groove beats

Rhythmic simple melody/note vs. complex melody

Complex vocal melody vs. simple vocal melody <--contrast

Where would you hear this song being played at?

Come up with/imagine a prompt melody to start your lyrics. From there it’s not hard.

Get into character when writing. If it’s gangster, dress/act gangster when you write. Method act.

Story (vocals) vs. context (Instrumentals), which is easier to start with (writing)

Songwriting is equivalent to painting mental-pictures.

Start with a sentence about something, then repeat, alter subtle aspects, or elaborate.

Play with small clusters/multiples (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)<--Seconds notes/chords are being held, or number of times within a section/cycle notes are being played in a motif.

1/4=Straight-time, 3/4=Exponential Cycle? (Fibonacci Numbers)

1, 2, 3, 4 or some rhythm in 1/8 time, then the same rhythm in 1/4 time creates more complex rhythms

Mismatching (right-hand) chords with their (left-hand) bass melody is fun

Music is constantly diverging and converging.

Post Malone - Rockstar main vox melody: D#, D#, D#, D#, D#, D#, D#, D#, D#, D#, D#, D#, D, D, D, D, D, D#, D, C (Anchor notes used: D#, D, C)

Secondary vocal melody: G, F, G, F, G, F, G, C, A#, A#, A#, A#, A#, A#, G#, G, F, D#/A#, A#, A#, A#, G#, G, F, D# (Anchor notes used: G, F, C, A#, G#, D#)

2-chord songs pull you from where you are (home base) to the feeling they want to put you in.

3-chord songs pull you & throw you in the air to a new feeling

4-chord songs are an emotional dance with multiple arch/climax points

5-chord songs add stair steps to these arch/climax points

The first note/chord/rhythm is your center/baseline emotional place. The song will take you from there. This prompts specific contrast in relation to the starting point.

Start with the showcased instrument - for hip-hop, it’s the bass & 808′

What’s the minimum amount o times you need to create variation? (Example: Sectional changes, key changes, beat changes, etc.)

Music - an ordinary message for an extraordinary frame

Essential component: Change of pace, focus, & emotion

Hum/beatbox something good, then input the lyrics

For a Post Malone/Tank God - Rockstar type song, describe the massive party/scene and shift the focus to different events/scenes within. (Why you got a 12 car garage? Been fucking hoes and popping pillies, don’t give a damn, it was legendary threw a TV out the window of the montage<--all fit the mood & describe different aspects of the rockstar life)

They’re gonna take your word for it, whatever you say/describe in the song.

Even if you’re trying to portray a different character, it’s still coming out of YOU.

When listening to music, you want a specific feeling to move you.

Jump into the song’s portrayed character when singing.

Simple to complex ratio: Amount of time:number of notes/chords

Is the melody accompanying the beat? or vice versa?

For each instrumental/vocal motif, write something that screams the vibe you’re going for.

“Ooh, that feels “_”.

If you can dance, vibe, & laugh, you’re in the correct mindset to write music.

Take the process 1 section at a time.

Create as much non-clashing variety & motion as you can while maintaining some ground.

Vocal rhythm matters more than melody. Even rap has annunciation/phonetic melody.

Rapping flow rate usually sits between 1/8 & 1/16 bpm, or 1/16 & 1/32

All of the chords in a chord progression don’t need to be different. Try repeating previously used chords.

Repetition & accentuation/emphasization

changing a 2-note motif into a 3-note motif at the last note (Lizzo - Truth Hurts “Minnesota Vikings”)

Music is metaphorical. Metaphors make the mind think.

Your audience wants to belong with you, and you want to belong with your audience. Most of your ways are common to all.

Travis Scott - Skyfall: Just frame the song with vocals that would do it justice. Clear emotion & rhythmic variation is what matters most.

Songs are collages/symphonies of separate dynamics and aesthetics diverging & converging.

Bass/rhythm - Environment/ Leads - Subject

Label, or call, something by it’s adjectives. It’s not “weed”, it’s “that sticky sticky”

All of my songs are within “Ivy’s world”. I’m welcoming the audience to my reality.

Put the listener in a certain space.

Pick a topic/flow/melody/rhythm/harmony/etc. & stick with it, then elaborate again and again until satisfied with what has unfolded, then pick a new center of axis.

Tempo - The ground/song’s heartbeat

Art says what words are incapable of saying. To illustrate a point effectively, explain it in doodles, in a song, or in a sketch.

What sounds/noises/instruments rise & fall? Motors, The waves, Voices, Sirens, etc.

Common patterns in our world: Increase/decrease, back & forth, bouncing, swinging, rocking, tapping, etc.

Contrast draws attention: Dawn Golden - Still Life (last note differs from the repeated notes before)

There’s a lot of simple melodies that say what you want to say. You just have to find them. Clear minds can carve through the possibilities quicker.

Miniature motifs can be combined to create more complex motifs.

Ad-libs are like your “crew”. They’re the voices of the people hanging out with the character during the song.

The better a motif/part is, the more you want to present part of the motif, and tease the possibility of completing it.

You gotta be cocky in order to effectively write music.

The key to slipping on another persona is complete and utter External AND Internal) confidence.

Who are you portraying? Who are you speaking to?/Where/who are you vocals being projected to? Drake speaks to his bodyguard/whoever’s next to him most times.

Transitional baselines/chords/notes* (Basslines/chords/notes between the main basslines/chords/notes)

Songs are literally just as important as any audio file or soundbite. Perceived value is placed by our own hearts & minds.

“Give me something I can “_” to!”

[ivycali-blog]

Musical Ideas From My Notebook Pt.3

Sone songs are stories, and others are only a short moment within that story. (Semitonic - Closing Time)

The vibe of the song can totally be ironic

Songs are culminated and take many parts to equal the feel you end up with.

Certain effects/techniques correspond with certain feels

It’s not the notes you play, but how they play into each other that makes the difference.

Every Piece/aspect has to be dope on its own.

Start with the vague, then carve to perfection.

Not all songs use all the notes ever, same with techniques, filters, etc. Only use what fits.

What are you singing about? Use sounds that are symbolic of the message (Ariana Grande - Thank You, Next)

Why: Song topic/How: Instrumental/What: Lead melody/rhythm

Make each song something you’d want to own.

People enter a perspective when listening to a song. What part will they play? Where will you put them? What will be happening?

Write a story in simple language, then turn it into what “may as well” be happening using metaphorical rhetoric.

Charge the story with a moving, aesthetic, enveloping soundtrack frame.

Vocal/instrumental frames need to match or harmonize

People can listen to harmonies for hours. What are some other techniques that are effortlessly engaging?

Writing music is like blazing your own trail/path through the unknown ether for others to walk on.

Certain patterns/tones signal certain imaginary moments in the subconscious.

Things people/you want more than anything else - write about those things/make your song reflect & feel like those things.

Repeat emotional sentences that contain the main feel of the song (Travis Scott - Stargazing “I don’t want to wake up”)

Do something extreme, then dial it back to perfection for absorption.

Work backwards - What do I want in my song? What kind of dynamics/elements would be cool?

The words “Sea salt” put a feeling in your mouth, “Caramel” doesn’t as much. Rate words/sentences on their “sensory” scale. Root “ingredients” or the “why”’s = Raw feels

“Sea” <--Frame/Salt<--Root

All the beauty in life comes from a wall of your own making.

Key & frequency matters more than notes played.

Only add what’s necessary to the feeling of the song. Play with lots so you have enough to work with, and don’t have to use it all.

Only add what people will comprehend. They attach to it easier.

The beginning groove/melody is the birthplace of all other grooves/melodies. The beginning is the birthplace of the song.

Metal - Largely Incomprehensible

Pop - Uber comprehensible

Prevalent/main frequency rate (1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, etc) in the song or motif + tempo sets the groove skeleton.

Certain rhythmic/melodic patterns have been used in/relate to other song/genre patterns.

Vox tones are important (relaxed, happy, angry, etc.) as they are the driving force of the feel of the song.

Patterns + Techniques + Frequency - pace ramped up, ramped down at will, variant motion vs. variant rhythm

Play with interesting rhyme/phonetic patterns.

Each part has no set time limit. Feel it. End it/change it when you need/want to.

Perspective changes are OK in music.

Chords - Emotional center/axis

Bass - Emotional weight

Strumming - Attitude

Tempo - Intensity/energy

Key - Personality of emotional center/axis

Time Signature  - Energy/movement

Make the topic of the song simple. “You”, “Life”, “Dreams”.

Things to keep in mind: Who are you? (The internal frame), What are you singing about? Where are you singing? (The external frame), When does this song take place? Why are you singing about this in particular? How are you singing?

The instruments taking the stage set the dynamic tone (specific vibe, like a party of personalities). The focus is brought to different team-members throughout the party.

The chords are the carried feeling/dynamic.

A motif has multiple emerging feelings. Multiple sentences/topics

Each feeling sticks around as long as the chord does. 

Songs are aesthetic/emotional equations.

Rhythm - Motion of what’s happening

Melody - Frame of what’s happening

Same message maintains different events within.

Distortion causes a feeling of intensity.

Within the song-sphere:

Kicks - Forward movement/engine

Snares: Bounce/suspension

Hi-hats: Rate of (perceived) passing time

Toms: Suspended higher or lower platforms

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Lead registers can be contained using anchor notes.

False roof/floors for the song’s registers/contrast, surprise them.

Increase in frequency correlates with a “less precise processing” by the brain.

Combine simple motifs for complex patterns.

Own the character singing the song.

Tone matters more than genre. (intensity is very noticeable)

Play with song structure. A-B-A-A-B-C-C-A-etc. “A” could correspond with a darker room, whereas “B” or “C” could be a lighter room. Using colors to categorize feelings/vibes: Blue, black, green, red, etc.

A motif should contain all the ingredients to communicate the desired feel. No more, no less.

Kicks - Forward motion

Snares - Forward attention

A song is a performance of motifs. “A”, “B”, and “C”

Chops (Stabby parts) n’ Waves (Flowy Parts) <-- Mix n’ match

Hi-hats - footsteps?

Make all the rhythms melodic, and all the melodies rhythmic.

Each instrument has a natural attitude/motion, and subsets of attitudes/emotions depending on how they’re played.

Each instrument/noise is a presence/creature?

Beatbox or scat a dope bar, than use that as the skeleton for your lyric placement.

The “feeling in the air” or the way the air “feels” is the vibe/frame of the situation. All drugs change the way the air feels (thicker, thinner, harsher, cozier, etc.).

Each specific note/tone?/noise (ex: hi-hats) creates an imaginary object within the song-sphere. (Imaginarium?)

Each object is either a presence, (either imbued or organic) object or creature.

More motion & variation = more pleasing to the ear.

Music is a symphony of symbols.

Combinations of different symbolic entities makes for different dynamics/aesthetics.

Symphony: Presentation + Teamwork

Groove: Make it consistent for the most part

Thought visualization: Think of powerful symbols, and maybe place them in an event. Or just use a simple symbol to inspire your lyrics through it’s influence.

Motifs are like individual chain-links. Make sure they connect well. Complimentary shapes are useful.

Demonstrate your knowledge of a concept in each song.

Music is a drug, the message is not the main point. the feeling is.

Kicks - Earth

Snares - Heaven

Hi-hats - Space

[ivycali-blog]

Musical Ideas From My Notebook Pt.2

How can you relate Taoism to songwriting?

The focus, or presentation, of each song (or song section) varies/can vary. Not every song has to be melodic OR rhythmic. Some songs (or sections) can break/defy all rules and logical guidelines.

What aspect(s) of the song is going to show through the most?

Almost no elements are essential to songwriting. It’s up to you to decide how/where/when to incorporate them.

When people listen to your music, they’re listening to the programmed pressing of their (imaginary, movement, and feeling) buttons. This “pressing of aesthetic buttons” is what makes music so physically enjoyable.

Some buttons are biologically easier to press than others (anger, sex, etc.) <-- these are inherently intense triggers

What dynamics do each human act use? Mimic them with specific movement/aspects of your song.

“Signal/prompt motifs or noises” are useful for the listener’s expectations.

Gangster frame: Badass, cocky, &/or hardened

Use only the driving instruments to write the melody of the song, then embellish/reinforce/frame

Motif associations/connotations (Example: “That sounds like something you’d hear during “_”, or in “_” genre.”)

Imagine a character, environment, & situation/story/music video when you’re writing a song.

Playing or riding on anchor/root notes is hella useful for simple/chill melodies.

What constitutes a simple melody? (3-4 notes? 5 becomes complex?)

Patterns vs. textures vs. techniques

Theatrical music vs. “vibe” or aesthetic music

Aesthetic (pleasure) vs. purpose (drive) <-- (What/How vs. Why)

What aspects show through the most? The loudest? Most repeated? Strongest parts. This is what will define the song, choose wisely. (Overtones & Undertones)

Write slow. 1 line/bar/section at a time. Absorb each line.

Don’t get too hung up on specifics. What does it make you feel? see? how does it make you move?

Treble corresponds with the brain’s “logic center”, whereas sounds with more bass correspond with the brains’s “feeling center”

Snares take away from highly emotional parts. Soften or deepen the snare?

Does the movement of whatever’s happening sound organic? or artificial? Artificial=pleasurable candy/Organic=healing force

Ambiance grounds the song. Without it, the song sounds like it’s out in the ether or on a screen (performing for you from a distance)

Subtlety is a potent art.

The intro is the prompt of the rest of the song (or song section), the first impression.

We like to follow (melodic/rhythmic) trails (into places we wouldn’t have expected). Trails “take you somewhere”.

It’s not so much the motif itself, rather where you take it that makes the song an experience.

Vox, lyrics, & chords mapped first? (New thought)

What aspects of the song do you want to “showcase”, & when?

When trying to decide what comes next, don’t be afraid to cycle through possibilities or options, then pick the one that “fits” the best. It will never be perfect.

Play with different rhythmic/melodic combinations. (Spaces most times are more important than the notes)

How you choose to space things matters hella

Pick one/a few concepts & play around with them to “absorb”/apply your understandings.

The most important element in songwriting is “rhythmic & melodic variation & contrast”.

(Got this from futurelearn.com) Essential elements to a song: Melody, harmony, key(s), Metre (4/4, 3/4, etc), and Rhythm.

On metre: Strong accent on the first beat, milder accents on beats 2, 3, and 4

More going on --> Think (More logic, fast, loud, treble, hardness, linear)

Less going on --> Feel (More emotion, slow, quiet, bass, soft, repetitive)

Sudden Change --> Think and/or feel (random)

What are the defining textures/characteristics? And how do they interact? How do you interact with them? (The essential element of aesthetics)

For the most part, we like listening to controlled, precise, comprehendible music. (Melodies, but especially vocals) <-- Easy to follow (Michael Buble - Here’s to you”)

Music is comparable to speech

The contrast between the instrumental melodies compared to the vocal melodies creates the flow of the music.

Instruments (the inner feelings)/Vocals (The manifestation/outright expression of those feelings)

The conscious/subconscious concepts used to outline/frame/build the song affects how it is written/conceived, and how it will turn out.

Song pace: Faster (Lunge forward), Slower (Lunge Backward/Stop)?

Get the vocals to play off of the instrumentals. If both create a powerful feeling on their own, the total feeling is that much more powerful.

Vox (vocal) pace: Organic (speech-like), Sustained (Less rhythm, more emotion), Staccato/stabby (More rhythm, less emotion)

Vocal pattern techniques and how they relate to instrumental patterns (or vice versa): Parallel (riding directly above or below), Divergent (Vox and Inst. moving away from each other), Convergent (Vox and inst. moving toward each other, and maybe joining forces), Dancing (Combining multiple techniques or playing around the opposite melody).

Chords/chord progressions have certain tonalities that make certain beats/melodies work best with them. (Follow the wu-wei or “non-reactive path” or “path of least resistance”)

Play with different melody possibilities in relation to the chords (chord notes) being played.

Frame (type/genre) --> Cohesive patterns / The “rhythm” frames the “lead”

Lead-->Harmony-->Rhythm Melody-->Rhythm-->Ad-libs & Noises-->Ambiance

Melody-->Rhythm-->Tone

[ivycali-blog]

Musical Ideas From My Notebook Pt. 1

Vocal Melody: In the chorus of the song “Faith” by Ghost, he is harmonizing with the guitar. (Useful technique)

People like familiar aspects arranged in an original fashion to give a desired/expected effect.

Specifically Designed elements paired/collaged together & animated into an engaging journey that’s also aesthetically pleasing.

People love the rebranding of familiar/favorable stimulus.

Each song is a blend of personalities that add up to a total personality (of the song) <-- Stay in character

The aim of music is to make you move, feel, or imagine.

Is the character (of the song) a monster? a punk kid? a princ((e)ss)? an enforcer? a knight? etc.

Play something (a motif) fitting, then elaborate, then switch.

Build patterns and grooves on the spot, based on imagination

Delirious melodies are useful (staggered in a linear direction)

Off-beat rhythms are all about odd-numbered consistency/repetition

Kicks: Passive Motion / Snares: Active Motion

Instrument + Context (genre/feeling) = Personality

Each personality has its out temperament & tone

Write songs as (a) movie scene(s)

Pick a character & stick with it

People listen to your music for the way YOU write it. You hold a frame by simply existing. It all is framed by you & your style/aesthetics

Many/some may never hear your music

As long as the song fits into the 1 or 2 words that describe its frame, it’s enough.

Write something “Rock”, or “Hood”, or “Trap”, or “Chill”, or etc.

Chorus - The groove

Song - Groove, similar groove, similar groove, something different, etc.

For more melodic songs, write the beat last.

Number combinations for lead rhythm: 1, 1, 1 - 2, etc. just like hi-hat rhythm

Instrumental rate influences beat rate

Important notes don’t have to be held or accented, just as long as they’re played/included.

Combine important parts/sections of different chord progressions.

The song (Why) is not the production (How) or the aesthetics (What).

Fibonacci numbers correlate with growth. Things that don’t have a growth rate, or things that are static (outside nature or inanimate) can have or appear in numbers such as 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, etc. (Jung - The Quaternity)

Actually build cool melodies, patterns, phonetics, and number combinations.

Start motifs on different centers/registers/notes.

Any sound within the song should carry the general feel/tone of the song (exceptions can be made) --> My connotations of Alan Watts’ voice: Warm, fuzzy, cozy, belongs in a warm/fuzzy/or cozy song.

Use whatever techniques you can, even just bang on the keys if you have to. All you need is the vocal melody, then you can begin to build the music behind it. Use your natural talent of hallucinating music.

Song element pallet: A pallet of elements, each of which constitute a dynamic feel within the song. (Ex: The drop, down-tuned vox, off-beat patterns, reversed snare hits, etc.) Each of these are concepts you can build a song around/use as your main showcased elements or use as undertones within the song. These are also “grounds” as to not become “lost in possibility”.

Dynamics & adding elements is all about holding back with each element/tool until the moment when it’s most useful. Treat it as if you have a limited number of times you can use them. Just be conservative & contained. (Compare this concept to Hunter S. Thompson’s drug routine)

Each motif only needs to contain enough of the intended attitude. It just needs to be “good enough”.

Music speaks to the “inner child”. This is why logic falls second to emotional response. Speak to your inner child, perform to everyone else’s.

“Is this the right moment to introduce this element into my song? (Dynamic timing & placement)

Linear songs (Changing motifs) vs. Dynamic Songs (Same/repeating motifs throughout)

Straight-time vs. rhythmic groove

Longer holds/sustains charges the song with emotion. More “holds” = a more emotional dynamic.

Any element added to the song affects the overall aesthetic fell of the song.

“Is this enough?”

Only keep your family/friends in mind when being self-conscious about your music. How would those closest to you feel about it? Everyone else is just a spectator by happenstance.

Keep in mind the tone of each noise/sound & how it compares to the tone of the song.

Fill in spaces until things are enough.

Have Bass, Mid, and treble aspects in the song.

Pick a motif, melody, or flow & stick with it. Practice control/restraint.

Just by using a certain beat/melody/chord progression, it becomes yours.

Each element has different tone/dynamic/etc. values. Each value adds up to the total aesthetic value, or feel of the song.

What instruments/tones are often native to/often used in certain genres? Blend genres!:D

What audial (auditory?) stimulus (motifs/tones/instruments/dynamics/etc.) can represent/symbolize certain visual/external stimulus? (Ex: What says “fast car”?)

In music, nothing is certain or solid. Everything depends on everything else, and everything adds up to different equations/feels.

What would be playing if you were “_”? Write that. (soundtrack to a story/situation)