The Internet is abundant with music-inspired writing. That makes me happy. But the majority of these creations were inspired by lyrics, not the actual music. Music composition is storytelling without words. As composers, it is our responsibility to tell a story with our music – and not just with lyrics.
Let the Music Inspire You
I invite you to consider letting the sounds of the music itself inspire you. I could write a book on all the ways we can compose music to represent life and our emotions. But it’s a busy day, so I’ll start with the basics, and we’ll call this Chapter 1.
Here are some ways music can shape the images we see in our minds and the emotions we feel. This list is only a subset.
How Key Impacts the Mood of Music
In the simplest example of this, major keys sound happy, while minor keys sound sad or creepy. Have you ever noticed how some songs motivate you to exercise, while other songs can make you feel lonely? The key you choose for your composition sets the tone for the whole song.
Instrument Choice Paints a Picture
Trumpets and snare drums are used for fanfare: the king or queen’s entrance, the hero’s return, the victorious army. Flutes often sound like birds or butterflies – or tornadoes.
Try Changing Instrument Combinations
Solo violin or cello can feel deeply emotional, sorrowful, vulnerable. But collect a whole orchestra full of violins and cellos, and suddenly, they can sound confident, triumphant.
Adding Articulations to Compositions
A fermata (holding a note longer than a listener expects) creates tension, the anticipation of something coming. A legato melody (with notes that are smoothly connected and flowing) could evoke a river or gentle breeze. A staccato passage (short, bouncy, separated notes) might sound like a playful pet, or bring on a feeling of anxiety.
Combining Strategies
When songwriting, we can hone in on a feeling or mental image by mixing and matching strategies in our compositions. For example, if I played staccato notes very slowly, I might evoke the image of water droplets falling. A steady, repeated note might sound like a dripping faucet. Different notes with an inconsistent rhythm might sound like water in a cave dripping from stalagtites into a still pool beneath.
Case Study: “Airplane” by Indigo Girls
Check out these two examples of musical symbolism in the song “Airplane” by the Indigo Girls. Both passages evoke an image of an airplane taking off. In the first example, with vocals (because your voice is an instrument, too) and in the second, with the piano.
NOTE: Listen to both videos, but only a few seconds. They each start in a different spot in the video.
Vocals Ascending at 1:27 –
Piano Ascending at 2:10 –
Your homework
Listen closely to your favorite music. See if you can identify parts of the song – the music, not the lyrics – that paint a picture in your mind. Then post a video in the comments and give us the min:sec, so we can hear it, too.
Musically,
Michelle
