Articles 1-10
The first 10 articles in Musical Creativity
Guitars in parallel - Musical Creativity 1
Guitars in Parallel
Send a guitar through a parallel bus and put a noise gate followed by effects on the bus.
Why? If you set it up properly, you can have the sound change based on the input volume, e.g. pick the strings harder and it will bring in the effects, play quieter and leave the tone clean. Depending on how the noise gate is set, you can have this fading in and out or cutting in and out, almost stuttering. This is a more drastic change than what you'd get out of a valve amp set just on the edge.
Steps
Variations
I've attached a sample and a screenshot of how it works in Logic Pro. I actually used a few more effects than just a distortion to make it work better for me.
Try it and let me know how you get on.
Part of a series by Award Sounds offering a selection of creative ideas to kick-start or rejuvenate a composition.
Ahead of the beat - Musical Creativity 2
How to be musically creative - 2
Play ahead of the beat
A tip from playing live but may just be the spice required to liven up a good recording: re-record some of the instrument tracks slightly ahead of the drum beat. We're not talking major syncopation here, just a fraction of a second before the main beats. The music will feel like it's got more energy. Alternatively, play behind the beat and the track will sound more relaxed or laid back. Careful how many instruments you change. Start with the bass for the most familiar effect or try one or a group of other instruments to get a different feel. Move too many or move them too far and it may just sound like you can't play in time.
A good example is Gimme Some Lovin' by Spencer Davis Group. An even more extreme example, try I'm Still Standing by Elton John. I suppose many funk guitarists get the same feel with a slide up to the chord on the beat. For further examples, try jazz and swing - a quick search and you can find lots of examples.
Got any other noteworthy examples, especially non-jazz? Add them to the comments.
By the way, nothing against jazz, there's some great music (really great music), but most of the literature I've seen on ahead and behind the beat relates to jazz with the odd token reference to motown.
If anyone wants to try an exercise, see if just moving the bass recording forwards works rather than re-recording. I haven't tried this since I prefer the natural feel of playing against the beat and feeling the accents and stresses.
Part of a series by Award Sounds offering a selection of creative ideas to kick-start or rejuvenate a composition.
New Key - Musical Creativity 3
How to be musically creative - 3
Change your starting key
Applies to all instruments but more so if you play guitar. How many keys do you play in when you compose? Chances are you use roughly two major keys and two minor keys. Maybe you stretch to three or four. We can probably guess which keys they are by their closeness to C major or perhaps even A minor if your a kinda moody person.
Try a new key today. Try A-flat major. Need to understand more about keys and key signatures, start with http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_signature.
Depending on your guitar and strings (yes, the quality of strings can make a difference to your tuning), you may have to make some slight adjustments to tuning. I'm saying this from a pragmatic viewpoint, it shouldn't be necessary to retune (although if someone wants to argue about even and well tempered, I'll listen.....for a short while) but pragmatically, you may as well tune it afresh, especially if you want to include fretted and open-string notes.
Part of a series by Award Sounds offering a selection of creative ideas to kick-start or rejuvenate a composition.
Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science - Musical Creativity 4
How to be musically creative - 4
This may seem an odd reference to put in an article on creativity, but bear with me and I'll explain why you should read Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science
Out of all the books and articles around, this book is the one I referred to for the longest time.
Mainly I'd suggest using it to gauge your level of understanding the recording, mixing and mastering process. At the point you don't understand it, re-read the chapter and maybe even the previous chapter. If you're still stuck, then use a search engine to gather some more detail or check Bob Katz's site at Digital Domain.
Put some of the ideas into practice. Ensure you understand compression and what it does to your music. Understanding compression (as with any effect or processor) means you can use it as a tool. Understanding what the tool does will shortcut the time it takes to get the sound in your head out into the world.
Whatever music you do create, you'll need to know where to call in the services of others. Maybe you record and mix your own tracks, maybe even some mastering. After reading the book, at least you'll understand the disadvantages of doing your own mastering.
And perhaps the best piece of the puzzle is understanding stereo recording. When you've read it, try it out.
The book doesn't stop at the simple concepts, instead Bob Katz does an excellent job of explaining some complex ideas, but starting from the basics and building up.
--Updated 2007/12/07 to include 2nd Edition.
Part of a series by Award Sounds offering a selection of creative ideas to kick-start or rejuvenate a composition.
Click Away - Musical Creativity 5
Click Away - Musical Creativity 5
I find click tracks useful when I use them as a metronome and solely as that. They help me keep time. The problem that I find is that they're boring, so I don't respond to them very well. I can play accurately enough along with clicktracks, but the end result to me is never as interesting from a creative viewpoint as what I get when playing with other musicians.
So I take a similar theme when recording even the most basic of tracks. I do away with the standard "tock, tick, tick, tick" clicktrack and instead use something with rhythm to start me off. The majority of the time whatever I use as a timing source doesn't end up in the final mix. It's there to breathe some life into the recording and to remind me that music isn't meant to be rigid.
For the attached file, I recorded 2 guitars with X-Y mics; one rhythm, the other melody. The drum loop was running all the time throughout recording. For this mp3, I've faded the drums in and out to give you an idea of the difference it makes. That was the loop that was running, but now there are the two guitars in place, I think the drum loop is wrong and I'd want some more acoustic if any percussion at all. Imagine getting that feel and rhythm with the standard clicktrack?
By the way, if you find the strings are rattling a bit too much in the recording, it was mainly because I was using a brass pick. I liked the brighter sound for a change and I have to admit I haven't used picks other than my standard Jazz IIIs for years now. Think I may have plucked a bit harder than usual as well. No eq applied (save for the preamp's HPF), minimal reverb applied and a few db of compression on the output bus.
Part of a series by Award Sounds offering a selection of creative ideas to kick-start or rejuvenate a composition.
Visual Kickstart - Musical Creativity 6
A Visual Kickstart - Musical Creativity 6
Find something to inspire you. When you're looking at a painting or a picture, think about how you could convey in music the same thoughts and emotions you're experiencing. Or think about some music that would accompany people looking at the same pictures. Instead of trying to match it, create the opposite mood? There are enough angles to think about, just change your perspective slightly.
Here are two examples that I use:
Buy a diary from Earth from the Air
Or Lonely Planet Calendar 2008. The good thing about both of these is that because they're based on the calendar, they provide new inspirations at regular intervals.
Better still, walk into your local Oxfam shop, to buy the diary and calendar and you'll be helping Oxfam help others as well.
In the case of filmscores, ad-spots and music for TV programmes, the picture is moving, so it's useful to start practising with still photos. Doing it that way will reinforce the fact that moods can swap and change as the scene changes.
Part of a series by Award Sounds offering a selection of creative ideas to kick-start or rejuvenate a composition.
Outside Influences - Musical Creativity 7
Composing can be an isolated and insular activity. So change it. Get outside for a walk. Get out of your usual surroundings, even if only to recharge your batteries. It will be good for your health as well as for your music.
Each week, I like to get outside into the countryside one way or another. If I'm planning my week, I'll try to find time between clients and deadlines to go for a walk. I decided some time ago to use photography as a career as well as being a composer. That gives me something to do when I'm outside. Nature is refreshing. Mind you, if I lived in a rural setting, I'd probably want more civilisation instead as the refresher.
Even so, sometimes I'll go out and not take a camera, deciding to just relax and enjoy the moment. I find that an hour walk is sufficient to introduce me to a new perspective on any existing project.
I don't see that as wasted time; it's useful since I will work quicker when back with my keyboards and guitars. Better still, I'll have a batch of images to process. Even without them, there are still some tasks you can do outside.
1) Take a camera - and take photos of natural items or architecture that inspire you as you walk. Use them as inspiration back in the studio.
2) Take a notepad - there's a lot you can do with pen and paper outside. Benches half-way around your walk are great for this.
i) write lyrics
ii) write your plan of action for the following week
iii) decide on your aims and objectives for the next year
iv) brainstorm your current projects
v) decide on how you will improve your own skills
vi) decide what you're going to compose next
3) Read a book or magazine
4) Listen
i) listen to the difference in sound
ii) listen for sounds you can use (think the Lark Ascending, or Summer In The City)
iii) listen for sounds you can try to describe in your music
iv) listen for the silence - you'll never find it - but I find I have to get used to listening at different volumes to normal.
Personally, sitting next to water is the best recharge for me. Doesn't matter if it's coast, river, lake or reservoir. Must be because I've been a city-dweller for all of my life
Part of a series by Award Sounds offering a selection of creative ideas to kick-start or rejuvenate a composition.
A change is as good as a rest - Musical Creativity 8 - an interlude
In this article, I want to set the scene for the next batch of articles in the series on creativity. I was writing the plans for forthcoming articles and I noticed that they all involved change. They all run along the lines of "try doing x" with the activity being different in every article. On reflection, if you're reading this series, then you may be looking for an idea you haven't thought of before or for a different perspective on on an idea that you're already familiar with.
First of all a slight detour.
For me, change is a central concept, every time I find myself stuck, I try two things:
Firstly, I tackle the problem from a different angle. Treating it as a problem is the first mistake. I'll backup the project and try changing something, adding a new track, sometimes starting from scratch. Set a time-limit for this exercise, otherwise it can drag on and potentially drag your spirit down. There's nothing worse than listening to the same track over and over again, knowing it has to change but not liking the results.
Secondly, if that doesn't work, I'll park the issue and do something else for a while, then go back to it. The other activity could be another project, learning something new, going for a walk or even do something mundane around the office. The trick is to not think about the first project. Again, set a time limit so you return to it. Oddly enough, I find I do my best thinking in the shower in the morning. No matter what the problem, if I sleep on it, I've usually got the answer before I leave the house in the morning. Sometimes it takes the journey to work for the details to coalesce and my conviction in the solution to materialise. But whatever the case, I know that no matter how big the problem, but the next day, I'll have a direction. That's an important routine for me. I can leave a task unresolved, comfortable that direction will arrive there soon. On return to the first project, see if you can take anything from what you've been doing into it. The mixture of both activities often creates just the fresh view I need to complete the first project.
Coming back from that tangent, I'd like to introduce the next group of articles because each strand of thought is likely to start very simply. For instance, I will start one on timing, but for anybody with basic music theory it will appear slow since we'll try to cater for everyone (me included!). It's worth me saying, that even though I know and have learnt some decent music theory in the past, I don't consciously use it all the time. I don't ever think "hmmm, I need an augmented 7th here". Maybe I should. Right now, I don't think I'm missing out and I'm comfortable with how much theory and background I know. But importantly, I've found that I don't use the theory that I do know, I get too comfortable with what I know and forget that I know more. It can come as a shock to realise that I already know something, but don't use it. Like I know how to run and cycle, but most of the time I'll walk, drive or catch the train to get somewhere. So even if you are well-versed in music theory or proficient at your instruments, it pays to go through basic exercises to consolidate that knowledge even years after the initial learning. I'll also be on the same journey as I revisit past lessons.
If the articles look too simple, come back in a few weeks and see where the articles are up to. You may find it easier to subscribe to the series RSS feed or even the site's RSS feed so you can watch the progress in your own time.
Part of a series by Award Sounds offering a selection of creative ideas to kick-start or rejuvenate a composition.
Different picks - Musical Creativity 9
My standard guitar plectrum for the last 5 years has been Jim Dunlop Jazz III. Even down to the colour, I use the red ones so I can still find them on the floor. Black ones are more awkward to find and harder. I like the fact that I can grip it easily and there's just enough pick to use and not too much to get in the way. Despite it being called a Jazz pick, it's great for a lot of other styles. I find them the easiest picks to achieve pinch-harmonics with.
If I want a different sound or want to practice a different style, then a different pick can sometimes do just the job, even turning the pick upside and playing with the flatter part against the strings produces a different sound. The latter technique is great for strumming and reducing the harshness created by some picks.
Apart from the obvious thickness of the picks, different materials have their uses. I used an Ice-Pix copper pick (quite a thin one actually) to bring out the treble on a recent recording. I had tried a steel pick (a bit thicker) but the sound of the pick plucking the strings was too audible. The copper pick was a nice balance of brightness and articulation. Importantly for me from a composition perspective, it gave me the best feel for playing that particular part. I believe in getting the sound right at source and although I could have boosted the higher frequencies with eq to get the brighter sound, there was no guarantee I could get the sound I wanted. Using the copper pick gave me the sound and the playability.
For another recording, I used a rubber pick. The idea behind them is that they give you a similar sound to fingers. I don't fully agree with that; if I wanted it to sound like fingers, then I'd use my fingers. But then again, I'm happy with finger-picking and strumming. It did sound different to normal picks and provides a useful quality that I still try every so often.
A very thin plastic pick on an acoustic gives a really lightweight effect, great for background strumming, but not good for me for picking out prominent melodies. For quick, funky strumming, I've never really found the Jazz IIIs that easy to work with. for those times I revert back to what I used to use before: Dunlop Tortex .88mm. Depending on the part, I may opt for a Delrin EX which has an odd indentation for the thumb. Sometimes I get on with, sometimes I don't.
A useful effect I've found is to play the same part using different picks, in much the same way that tracking a part with multiple instruments. By varying the relative levels between the tracks enables me to change the timbre of the instrument, bringing it more to the foreground or pushing to the background.
Got a guitar part that doesn't sound quite right? Try using a different pick and re-record it. Does it sound any better? It can be as effective as a new guitar amp.
There are enough online shops out there that will sell you picks cheaper than the high street so use them. My favourite for a few years has been Stringbusters. It's a great site and over time, I must have purchased at least one of every major pick, just to try out the differences. Some didn't really do much for me. Some have been added to my standard kit bag, just in case.
If you're still stuck, there are a few other approaches you can take with picks:
- put a plectrum in the strings on the headstock behind the nut
- rather than plucking or strumming, stroke the strings parallel to the strings rather than perpendicular. (i.e. move the pick along the string for a centimetre or so)
- alternate with pick and fingers (I have to do this for some songs anyway)
Part of a series by Award Sounds offering a selection of creative ideas to kick-start or rejuvenate a composition.
Time for a Change - Musical Creativity 10
I remember talking to a drummer I used to play with about timings and accents on beats. His answer was that he only counted to "one". Every hit was "one", "one", "one". Fortunately for that drummer he was technically very proficient and had a great knack for playing what felt right at the time. More importantly, what he played, sounded right to everyone else.
I remembered that conversation when I looked at my computer screen the other day. There I was looking at Logic Pro noticing that the template I'm using is set to 4/4 and 120bpm. I change the bpm to match what I want to record, but I rarely change the time signature.
The chances are that if you're using a standard DAW (Logic, Cubase, etc), then the template project for recording is 4/4 and probably even 120bpm. Understanding time signatures is important and understanding the rhythms and emphasis created by a different time structure opens a whole new world to you. You probably know most of it from how it feels anyway, but understanding the underlying theory wouldn't hurt. The standard 4/4 has its uses and is incredibly popular, but it's worth trying other time signatures. I'm not suggesting you change your template project, but instead to think about the time signature before you start composing.
The standard for DAWs is 4/4, 4 beats to the bar. While good for pop and rock and the vast majority of music in the western charts, changes can be nice. You can change the time signature for the complete piece of music or have the time change signature change when you want it to.
Simply:
If you're used to 4/4, try 3/4
If you're used to 3/4, try 6/8
If you're used to the above, start playing with any other combination. 5/4, 12/8, 9/8 are probably the next most common but still rare enough in modern pop music.
3/4 has been commonly used for waltzes but also works well in songs where you want a swinging feel (different to swing - meaning a divergence from the timing). A good example of 3/4 in a modern setting is Change The World from Them Vs You Vs Us
6/8 isn't the same as 3/4 although it would appear that they would resolve to the same 3 beats to a bar. From my perspective, the main difference is to be found in the stress pattern.
3/4 has 3 beats (crochets to the bar) so over 3 bars the stress would be:
*1*, 2, 3,
*1*, 2, 3,
*1*, 2, 3.
6/8 has 2 groups of 3 (quavers in this case) to each bar, so over 3 bars the stress for each would be:
*1*, 2, 3, *4*, 5, 6,
*1*, 2, 3, *4*, 5, 6,
*1*, 2, 3, *4*, 5, 6.
A good example of the difference is found at the start of America from West Side Story, see the Wikipedia article for more detail. I hadn't seen the difference encapsulated so well in a piece of music as that before. But seeing it written down and thinking it through in my head, I can really hear the difference between the two.
I can think of a few songs that people love to (try to) dance to, but they generally can't due to the odd time signature.
Golden Brown - The Stranglers
Living In The Past - Jethro Tull
Take Five - Dave Brubeck
Maybe the would-be dancers would be better off counting to one instead. Actually that can work.
Dave Brubeck recorded two albums, Time Out
Studybass.com has a nice simple reference to time signatures. Very useful as a starting point.
Wikipedia also has a list of songs not in 4/4
Perhaps a better list is at Aufrecht which hosts a list of songs in different time signatures including the abiity to filter them on the time signature.
Part of a series by Award Sounds offering a selection of creative ideas to kick-start or rejuvenate a composition.