Geezerjohn
Fractal Fanatic
My experience has been that I go through surges where I write and then have a dry spell, and then another surge. Lately, I have been surging. For those of you who are multi-instrumentalists, do you prefer to write with your guitar or some other instrument?
Currently, I prefer writing my melodies and chord structure on keyboards. I feel, rightly or wrongly, that when writing on guitar, I fall into playing familiar riffs that tend to influence the melody I am chasing. I am no wiz kid on keys (can't solo very well) but I like the melodies I compose using keys.
When I was formally studying guitar, my teacher gave me an exercise that I hated at the time, but now greatly appreciate. He had me play the tune "Happy Birthday" playing every note on the 2nd string (B-string). Then had me build chords which included the melody note. In other words, creating a chord arrangement to support the melody on the B string. The following week, I played my "arrangement" for him. He then instructed me to repeat the process, but not use any of the chords I had already used. Humph. I created a new arrangement. The follow week, I played my new arrangement for him. He instructed me to repeat the process but not use any of the chords I had already used. Yikes! Happy Birthday in a minor key anyone? He repeated the exercise until I thought my brain would explode. The end result? I can create very unusual chord arrangements to support a melody. That ability to hear unusual chords to support a melody is especially useful when composing on a keyboard (or guitar). That ability came in very handy during my years with Supernal Endgame.
So how about you? Any preference when you are writing original music?
Currently, I prefer writing my melodies and chord structure on keyboards. I feel, rightly or wrongly, that when writing on guitar, I fall into playing familiar riffs that tend to influence the melody I am chasing. I am no wiz kid on keys (can't solo very well) but I like the melodies I compose using keys.
When I was formally studying guitar, my teacher gave me an exercise that I hated at the time, but now greatly appreciate. He had me play the tune "Happy Birthday" playing every note on the 2nd string (B-string). Then had me build chords which included the melody note. In other words, creating a chord arrangement to support the melody on the B string. The following week, I played my "arrangement" for him. He then instructed me to repeat the process, but not use any of the chords I had already used. Humph. I created a new arrangement. The follow week, I played my new arrangement for him. He instructed me to repeat the process but not use any of the chords I had already used. Yikes! Happy Birthday in a minor key anyone? He repeated the exercise until I thought my brain would explode. The end result? I can create very unusual chord arrangements to support a melody. That ability to hear unusual chords to support a melody is especially useful when composing on a keyboard (or guitar). That ability came in very handy during my years with Supernal Endgame.
So how about you? Any preference when you are writing original music?
Last edited: