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No one can fault a songwriter for wanting to create something unique and distinctive. It’s normal to want to stand out from the rest of the songwriting crowd. But in the bid to be thought of as unique, there is a danger of becoming too weird for most audiences.
When that happens, you run the risk of alienating your listenership. And in fact, when it comes to writing music that strays into the avant garde, many don’t do it very well.
In short, while trying to write music that sets yourself apart from the rest of the singer-songwriter world, you can come across as simply trying too hard. It’s very possible to create real gems of music that sound unique and innovative, without having to resort to bizarre or abnormal techniques and sounds.
One of the best contemporary examples of what I’m describing is found in some of the music of American singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens, and in particular, “Futile Devices” from his 2010 album “The Age of Adz”.
Much of the song revolves around two chords: F#m7 – B and the key appears to be modal: F# dorian. The scale for F# dorian uses the notes F# G# A B C# D# E. The melodies are of a simple, diatonic (i.e., using notes from the song’s key) construction. You might think that it’s hard, or perhaps even impossible, to create music that can be unique while using such simple elements. But it’s how those elements are used and mingled together that creates this beautifully unique piece of music.
In particular, here are some ideas for making simple music sound much more complex than it really is, all demonstrated in “Futile Devices”:
- In chord progressions, highlight a chord’s added tones. An added tone is simply one that is not found in the simple triad version of the chord. The first chord in “Futile Devices” is F#m7. The guitar highlights that 7th (the note E within the chord F#m7), making it the first note you hear, creating a beautifully unsettled sound.
- Use altered versions of chords within a simple progression. By adding 7ths, 9ths, suspensions, and other chord modifications with each repeat of the chord pattern, you keep the same general progression but change its sound slightly. So the basic progression is F#m to B, but in any one repeat you will hear F#m7, F#m9, Bsus4, B, Badd9), etc. These added tones often come from the interplay between the chords and the melody. In other words, it’s the notes of the melody that add the altered tones to the chords.
- Minimize the instrumentation as much as possible. Since today’s pop music comes with the expectation of guitars, bass, drums, synth and other instruments, it will come across as unique if you present your song with a simple, lightly played guitar or keyboard. The transparency of that kind of accompaniment can be incredibly enticing.
- Keep the melody simple, but give it some contour. Create a melodic line that makes good use of repetition, displaying a nice balance between upward and downward motion. The combination of repetition and captivating shape will make the melody memorable.
- Consider switching the tonal focus from minor to major at some important structural point within the song. In “Futile Devices”, you’re likely aware of the constant return to F#m7 as the first chord in the F#m7-B pairing. But toward the end, as a kind of “coda” (ending), the chord A becomes significant, and applies a sense of hopefulness and inner strength to the lyric. That one chord change is very subtle, but incredibly powerful.
- Keep the message of your song simple, and don’t feel compelled to tell all. The lyric of “Futile Devices” is, on one level, simple and direct. But on another level, you find yourself wondering if there is more there, a deeper level of meaning. It’s as if Stevens had just visited with a friend, and wanted to tell us bits and pieces of it – just enough to entice us to fill in the blanks. Don’t overly worry if your fans come to the wrong conclusion.
In songwriting, it can be extremely rewarding to write something that provokes your audience to think and discuss what you’ve done. Music that is overly odd or complex can be exciting, but can sometimes have the adverse effect of shutting your listeners out.
For many reasons, simplicity can be, paradoxically, the ticket to writing something that sounds exciting, fresh and innovative.
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Written by Gary Ewer. Follow on Twitter.
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