Because most of my formal training in music and musical composition has been in classical music, I like thinking of ways in which pop songs have borrowed ideas from the classical masters. Chords are one way. Whether it’s a Mozart symphony, a Bach Cantata, or a Brahms sonata, the way progressions work — the way […]
“Nights in White Satin” (1967) is one of The Moody Blues’ biggest hits. Most people know it in its “single” version — a bit over 4 minutes in length. But its full-length version, complete with orchestral introduction and interlude by the London Festival Orchestra, is a multi-sectional work of more than 9 minutes – a […]
____________ Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle, and build your audience base. _____________ I’m on a short road trip at the moment, so I won’t be able to give a full blog post today. But I thought I’d mention one thing that came up in conversation with other musicians regarding MIDI orchestration. I’ve written on […]
Don’t let instrumentation be an afterthought in your songwriting. Use it as a creative tool. ____________ Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle, and build your audience base. _____________ There are many hit songs from the past several decades that have used the same, or at least similar, melodies in both the verse and the chorus. […]
Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6 e-book bundle and get your songs working! _________________ Orchestration, whether for MIDI instruments or the real thing, can be a bit like walking a tightrope. Done well, MIDI can sound real enough to fool most listeners, and you’ve got what sounds like a full orchestra at your disposal. […]
MIDI stands for “Musical Instrument Digital Interface.” Many of you use MIDI to create instrumentations for your songs, and it’s a fantastic way to have synthesized versions of instruments literally at your fingertips. In short, MIDI is a way of controlling electronic instruments (usually synthesizers), and allowing those instruments to produce many different kinds of musical timbres. Used […]
