Genres and Composition....???

C

Chew_Bear

New member
They say to not make a song based upon a genre and to create your song around a mood, feeling, story or some other emotional state.

BUT...

You have to start somewhere...right...???

And if you don't know where that starting point is, than the only variable you can fall on to help you would only be musical genres.

So...I don't really get it. If I have the feeling/mood for a song in my head. Can't I just pick a genre that I think would best fit/suit the song based on past musical experiences and where I want my musical path to go....???

Or should I just wait and see what kind of genre magically "POPS" into my head for the song I am making...???
 
who says to avoid choosing a a genre/style?

genres/styles do exactly what you say: provide a framework within which apiece can be developed knowing that the outcome should work if you have understood the intricacies of that genre/style
 
Try emulating the artists you like to listen (the so called influences) and from there you create what you think it's good. There are no rules in music.
 
I quite often start by 'copying' an artist's track, using patches/samples, melodies, chords and rhythms that are similar but not the same. Then I might do something that a different artist does and add that into the track.

Trying to make a really stereotypical track in a certain genre is a good starting point too.
 
Music makers do not invent genre's. People who listen to music make genre's. The second you tell your mind that you are making a (insert genre here) track, you instantly start limiting yourself. like making sure you have a 4/4 kick when the song really doesn't call for that. or trying to have a certain boomy bassline when the track doesn't want it. If you have a feeling in your head, don't fight it and let it come out. Make the song like you are picking your clothes, if you like something but don't know why, don't question it. Just go for it, don't get held up in any spot for too long and let the track finish itself. You will surprise yourself with original music.
 
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Wapiti perfectly put my thoughts into words. I'm exactly the same. To this day, after being a musician for about 12 years, I still don't know what to say when people ask me what genre I compose. I always say I compose "gentle music - mostly violins and pianos" and that "several people have said my music reminds them of music from Final Fantasy and games like Final Fantasy*" because sometimes my music comes out gentle and rockin' like Those Who Fight (Final Fantasy 7), sometimes it comes out gentle and pretty like Melodies of Life (Final Fantasy 9), sometimes it comes out gentle and whimsical like Chocobo Theme (Final Fantasy 9), etc. People would look at those 3 songs and call each one a different genre, and they'd do the same to all of my songs too.

*I only started saying this after two friends of mine both said it "reminds them of Final Fantasy" and they "could see my music being in a Final Fantasy game." These were also two of the first 5 times I showed my music to anyone, so (back then) it was 2 out of 5 times my audience made that comparison themselves.
 
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