Losing the ego
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This article from the 'Pro Audio Files' - (a blog site well worth following)
examines approaches to writing music which place the emphasis on creative freedom. It makes the assumption that a basic song structure is in place, but rather than turning to an instrument to fill out the arrangement, using the voice and a simple voice recorder to vocalise parts which may prove beneficial. The stepping away from instruments will in turn free up creativity, so rather than initially playing a bass part on a bass guitar or synthesizer, use the voice to make up a bass track. Rather than programming a drumbeat or employing the services of a drummer, using the voice to initially work out a groove, may in turn lead to more creative freedom. This provides a more immediate way of documenting ideas which have been heard inside the head(audiation) allowing for the idea to be captured before the moment is gone. If I were being critical, however, what I found missing from the article was maybe the idea that it is important to be clear about the intended instrumentation, or at the very least the sounds which will eventually replace the vocalised line.
I think over my time writing music, and certainly in the context of working with young people on the development of their own composition skills, is that although they may use skills on their own instruments as a secure starting point for their own writing, it is important that they begin to think more compositionally than being restricted by their technical skill on the instrument they are playing. It is easy on the piano, for example, for hands to fall into certain shapes and chords with this becoming the basis of the composition rather than listening to the direction of where the music wants to take you. It is interesting that Bjork through her album 'Medúlla' restricted her writing to sounds only produced through the human voice, removing all other instrumentation.
Anyway, a fairy short but interesting read, and well worth checking out more of their blog posts.
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