Emotional music composition

[amanise]

...
We often talk about the "music business" I’m not in that, but if you are, it’s a nightmare, I know people who have been, and it’s run by gangsters basically, they’ll rip you off at every turn unless you’ve got eyes in the back of your head and a good lawyer.

Yes, agreed with all that - and following the advent of the CD -> ripping -> Internet -> streaming pathway everyone expects music to be a free commodity anyway. I've had a couple of opportunities along the way, to be part of the 'music business' you refer to. On reflection I'm glad they didn't work out because it's always been a passion for me - and it's rarely good when you try and convert a passion into a business. There few more effective passion killers than the injection of money into the equation. I was just ranting - you know me.

[tea for two]

Here's a list of 271 emotions.
It's pretty understandable that we myself included can't quite pin down emotion/s we are feeling, emotion/s we are conveying or not in our compositions.
We are, our compositions are far more varied than just "sad happy."
So a list of emotions as this can be useful.
https://www.berkeleywellbeing.com/list-of-emotions.html

[OneWorld]

Music is like any other trade, like a bricklayer for instance, if you're any good, they'll call you, if you're not so good, you call them.

A friend of mine for instance is never short of work, why? he's a good brickie, he gets so many offers of work he's turning more work away than work he accepts, he's like the Taylor Swift of brick-laying. Another pal of mine, another brickie, scrats about doing bits and bobs, he thinks and opines a lot, but that's about as far as he gets

[amanise]

Here's a list of 271 emotions.
It's pretty understandable that we myself included can't quite pin down emotion/s we are feeling, emotion/s we are conveying or not in our compositions.
We are, our compositions are far more varied than just "sad happy."
So a list of emotions as this can be useful.
https://www.berkeleywellbeing.com/list-of-emotions.html

I bet someone will try and trigger them all now....

[OneWorld]

Here's a list of 271 emotions.
It's pretty understandable that we myself included can't quite pin down emotion/s we are feeling, emotion/s we are conveying or not in our compositions.
We are, our compositions are far more varied than just "sad happy."
So a list of emotions as this can be useful.
https://www.berkeleywellbeing.com/list-of-emotions.html

I notice it's a .dot.com whatever emotions are, there's money in them thar emotions, and from what I see from the 'emotions industry' there's a good living to be made out of it, probably far more than you get from singing about them

[quotes fixed to reflect correct poster - Andy ]

[Sam Spoons]

Music is like any other trade, like a bricklayer for instance, if you're any good, they'll call you, if you're not so good, you call them.

A friend of mine for instance is never short of work, why? he's a good brickie, he gets so many offers of work he's turning more work away than work he accepts, he's like the Taylor Swift of brick-laying. Another pal of mine, another brickie, scrats about doing bits and bobs, he thinks and opines a lot, but that's about as far as he gets

I suspect it's more a matter of attitude than actual skill (assuming both can do at least a passably decent job). We've all come across the technically excellent musician/sound guy/WHY who is difficult to work with and in most cases the guy we'd phone would be the competent but easy to get along with guy.

[amanise]

...
I suspect it's more a matter of attitude than actual skill (assuming both can do at least a passably decent job). We've all come across the technically excellent musician/sound guy/WHY who is difficult to work with and in most cases the guy we'd phone would be the competent but easy to get along with guy.

Exactly that. After a 30 year career in medical IT I can safely say I have met a lot of very gifted technical people - and have had many working for me at different times. There are some, though, you just have to let go no matter how gifted they are. If nobody can work with them - or they habitually alienate people they provide a service to - there's not much you can do to help them.

[Arpangel]

Music is like any other trade, like a bricklayer for instance, if you're any good, they'll call you, if you're not so good, you call them.

A friend of mine for instance is never short of work, why? he's a good brickie, he gets so many offers of work he's turning more work away than work he accepts, he's like the Taylor Swift of brick-laying. Another pal of mine, another brickie, scrats about doing bits and bobs, he thinks and opines a lot, but that's about as far as he gets

Building a wall? It’s either straight and level, or it’s wrong.
Making music, well?

[Drew Stephenson]

Received this message from a stranger on Instagram today, "[it] has had quite an emotional impact this morning which I must try & process.
“Goodnight” in particular has broken something inside me, in a good way, though I’m not sure quite what yet. I’ll have a good cry, listen again & let it sit in my soul awhile."

I'm not going to say that this is what it's all about, but I can't think of any better reasons to be making music at the moment.

Give it another 10 years and I might find a third fan.

[Eddy Deegan]

Received this message from a stranger on Instagram today, "[it] has had quite an emotional impact this morning which I must try & process.
“Goodnight” in particular has broken something inside me, in a good way, though I’m not sure quite what yet. I’ll have a good cry, listen again & let it sit in my soul awhile."

I'm not going to say that this is what it's all about, but I can't think of any better reasons to be making music at the moment.

Give it another 10 years and I might find a third fan.

I've not experienced that exact response to your music Drew but it's very evocative for me in my own ways and I grok where your correspondent is coming from. I'm glad they gave you that feedback, it's well deserved

[Drew Stephenson]

Thanks Eddy, your fiver is in the post.

[OneWorld]

Music is like any other trade, like a bricklayer for instance, if you're any good, they'll call you, if you're not so good, you call them.

A friend of mine for instance is never short of work, why? he's a good brickie, he gets so many offers of work he's turning more work away than work he accepts, he's like the Taylor Swift of brick-laying. Another pal of mine, another brickie, scrats about doing bits and bobs, he thinks and opines a lot, but that's about as far as he gets

Building a wall? It’s either straight and level, or it’s wrong.
Making music, well?

Same difference, only 2 kinds of music - good, and krap.

It's either straight and level, or it's wrong - the Great Wall of China isn't straight and level, but seeing as it's still stood, it must be right (opposite of wrong)

Are you inferring a builder only builds walls? That's like saying musicians can only play a 3 chord trick. They build houses too, and when a house becomes a home, it can have an emotional currency too.

Thing is with music, or more to the point musicians - we are pathologically pre-disposed to take ourselves too seriously. That said, when I have listened to interviews with the 'greats', nay, the 'legends' of music making, it is sort of encouraging how so many of them, are very matter of fact, grounded and quite humbled and pragmatic. The sort of people you could imagine having a pint with and a bit of banter down the pub. They are good at what they do and and what they do is good, that's about the extent of their self-analysis, "I got money in the bank, so I must be doing something right"

[Arpangel]

Music is like any other trade, like a bricklayer for instance, if you're any good, they'll call you, if you're not so good, you call them.

A friend of mine for instance is never short of work, why? he's a good brickie, he gets so many offers of work he's turning more work away than work he accepts, he's like the Taylor Swift of brick-laying. Another pal of mine, another brickie, scrats about doing bits and bobs, he thinks and opines a lot, but that's about as far as he gets

Building a wall? It’s either straight and level, or it’s wrong.
Making music, well?

Same difference, only 2 kinds of music - good, and krap.

Are you inferring a builder only builds walls? That's like saying musicians can only play a 3 chord trick. They build houses too, and when a house becomes a home, it can have an emotional currency too

We are now defining the role of a builder, a master builder.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKfTKNp_yUI

[Drew Stephenson]

"When I was a King and a Mason - a Master proven and skilled
I cleared me ground for a Palace such as a King should build.
I decreed and dug down to my levels. Presently under the silt
I came on the wreck of a Palace such as a King had built. "

[OneWorld]

Music is like any other trade, like a bricklayer for instance, if you're any good, they'll call you, if you're not so good, you call them.

A friend of mine for instance is never short of work, why? he's a good brickie, he gets so many offers of work he's turning more work away than work he accepts, he's like the Taylor Swift of brick-laying. Another pal of mine, another brickie, scrats about doing bits and bobs, he thinks and opines a lot, but that's about as far as he gets

Building a wall? It’s either straight and level, or it’s wrong.
Making music, well?

Same difference, only 2 kinds of music - good, and krap.

Are you inferring a builder only builds walls? That's like saying musicians can only play a 3 chord trick. They build houses too, and when a house becomes a home, it can have an emotional currency too

We are now defining the role of a builder, a master builder.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKfTKNp_yUI

You might be, I'm not. Your statement requires some clarification - can you define the roles please? For clarification purposes, I am using an analogy (builders v composers) to illustrate a point, not establishing definitions.

[OneWorld]

"When I was a King and a Mason - a Master proven and skilled
I cleared me ground for a Palace such as a King should build.
I decreed and dug down to my levels. Presently under the silt
I came on the wreck of a Palace such as a King had built. "

It must have been a Barrat home then

[Arpangel]

Music is like any other trade, like a bricklayer for instance, if you're any good, they'll call you, if you're not so good, you call them.

A friend of mine for instance is never short of work, why? he's a good brickie, he gets so many offers of work he's turning more work away than work he accepts, he's like the Taylor Swift of brick-laying. Another pal of mine, another brickie, scrats about doing bits and bobs, he thinks and opines a lot, but that's about as far as he gets

Building a wall? It’s either straight and level, or it’s wrong.
Making music, well?

Same difference, only 2 kinds of music - good, and krap.

Are you inferring a builder only builds walls? That's like saying musicians can only play a 3 chord trick. They build houses too, and when a house becomes a home, it can have an emotional currency too

We are now defining the role of a builder, a master builder.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKfTKNp_yUI

You might be, I'm not. Your statement requires some clarification - can you define the roles please? For clarification purposes, I am using an analogy (builders v composers) to illustrate a point, not establishing definitions.

That’s exactly it, the role of a musician cannot easily be defined, compared to a builder, and using this as an analogy doesn’t really work.

[amanise]

I think I've entered some kind of emotional civil engineering twilight zone....

[OneWorld]

Building a wall? It’s either straight and level, or it’s wrong.
Making music, well?

Same difference, only 2 kinds of music - good, and krap.

Are you inferring a builder only builds walls? That's like saying musicians can only play a 3 chord trick. They build houses too, and when a house becomes a home, it can have an emotional currency too

We are now defining the role of a builder, a master builder.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKfTKNp_yUI

You might be, I'm not. Your statement requires some clarification - can you define the roles please? For clarification purposes, I am using an analogy (builders v composers) to illustrate a point, not establishing definitions.

That’s exactly it, the role of a musician cannot easily be defined, compared to a builder, and using this as an analogy doesn’t really work.

Au contrar, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The role of the music is to create and/perform music, the role of a builder is to create a home, the performance part is living in it - simples. I can imagine there's many a builder who once they have finished a home, done the final mix (of cement of course) they stand back and feel justifiably proud and emotional, and why not, that home could bring happiness, joy, good times and bad, over the years, even 100's of years, as indeed a piece of music can.

Emotion is emotion, it's a moving feast though, some might emote about this, some might emote about that, but at the end of the day, it's still emotion. I don't understand why musicians seem to have this idea that they have the monopoly on it, or why we become so precious about it.

Writing a piece of music trancends many emotions, or none, the inspiration might be happy song, sad song, make some money to put food on the table song, a song where to write or play might be a technical challenge, an instructional tune (eg Bach's 48 Preludes and Fugues) or a combination.

When it comes down to it, who are we to judge on another person's skill, expertise, dedication, pride in what they do. Have I ever seen a bricklayer cry when he/she builds a wonky wall? No, but have I ever seen a bagpipe player cry when he/she blows it, and plays a bum, note.

[OneWorld]

I think I've entered some kind of emotional civil engineering twilight zone....

"If you build it, people will come"

[Arpangel]

Same difference, only 2 kinds of music - good, and krap.

Are you inferring a builder only builds walls? That's like saying musicians can only play a 3 chord trick. They build houses too, and when a house becomes a home, it can have an emotional currency too

We are now defining the role of a builder, a master builder.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKfTKNp_yUI

You might be, I'm not. Your statement requires some clarification - can you define the roles please? For clarification purposes, I am using an analogy (builders v composers) to illustrate a point, not establishing definitions.

That’s exactly it, the role of a musician cannot easily be defined, compared to a builder, and using this as an analogy doesn’t really work.

Au contrar, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The role of the music is to create and/perform music, the role of a builder is to create a home, the performance part is living in it - simples. I can imagine there's many a builder who once they have finished a home, done the final mix (of cement of course) they stand back and feel justifiably proud and emotional, and why not, that home could bring happiness, joy, good times and bad, over the years, even 100's of years, as indeed a piece of music can.

Emotion is emotion, it's a moving feast though, some might emote about this, some might emote about that, but at the end of the day, it's still emotion. I don't understand why musicians seem to have this idea that they have the monopoly on it, or why we become so precious about it.

Writing a piece of music trancends many emotions, or none, the inspiration might be happy song, sad song, make some money to put food on the table song, a song where to write or play might be a technical challenge, an instructional tune (eg Bach's 48 Preludes and Fugues) or a combination.

When it comes down to it, who are we to judge on another person's skill, expertise, dedication, pride in what they do. Have I ever seen a bricklayer cry when he/she builds a wonky wall? No, but have I ever seen a bagpipe player cry when he/she blows it, and plays a bum, note.

Let’s just talk about the good stuff, the rest can go and theorise and play bagpipes, or whatever.
Bagpipes can be good though, but only in a very limited context, like funerals.

[OneWorld]

Well to whomsoever the bagpipes are being played in memory of, at a funeral, it won’t matter if they are played with emotion or not

[Arpangel]

Well to whomsoever the bagpipes are being played in memory of, at a funeral, it won’t matter if they are played with emotion or not

Did I really say "funerals" my god, I must be a little bit "disconnected"

[amanise]

Well to whomsoever the bagpipes are being played in memory of, at a funeral, it won’t matter if they are played with emotion or not

Did I really say "funerals" my god, I must be a little bit "disconnected"

Indeed! Don't you remember the epic work "Its a Long Way To The Top (if you wanna rock n roll)" by (crosses chest) AC/DC?? Who can forget the stirring bagpipe solo by (crosses chest) Bon Scott??

[OneWorld]

Well to whomsoever the bagpipes are being played in memory of, at a funeral, it won’t matter if they are played with emotion or not

Did I really say "funerals" my god, I must be a little bit "disconnected"

Indeed! Don't you remember the epic work "Its a Long Way To The Top (if you wanna rock n roll)" by (crosses chest) AC/DC?? Who can forget the stirring bagpipe solo by (crosses chest) Bon Scott??

"Even my old kettle...is whistling the blues for you" surely one of the most emotive lines ever written.

I've Got the Empty Pocket Blues
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XuKKTtg-Cs

They don't write 'em like this any more

[amanise]

...
I've Got the Empty Pocket Blues
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XuKKTtg-Cs

They don't write 'em like this any more

They certainly don't

[tea for two]

It wouldn't do, would it, to have such as Big Band Jazz, Reggae, Disco, Ska, EDM as morose navel gazing lol.
Although I'm working on 2 EDM pieces which are navel gazing so there goes that

Various navel gazing songs have been Dancified such as suicide is painless.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4gOOO2nM7 ... Vzcw%3D%3D
Oh well.

Then there's styles as Shoe Gaze, Trip Hop which have a certain downbeat flava. So we would have to follow were we composing in those styles.

[amanise]

.... So we would have to follow were we composing in those styles.

In my book, that's what sorts the pros from the rest of us really. Loads of people can come up with decent music. I'm always amazed at some of the stuff that people come up with these days now we all have a fully functioning studio in our spare rooms. Writing and producing to a brief though - different story. Maybe most of the time producing music you don't even like yourself. Must take a lot of skill and determination. Rick Wakeman does part of his 'evening with' shows playing songs you know in the style of other composers - like Mozart. It's amazing - and mostly, really funny.

[OneWorld]

.... So we would have to follow were we composing in those styles.

In my book, that's what sorts the pros from the rest of us really. Loads of people can come up with decent music. I'm always amazed at some of the stuff that people come up with these days now we all have a fully functioning studio in our spare rooms. Writing and producing to a brief though - different story. Maybe most of the time producing music you don't even like yourself. Must take a lot of skill and determination. Rick Wakeman does part of his 'evening with' shows playing songs you know in the style of other composers - like Mozart. It's amazing - and mostly, really funny.

I agree.I listen to YouTube a lot, not with any particular purpose, more the case that there's nothing but dross on the telly and many of the broadcast radio stations but on shows with DJs that try too hard to be funny, or 'down with the kids' the 'banter' is puerile. I don't give a flying pheasant what style of bloomers Kim Kardashiggins is wearing, no more than she wants to know what size of y-fronts I wear, I just want to hear a selection of music that is worthy of a listen with hopefully some informative comment about the music. Bah grrr etc

But o YouTube I too am amazed at not just the really enjoyable music but recorded in the spare room, or even on the back porch, and it's superbly performed and presented, watch these 3 gals from Georgia, who could not be enchanted.....

Trio Mandilli
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJr5gEKsPDM

And yes, Rick Wakeman is not only a top dollar musician but quite a funny fellow too, and excellent presenter

[tea for two]

The song Happy Birthday To You, is a happy song, I recorded a version of it that will have you slitting your wrists, it makes me cry every time I hear it.

I have music pieces I made as this, when I Iistened to them left me in bits. I couldn't bring myself to listen to them for years
But not anymore.
I can listen to them nowadays doesn't affect me one bit this way.

It is so very important to Take Flight unto our Origin.
If you don't Take Flight you will always be kept prisoner by such as these music pieces of yours, which is to your detriment in the most important sense.

Taking Flight is eternally worth it.

As the outcome of Taking Flight is ever so enriching for ourself our life our dear loved ones, our empathy sensitivity towards others, healing our broken fractured heart, healing our severe anxiety depression panic, our ability to water off ducks back everything life throws at us, enriching our creativity, increasing our understanding of whichever is our vocation from audio engineering to marine biology to astrophysics to neurology you name it, our understanding of horrors perpetrated on earth, our understanding of natural disasters, our understanding of Sacred things we no longer require any books nor any scripture to understand the Sacred.

Taking Flight brings to the fore within your our innermost self the Sacredness that is hardwired into you into all of us human beings.

It is also worth considering proper Sacred music Spiritual music is never "wrist slitting."
It's the opposite of "wrist slitting".
Necessarily so.
For instance Gospel Spiritual music, Sufi Qawali Sacred music. Our own Spiritual Sacred music if we have made such.

::

To Take Flight it is necessarily to put everything aside that chains us from Taking Flight :
this is putting aside things in our character so very important to do so it's the first step cleansing ourself, putting aside things in our life we hold dear including loved ones loved things it is a Spiritual putting aside of loved ones loved things Not physical, putting aside things that have shaped us such as our upbringing past experiences relationships culture society organised religious system.

It's not easy to Take Flight. Takes years of dedication self sacrifice. Similar as learning any discipline as learning an instrument.