Visualization

Ask the Three W's and Then Some...

Before even writing a piece, you should know to roughly plan out what you want to achieve in a piece. Do you want it to sound upbeat and happy? Do you want it to sound mournful? Epic? Lonely? These things take into account the picture you wish to create. Always ask the first three w's when brainstorming:



  • What words describe the mental image you have in your head? - adjectives
  • Where do you want the piece to go? Does the tone change midway through or does it stay constant?
  • Why do you think this image stands out (If it doesn't, brainstorm some more!)

Once an idea has been settled on, try drawing a rough sketch (even if it is just stick figures). It is also acceptable to find images on the internet and look for a close match as to what you wish to convey.

Following A Storyline

Writing a short story or following a certain path by using a chart can help layout a variety of ideas. However, there shouldn't be too much clutter in terms of ideas. Too many ideas shoved into one piece can often lead to havoc once the score writing process has began. This is where, in context of RMCC, ideas are narrowed down.

How to Narrow Ideas Down - A Brief Overview

Ask these questions first:

  1. Is/Are the idea(s) cohesive and understandable? - (clarity is important here!)
  2. Are the idea(s) too complex or too simple? Can they be expanded upon? - **(flexibility)
  3. Are the idea(s) relatable to an audience?
  4. How will the group or individual break the idea down into smaller steps? What is needed?

Then, start compromising on some ideas. Other ideas will need to be given the chopping block too. It is often the case that once an idea or a culmination of ideas is developed further, somethings that were thought to originally work, do not work while writing the actual piece and you might end up with a totally different product in the end.

Reference Piece Listening

Listening to musical works that are similar to your own rough ideas is a great way to further those ideas even more. There are numerous cases in the music world where a music phrase from a song was used to make a totally different song. One good example of this is Gustav Holt's Jupiter and The Lost Woods Theme from Nintendo's popular Legend of Zelda series. Note the horn phrase in Jupiter around the 0:30 mark and Lost Woods from Legend of Zelda...they sound almost the exact same!!



Now Is the Time to Figure Out the Technical Stuff

Each composer takes into account the key they wish to write in. Some keys sound happy. Others sound dark and mysterious. The "color" of each key should be taken into account as much as the overall visualization of the piece. If a clear image is not formed from the beginning, it often leads to disorder and conflict as the score writing process is progressed further.


And, as always, keep asking questions to your fellow members for brainstorming ideas. That is what the group is all about!