60s composition techniques

[Keys Changes]

Key changes are were you take the notes of a song and change them in a different section of the songs. For example, say you are making a song in the key of C, you can do a bass slide for going into the chorus and make the chorus in the key of D. Then do the same afterwards, do a bass slide out of the chorus going from the key of D to the key of C again. In the simplest way possible, a key change is done by changing the pitch of which the notes are in a song to a completely different set of notes.

Key changes were used for giving musicians more freedom to improvise within their music. It adds more variety within their song and sound more catchy to other artists.

A good example to use would be Feeling Good by Michael Bublé this song has two key changes, starting in the Key of G Major, then into F# Major, then slide into E flat Major.

[Contrasting Dynamics]

When talking about contrasting dynamics, we mean the minor or major dramatic changes in the volume of music throughout the song, allowing the piece to change what emotion the music is displaying. This could be where the song goes quite and its just the singer, or it can be where the drum and guitars play lighter in certain breaks of the song to enhance to feel of the song.

There are many different ways to describe the dynamics of a piece of music but the proper musical terms are:

• Fortissimo, which means extremely loud - very loud

• Forte, the term used for loud - loud

• Mezzo forte, when a its not too loud but still loud - a medium loud

• Mezzo piano, where the sound quite but with decent volume - a medium quiet

• Piano, the term used for quiet - quiet

• Pianissimo, which means extremely quiet - very quiet

We would also use terms like: 

• Crescendo, which given demonstrated using the picture to the right, meaning that the volume gradually gets louder.

• Decrescendo, which also given by the picture on the right and with the contrasting name to Crescendo, meaning that the volume gradually gets softer.

[Psychedelic Elements]

Psychedelic Elements relates to the use of drugs such as marijuana and LSD. Using LSD leads to an intensified reaction to thoughts and emotion, and when combined with listening to music, could cause the brain to send signals of satisfaction or dissatisfaction to multiple senses at once. The same can be done with marijuana. People could use this drug, and with doing so it enhances the mood and emotions that the music or song lyrics give off. 

The effects of LSD are that is has the ability to change your mood, change the way that you behave and react to different topics and actions, and can change the way that you can relate yourself and put yourself in with what is happening with the world around you. 

The lyrics to the song 'Tomorrow Never Knows' by The Beatles were based of off the a book written in 1964 called 'The Psychedelic Experience'. The lyrics are written about the experience and hallucinations caused by drugs. They had said that Lennon had read this book whilst under the influence of LSD. This song had a direct influence towards people who use these drugs.