Coasters and Freefall

It seems to me that music that affects the audience is music that makes them feel. Music can be evocative and metaphoric. It can be imagistic and calculating. It can have clever tricks. But in the end, it's not the thinking we make people do, its the feeling. When we listen to music we want an emotional adventure. Listeners want a rollercoaster of experience. But to stay on the tracks and finish the ride, the ramps and descents and curves must come at just the right point in the momentum of the trip.

So I'm thinking about the optimum pacing of new elements in each piece of music and where they fall. I'm thinking about the overall plan of each piece and making it convey the range of emotions that will fulfill the music's intent. I'm thinking of the music's structure or progression as the trellaces that support the piece at any moment, and the melody as the connecting link and ultimate track the audience rides upon. I guess it's an acute balance of structure and freedom.

So this week I'm formulaic. First, I'm writing chord progressions that convey an emotional and sonic tonality. The chords introduce opportunities the melody will use, but also confinement. My goal is fluidity within the tonality, so that from chord to chord the leap is not too abrupt. Second, I am composing the melody. While the chord structure defines much of the tone, the melody defines the actual ballistics of the ride. It contains the rhythmic patterns and the direction of travel at any given moment. Lastly, I am arpeggiating and when possible, counterpointing the bass to abide by Brahms' law of no-dull-bass. When I have my wits about me, I create breathing room in the melody so alternate voices can chime in and act like fun-house mirrors, reflecting the main melody, but with variety and distortion.

So here's an MP3 construction sample: Etude6

The progression is Dm Gm F Dbdim Dm Gm A7 Dm. Each chord gets a bar here.
First, I record the progression (8 bars). Then I add the melody (8 more bars). Next, I craft the bass (The last 8 bars). Lastly, I would add a few embellishments (also in the last 8 bars).

This is not how the piece would ultimately unfold. This is just how it's composed to insure that the components fit and that I am giving the right emphasis and freedom on the melody. When finished, perhaps, it will begin with the melody or the bass line. That becomes another discussion altogether.

What is worth noting, at least to myself, is that the melody sometimes has to pave the way for the sharper jumps in the progression. While I try to design a progression that sounds natural and creates a stable and free platform for the melody, not all the chord jumps are cozy. In these cases, the current melodic phrase can build a case for the ensuing chord jump. The transition from F to the Dbdim in this progression is not quite as smooth as some of the other jumps. Thus, to the extent that the melody over the F chord can preview the note Db, it can make the new chord flavor (Dbdim) more palatable. So, the coaster car doesn't jump off the track because the track began its deflection early enough. It keeps the thrill but avoids the doom.