How do I write a musical composition?

Question

I need to write, using Sibelius (a digital music making program), a pop song (no lyrics), in C major, focusing on the one four and five chords. I dont want anybody to write it for me, but does anybody have any tips (particularly how to start and finish!)? I have a decent grasp of musical theory, but i dont know how to put it all together. It sort of feels like writing an essay for the first time. So yeah, anybody got any tips, tricks or advice?

Answer 1

if you have a collection of albums that you really like, try to remember quickly which songs are in C maj and seek out the ones with chordal progressions that are similar to the 1, 4 & 5 chords you need to use.

soon as you can line up at least 3 songs with similar tempos & progressions that you can compare & contrast, find a way to imagine how a 4th song with similar properties would sound like.

i call this "the usual suspects" method, which is really like lining them up across the mirrored glass to see which among them gets fingered by the victim.

except in musical terms, what you're actually doing is come up with a melody that sounds pretty much like what you have in your 3-song lineup, the only difference is that it has to be completely new.

as an example, listen to

"wild thing" by the knack

"louie louie" by the kingsmen

these 2 sound so much alike that it's pretty easy to come up with a new melody, using their common structure & chord progression.

there are a lot more examples you can find in classic rock.

now since you're limited to the 1, 4 & 5 chords related to C maj, one way to play around with your new melody is to modify the tempo.

another trick involves transposition of your new chorus from the middle to the front (dig up the songs of the beatles & see how they did these).

the not-so-easy final step is to come up with a transition (coda or refrain) that will bring the melody back to your chorus, or if not, raise the song's energy to a crescendo.

hope you make it before your deadline. good luck

Answer 2

My answer will probably not be much help.  I can only feel sympathy for you.  I've written music for years, and cannot write decently with restrictions like you've just described.  Composition shouldn't be a set of rules to follow, but something akin to a new piece of silly putty: yours to shape and mold into whatever the heck you want.  Is this for a grade?

Answer 3

Well, figure out how most pop songs are constructed:

Intro

Verse

Chorus

Verse

Chorus

Bridge

Chorus

Outro

Or something like that.  Pop tunes are simple, catchy, and repetitive.  The phrasing should be something very singable (in terms of range, phrase length, rhythmic simplicity, etc.)

And don't forget to use the "Nashville cadence!"  (V - IV).  This is "illegal" in classical music theory, but it's everywhere in pop music.  Usually this could end the phrase of a section, or it could be used to get into the chorus or bridge.  (Bridges are often based around the IV chord).

Remember, to be pop, it should have a catchy hook!

Answer 4

Hello!  I also use Sibelius to compose (at school).   It shouldn't be too hard to write a pop song like that.  I suggest that you start of with a good drum/precussion beat and then put in the chords (in a pattern, one chord per bar) using guitar or piano.  Then I'd add a bass guitar/bass line coresponding to the chords.  Finally, put in the tune (maybe in electric guitar or sax or piano.  Also, I would start and end on C so that it sounds complete.

Hope this is helpful,

Saz

Answer 5

Eek ... what sort of restrictions are you under. If it's a Basic I IV I V7 chord progression over and over, I'd probably start with an interesting (rhythmically) bass line and figure a right hand comp to go with it before starting on the melody.

... this sounds like a class assignment where not everyone is up to the same level. Are you strapped to four groups of four measures, and an A A B A structure or can you be more free form? How bad would it be for you if you had the odd "something#m13" chord worked into the piece?

Best of luck.