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listener
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7/21/2015 6:47:09 AM
Expressing yourself without words
Most bands can produce catchy tunes with lyrics and hooks, but how many can create a memorable song that’s entirely instrumental, something that tells a musical story.
I'm fascinated by the skill of making instruments set scenes. For example, I love how Ballet music combines with dance moves to relay emotions and narrative without words or how stirring compositions can inspire action. War drums, Heavenly harps, emotive cellos, heralds of brass, everything from raindrops to treetops.
Back in the day, when the Pop Stars were Beethoven, Mozart, Mendelssohn et al, vocals were mainly reserved for Folk songs and madrigals or operatic performances. Creative composers needed to speak/sing through their music.
A symphony like Beethoven's Pastoral for example is so visual, with birdsong, babbling brooks, thunder and melodies that move the listener to the countryside. In Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture you can hear the waves lapping into Fingal's cave, Vaughn Williams Sea symphony likewise takes the listener out into the ocean to experience the storms and rollers without feeling seasick. How about Grofe's Grand Canyon Suite with it's atmospheric reverberations.
These Classic instrumentals are designed to emulate the calm and peace or wild chaos of the natural world as pictures in our mind's eye. Try to 'play' a mountain or a mighty river, it's not easy.
The reason I bring this subject up now is that I wish there was a little more experimentation in modern music - it happens with Film music to some extent but I'd like to see instrumentals getting exposure in the Pop world. Can you remember some of those amazing guitar songs from the 60s mostly, about spaceships and surfing and birds of prey?
So musicians, if you haven't done so already why not try an instrumental that uses nature as an inspiration so that the listener can really see and feel what you are seeing and feeling. If you HAVE done this already then please bring your work to the Pipeline table :)
Your comments about good Pop instrumentals of the past would be interesting to read too.
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Bryon Tosoff
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7/21/2015 7:46:18 AM
Very Good Subject Listener, as I said in a blog here earlier, that is my specialty, doing instrumentals
Some of my instrumentals are here at indie music people. 10 of them at my Holding to the Dream station. I probably have 70 more and one of the most popular ones throughout the internet on the many platforms of the entire works I have done is Share the Love
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10 selections from Holding to the Dream Holding to the Dream
Share the Love Share the love
All have been released to terrestrial radio for classical and easy listening such places as CBC radio Canada as well as internet radio here and and online elsewhere
thanks for bringing this important subject to the pipeline.
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Shoe City Sound
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7/21/2015 8:00:02 AM
You might like this ......
Beautiful River
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Bryon Tosoff
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7/21/2015 8:25:16 AM
that Beautiful River by Shoe City Sound Dolores is one of my favs, lovely work.
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listener
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7/21/2015 8:49:24 AM
Thanks to both of you, they were indeed a very atmospheric collection, Bryon, I think your "Darkness to light" was a piece that particularly brought nature alive for me, you do have a wonderful way of drawing out phrases and varying the weight of the touch, which is a great emotional trigger. SCS, Beautiful River was very relaxing and hypnotic in a way, rivers are really inspiring subject matter ; did you sit by the riverside one day taking notes?
But, I think what I'm looking for today are instrument sounds that 'talk' and melodies to paint a whole picture, intertwining, overlapping, a modern symphony in a way so that when you listen you close your eyes and you're 'at the seaside' 'in a forest' 'up a mountain' 'watching a baby sleep or children playing' 'witnessing horses galloping across the moors'
There's a few ideas if anyone fancies a challenge :)
Electronic production has opened up a wonderful opportunity for musical art with your average keyboard containing an entire orchestra. Some instruments are just made to represent certain physical sounds and emotions. The piano is wonderful for rain, the electric guitar is almost human when played well ; and then all those 'PAD' and 'SFX' sounds what fun you can have putting those in the mix, you can have wind blowing, birds tweeting, sounds moving across the speakers like cars and airplanes.
I know some purists might be horrified at the thought but I believe that music making should be available to all, whatever their skills.
Well I didn't mean to move sideways from the topic, but it's so easy so to do!
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Bryon Tosoff
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7/21/2015 9:00:38 AM
thanks for listeing, i do have others around not just piano solos per se, but that makes sense in what you are asking.you want something with huge production perhaps and such there are some here that provide amazing works in that way Milla Kara is amazing doing such works Milla Kara
Transiton collab I find it outstanding and beautiful, there is so much around
go to Corrado Rossi page, massive amounts of awesome music there Corrado Rossi
cheers
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listener
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7/21/2015 9:05:07 AM
It's a great help to have those links Bryon and I will most certainly take a listen and remind myself of these artists, thank you
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Shoe City Sound
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7/21/2015 9:07:40 AM
---- Updated 7/21/2015 9:07:55 AM
That's sort of a simplistic view of electronica I think. I'm a classically trained pianist and I don't rely on loops or presets for composing sounds. I love to create a sound using those as instruments in my "orchestra", but I am still creating an original composition of notes and chords and musical structures on my own. I don't think you have to limit the music to sound effects ie piano for rain, etc etc. I like a more abstract perception of the entire tune creating an atmosphere. If I had the resources, of course I would hire and record string, brass, and percussion players, but unfortunately Shoe City Sound is a very small (and small budget haha) operation. There's a quote going around, maybe you've heard - it's approximately "if synth were invented in the 18th/19th century, Mozart would have composed on it but Beethoven wouldn't have" haha. I sort of agree with that.
Great thread! Looking forward to see what others offer up :)
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Shoe City Sound
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7/21/2015 9:10:58 AM
Thanks Bryon - and thanks for adding that song to stations - and YES on Corrado Rossi - so an example of what I was trying to explain.
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Bryon Tosoff
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7/21/2015 9:22:27 AM
I have to agree with Dolores on her take, we both are trained in the art of the classics and write accordingly and dont have to rely on synths or drum loops and such , but anyways, it is all a personal take, not everyone is going to dig what we do, and your taste Listener is going to be different from ours and others here, Dolores has had success in her music in many ways other then here at I M P and former iacmusic as i have had,all my classical pop instrumentals songs which have been featured on CBC radio in Canada and other countries so that in itself is special to me, that my creations have been recognized by professionals in the business of music and Music Directors. etc. anyways , thanks for your thoughts. cheers
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Noah Spaceship
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7/21/2015 11:51:35 AM
I rarely drop a link to a song I made, but, your post inspired me to share.
I attempted exactly what you are describing.
This song is called hate, and it speaks to me enough, I produced this Lego video to frame the chilling context I felt those musical words reside.
http://youtu.be/2AxFH290nxw
Unfortunately, my phone app won't allow me to grab the embed code to post that here.
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Bryon Tosoff
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7/21/2015 12:20:48 PM
this is an awesome song and vid. so well done. great sound tasty work
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Bryon Tosoff
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7/21/2015 12:35:04 PM
I added this song to my Atmosphere station a while back, This song by noah spacehip is truly a marvel with so much going on, but still captures your aural senses with its appealing usage of instrumentation and awesome production. great guitar work.. I dig it, and the vid is captivating. here is what i said about this song on my
ATMOSPHERE STATION
"immediately engaging, really loved that piano part right off, being a pianist keyboardist, it captured my attention right away, very cool piece of work, stellar percussion, unique work, very progressive and interesting usage of the instrumentation. well placed touches ,solid performance .love it
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listener
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7/21/2015 2:11:50 PM
Delores, I agree my that view of electronica may be simplistic, I'm not a musician so that's all I have :) As I said I believe that music should be open to everyone whatever their skill level. If you can't master a traditional instrument or don't have access to one then a 'voice' on a keyboard is great fun.
I also think the addition of special effects can enhance the experience for the listener. However this is no way my preference if that's your suggestion, I'm very open minded....
I don't really understand how musicians work but there is a place for every damn thing that makes a sound and can be called an instrument from a pencil on a desk to Mongolian throat warbling, to me it's all music.
The joy of creation is for you, the musician, the joy of listening is for people like me I think :) There is no such thing as bad music in my view, it's like there's no such thing as a weed in a garden..... just flowers in the wrong place or notes in the wrong order ha-ha!
sorry haven't checked your stuff yet Fred
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Noah Spaceship
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7/21/2015 2:32:36 PM
Bryon, thank you, you are an awesome dude for so many reasons.
As far being a listener, You echo my thoughts as well. I love listening to music for so many of the same reasons you describe. Despite a lifelong pursuit of arts and music, I've always felt second or third chair to the great musicians I've worked with and listened to on repeat. If anything, I feel like my creations are really just odes or facsimiles of sorts of all the bits that inspire me to push rewind and replay.
I'm with you on soundscapes like words, it is that element that speaks to me.
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Noah Spaceship
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7/21/2015 2:32:37 PM
Bryon, thank you, you are an awesome dude for so many reasons.
As far being a listener, You echo my thoughts as well. I love listening to music for so many of the same reasons you describe. Despite a lifelong pursuit of arts and music, I've always felt second or third chair to the great musicians I've worked with and listened to on repeat. If anything, I feel like my creations are really just odes or facsimiles of sorts of all the bits that inspire me to push rewind and replay.
I'm with you on soundscapes like words, it is that element that speaks to me.
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Father Time
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7/21/2015 3:29:14 PM
Even Neil Young occasionally uses sound to represent.
In the song Look Out For My Love, he simulates the windshield wipers mentioned in the lyrics.
In Southern Pacific, the guitar is the sound of the train.
In Like A Hurricane, the solos are the hurricane.
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Shoe City Sound
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7/21/2015 9:37:58 PM
---- Updated 7/21/2015 9:46:59 PM
Father Time - I totally respect the style of effects in music, just don't express that way myself. Didn't mean to sound judgmental at all, believe me ...
Listener - I completely agree with you that there is no bad music - it's all absolutely subjective - that's the beauty of it. Like you, I'm open to any kind of music. A good tune is a good tune. And playing music is pure joy, no matter what level you're at. As for not being a musician yourself, all musicians want more than anything is for people to listen to what they write and play. Why else do we try so hard to get our stuff "out there" any way we can ... So thanks for doing what you do :)
Noah Spaceship - that's an amazing song and video - legos! what ever made you think of that? That visual really adds a serious dimension. - chilling for sure.
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Father Time
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7/21/2015 10:19:40 PM
No prob, I didn't think you did.
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Noah Spaceship
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7/21/2015 11:03:36 PM
The song was inspired by stories of promiscuity. That was the mood, and I'm addicted to making videos, we were playing Legos, and a light went off. My daughter is an art student (was) and we story boarded it, sort of. There are multiple stories of debauchery taking place in the movie with characters and everything. It was a lot of fun to make. I'm glad you liked it. Thanks.
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listener
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7/22/2015 6:00:09 AM
That video was so professional, you're very clever, I mostly got speed, urgency, tension, labor - a real action video with classy cinematography - something to be proud of Mr Spaceship
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Richard Scotti
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7/22/2015 6:21:09 AM
---- Updated 7/22/2015 6:23:22 AM
I think you'll find many examples of what you are referring to on my station:
Instrumentally Yours
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listener
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7/22/2015 10:48:40 AM
Thanks Richard, quite a feast there! All look interesting.
Still haven't found that ultimate production that is inspired by the sounds of 'The Natural World' but I need to do some listening.
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