Hey guys,so for the last couple of months i have been working on developing a great technique that allows me to create emotional harmonies and chords like Alesso,David Guetta,Swedish House Mafia ,etc,basically the great dance songs of today, and although i've learned a lot there is still something that i believe i am missing.So i am going to show you guys the technique i've developed and hopefully you guys will fill on what i'm missing or at least show me how you do it.
Okay so the first thing i do is to choose a key and then a mode in which i will work, then i create a map of the chords i can use in this key and then is all about inspiration i guess or what sounds pleasing to your ears but so far i have not found that emotion(like in the aforementioned songs) , i do like the phrygian mode ,but still i get this sense that i am missing something,also wanna mention that i am not at all a good piano player but i see that neither are they so i'm like hot the f*** they do it , there's gotta be something i am missing. Some of this guys claims they create full tracks with only their laptop when they are on the road, tracks that becomes hit,and some of them are actually good!
So i would really appreciate if we could turn this topic into a learning experience where everybody shares their method and hopefully make our music shine brighter! Thanks!

 

I'm puzzled... Why don't you just learn how to properly play an instrument?

 

Why not post an example of your music so we could hear your great technique in context?
And maybe give you feedback on that.

 

There's tons of Midi packs out there, just fire up clips and analyze them, improve them, slice them up etc.

 

Making music have nothing to do with knowing how to play an instrument.
Can a songwriter play all the instruments in a song? Can he/she make music without knowing any instrument? Yes, why not?
Can i play cello, violin, drums, trumpets, glockenspiel, theremin, strings, harp, piccolo flute, etc? no, but i can still imagine how it would sound.
If you are musical you know how to make up chords and melodies, if you know how to make up chords and melodies you can draw midi data....

 

how to deliver the emotion?

 

You can't fake it dude, put real emotions in your music if you want people to "feel" something when they listen to it instead of chasing for the next chart topper.

 

Another fake one dude even if it's well put together the original source itself says it's fake. Btw this album is not going to leak just like Jay-Z & Kanye West's Watch The Throne

 

There are tons of midi out there but they're not really that good,and the thing is i want to be able to create powerfull harmonies myself, like a good structure, not ideas and be stuck with just ideas if you understand me!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tcyo087m3JU&feature=player_embedded

 

I do not have any music produced yet because like i said i'm still struglin to create something good, not just average stuff to post on soundcloud.
Anyway to be more clear on the matter what i basically do for the chords is number them with roman letters then i create a chord progression chart and them make up something that i like, but when i want to put a lead or an arppegio on it i get stuck because often times i do not find something i like so i was wondering if there is a mathematical law around there to combine both chords and melody into a great harmony,like some principles to guide on!

 

In all reality, notwithstanding the "performance" aspect of this, a lot of that "emotion" comprises many disparate things -- like, for example, the humanization of your chord structures and melodic tones, which can come about, yet again, as a result of many disparate things (or techniques). This "humanization" component of which I speak can consist of random (or rhythmic) fluctuations in velocity, random (or rhythmic) nudging of the played notes (within chord structures and melody lines), and/ or crafty automation of the multitudinous synth/instrument parameters. Moreover, on top of all those aforementioned things, 'mixing' can -- and often will -- contribute A LOT to the *ultimate* perception of emotion in a composition. This will, of course, consist of many things, as well -- most of which you probably are already thinking about. Notice, for instance, how there is reverb automation in different sections of compositions (for contrast), or how things may have cool phasing/flanging effects on them at times, or how panning and delay effects make you feel when they're masterfully placed and executed in your favorite records. Naturally, these things help promote this 'emotion.' Think about it like this: when precious time and money are spent on getting these compositions/records to sound so good, there had to have been some 'emotional' connection and rapport with the composition (or record) for someone (or some folks) to have desired to dedicate those resources and fervent efforts to the project's sound quality. lol, ya know what I mean? Believe it or not; as specific as we oftentimes attribute personal feelings towards this word, "emotion" is an extremely general term -- a term that will inevitably involve partiality and induce much conjecture. But even so, it's still one of the most pivotal things to consider when delving into the composition of a record: "Do *I* have an 'emotional' connection with these chords, this concept, this proposed musical commitment?"

 

Funny S***!!!!

 

Maybe it's a shock but great deal of people are actually spent years just playing and experimenting, maybe you expect they just opened laptop one day and it's done, but reality is they struggled big time too, all that is just result of dedication and improving.

Skilled musicians can make music on laptop or whatever you give them, some people can't make it anywhere, it's just knowledge and talent, nothing personal.

About emotions, some people are just feeling the music they make, that's it, there is no how to deliver emotions tutorial or advice, or you feel it or you don't, that's what makes us unique, how we perceive and deliver music, anyone can learn how to use DAW, basic music production and decent mixing, but what is inside you is just yours.

People who don't wan't to learn how to use theory to play that instrument are seeking for input how to fake that and people who don't feel music are seeking how to deliver that feeling, Sonic Academy - How to fake music and emotions

 

You can always observe mathematical patterns in everything, how much you fart after eating beans and make a mathematical formula out of that, music is no exception. But that is not the point in making music.
And your method does not sound very creative or musical. If you want to make music you should listen to other music and get inspired, learn what makes you feel sad or in a good mood, try to recreate that.
In other words, study the music you like, and sometimes even the music you don't like.

 

Well said I agree ! The final product that springs the "emotion" is a combination of many things like the sounds you used,a good mixing of the sounds you used, the arrangement,tension and release, tempo you used, vocals, etc but what i am interested into is the relationship between the notes,which i believe is the first logical step to take on when you want to create a harmony that expresses something."I need the spark,to light the fire" and i can't find it yet .Also to answer your question, i believe is relevant(concerning music) that you do have an emotional connection with your work as this establishes in the process of creating it because ,well at least in my case if i don't like what i created so far,if it's not the feeling i want to express i stop pursuing it,and there is where i get stuck!

 

@ Shandroke,

You're on way !

Roman Letters are also used to describe the different degrees of a chosen Chord Progression (which first Chord is the 'I' [first] degree)

Ex : the most basic --> C Major

I C
II Dm
III Em
IV F
V G
VI Am
VII Bm5b
--------------
VIII C

Mathematics and Music are more greatly interrelated than you could ever imagine !
Don't misunderstand me here, I'm not talking about 'emotion', 'soul', 'feeling',... This is the 'irrational' part of the music, which is proper to each human being, as well for who's playing it, than for who's listen it...
I'm just talking about theory, harmony, chords, scales,.... and the huge (and inevitable !) interaction between them, as you so well tell it.


About learning to get a more deep knowledge of all these aspects of the music : theory, harmony, chords, scales,... there's so numerous great books and tutorials that have been done that the choice is almost endless, with of course, some of them that have become kind of 'best-sellers' and/or 'must-to-have' with the time...

 

Could you share with me some examples on music harmony not asking for warez just point me some references or something. Thanks!

 

Could you share with me some examples on music harmony not asking for warez just point me some references or something. Thanks!

 

I get what you are saying! Some people are born with a certain talent that others only wish for , this is why i want to get down to its roots to develop a technique that allows me to cheat 'feeling' music and only envision it before i create it because i am not talented to spring music out of myself so by learning its priciples i will be able to do what others does naturally!