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simple I IV V chord progressions. They do sound good and are often very powerful, memorable songs. For me however, when the intellect and emotions come together, I think it can be a much more powerful statement. I say this to people who have this idea that if they actually sat down and studied music theory, their heads might explode and they would lose all their creativity. The knowledge can be used in any way imaginable, and if anything it should enhance your creativity. Sometimes players/writers hit a creative wall. That is to say they have gone as far as they can musically with what they know, and it’s difficult for them to progress beyond that point. Most great composers/players will say that because of their knowledge about harmony/rhythm/melody, it becomes really exciting because there is always something new to try.
Feeling Stale?
When I’m feeling like my ideas are a little stale, I have a few things to try. One is to start writing from a different musical place. I used to always start a tune with a chord progression. I would then arrange it into the style I wanted by sketching it on a sequencer. I’d play the sequence back and try and create a melody afterwards, then try and come up with a form. Lately I’ve had great results starting with a simple melody and then fitting the chords and rhythm section around the melody. I would also say that it is an incredibly valuable skill to have the ability to compose by ear...and by that I mean writing without using an instrument. Guitar is my principal instrument, and as much as I like to use it for sketching musical ideas, my writing would always be limited to what I could play, or how I perceived things on the instrument. In that sense, there are unwanted creative restrictions that are immediately dispelled with the absence of physical limitations. I’m not saying that I want to write a piece of music that I can’t play...just that if I don’t use an instrument and force myself to try and hear things unfold in my head, I eventually come up with things I wouldn’t normally play.
Many of the teachers I had at Berklee would talk about deliberately putting restrictions on what you’re going to write. Our job as the...
