Music and Emotion: A Question.

[forsak3n]

Just pondering...

When writing music and trying to capture a certain emotion, how does one know when the particular emotion is captured?

Usually I come up with some kind of musical ditty that leads me to feel a certain emotion, then after a bajillion times of replaying it over and over, coming up with different arrangements and ideas, I loose sense of the initial emotion and I'm focused in on the material there rather than how it makes me feel. When this happens and I complete a track, I'm not 100% confident in it cause I have no idea how that song makes me feel (which is how I 'judge' music). I'm guessing this is called being lost in the detail...

Anyone else do the same thing??

[subfect]

when you respond to said emotion in a particular way. (in response to first question)

If you respond to it initially, but by the end no longer get the same response - it's because you've desensitized yourself to it. This is normal.

That said though, some note progressions/scales I respond to in the same way all the time. I'm working on a tune atm (check wip thread) that gets the same response every single time, and that's when I know I'm onto something (at least for me anyways)

[Turnipish_Thoughts]

Just use theory as an orientation and rely on social/objective opinion.

Knowing the stuff I'm about to link can really help. remember not to follow it like gospel, but knowing it allows you to move around harmonically in an area of the different scales in equal temperament that's known to invoke a certain type of feeling. From there you can make it your own.

Keys are obviously the building blocks of a given feel.

Scales/modes, on top of this, further clarify/color the feel established via the Key

Different Chord progressions (2 links) within that scale or key (regardless of which) play a lot in creating a certain movement through the feel, on top of the aforementioned.

Then there is the rather dense philosophical, contextual gibberish regarding the theory of conveying emotion in music.

From a subjective point of view (for you) I would say try and take breaks when writing melody or an over all vibe once you find yourself becoming desensitized to the feeling of your tune. Worry yourself with more technical matters when the issue hits you and only really structure/write melody when your mind is fresh and you've taken adequate breaks, listened to other music and otherwise 'forgotten' enough to get hit again with that initial 'wow' when you listen back to it the first time after a while. Inspiration should hit you strongest then, and that is when you should carry on composition, as opposed to sound design, mixdown, other musical ideas un-related to melody.

The more you get to understand and intellectualize the theoretical map behind emotional conveyance in music, the easier you will find it to 'know' what feeling the tune has, even if it isn't always fully emotionally potent to you in the writing process.

It's one of those very difficult barriers we all hit when making music, this is my perspective on it, it helps me, i hope it does the same for you.

Peace.

Edit: A quick example would be here. A chord progression is used in F Lydian (aug 2nd), conveying an emotion of mystery and wonder

Soundcloud

Then a small variation on that mode (F Hungarian Gipsy Minor) is used to draw a melody over the progression, giving an exotic twist to the initial mysterious vibe.

Soundcloud

So you could say the feeling here is one of Exotic Mystery, minus the detailed subjective interpretation, one could argue this combination would on the majority convey this emotion to a listener.

[nowaysj]

Friends with similar sensibilities can help you regain a little perspective if you lose it.

[narcissus]

you don't try to catch some specific emotion..... you try to capture the emotion of this moment, right here. as moments pass, the thoughts and feelings that define us change inexplicably, even our cells are constantly moving and getting reborn, to the point that we are in effect not always the 'same' creature. music is a story, and you can only truthfully tell the story that you know to be true. so to make any piece of music have any emotion, you must live fully in the moment, embrace whatever it is you have, channel your greatest sources of joy and sorrow.

[samurai]

Just use theory as an orientation and rely on social/objective opinion.

Knowing the stuff I'm about to link can really help. remember not to follow it like gospel, but knowing it allows you to move around harmonically in an area of the different scales in equal temperament that's known to invoke a certain type of feeling. From there you can make it your own.

Keys are obviously the building blocks of a given feel.

Scales/modes, on top of this, further clarify/color the feel established via the Key

Different Chord progressions (2 links) within that scale or key (regardless of which) play a lot in creating a certain movement through the feel, on top of the aforementioned.

Then there is the rather dense philosophical, contextual gibberish regarding the theory of conveying emotion in music.

From a subjective point of view (for you) I would say try and take breaks when writing melody or an over all vibe once you find yourself becoming desensitized to the feeling of your tune. Worry yourself with more technical matters when the issue hits you and only really structure/write melody when your mind is fresh and you've taken adequate breaks, listened to other music and otherwise 'forgotten' enough to get hit again with that initial 'wow' when you listen back to it the first time after a while. Inspiration should hit you strongest then, and that is when you should carry on composition, as opposed to sound design, mixdown, other musical ideas un-related to melody.

The more you get to understand and intellectualize the theoretical map behind emotional conveyance in music, the easier you will find it to 'know' what feeling the tune has, even if it isn't always fully emotionally potent to you in the writing process.

It's one of those very difficult barriers we all hit when making music, this is my perspective on it, it helps me, i hope it does the same for you.

Peace.

Edit: A quick example would be here. A chord progression is used in F Lydian (aug 2nd), conveying an emotion of mystery and wonder

Soundcloud

Then a small variation on that mode (F Hungarian Gipsy Minor) is used to draw a melody over the progression, giving an exotic twist to the initial mysterious vibe.

Soundcloud

So you could say the feeling here is one of Exotic Mystery, minus the detailed subjective interpretation, one could argue this combination would on the majority convey this emotion to a listener.

nice linkage.

never really agreed with the whole certain scales = certain vibes thing but maybe I'm fucked in the head and tone deaf.

[forsak3n]

Some amazing info to work on and think about here. Thanks heaps guys!

[alpz]

Indeed, rad thread.

[Perej]

You'l know when you've captured the emotion because it should give you jitters.

Personally I feel like that's easier said than done though and also other peoples tunes always seem to do this better than your own, if you know what I mean.

[bassbum]

I have problems with the emotional energy in my music and I want to ask question about it but I dont want people to think im a weirdo.

[alpz]

I have problems with the emotional energy in my music and I want to ask question about it but I dont want people to think im a weirdo.

It's the internet, man. What better of a place to ask weird questions?

[forsak3n]

I have problems with the emotional energy in my music and I want to ask question about it but I dont want people to think im a weirdo.

Capturing an emotion in your music using technical means is the most important part in producing IMO... I think it's kind of overlooked by a lot of producers.

[alpz]

Capturing an emotion in your music using technical means is the most important part in producing IMO... I think it's kind of overlooked by a lot of producers.

[nowaysj]

waddya mean technical means?

[forsak3n]

like production techniques. a particular way you use compression/eq/orwhatever.

[bassbum]

I have problems with the emotional energy in my music and I want to ask question about it but I dont want people to think im a weirdo.

It's the internet, man. What better of a place to ask weird questions?

OK but im weird.

To me emotions are energy. I get vibes from everything, people, trees, the ambient energy in the air, even a cup. Everything has a energy to it.

I dont really understand it but some things hold emotional energy, like a forum post. Your emotional energy comes through in the post. You can do this with music too, when I listen to music I can feel waves of different emotions coming from the speakers.

I know others know what I mean but dont like to talk about it.

I want to know how to increase the energy in my music? I can change the emotions around me from on to another by just thinking about it but I cant seem to change the emotions in my music.

Now I bet you all think im well strange.

I have weirder thing to ask about but I think I might see what response that gets.

[jaydot]

I don't know, sometimes a tune is objectively just sad/happy etc.

[legend4ry]

Answer to this question is simple.


You spent to long the track... If you're conveying an emotion and you don't finish the track in one, short sitting (a few hours) then the next time you open up that track you're going to be in a different mood.

Most producers who write via their moods and emotions will say they it has to be written fast otherwise it loses all focus.

No matter how many scales and pretty pads you put in there; you still won't get the same vibe.

[samurai]

I have problems with the emotional energy in my music and I want to ask question about it but I dont want people to think im a weirdo.

It's the internet, man. What better of a place to ask weird questions?

OK but im weird.

To me emotions are energy. I get vibes from everything, people, trees, the ambient energy in the air, even a cup. Everything has a energy to it.

I dont really understand it but some things hold emotional energy, like a forum post. Your emotional energy comes through in the post. You can do this with music too, when I listen to music I can feel waves of different emotions coming from the speakers.

I know others know what I mean but dont like to talk about it.

I want to know how to increase the energy in my music? I can change the emotions around me from on to another by just thinking about it but I cant seem to change the emotions in my music.

Now I bet you all think im well strange.

I have weirder thing to ask about but I think I might see what response that gets.

the fuck you talking about with that trees and forum posts making energy bullshit.

[bassbum]

I have problems with the emotional energy in my music and I want to ask question about it but I dont want people to think im a weirdo.

It's the internet, man. What better of a place to ask weird questions?

OK but im weird.

To me emotions are energy. I get vibes from everything, people, trees, the ambient energy in the air, even a cup. Everything has a energy to it.

I dont really understand it but some things hold emotional energy, like a forum post. Your emotional energy comes through in the post. You can do this with music too, when I listen to music I can feel waves of different emotions coming from the speakers.

I know others know what I mean but dont like to talk about it.

I want to know how to increase the energy in my music? I can change the emotions around me from on to another by just thinking about it but I cant seem to change the emotions in my music.

Now I bet you all think im well strange.

I have weirder thing to ask about but I think I might see what response that gets.

the fuck you talking about with that trees and forum posts making energy bullshit.

I did say that im weird. Im just going to keep that stuff to my self from now on.