Music evokes many feelings, from orchestral compositions to folk songs. Research on musical functions often starts by collecting or categorizing musical functions based on literature review or face validity research.
This course introduces undergraduate non-music majors to an overview of Western art music from various periods and genres and equips them with the knowledge and vocabulary required for informed listening experiences. No prior musical training is necessary.
Arrangement
Arranging music involves creating the overall structure of a song by choosing which instruments play when and interacting with each other – creating emotion and energy to the composition that wouldn’t exist otherwise. A successful arrangement can add dimension and life to a tune otherwise.
Arranging or transcription in classical music dates back to its very roots. Johann Sebastian Bach made several transcriptions of Antonio Vivaldi violin concertos for organ, while Ludwig van Beethoven also orchestrated transcriptions.
Always bear in mind that arranging music may constitute plagiarism and could result in legal issues for both the arranger and artist involved.
Prior to recording or mastering, it is always beneficial to consult an expert in music arrangement for feedback on any composition you are working on. At Fox Tracks, we always perform mock up arrangements for our clients in order to ensure it sounds amazing while fulfilling their vision of success.
Chord Progression
Chord progressions provide melodies with an harmonic road to follow while also helping to establish tonality (the key signature) and center the melody around its chords.
Example of I-V-VI Progression Rick Astley Hit “Never Gonna Give You Up” This progression works well in most major keys and remains popular today.
However, you can alter the order of chords to create unique progressions for your music. By altering their order in different ways you can produce chord progressions that sound original to you – even if they may resemble what other songs use but sound very different; creating your own sound. Once you find an interesting progression it is essential that you get feedback from friends and family members in order to test its success before proceeding with other elements like rhythm, lyrics and arrangement of your song.
Lyrics
Song lyrics are the words that form a musical composition and usually accompany melodies. Their writer is known as a lyricist; those writing extended musical pieces, like opera libretti, are known as librettists.
Song titles often indicate their lyrical content; for instance, “Heartbreak Hotel” might suggest its lyrics explore themes of loneliness or heartache. A songwriter can further enrich its meaning by selecting words to express specific emotions within a song’s lyrics.
Lyrically, songs can be improved by selecting chord progressions that reflect the emotions being portrayed; for example, rising chord progressions may create tension or anticipation while falling chord progressions may evoke melancholy feelings. Furthermore, adding specific syllable runs will give listeners a sense of rhythmic pulses can further elevate lyrics.
Production
Every piece of music that hits our ears goes through a production process, wherein it is captured on recording media and modified to ensure it sounds its best. Producers oversee this aspect and ensure the final product matches up with an artist’s vision for his or her project.
Production also refers to an individual sound, so producers in hip-hop and dance/electronic genres have become renowned for creating their own signature sounds through how they arrange songs, use specific equipment, and hire specific sessions.
Are You Wanting to be a Music Producer? Getting acquainted with the fundamental components of musical composition can be invaluable in becoming one. Begin by learning an instrument, playing some musical ideas like melodies or chord progressions down on paper before experimenting with their combinations to come up with something catchy – this will lay a strong foundation for future production work!