How to Write Music - Keeping It Simple
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- Опубліковано 16 жов 2019
- Baffled by too much choice? Is the sheer amount of tech getting in the way of writing great music? Join composer Guy Michelmore as he goes back to basics.
Want to learn more about writing music? Then check out Guy’s "How to Write Music" course: thinkspaceeducation.com/htwm/...
Want to study with us? Get in touch at contact@thinkspaceeducation.com
Guy Michelmore runs ThinkSpace Education, an online music school that provides everything from short weekend courses to master's degrees. If you are interested in a career in music or sound design for film games and television then check us out at www.thinkspaceeducation.com/
Getting Started With Music Theory: Free course!
A brand new mini-series, teaching you the basics of music theory.
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Your awesome Guy....🥀🤘🔥❗
Love the energy. Its like watching a kid play on his new bike they got for xmas. Guy will remain young forever. I felt super positive watching this video. He should be sent to negotiate peace in the middle east.
Yeah Sean, I was thinking the same thing. Refreshing videos to watch.
People in the middle east and africa should be left to their own devices in the first place, who says that US or UK are the "omniscient representatives of all that is good" on this planet? But it's tricky, even if I'm think of myself as a "good" person and that I am no participant in none of the foreign bullshit myself, nearly all the parts and components of the laptop I'm using to type this right now came from child-slavery mining in africa and after that went into semi-slave cheap labor to manufacture in China, but here I am thinking of myself as "good". So what is the answer? I would love if anyone provided me one, because I don't fucking know. The only thing I ask is not talking about the middle east like they are the source of the problem.
FeelingShred amazing how this kind of poop could wind up on this page....the guy was just composing a simple piece of music and now we have this kind of junk oozing up.
@@rodterrell304 i agree, "negotiate peace in middle east" is just an expression afterall ;P
@@FeelingShred ...bruh...
3:18 "Now's the bit I've actually got to write something, isn't it? Do I have to?" And 4:00 "This is the bit I have to pretend you're not there." Soooo reassuring to hear someone with all your skills and talent still suffering from self-consciousness and fear of starting something. I loved this video - you are such a treat to watch at work :o)
Lmfao truly
at the end of the day, we're all human
"keep it simple" - uses an individual camera for each word of a sentence.
LOL
Guy is brilliant, seems a bit ADD (like a lot of us) and I think his approach hooks people in, especially those with ADD and distraction issues. The simplicity of the music mixed with the changing camera angles keeps the thought processes compartmentalized, at least for someone like me. Good stuff.
which I love it helps me to concentrate
LOL noticed that to
ha ha ha
Guy, your energy is off the charts. It's a joy watching you work and I learn so much too! Keep it up!
A man of character! Always nice to see!
man+guitar=man with guitar
I wanna work with him, NOW! Sounds like someone working on a Final Fantasy OST, so beautiful!! He´s officially my 4th musical idol now, after Nobuo Uematsu, Akira Yamaoka and Clint Mansell!!
My own vocal coach comes 5th on that ranking...lol
@@chanceneck8072 wow we have the same musical idol. Nobuo Uematsu, Akira Yamaoka (I
@@thenimbus664 Thanks, man! I will try that!
But don´t tell me, your third idol is also Clint Mansell! Or is he?... xD
This sounds beautiful. But the thing I learned most from watching this is to remember to have fun while making music. Your energy is amazing. Thank you.
Exactly right, that's what we need to remember while we working on a piece of music. "Don't forget to enjoy every moment of it"
This put me in an excellent mood. Made me wanna have fun while being creative. Your enthusiasm about making music is inspiring as well as the music you’ve composed. Greatly Appreciated
i was wondering when i read your name , and i just realized is it your name influenced by j dilla ?
i produce dirty chopped up soul sample, bass heavy, hard hitting drums east coast style rap music, and watching this video was so refreshing, it bought me back to the basics and the amazing joyful simplicity of making music, liked and subscribed!!!!
When I grow up I would like to be like you sir :) After 15 years of playing guitar I started to learn music theory, bought keyboard, learning notes, music production and actually starting to understand what I've been doing. Thank you for this, you are great inspiration and very entertaining to watch your creative process
I am on the exact same journey my friend :D Good luck in your future explorations :D
I’ve always wanted a closer look at how this type of music is made. You made it super fun to watch!
This is such a different way to go about writing music. I love it. Instead of my usual just drag in drums and draw melodies, I might try his method by adding the layers slowly step-by-step, of recording a melody, adding a string over it, playing it to see if it's good, then going to the next step and repeating that. Talking to yourself out loud about the choices you want to make sounds like a good idea. You are so underrated, man. Keep it up!
4D Beats Glad to help!
he is kind of like the bob ross of music
Whooaaa I never thought about it like that but that's so accurate
and like David Attenborough but of music
Lets put there sume tre-- uhm, some woodwinds!
@@omerfarukbykl6097 happy little woodwinds
Actually, to me it sounds like a combination of Bob Ross and Jeremy Clarkson (wchich I also very like, despite everything). I have no connection with music making whatsoever, and still I feel like I could watch him forever. So magical.
"Is it cheesy to put a choir in?"
Me: Yes, it is. Do it anyway. I put choirs in almost everything, because choirs are amazing.
Good libraries you would recommend for choirs? I have some but they're not really easy to work with... good sounding tho!
@@ClicStudio I am old lol
So I use mainly "Symphony of voices" which has been around forever now and was used by everyone, even Rammstein or whatever.
"Miroslav Choirs" is also not bad. And "Voices of the Apocalypse" which has limited use, but is servicable when you can use it.
I can't recommend you good new ones, since I don't know good new libraries. Depends on what you want to do and what software you use.
As with almost every library, I'd recommend really checking out what you are getting. There are a lot of borderline useless libraries. I got myself a few "free trials" over torrents back in the day to check stuff out.
catburglar82 Thank you, I’ll check em’ out anyway:)
It's the good kind of cheese. Like a perfectly matured piece of cheddar on a cracker with your morning tea. Doesn't really belong there, but enhances the experience.
I don’t know how this was suggested for me to watch, but I did - the whole 29 minutes. I didn’t think I would. Chilled out and humorous - subscribed!
Im in the same exact escenario! :D lovely mood
yeeep
same here!
I wanna work with him, NOW! Sounds like someone working on a Final Fantasy OST, so beautiful!! He´s officially my 4th musical idol now, after Nobuo Uematsu, Akira Yamaoka and Clint Mansell!!
My own vocal coach comes 5th on that ranking...lol
He has a pleasant personality and conveys passion with joy and enthusiasm.love watching this dude. Plus he helps me understand how to use cubase without pressure.
Nice really enjoyed your energy. Made my day. And that transition to violins in that song was a great decision. I could already imagine some adventure movie scene :)
😱arcade
Arcade 😊
I can't stop smiling when I see how happy you are about the result - after each track you played. The complete result sounds so great.
“It’s like a chef always using the same ingredients…” 30 seconds later “I’m gonna go with an old favourite”
this is how i write 100% of the time! orchestral templates give me anxiety. so glad your doing regular videos they are awesome!
At 5:12 I feel like I'm a character in an RPG wandering through some mysterious magical forest, knowing that there's a boss fight gonna be soon...
Can relate Look at my comment ^^ XD
34 downvoting viewers only listen to rap. The rest of us 1.8k are normal.
I showed my 12 year old son this video to explain how something complicated merely consists of simple things. Layers. Like a canvas of pigments or sounds.
Needless to say, I have subscribed. You are one of those people who just exude the rare ‘let’s just do this’ energy.
This is such a breath of fresh air. Having a degree in composition and struggling to create pretty much anything music for a long time, to the point I've thought of quit trying several times, this is really inspiring. I think I'll try your "How to Write Music" course as well.
I really like your energy, approach and production. Keep it up!
Thank you! This reminded me of why i got into this in the first place and reignited my love for it.
I had a splendid time this evening and feeling a little inspired. Sometimes simple is the ticket. Thank you...
Man! What's "keeping it simple" for you sounds and looks like pure magic to me. Just beautiful!
That harp is so unbelievably beautiful sounding. I just picture sitting on a beach, listening to that all day.
That's really a marvelous space to compose music in there with all those windows and the garden! Good info for everybody even if not making film music - thanks
I'm still trying to decipher if these ones are real windows or paintings... Either way, they serve their purpose... Impressive
I love that space so much. So much natural light and greenery Something to aspire to for sure.
@@FeelingShred I wondered the same! At first I thought it wasw real, but then started to doubt it as it may loook very perfect (and perfect can be fake)..However, I am still not sure now
@@FeelingShred I wondered too. But you can see the real place from outside here ... ua-cam.com/video/SoXnytYspa8/v-deo.html
Must be nice to have money.
It’s funny how a simple clarinet makes everything a world war theme
Nothing short of brilliant. You manage to put some sunshine in any composer's life with your candid enthusiasm and love for music. Thank you for doing this. Subscribed!
Is there a more entertaining way for us novice's to find inspiration and education other than this man. By far and away the best and most enjoyable tutorial/teacher on youTube. Love it!
I would hate to see you making it difficult! Great composition
Love this guy’s attitude! Beautiful track. Beautiful view as well.
Yes, i felt so happy and content with life watching him do his thing. Great stuff! I'm a Blues, metal, rock and pop guy and now i'm discovering all this composing stuff that is simply phenomenal. You make me feel like a normal person, even though we are crazy artists So fun to watch you create! Carry on good man!
Sits down and spits out one of the most gorgeous pieces I've heard in months. NBD.
One of the most enjoyable music creation UA-cam videos I've ever watched.... and learned a ton along the way. It was a little like if Bob Ross took you through a song writing lesson after a binge session @ Starbucks. Thank you.
I love this guy. You come across so well and love your track, beautiful well done. Thank you.
This guy is one of my favorite to watch and learn from. He always puts me in a better mood. I was feeling a bit depressed tonight and decided to watch one of his videos and bam, feeling great and hopeful.
yo it's super cool to watch someone work in another daw. I watch ableton videos all the time and it's refreshing to see someone work in something else. brings you back to the music and not all the plugins and stuff.
This is really good use of orchestral VSTs and you have an accomplished ear for music. I love your compact studio outside....the perfect place to escape into your own world of music with a cup of coffee!
Thanks for the video. I'm into a completely different style of music but it's really inspiring to see you create this so spontaneously.
Man, I love this. I was basically looking for a mentor for creating this sort of music and here he is.
Wow, your video came up right when I needed it. I’m in the middle of doing a bunch of songs. You’re energy and how you convey things is pretty much what I do too. That woodwind part is amazing, kind of a yearning sound, strings sound amazing. I really want a copy of the finished song. I’m going to subscribe. Thx so much!
Fun! ahh - my comfort zone as I'm still adding one track at a time. Thanks, Guy
and it works!
Just finding this video, and all of the others - going to work my way through. LOVE your style, and your energy! What an inspiration! Thank you!!!
Thank you so much for putting this video out. You have re inspired me to make music again. I had a problem with getting bored of my projects and abandoning them. Watching you work thru my barriers has been amazing. Thank you
a proof that the meaning of simplicity differ from people to people... =)
exactly, by simple, I thought he was just going to write everything on a piano.
This arrangement isn't simple at all lol. He obviously has an education about the different chords and how they work together but most people don't.
Matter of fact no audio software program is simple I've used many different ones. People who say it's easy are full of shit. It's only easy if you just play one or two instruments and add a simple beat and leave it at that. But if you try to put together a full blown song, with a beginning, middle, and end it's fucking difficult.
I guess, but as far as orchestral writing goes this is really simple (still gorgeous!), so I thought he was spot on!
@@damienholland8103 Nothing is wrong with simple. If it works, it works.
@@PeteS_1994 I never said anything was wrong with simple. What I said is that what he did is not simple.
9:49 Holy shit those were some epic sound effects you made with your mouth hahah
I enjoyed 17:40 also.
Next video is going to be, how to create film scoring SFX with your mouth 😂😂
I am so glad I stumbled on your channel. I love your enthusiasm. I don't create this type of music (instrumental guitar player) but I have many "blocked days". This inspired me to try a completely different route to create new music. Thanks for sharing!
Guy is a one in a million...I really like him and his eccentricities...that are infinitly more interesting than watching most music videos...just at a point where you might get bored...he switches it up and dawns sunglasses, or changing accents...I couldn't stop watching him if i wanted to...and I don't feel that will happen for a long long time...and many courses down the road. THANK YOU GUY FOR ALL YOU DO!!!
This was amazing and your energy making it is inspiring! Thank you for sharing this!
you're more than welcome
- HOW TO WRITE MUSIC -
To get started in writing your own music, take a look at How to Write Music. Looking at the very core of music composition, it will give you a process for writing your own tracks from the ground up. Learn how to overcome writer's block, as well as build your own melodies and chord progressions.
It's great for total beginners and intermediates looking to get some fresh ideas! Over 6 hours of video and accompanying course text. Check it out here: thinkspaceeducation.com/courses/htwm/
Mate, you could create a course on toasting bread and I'd sign up. You are an absolute boss.
If I'm feeling a bit burned out or just am not in the mood, I will pop up one of these videos and I'll be instantly inspired and motivated... so much energy. You're a LEGEND.
I can promise all of you that this guy must be famous because he just showed us literally $50,000-$100,000 in software. I mean wow. That was awesome. I thought I had a lot.
This little score would also sound perfectly with a sunrise scene.
wooooooowwww i felt i am sitting just next to you, thank you so much for this wonderful video
As amazing as the musical aspect of this video is I wonder how may people stop to consider the enormous amount of work that went into editing it. This was a wonderful production in every way! I loved it all and learned from every minute of it. I always enjoy and appreciate how infectious your enthusiasm is. Thank you, Guy. As a great man once said, "I'll be back".
I've just discovered your channel and after only two videos it's blowing my mind! These patches are incredible too. A huge frustration with many DAWs is the orchestral simulations. I'm just starting to explore external plugins so this has been great to point me to the right producers in the field. By the way, you have a super presentation style that's very accessible. Thanks for sharing your patently huge experience.
Can't believe I only just found this channel.
And I shockingly enjoyed it 😄
That green house set up is Awesome !
I love it. Its in the garden and a home office. I have a bigger studio about 10 mins away but this is where I do most of the real work
This is SUCH A JOY to watch! LOVE LOVE LOVE this guy's vibe. I feel like I'm watching Bob Ross paint all over again - except this time with notes.
Love watching and listening to the process. Fantastic stuff.
He so energetic!
Haha only 1 min in and I already like where this is going! Thank you :)
Ha ha :)
Man, you're a genius! And I love your energy! It's a delight to watch your joy of creation. I feel utterly inspired. Thank you for that.
Guy… I learn so much from just watching you work. Every time. Thanks so much sharing what you do.
Surprised you're not getting more views, really cool style of video
Thank you - this video is doing well so we'll do more like this in future
I love how you use the cameras in this video :D
Beautiful cinematic soundtrack, and lots of fun sitting in on the composition of it.
great stuff !!! Its so much fun starting something from scratch and sometimes you make the best thing when you are not really trying or thnking about it !!! Great inspiration , Tanking you !
I miss John Barry's music. He was one of the greats. This piece is lovely too Congrats
He was a master
best thing thats ever been on my recommended!!! lol
Genius! So great to watch and listen. Thanks for letting us sit in....
Hey that 'Sleepy Lagoon' sounds nice for the name of this song...kindofa surrealistic beauty.
It’s so beautiful, sounds like something from Star Wars
no it sound like something from
_wait for it...._
*MY BUTTHOLE*
Leia stuff!
How to write music: Step one; Have a beautiful home in a serene environment to record.
check...whats next?
Jason Station invite me over and watch my genius unfold.
@@FollowFunk Poor craftsmen blame their tools.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
Having a wondrous time watching your dazzling approach of using DAW’s and the keyboard... and coming up with incredible music to include your humility in allowing all of us... to go with you on the journey.
Again THANK YOU!
All the (continued) VERY BEST!
Mr Michelmore you are the epitome of Joy.Its amazing how you manage to make us happy music fast learners.My best regards...for making me feel like kid again!!!!!
This is the absolutely opposite way that I like to work now. I think by having a basic ‘song writing’ template it forces me to focus on melodies and not plugins. My template has a basic drum kit, bass, piano and arp. I cannot change the sounds or touch the effects. Only song writing. I’ve also created markers for Verse, Pre-chorus, Chorus, intro and outro. The sounds do not take away from the melody hook, call and response -I can pick sounds out later.
I will only be able to believe in any of it once I hear samples on your channel
This was fantastic, sounded like something out of Lord Of The Rings 👍😀
Rufus D Tonebug I was thinking the same thing 😭
I didn't think this comment made sense until I reached 16:51 when the bass came in and I was like oh yeahhhhhh LOTR vibes
But also moreso getting like sinister soap opera / horror / who died in this haunted house combo
I have to agree with you. I feel it also has an Alexandre Desplat feel to it also. What kind of music do you like? Do you play any instruments?
@@linreynoso8963 I play guitar and have a very small UA-cam channel 👍🎸
Excellent video! Love the view in your studio! goals!
Loved watching this come to life, thanks for sharing...you are a genius !
I mean, Mozart figured out his workflow when he was 8. String quartet, Piano, Orchestra and vocals. That's it. We're getting crazy with countless instruments, new synths, effects, max4live, controllers, iPad. I mean, just the fact that people design and sell new instruments doesn't mean we need them. Thanks for this video maestro :)
Yes! Just because you 'can' isn't sufficient reason for doing
But imagine if Mozart had access to max4live!
@@Am6-9 Scary! :)
@@Am6-9 Aphex Twin?
lol a quartet and an orchestra, and that's it. how many instruments is that btw?
that feel when you accidentally write the intro to Stargate SG1
hahahahaha
Searching comments for someone else who noticed.
My first video from your channel Loved it! I've been needing this channel in my life.
It is refreshing to see someone actually create the music rather than grabbing samples and stitching them together. A masterful creation of a professional level musical piece that would slot straight into a movie soundtrack or form the basis of the next great opera piece. All in under half an hour. I am impressed. To the detractors I see in the comments below, get your head out of your ass, it's affecting your hearing. This was a brilliant demonstration of very obvious skill and years of knowledge. The first "digital" music I have seen that I could not class as "Canned". You have made me rethink my attitude towards digital composition entirely. Thankyou Maestro...
wish i could play piano. would make the whole producing music thing a whole lot easier.
Dya own a midi-keyboard? Force yourself to record everything in real-time with no quantization the next time you produce. If you get lost in the jamming and forget to produce anything that session you can count that as a big win!
I'd also suggest you trying to soak up as much music theory you can, and enforce it during your jam sessions (things like figuring out what scale a song is in is kinda fun, and then just freestyle jam over that particular song). Avoid most EDM channels when it comes to music theory videos on youtube. They might be a good resource for sound design and stuff like that, but when it comes to theory they really seem to take the path of least resistance, to a fault ("just write everything in A minor so you don't have to deal with those pesky black keys, and configure your piano roll so you can't click in keys out of scale. Don't worry about what chord you're clicking in, just click in a bunch of notes with some gaps in-between them, bro!"). Nah, most of them sound like shitty get rich quick-schemes. Channels like this or Michael New is much more inspiring when it comes theory and workflow etc.
Oh, and if you're studying via yt vids I suggest you get several sources for every topic. Don't just watch one video about "circle of fifths" and decide that you're done with the topic for the rest of your life, cuz then you might miss out on the excellent video called "8 Facts About the Circle of Fifths that you May Not Already Know
" by Brian Kelly. The only thing you should know is that you don't know anything :P
I'm a beginner myself tho so all that might be mumbo-jumbo, but those are things that has helped me.
Its partly true. But did you know that not even AVICII knew Music Theory? - My advice is that you start bring in your favorite tracks in your daw / put a loop region on it & play the chord sections so many times that your ears gets used to them. You then try to pinpoint each note that the chord is made up for & mimick those chords. When youv written down the chords of your favorite track - You then change the notes slightly... Voila - You just made your own chords by mimicking your favorite Artist! Good Job! - And that is Exactly how you learn being creative & gets you to start ANY song. You could even watch my tutorial on how to get it done this way! 👍
@@tredfxman Yah, there've been thousand upon thousand of great artists that doesn't know any formal music theory. I mean, they probably do know the theory internally after experimenting so much with creating music, playing instruments and active (ACTIVE!) listening etc, but they just don't know the terminology, and they clearly don't need to. I just think theory mixed with playing an instrument, producing and active listening can get you to your destination faster (if you manage to have fun with it, ofc. If you don't see any value with knowing theory, or if just the thought of it puts you to sleep I totally get it, but there's a lot of peeps who just imagine boring clefs in their mind when they think about theory, and just goes "yeah, fuck that shit" and won't bother beyond that. That's atleast what happened to me back in the day when I borrowed boring theory books from my library :P)
At the end of the day there's no right or wrong tho. Whatever gets your creative juices flowing is the right way. To me hands on instrument plinkin' to backing tracks with some theory (I haven't been able to internalize super deep stuff yet, tho!) has really helped me get going, and if someone gets inspired to produce after watching what I would consider a "shallow" video with a clickbaity title I can only congratulate the creator of the video to help inspire someone to produce, even if the content doesn't resonate with me :)
(I didn't mean that your video was "shallow" and has a clickbaity title, btw. I haven't watched it, so don't think I'm targetting you!)
If you play guitar, we have some good digital controllers based on that layout. 'Jammy' comes to mind.
IMHO, in the spirit of "keeping it simple," I think you should have dialed back the _Ensemble Espressivo 3-Layer NR_ by about half, and called it good right there at 20:40. The piece is beautiful and very cinematic, no question. But by bringing so much else in at the same time, I feel you lost a lot of the impact of the modulation (which I absolutely *love* BTW), and kinda made it more about the instruments than the music, if that makes any sense. I also feel a lot of the sonic articulation you'd striven for up until that point was rather buried by the horns.
Again, just my opinion, no offense intended. Cheers.
I could not agree more. One must earn through composition one’s right to brass, percussion, choir...
Honestly this is play, not work. A sketch rather than a finished piece.
Just love the way this orchestration was put together. Very inspiring to start writing orchestration myself.
Wow, I'm kind of crying inside. Soothingly beautiful!
As he zooms down the road at 500 kilometers an hour.
Is it just me or is the audio extremely distorted?
aha....I will check it out for next time - sorry!
nope, it's distorted
@@ThinkSpaceEducation You do that! :) Your content is invaluable and your spirit always gets a smile on my face. Keep on!
On my iPad, for majority of the film, no it wasn’t extremely distorted. It got so when the horns came in and then peaked out toward the end. Great video tho of enthusiastic studio session with a talented musical arranger and composer. Thanks for the fun and informative upload but do checkout the recording input volume for your next film. Regards
This guy has a fantastic gift for both music and teaching. I'm glad he's not my dad though. His jollity and enthusiasm would wear you down eventually.
Bingo! When you were looking for that key change I was screaming out F# minor - and you went there! I always like to start with a blank canvas too - apart from not bloating out your computer with unncessary stuff, it lets you follow your instincts. Lovely piece you came up with - those low brass chords add to that John Barry mood. Love your presentation stlye - warm, friendly and humourous - it's like being there with you.
Killer music and insight, but the master was clipping a little. Other than that, fantastic.
hmm you could be right!
thank you!
its best to cut out everybody else's 'expert' ad-vice first ...
Wow the way your thought process worked to figure out how to change key just totally changed the game for me...Thanks!
In enforced quarantine in New York. Got laid off last week so early retirement here I come! Woo Hoo. Setting up my own (humble) music studio and doing online songwriting collaboration. Waiting my whole life to do this. LOVE your videos. Fascinating and so entertaining as well as inspiring and informative. Thank you so much!!
the boomers are getting better at it
Says “no plug-ins” then proceeds to open huge lists of expensive software instruments and FX plug-ins LOL…. I can’t say it’s not entertaining though.
I really love what you’ve written here Guy! I’m a novice composer in Australia and usually only watch videos like this with composers who use Logic but I thoroughly enjoy your video presentations. Please never stop!
Ill keep it going if you will
The kind of work produced in 30 minutes is incredible. Great video and amazing work - you rarely get to see inside people's process like this.