A few weeks back, I ran a poll on YouTube asking subscribers if they've ever wanted to write an album of their own.
The results were interesting...
... but even more interesting were the reasons why they hadn't started yet.
One answer in particular stood out to me:
"I have no idea how to go about creating a coherent album. I feel like the music has to be similar enough to not feel like a musical grab bag, but different enough to not feel like a single composition chopped up."
Ah, the struggle for cohesiveness. I know it all too well.
This is a really common pain point for composers - especially on large-scale projects.
But after having written Frostfell and working on a new album currently...
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... I've developed a strategy that I use to overcome that hurdle pretty consistently these days.
Here's what it looks like.
First - I don't worry about consistency at all.
I don't map out a musical structure or storyline, decide what instruments I will/won't use, or generate a "main theme" to use through the album.
All I do is show up and start writing music each day.
In the words of Rick Rubin in his book, The Creative Act:
"It's a healthy practice to approach our work with as few accepted rules, starting points, and limitations as possible. Often the standards in our chosen medium are so ubiquitous, we take them for granted. They are invisible and unquestioned. This makes it nearly impossible to think outside the standard paradigm."
At this point in the game, rules don't serve you. Consistency does.
Maybe on the first day, I feel like writing a few measures of an orchestral piece. Then the next day, I get bored of that, and experiment with some gritty sound design. Then on day three, I feel like reading a fiction book to spark my imagination.
All of it is valid and useful.
So what next?
Well, eventually an idea will stick out from these experiments that you find so interesting that you can't help but explore it more.
How will you know?
You'll feel it.
It could be as simple as a 4-note motiv, a chordal gesture, or an instrument/texture.
Whatever it is, go deeper with that idea in any/all of the following ways:
- Write variations on it
- Write more music in that style
- Imagine a story/plot point for the idea
- Find words or a title that conveys the feeling of the idea
Going deeper into the idea will sometimes still lead to nothing.
But sometimes it'll lead to more interesting ideas.
And you can then repeat the cycle.
Through this process of experimenting freely, identifying what interests you, and going deeper into that idea, cohesion will naturally form.
The key isn't to force this process - it's to let it naturally emerge.
That's going to mean a lot of experimentation time.
(I typically write 10+ minutes of scattered ideas before I even consider identifying what my album's all about. Currently, I'm at 30 minutes for the new album).
Once you've gathered enough material centered around things that interest you, you can finally move to step three of this process:
Start making artistic rules for you to follow for your album.
Those rules will be based around the discoveries you've made and the direction you want to head in based on those discoveries.
They could include:
- Instrumentation you can/can't use
- Approximate duration of your tracks
- Overall mood of the album
- Size and scope of the story you're telling
For example, after 30+ minutes of drafting ideas, I've decided that I'm writing a dark fantasy album centered around strings, keys, and ambience. Tracks are around 3 minutes long, with most designed to loop, and the story involves a mechanical creations and a dystopian past.
That said...
I'm allowed to change the rules/restrictions anytime.
If I suddenly want to add brass in a certain track, I'm welcome to. If one track lends itself to being 10 minutes long, so be it.
These aren't hard and fast restrictions - they're designed to eliminate choice paralysis and drive my focus.
Ultimately, here's the point:
Trying to compose a masterpiece from the ground up is the easiest way to guarantee that you'll never start (or finish).
Instead, create freely with curiosity.
Experiment and explore until things catch your ear.
Then be curious about those things, too.
You don't need to "force" cohesion in order for it to occur.
You simply need to embrace the things about art that you inherently love and want to explore, and remove the rest.
In the words of the great Michaelangelo:
“The sculpture is already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. It is already there, I just have to chisel away the superfluous material.”
👋 Ready for more?
When you're ready, here's 4 ways I can help:
- 🎥 My YouTube. Watch 350+ videos including music tutorials, career tips, and more.
- 🗞️ The Newsletter Archive. Read articles from previous weeks of this newsletter.
- 🎬 Composing Career Bootcamp. Join my 6-week cohort-based course to learn how to land paid composing work from anywhere in the world. (100+ students, 5 stars)
- 🚀 Work Directly with Me. I run a private mentorship program for composers interested in working directly with me to help them achieve their goals. (Limited spots)
That's all for now!
Leave a reply to share your thoughts, questions, or just to say hi.
(I love hearing from my readers. 🙂)
Otherwise, happy music-making and I'll see you next time!
- Zach
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