“Wherever inspiration comes from, it's like I'll hear a melody and chords, almost a rough structure of the whole thing [song]. I'll just hear it and chase what's in my head. The rest comes from jamming with band, improvising, seeing what comes up as well. I'll come up with it off the top of my head, catch it, sing and hum, and if something is missing, just jam, and that's the [songwriting] process.” IfsWellsWholeInspirationSongProcessSeeingMissingBandStructureCome UpRoughMelodySongwritingWriting ProcessChordsJamImprovising Author:Chris Wyse
“I'm trying to be expressive on my instrument and conduct as I'm improvising. So I'm conducting with the melodies and the rhythms that I play. And so it's a very organic way. It's a lot like Charles Mingus played, cuing people in from what you play and how you play it rather than standing in front of a band, conducting and pointing.” PeopleWayTryingPlayFrontsBandStandingInstrumentsRhythmMelodyPointingExpressiveConductingImprovising Author:Joe Lovano
“I used to listen to music from the frosting down. As a word nerd, lyrics are really important to me, and then the melody. Playing in the Rock*A*Teens was the first time I ever heard music from the bottom up. I was hearing songs I'd heard a million times on oldies radio, and I'd be like, "Wow, listen to what the bass is doing!" When I was first singing in bands, I'd just get out there with my machete, wildly whacking away at the foliage. But you learn how to listen. When I feel I'm doing it right, it's 90% listening and 10% output. It's not "look what I can do!"” FeelsFirstsLooksI CanImportantUsedSongCan DoMillionsHeardRocksListeningBandSingingFirst TimeBottomRadioHearingMelodyWowTeensNerdListening To MusicBassOutputFoliageMachetesOldies Author:Kelly Hogan
“I was in a hardcore band that had no melody, no chance of finding any success, and I was just trying to figure out what the hell I was going to do with my life. And that came out and changed my life forever - on an artistic level, and a lyrical level, for sure.” TryingChanceLevelsHellForeverFiguresChangedBandFindingsArtisticMelodyChanged My LifeLyricalHardcore Author:Aaron Bruno
“I miss the romance. I keep saying this over and over again, but dance follows music. And if the accent today is percussion and rhythm and loudness, then that is the way the dance numbers will be. But it is pretty hard on romance with seven guitars, three drums, and no melody instruments in the band.” IfsWayHardTodayRomanceThreeNumbersMissingBandInstrumentsSevenGuitarRhythmMelodyAccentsPercussion Author:Gene Kelly