How To Develop a Musical Idea From Scratch - Recording and Arranging

How To Develop a Musical Idea From Scratch - Recording and Arranging Your Musical Ideas.
In this episode we explore the how to develop a musical idea. I will take you step-by-step through the creative process of how I come up with, develop and arrange ideas for a film scoring cue or just the musical examples for my videos
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[@pite9]

I may just lay my hands down and play a chord. Plays a lydian chord. Only Rick Beato.

[@Anjianie]

I THOUGHT THE SAME THING hahaha

[@henrikibsen6258]

Me: C MAJOR ROOT POSITION

[@eamonnw]

same

[@michaeldean9338]

@@henrikibsen6258 Oh, yeah! C Major, baby! Now, you're talkin' my language!

[@alistairbayliss]

Surely it's not that he played a 'lydian chord' that's impressive, but that he was able to plonk his trotters down on the keyboard and make sense of it musically. Either way, Rick Beato!

[@Athraminaurian]

Man, your channel is a goldmine. I just wanted to thank you for all the effort you put into these videos.

[@JonKovach]

I was thinking this as well like 1 minute in I realized this may be the most informative and knowledgeable music theory and composing channel on youtube right now.

[@heavyweaponsgaming]

The gold mine analogy is pretty accurate... the material kinda disorganized and tough to sift through, but if you dig into it you can get some extremely valuable nuggets of insight. Not saying Rick is bad at making videos, it's more of a different style. They're not as straightforward as normal teaching, but more of him pouring out his knowledge and skills for us to see, leaving us to find the most valuable lessons ourselves. This style is probably why he is so prolific when it comes to videos.

[@800pieds]

If you like the goldmine, it has a Patreon page where you can donate. Pretty worth it I'd say.

[@CymberLilyQuinn]

Agreed...headed to Patreon now...

[@dillipphunbar7924]

Aimee Nolte is great too, and a friend of Rick's.

[@dylanlenn7836]

I'm addicted to your videos even though I don't have a clue what's going on 90% of the time

[@frisbeeonmars]

dylanlenn Ha! Me too. I have no idea but can’t look away...!

[@josephpatrow]

dylanlenn learn C Major and its Modes, then how to build Major, Minor, Major and Minor 7ths, and Diminished chords of C Major, and you’ll have your mind blown. Harmonized C Major scale chords will allow you to get your footing; from this you’ll have all the Modes of C Major too, scales of C Major that use the same diatonic notes.

[@Lethesys]

same here :D

[@jessewehner7838]

Rick's videos are very well explained. That said, some of the material he touches on is directed towards advanced players. He is a treasure trove of knowledge. Hope you are enjoying them and learning something from each regardless!

[@GUPRPEET-Singh]

Oh.. i thought i was the only one who sometimes don't understand what he is saying but still watches his videos 👍

[@bobbywillis1466]

Rick just wrote a great score for a film scene in 20 minutes and I’m over here taking months to write chord progressions

[@awllypollyas8292]

The more you practice.

[@jensjensen4038]

AwllyPolly AS ... the harder it gets

[@MrAbner09]

More questions l have

[@beckst3r]

as a beginner, you have to get over the fact that the chord prog, melody, etc. won't be good at first. just go with the first thing you think of, don't dilly dally too much on unimportant decisions. in the beginning, quantity is better than quality

[@DynamixTV]

@@jensjensen4038 it did get a lot harder, now that i saw your profilepicture😏😏

[@jmaximum555]

The most successful ideas I've had, and the easiest path I took composing new stuff was by limiting myself to a concept. A certain groove, a certain type of chord, a certain number of chords, or a decision to work with precise parameters even before striking the first chord. These limitations give me a focus, a goal to achieve, and that way I don't have to go everywhere at the same time. Once the basic idea is written, then I can break my own set of rules for a particular song to enhanced the final result.

[@randalllavergne1258]

“How to Write Music” Step 1: Play a chord Step 2: Play the rest of the damn opus. -Rick Beato

[@mackin26]

I'm loving these videos. It's bringing all my music theory vocabulary back. During a lesson today, a kid says "I have to play the A Dorian mode in my exam". So, instead of just playing him the scale and showing where his fingers go, I start him with the G Ionian (G A B C D E F# G) and take him through all 7 modes with a simple chart, their names, their scale spellings and how to play each one. All in 20 minutes. And he leaves the lesson completely understanding it and able to play them all and also transfer them to other keys. It's great to be inspired again. Thank you Rick.

[@MaxTooney]

Echoing a previous poster here: your channel IS a goldmine--a real treasure trove of ideas and information. Thanks for all the time you devote to this, Rick.

[@ianmcrann]

You are one of the amazing few people on KZbin who provide an invaluable service, arguably for free and I can't thank you enough for that. I hope to score for TV/Film one day, and your videos have helped me improve my compositions immensely, so thank you again! Don't stop making videos!

[@Nicoladen1]

Making classic music like this is like making a cake. It doesn't taste good until it's done. But a good chef will know what to add to make the cake taste great in the end. Beginners like us start putting ingredients in and taste every two seconds and go ew ew and get demotivated. Lmao

[@alessandrozambon6484]

What a wonderful metaphor, cheers

[@alextheconfuddled8983]

This honestly inspired me. Sometimes when im mid way through i start noticing the bad points about my piece, then i give up on it, when i could have turned it into something great

[@thevisi0naryy]

Jeez Rick why don’t you just MARRY THE LYDIAN CHORD??!

[@pabslondon]

get the marriage sanctified by G Sus

[@hairohukosu433]

@@pabslondon ^this pun is underapreciated

[@raysaade]

Hahahahah boss comment

[@hansfranz8795]

@@hairohukosu433 Definitely not. It's one of the most heavily used music puns.

[@hairohukosu433]

@@hansfranz8795 welp never seen it

[@TheWonderfulWino]

This guy has more musical talent in one finger, than I do in my entire body!! Thanks Rick for sharing!!

[@higgsfieldinthefield9916]

I immediately saw a cold misty morning walk in the woods, it is funny the way music paints pictures in your mind like that.

[@churlesjenkins4338]

This is awesome... helps me realize that a composition is small thoughts combined into one big thought and not to get so overwhelmed thinking about the whole composition at once

[@deltavistastudio124]

RB is demo'ing one of 250,000 ways to think about song writing and coming up with ideas. Rick is great.

[@Psimansingh]

Well said dear.

[@natoriephilbert9351]

wow this is so different from just watching Fruity loop tutorials and like trap producers or newer producers from todays time,like ive been watching your videos for a long time now but this just gave me a whole new prospective on approaching music. need more content like this, this is game changing.

[@chnacr2]

Well said. I feel more connected to the music when I approach composition this way - even while making rock or electronic type tracks. All the FL studio type stuff feels completely unintuitive to me.

[@ckatheman]

You can do all of this using FL Studio as your DAW. As far as going beyond all the trap stuff, try Busy Works Beats on KZbin

[@Aucelo]

Why you don't have 10M subscribers? Your content is pure gold man!

[@jonathanencarnacion8184]

Thanks for this - as someone just starting out, an example of the creative process is what was needed!

[@spiralsystem4103]

I am an untrained musician. Does anyone else just hear the whole thing in their head first and then translate it to the piano? I don't really do it piece by piece like this. I usually wait until I can hear it all in my head. When I do it piece by piece it is never as good...this is a really good technique, however. I need to learn both ways.

[@paulkoester7039]

When I'm lucky enough to just hear the whole thing in my head, then great! The danger is that if I only just waited for complete ideas to come, then I'd almost never write. I find the best way to get out of writers block is to do what Rick's doing here. As far as "piece by piece it is never as good"... writing is just like anything else, the more you practice the better you get. Even if the end result ends up in your trash can, you're at least learning what not to do in the future.

[@henrikibsen6258]

That is a rarity my friend. You are gifted if you compose like that.

[@SuperRandomizer2000]

Whatever works for you, i suppose. If it sounds good youre doing it right. Even though somethings over complicate more than others. Im sure you could find easier approaches that work for you as well eventually

[@shooter813]

Yup. Just sucks when it happens at 2am and you havta be up at 4am... smh But I wouldn't trade the experience of a song materializing in my head for much of anything... 😊

[@JoMama123451234]

I have a pretty good ear. Sometimes its all in my head. But if its usually in my head, it almost always incomplete or needs refining. Ive never had a final product just come out of my head, although that would be pretty special. I know some music theory but i usually just rely on my ear to compose. Its never done me wrong.

[@mikemogul2263]

This was really excellent content. More on composing please, Rick.

[@johnfriedrich8608]

Love music!! with just the initial pulse sequence, theres an anxiousness feel, then as the layers come in, it begins to feel more calming....very cool look into how music sets moods...

[@WesleyWestMusic]

The Lydian Mode - Rick's Favorite

[@kengruz669]

Maybe his first love was....Lydia?

[@abdulalshibly3930]

Well I think because you can make music that sound bright and happy or kind of weird sad feel with a bright so you can use it multiple times but My personal favourite is Phyrgian because I love dark sad music what's your favourite mode

[@billr55]

@@abdulalshibly3930 I like Dorian

[@christianlabanca5377]

@@billr55 I think dorian is my favourite too...it really gives a weird mood that Im not able to describe but I like

[@jessekerr6544]

I don’t really have a favourite but I do like to experiment with different modes. I love the simplicity of the Ionian and Aeolian modes (major and natural minor scales) but I also love the dark, dissonant textures I can create with the unresolved tonic of the Locrian mode. I tend to take more of a leaning toward the modes of the harmonic minor scale.

[@Artificalimages]

looks like beginning of the a film. a man walking and researching something ... beautiful lydian mode sound. thanks for lesson

[@RogerBadgerDSFlyer]

2:36 setting up to record. A nifty feature of Cubase is “Retrospective Record”. It would have already memorised what you played and you could simply dump it on a track. That way, if you’re improvising and you hit some magic that you can’t quite recall exactly how you played it - no worries 👍

[@JAFOpty]

I am a guitar player that is trying to learn piano so I can (hopefully) improve my guitar composition skills. This is great stuff!

[@prestontrusley4773]

JAFO-PTY same with me xD

[@gavinreid8351]

Apparently piano players when composing think of melodies whereas guitarists think more of chordal progressions.

[@LfunkeyA]

guitar is the ultimate harmony instrument, even more so than the piano

[@erlendjulieb1760]

nah, piano is by far the best instrument for harmony, it's literally the incarnation of our note system.

[@LfunkeyA]

Barry Harris thinks otherwise, and he's about the most knowledgeable harmony/piano person around. i guess they both have their pluses and minuses regarding limitations and ergonomics.

[@macleanclassics]

I see a scene from a movie playing in my head everytime you start the track...and, every time you add a musical element the detail of my scene also expands, interesting experience... and great video !

[@AndyMan-mr1hy]

Rick is the epitome of 'musician'. It's more than his life...it's his existence. And I, for one, is thrilled and grateful that hee has a nature of sharing, teaching and entertaining. Guy is a legend to me. Like a guru. Yoda

[@tomward5293]

you sir, have one of the most interesting channels on KZbin

[@maxteks1653]

That’s such important advice about limiting your instrument parts to only ones that support the other melodies and leave space....I had so many times of adding too much till your piece becomes overly cluttered or clashes with itself. Genius at work here,...also wise from experience.

[@TheDilligan]

This is exactly what I do, although I do best without recording anything until the composition is finished. When I record, I end up committing too hard to ideas and painting myself into a corner with nowhere to go. But you have an obvious sense of composition and chord theory that will be a learning curve for many in taking this approach. Music Theory is easy. The vocabulary is the complicated part, which you are obviously much more well versed in than I am. But the thing you are doing comes from the experience of knowing what your options are after a particular chord. That's the place many people really struggle because they hit something and then they hit something else and even if it is in the key, it just sounds bad or it goes against their vision. It takes a lot of struggling with that before someone can reach the sensibility you display here.

[@oudein]

Rick, your channel may be the most valuable musical channel on this entire platform! Thank you for all the work you do. I can not imagine where you find the time...

[@jphifer2848]

Thanks!! THESE kind of videos are what so many people need in order to take the “mystery” out of how music gets put together today. Thanks so much for all your effort AND careful explanation of what you are doing & why. The recent Bruno Mars deconstruction video was particularly useful for non-musicians who are looking to understand more.

[@SeasonsWither90]

My favourite channel on KZbin. You're the best, Rick!

[@jadenschwartz1057]

Still watching this in 2021. I wonder if Rick realizes how much quality content he has created. This will that will help musicians for generations.

[@ProgressiveMovement200]

I have no musical ability, but love to watch these videos. I am just amazed at the talent, and how different brains have different abilities. Also, Rick is such a good speaker and storyteller.

[@seantatum1484]

This is almost the exact same approach I have. Very nice, Rick! It was really nice to see you do this. I have been following you for 2 months or so and have been gaining so much from you. I have been returning the favor by telling everyone I know about just how important it is for folks to get you in their lives. I have yet to become a full on Beato member but hope to do so by the end of the week. Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do for me and everyone, Rick. You are, hands down, one of the most insightful instructors on this platform and have quickly become one of the most important individuals in my journey in music. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[@unabashed26]

For goodness sake, Rick, that’s just awesome. You talented bastard.

[@RustuYucel]

Its a joy watching him when he listens a melody look somewhere in the space

[@robertshamansky1912]

How priceless is this? Rick is so talented and we are so lucky 😄

[@TheKorgUser]

The question and the answer.... Just like Hans Zimmer in one of his tutorials. Great stuff and interesting chord progression.

[@TheClassicalSauce]

Thanks for sharing your creative process with us, Rick! Its always great to see how other musicians do things (especially professionals who have great talent like yourself). For those of us who don't have the means to collaborate with others, it's fun to just kind of "jam" with you, even in our heads.

[@louisbatsford8908]

I love listening to all kinds of music and at 47 I don't play an instrument, but watching this makes me want to go out and buy a bass guitar, it's hypnotic viewing

[@ards5161]

buy a bass guitar

[@AndreaMoonMusic]

I don't know how I found your channel or Nahre Sol's, but I just saw your comment on her page (about Ravel) and am so incredibly grateful that you share so many fantastic musical ideas. As a composer, I feel like I can learn so much from you. Thank you so much!

[@hriddhimandas]

I dont not but this music of yours made me emotional and also brought tears in my eyes

[@themfu]

This really broadens the horizon other than just playing on the guitar or piano. Love your channel.

[@800pieds]

So I understand what you're explaining here and it's valuable. Even so, I think it's going to improve the 30s bits I have lying around on my hard disk, but not make for a complete piece. It would be interesting to know how to develop longer ideas.

[@thebuzzardandtheworm190]

Love seeing this process - I think it's a fairly typical process for modern composers - really makes you appreciate the old composers and people like Brian Wilson who had to figure it all out in their head..

[@MeetTheNewYear]

It is SOOO great to get all this direct, unedited insight from a veteran like yourself! So exciting and inspiring

[@nathancoleman7921]

Velocity, a smooth melody and great sounds are key to producing nice beats.

[@davidgatten1033]

I know you have years of experience... but you have such a creative mind and soul too. Keep it up!

[@YeaButCanUDoABackflp]

"I think one of my notes is getting clipped a little bit" We all know this is the point where we start to tweak compressors, EQs, filters and stuff for three hours without getting anything done.

[@nicholasparis5281]

"Propelling" is a great adj to describe the motion caused by the rhythm, and I think if you consider how well the piece sounds without any mixing it demonstrates the ultimate importance of orchestration and properly structuring your music!

[@IggyBing]

I do the "just put your hands down" bit (on guitar for me) to come up with one off little things all the time. But Rick's knowledge of music theory (and some rules of thumb, and Pro Tools mastery, and musical imagination, haha) took him from that very quickly to a sensible and organized, but still beautiful, composition. Brilliant, but that initial just plopping your hands down somewhere... love it.

[@modellbahnmoritz]

Funny, but for me, when the click is on, and it's recording, the performance is NEVER as good as with just playing around or practicing. I'm glad even the masters of masters have that problem ^^

[@4NobodyGuy]

@@amremorse This is great advice!!

[@Jake_AC]

Why did it take me so long to discover this channel? He makes everything so simple!

[@kenna5754]

been trying to find videos like this forever and i finally stumble across them thanks for your channel dude

[@BrokTheLoneWolf]

This was so good. I searched for this video from a memory of 4 years ago.

[@gsaigo8375]

8:59 don't you love how he came back for the lows there?

[@dmitryWeirdo]

Could you please do a lesson of how to setup the computer, DAW, vst etc, to make it work without delays on several vst tracks? Great lesson, thanks.

[@AndreasvanHaren]

Nice to see you developing this, Rick. Could you make a video on how to create a typical science fiction theme like for example the Stargate (tv show) main theme? I am especially interested in how to orchestrate it, the use of brass etc, and the different elements like melody, vamp, pads. How would you put something like this together?

[@jessedutton3269]

I really enjoyed this video! I would really like a part 2. Explaining transitioning into the next part and making it flow smoothly. Like a verse into a chorus for example and vice versa. Cool video though

[@johnmoser2689]

Excellent instruction Rick that was super cool watching the process Sounds like the beginning of a great piece of music

[@kdtrimble]

This is AWESOME! I'd like to see more videos like this. I would play on my Korg 01W and do exactly this except I don't know anything about notation or theory. In fact, I'm a terrible guitar player who taught himself keyboards by copying chords. Making me an even worse keyboardist but by recording and using all of the recording "tricks" I made songs that at lease I thought sounded good. Thanks Rick.

[@TigerCarpenter]

this is an outstanding combination of the genius and experience

[@MICKEYISLOWD]

Lydian is beautiful and is the 'Dreamscape' mode. It was used in Donnie Darko to great effect.

[@mdf9555]

hello rick..danial here from Malaysia.Your channel is superb and really thankful for your generosity to share your expertise.

[@russellcameronthomas2116]

So great to see your creative process step-by-step -- and seeing how much is craftsmanship and musical knowledge, and not so much about virtuoso skill or "genius" imagination. (I can't understand the 115 people who clicked "thumb's down" on this. Being generous, maybe half hit the wrong button? Even so.)

[@russellcameronthomas2116]

Unsolicited suggestion: I imagined replacing the original piano figure with a different instrument (pizzicato strings or harp or hammered dulcimer, maybe) or even muting it completely. That piano figure did it's job (getting all the other musical ideas going), but I began to wonder if it should make "an early exit" from the stage to make room for the other musical ideas. Worth exploring.

[@JariSatta]

Thomas Bergersen (Two Steps from Hell) Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy series) Joe Hisaishi (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi) Kondō Kōji (Legend of Zelda series) Aaron Zigman (Bridge to Terabithia) John Barry (Out of Africa)

[@Artfulscience1]

Thank you so much. This is incredibly useful for me. I have been playing my whole life and I’ve gotten quite proficient at music and have so many ideas but I know nothing about theory or arranging/composing or building a song structure and this video really helped me navigate that ambiguity I’m trying to get out of. Thank you!

[@PeterGreenProductions]

Rick, Your ideas and perspectives are so great to watch! Love them, thank you, Pete

[@questwings]

you're so awesome. i love watching and learning new things about music from you. it helps me appreciate the music i hear even more.

[@CoralPolyps]

Where have you been all my life

[@Batcaveqq]

The question is: Where have you been all his life??

[@jerdure]

So true, I just can't get enough of Rick's videos. So inspiring, and such a long way to go ! Beautiful

[@georgefillingham1255]

Great methodology about creating musical ideas. Thank you so much as always for sharing. Excellent. You da best!!

[@basspig]

One of the things I learned from Leroy Anderson at Decca was that you dont compose at the piano. He says your fingers fall into familiar patterns. Compose music in your head and then write it down. Use the piano to work out details.

[@gmpetersonart]

Best video i have seen on this subject. Coming up with a musical idea, and turning it into a message. love it, this will be incorporated into my practice

[@DiegoJGorzynski]

The first two bars I thought were crap, but then your amazing arrangement skills really surprised me. Cool stuff

[@dsbrbl]

That’s what is so amazing about music. The relationship between phrases makes the song. If you take any handful of songs be it pop music on the radio, old blues numbers or whatever it may be. Break it apart and you’ll find little pieces here and there that sound so insignificant but put them all together and the supporting relationship brings the whole arrangement to life. Music is awesome.

[@jghudd915]

After the first chord its about[ your mother who just passed] o r[ the girl you want to have children with] or the[ Ex you NEVER want to see again!!! the first chord means EVERYTHING!!!

[@bigdaddychaos3112]

It was really fun to watch you do this. You work much faster than me! And better!

[@deltavistastudio124]

(Time compression)

[@KXGtr9s]

This was really cool to watch. As I've said a bunch on other videos, your channel is a gold mine.

[@keithdunwoody1302]

Same chair I have. LOL. Love sitting in with you. Thanks for opening your studio up and sharing your process.

[@culturecauldron9137]

Great work big B, Keep on rolling em out!

[@blakeweisel3096]

I enjoyed watching your process here. It was really helpful hearing you talk through it. Thanks for sharing!

[@DJRY360]

Very thankful for your level of knowledge and your willingness and ability to share it with us.

[@jalabi99]

I love watching the creative process at work!

[@fredacuneo5180]

Such an excellent demonstration in composition. I have chromastesia ( a form of synastesia) and my mind lights up with color with just that first chord. I love your videos. I haven't engaged such technical/creative apsects since Berklee.

[@noahscott6298]

So cool to have the pleasure to see a creative mind at work!

[@jibberish00]

Your videos are making me practice piano for hours on end lol. Can’t decide if I want to watch your videos or turn them off to practice what i just learned

[@oquefilmaragora]

i came across this channel after being hooked on adam neely's videos and i was positively surprised to recognize ricks gace from nuryl. im glad you make those videos! thanks!!

[@HipnikDragomir]

I'm a complete amateur from the bottom of the barrel, but even I have experience with this exact process, and it's very charming and fun to watch someone else (a pro no less) do the same.

[@a.j.musician]

I always enjoy so much all of your videos, is just full of great stuff. Thanks for sharing this.

[@rafael959]

Thanks, Rick, for letting us in on your process,

[@jeremybradder8112]

Very helpful Rick !!!! You have just opened another door for me to walk through. Thank you so much !!! Cheers

[@toddblaze44]

Great Video as a beginner songwriter with Lyrical skills this really helps in song creation. Helps with the process, gonna watch this one several times.

[@mik1533]

I absolutely love your channel. You are a great source of knowledge and inspiration for me. Sincerely thank you!

[@jjaammee11]

I love this!!! Thank you Rick. You're so amazing.

[@jensjensen4038]

Very nice setup! Looks dark and light very cool🤘

[@deltavistastudio124]

Analysis during the creativity phase can often be a roadblock.

[@truthfulrobot9295]

This Reminds me of the classic 90s movies intro. Awesome nostalgia.

[@duality4y]

The first part sounded like childhood.

[@I_like_turtles_67]

I know what you mean.

[@urphakeandgey6308]

You people getting touched?

[@richf8972]

That first chord you struck sounds suspenseful

[@jeffrice4713]

When I listen to the music I feel like I'm watching a dramatic scene from "Terms of Endearment" or "On Golden Pond". Miss those tear jerker 80s movies.