Music Technology almost ruined my music

I think most of us can relate to creating a sequence or loop we really like, then proceeding to listen to it over and over with no idea where to go next. While this is often blamed on writer's block, I actually don't think that's to blame. Today I'll talk about some really old composition techniques that helped get me out of the 4-bar rut.
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[@arcopolarisambient]

Thank you. I am a 73 years old amateur composer (I started when I was 64) and this video has helped me enormousley. Especially your notion of using improvisation as a mining expedition. Many thanks and greetings from Finland.👍👍👍

[@JohnathanSammer]

going mining for treasures.

[@GhostSamaritan]

I have a bunch of techniques to escape loop hell: - Improvise on top of the whole song and keep/improve parts that fit! - Hum melodies on top of the whole song! - Mix patterns with various lengths! Don't avoid odd lengths! They'll simply loop over a longer time. - Stand up and move to the beat while working! This one probably makes the biggest difference.

[@kunaikai]

Thank you. Just took a screenshot of this

[@macronencer]

Great tips, thank you! The one about humming over the top of a WIP is something I do constantly. Melodies that are lyrical and singable are not always the goal, but when they are, this is a really useful way to develop them.

[@Cegros]

Excellent excellent :) thanks

[@TayWoode]

Absolutely yes! I sometimes take a break and do something else and then a random variation comes into my head & I quickly get that down sometimes even replacing my original idea

[@keithbutler2222]

The humming sounds like a Keith Jarrett influence 🙂

[@Veridi]

Writing a 16 bar chord progression was the best thing I ever did in my life.

[@jontyson5407]

You clearly have no life.

[@bobsmith12345]

it's so satisfying because it gets easier :) keep going guys

[@snubdawg1386]

i got scaler 2 for quick and nice chord progressions......listened to all 200+ chord presets and there is not one progession with 5+ different chords that i like

[@gatorgoforth3097]

@@snubdawg1386 go to the channel Musician Paradise he has free chord progressions for a free chord app called Rip Chord amazing progressions in various genres. Also works for the MPC Live.

[@Veridi]

@@snubdawg1386 You know I'm gonna say do it yourself ;)

[@mechanought3495]

As a musician who has spent the last 15 years or so languishing in the 4-8 bar loop hell, thank you for trying to save others from this creative purgatory.

[@applebutter4036]

Same. Almost exactly 15 years ago, I bought FL Studio (aka Fruityloops)and began slowly filling up folders with 4-8 bar "songs". Some I kinda liked and attempted to stretch into actual songs, but most were abandoned. My theory was that it just got too easy to make loops. You spend 45 minutes kinda jammin out and it comes together so easily, that the next step of stretching it out feels more like work than fun. I think it also hurts that the very nature of a loop is that it resolves back into itself and doesn't always have a logical place to go. Back in the day, when I was recording stuff on a 4 track, you had to do the hard work up front and have the overall outline of the song somewhat fleshed out. You could easily spend hours working on a song before ever recording anything.

[@maxrice6990]

@@applebutter4036 That's an interesting point. I wonder if there is an opportunity out there for a software developer to create a tool that makes the "stretching it out" portion of the composing more fun

[@applebutter4036]

​@@maxrice6990 Could be and I love the idea. It doesn't even have to be fun. Maybe just a tool with a handful of parameters that can instantly lay out whatever patterns/samples you have into a basic song structure.

[@hermestrismegistus3417]

Don’t feel bad brother, you’re not alone, actually most of us are down here.

[@annode]

@@applebutter4036 All good points. It might also be that people who get lost in loops and seqs don't play an instrument. Pop music these days avoid middle eights/choruses/bridges, as we all know. I think because it's even hard to do for the pros let alone non-players.

[@vitaviscera]

that piano example was amazing

[@andrewpalmer8303]

As an amateur music creator, who still has a lot to learn with my instrumental skills and production, this video has been incredibly helpful. It’s easy to get lost in production and forget about the direction I’m trying to go in, and this video really inspired me at a low point 🙏

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Thank you! Glad it was helpful :)

[@pthelo]

"It's that idea about giving someone a fish vs teaching them how to make their own fish idea" LOL. Amazing. Not only did you provide lots of fantastic musical inspiration and direction, but the dry jokes were on point. Thank you Jameson!

[@fallprecauxionsmusic]

yes!! I completely agree!! tell that to whoever it was, a few weeks back, who couldn't resist taking a sincere dig at doctor jones's jokes as he complimented the over all content of his vids. ("you call him doctor jones, lady!!")

[@Beatsbasteln]

my advice for people who can't escape the loop would be: don't be scared of something that doesn't immediatly sound great. just sketch out all of your ideas and refine them when the time has come. you'll notice when that is

[@crow4277]

you are everywhere!! love your content, its cool to see you around

[@Beatsbasteln]

thank you :)

[@DANAMIONLINE]

I've found this helpful to me. Music technology allows me musical vomit on the DAW and then clean up later. The action of creating and refining is different brain functions that work better individually.

[@noahshighlightreel]

YES YES A MILLION TIMES YES. This is life saving advice.

[@mirr1984]

I got stuck in the 4 bar loop for years and still do at times, but I've found that improving my understanding of music theory and working from the perspective of arrangement has helped break out of that habit. I will basically take a synthesizer vst (or a piano vst) and create a song in MIDI before doing anything else. So if I don't have a song that has a beginning, middle, and end then it's either keep trying to scrap it and start again. The hardest part is creating a melody and harmony that either leads into a chorus (or drop) or creating a melody and harmony that takes you out of the chorus (or drop). So now I try to think in a linear fashion from start to finish focusing on melody and harmony instead of thinking in terms of depth and creating a 4 bar loop with tons of layers and a repetitive melody or chord progression. The problem with the world of electronic music is people tend to learn about EQ and Compression before they learn about actual music - rhythm, harmony, melody, counter-melody etc. I made that mistake and now I'm really good at mixing but suck at creating actual interesting music.

[@KaylinB]

what exactly do you mean by working from the perspective of arrangement ?? Any resources u have I could use to learn about what you're saying ??

[@mirr1984]

@@KaylinB what I mean by working by arrangement is you focus purely on music composition from start to finish. Forget layering, mixing, sound design etc. Just focus on building melody and harmony for one section, then focus on doing the same for the following section. Essentially you're figuring out where you song is going by learning how to blend each second so that the melody changes or you add or remove certain melody or harmonic elements. You're basically writing a song from start to finish rather than just focusing on the chorus or drop and then trying to figure out how to build up to it or where it's going next. You can literally just use a piano vst for this, and then just apply the sounds you want to each melody or second.

[@andrew_nayes]

Yes, please more content about composition. Very interesting to understand how a classically trained pianist compose electronic music.

[@crewd00d]

I am a classically trained bassoonist, and a jazz saxophone player, along with guitar for fun and various other hobby instruments. Got my bachelor's degree in music 9 years ago and have found myself stuck in the 4-bar loop rut for years inside my DAW. Recently I've made it a point to map out, at least roughly, the different elements of a track before fully fleshing out the "drop" or the "chorus", etc. I have this horrible tendency to start with the main part of the song and then scrutinize every little minute detail of those 4-16 bars until I'm sick of hearing it and realize I don't have a song nor a vision for one anymore.

[@OurgasmComrade]

This concept of "question and answer" structuring is also called "binary structuring" and "periods." It's the cornerstone of great songwriting and I learned a lot of valuable information from the book "How Music Really Works" by Wayne Chase

[@michaelkonomos]

Okay, rewatching this one already. It's fantastic. It fulfills a real gap in the synth community - addressing composition, not from a purely musical theory boring approach, but in the sense of taking an idea from an initial strong loop or segment and actually taking it that next step. No one is really talking about this, but it's what makes something like your track "Could" so great. It's not just a nice repeated jam where you open and close the filter on your synth. You actually composed something. The biggest obstacle - this is work. Most of us have day jobs, use synths to relax. And yet if we really want to express ourselves, we have to do this work. Do you find it to be effortful as well, or does the composition process also feel as playful as the initial idea? Do we just have to grind our way through it or is there a way to breathe excitement into it? Can't wait to see where you go with this.

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Thanks Michael! It’s definitely work - just like any discipline that’s really worth doing, but it does become easier to generate stronger ideas the more you do it. The more practice you’ve put in, the more tools you have in your toolbox. There’s no ceiling on learning though, so when you get better I certain areas, new challenges reveal themselves. My advice would be to not get frustrated that it’s difficult, but to enjoy the process as you get better at certain things. You can enjoy the cool things you come up with while also realizing there’s always room for growth.

[@michaelkonomos]

@@JamesonNathanJones Great advice! Thank you.

[@smguy7]

I have a day job, too, and working on music is my time to relax and set my mind - or what is left of it! - free.

[@terryriley6410]

If it's work for you without fun, just find another hobby or be contempt with opening and closing filters on a synth, alternatively reevaluate what you consider fun and practice enjoying activities with delayed rewards.

[@michaelkonomos]

@@terryriley6410 I was specifically talking about the composition aspect. Go back and reread my comment, and what I said about being willing to embrace that. It seems you misunderstood.

[@Okinoth]

I learned how to make music on youtube via FL Studio tutorials starting 15 years ago. This is one of the first videos regarding music I have watched in many years that didn't feel introductory or shallow. You didn't insult the viewers intelligence and you recognize that different musicians approach things in different ways. You introduce a concept via narration and then immediately perform a demonstration to communicate with musicians who lack the composition vocabulary to engage with the spoken content. You didnt flex gear or name drop or grandstand. You'd think I would love music youtube considering my background but beyond a certain level of music experience finding engaging content becomes near impossible. Im glad I stumbled into this video! Subbed! i rlly look forward to what you post next

[@JamesonNathanJones]

I appreciate that! 🙏

[@amunyemme]

top tier feedback we need more if you

[@bananerna2601]

I've been writing music professionally for almost 20 years and my number one tip is to use anything you just come up with. My (in my opinion) best music comes from singing random stuff when I do something completely unrelated like cleaning, making food, walking the dog etc. Just record it on your phone, even if it's stupid. And then visualize (if you can) in your head how the drums go, how the bass line works with the beat and add stuff from there. Don't rush it though, because often you keep getting stuck. Make sure you have at least a line for a chorus or a verse and usually everything just falls into place. One of my songs landed on the Japanese billboard and it started out with the line (translated from Swedish to English) "your parents are brilliant at convincing you that they loved you while you were wearing bracers".

[@JayM928]

That is a good tip. I started doing this recently, and it helped a lot. I’d come up with a good idea (for me) in the car or somewhere random and just started recording myself humming it out it different ways, as if it was just any song stuck in my head. It took me a while to realize that an idea I had might be fleeting and never come to me again. The practice of simply recording when inspired really kept a lot of creative doors open that previously were lost to forgetfulness. Unfortunately, many of my potentially best ideas happen in places like the shower where I haven’t yet figured out how to record effectively before I towel off and lose it!

[@philbertius]

@@JayM928 Waterproof phone 😉

[@twiglet2214]

Did it make No 1 in the Japanese charts by any chance ? I can't stop humming it to myself now !

[@JannisLeWolff]

Thanks for sharing this- and also showing your pianist side. Those little playing moments gave the video a really warm and honest feeling and - in a positive way - are a counterpoint to the "standard" KZbin music production style. It reminded me of how I sometimes listen to music from let's say the 70s or earlier and feel like "oh wow, those people actually used composition and songwriting" compared to the loopy/more sound based style of today. I think it would be awesome to hear more about you transforming from a classically trained musician to an electronic one, especially your observations on how to integrate your "old" experiences into the new territory. I feel like it's quite a challenge to find a good balance between being instrumentalist and producer, although in theory it feels like it should give you so many advantages. Your channel is really inspiring, thanks 💚

[@lrkx_]

Oh yes please! More about composition is definitely needed. Very good video, and the analogies were illuminating.

[@arukhqolakh]

Really good video, enjoyed it a lot! I also really liked your Poly Evolver videos, and can't hardly wait for that Prophet 12 video you mentioned before. Keep up the good work and all the best from Finland!

[@DanMess]

Thank you for telling us a bit about your musical background and journey. I would love to see more content like this. Fantastic video!

[@NuanSonar]

Great stuff! I really love the distinction between composition and music theory; I think that's an especially interesting point that really had me hung up when I first started making music.

[@AndyNicholson]

Hell yes, more please! The "theory of composition" rather than "theory and composition" (if that makes sense) is absolutely my jam, and you discuss it in a really great, accesible and entertaining way. I am excited for what you do next, whichever direction you go in :)

[@Lukelucas5521]

Wow! The development of the track in the background is hauntingly beautiful. Amazing piece of music!

[@gavin_is_gavin6292]

Would love more videos on composition, this video was very encouraging (and your sense of humor is spot on :P). Downloaded the book and will check it out.

[@KitKeenlyside]

This is great! Had been looking for some inspiration in this area for a while, more would be lovely! Thanks Jameson!

[@tworoundrobins]

Really insightful stuff and thank you for sharing this wonderful thoughts. It’s really refreshing hearing synth channels talking about the craft rather than just showcasing gear

[@joshorganika]

that introduction was the most relatable thing i've heard in my 6 yrs of producing stuff

[@acid-mask]

The computer is it’s own class of instrument. The best producers play the DAW instead of “playing in the DAW”

[@reacherstudio]

You have put into words what I've been thinking for years, tremendous!! Your music and content are incredible, thank you for the message

[@peterbrandauer1610]

Man what a great balance between talent, editing, and content. Great ideas, thanks for this

[@hovesssharedspace8490]

this video is a masterpiece! Only listened to the audio my first time playing the video, and I could clearly receive the densely packed ideas delivered at the same pace that the backing music reflects the topic, like the words are being rendered into the music in real time. I'm hooked!

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Really appreciate that! Thank you 🙏

[@Jscara978]

Fantastic video and advice! It's so refreshing to see a video like this that isn't conflating theory with composition. I'm looking forward to getting to the piano and placing some restrictions on my creative process. Thank you

[@__vidarr]

Amazing stuff! I would love to see more composition videos, thank you so much. I've started not so long ago to make music. I feel a consistent improvement since I've started (and received some positive feedback from people much more skilled than I am) regarding sound design and mixing, even though I still struggle a lot with composition. I've never played an instrument and during last year I spent a lot of time digging into music theory: while I understand the concepts I read about and then try out, I still struggle to get ideas on developing an interesting musical composition. Whether I take it to a point where I destroy it or I get lucky pretty soon while randomly applying music theory concepts or with basic sequencing :( thank you again!

[@joegrant413]

Really enjoying your channel! I’ve been listening the last week or so, and your style and content are unique and I’m getting a lot out of this. Thanks.

[@proxibomb4913]

its like everytime i watch one of your videos, you become my favorite youtuber more and more. only you, ricky tinez, and benn jordan really keep my attention w these videos. stellar work as usual, dude!

[@t.edworthy]

Extremely helpful Jameson, thank you. Relatable and in depth, exactly why I love your videos. Looking forward to more surrounding composition.

[@kevinbatchelor9566]

This may just be my favorite video you’ve made so far. Really useful wisdom here.

[@DEADLINETV]

You've definitely given me a new perspective to work from! Loved the video! I like your style, your humor and your playing.

[@rodrigolaporte274]

UUUHHH I LOVE this kind of videos!!!! I'm going to re-watch this one a few times to make sure I don't miss important details

[@divisiona3974]

Good stuff, buddy. First time here and now subbed (and I don’t even really compose anymore 😊)

[@gesslr]

This is a WONDERFUL video...! No nonsense, to the point, and useful suggestions. Bravo, sir! 🙂

[@LouisSerieusement]

what a great video and awesome music. I hit the bell for sure, thanks for sharing, cheers from France !

[@jloiben12]

There are so many of my playlists I have to put your content in. You stretch across so many things in your video which I mean in the best way possible

[@MishyKatz]

Recently discovered your channel and I love your sense of humor and approach to sharing the music stuff with us all. Very relatable for me, in a lot of ways, thank you!!

[@chinidadian]

Definitely appreciated this one and looking forward to seeing more videos on composition. For my part that improvision bit feels very daunting because my background is a rock band where ideas were generated by jamming with others. It's very different opening the blank DAW and knowing how to start when there's no one else there to inspire me (with something they play) or 'validate' my ideas (by reacting or adding something new).

[@BubbleFilms]

This was so informative and helpful for my own musical journey. Thanks so much! I knew I subscribed for more than just your stylish KZbin Shorts.

[@PabloOrtegaMusic]

This is just fantastic, thank you for sharing these wonderful thoughts with us. I loved your analogies, very on point. Please more of this! There are not enough people on youtube (that I know of) speaking about composition or production in these terms. And I am kind of sick of videos that are just (or at least feel like) adverts of plugins/pedals/synths/whatever products or just show "production tricks", your channel feels like a breeze of fresh air.

[@JamesonNathanJones]

I really appreciate that, Pablo!

[@sinatrabone]

Love this. This is the first video I've found of yours. I share a similar path -- classical (and jazz) musician who later found an interest in modern music technology. Thanks for the helpful tips! Also, just a fun thing -- I found your piano composition around 4:45 a little "Bartok-like" in its melodic simplicity, structure, and harmony -- which I mean as a big compliment! Loved it!

[@jaygeedeepbro]

This put into words what I try to do with my own music and gave me some ideas about how to better do that with the gear I have so thank you!

[@tooprotimmy]

Such a good channel. You have a breadth of knowledge. Please don't sacrifice that quality for views! Only reason I say that is because other KZbinrs have done that! Protect this man at all costs!

[@popsarocker]

Can't believe I only just now found this channel. Possibly the most lucid intro to composition I've seen on the internet that's also appealing to folks who've actually tried to compose. I relate so hard to the listening to that 4 bar phrase over and over. Thank you (p.s. I stopped reading books on music theory all together probably 10 years ago. Best thing I could've done form my writing ;)

[@peadookie]

I think your focus on composition as it pertains to electronic music is uniquely higher-level and a big reason why I've subbed. Thanks for the awesome content.

[@Arhidilius]

Great video! I've been stuck with this problem for about a six months and this video puts into words things that helped me to solve it for myself

[@fastracksdigitalplayground2619]

Bro! The Answer and Question concept literally cured me of 4 bar looping!! Thank you. I subbed ya 😁

[@tristanlincolndavis]

Love how you break it down to brass tacks and waste no time. Super inspiring, thanks for this !

[@Confuzius]

man you're hitting the spot for me! this really resonates!! thank you!! keep it up!

[@dtreestudio]

WOW! Thank you for your art...LOVE your channel! Keep on keeping ON

[@MatthewLowes]

Great video! I always enjoy your presentation and sense of humor. Didn’t realize you were such an experienced pianist/composer. I’d love to see more content like this. I am not very experienced, but I have a little piano background and I still sometimes work out sequences there and write them down before putting them into a sequencer. My main background is in writing, so I often think about composition in terms of story structure. I think it’s possible to improvise those structures too, but it’s not the same as really working deeply on a composition. Cheers, and thanks for posting! :)

[@bpmoore2934]

You legend. I massively enjoyed this. After finishing an album recently, I am at a crossroads and not sure what to work towards next. This has really helped to focus me again.

[@howardhere6144]

A nice surprise. Excellent, concise and profound points that clarify a lot. What is Melody, the difference between composition and theory, the purpose of a 4 Bar Loop, the difference between improvising and composing. I learned a lot in a short amount of time and have downloaded your e-book. Great work!

[@codeheed]

wish I could hit like multiple times, loved this. Really reinforced my current trajectory, not musically trained! Great video.

[@demidevil666]

This was phenomenal. Thank you for the food for thought! Also, I very much enjoyed your piano playing throughout. :) Greetings from Germany

[@hamsterbrigade]

Literally going through this right now. You've actually given some prescriptive advice; much appreciated.

[@domejunky]

This is great, really clear. More of this please... Also the song that you're using underneath the latter part. 'Somewhat the same'? - really is a special piece of music. It had already stuck out when I dug through your back catalogue. Interesting to see it played

[@MentalCake]

Totally agree. Too many options tear your music apart. It stops to be musical, it starts to be more technical and leads you to nowhere. Eventually I return to a pencil, a paper and piano sound.

[@juan_ta]

I discovered you recently and suscribed immediately. Thanks for your videos and for their distinctiveness!

[@tinyboatsmusic]

If you also want to, please continue this composition series. Your take speaks directly to me and it's also one of the very few I could find over time.

[@andy-pandyman]

Awesome, just found your channel and have subscribed. It now sounds like pathway through the clutter of youtube mire that I have been crawling through and coming out with boring noises. Got lost ages ago and now have some hope after seeing just two of your vid's & your book. Well put together videos.....apart from the youtube shorts although I like the humour to take the edge of the shorts! Cheers

[@adroc9101]

This is the first time I’ve seen a video of yours and it would seem the algorithms were right on with this one. I really appreciate the info / advice in this vid. Thank you!! 👍🏽👍🏽

[@MACRONOne]

Really liked the demonstration piece you played there, really nice progression

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Thanks!

[@Lemontree1423]

I'd listen to you talk about nearly anything. I especially love hearing your thoughts on music. Love your content.

[@ShreddingDragon]

Your words and approach to the subject are very inspiring and empowering! Very well-worded. Thanks for making these videos. 🙏

[@captnoplan3926]

Me again - your new sub. Love the dry humour in your videos. And yes more on composition philosophy. I think that's what's missing in a lot of electronic music. I watch videos of folks who mastered their DAW, know intricate details of sound design etc, but when checking out their music, it doesn't connect. That's where the tried and tested musical theories come in, as you said. Storytelling with music.

[@blacktminister415]

Fantastic video. Thank you! Would love to see more of these, will download the book.

[@JamesonNathanJones]

More to come!

[@smlpcollective4166]

This is top tier stuff. Thanks for sharing your philosophy for music composition. Particularly liked the bit about music theory and composition being different from each other. For beginners (like me) this is a very useful pointer - it also gives you the confidence to move away from poring over music theory when you are stuck in a compositional rut. The video too felt more like a video essay than a 'quick-fix' - the art of slowness and deliberation is underappreciated these days. Thanks again for sharing - looking forward to more.

[@FAETHFLEX]

Always appreciate these especially this video!!

[@williambutterworth6693]

Just want to say thanks for your content. Really well put together, incredibly well articulated and very interesting. Keep it up!

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Thank you!

[@miedzystrunami]

Thank you for this essay. The Q+A analogy really opens up things for me - it's really a beautiful abstraction that embraces not only things like song structure (AABA etc), but also things like changes in dynamic, texture and other building blocks. I feel really inspired - thank you!

[@cloud_noises]

Nice video! I really like how you illustrated the melody examples on piano.

[@cornbone]

this is by far the best video I've watched on composition and getting out of the 4 bar loop. so much genuinely helpful and insightful information! i couldn't agree more about limitations helping to focus creativity instead of stifling it

[@austinedeclan10]

Three rule I follow for all the music I compose: 1) 8 bars (minimum) 2) Different time signatures (other than 4/4) 3) Use uncommon or unconventional scales (especially avoid C major or E minor, a lot of mainstream music is written in these scales. Try something like F# minor)

[@karlklee9418]

Wow, your videos are relay changing the way I’m thinking about my work. In a very productive way! Thank you!

[@douggubbe]

Thank you for this great video. Feeling inspired! I am a musician who found music composition during covid days and learning how to use a DAW and just raw creativity. But it is soo easy to get trapped into never ending plugin spiral. "Focus", you are absolutely right is so essential. But only comes with maturity, like many things. Composition design ideas is really where it would be nice to have not just theory but more emotion centric structure if that makes sense. How to take your song idea and branch off into a segway that fits the flow but captures the heart and mind. I have found creating songs is fun, but really it's about the journey you took get there that is the most emotional and heart felt. Trying to capture that I guess is the art! Thank you again!

[@JamesPearson]

Thank you so so much. I’m completely new to music, in my 40s with next to no theory and you’re completely unlocking my music creating potential. It will probably never be of any significance to anyone else, but I will benefit from the enjoyment this creativity brings. Thanks again, and please keep your excellent advice coming. Great presentation and I enjoy your style and sense of humour very much. 😊

[@nb6949]

Thanks for posting this. The call and response concept seems like a really good approach with programmed riffs/vamps etc.

[@dreikycaprice]

Thank you. Loved hearing your thoughts on composition.

[@juansanchezvicent2157]

great video! watched it with a friend and we had such a good time!

[@peyrardjohann]

Honestly, it’s maybe the best video I seen from you and I guess I watched near all of them. You put accurate words and idea on what was on my head. And the 4 bar loops issue is something I had issue for years ( being able to workaround it using improvisation ). Will push a link to your video on Elektronauts. Great job ! ❤

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Thank you, Johann 🙏

[@Vlad-oe1px]

I just discovered your channel today. It has honestly been an amazing experience. I feel like you literally make videos for me even though I know almost nothing of music theory(only basic stuff) and never learned an instrument. The previous video I watched was "Classical Musicians suck at Electronic Music" and again, it was not made for me specifically but I was still intrigued. The way you described the structure of a song(horizontal or vertical) was an incredible. You put an image of what I'm often thinking of regarding creating music. Since I am not classically trained, for me its hard to make a "linear" song. That's why I'm so often stuck in loop mode. Anyways, I'm ranting. But honestly, thank you! I have been stuck in the same place and I find your videos really helpful! Thanks again and I'm sorry if my English is not perfect! Keep it up, I will follow closely!

[@crackity_jones94]

Wow, you really are great at what you do. Loved this video! Thank you 🙏

[@snasartandmusic3053]

Interesting and down to earth. It's easy to get lost among all the new sounds. It is a liberation when you finally sit down and take hold of your chord progression and take it further on a journey that you rarely know how it will end. There is a lot hidden in a single chord. Four chords can be a treasure chest.

[@bloyomind1on1]

Would love to hear more about composition! Like about chords and using them to portray particular feelings.

[@alexfletcher9915]

A crutch when used correctly at the appropriate time of need is actually a pretty useful tool. Jokes aside another stellar vid with lots of thoughtful info.

[@gatergates8813]

The problem is when someone with otherwise healthy legs uses a crutch so much that their legs atrophy

[@chycor]

Inspired. Thank you. Love your videos by the way, entertaining and informative.

[@efiebke]

Hi Jameson! Gratefully and happily, I just found your KZbin Channel. This particular video was the first (so far) that I've watched. I like what I heard, both in your explanation of the term "composition" and the music that you compose. Since this is the first video of yours that I watched, I hope that there are others dealing with music composition. If not, then please produce more. Yes. . . I'm a composer as well. Earned my happy Bachelors in Music degree over 40 years ago (around the time when MIDI was being developed and before it was made available to the general public). So, I also started composing using "pencil to blank manuscript paper", which I still do today at times. I share the same thoughts and concerns that you share in this particular video regarding music technology. All of the wonderful tools associated with modern electronic music technology (including DAWs, keyboard controllers, synthesizers, etc., etc.) are helpful for the composer in developing and implementing ideas. However, one can easily lose focus being surrounded by all of these "tools". So, I force myself to compose using "pencil to blank manuscript paper". Actually, I use a music notation program and (attempt to) develop my compositions using this computer-based tool (with the help of the MIDI keyboard controller). What I WANT to do is develop my compositional skills. It's been 40+ years since I graduated from music college with a degree in Music Composition (from Berklee College of Music, if that means anything). Since that time, I got a degree (two degrees, actually) in nursing, and been an RN for over 30 years. Although I still compose music, it's taken a back seat to work, and to life in general. Going back to music college is WAY too Expensive! So, I'm looking for alternatives. Mentorship? Joining a group of composers that challenge each other with projects? Basically, I want to regain focus in composing music and exploring new compositional ideas (and tools). Please feel free to offer any suggestions. In the meantime, I wish you well! Kind Regards, Ted

[@nebula0697]

Those piano examples in the middle are really beautiful, evoking the impressionists. Love it.

[@clamato54]

Your comments on improvisation and melody question/answer, more intense question, resolution all clicked for me. I've been wanting to organize all these raw clips of improvisation on trumpet and keyboard with some experimentation on guitar... Into a composition. This gives me the feeling I'm on the right track and not just lost diverging into some abyss of self-indulgence

[@xeximaxi]

honestly your music shooted trough my soul and this is very powerfull that sound of piano and your ideas somehow drilled trouh my soul in spooky and beauty way at same time

[@RickyTinez]

Incredible video. Just what I needed to hear! Thank you Jameson

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Thanks Ricky! Means a lot!

[@ldsr8911]

Thanks for making this video. I definitely fall into that ‘trap’. I’ll make a catchy segment, then immediately want to add other instruments to create a nice ‘sound’. But then it makes it difficult to go back and progress that initial segment. What’s been working for me recently is recording myself humming. The progressions flow much easier for me than banging away on instruments.

[@tristanotear3059]

Maybe the most compelling “how to” music composition video I’ve ever seen. And the most beautiful background music. Smashing.

[@mycityglory]

You've got a great sense of humor dude. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this topic dude!