Inderawangsa - Sangkar Duka

Azer rely a lot on humming and MIDI Programming when comes to composing songs. It is important to understand what is MIDI and a bit extra to learn how MIDI programming is done in LINUX.

Sangar Duka

Song and Music by Azer Mantessa

HeartFeelFlow: Step 1 – Reflect

Flow 2: Be Equipped

So what do we need in order to write songs? Do we need a large sophisticated studio for recordings? Do we need some fancy musical instruments? Do we need to have a master degree in music? Do we need like 18 hours a day? Do we need to have the talent?

The answer is NOT NECESSARILY.

Fundamentally, it helps having a simple recording medium. I personally use a cheap microphone, the computer and Windows Recording. I never start writing songs by playing musical instruments, I hum! I have no formal musical lessons. I am a self-taught composer. Usually it takes me 4-5 hours to complete a song. I have no talent in song writing but I suspect talent has me … ahaks … I just made that one up.

Okay, we need of course a little knowledge in music and it helps a lot listening to many kinds of music. That is why it is very important not to be prejudice on any music. It helps a lot to feel what kind of sound any musical instruments produce.

It helps to keep things as simple as possible. What is a complex situation anyway? A complex situation is a combination of simple situations. During the songs developments, at anytime, the song can be turned into something more complex as we wish but always start with something simple.

It helps to be motivated. It gives us the confidence. Stay away from de-motivators – Fear, Frustrations, Lack of clear goals, Lack of plan, etc.

Have the time. No time is not an excuse. It takes a few seconds to few minutes or maybe few hours to have a simple melody to be converted into a song (I am a melody based by the way).

Have the ability to steal. Yes, it helps to steal other people’s playing style and later on mutate the styles as our own. Yes, stealing is part of the methodology I use in writing songs. If you think I love inventing new wheels, well, you are wrong … ahaks.

Stay motivated by being motivated while we are at it. You see, motivation is like fuel. Once we are running out of fuel, we need to re-fill.

Ask other people. I do this all the time. Ask people what kind of music they listen, where do they listen, and ask for references. I like YouTube and other musical websites. Of course ask them anything necessary.

BE BACK IN A WEEK OR TWO – GOD’S WILLING.