Mind Map for Music
This blog focuses on creating different mind-maps to help inspire music making and give ideas for songwriting or musical prompts. There are a few examples and also some discussion of how I might actually tackle each idea practically. If you get any cool ideas for your own mind-maps or write anything from these ideas, I would love to hear about it in the comments.
Mind map for music - Film Genres x Music Genres
To use this idea, first select a film genre, then select a music genre. I find it helps to pick the options with some sort of method to make it more random. Here is an example below:
Now that they have been randomised you can see that there are a bunch of pairs that we can use for inspiration. Here are a few of the ideas that stood out to me as interesting:
Experimental Gospel
Ambient Comedy
Superhero Folk
Christmas Trap
The way I would practically implement these ideas is by first making a list of all the features of experimental film such as non-linear narratives, abstract visuals, subversion of traditional structures, exploration of personal expression, unconventional use of equipment and sounds. Then I would also make a list of the features of gospel music such a Christian lyrics, powerful soulful voices, call and response, choirs, harmonies and elements from Blues, RnB, Soul and Jazz.
This gives me a starting point for inspiration and exploration. Next I would start to think about ways to combine the two elements, just at random to see what might be interesting to explore such as:
Non-linear Narrative X Christian Vocals - This makes me think of using a Todd Edwards style vocal chop of Christian acapella’s but using something like Ableton Sample Selector to add randomisation to the process, the vocal could be re-arranged into syllables to create a non-linear vocal.
Unconventional Use of Equipment X Choir - because I don’t have a Choir here at my house, I could stack the vocals of the previous idea to make a kind of sampler choir and explore detune and other methods to make rich sounding voices.
Subversion of Structure X Call and Response - putting Gospel in the context of my music (electronic) would mean adapting the structure of Gospel track which might use verse & chorus and change this for the build, drop, break structure of dance music.
Finally, I make the thing, using these ideas as a starting point for the song. What is interesting about these limitations is you move from thinking, “What should I write?” to “How am I going to solve/combine these things?"
Mind map for music - Visual Art Styles x Music Genres
This idea is the same as before but instead of film genres, the first prompt is visual art styles. Here is an example of them randomised:
Here are some of the ideas that stood out to me from doing this process that I would be keen to explore in my own style of writing (I write mainly electronic music so I would be putting both these prompts into the context of my own style):
Realism X House
Photo-Realism X Garage
Watercolour X New Wave
Absurdism X Hip-Hop
Dada X Techno
I could then make a list all the features of Dada Art, for example, Absurdity, Rejection of Tradition, Collage and Readymades, Humour, Spontaneity and Contradiction. Then make a list of all the features of Techno, for example, a Rhythmic 4/4 beat, 120-150 Tempo, Strong Kick Drum, Minimal Use of Vocals, Techno-Rumble, Atmosphere, Consistent/Continuous structure for DJs.
This gives me my areas for inspiration and exploring how the two could be combined and also some creative problems to solve:
How can spontaneity and consistency work together to create contradiction?
How can I use found sounds (ready-mades) to create the techno rumble that would work in my style of music?
How can you use dark-comedy, dry humour in the atmosphere of techno but keep the deeper/pensive mood?
How far can I reject the traditions of Techno and move it over to my style but still keep it recognisable?
This time we have a set of problems to explore creatively with can also be used as a goal. We turn “what should I write?” into “How can I do this in my style?” I personally think solving these problems would be a great source of creative inspiration.
Mind map for music - Feelings x Production Techniques
Going a little bit more focused now, here are some examples of how feelings and music production techniques could be explored. I have randomly paired them up together and here are some of the interesting ones that stood out to me:
Fortunate Delays
Humble Sidechaining
Playful Downsampling
Empathetic Distortion
Grumpy Modulation
I think this idea of combining a feeling with a processing method or production technique can be really interesting at the later stages when you are not sure how to develop an idea, maybe some empathetic distortion could be an idea. This makes me think that when one things happens in the music another element could be distorted in response, empathetic to the processing of the original sound. When a rhythmic part gets a bit tedious, you could think about fortunate delays, and how the delay times could be about developing the rhythmic part in unpredictable ways. Then you record the delayed rhythms and pick your favourite parts, fortune favours the brave.
Mind Map for Music - Architectural Styles X Instruments
As before, I have combined these at random, I am sure you get the process by now:
Find a pair that you find interesting (Post-Modern Waterphone)
List the features/uses/ideas around of both the prompts
Find interesting ways to combine these ideas in your style of music
Mind Map for Music -
Weather x Landscape x Music Element
For this one I threw caution to the wind and create a triple mind-map. Here are some of the ideas that stood out to me to inspire my future productions:
Using Tempo to describe mist over an urban landscape
Create a motif for rain over the desert
What is the timbre of a windy forest?
The rhythm of clouds over the tundra
Mind Map For Music -
Music Production, World Building & Game Style
I hope this helps to inspire your music productions when you need a writing prompt. I would be keen to hear your ideas about other things that could be mind-mapped out to create inspirational prompts. If you have any ideas, let me know in the comments.
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