Making Music Memorable
By: The Shamanatrix

The Psychodynamics of
Lyric, Melody & Rhythm

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The Primary Layers of Music:
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Linguistic - The lyric and the idea it expresses
 Melodic - The musical notes that make the melody
Rhythmic - The rhythms of the words and notes played
 Expectational - That which the listener thinks will happen next
Interpretational - The listeners subjective reactions to all of the above
 

It is essential that each of these layers support and enhance each other.
The emotional sentiment of the idea within the lyric must correspond
with the emotional environment created by the melody and its rhythms.

A song is a journey over varied emotional terrain and the composer is the shamanic
guide who synchronizes the listeners expectations, ideas and emotions with those
expressed in the song, phrase or melody. As composers it is our duty to stimulate
the thoughts and emotions in the hearts and minds of each listener for they are always
paying you with something that is infinitely more valuable and precious than money:

They are paying you with their attention.

When we pay close attention to the rhythms that breathe life into the lyric and the
melody, symmetrical shapes begin to be seen. These rhythmic rhymes cue our
expectations as to what will happen next. Once listener expectations are established
within a repetitive rhythmic and tonal framework, they can be teased and deceived
to provide variety, novelty, tension and release. Under everything however, it is the
tempo that animates the rhythms, lyric and melody. Be certain to set the songs tempo
with great care and diligence as all else will spring forth from this singular factor.

Changing the tempo or time signature midsong induces intense emotional reactions.

When a song slows down, our attention is attracted as though by gravity intensifying
whichever emotion the listener is perceiving at that moment. When a songs speed
increases, there is a corresponding magnification of apprehension and anxiety.

Changes in the time signature are useful for creating a fresh perspective. This technique
can be used when the lyric changes from talking about the past to the present or future.
Moving from 4/4 to 3/4 time or the reverse also lets the listener know that there has been a
profound and systemic transition in time and perspective of all themes and ideas involved.

These conceptual and compositional techniques will help sustain audience attention
throughout your song, however all of the above will be useless if you do not engage
the hearts and minds of your listeners with every artists single most powerful weapon:

Sincerity.
 
 

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