How to Write Progressive Music
Progressive music, sometimes called "Progressive Rock," started in the 1970s as an attempt to take rock music to a higher level of difficulty and musical credibility. The genre can be difficult to write music for because of its unusual patterns, time signatures, and different movements throughout a song. Also, progressive music tends to have much longer songs than traditional music.
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Instructions
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Write longer songs. This seems simple, but Progressive Rock breaks away from the traditional verse-chorus-verse pattern and encompasses a sequence of different sections of movements. The structure and length of progressive songs are highly similar to those of an orchestral movement.
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Play songs with complex time patterns. The traditional pattern is 4/4, but most progressive music will use patterns such as 7/4 and 11/8 and switch between these patterns throughout the song.
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Increase the complexity of the instruments. This involves not only adding more instruments such as flutes, violins, cellos, etc., but also making the parts that these instruments play more difficult and complex. Progressive music has a classical influence, so the individual parts played by each instrument should as well.
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Ensure that the singer is very skilled. He or she must have an incredible range as well as Broadway-style vocal talent.
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Write your songs with complex ideas. Progressive music tends to be theme-based or based on deep ideas that may be more sophisticated than the average song played on the radio. The lyrics tend to be more intellectual or fantasy-based; examples of this include many songs by groups such as Yes, Genesis and King Crimson (see Resources).
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Tips & Warnings
While there are certain rules to fitting into a specific genre, being like the other artists is never the way to go. You should always add your individual flair to any music you create.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Guitar player #1 image by Warren Millar from Fotolia.com
