The competition in the music industry has reached incredibly high levels. As a music composer, you are going to face competition from all sides, and it’s important for you to come up with original content and music that really sets you apart. The best way to do that is by creating original, stylish music that really attracts attention. Nathan Vincent Duvall, a famous British songwriter, has seen how the industry has changed. He’s written music for Omi, Snoop Dogg, and Little Mix. He even recorded with Calvin Harris and released music with lifelong friend Gavin Koolmon under the alias Kool & Duvall. He works with the Disciples, a platinum-selling electronic band. Here are his tips for coming up with a new song.
Listen to a lot of music
We all have our favorite musical genres and tastes, but as musical producers, you have to be open to new genres and experimentation. It’s the lifeblood of the industry, after all. Maybe a particular genre is your specialty, however at some point, you will have to run into a genre that you do not like, and if you do not want to experiment, you will face serious creative issues.
Duvall recommends that you always try to find new music, review the trends week by week and realize what people are currently listening to. Spotify and its playlists are an excellent option to monitor current music trends. Remember that to dedicate yourself to music, you have to become a musical nerd. Analyze the hits, break down the music and try to find a “why” to the trends. This will help you to be able to repeat those steps and ensure a good path.
Record all ideas
It is always better to record every one of the ideas that come to my mind. Many times, we can get to create melodies or rhythms which sound really good in our heads, however, it is very difficult to remember it when you actually sit down to record. Duvall states that this has happened to him multiple times, and he has devised a way to remember.
Nowadays, all cell phones have applications for voice notes. Record all the ideas that come to your mind, even if it is “hummed”, so that when you have time you can develop the idea without forgetting it. Really, it does not matter where you are, but if a good idea comes to your mind, just give yourself a minute to record the idea and then continue with your activities.
Nathan Vincent Duvall believes that it’s vitally important for musicians to be clear on their theory. He graduated with a degree in Creative Music Theory from Kingston University and then got into the industry. Considering the fact that there are so many rappers and musicians who don’t have much knowledge about basic theory. A good musician always knows about music theory and implements their knowledge to create new music. Duvall is signed to indie publisher “Phrased Differently” and has help the company reach 23 Platinum Records, 21 Gold Records, and 125 Top 10 records.