Making of a Song - Deconstructing the Creative Process

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Instructor: Richard Lundmark Level: Intermediate Topic: Chords Style: Any Style

Excerpt: Greeting guitar slingers! In this tutorial we will analyze a song of mine, still in the making. The reason for choosing such a song, is to be able to more easily explain a bit about the creative process in which the song develops. This tutorial will be helpful both for those of you that have complex harmonies in your songs, but might have trouble finding ...

Media Length: 1:21

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Instructor: Richard Lundmark Level: Intermediate Topic: Cool Riffs Style: Any Style

Excerpt: Here is the current draft of the main melody of the tune. This will give you an idea of how far from its basic origins it has developed, and perhaps a glimpse of what's to come for this little tune. As this is not in any way the finished product, I have chosen not to include any transcription of the actual lines I'm playing here, and rather just have you foc...

Media Length: 1:55

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Instructor: Richard Lundmark Level: Intermediate Topic: Chords Style: Any Style

Excerpt: Ok, so here we begin with the basic chords upon which I built my melody. The key to any strong melody (at least in my experience) is to be able to sing it. If you work out a melody that you aren't able to sing, you can also be sure that a vast number of your audience might not experience this melody as being very melodic, they might rather think it to be a s...

Media Length: 5:36

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Instructor: Richard Lundmark Level: Intermediate Topic: Chords Style: Any Style

Excerpt: In this part I explain how I took the chords up to a higher position, in order to get a little more of that "john mayer" sound I was going for. Much of it is the same chords (some even the same voicings). However, as I took these chords up, I also let the melody follow, and that turned the melody more "guitaristic" in nature, and a bit less "vocal". As this...

Media Length: 3:58

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Instructor: Richard Lundmark Level: Intermediate Topic: Chords Style: Any Style

Excerpt: Here I explain more about the bridge part of the tune, and show the melody, and how the chords for this came to be. It differs quite a bit from the verse, since it is arpeggiated in a more traditional manner, and also uses the V-chord (F#7 in B minor) for the first time, which is of course something I must take into consideration when playing over it (seeing...

Media Length: 7:13

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Instructor: Richard Lundmark Level: Intermediate Topic: Chords Style: Any Style

Excerpt: So, now we have covered all the parts leading up to what the song has grown into so far. The only thing remaining now is to check out what we have so far, and maybe try out a run over the backing track. So, head on over to the next page and give it a shot! Good luck!

Media Length: 3:55

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Instructor: Richard Lundmark Level: Intermediate Topic: Reference Style: Any Style

Excerpt: And finally, here's the exact backing track I'm using to play over. As I mentioned, it's just a rough "sketch" so far, but perhaps enough for you to get a feel for where it's heading. =) See you next time!

Media Length: 1:57