Berklee Onsite 2019: Creativity on Demand

By Sean McMahon

Film and Television composers are, perhaps, the most prolific composers in the world. They
produce 10-20 times more music in a given period compared to their counterparts in the record
industry. Therefore, they must rely on technique—not inspiration—to turn out the volume
required to succeed in the field of film and television music.

Often, the most difficult task of scoring a film or a TV show is the initial “big picture” creativity
required to find the appropriate musical vocabulary. But once you find the right musical
language for the project, the score tends to write itself.

Benefits of Creativity on Demand:

1. Compose more effective music
2. Write faster

Sean’s Definition of “Creativity”: Creativity is the result of synthesizing two or more

pre-existing ideas into a new, original idea.

Sean’s Definition of “On Demand”: The ability to produce effective music when
needed in the absence of “inspiration.”

Key Concepts on Creativity:

1. Creativity is a skill that can be learned.
2. Creative ideas do not appear from thin air. Something can’t come from nothing.
3. Schedule time to be creative.
4. Out of quantity, comes quality.
5. Creativity often only comes after you have gotten started. (Don’t procrastinate)
6. Don’t judge your ideas immediately. Let them flow unfettered. Evaluate your ideas later
on.

How to be Creative on Demand:

1. Explore Timbre
2. Develop your Composer’s Toolbox (Technique)
PART I
Exploring Timbre (Sound):

Oftentimes the only thing composers need to generate that first creative spark is to hear a
musical timbre that is unfamiliar or exotic—that’s it. When you experiment with sounds that
are unfamiliar you are bound to generate some musical ideas you would have, otherwise, not
have been able to produce. Below is a list of different methods for achieving this:
 1. Exploring period and ethnic instruments
2. Creating your own proprietary samples
3. Building your own electronic instruments (software synths)
4. Composing on different instruments

1. Exploring Period and Ethnic Instruments:

Period and ethnic instruments, while not a new idea to film and television music, are
some of the richest sources for idea generation. However, the objective is not to write
ethnic or period music. The objective is to trigger fresh ideas you would not have
generated otherwise. When you use period and ethnic instruments your creativity moves
in directions that it probably would not have, had you chosen orchestral or other common
Western instruments.

Side benefits of using period and ethnic instruments are that they make your music more
unique and distinguished. Because the featured period or ethnic instruments sound exotic
and unfamiliar to audiences and directors as well, that helps immerse them in your music
because it evokes curiosity and intrigue.

Great care must be exercised when using some period and ethnic instruments. There are
some instruments that sound too specific to a geographical region. For example, if you
use a sitar it would be difficult to make your music not sound East Indian. Remember, the
goal is not write ethnic music. The goal is to spark new ideas by using a fresh palette.

While somewhat cliché, the Armenian duduk is a good example of this technique. The
duduk is the forerunner to the oboe and sounds like a less refined version of it. While the
duduk sounds exotic to most Western audiences, it also does not sound specifically
Armenian, necessarily.

If you don’t know what a duduk sounds like go to YouTube and search for some
performances of one. If you have an ethnic instrument library try pulling a duduk patch
up if you can find one and see which direction it takes you, creatively.

When I lived in Los Angeles I used to go to a music store named McCabe’s in Santa
Monica and get ideas from all the exotic instruments hanging on the walls. One of my
favorite websites for finding new ethnic instrument ideas is
www.larkinthemorning.com (www.larkinam.com) and
www.lapercussionrentals.com for percussion.

Some my favorite instruments that have effective cinematic uses are:

• Hammered dulcimer
• Cristal Baschet
• Uillean pipes
 • Tambor
• Koto

Period instruments are used less in film and television than ethnic instruments but can
still be helpful in idea generation. Period instruments mostly refer to Western instruments
that are no longer commonly used such as Serpents, Racketts, and Crumhorns.

2. Building Your Own Proprietary Samples

If you listen to Christopher Young’s score to “Ghost Rider” you will hear a lot of heavy
metal guitar riffs and drum grooves, along with a pretty sizable orchestra and choir. Much
of that score was derived from first exploring, experimenting with, and recording
(sampling) metal guitar and drum ideas. Young wrote dozens of guitar riffs and drum
grooves before he started writing anything to picture. He didn’t have particular guitar or
drum ideas in mind for any specific places in the movie.

I was Young’s assistant when he was composing the score. At the start of “Ghost Rider”
he was not trying to hit a bull’s eye immediately with regard to the movie’s musical
language. He was trying to get the creative process started. And it is much easier to be
creative and find the right solution to a project after you start. Oftentimes, creativity
follows after you get started and not vice versa.

It took Young several days to write and record the metal guitar and drum groove ideas
but it was time well spent. After we recorded these samples, Young now had the raw
material for which to base the score. The great majority of the samples we recorded were
never used in the film. (Most of them live on a hard drive stored in a warehouse
somewhere in Los Angeles.) But Young needed to go through that process of recording
dozens and dozens of ideas to get to the handful of ideas ultimately used in the film. Out
of quantity, comes quality.

And when he laid out cues by first tracking in the guitar riffs or drum grooves, the cues
seemed to effortlessly write themselves in many cases.

A film I scored called “400 Days” was very challenging. I was struggling to get my
music approved. I only had 3 weeks to write and produce 55 minutes of score. At the
time my daughter was an infant and I was also teaching full-time. The time pressure was
stifling my creativity. Some thrive under pressure, but I don’t.

I found a solution by modeling Young’s process for “Ghost Rider.” Rather than stressing
out and staring at my empty Digital Performer session, I decided to get out of my studio
and record lots of ideas—and have fun in the process! I basically hit the “reset button” on
the score.

One of the problems I was facing, aside from the intense time pressure, was I felt I did
not have the appropriate musical vocabulary within my collection of sample libraries.
 The film was a phycological thriller and the director kept referring to it as a “slow burn.”
To me “slow burn” meant “subtle tension.”

I thought about various musician friends and acquaintances in my network I could call on
to record some of my ideas for the picture. I organized a sampling session for women’s
voices, brass, strings, and prepared piano. Most of the samples I recorded were subtle and
tense, but not quite right for the picture. A few of them, however, were perfect. And a
few was all I needed.

By taking an indirect approach to the film and generating source material first, I was then
able to get my cues approved and deliver the score on time.

3. Building Your Own Electronic Instruments (Software Synths)

Just like unfamiliar and exotic acoustic sounds can generate ideas you would not have
otherwise composed, the same is true for electronic timbres or synth sounds.

It’s fairly simple to build your own synths. Electronic and textural scoring is very
common in today’s film and television music. Knowing how to create your own
electronic instruments can also help give you a distinct sound and give you an edge over
those who can’t. It can also make you more attractive as a composer’s assistant. There are
actually professional composers who hire synth specialists to create fresh and compelling
sounds for their scores.

Programs such as Ableton Live, Logic’s EXS24 Sampler, Native Instruments’ Kontakt,
and so on, allow you to build your own original electronic instruments. If you have
Spectrasonic’s Omnisphere it is possible to search for interesting “off the shelf” patches
that draw out your creativity. Omnisphere allows you to manipulate and edit their patches
so there is some degree of customization.

It is beyond the scope of this handout to detail how to build your sounds in all the
aforementioned programs. The main point is timbre exploration in the electronic world
can trigger great compositional ideas just as easily as it can in the acoustic world.

Hans Zimmer’s score for the “The Dark Knight,” that was co-written with James Newton
Howard, was composed with much electronic manipulation. While the original source of
the sound was analogue (electric cello) the real creativity happened in the digital
manipulation of the cello, rendering it unrecognizable. For more details on Zimmer’s
approach to creativity for “The Dark Knight,” please visit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-L1RCtgtoE

4. Compose on a Different Instrument:

 Often, we improvise or “noodle around” at the keyboard to generate compositional ideas.
That works much of the time. But a problem I have seen, particularly with student
composers, is that their fingers go to the same places on the keyboard. They have
“muscle memory” and end up writing variations of the same piece over and over.

To compose something fresh, try writing on a different instrument. For example, if you
play guitar in addition to the keyboard, write something on the guitar. You are almost
guaranteed not to write the same thing you would have had you been composing at the
piano.

Keeping with the guitar example, you can take this idea one step further. Detune the
guitar. Tune it to “Drop-D” or an open tuning. You will most certainly write something
different than what you would have had you composed at the keyboard.

Playing and collecting different instruments can be a huge boost to your creativity. In
addition, playing instruments with non-traditional techniques can boost creativity too. For
example, on “Spider-Man 3” Christopher Young used a “buzz tone” flute for the evil
“symbiote’s” theme. To produce the buzz tone effect the flutist takes off the mouthpiece
of the instrument and buzzes into the flute the same way brass players buzz into their
instruments to produce a tone. It does not sound like a flute at all and was one of the
creative sparks Young needed to write the “Spider-Man 3” score. Another example is
Hans Zimmer’s use of razor wire against strings in the “Dark Knight.”

Other ideas can be bowing piano strings inside the piano with horse hair with the sustain
pedal down. Or you can pluck inside the piano with a guitar pick with the sustain pedal
down. Another idea could be something as simple as using an EBow on a guitar rather
than a guitar pick or finger nails.

PART II

Develop Your Composer’s Toolbox (Technique):

Because film and television composers are on such tight deadlines they cannot wait for
inspiration to strike. Like the painter paints and the dancer dances, a composer composes—with
or without inspiration. Just as carpenters possess a set of tools to carry out their craft, so must
composers. Some tools are seldomly used, while others are indispensable and deployed
repeatedly.
Possessing solid compositional technique is not at odds with your artistry or unique expression—
just the opposite. A thorough understanding of technique will allow you to enhance your artistry
and express yourself more fully. It is no different than a novelist with a limited vocabulary
versus a robust vocabulary. The novelist who knows the most words will best be able to express
his or her ideas the best.

This handout is beyond the scope of attempting to arm the reader with every known music
composition technique. Because of the time limitation I will focus on one compositional concept
I feel is easily grasped and actionable. It is something often overlooked and something I call
“The Rule of Thirds.”

The Rule of Thirds:

You may be familiar with a photography principle called The Rule of Thirds where the
frame is divided into three equal parts vertically and horizontally, resembling a tic-tac-toe
board. These invisible lines provide a hidden structure within a photo. Similarly, third
relationships constantly occur in modern film and television music but remain unnoticed
or invisible to most. And by using the term “third relationships” I am not referring to
tertian harmony where thirds are stacked to create chords and harmony.

Below are four methods we will examine through the lens of third relationships:

1. Modulations
2. Modal Interchange
3. Chromatic Mediant Relationships and the Octatonic Scale
1. Modulation

Modulation is one of the most effective compositional devices you can employ in a
cue. Not only is it a successful method for developing a musical idea, it is
tremendously efficient. Modulations give the audience an uplifting or intensifying
feeling and keep previously stated musical material fresh.

If you are running out of ideas when writing a cue, you don’t necessarily need or
want new material. What might be more effective is restating previous material but in
a different key—a modulation. Repetition is a very powerful tool in film music and
modulating allows you to repeat earlier material, but in a slightly altered fashion.
Think of it as the same old picture but with a new picture frame.

It is very common in cinematic writing to modulate to keys major and minor

thirds apart from the respective tonics. Modulating to a key a major or minor third
apart will allow for rich contrast between key signatures since you will be guaranteed
a difference of at least 3-4 accidentals—more when you go from major to minor or
vice versa. These types of modulations are very popular with film composers.
 Without a doubt the Hollywood modulation is up a minor third. While it is
somewhat cliché, it is not worn out. This modulation—or any other—does not require
the use of a pivot chord or any other preparation. In fact, going straight from one key
into the next will give you the richest contrast of keys. Try this modulation of up a
minor third in your next composition. It should sound familiar to you. It is a fantastic
tool to have in your toolbelt.

Listen to Alan Silvestri’s main title of “Forest Gump” (“The Feather Theme”). You
will hear the Hollywood modulation in that track:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcOt6mfjxeA

In addition, listen to John William’s “Love Theme” from the motion picture
“Superman.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAWI0H5T6nI&list=OLAK5uy_ky-
_zVkgxxhQ7fErtjxEmCU4NjNI_SVgM&index=31

The modulations in “Superman” are as follows:

G—Eb—C—E—G—B

If you follow the tonic of each key you will see Williams modulates up or down a
major or minor third. And, of course you can modulate to other keys (not third
relationships) as well.

2. Modal Interchange

The word “mode” and “mood” sound a lot alike. When writing film music, I don’t
think of a “mode” as a collection of notes. I think of a “mode” as another word for
“mood.”

The professional film composer must possess an understanding of writing in various

moods as they can directly influence the emotion an audience feels. If we separate
major modes from minor modes we have:

Major Modes Minor Modes

Lydian Dorian
Ionian Aeolian
Mixolydian Phrygian

Notice that Locrian is left off the list. We often don’t write in Locrian because the
chord based on its tonic is a diminished triad which can never feel like “home.” It
feels too unresolved. (However, it is very commonly used melodically in jazz solos,
for example.)

As we move vertically down each column, the mood darkens. Lydian is the brightest
of the Major Modes and gets a little darker as the #4 and then the 7th scale degrees are
lowered, creating Ionian and Mixolydian. The same goes for the Minor Modes
column. Dorian is the brightest of the Minor Modes and gets shades darker as the
natural 6 scale degree is lowered, followed by the second scale degree, creating
Aeolian and Phrygian.

If you are writing in Ionian, by far the richest mode to borrow from is the parallel
minor or Aeolian. Take a look at the below chart and notice that Aeolian has more
than double the number of modal interchange chords available when compared to
other modes:

But what does the parallel minor have to do with thirds?

The key signatures for C Ionian and C Aeolian are no sharps or flats versus three
flats. Effectively we are comparing the Key of C Major to the Key of Eb Major. Not
only is the difference in key signatures three accidentals away, the intervallic
distance between the tonics C and Eb is a (minor) third.

Below is an example that depicts all the diatonic chords in Eb major (Ionian). Above
the staff these chords are analyzed in the Key of Eb. Below the staff the chords are
analyzed in the Key of C—a minor third below. In the below example, you can see
that if you were composing in C Major, Eb Major (a minor third up) is incredibly rich
with modal interchange possibilities compared to any other mode.
3. Chromatic Mediant Relationships

Chromatic Mediant Relationships (CMRs) are one of the most effective

compositional devices you can employ when you need to create a mysterious,
supernatural, or dark mood. Two chords are in a Chromatic Mediant Relationship
when the roots of two contiguous triads are either a major or minor third apart.
The triads can be either major or minor.

You have likely learned about the “Circle of Fifths.” CMR chords bring a fresh
approach to this concept by establishing the “Cycle of Thirds.” See below diagram of
the palette of CMR chords based on G major/G minor.

You will see there are twelve chords to choose from in all. (We don’t count the G
triads twice.) The inner cycle is based on triads minor thirds apart and the outer circle
is based on triads major thirds apart.
 You will notice that chords with roots a tritone apart also qualify as CMRs. This is
because two “stacked” minor thirds result in a tritone. And two triads a tritone apart
still provide the distinct CMR “sound.”

The above diagram provides great source material for you to start writing a piece
using CMRs. Try it. Keep in mind, however, that while this looks simple enough,
great care must be exercised.

For best results, use chordal relationships that have 0-1 common tones and that are
not diatonic to the same key. Chord relationships with 2 common tones tend to sound
diatonic and do not provide the CMR sound.

For example, an incorrect CMR chord progression derived from the above diagram
would be:

G—B minor—G—E minor

The above is diatonic to the key of G and can be analyze using functional harmony:

I—III minor—I— VI minor

CMRs cannot be functional harmony. If you can analyze your CMR chord
progression with Roman Numerals (functional harmony analysis) it is NOT a CMR.
A better choice for the above example would be:

G minor—B min—G minor—Eb minor

or

G—E—G—Db

Listen to John Williams’ “The Imperial March” from “Star Wars.” It is based on four
chords from the above CMR diagram: G min, C# minor, Eb minor, and Eb major.

One of my favorite traits of CMRs is that it blurs tonality. The listener is often unsure of
where the tonic lies. The “home” chord is slippery and slides around. This can be
tremendously effective and useful in a dramatic context.

The Octatonic Scale and CMR Intersection

An effective method for incorporating melody with your CMR chord progression is to
build your harmony off of the Octanoic Minor scale, otherwise knowns as the diminished
half-whole scale. The Octatonic Minor scale is based on the repeating intervallic series of
half-tone, whole-tone. Starting on the note C, the scale is:

C—Db—Eb—E—F#—G—A—Bb

A successful way to harmonize this scale is by using the Octatonic Minor Scale in
conjunction with CMRs. Harmonizing the Octatonic Minor Scale can be achieved by
using all major triads, all minor triads or a combination of the two. Alan Silvestri uses
this technique frequently in “Back to the Future.”

Play the below notated example on the piano to better understand how to incorporate this
concept into your music. Not only does the scale have a repeating pattern (half tone,
whole tone) the roots of the corresponding chords have a repeated pattern: up a tritone,
down a minor third.

As a result, the melody notes always become the root or 5th of the triad. But depending on
your desired melody line, you could have the third be the melody note or top note of the
voicing.
 (When you play this on the piano don’t forget to mix major and minor triads.)

As a general rule, avoid seventh chords when composing CMR chord progressions. In
particular, avoid dominant 7th chords as they imply V-I harmony which is the antitheses
of CMR harmony.

Conclusion:

Creativity on Demand is the result of hard work—not inspiration. Creativity is a skill that can be
learned. You must prioritize and schedule time for it.

The muses may desert you when you need them the most. So, make it a goal to develop a solid
method for being creative. This requires expanding your compositional techniques and accessing
unfamiliar and exotic timbres. In addition, create your own proprietary samples when starting a
new project if resources and time permit.