Emotional Listening: How to hear the feeling in each note you choose
12 notes is all you need to learn to master music.
A bit hyperbolic? Perhaps! But only by a little.
Almost all music we listen to and create uses these same 12 notes, just in different patterns.
The deeper you can connect with how these 12 notes feel, the more you can create directly from your heart with them.
Here's what I suggest you to do build this connection:
Pick 1 "home note" to write music in - then write almost everything in it.
Every time you write in a different key, you’re forcing yourself to relearn these note relationships from a whole new home.
But if you stick to one note as “home”, you will begin to deeply recognize each interval, and get to know it's emotional qualities much more quickly.
This is when your musical intuition will become stronger - and the music can start flowing through you more easily.
For example:
Write with “C” as home.
Every note represents a specific interval.
C (1) D (2) E (3) F (4) G (5) A (6) B (7)
As you write, you will begin to create connections with these intervals, because they sound the same every time you hit them.
Then all you need to do is change the scale, but keep the home note.
This is how you access all the intervals, from the same home.
Db (b2) Eb (b3) Gb (b5) Ab (b6) Bb (b7)
You can feel every single one of those 12 notes and get to know them deeply.
Then eventually, you don't even need scales. You just follow the notes your emotions are telling you.
This is the secret to freely writing.
Because scales are just “cheat codes” to intervals we know work together to create a certain vibe.
By doing this, you start to write from your own associations, seeing each note as a color you pick based on whatever you’re feeling!
Here’s some of my associations:
1 - Stable, grounded
2 - Beautiful, open
3 - Warm, inviting
b2 - Dark, dangerous
b7 - Funky, cool
Ok I’ll stop here. Your turn! 🙂
Just pick a “home” and stick to it.
Then make your own list of emotions for each interval.
Which brings us to...
Your Homework: Emotional Listening
- Pick a note as “home.” (I recommend C)
- Play that note, then play another. Write down what it feels like.
- Do this for the major / minor scale - then every other note!
2 tips when doing this:
-There’s no right or wrong answers. Just write down anything. It’s about getting your brain to think in this direction.
-If you can’t feel anything, move to another note, then come back.
Send me your answers if you need some accountability.
Avery
