Emotional Listening: How to hear the feeling in each note you choose
Does it feel like you write notes randomly, or can’t write based on your emotions?
This will help:
Limit yourself to writing from one “home” note - and you’ll start writing from your emotions instead of guessing.
Why? Because music is all about the relationship between the 12 notes.
Every time you write in a different key, you’re forcing yourself to re-learn that relationship from a whole new home.
Your brain can never get comfy enough to start recognizing the emotions from the different intervals if you do this.
But if we stick to one note as “home”, you will quickly start hearing the emotions in each interval. Then you can pick notes with intention!
Here’s an example:
Write everything with “C” as home.
Now every note becomes “locked” to an interval.
C (1) D (2) E (3) F (4) G (5) A (6) B (7)
…but wait, it gets better. I said EVERY note gets locked, not just the notes in the scale!
Db (b2) Eb (b3) Gb (b5) Ab (b6) Bb (b7)
Now as you write, you can start recognizing the feelings in each interval - and name them.
Once you’re comfy enough from one “home” - then you expand to another.
This is the secret to freely writing without even thinking about scales.
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
