In our songwriter sessions this week we’ll be talking to electronic musicians to find out how they approach songwriting. Technology is enabling more and more people to make music. In the past, only composers with access to an orchestra could fully realise the potential of their songs, but now many of us have access to creative digital music tools. This is resulting in new approaches to musical materials and musical composition.
Paul Wolinski is a member of the instrumental electronic post/math rock band 65daysofstatic. In this video, he talks to us about some of the ways he uses technology to create music. 65daysofstatic were formed in 2001 and have released one live, one soundtrack and five studio albums. Famed for their energic live shows, innovative use of analogue and digital technologies and fusion of live instruments with sampled beats, 65daysofstatic have also performed across the world with bands such as Mogwai and The Cure, as well as on their own sold-out tours. Paul has also released a solo electronica album under the name Polinski.
Here are some key things to take away from this interview:
- Simple melodies that use fewer notes can often be the most effective. If you’re struggling to come up with a melody, try working on the other areas of a song first - for example chord progressions.
- Creating your own library of sounds can help when you come to write new songs. There are lots of freely available samples on the internet - this isn’t cheating, many artists will use sounds that they have taken from sample packs.
- Use whatever tools are available to you; you don’t have to buy expensive software if you can get your ideas across using free tools such as GarageBand.
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