Jesse Strickland 10/17/24 Jesse Strickland 10/17/24

The Simple Way All Scales Work

It may seem like a lot to learn every scale, but there is a simple pattern to the way that all scales work.

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Jesse Strickland 9/26/24 Jesse Strickland 9/26/24

Why You Should Learn EVERY Scale

Today we are starting a four part video series on the theory of musical scales. In this video, we are talking about the practical reasons why a musician would want to learn every single scale.

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Jesse Strickland 9/24/24 Jesse Strickland 9/24/24

The Inconsistency of The Beatles’ Album Titles

So. I'm doing some music history research, and for this particular project I'm having to look at the Billboard charts each week in the 1960s. That’s when I noticed something: there in the Top 200 is an album called “The Beatles’ Second Album.” I’ve never heard of this before, and so I started digging.

Turns out, the Beatles albums have different names in the UK than they did for their original US releases. For example, the Beatles had an album titled "With the Beatles" released in the UK on November 22, 1963 (I wonder if anything else happened that day?) which included 14 songs and a runtime of 33 minutes, but when it released in the US in January of 1964, it was titled "Meet The Beatles" and only included 12 tracks and a runtime of just over 26 minutes.

The reason seems to be that Capitol Records was trying to maximize profit for American audiences, go figure. This strategy included releasing more albums with less songs. As I was pulling on that string, I found out that 7 albums released in the UK before Sgt. Peppers, but that translated to 11 US albums.

It seems that at the time UK audiences were more accustomed to 14 song albums, while US record companies typically only went with 10-12.

In some cases (as was the case with “With the Beatles” and “Meet the Beatles”), there’s a pretty direct correlation between a Beatles UK release and its US counterpart. (Note how the US release bills this as “the first album” - despite it being the 2nd album from the Beatles (and in fact, the second released in the US…but that’s another story)

The same could roughly be said of “Beatles for Sale” which released in the UK in 1965, and it’s US counterpart “Beatles ‘65”

However, not all of the US releases were direct counterparts to UK releases. As was the case with the confusingly titled “The Beatles Second Album” (which was the third released in the US…but only the second released by Capitol Records). This release was a compilation of a number of Beatles tracks and doesn’t directly correlate to any UK album.

There’s not really a major point that I’m trying to make here - mostly an observation. And while I can’t say much about the research project I’m working on, I assure you - this is 1000% unrelated. A complete side quest. It is literally something I just happened to notice while looking over the Billboard charts from 1964.

You want to know what else I noticed in the 1964 Billboard charts? Alvin and the Chipmunks sing the Beatles is a thing. It’s a very real thing that actually happened. It was in the US top 200 for three weeks in 1964. Maybe this is common knowledge and I’m completely late to the party, but wow, I did not see this coming. You can listen to that glorious work of art here.

Let’s land this plane before I get any further off whatever point I was trying to make. I hope you have enjoyed this particular oddity of music history I happened upon.

Jesse Strickland 9/10/24 Jesse Strickland 9/10/24

How Many Musical Elements Are There?

It seems like a question we’d know the answer to. We all kind of know what the elements of music are…right? Today, I’m going on a journey to figure out exactly how many there are. And more importantly, we are talking about why this is a worthwhile endeavor.

If you’re the kind of person who wants to deepen your understanding of music - I highly recommend my email newsletter. I’m sending out a bunch of resources in composition, music theory, and musicology to help you become a better musician.

Jesse Strickland 8/13/24 Jesse Strickland 8/13/24

ARTURIA MINILAB 3 - A 6-month review

I have had my Arturia Minilab 3 keyboard for about 6 months now, so I thought I'd give it a proper review. It's a nifty little gadget that has managed to wedge itself neatly into my cluttered workspace (and my heart). Was that too much? That was too much, wasn't it?

First Impressions: Design and Build Quality

At first glance, the Minilab 3 looks like it was designed by someone who’s had their share of cluttered desks. It's not any wider than my Macbook, so it fits wherever my laptop does. That was one of the bigger selling points for me. I take it with me on airplanes. The TSA will give you some puzzled looks, but I know they are just jealous. I also like the sturdiness of the design. Some of the other portable controllers I have tried feel like they might snap in half if you look at them wrong. It’s got a bit of heft, which is reassuring when you’re furiously tapping out a drum beat or tweaking a filter.

Playability

Now, let’s talk keys. The Minilab 3 has 25 of them - ranging from C to C two octaves higher. They are slim, unweighted, and velocity-sensitive...perhaps too sensitive at times. It can be difficult to play something in the middle velocities. But you know, maybe I'm just bad at playing them? The slim nature of the keys takes some getting used to if you are only used to the size of a regular piano.

Speaking of buttons, the 8 RGB backlit pads are a joy...particularly to my 2-year-old. They’re responsive and perfect for all sorts of musical shenanigans, from drum programming to sample triggering - I don't use it much, but I understand this keyboard works really well with Ableton. I'll be honest, I didn't think I would use the drum pads, but I've found a lot more use for them than I expected.

What I haven't used is the knobs and faders - of which there are 8 and 4, respectively. I may find uses for them eventually, but my goal wasn't really to use every feature of this keyboard - I just needed to replace my old full-sized midi controller with something smaller, and more affordable.

Inputs and Outputs
I will say, the USB port is nice. But, I only have two of them on my computer, so that can be a bit of a problem sometimes since I also use the Focusrite Scarlett, which is also a USB. I don't know what I'm saying here as a solution? Maybe Apple just needs more USB ports in their Macbooks.

Software Integration
It comes bundled with a bunch of softwares (including Ableton Light)...and I haven't used any of them. I was mostly interested in its compatibility with the softwares I already use in my workflow: namely Dorico and Logic. In that department it does exactly what I need it to do. I can hook up the Minilab, load in my library of choice, and off we go.

Conclusion

Overall, the Minilab 3 has proven itself to be a trusty sidekick. It has made my workstation more efficient, and I can take it on the road. It has an older brother - an 88 weighted-key version that I will definitely be on the lookout for when I am in the market for one.

The Arturia Minilab 3 has found a permanent spot on my desk and in my creative process. It’s compact, powerful, and incredibly user-friendly. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, this little controller packs a big punch. It's not perfect, but it fits perfectly on my desk, doesn’t overwhelm my workspace, and it offers all the features I need to bring my musical ideas to life. If you’re looking for a MIDI controller that’s both versatile and space-saving, the Minilab 3 is a fantastic choice.

Jesse Strickland 8/10/24 Jesse Strickland 8/10/24

(Coming Soon) A New Music Community

I'm thrilled to share some exciting news with you! I am in the process of creating a brand-new membership community and resource site centered around Composition, Music Theory, and Musicology.

As I have thought about my musical journey - I learned so much more when my professors brought me alongside them in their work, rather than just sitting and listening to a lecture. I got to see the creative process in action as they worked through real-world problems. And that’s what I want to create.

What is the Membership Community?

This upcoming membership community is designed to be a unique blend of learning, training, and community, through direct access to my creative work in composition, theory, and musicology. It’s a place where passionate musicians can deepen their knowledge, explore new ideas, and connect with a supportive community of like-minded individuals. It’s a place where we can all get better at our craft, and become better musicians, together. The community would be built on four core values: community, accessibility, innovation, and discovery.

Community:
I’d like to create a vibrant network of musicians. Composition and music research can be very isolating activities. Communities are often only found in academic settings, but we can change that. Engage in meaningful discussions, ask questions, and support each other’s growth. No one has it all figured out - we can all become better musicians together.

Accessibility:
Whether you’re a veteran musician or brand new; a student or educator; a composer, a performer, or a researcher; the music resources in this membership are designed to be accessible to everyone. Gain insights from detailed courses, access exclusive content, and learn at your own pace. I want to give everyone the chance to improve and excel, regardless of their background, musical style, or experience level.

Innovation:
One of my personal goals is pursuing innovation. That includes my creative work, but it also means pursuing innovative approaches to learning and creating music. From advanced masterclasses to unique composition techniques, we will continually explore new methods to enhance our musicality.

Discovery:
Composition, Music Theory, and Musicology are all about curiosity and discovery. There's something thrilling about discovering a new chord you love, or finding easter eggs hidden in the music you're analyzing, or in asking questions about music and finding the answer. This is your opportunity to discover new perspectives and deepen your understanding of music.

What will membership look like?

Details are still being worked out, and I would like to take this site through a Beta testing phase (more details later), but here is what I’ve got so far:

Gold Tier:

Digital Resources
- PDF guides/Ebooks, Curriculum guides/Lesson plans, Research Papers, Annotated Scores
Music Downloads
- Solo sheet music/perusal scores, Singles/Albums/Stock Music
Community Access
- Private Discord Server, Early Access, Priority for lessons, discount, behind the scenes

Platinum Tier:

All Gold Tier benefits plus full access to Exclusive Content:
- Online courses
- Masterclasses
- Exclusive Video Content
- Extended Cuts and Commentaries
- Live Streams
- Office Hours
- First Priority for Lessons, Bigger Discount + Discounts on Composition Services

Get Involved early

As I work towards launching this new community, I invite you to be part of its creation. Your feedback and support are invaluable in shaping a membership that truly meets your needs. Here’s how you can get involved:

Express Your Interest: Send me an email and let me know if this idea excites you and you have interest in being a member. Would you like to be a beta tester? Let me know that too.

Provide Feedback: Send me an email and share your thoughts on what you’d like to see in the community.

Support Through Crowdfunding: There is so much work to be done to make this a reality. There's a lot of content to produce, and a lot of website that needs to be designed. It's a lot. So, I'm starting a crowdfunding campaign to bring this vision to life - I am hoping to raise $5,000 to cover the cost of creating the content, and to pay for the web designing that is needed. You can get free membership for anywhere from one month to lifetime access for your donation. Note: The Crowdfunding campaign ended on September 27.

join a thriving music community

Learn more

Jesse Strickland 7/2/24 Jesse Strickland 7/2/24

[NEW CHOIR MUSIC] Nothing Gold Can Stay

I'm extremely happy to announce this one. Autumn is my favorite season - and last autumn I was sitting there wishing the weather could feel like that year round, when I happened upon a poem, Nothing Gold Can Stay, by Robert Frost that talks about how beautiful and fleeting the patterns of nature are.

This one is for SATB + Piano + Cello - great for High School, College, or Community Choirs.

If you're putting together your Fall Program right now, 1) send me an email at jesse@jessestrickland.com and I'll send you a perusal score - along with a MIDI realization, 2) please send this to any choir directors who need this in their program.

Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

Jesse Strickland 7/1/24 Jesse Strickland 7/1/24

What Exactly I Do As A Composer

Usually when I tell people that I am a composer, they respond with “what does that mean, exactly?”

For me, it’s a wide range activities that are all related to writing music. Here are the things that I do on a regular basis as a composer (and yes, I’d love to work with you if one of these projects fits your needs):

- Custom Pieces. These come in the form of commissions, but also they are for sale on my website. I write mostly for choirs, church choir + orchestra, and classical chamber ensembles.

- Arrangements. This is taking existing material and “arranging” it in a new way. For example, taking a classic hymn and arranging it for a church orchestra.

- Orchestration. I’ll take a song that is already written and I’ll provide all of the additional instruments for it. This is particularly important in the church world, as each church has a different make up of their orchestra.

- Editing. Taking a piece from good to great. I do this either for my own works, or for hire for other composers.

- Engraving. This is editing the notation of a digital score so that it is ready to be sent to ensembles/performers. Again, I do this for my own scores, but also other composers.

- Writing and recording my own songs. That one seems a little more self-explanatory

There are plenty of other things I do (such as teaching and content creation), but these are all of the things that I do in regards to actually writing music.

If you are a music minister, an ensemble director, or a composer who has need for one of these services, please let me know! I’d love to work with you.

Jesse Strickland 6/26/24 Jesse Strickland 6/26/24

4 Strategies to Finish Your Music Writing Projects

If you are frustrated by unfinished songs and pieces you’re working on: You're not alone. This is one of the most common frustrations I hear from composers, songwriters, and producers that are newer to the music writing. It’s usually one of two things:

1) You’ve written a little something, maybe 8 measures or so, and you can’t figure out where to go next, or, 2) your piece seems disjointed - it's just a random collection of ideas. Both of these will stop progress dead in its tracks.

I feel your pain. I've got a full box of unfinished music sitting in my studio. Here are four strategies that I use to finish my music projects.

1. Overcoming Perfectionism

Perfectionism is one of the biggest roadblocks to finishing music projects. It makes you constantly second-guess your work, leading to endless revisions and even creative paralysis. To combat perfectionism:

Shift Your Mindset: Aim for progress rather than perfection. Understand that no piece of music will ever be flawless, and that’s okay. (would we even like it if it was perfect?)
Set Time Limits: Give yourself a deadline to finish sections of your music. This creates a sense of urgency that can help you move past minor imperfections.

2. Zooming Out for Perspective

Another common issue is getting too caught up in the details, losing sight of the overall structure. If you find yourself obsessing over perfecting every single element without considering the bigger picture, try these steps:

30,000 Feet: Before diving into the details, create a broad outline of your piece. Decide on the overall flow and structure, and then work on the individual sections.
Create a “scale model”: I like to use two tools here: The Short Score, and the Timeline. Both of these allow me to put all of my ideas in physical space. Use these tools to visualize your piece from start to finish. This helps ensure all parts fit together cohesively and prevents well-polished sections from feeling out of place.
Develop and Transition: A huge mistake I see from beginners all of the time is abrupt transitions from one idea to the next. Focus on developing your main ideas and creating smooth transitions between sections to maintain a unified composition.

3. Limiting Your Material

It might seem counterintuitive, but trying to use too much material can be a major roadblock. Many composers feel the need to generate numerous ideas to fill a piece, but this often leads to disjointed music. Instead:

Focus on 1-2 Main Ideas: Most successful pieces are built around a few core themes or motifs. Concentrate on developing these ideas thoroughly.
Development Techniques: Expand, alter, reharmonize, and orchestrate your main ideas to create variety and maintain interest without introducing new material.
Creating Relationships: Ensure that your main ideas relate to each other. Use contrasts in rhythm, dynamics, or register to create a sense of unity and progression.

4. Commit to Consistent Practice

Finishing music requires a commitment to sit down and write regularly. It’s not about finding a magic cure but developing a habit and toolbox to overcome common challenges.

Consistent Practice: Set aside dedicated time for composing and stick to it. Regular practice helps build momentum and keeps you engaged with your work.
Feedback and Revision: Don’t be afraid to seek feedback and make revisions. Use criticism constructively to improve your music and move forward.

This isn’t every single obstacle, but they are the ones I’ve found to be the most common - address these, and you’ll finish more of your music writing projects.

Finish Your Music: A Free Email Course

If you're ready to dive deeper and gain more insights, I’ve written about all of these topics in greater detail in a 5 day email course. It provides practical exercises and detailed strategies to help you overcome these challenges and complete your musical works. It’s completely free, and it will only take about 10-15 minutes per day. These are strategies and exercises that I use in my own writing process - and I think you will find them useful as well.

Enroll Here: https://jesse-strickland.mykajabi.com/finish-more-music-enrollment

Jesse Strickland 6/3/24 Jesse Strickland 6/3/24

Four Questions for Writing Emotion in Music

Music is often emotional, and music often tells stories.

A number of years ago, I noticed that when it came to crafting emotions, and structuring my story for my music - I was usually choosing defaults.

"I'll write a happy song, and it will have 2 verses, 2 choruses, and a bridge." Nothing wrong with that. But, I hadn't intentionally decided whether or not those were the best way to express what I wanted to say.

The first thing I realized was that a good story usually has more than one emotion.

"They were happy, they stayed happy, they lived happily ever after." It's monotonously static. You need more than that for a compelling story.

So, how do we structure our stories, and convey our emotions in a musical way? Here's what I came up with: I ask myself these four questions for every song or piece I write - often before I start writing.

1) Polarity. What is the primary emotion? What is its opposite?

A lot of my music is based not just on two different emotions, but on a contrast of emotions. Emotions don't exactly have concrete opposites (like, Up and Down). Sure, maybe the opposite of Happy is Sad. But what if it is Anger? What if it is Melancholy? It all depends on the story you want to tell. Love can be the opposite of Hate, but it can also be the opposite of Indifference. Asking this question helps me understand the big picture structure of the song.

2) Gravity. Where are we being pulled? What is the force creating the pull?

You could ask this in a musical sense (as in, the leading tone is pulling us to the tonic). But you can also ask this in an emotional sense to help you figure out where your piece wants to go.

3) Journey. What is the emotional journey from start to finish?

If polarity helped me understand the structure from 30,000 feet, Journey is the specific twists and turns the piece took to get there.

There may only be two emotions in the piece - in that case, this is a roadmap of how they interact. But, often there are a lot of emotions, and only two that are primary. Then I need to ask, how do these emotions weave their way into the narrative.

4) Arrival. Where did we end up?

Some composers (and listeners), strongly prefer that the piece end in a logical and expected place. Perhaps that is the most musical choice. "And they all lived happily ever after."

But one thing I like to try is to subvert expectations - try to end the piece with the listener in wonder. Either amazement because they didn't see the ending coming, or, in reflection because I left the ending ambiguous, and it is almost up to the listener to decide how exactly it ended.

Of course, all of this speaks very little to converting emotions into music. That tends to be a highly subjective topic anyway. But, what I'll do with this information after I've done this exercise is to write down every single technique that I can come up with that will convey those emotions using the instruments I have on hand for that piece.

The picture I've attached is from a piece where I wanted to create uncertainty - almost like a fog or a mist; and to the right you can hear how that translated to music.

How do you create emotion in your music? Is it a process like I have just spelled out? Or does yours flow a little more fluidly? Let me know in the comments below.

And if you find this insightful, consider subscribing to my email newsletter:

If you’re looking to learn more about composition and would like to work with me, I’d love to tell you about the different options I’ve got for that. Click here to learn more!

Jesse Strickland 4/11/24 Jesse Strickland 4/11/24

Exploring Take Five's Brilliant Use of 5/4

Take Five is one of the best selling jazz singles of all time. I've always been fascinated by its use of the 5/4 meter. Today we are looking at how the Dave Brubeck Quartet took this simple idea in a complex meter, and made it into a masterpiece.

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Jesse Strickland 4/6/24 Jesse Strickland 4/6/24

Four Things Every New Composer/Songwriter should do

1. Choose Consistency over Quality

Your first compositions aren’t going to be your best. And that’s frustrating - but consistency matters more at this stage. Practice writing a lot - and move on to the next piece. One nice thing about cooking is that it forces you to go through the process and then do it again. You can’t “keep working” on the same grilled cheese sandwich. Cook it, learn from it, try it again. Consistency in the long run will lead to quality.

2. Listen to Music Closely

Really take note of the techniques that other composers are using. Analyze the music, dictate the music, copy the scores by hand, learn to play it on your instrument. This is something else you’ll get better at the more you do it.

3. Listen Widely

I recommend this for any musician, regardless of specialty. Don’t just listen to music in your genre - study across as many genres as you can. You live in a world of infinite genres, let all of them influence your voice.

4. Be Endlessly Curious

Study other arts, ask a lot of questions, experiment constantly, take as many notes as you can, write down everything that comes to your head. I’d wager that every artistic innovation was spurred by curiosity. A lack of curiosity will lead to playing it safe. This is a composer’s best friend, but it is often overlooked. So be curious, and stay curious.

Check out this guide

If you’re new to writing music, I’ve got this free interactive PDF guide to the composition and songwriting process - check it out!

Jesse Strickland 4/1/24 Jesse Strickland 4/1/24

A List of Music Recommendations and Gear I Use

I get asked rather often what I use in the studio to create music, or if I have recommendations for books and such for younger composers. So, I decided it might be helpful to have all of those things together in a single list.

Books

Music Theory

Music Theory and Composition: A Practical Approach (Textbook)

Theory of Harmony (Schoenberg )

Music of Lord of the Rings (Douglas Adams)

Music History

The Oxford History of Western Music (Taruskin - 5 volumes)

A History of Western Music (Burkholder - single volume)

Composition

Behind Bars: The Definitive Guide to Music Notation (Gould)

The Study of Orchestration (Adler) (if you only get one book, I’d get this one)

Fundamentals of Music Composition (Schoenberg)

Choral Arranging (Ades)

How to Write for Percussion (Solomon)

Introduction to Post -Tonal Theory (Strauss)

Scholarly Articles (Free Online)

SMT Online - a quarterly journal for Music Theory and Music Analysis, usually has about 7-10 articles per edition.

AMS Journal - This journal features articles in musicology.

Note: This post contains affiliate links

Jesse Strickland 2/26/24 Jesse Strickland 2/26/24

Setting Realistic Writing Goals

To be clear:, I’m incredible at setting goals; I’m terrible at setting realistic goals. Maybe you’re there too. We get all of these amazing ideas in our heads.

I’m starting a composition #100daysofpractice or a #100daysofwriting whatever you want to call it - I’d just like to be more consistent. Well, I need a plan of some sort for where I’d like to be at the end of the 100 days (sometime in June) - and that’s where the problem lies. So, I thought “what if a student had asked me that question?” And well, we will see how it goes but here are three things I’ve come up with for setting realistic composition/songwriting goals.

Figure Out Appropriate Pacing

Take a look at your recent writing output. How much have you written over a certain period of time? You can probably expect your output won't be significantly more than that. Perhaps you finished 1 piece/song last month. You're probably not going to suddenly write 10 this month. Set a goal of finishing one piece/song, and if you get to more than that - Great!

If one of your goals is to be able to write more/write faster - then start where you are and work your way up incrementally. You can do this by setting Input Goals: "I will write 30 minutes each day." And if you want to build up incrementally: "Each week, I will add 10 more minutes to my writing time." Of course, all of that depends on your schedule and how much time you can actually devote to writing.

2. Factor in things that are writing adjacent.

I'll often work all day editing a manuscript and then feel like I didn't write at all that day. Which isn't true. These things that are associated with writing are critical parts of the writing process. These are things like Freewriting and Experimentation - where you are just playing around but not actually making progress on a project. Or maybe it's studying the work of another composer for their use of techniques. Or, practicing new techniques on your instrument - or figuring out with players what is physically possible or comfortable. Or perhaps like I mentioned, editing and revisions. All of these things are crucial, but they take time, and we need to factor in those things for setting realistic goals.

3. Set goals that are consistent with your long-term goals.

I have had periods where I wrote what I felt like I was "supposed to" write. If there's no one commissioning you to write a piece, there's no reason to spend time writing a piece you don't want to write. Make sure the things you are doing on a daily basis actually line up with your desired trajectory as a composer and songwriter. What can you write today that will serve as a stepping stone to where you want to go? Don't chase after every opportunity just because it's available. Set goals based on what is going to fulfill you artistically, and what is going to help you in the long run.

So, that's where I am today. Day 1 of 100. I'll be documenting this journey so make sure to follow along from now until June, and we will see where I end up.

Jesse Strickland 2/12/24 Jesse Strickland 2/12/24

The Art Of Music Theory

Music theory is often confused as being mostly about identification, but really - it's more about interpretation. Music Theory is an art. And it's an artform that is both valuable and practical for all musicians throughout their lifetime.