Chinese International School

February 2013

Composing a Song
Student name: Charlotte Emery
Supervisor: Clare Stearns

Word count: 3482

Table of Contents
Criterion B: Defining the Goal!

Criterion C: Selecting and Evaluating Sources!

Criterion D: Applying Information!

Criterion E: Achieving the Goal!

Criterion F: Reflection on Learning!

Works Cited!

10

Appendices + 20 PJ entries!

11

Criterion B: Defining the Goal

!

The goal of my personal project is to investigate how the creative process is used to

compose a song, and then apply the resulting knowledge to composing an original song. This goal
is challenging because I have never composed a song before, and dont have any prior knowledge
as to how it is done. Achieving this goal will require a lot of research and as much effort.
!

I have been singing for as long as I can remember. When I was a toddler, I loved singing

Disney songs, and still do as a teenager. Music throughout my life has had the power to make me
feel better when I am glum, and better my mood further on a good day. Some songs have helped
me get through difficult moments in my life, and others hold dear memories that come rushing back
whenever I hear them. Every time I have heard an amazing song, however, I have always
wondered how someone was able to compose something that sounds so great, and is so easy to
remember. It fascinates me that music can be used as a form of expression of ideas and emotions,
and I am curious to see whether I could express myself better as an artist through music than I do
through other media. Investigating the creative process involved with composing a song will help
me satisfy my curiosity about songs that I have been listening to for years. These songs have had
a substantial impact on my life, in addition to giving me a sense of fulfillment. Learning about my
own creative process will also help me know myself and grow as an artist.
!

The area of interaction of my personal project is Human Ingenuity. Human Ingenuity is

about the human capacity to invent, create and compose, which is the heart of my personal
project. Through music, I am exploring and experimenting with the creative process, then
transferring my newly acquired knowledge to the active composition of a real song. The creative
process is an important element in Human Ingenuity, and it can be applied to other areas of my life
later on. I am focusing closely on the origin, process, and product part of the design cycle, because
I am less interested in the the songs connection with the outside world than I am with how the
song actually comes to be. My project is also very closely tied in with the student learning
expectation reflection, which deals with transferring new information into a real life situation. This
situation, in my personal project, is the composition of a song. Researching the creative process,
then applying that knowledge to composing a song is a perfect example of reflection. After the
product is finished, I will have explored in depth the appropriate sections of the creative process,
then composed a song with the information acquired.

Specifications

Specification

Justification

Testing Method

The song must have at least

two verses, a chorus, and a
bridge

Having a defined structure will

make the song coherent and
professional

NA

The song must have lyrics

To make it possible to convey

the message of the song

NA

The song must have two or

more instruments/ separate
melodies accompanying the
vocals

To allow the song a level of

complexity that can only be
created with a harmony and a
bass

NA

The lyrics will be the melody,

and vocally delivered

The main focus of the song

are the melody and the lyrics,
like most Indie songs

NA

The song must have a hook

The song should be catchy, a

trademark of a good song

NA

The Song must be 2-4

minutes long

The song needs to be long

enough to have substance,
but not so long that it is
repetitive or boring

NA

The song must be suitable to

my voice range

I will be singing it, and if my

voice cannot reach the notes
in the song, there is no point
in me singing it

NA

The song must sound

professional

It should be well recorded,

and people have to take the
song seriously. This can be
tested easily using surveys

In a survey sent out, everyone

should give the song 7+ of a
scale 1-10

The song must be recorded

on garage band

Garage band is economic and

accessible, and with a
microphone can sound
professional. This also makes
it easy to share the file

NA

The song will be an

Independent folk song

Indie folk is the genre in which

I can best express myself,
and is most compatible with
the goal of the song

NA

Specification
The song must express an
emotion or an idea.

Justification
The point of music is for an
artist to be able to express
oneself, therefore the song
should do so

Testing Method
In a survey sent out, everyone
should reply yes when asked
if the song conveys an
emotion or idea

Criterion C: Selecting and Evaluating Sources

!

The research I did for my personal project was essentially about the composition process of

a song, but also included elements regarding song structure and genre. Researching the process
of creation, referred to in MYP as Human Ingenuity, consisted mainly of conducting interviews,
whereas more concrete information about song structure came from articles on the web, and
reading books. The information I gathered concerning the process of creation, however, was
subjective therefore the conclusions I drew had to be based on what I thought followed the most
logical progression. The research related to content of the song was easier to acquire because it
was objective. Information in books is guaranteed to be reliable, which facilitated the obtainment of
this background knowledge. I evaluated all my sources against authority, accuracy, and objectivity
to make sure that they were all reliable. They were not evaluated against currency due to the
timeless nature of music.
!

The first research I did for my PP was finding out how artists compose music. I began my

search with the internet, but as I read more articles and websites, I realized that the technique of
writing a song is subjective because there are countless approaches to it. The internet is also open
to anyone to post information, and I needed a more reliable source. I chose to find out how
successful musicians themselves compose music. I read Keith Richards memoir Life, because
he was the guitarist for the Rolling Stones, a band remembered today as one of the most
successful in the history of rock and roll. His book became a best seller, which combined with
Richards expertise in his field, confirm the books authority. The book is based on his life story,
which means it is subjective, but I am more interested in how he as an artist composes, a very
personal experience therefore eliminating the need to evaluate the objectivity and accuracy of the
source.
!

I also asked one of my acquaintances, Thearosa Perez, a teenaged singer in Indonesia to

see if there was a singer/songwriter who would sit for an interview with me, in addition to an
interview from herself. She found another singer, Marsha Graham, who agreed to do an interview
with me by email. I chose to interview these singers because like me, they are female singer/
songwriters paving their way in the music industry, and I related to them in their artistic journey as
female teenagers in the music industry. Both of these women are experienced singer/songwriters,
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and therefore experts in their fields, giving them authority as sources. They are also well reputed
singers in Indonesia and the interviews were held this year, making them current. Like with Keith
Richards book, I was more interested in their personal experiences with songwriting, and how they
felt it was best approached, therefore eliminating the need to evaluate their objectivity and
accuracy as sources. These interviews were by far the most fruitful of all my research, because as
primary sources I knew they were reliable, and the information I got from them was based on key
questions that I had about music composition. With this research, I had a good idea about where to
start with composition, and was able to begin composing.
!

The second part of my research was establishing general background knowledge about

song structure and genre. The most helpful source for this was an article in The Guardians
Magazine written in 2011 titled "A History of Modern Music: The Timeline. (Ami Sedgi, Theresa
Malone), that explained all the genres of modern music. It is written by experts in music history;
both authors have doctorates, and published by a reliable magazine, making these sources
accurate, and giving them good authority as sources. The article was current, and I was able to
cross reference the more subjective sections such as ranking the importance of events in Indie
history with a book titled Wish You Were Here: An Essential Guide to Your Favorite Music Scenes-from Punk to Indie and Everything in between. (Simon Leslie, and Trevor Kelley.) The only issue I
had with reliability of the article was with bias because even though music history an objective
topic, some of the information regarding who the best Indie artists were is arguable. Leslie and
Kelley said very similar things to the article, which helped me confirm the articles information. In
addition to that, my prior knowledge concerning Indie music helped me triangulate the importance
of the artists discussed in both the book and the article. In retrospect, research for my personal
project carried on smoothly, and the final culmination of my research was useful and to my
satisfaction.
!

Criterion D: Applying Information

!

Application of information consisted of experimenting with the research I had done to find

out what methods of songwriting worked best for me, and then formatting the song so that it
contained a chorus, multiple verses, and a bridge.
!

Before beginning to compose, I had to establish which genre I wanted to compose in. I

identified Indie folk as the genre I wanted to compose in because Indie is the music that can
showcase dissent that would otherwise remain in the commercial shadows (Sedgi, Ami, and
Theresa Malone) and is about being able to feel, think and want to do or be something radical or
individual (Sedgi, Ami, and Theresa Malone). I wanted to compose music to express my

individuality, and Indie seemed like the perfect genre for this. The article also briefly outlined what
sections Indie Folk songs needed; verse, chorus, and bridge.
!

The first step of composing my song was to get some lines down, based on which I could

write an entire song. I began my journey by carrying a small notebook with me at all times,
because both Marsha Gratiana and Thearosa Perez had said in their interviews it was essential to
bring a notepad and pen everywhere (Thearosa Perez), or some type of recoding
gadget (Marsha Gratiana). When I first tried to write lyrics, I was worried that what I wrote wouldnt
be good enough, but Marshas advice that nothing is wrong at the beginning (Marsha Gratiana)
reassured me that I should write anything that came to mind. I wrote down all the phrases, themes,
and lyrics that inspired me. I experimented with the time at which I wrote the song, my mood, and
other similar factors, and discovered that there are two songwriting methods that work well for me.
The first was looking out for words and phrases people say that could give my song a good theme,
a method that Keith Richards used often. This method worked for me because the ideas of others
helped me get my own ideas and creativity flowing. The second method was even more effective
than the first, but more difficult to manipulate. Marsha Gratiana said in her interview that writing
music while experiencing a flood of emotion often held the best results for her. This technique was
challenging because to reign in my emotions enough, and to have the discipline to write a song
while experiencing strong emotion took a lot of self control. However, while practicing this method I
learnt that writing music while experiencing a flood of emotion actually helped me vent my
emotions, and expressing myself made me feel better.
!

After I wrote down a few song sections that I liked, I had to choose which one I was going

to develop, and then finish it. I eventually decided that The Jaded Wanderer was my best work. I
then reached the most challenging part of my personal project; finishing the song. This stage was
where I struggled the most, because I had difficulty motivating myself to finish the song. All three
singers mentioned that the most difficult part of songwriting was having the discipline to continue
and finish (Keith Richards 112), and this reassured me. This point was when I used Keith
Richards technique of staying in one place and not leaving until I had finished writing the song to
force myself to complete the lyrics. I set a date, and didnt leave my room until I had finished the
song. Advice I got from Marsha and Thearosa later helped me polish the song to a standard where
I felt it was presentable to a wider audience. Marsha emphasized the importance of including some
type of drums or percussion in the song, and she said that it would make my song more
interesting. There were times when I felt the material I was composing was a bit dull, and I wanted
to make my music more dynamic. I spent a lot of time using my hands to try to invent drum
rhythms for the song, and some of them sounded quite good. I discovered that the addition of
percussion to my music made it more interesting to listen to, and distinguished it from other music.
I used the information I had acquired from the book I read to ensure my song had all the necessary
elements; chorus, verses, and bridge. My choice to compose in Indie also gave my song an edge,
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so to speak. I made use of a lot of research to compose my song, and would not have been able to
create a well rounded song without making use of it.
!

Criterion E: Achieving the Goal

!

The goal of my project was to find out how I best compose a song, so that I could express

myself as an artist. The final song is a work that I am proud of, and it satisfies the following
specifications.

-The song has multiple verses, chorus, and bridge

-The song has lyrics

-The song has three backup instruments

-The vocally delivered lyrics are the melody

-The song has a hook

-The song is 3 minutes long

-The song is suitable to my voice range

-The song is independent folk

-The song expresses my emotions

I sent my song to 20 people to survey, and they gave me feedback such as make sure the

chorus is played multiple times in the song, and fill up the background music more. I followed their
advice and improved my song. I am satisfied with my song as an artist, and with it I contributed an
idea to the world of music. It expresses who I am, and is what I will leave behind after Im gone. I
therefore have awarded this project a 4.

Criterion F: Reflection on Learning

!

During my personal project, I discovered how I can get the best results composing music.

Before this project, I had never tried to compose a song, and choosing song composition as a
personal project forced me to sit down and actually write the song. What I learnt was that writing a
song is a combination of inspiration and perseverance. My best lyrics were written when I was
experiencing a strong emotion and felt the need to express myself. In times like these, it was easy
to write what I felt in a little notebook. The strategy of writing when experiencing strong emotion
was a good one for me, but it had two problems. These moments produced the most genuine
lyrics, but the lyrics of my songs came out much more like prose than verse. The words didnt
rhyme, which made it difficult for me to turn lyrics into a song. In addition to that, the moments
8

were rare, so I couldnt count on a deep emotional experience if I was facing a deadline and
needed to compose a song. I experimented with creating an alternative to that method, which I
named the artificial inspiration method. The artificial inspiration method was when instead of
waiting for a deep flush of emotion to write music, I would try to create an atmosphere in which I
could feel inspired by something other than my emotions, or trigger my own. This method worked
well for me because primarily, I was always pre-equipped with a recorder, pen, and paper so that I
could record my ideas. In addition to that, it was surprisingly easy for me to come up with song
lyrics and melodies with the artificial inspiration method. I found that getting the creative part of my
brain to work was not as difficult as I had thought, it just required practice. An example of how I
would put this method in to practice, was on a cold night I would go outside and sit on a ledge
overlooking a beautiful view. This kind of thing brought out emotions of loneliness and isolation in
me. It is arguable that causing such emotions on purpose was a bit strange, but it worked for me,
and I was able to turn out some music I thought was great.
!

What worked very well for me was getting a second opinion, to point out any music that

was catchy, or not so much. Having some friends select their favorite parts of songs helped me
move along in the process of completing my song. What I discovered was that some of the better
fragments of songs were related in theme. To create the final lyrics of The Jaded Wanderer which
is the name of my song, I combined two songs that were about loneliness. A synthesis of two
songs, can sound coherent and match. What I learnt was that I could also take songs of which I
had only written one verse, and make them the bridge of another song.
!

Prior to this project I was aware of, but not familiar with, the creative process and human

ingenuity. The human capacity to invent, create, and compose is a phenomenon that must be
experienced. I had never quite been able to believe how easily a person could come up with a
song, but after trying it and practicing it I became very familiar with that part of my brain. I am now
comfortable enough with my ability to compose songs that I can write a whole song on demand. I
now realize that human ingenuity is simply the expression of ideas or emotions. Whether it be a
song, a letter or a movie, the whole ability humans have to express ourselves in a way other than
talking is part of what makes us different, both as a species and as individual humans.
!

What I have learnt about myself as a learner is that I respond well to specific organization,

and set dates that say when I do what work. For example, when I couldnt motivate myself to finish
my song, setting a deadline for me to write it, and not leaving my room until I had finished helped
me a lot. The approach to learning reflection is also very useful to me, and I learnt that I respond
very well to feedback. I have difficulty looking at my own work from a fresh perspective, so peer
feedback helped me immensely.

Works Cited
Gratiana, Marsha. "Composing Music with Marsha Gratiana." E-mail interview. Nov.-Dec. 2012.
Perez, Thearosa. "Composing Music with Thearosa Perez." E-mail interview. Nov.-Dec. 2012.
Richards, Keith, and James Fox. Life. New York: Little, Brown and, 2010. Print.
Sedgi, Ami, and Theresa Malone. "A History of Modern Music: The Timeline."Theguardian [London]
17 June 2011: n. pag. Web. 6 Jan. 2013. <http://http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog+music/
series/a-history-of-modern-music>.
Simon, Leslie, and Trevor Kelley. Wish You Were Here: An Essential Guide to Your Favorite Music
Scenes--from Punk to Indie and Everything in between. New York: Harper, 2009. Print.

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Appendices + 20 PJ entries
!

Interviews
Music Composition Interview Questions:
1. How did you get in to music composition?
2. Is there a certain time or state of mind in which you compose?
3. How exactly do you do it? Are there techniques or strategies you employ?
4. When do you find that you compose your best songs?
5. Do you have any advice for an upcoming singer/songwriter?
6. Do you have a favorite song/ inspiration of your own?
7. When did you start composing music?
8. How do you feel about sharing your innermost thoughts with the world?
9. When did you share your first piece of music?
10. Do you play an instrument?
11. Do you find that any instruments in particular are good for composing?
12. Is there a genre you find easier to compose in?
13. What do you find are the easiest and most difficult parts of
composing music?
14. How much of your music do you discard?
Thank you so much for helping me with this, its really going to make
an impact on my project.
Thearosa Perez:
1. I began to compose my own music at the age of 12, making a song from self taught beginner
chords on the guitar. I admired the freedom of thought that I could put in, so I became curious and
began to explore my potential in this range.
2. I compose when there are emotions or thoughts that I feel need to be channeled into an
alternative.
3. I dont have any specific techniques that I use. It all begins with a thought or a melody. At times I
start with either writing the lyrics or creating the instrumental track first then improvising the lyrics
while writing down the chords and lyrics.
4. I find my results are best when I actually have emotions or thoughts through my head that I feel
could be formed beautifully into
an art.
5. Some of the advice that I would give to a singer/songwriter is firstly to explore your potential and
put it to use. Dont listen to what others say because youre free to create whatever you want. Oh
and lastly to bring a notepad and pen everywhere! Or a tape recorder. Youll have great songs
happening in your head but no where to write them! Make sure this never happens.
6. By listening to lots of different genres and artists, I can gather many things or people that have
inspired me. Recently, I discovered an artist named Daughter who writes hauntingly amazing
songs. The thought and input she put into her lyrics and the songs meaning is something all
songwriters should look at. A songwriters job is to story tell through music or share something that
the world needs to hear and she does that wonderfully. I also admire Mark Foster as a songwriter
for his creative, interesting way
of songwriting.
7. I started composing music with an actual instrumental after I learnt 4 basic chords on guitar.
These chords were G, EM, C, D. To really get the hang of these chords it took around a month.
Which includes the songwriting and transition between the chords.
8. At times, there is slightly some anxiety about sharing something very personal to the public.
Youre constantly thinking whether the majority of people will like it and accept it or will take it
differently. You cant please everyone. Although when the response is great, it makes everything
worth it.
11

9. I first shared my songwriting talent when I was 13 on a video posted to Facebook.

10. I learnt a variety of instruments as a child, but I never really perfected one except for vocals.
Some of the instruments that I learnt were the drums, the guitar, piano, clarinet, violin.
11. Instruments can really help in the songwriting process. Sometimes, you figure out a melody first
instead of the lyrics and just write down what comes to mind and what feels good with the melody.
Its all about the feel.
12. I dont feel as if I really fall into a genre at the moment. I just have specific themes that I write
to. I think of a story and tell it through music.
13. The easiest part of composing would be the actual writing process only when feeling inspired.
Difficulties would include making the instrumentals.
14. I write plenty of songs but dont use all of them. I like to select parts of my previously written
songs and just combine them to make a better product. Its like recycling your songs! Out of 10
songs, Id probably only record 3.
Marsha Gratiana:
1. I played cover songs since 5th grade with a guitar and bongos. My brother has a musical studies
background. I stole his books and thought myself instead. Got hooked on acoustic guitars by 7
grade. Made 1st song by skipping classes at school for music rehearsals at empty classrooms.
Sum teachers was pissed at first. And yet got awarded after we present it to them before that
school year ends. Took a few classic and jazz lessons. Got bored with that system. N decided to
learn further myself. My family is in the music biz. So it asnt that hard to get musical influences
internationally from the gecko. Where do I learn composition at first? From God. Nobody ever
thought me at the beginning. I love the guitar. And the guitar apparently speaks to me back to do
stuff with it
2. State of mind can be a very random thing. Its either when my heart and mind is jumping way to
up, or way too down. Static does not inspire me. And as for composing, nothing is wrong at the
beginning. Its about time management for me to capture that mind. And itll
evolve from that.
3. Also pretty random. Sometimes it stars with a certain mood. Sometimes it stars with a lyric.
Sometimes it starts with a guitar rhtym. Sometimes it starts with the beats. Cant really have a
definite strategy on this. Ive asked gazillion musicians about this. They never answer the same
equation. Key word here is the discipline to continue and finish. To begin is easy. To maintain not
so easy. I always bring sum time of recording gadget wherever I go, just incase something pops
out in my head.
4. Best time for composing to me is either very late at night or at early dawn. Whenever theres no
human activity in the surrounding area and when its quiet.
5. Regardless on whatever people think of what you may sound or may not sound like. On the end
of the day. You know you best. Not other people. But one point I see in starting artist here is this:
there is no such thing as a perfect artist or music or creation coz lets face it were not Gods
ourselves. The ones who thinks that they are bigger than God usually end up overdosing with sum
drugs. So yeah, Dont try to ever be one. When u decided that your perfect you stop learning and
that is not a good indication for the longer run. Mistakes and retakes and redos and rejections are
common in this industry. And its a tough industry. So you need to have a thick skin dealing with
people behind the music biz.
6. Shoot ! I have no specific genres I listen too. I listen and watch a lot of artist from different type
of genres. Majorly influenced by the concert promoter environment I grew up in since 5th grade. So
I was exposed with a range of different musicians. If u ask me which CD I buy? Instead of
downloading it. Its mostly jazz and folk stuff. For me thats the basics of any genre. Currently
obsessing with Nicolas Jaar sounds for details. Grew up buying everything about The Brand New
Heavies.
7. first song ever I finished is 7grade, still have the file till this day. It was a bossanova vibe. I know
how to play it. But I dont know what the chords are called. Again. I thought myself from my
brothers books. It was a pretty cheesy song. Yet I love it.

12

8. well since my whole concept of music is just another way of sharing to the rest of the world. I got
not probs with sharing my inner most thoughts. So far people never condemned me about it. And if
they so, I probably wont care either.
9. same year as my first composing. Its actually the same song. Write on that year. Make rhythms
at that year too. Ask sum friends to join in with sum cello and a violin and make a trio gig at school.
This is when the teachers realize that music programs should be upgraded at my school. I got a
free pass to skip class just for music since that gig happened. So yes like I said earlier, music is
sharing. And yes, the right type of people do listen.
10. Guitar, Drums, Bass, Percussion
11. Varied on every person. Mine is acoustic guitars is best to start composing. I tried piano before.
I dont like sitting down too long. That lasted probably just 2 years in my life.
12. Soulful Jazz mixed with Folky Acoustic. Thats my approach. The rest instruments are
additional. Sometimes u make it simpler. Sometimes u add a bunch of stuff. Specially these days,
there is no specific rule about music making. Best if u just stick with whatever u got and self
discipline too continue it thru.
13. Easiest is making rhythms. Hardest is adding licks and bridges. Lyrics are sometimes easy
sometimes hard. Depends on what im feeling on that specific project.
14. I believe in recording body songs. I actually record probably 90% of everything I ever compose.
The ones that actually gets produced is depend on the next stage of deals with producers and
musicians etc. But I keep some private files for my future personal project. It all depends on the
chemistry with what type of musicians ur dealing with.

Photo of Garageband Recording

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