Have you ever tried making some music; realising later that it sounds very much like one of your influences? Why does it happen? What is it that makes great artists' music so unique and ours copied?
By original here I mean not just your own song, but your song which is actually your song. In other words, a song that you made, that reflects something entirely unique, something never heard before.
'Practice' may be the answer you have in mind, but I doubt it. It is one factor, of course; you cannot make a very original song in the first attempt. You need to do it over and over again. But there is more to it. Things more philosophical are at play here.
Upon much pondering, I've come across two aspects that can make a song original. This is like what physicists call the 'wave/particle duality' of a property of light. Light is both a wave and a particle. It isn't an either/or situation; light exerts both these properties at the same time. Similarly, originality has a duality; both are essential for it to exist. One is a philosophical one. The other is practical (that practice determines). I've covered the practical aspect here.
Since music is a reflection of who you are, your music will never be original unless you yourself are an original person. Now this is confusing. What does it mean to be an original person?
You'll get a lot of books on this, but here I'll give my own and perhaps the simplest definition of an original person: A person who lives upon his own values and beliefs, such that he fills the description of a person who is true to himself. This is a simple but a difficult thing to achieve. But the good news is, all of us can do it.
When you are original, you think nothing about 'what will others think about me?' This can also be translated as: you'll think nothing about 'what will others think about my music?' You'll totally be focused on getting yourself, or a part of you, out in that music.
When your music rings to the deepest part of you, that's when it 'touches' you. And that's when it becomes something entirely unique, because no one has lived the life that you have, and you're simply taking out your experiences and emotions associated with it into the music.
It's very simple, really. The deepest truths are usually the most simple ones.
Summing up, to create original music:
1. Be original.
2. Reflect yourself in the music you're creating.
What do you think about originality? Do let me know in the comments.
By original here I mean not just your own song, but your song which is actually your song. In other words, a song that you made, that reflects something entirely unique, something never heard before.
'Practice' may be the answer you have in mind, but I doubt it. It is one factor, of course; you cannot make a very original song in the first attempt. You need to do it over and over again. But there is more to it. Things more philosophical are at play here.
Upon much pondering, I've come across two aspects that can make a song original. This is like what physicists call the 'wave/particle duality' of a property of light. Light is both a wave and a particle. It isn't an either/or situation; light exerts both these properties at the same time. Similarly, originality has a duality; both are essential for it to exist. One is a philosophical one. The other is practical (that practice determines). I've covered the practical aspect here.
Since music is a reflection of who you are, your music will never be original unless you yourself are an original person. Now this is confusing. What does it mean to be an original person?
You'll get a lot of books on this, but here I'll give my own and perhaps the simplest definition of an original person: A person who lives upon his own values and beliefs, such that he fills the description of a person who is true to himself. This is a simple but a difficult thing to achieve. But the good news is, all of us can do it.
When you are original, you think nothing about 'what will others think about me?' This can also be translated as: you'll think nothing about 'what will others think about my music?' You'll totally be focused on getting yourself, or a part of you, out in that music.
When your music rings to the deepest part of you, that's when it 'touches' you. And that's when it becomes something entirely unique, because no one has lived the life that you have, and you're simply taking out your experiences and emotions associated with it into the music.
It's very simple, really. The deepest truths are usually the most simple ones.
Summing up, to create original music:
1. Be original.
2. Reflect yourself in the music you're creating.
What do you think about originality? Do let me know in the comments.
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