Originally Posted by John Lawrence Schick
“There are only 12 notes. Even with the vast ways they can be combined, so many songs have been written by so many people, every combination has been used countless times” - Brian

Yes, it’s amazing how much music can be created with 12 half-tones. Although the octaves of those half-tones can be considered tones in themselves. When I composer at the piano, I think of 88 tones on my pallet. Well, the last high octave I can’t hear any longer – ha, ha. Think of the first two tones in “Over the Rainbow” – Some (C) where (octave C) over the rainbow (two different tones). Also, the order and duration of each tone in a song is infinite. Counterpoint and dissonance can completely change the perspective of even a recognized melody.

A mindset of thinking that everything has already been written is a defeatist one. I would guess that 90% of all music lies in the realm of closest related chords and melody. There’s still a large spectrum of possibilities that are less explored.

If I thought everything had already been written, I’d quit. There are still so many possibilities.

The Twisted Tango: http://schicksville.com/The%20Twisted%20Tango.mp3

Best, John

See, we just think differently John, I am not remotely defeated. I have been writing like crazy. I accept that most everything has been done, but not by me and not in my way. Not with my words, intonations or ideas and emotions. If I only wrote music, it might be frustrating to land on an obvious infringement, and without as many tools to diverge it as you also have adding lyrics and a wide swatch of counter melodies it might be a negative now and then, but I know that obvious lifts and guitar riffs have been done a zillion times, but the right bend in a note or divergent sound on a synth makes it something similar but new. It is like chess. So many games have recorded examples of happening over and over in recorded history (not to mention casual games which are exponentially more) sometimes all the way to checkmate, and this is among elite players. But you keep playing in hopes of finding the unique pathway to win. We are unable to process the billions (yes, billions!) of songs written daily. But it is impossible to pleasing to the ear popular progressions and melodies not to be repeated, especially if you are writing for Western Commercial success. I do not feel defeated, I simply don't worry about it.

Brian Austin Whitney
Founder
Just Plain Folks
jpfolkspro@gmail.com
Skype: Brian Austin Whitney
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"Don't sit around and wait for success to come to you... it doesn't know the way." -Brian Austin Whitney

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