How to compose progressive music

Do something that has never been done before.

When a band purposely sits down and tries to "make" their song sound progressive - its gonna sound like crap. (alot of bands do this that I'd rather not mention)

Progressive is not a genre, but I view it as a new 'level' music can achieve. Its something that comes naturally through experience of the entire band. One intrument alone cannot be "progressive" no matter how technical it gets, its how the whole band comes togethor to achieve this higher level of music. It takes time.

If there were set rules regarding how to compose progressive music, it wouldn't be progressive anymore.

It depends, each band has thei own style, for example early Genesis was mostly a work by Gabriel in lyrics and Banks in Music, the rest of the band added their own ideas and the whole band  worked with the arrangements,in Jethro Tull Ian Anderson does 90% of the work.

What works for one doesn't necesarilly works fo the rest.

Iván

Kerry Minnear from GENTLE GIANT played all the songs only on the piano. Afterwards the band joined in the rehearsals and added sound and ideas. You can hear it on "Under construction" a double CD . Very interesting.

Each composer has a very different way to compose. Personally, the main 2 ways I'll come up with something is either in my head or on an instrument. I then "jam" with it ona piano or bass or guitar or something for a while to get it to just the way I like it, then I'll write it out. From there, I decide if it sounds like a song a "rock" band would play or something that would be more suited to a symphony, string quartet, etc.

If it fits the "rock band" category, then I'll introduce the riffs to my bandmates and we'll all contribute ideas. As I am the main composer for my band, it is then generally up to me to take all the parts we have jointly composed and arrange them out in a way that fits the music and other such arrangement aspects. Over the next few weeks we'll practice the piece, but in a loose format so that any new ideas we add can be incorporated. After a while we'll all start to play it about the same way everytime (not for lack of ideas, just because thats how we decide it goes best) and I'll finalize the piece.

Granted, it's not always me that comes up with the original idea, but I am the one to orchestrate and compose from there on out.

Trial and error really. Just play around (with others helps) and you'll find something. Or if you have the software, you can create music on your computer. It's fun and effective.

But in truth there is no one formula. Things work differently for different people.

jojim wrote: Kerry Minnear from GENTLE GIANT played all the songs only on the piano. Afterwards the band joined in the rehearsals and added sound and ideas. You can hear it on "Under construction" a double CD . Very interesting.

Agree

TheWebernBullet wrote: Creating music that is "progressive" requires ideas; asthetic and musical ones. You cannot judge a progressive theme(melody)from a non-progressive one, nor any use of musical material at all for that fact. Its about creating art, this is why bands like Yes can sound like a 70s rock band and be progressive they had ideas that required progression, they just didn't sit down one day and say "hey lets write long pretentious music that follows Sonata Form" their muscal ideas sometimes required more or less from them(and their still great rock music)

Tales From Topographic Oceans is a good example of how Yes, or rather Anderson & Howe did sit down and say 'Lets write some long pretentious tracks' or words to that effect. Whatever processes Yes employed before to write songs had been partially abandonned for this album, so that a chapter of music could be composed to fit on a side of vinyl. One Wakemens gripes about the album. Song writing as a band must be a complicated process for a prog band IMO, I guess thats why so much work comes out of jam sessions.

Jam sessions prove very fruitful. I bet most work starts with one or a few separate guitar or keyboard riffs and/or a vague idea for some lyrics

Los Endos, by Genesis is a good example of a track that came out of a jam session. A lot of what Genesis and Rush wrote came out of jam sessions either in the studio or during sound checks on tour.

I think the original wave of progressive bands (Crimson, Genesis, Yes, ELP, Tull, Buck's Fizz, etc) set out with a genuine desire to extend the rock format by incorporating other genres (eg. Classical & Jazz) into their sound. In addition, I believe Krauthead has a point in that the equipment they used also contributed to the spirit of innovation as without such things like mellotrons, multi-track recorders and the then cutting edge effects units (echoplex's, flanger's and phasers) I don't think half of the music in the heads of the artists at the time would have been translated onto tape.

Socially, the late 60's were a time of cultural change and I'm sure the times in which these guys and girls lived also contributed to the pioneer spirit that gave us such revolutionary items as, 'In the Court Of The Crimson King' and flared trousers.