by
Jim » Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:50 pm
Hello fellow LMMS users, my composer nom de guerre is Lambtron. I've been using LMMS since 2012 and, despite the fact that I never studied music theory or learned to play an instrument, I've managed to create a couple albums worth of decent songs (IMHO). I discovered early on that composing is more than just fun; it's theraputic. And frankly, a bit addictive.
Composition strategy
I rarely have a plan when starting a new song. I typically begin by placing an arbitrary combination of instruments onto tracks and then fiddle with them until I've created a group of measures I like. Said fiddling may involve the addition of automation tracks, filters, and pitch shifting. Next, I construct variations of the group via joyful tinkering, thus producing a multitude of disconnected yet similar groups. I then arrange and stitch the groups together into a contiguous sequence. In some cases I'll fabricate and insert new measures at group boundaries, or augment the composition with new instruments, or both, to help pull the disparate groups together in a harmonious way. As if by magic, a melody will inevitably appear, which I then reinforce and embellish. I'm always amazed when I finish, because it seems as though the melody is not my own design, but that of some higher power who knew all along what was to be created.
Examples
Circle of Life
Hoofa
Malachite Groove