jeremyruppel Songwriting Reference
Load this skill when composing or improving individual musical parts. Read the relevant topic file for the part you're writing:
- bass.md — Bass line theory, patterns, genre conventions
- breakbeats.md — CCBreakbeat slicing, rearrangement, genre applications
- chords.md — Voicing, voice leading, progressions, extensions
- melody.md — Contour, motif, phrasing, tension/resolution
- rhythm.md — Drum patterns, swing, ghost notes, genre grooves
- scales.md — Scales, modes, when to use each, SC usage
Universal Principles
These apply to every part, every genre, every session.
1. Repetition with variation
The #1 rule of music. Repeat a phrase, then change one thing — a note, a rhythm, an octave, a rest. Listeners need patterns to latch onto and surprises to stay engaged.
2. Space is musical
Use Rest() liberally. Don't fill every subdivision. The silence between notes defines the groove as much as the notes themselves.
3. Register separation
Keep parts in their own frequency range so they don't fight:
- Bass: octave 2–3
- Chords/pads: octave 3–4
- Melody/leads: octave 4–5
4. Complementary rhythms
If one part is on the beat, another should syncopate. If the kick is steady, the bass should move around it. Parts that hit at the same time collapse into mush.
5. Contrast
If one section is dense, the next should be sparse. If one part is staccato, pair it with something sustained. Contrast creates structure.
6. No axis progressions
Never use Am-F-C-G (I-V-vi-IV) or any rotation. Use more interesting harmony — modal interchange, chromatic mediants, suspended chords, minor progressions with color.