# Jp Composition Basics

> J-Pop composition fundamentals - the full composition workflow (drums → chords → bass → melody), basic music theory, rhythm patterns, diatonic chords, and cadences. Use when the user wants to write a J-Pop/Japanese-style song from scratch, asks about the step-by-step composition workflow, or needs basic music theory (intervals/chord construction/scale degrees/functional harmony).

- Skill: `jtydhr88/jp-composition-basics` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add jtydhr88/jp-composition-basics`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/jtydhr88/jp-composition-basics/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Productivity
- Author: jtydhr88 (https://skillmd.com/u/jtydhr88)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/jtydhr88/jp-composition-basics

---


# J-Pop Composition Basics

> Purpose: write a J-Pop song from zero; look up composition workflow steps; look up basic theory (intervals/degrees/chord construction/functional harmony/cadences/rhythm patterns).

Sources: 《できる ゼロからはじめる作曲 超入門》 (Hidetoshi Takumi) + 《もっと！思いどおりに作曲ができる本》 (Ken Kawamura), Chapter 1.
Intended as a working reference while actually writing songs. All examples default to Key=C, 4/4 time; to change key, shift by Roman-numeral degrees (12-key diatonic chord tables in [reference.md](reference.md)).
Chord progressions are always notated both ways: letter symbols plus Roman-numeral degrees.

## 1. The Full Composition Workflow (Recommended Order)

Trade-offs between the two starting points:
- **Melody-first (メロディ先行)**: melodies come out naturally singable, and harmony can be tailored to the melodic climax; but beginners struggle to pick chords for a melody, and the connections easily turn awkward.
- **Harmony-first (ハーモニー先行)**: using stock chord patterns (コードパターン) locks in the mood quickly and the connections flow smoothly; but melodic motion gets constrained and easily turns bland.
- **Recommended for beginners: lay down a chord progression from stock patterns first, then place the melody on top**; the ideal state is conceiving both in parallel.

Mindset: in pop/rock/jazz, thinking about music in terms of chords is itself "small-scale composing" (小さな作曲) — deciding chord order and how to play them, making phrases and rhythm patterns, thinking about arrangement: all of it counts as composition. Not reading notation or playing an instrument is no barrier to starting.

This skill's complete production workflow (minimal "one-person band" instrumentation):

```
① Drums (ドラム)       Build an 8-bar 8-beat drum pattern (velocity dynamics, fills in bars 4/8, Crash at section start)
② Chords (コード)      Assemble 8 bars from cadences/stock patterns → substitute chords → harmonic rhythm → voice leading
③ Bass (ベース)        Root notes on strong beats, rhythm locked to the Kick, adjust Duration, add octaves/fifths/ornament tones
④ Backing (バッキング)  Add minimal rhythm to the chords (comping/コンピング), balance three track volumes to leave room for the melody
⑤ Melody (メロディ)    Pick timbre & range → pentatonic scale → draw the outline → vertical ornaments → horizontal adjustments → motif repetition/contrast → 8 bars
⑥ Sections (セクション) 8-bar sections ×2–3 form 1 chorus-cycle (A-melo → B-melo → sabi), with three-element contrast between sections
```

- The three great elements of music: **melody (メロディ, the song's face), rhythm (リズム, speed and groove), harmony (ハーモニー, the "clothing" that determines the overall impression)**. The bass straddles harmony and rhythm — the hub connecting the two (the unsung hero).
- Register layering convention (piano roll): **low octave = bass (around C1–C2), middle octave = chords, high octave = melody**. C3 = middle C (some software labels it C4).
- Free DAWs to start with: Studio One Prime (Win/Mac), Cakewalk by BandLab (Win), GarageBand (Mac/iOS).

## 2. Rhythm and Drums

### Beat, Meter, and Metric Accent

- **Tempo = the speed of the beat** (BPM = beats per minute; BPM 60 → 1 beat = 1 second, BPM 120 → 1 beat = 0.5 seconds).
- **Beat feel (8ビート/16ビート) = how densely each beat is subdivided** (halved → 8-beat, quartered → 16-beat). The two are independent: the same absolute Hi-hat interval is an 8-beat at BPM 120 but sounds like a 16-beat at BPM 60.
- Weight structure of 4/4 (two stacked duple meters): **beat 1 strongest, beat 2 weak, beat 3 medium-strong, beat 4 weakest** (◎ ○ large○ small○).
- 表拍/裏拍 = downbeat/offbeat (on-beat/back half of the beat). Shifting an accent off its expected beat position = **syncopation (シンコペーション)**; an accent shifted earlier is strictly called anticipation (アンティシペーション). It is a defining trait of pop music — use it actively.
- Applying strong/weak beats: rhythm patterns, **chord-change timing, and melodic accents** are all placed with reference to the strong beats (the bass must put the root on the strong beat where the chord changes — see Section 6), which is what makes the finished track feel tight.

### The Drum Kit and Basic Patterns

The three essential kit pieces = **Kick (キック, bass drum, "don"), Snare (スネア, "ta"), Hi-hat (ハイハット, "chi")** — the basic beat is built from these three alone.
**Crash (クラッシュ)** marks the accent at the start of a section; **Toms (タム)** are used in fills before section changes / in the second half of a bar.

| Pattern | Hi-hat | Snare | Kick |
|---|---|---|---|
| **8-beat (8ビート)** (first choice) | Steady 8th notes (8 hits per bar, closed) | Beats 2 & 4 = **backbeat (バックビート)** | Beat 1 + other 8th-note slots avoiding the snare (e.g. the offbeat of beat 2) |
| **16-beat (16ビート)** | Steady 8ths or 16ths | Beats 2 & 4 | Free placement on the 8th/16th grid; 16th offbeats give a busier feel |
| **Shuffle (シャッフル)** | Triplet positions 1 & 3 (12 slots per bar) | Beats 2 & 4 | Same as Hi-hat (triplet positions 1 & 3) |

- 16-beat shuffle: 24 slots per bar; take positions 1, 3, 4, 6 of each sextuplet.
- GM drum mapping: Kick=C1, Snare=D1, Closed HH=F#1, Open HH=A#1, Toms=F1/G1/A1/B1. Non-GM sound sources may map differently.
- For a first composition, go straight to the 8-beat — the foundation of rock/pop — and make variations by adding/removing Kicks on the 8th-note slots.

### Velocity and Groove (グルーヴ)

Adding dynamics to a mechanical beat = the core of groove. Velocity design for each 8-beat kit piece:

1. **Hi-hat**: within each beat, alternate the two 8ths as "strong–weak";
2. **Snare**: beats 2 & 4 are metrically weak positions, but hitting them deliberately hard manufactures forward drive (the backbeat);
3. **Kick**: beat 1 strong, offbeat of beat 3 weak; a Kick landing on the offbeat of beat 2, if it is an anticipation of "the strong beat 3 pulled one 8th earlier", is treated as **strong**.

- **The three ingredients of groove**: velocity dynamics + tiny timing offsets (human "feel" off the grid) + note lengths and gaps (rests).
- Another source of heaviness/lightness (relative timing): a Snare **slightly behind** the Kick = heavy; **slightly ahead** = light.
- Velocity literally means "key-strike speed": the faster, the sharper the attack and the louder the note.

### Extending the Drum Track: 1 → 2 → 4 → 8 Bars

Pop melodies use **8 bars** as one integral unit. Extension rules:

1. **1 → 2 bars**: copy, then make a small local change in bar 2 (e.g. change the Hi-hat on the offbeat of beat 4 from closed to open).
2. **2 → 4 bars**: bar 4 = the "comma" (読点 「、」) of the 8-bar whole; put a light fill = **fill-in (フィルイン, also called okazu おかず, lit. "side dish")** at its end (e.g. one Snare each on the down- and off-beat of beat 4: "tan-tan").
3. **4 → 8 bars**: **bar 8 is the biggest dividing point of the whole section; the fill must be longer than bar 4's, more finely subdivided, and include Toms**. Example (16th grid): beat 3 downbeat Floor Tom "don" + offbeat 16th Snare ×2 "taka"; beat 4 downbeat 16th Snare ×2 "taka" + offbeat high Tom "ton".
4. **Section-start marker**: replace the Hi-hat on beat 1 of bar 1 with a Crash ("shaan").

Writing conventions: **during a fill, continuously-ticking parts like the Hi-hat stop**; **the Crash is normally struck together with a Kick or Snare**.
Style notes: hip-hop/electronic music uses 32nd-note Hi-hat runs and 16th-note triplets to create a "stumbling" feel; the drum-machine aesthetic (ドラムマシン, iconic example: Roland TR-808) deliberately gives **no** dynamics to Hi-hat/Snare — cold, flat, and proud of it.

## 3. Basic Theory Quick Reference

### Note Values and Notation Basics

- There are only **12 basic pitches** (7 naturals + ♯/♭), cycling every octave — you can make music without reading notation, but staff notation is the most efficient communication tool when collaborating.
- Note-value fruit mnemonic (each level halves): **whole note = suika (スイカ, watermelon) → half = melon (メロン) → quarter = ringo (リンゴ, apple) → 8th = mikan (ミカン, mandarin orange) → 16th = ichigo (イチゴ, strawberry)**.
- Time signatures: 4/4 (written "C") = one bar holds 4 "apples"; 3/4 = 3 apples; 12/8 = 12 mandarins. Every bar must be **completely filled** with notes or rests (詰め物, "stuffing").
- **Dotted note (付点)** = duration ×1.5; **triplet (3連符)** = one beat divided in 3. Distributing the various notes/rests across a bar = **fu-wari (符割り, rhythm partitioning)**.
- When a complex rhythm is hard to read: **convert everything to 8th or 16th notes and count** — instantly clear.
- Accidentals: ♯ raises a semitone, ♭ lowers one, ♮ cancels; F♯ = G♭ (enharmonic equivalents). A **key signature** is written at the head of the staff and applies to every same-named note in the whole piece (all octaves); an **accidental** applies only within its bar and does not affect same-named notes in other octaves. 8va = play an octave higher, 8vb = an octave lower.

### Note Names and Intervals (Degrees)

- Do=C, Re=D, Mi=E, Fa=F, Sol=G, La=A, Si=B (**careful: Do is C, not A** — a very common beginner error). Japanese note names = ハニホヘトイロ (Ha-Ni-Ho-He-To-I-Ro).
- Degree-counting mnemonic (starting from the root, move one **semitone** per syllable chanted, black keys included):

| Mnemonic | Semitone steps | Result |
|---|---|---|
| りんご (ringo, "apple") | 3 | Major 2nd (−1 semitone = minor 2nd) |
| さくらんぼ (sakuranbo, "cherry") | 5 | Major 3rd (−1 semitone = minor 3rd) |
| パイナップル (painappuru, "pineapple") | 6 | Perfect 4th (+1 semitone = augmented 4th) |
| グレープフルーツ (gurēpufurūtsu, "grapefruit") | 8 | Perfect 5th (−1 = diminished 5th, +1 = augmented 5th) |
| こたつのうえのミカン (kotatsu no ue no mikan, "a mandarin on the kotatsu") | 10 | Major 6th (−1 semitone = minor 6th) |

- **2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th use major/minor (長/短); 1st, 4th, 5th, 8th use perfect/augmented/diminished (完全/増/減)**. The root itself = perfect unison (完全1度, ユニゾン); the octave = perfect 8th.
- 7th shortcut: count **downward** from the octave root — a semitone below = major 7th (△7), a whole tone below = minor 7th (7th). Works in every key.
- Tension-degree "subtract 7" rule: 9th−7 = 2nd, 11th−7 = 4th, 13th−7 = 6th (♭9=♭2, ♯9=♯2, ♯11=♯4, ♭13=♭6). **♭11 (= the 3rd) and ♯13 (= same pitch as the 7th) do not exist**.
- Degree-name (ディグリーネーム) writing rule: in chord names, ♯/♭ goes **after** the letter (D♯m7); in degree names, it goes **before** the Roman numeral (♯IIm7). Degrees stay the same after transposition — the same progression in different keys is recognizable at a glance.

### Chord Construction

How triads are built (two-step method): take a scale note as 1, pair it with the 5th note above (the fifth), then insert the 3rd note in the middle (the third) → "**1·3·5, every other note**" is the basis of all chords. The 7 diatonic triads fall into 3 types by their stack of thirds:

- **Major chord (メジャーコード)** = major 3rd below + minor 3rd above → scale positions 1, 4, 5 (C, F, G) = the "main cast (主要キャスト)"
- **Minor chord (マイナーコード)** = minor 3rd below + major 3rd above → positions 2, 3, 6 (Dm, Em, Am) = the "supporting cast (サブキャスト)"
- **m-5 (m♭5)** = minor 3rd + minor 3rd → position 7 (Bm-5), the diminished family

Keyboard-finding mnemonics (chant one syllable per semitone moved):
- **Major triad**: 「さくらんぼ（4 semitones → the 3rd）カワイイ（3 semitones → the 5th）だい好きだよ（5 semitones → the octave root — which also hands you the inversion）」 ("sakuranbo kawaii daisuki da yo" — "cherries are cute, I love them"; the syllable counts walk you from root to 3rd to 5th to octave root)
- **Minor triad**: 「かなしみ（3 semitones）あふれ出て（4 semitones）たえきれない（5 semitones）」 ("kanashimi afuredete taekirenai" — "sadness overflows, I can't bear it"; same walking method, minor flavor to match)

Seventh chords and altered forms, quick reference (root C examples):

| Chord | Notes | Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| C△7 | C·E·G·B | Octave root lowered a **semitone** |
| C7 | C·E·G·B♭ | Octave root lowered a **whole tone** |
| Cm7 / Cm△7 | Cm + B♭ / Cm + B | Same treatment applied to the minor triad |
| Cdim7 | C·E♭·G♭·A | Adjacent intervals **all minor 3rds**; charts write Cdim but players play Cdim7 |
| Caug | C·E·G♯ | 5th raised a semitone; adjacent intervals **all major 3rds**; Caug7 often substitutes for a dominant 7th |
| Csus4 | C·F·G | The 3rd suspended up to the 4th (suspend = hung up, awaiting resolution) |
| C7sus4 | C·F·G·B♭ | Commonly used with dominant function |
| Cm7(♭5) | C·E♭·G♭·B♭ | m7 with the 5th lowered a semitone; **the II chord of the minor-key two-five — appears constantly** |

### Chord Imagery Words (a Flavor Chart for Choosing Chords)

| Chord | Image |
|---|---|
| C | Very bright, upbeat, happy |
| Cm | Heavy and dark, sad |
| C△7 | Stylish (お洒落), urban, soft |
| C7 | Quirky, unstable (in dominant function), bluesy earthiness |
| Cm7 | Refined darkness, urbane weight |
| Cm△7 | Mysterious, an impure dark emotion |
| Cdim | Eerie, anxious, sinister |
| Caug | Bright but drifting, slightly comical and off-balance |
| Csus4 | Inorganic, unresolved |
| Cm7(♭5) | Slightly dark, unstable yet gorgeous (ゴージャス感) |

Bright-to-dark ordering: **C ＞ C7 ＞ Cm7 ＞ Cm** (adding a 7th darkens a major chord a little; adding one brightens a minor chord a little).

### Tension (テンション)

- Keep stacking thirds from the root: 1-3-5-7 = chord tones (コードトーン); scale notes stacked beyond the octave = tensions: **9th, 11th, 13th**.
- Natural tensions: 9, 11, 13; altered tensions (オルタード): ♭9, ♯9, ♯11, ♭13.
- Fashion metaphor: the triad = shoes (root) + trousers (3rd) + shirt (5th); the 7th = a hat (△7 top hat / 7th flat cap); tensions = accessories (9th necklace, 11th bracelet, 13th ring) — **no hat (no 7th), no accessories**: without a 7th, a 9th is written **add9** and a 13th is written **6th**.
- Effect comparison:

```
Plain:        C     → A7        → Dm7    → G7         → C
With tension: C△7(9) → A7(9,♭13) → Dm7(9) → G7(♭9,♭13) → C△7(9)
              I△7(9)  VI7(9,♭13)   IIm7(9)  V7(♭9,♭13)   I△7(9)
```

### Scales (スケール) and Modes

- **A major chord takes its same-named major scale**: a C chord proclaims "the sky of C" — the "birds" of the C major scale can fly anywhere without sounding off-key; switch to a D chord and you switch to the D major scale (D·E·F♯·G·A·B·C♯).
- The three minor scales (Key=Cm):
  1. **Natural minor (ナチュラル・マイナー)**: the major scale with degrees 3, 6, 7 lowered a semitone (C D E♭ F G A♭ B♭). A natural minor = all white keys, the **relative key (平行調)** of C major (same key signature, same notes, different starting point).
  2. **Harmonic minor (ハーモニック・マイナー)**: the 7th restored to a major 7th (B) = the **leading tone (導音)** — strong pull to resolve; side effect: the ♭6–7 gap becomes an augmented 2nd (1.5 tones), awkward to sing.
  3. **Melodic minor (メロディック・マイナー)**: the 6th is raised too (ascending: C D E♭ F G A B), removing the augmented 2nd — smooth and singable; **descending, the 6th and 7th revert** to natural minor (preserving the minor darkness).
- **Modal music (モード)** = music with no concept of "chord progression", not relying on dominant resolution (ドミナントモーション) or cadences — "floating in the pool all day".
  - Examples: `Dm7↔G7` vamp with **D Dorian**; a single `Cm` chord throughout (common in Club/Trance); a `Dm7↔Em7` vamp = modal parallel motion.
  - In practice, modal accompaniment often uses voicings that obscure tonality, such as **stacked fourths (4度積み)**. Okinawan folk songs and old Japanese folk melodies are also modal music.

## 4. Diatonic Chords and Functional Harmony

### Diatonic Chords (ダイアトニックコード, Key=C)

```
Degree:  I     IIm    IIIm    IV    V     VIm    VIIm-5
Triads:  C     Dm     Em      F     G     Am     Bm-5
7ths:    C△7   Dm7    Em7     F△7   G7    Am7    Bm7(♭5)
Function:T     SD     T(or D) SD    D     T      D
```

- The degree types are fixed in every major key: **1 major, 2 minor, 3 minor, 4 major, 5 major, 6 minor, 7 diminished (m-5)**.
- Minor key (natural-minor basis): **1 minor, 2 m-5, 3 major, 4 minor, 5 minor, 6 major, 7 major**; **in practice V is usually swapped for a major chord to gain dominant function** (in Am: Em → E).
- Textbooks usually teach with 7th chords (functions are clearer); in practice both triads and 7ths are common.
- The "family of seven" metaphor (Key=C = "the C household"; changing key = a different household with the same family structure): I△7 = the protagonist (cheeriest, most stable), IV△7 = mom (stylish and bright), V7 = dad (unstable but indispensable), VIm7/IIIm7 = the brothers (cool in a dark way, popular), IIm7 = the older sister (does the housework in mom's place = SD substitute), VIIm7(♭5) = the little sister (rarely on stage).

### The Three Functions and Cadences (ケーデンス)

| Function | How it sounds |
|---|---|
| **Tonic (トニック, T, I)** | Stable, calm, a sense of landing |
| **Dominant (ドミナント, D, V = a fifth above the tonic)** | Tension, with the power to resolve back to T |
| **Subdominant (サブドミナント, SD, IV = a fifth below the tonic = a fourth above)** | In between; can return directly to T, or push toward D for stronger tension |

The skeleton of chord progressions consists of only 3 cadences:

```
T→D→T       I→V→I        C→G→C        (go to the turnaround point, come back to the start)
T→SD→T      I→IV→I       C→F→C        (go to the midpoint, retrace your steps)
T→SD→D→T    I→IV→V→I     C→F→G→C      (through the midpoint to the turnaround, then home)
```

- Roller-coaster metaphor: T = the platform, D = the drop, SD = the curve — `C(T)→G7(D)→C(T)` alone is monotonous; insert SD for thrills: `C→F→G7→C→F→G7→F→G7→C`.
- Dinner-table metaphor: T = plain rice, D = the main dish (おかず), SD = miso soup — rice alone (`C C C C…`) gets tiresome; alternating creates depth: `C C F C | C C G C`.
- 8-bar assembly (splice cadences by sharing their head/tail T):

```
C  | F  | C  | G  | C  | F  | G  | C
I  | IV | I  | V  | I  | IV | V  | I     = cadences ②+①+③ spliced with shared T's
```

### Substitute Chords (代理和音) and Replacement

- Chords sharing ≥2 common tones have similar characters and can substitute for each other: **IIm (Dm) → acts as SD; IIIm, VIm (Em, Am) → act as T; VIIm-5 and IIIm can also act as D** (textbooks vary somewhat on assignments).
- Example: `I→IV→V→I` replaced as `VIm→IIm→V→I` (Am→Dm→G→C).
- **Two-five (ツーファイブ, II–V)**: replace the IV of IV→V with IIm → the bass gains an ascending-fourth leap, more forceful: `IIm7→V7→I` (Dm7→G7→C).
- **Deceptive cadence (偽終止)**: where T should return, go to VIm7 (Am7) or IIIm7 (Em7) instead → a floating feeling, "the song continues"; going to the major triad VI (A) = a pop variant of the Picardy cadence (ピカルディ終止).
- Combined demo (substitutes + two-five turning a simple progression into something with depth):

```
C → F → G7 → Am7 → F → G7 → Em7 → Am7 → Dm7 → G7 → C
I   IV   V7   VIm7  IV   V7  IIIm7  VIm7  IIm7   V7   I
(T) (SD) (D) (T-sub)(SD) (D) (T-sub)(T-sub)(←two-five→)(T)
```

- **Harmonic rhythm (ハーモニックリズム)**: varying when chords change (1 per bar → change on beat 3 → one per beat). Splitting methods: ① split within the same function (I→IIIm, i.e. C→Em); ② split into SD-then-D (V split into IIm→V, i.e. Dm→G). Varying the density of chord changes = varying the sense of speed = a kind of accent.
- Complete 8-bar example (after substitutes + harmonic rhythm + voice leading):

```
C | F | Em | G | Am Em | F | Dm G | C
I | IV| IIIm| V| VIm IIIm| IV| IIm V| I
```

### Voice Leading (ボイスリーディング)

- Between consecutive chords, move each voice lazily via "**common tone held (unison), step (2nd), small leap (3rd)**"; exploit **inversions (転回形)** (same notes, reordered stacking; written as slash chords C/E, G/B).
- **The top voice (トップ) is most easily heard as a melodic line** — design the top line's trajectory first (after voice leading, the Ōdō progression's top note drifts gently upward, the Canon progression's gently downward).
- When an inversion leaves a non-root note at the bottom, **having the bass supply the root keeps the chordal identity stable**.
- Traditional taboo: avoid a voice forming **parallel octaves** with the bass root (if needed, have the top voice descend by a 3rd instead of stepping).
- Inverting the whole voicing (flipping the top voice down an octave) changes register and color — try the same progression in different registers.

## 5. Classic Chord Progression Patterns (コードパターン)

The full set of 16 progressions (including bass clichés, chromatic versions, and theory commentary) is in [reference.md](reference.md). High-frequency patterns:

| Common name | Degrees | Key=C | Character / use |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Ōdō progression (王道進行, the "royal road" progression)** | IV→V→IIIm→VIm | F→G→Em→Am | The J-Pop classic, standard in the **sabi (サビ, the chorus/hook section)**; major front, minor back — bright→dark drop = drama; a loopable turnaround |
| **Canon progression (カノン進行)** | I→V→VIm→IIIm→IV→I→IIm→V | C→G→Am→Em→F→C→Dm→G | Roots descend in 5ths / ascend in 2nds — upright and stately; tours 6 diatonic chords, crystal-clear tonality |
| **Komuro progression (小室進行)** | VIm→IV→V→I | Am→F→G→C | Burned into Japanese ears by 90s J-Pop; minor start, major-tonic close |
| **Pop-punk progression (ポップパンク進行)** | I→V→VIm→IV | C→G→Am→F | Let It Be / Let It Go; variants IV→I→V→VIm, VIm→IV→I→V |
| **Circle progression (循環コード)** | I→VIm→IIm→V | C→Am→Dm→G | Loops indefinitely; second half = a two-five |
| **Reverse circle (逆循環)** | IIm→V→I→VIm | Dm→G→C→Am | Kinetic pair (IIm→V) up front, tonic-function pair bringing up the rear |
| **Maru-sa progression (丸サ進行, the "Just The Two of Us" progression)** | IV→III→VIm→Vm(→I) | F→E→Am→Gm(→C) | City pop / recent J-Pop; III and Vm = borrowed chords → floatiness and tension |
| **Rising anticipation** | IIIm→IV→V→VIm | Em→F→G→Am | Stepwise-climbing bass, mounting anticipation; swapping the opener for I/3 (C/E) is lighter |
| **Descending ballad** | VIm→V→IV→I | Am→G→F→C | Stepwise-descending bass; ballad (バラード) territory, lyrical character |
| **Rock three-chord** | I→V→IV→I | C→G→F→C | V→IV = a "weak progression", rock-specific; add 7ths to each (C7/F7/G7) = blues |
| **Canon descending cliché** | I→V/7→VIm→IIIm/5→IV→I/3→IIm→V | C→G/B→Am→Em/G→F→C/E→Dm→G | Bass walks down C-B-A-G-F-E-D-G = a bass-line cliché (ベースラインクリシェ) |
| **Scalewise ascending cliché** | I→V/2→I/3→IIm/4→I/5→IV/6→V/7→I | C→G/D→C/E→Dm/F→C/G→F/A→G/B→C | Bass walks up the scale; heavy use of inversions = floatiness |
| **Chromatic descending cliché** | I→V/7→♭VII→IV/6→IVm/♭6→II/#4→IV/V | C→G/B→B♭→F/A→Fm/A♭→D/F#→F/G | Bass descends chromatically C-B-B♭-A-A♭-F#-G; includes parallel-minor borrowings |
| **Chromatic ascending progression** | IV→II/#4→V→IVm/♭6→VIm→♭VII→V/7→I | F→D/F#→G→Fm/A♭→Am→B♭→G/B→C | Bass climbs chromatically from F to C; mixes secondary dominant + SDm + borrowings |
| **Parallel-minor borrowed rock** | I→♭III→♭VI→V→IVm→♭VII→Isus4→I | C→E♭→A♭→G→Fm→B♭→Csus4→C | Rugged and wild; contains the backdoor cadence IVm→♭VII→I |
| **Aug cliché (augクリシェ)** | I→Iaug→VIm/1→Iaug… | C→Caug→Am/C→Caug→F→Faug→Dm/F→Faug | Chromatic inner-voice motion; the Caug before F ≈ C7, acting as a lead-in |

Choosing a pattern:
- The same set of chords changes mood entirely when you **change the entry point**; the major/minor quality of the opening and closing chords determines the overall brightness.
- You don't have to start on the tonic: `IV→V→VIm→I / IIm→IIIm→IV→V` (F→G→Am→C / Dm→Em→F→G).
- Hip-hop/dance/Techno/Trance/Funk often use only 1–2 chords for a whole track (modal-music thinking).
- Patterns can be used verbatim, or reworked by adding chords, applying substitutes, or inverting.

### Non-Diatonic Chords (Borrowing and Color — Q&A digest)

Non-diatonic chords = **borrowed chords (借用和音)** temporarily taken from another key:

| Device | Description | Example (Key=C) |
|---|---|---|
| **Secondary dominant (セカンダリードミナント)** | Treat a diatonic chord as a temporary tonic and precede it with its dominant 7th | A7→Dm; D/F#→G; the E in the Maru-sa progression = the V of A minor |
| **Related IIm (リレイテッドIIm)** | The II chord paired with a secondary dominant | The Gm in Gm→C7→F (= the IIm of F major) |
| **Subdominant minor (サブドミナントマイナー)** | Borrow IVm or IIm-5 from the parallel minor; a distinctive setsunasa (切なさ, bittersweet ache), common before cadences | C→Am→Fm→C (I→VIm→IVm→I) |
| **Substitute/tritone dominant (裏ドミナント)** | ♭II, a tritone away from V, replaces the dominant | D♭→C instead of G7→C |
| **Passing diminished (パッシングディミニッシュ)** | Passing diminished chords give the bass chromatic ascent | C→C#m-5→Dm→D#m-5→Em |
| **Backdoor cadence (バックドアケーデンス)** | Resolution via IVm→♭VII→I | Fm→B♭→C |
| **IV/V slash chord** | Replaces V7; understated and refined (effectively V7sus4(9)), a city-pop staple | F/G→C |
| **sus2 parallel motion** | 3rd replaced by the 2nd — major/minor ambiguity, no need to resolve | Csus2→E♭sus2→D♭sus2→B♭sus2 |

## 6. Writing Bass Lines

The bass has two jobs: ① supporting the chords and bridging the gaps between them; ② teaming up with the drums to complete the rhythmic groove. Three timbre families: upright bass (ウッドベース, acoustic), electric bass (エレキベース), synth bass (シンセベース).

### Note-Choice Priority (Core Rule)

```
Strong beats where the chord changes (beats 1 and 3) MUST get the root (ルート). Everywhere else, in order of stability:
① Octave displacement of the root      ← most stable, least interference with the melody
② The chord's 5th
③ Other chord tones (the 3rd, etc.)
④ Ornament tones: passing tones (経過音, stepwise between two chord tones) /
   neighbor tones (刺しゅう音, step to a neighbor and back)
   ← ornament tones must be shorter than roots and chord tones
```

- Notes outside the chord — even outside the scale — cause almost no friction if treated as passing tones and placed on **the offbeat one beat before a chord change** (chord changes on beat 3 → place it on the offbeat of beat 2). But keep the basic shape as the core and use them only locally, or the accents stop standing out.
- A bass that avoids roots (continuous inversions) → thinner stability, more floatiness; can be done deliberately; notate the inverted bass in the chord symbol (G/B, C/G).
- A **leaping** bass line = an energetic impression; a **smooth stepwise** line = a settled impression. Choose by style. ① is simple and stays out of the melody's way; ④ turns the bass into something close to "a melody with motion" — good for fill positions.

### Rhythm and Duration

- **Basic principle: the bass sounds at the same moments as the Kick** — aligning the low-end weight creates unity. Essential for acoustic-style timbres; electronic styles may deliberately decouple.
- Letting the bass move independently where there is no Kick (the link into the next bar, positions matching fills) = speed within unity.
- **Three Duration levels**:

| Level | Feel | Term |
|---|---|---|
| 100% (no gaps) | Full, dignified, heavy | Tenuto (テヌート) |
| 80% | Balanced — clear yet weighty (**default recommendation**) | ≈ a fuller mezzo-staccato (メゾスタッカート) |
| 50% | Crisp and light, low rhythmic gravity | Staccato (スタッカート) |

　　In practice: set the whole track to 80% as a base, then shorten **individual local notes** to 50% → the groove gains dimension.
- Genre-defining bass patterns: dense 16th-note roots + chromatic approach tones at slow tempo = **Funk**; **octave alternation** of roots and passing tones at fast tempo = **House/Techno/Disco**. Same chord progression, different bass pattern = different genre.

## 7. Chord Backing (バッキング/Comping)

- Backing (バッキング) = the chordal accompaniment (piano/guitar); at this stage do only the most minimal comping (コンピング) — complex arpeggios (アルペジオ) and the like belong to arranging.
- Two timing relationships with drums and bass: **offset** = staggered accents → smooth flow, continuous drive; **aligned** = coinciding accents → the **kime (キメ, an all-hands unison accent hit)** effect, suited to section-boundary bars.
- Afterwards, balance the **volumes** of the drum/bass/chord tracks, aiming to leave clearly audible space for the upcoming melody.

## 8. Melody Writing (Six Steps)

A melody = a succession of clearly pitched notes arranged in time (vertical axis: pitch × horizontal axis: rhythm); the "protagonist" that gets remembered on one listen.

### ① Timbre and Range

- Avoid the piano/guitar already used in the backing; choose a timbre that **sustains** (vocal-like sounds, winds, strings, Synth Lead).
- Place it in a **register above the chords** (separating registers is the easiest way to keep it distinct at the beginner stage).
- Singable range guideline: **one octave to one octave + a 5th** (e.g. lowest note G3 → highest around D5).

### ② Restrict to the Pentatonic Scale (ペンタトニックスケール)

- Construction: stack 5ths upward from C (C→G→D→A→E) and fold into one octave = **C·D·E·G·A (do-re-mi-sol-la)** = the major pentatonic (scale degrees 4 and 7 removed).
- Removing F and B eliminates the two semitone pairs E–F and B–C → **almost no clashes with the chords**, friendly and memorable (universal from folk song to modern pop; example: 《蛍の光》).
- Fine print: in Key=C, over **Em7 and G7**, just avoid the note C (do) and everything else works.
- Pentatonic vs. heptatonic (ダイアトニックスケール, including F and B): pentatonic is simple and punchy, minimally chord-dependent; the seven-note scale is nuanced and can express **setsunasa (切なさ, bittersweet ache)** — good for ballads. A melody that deliberately leans on F and B "weeps" more. Switching between the two is itself usable as section/phrase contrast.
- Starter exercise (anti-writer's-block): first play with **just 1 note** (pick from D/E/G/A, e.g. E) in 8th-note units, free lengths and timing, over the whole progression — confirm it never sounds "off" no matter which chord it lands on; then freely combine the 4 notes (including different octaves) to get the pentatonic's characteristic friendly phrases.

### ③ Draw the Outline (アウトライン)

- In 2- or 4-beat units, connect only the "center note of each phrase" to form an outline; survey the whole before refining details.
- Psychological effect of direction: **ascending = tension rises; descending = tension releases; holding (same note) = tension sustained**.
- 5 basic shapes: uphill / downhill / mountain (rise then fall) / valley (fall then rise) / flat; an 8-bar melody = a mixture of these shapes = the melody's "story arc".
- **Adjacent notes (隣接音)** (neighbors on the pentatonic: do↔re↔mi↔sol↔la↔do) = gentle and calm; **distant notes (遠隔音)** (2+ positions apart) = steep, creating a sense of accent. (Mi→sol and la→do are leaps by interval, but on the pentatonic they may be treated as steps.)
- **Only adjacent → monotonous and plain; only distant → scattered and unfocused. The balance of the two is the key to a rich melody.**
- Outline worked example (8 bars over `C|F|Em|G|Am Em|F|Dm G|C`):

```
First connect 2–4-beat long tones using only adjacent motion/holds: E4 → G4 → A4 → G4 … (amble through bars 1–4)
From bar 5, climb stepwise E4→G4→A4→C5→D5 to the peak D5, then settle back   = a mountain-shaped story line
Then convert local spots to distant notes for accents: e.g. bar 4 A4→D4 big drop, bar 7 A4→D5 leap up
```

### ④ Vertical Ornaments (4 Patterns)

Add up-and-down "ripples" around each center note (still within the pentatonic):

1. Center note → upper/lower adjacent note → **back to the center note** (= neighbor tone, 刺しゅう音)
2. **Fill in the staircase** toward the next center note in the same direction (turning a leap into steps) (= passing tone, 経過音)
3. Step **the opposite way** first, then **leap** across (= escape tone, 逸音)
4. **Start from** the upper/lower adjacent note and fall onto the center note (= appoggiatura, 倚音)

Too much ornamentation makes the impression diffuse — **how much of the original outline to preserve** is a matter of balance.

### ⑤ Horizontal Adjustments (4 Rhythm Patterns)

1. **Shorten a phrase's final note to create a rest** = a breathing (ブレス) point, producing phrase segmentation — a rest before the next phrase begins is crucial.
2. **Add rests at a phrase's start or middle**: an opening rest creates speed (a kind of accent); mid-phrase rests chop the phrase into easily-heard chunks.
3. **Within a bar, shift onsets and change the balance of note lengths**: lengthened notes feel "heavy", shortened notes "light" → the rhythmic center of gravity and sense of speed change.
4. **Across the barline**: pull the opening note earlier into the previous bar's offbeat (anticipation, アンティシペーション), or let the final note sustain past the barline — moving a strong-beat note to a weak-beat timing = a powerful rhythmic accent.

③ and ④ together are called syncopation (シンコペーション). **Accents work only by contrast with "flat, unaccented phrases"** — don't add them everywhere.

### ⑥ Motif (モティーフ) and Phrase Construction

Structural hierarchy (fractal):

```
Sub-motif (部分動機, ≈1 bar) ⊂ Motif (動機/モティーフ, ≥2 notes, ≈2 bars) ⊂ Small phrase (小楽節, 4 bars) ⊂ Large phrase/section (大楽節/セクション, 8 bars)
```

- Two features that make motifs recognizable as "the same": **pitch contour + rhythm pattern**. Classic examples: 《さくらさくら》 = exact motif repetition → similar variation; 《ちょうちょ》 = pitch-varied repetition + rhythm-only repetition.
- Three principles of phrase construction:
  - **Repetition (反復)**: even exact repetition works — **the changing chords underneath will carry the same motif** (the listener's attention shifts to the harmony).
  - **Development (展開)**: similar variation — transposed repetition, **augmentation/diminution (拡大・縮小)** of rhythm/intervals, adding/removing notes, fragmentation (分裂・断片化), **retrograde (逆行)**, **mirror inversion (鏡写し)** (analysis of 《春の小川》); development also handles the phrase's "**close/wrap-up (収束/締め)**" = a cadential change at the phrase end (e.g. an obedient stepwise descent) + a rest on beat 4.
  - **Contrast (対比)**: joining motifs of different character (bars 1→2 of 《もみじ》 contain 3 contrast points: rhythm, contour, and distant notes). Four contrast parameters: **① note-length density ② contour direction/shape ③ adjacent vs. distant ④ expected accents vs. syncopation**; a compromise style = repeat the rhythm exactly and contrast only the contour; you can also contrast pitch material (first 2 bars pentatonic, next 2 heptatonic).
- Three schemes for the 8 bars (first 4 bars = before the turnaround, last 4 = after):

| First half | Second half | Resulting impression |
|---|---|---|
| Repetition | More repetition / development | Highly repetitive, **easiest to remember** |
| Repetition | Contrast | A different story in the second half, **strong sense of closure** |
| Contrast | Repetition / development | One big flow across both halves, **relaxed and unhurried** |

- Marathon metaphor: the end of bar 4 = the turnaround point; the second half can "keep the pace to the finish / change the mood entirely / recall the opening impression near the goal" (e.g. the last 2 bars of 《大きな栗の木の下で》 repeat the opening exactly → a sense of complete closure).

## 9. Section Design (One Chorus-Cycle)

### Terminology Map

| Japanese common name | Formal name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sabi (サビ) | Chorus (コーラス) / Theme (主題) | The chorus/hook — the most essential 8-bar section |
| A-melo (Aメロ) | Verse (ヴァース) | The verse; Western pop often goes Verse→Chorus directly |
| B-melo (Bメロ) | PreChorus (プレコーラス) / Bridge (ブリッジ) | The **characteristically Japanese** middle section |
| C-melo (Cメロ) | A kind of Bridge | A brand-new melodic section inserted before the final sabi |
| Intro (イントロ) | Introduction (イントロダクション) | The intro |
| Solo (ソロ) | Interlude/Solo | The instrumental break |
| Outro (アウトロ) | Ending (エンディング) | The outro (アウトロ is wasei-eigo, made-in-Japan English) |

- **1 chorus-cycle (1コーラス, "1番" = first verse-cycle) = A-melo → B-melo → sabi** = the main sections (メインセクション); instrumental sections (Intro/Solo/Outro) = side sections (サイドセクション).
- Typical full-song structure:

```
Intro → 1A → 1B → 1sabi → 2A → 2B → 2sabi → Solo → (C-melo →) final sabi → Outro
```

- Variants: **atama-sabi (頭サビ, opening directly with the chorus)**: sabi→1A→1B→1sabi→…; in the short-video era, **the Intro and Solo are often omitted**. Sections default to 8 bars but bars may be added/removed — even just 2 beats.
- "Ō-sabi (大サビ)" has two meanings: usually the final sabi; some industry usage means the C-melo (in which case the final sabi is called "rasu-sabi (ラスサビ, last sabi)").
- EDM section system: `Intro → Verse A → Buildup A → Drop A → Verse B (Breakdown) → Buildup B → Drop B → Outro`. Buildup arranging devices: downlifter (ダウンリフター, opening descending FX) → snare roll (スネアロール, accelerating snare hits) → riser (ライザー, ascending FX) → **Break** (2 beats–1 bar of silence to charge up before the climax). The **Drop** = the sabi position — often vocal-free with a Synth Lead as the protagonist.

### Inter-Section Contrast Principles

**Between sections, make one contrasting change in each of the three great elements**:

- **Rhythm**: change the drum pattern;
- **Harmony**: change the chord progression; design **which function each section departs from and lands on** (very effective); place **modulation (転調)** at section boundaries — the classic being a key change into the final sabi;
- **Melody — the six contrast tools**:
  1. Note-length density (rhythmic contrast)
  2. Contour direction and shape
  3. Stepwise vs. leaping
  4. Expected accents vs. syncopation
  5. Pentatonic vs. heptatonic scale
  6. **Vocal entry position**: on the downbeat (ジャスト) / after the strong beat (rest first — e.g. 《茶摘み》) / **pickup (弱起, アウフタクト/ピックアップ**, jumping in from the previous bar — e.g. 《大きな古時計》) — changes the melody's sense of speed.
- Adding/removing instruments, widening/narrowing register, and volume changes (arranging territory) are equally powerful mood movers. At the section level, the same "repetition × contrast" builds **the story of the entire song**.

### Lyric-Writing Notes (from the Composer's Perspective)

- Aim for "lyrics (作詞, リリック)" rather than "poetry (作詩, ポエム)": plan the development and contrast of content/scenes/themes per section.
- **Jiashi (字脚, syllable-count footing)**: verse 1 and verse 2 must keep nearly identical syllable counts to fit the same melody.
- End-of-line **rhyme (押韻)** is effective; keep the natural Japanese **pitch accent (イントネーション)** aligned with the melodic contour — word choice affects the melody's rhythmic feel.
- Rhetoric: repetition (memorable), inversion (impact), metaphor (message); humming/scat/shout syllables like 「アー」「ラ・ラ・ラ」「フゥ」 are fair game — use them freely.

## 10. Quick-Reference Card

```
Songwriting checklist:
□ Drums: three-piece 8-beat? Velocity (HH alternating / Snare hard on 2·4 / Kick strong on beat 1)?
      Small fill in bar 4, big fill + Toms in bar 8? Crash at section start? HH silent during fills?
□ Chords: T→SD→D→T skeleton? Picked from the pattern table? Substitute chords / harmonic-rhythm variation?
      Voice leading (common tones held · nearest motion · top-note line)?
□ Bass: roots on strong beats? Locked to the Kick? Duration 80% baseline with local 50%?
      Ornament tones short and on the offbeat before chord changes?
□ Backing: offset (flow) or aligned (kime)? Three-track balance leaving space for the melody?
□ Melody: pentatonic start? 5 outline shapes + adjacent/distant balance? 4 vertical-ornament patterns?
      Rests for breathing? Motif repetition × contrast?
□ Sections: one change per element between adjacent sections? Vocal entry position varied?
      Modulate for the final sabi or not?
The universal keyword = balance: ornament vs. original outline, adjacent vs. distant,
syncopated vs. flat, repetition vs. contrast
—— accents and personality only work by contrast with the "plain parts".
```

Key-change workflow: ① write the progression in degrees in C major → ② use the 12-key table in [reference.md](reference.md) to convert the degrees into the target key's chord names → ③ re-connect the voices by nearest motion per voice-leading principles. Degree ("je

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