How to Describe a Song
Pinpoint the genre., Look into the lyrics., Educate yourself in formal notation.Formal notation is the way musicians describe the objective details of music accurately to their fellow players., List the musicians involved.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Pinpoint the genre.
Genres categorize music within overarching umbrellas; large amounts of music tied together via a common tone or structural approach, but usually both.Referring to genre is the easiest way you can describe music to someone.
Genres may refer primarily to the sound, but they come with a lot of preconceptions, including lyrical content and artistic intention.
If the song you're trying to describe fits what you know of the genre, the genre-tag will become that much more useful to you.
In modern music, it is common for musical groups to draw from two or more genres to develop a unique character of their own.
Calling a band 'eclectic' is a decent start if they're playing in many different genres.
Try to keep your genre tags limited to one or two however; anything more and you'll just end up confusing whomever you're talking to.
The Beatles, for instance, incorporate many styles, but they're best seen as pop.
Led Zeppelin could be considered anything from progressive to blues or metal, but they're arguably best pegged as bluesy hard rock.
For example, you might say: "Deathspell Omega's "Obombration" is an interesting song for the band.
It has the atmosphere of orthodox black metal, but the instruments used are largely orchestral, making it sound like very dark classical music." -
Step 2: Look into the lyrics.
The majority of songs you'll hear are quite clear in their topics.
Many pop songs, for example, concern romantic encounters the singer has had.
If the song's meaning isn't already apparent to you, do some research online to learn what the song is about.
Many songs-- especially classics-- will have some info as to the story behind them.
Using this story alongside your description will help to specify the character of the song.
For example, you might say: "Pink Floyd's "Dogs" tells a story of dogs being aggressive in their nature, but it's also a cynical commentary on the 'dog eat dog' mentality in modern society.
This cynical undertone has a big effect on the song's atmosphere."
It takes years to develop a masterful understanding of notation, but having a general idea as to the tools musicians use to communicate with one another will help out a lot.
The 'key' of a song refers to the chords and set of notes it predominantly uses.
A 'minor key'
for instance, tends to sound inherently sad, while a 'major key' is often uplifting.
Tempo refers to the speed of the music, or the pace of the beat. , Giving an outline of the particular people involved in the making of the music is most important in performance-based styles of music, like jazz.
For popular forms of music, telling someone which singer(s) are involved will give them the best idea as to the sound of the song.
Many of the best-known singers have very distinctive vocal qualities, and merely giving a name may give the person you're talking to a clearer idea what to expect in a song.
For example: "Miles Davis In A Silent Way is a wonderful album, and I think a good part of it is owed to the fact that Chick Corea and John McLaughlin (among others) took part in it.
If you listen close, you can hear their personalities mingling in with Davis' own." -
Step 3: Educate yourself in formal notation.Formal notation is the way musicians describe the objective details of music accurately to their fellow players.
-
Step 4: List the musicians involved.
Detailed Guide
Genres categorize music within overarching umbrellas; large amounts of music tied together via a common tone or structural approach, but usually both.Referring to genre is the easiest way you can describe music to someone.
Genres may refer primarily to the sound, but they come with a lot of preconceptions, including lyrical content and artistic intention.
If the song you're trying to describe fits what you know of the genre, the genre-tag will become that much more useful to you.
In modern music, it is common for musical groups to draw from two or more genres to develop a unique character of their own.
Calling a band 'eclectic' is a decent start if they're playing in many different genres.
Try to keep your genre tags limited to one or two however; anything more and you'll just end up confusing whomever you're talking to.
The Beatles, for instance, incorporate many styles, but they're best seen as pop.
Led Zeppelin could be considered anything from progressive to blues or metal, but they're arguably best pegged as bluesy hard rock.
For example, you might say: "Deathspell Omega's "Obombration" is an interesting song for the band.
It has the atmosphere of orthodox black metal, but the instruments used are largely orchestral, making it sound like very dark classical music."
The majority of songs you'll hear are quite clear in their topics.
Many pop songs, for example, concern romantic encounters the singer has had.
If the song's meaning isn't already apparent to you, do some research online to learn what the song is about.
Many songs-- especially classics-- will have some info as to the story behind them.
Using this story alongside your description will help to specify the character of the song.
For example, you might say: "Pink Floyd's "Dogs" tells a story of dogs being aggressive in their nature, but it's also a cynical commentary on the 'dog eat dog' mentality in modern society.
This cynical undertone has a big effect on the song's atmosphere."
It takes years to develop a masterful understanding of notation, but having a general idea as to the tools musicians use to communicate with one another will help out a lot.
The 'key' of a song refers to the chords and set of notes it predominantly uses.
A 'minor key'
for instance, tends to sound inherently sad, while a 'major key' is often uplifting.
Tempo refers to the speed of the music, or the pace of the beat. , Giving an outline of the particular people involved in the making of the music is most important in performance-based styles of music, like jazz.
For popular forms of music, telling someone which singer(s) are involved will give them the best idea as to the sound of the song.
Many of the best-known singers have very distinctive vocal qualities, and merely giving a name may give the person you're talking to a clearer idea what to expect in a song.
For example: "Miles Davis In A Silent Way is a wonderful album, and I think a good part of it is owed to the fact that Chick Corea and John McLaughlin (among others) took part in it.
If you listen close, you can hear their personalities mingling in with Davis' own."
About the Author
Brian Stokes
Specializes in breaking down complex organization topics into simple steps.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: