Stop Saying You Can't Make Interesting Songs

The eye uses central vision for clear details and peripheral vision for blurry surroundings. This dual system saves processing power and makes eye movement easier.

The brain isolates and focuses on specific sounds and melodies it deems important, similar to how it processes visual information.

Understanding that brains want to focus on certain sounds, melodies, and patterns at any given time is crucial for music production.

Playing multiple interesting elements simultaneously creates a horrible sound. Organizing and focusing on one sound at a time produces better results.

An interesting idea in music production consists of four common elements found across literature, reading, and music analysis.

• Engaging: makes listeners emotionally invested in the track • Repeating: makes it easier for listeners to remember the track later • Catchy: puts people into a loop they cannot escape • Surprising: unexpected elements that capture attention

Successful compositions in electronic dance music and other genres create interesting pieces by following these four pillars.

The ideal melody should incorporate all four elements simultaneously, though achieving all four boxes is challenging.

A good melody should be engaging, catchy, repeating, and interesting all at once. It should incorporate as many of the four pillars as possible.

• Try to whistle your melody to test memorability • Check if people can remember the melody after a single listening

Around the World by Daft Punk exemplifies all four pillars: it immediately engages listeners, repeats throughout, is catchy and memorable, and was surprisingly uses vocoder and melodies in 1997.

A textbook example melody demonstrates that incorporating all elements creates a universally recognizable and memorable track.

Sound design is becoming increasingly popular in electronic dance music because synthesizers, instruments, and effects provide more capabilities. Minimal techno currently relies almost completely on sound design.

A track that dominated Beatport charts for almost a year demonstrates how interesting sound design creates successful music through vocal and synth design that is engaging, repeating, catchy, and surprising.

• Sound design on vocals • Sound design on synthesizers and scenes • Balance between vocal and strong synth elements

Sound design relevance will only increase as producers and artists have access to more advanced tools and capabilities.

Groove is especially important for dance and drum-heavy genres. People unintentionally move with the groove, which makes them engage with the music despite melodic or sonic simplicity.

A track can lack significant melodic or sonic differences but still engage listeners immediately through strong groove that makes people want to move and dance.

Good groove-driven tracks are repeating, engaging, and catchy. Surprise is not necessary when groove quality is high enough to drive engagement.

• Memeability is a new and increasingly relevant factor in track popularity • Tracks gain popularity when they are very memeable, driving listener engagement • Memeable songs always follow the four pillars: engaging, repeating, catchy, and surprising