As a pianist of almost 12 years, I’ve never really thought of the question, “How do you make music?” As I explored anonymous tips for topics of my blog, I was asked this question. It took me a while, but I decided I would answer this question by not only saying “How?” but also “Why?”

            First, how do we make music? Well, it depends on the meaning of the question you ask. If you ask how you make it with an instrument, it’s all down to arts and science. Take a trumpet, for example (I play that instrument too). There are valves, tubing, and holes to fit for making sound. If you press one valve, then blow air through the instrument, the waves will travel and produce a certain sound. The same goes for a combination of valves. For string instruments, it’s almost the same, except the string is also the wave, in a sense. Each string has a certain wave capability, matching a pitch. This is why every note on a piano, guitar, violin, or any string instrument depends on the string (or strings) being utilized to make that certain sound.

            If you ask how to make music, as in songs, it has to be something you feel. You can’t just expect to write a song and it be good. I know this will sound weird to some, but it has to come from your heart. If you have a passion for music, and you are good at writing poems, you can be a really good songwriter. As far as putting music to the words, once again, you have to feel it.

            Now, why do we make music? What exactly is behind the making of music? Music has given a voice to the unspeakable. It offers a pathway to our inner selves that we can escape to at any given moment. Any song can be entertainment or a real story hidden behind the walls of notes and sound. It really depends on the songwriter and the musician. If they want to give an edge of entertainment, they are welcome to do so. If they want to add a bit of their own story, there are also welcome to do that.

            With playing songs on a piano, I like to give my own “voice” to what I may be playing. I might change dynamics (how loud or soft it is) in a certain spot or change my tempo (fast or slow), but in any case, I like to improvise a bit.

            Be spontaneous with your music. And may the notes be with you.