# Struggling writing intros for pieces



## Assa (Jul 11, 2016)

This is something I always struggle with. I somehow have often problems connecting my intro and my melodic idea.

I had this melodic idea just yesterday:

I tried to write an intro for it and started arranging it (not my template I used here, just used a few sketch patches, so it's not great quality)


A friend came over and I showed it to her. She said the transition felt very abrupt and I do believe that she's right. I'm just not sure why it always happens to me. Harmonically I personally think it fits together. Of course I did not use a "melody hint" in the intro here, I just wanted to "set the mood" first, but this was intentionally.

Any tips here? How can I improve? I'd appreciate every opinion and advice. Maybe you could share your approaches.


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## d.healey (Jul 11, 2016)

I think the intro is fine but the transition between the two is distracting because of the sudden change in instrumentation. Perhaps holding the underlying strings a little longer will smooth out the transition.


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## kmlandre (Jul 11, 2016)

There's an implied harmonic pace/rhythm in the melody when it's played by itself. While your intro fits harmonicly chord-wise, it doesn't seem like it fits rhythm-wise.

But more importantly, it's a perfectly good melody. Why waste time on fluff? Just get straight to it because a listener isn't going to walk away trying to hum the intro. Spend the that extra 20 seconds developing the melody a second time instead of decorating it in wrapping paper. 

Save what you're tying to for a reintroduction of the melody later, after you've moved away from it and the listener is just begging to hear that main theme again. 

-- Kurt


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## Dave Connor (Jul 11, 2016)

An introduction should be kept inferior musically to the main theme or material. It should tend toward being static harmonically as well. Your piece sounds like it's off to the races with a chord sequence and almost developmental writing from the start (i.e. as if you have started or are already in the middle of the piece.) The energy level shouldn't be superior to the proper start as well (business/tempo.) Simplify in every way.

If you can foreshadow the accompaniment and then allow the main tune to come in over it you will have a seamless intro. If there is only a single chord or say two chords (I - V for example) then the listener will hear it as intro. Most importantly, the psychological effect must be to create anticipation; that the music has not begun because indeed it hasn't.


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## VincentiZghra (Jul 12, 2016)

Hey man I really love your melodic idea here. I'm not an expert on composition at all but for me this is mostly a question of "room". 

You're setting the mood extremely nicely with the introductory strings and piano chords. Try having the piano and strings become subtler for the start of the main melodic theme, that small change will probably be enough to set apart the introduction and the melodic section.

I also like what Dave is saying about the energy level(and everything else).

Thanks for sharing this


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## Assa (Jul 12, 2016)

Hey guys,

thank you all for your valuable replies, much appreciated. I'll apply your suggestions after I return from vacation, already looking forward to it 

I do also like Daves post very much, you really nailed it with your reply. But besides from that example I do have a lot of other pieces or themes I created where I somehow couldn't find an introduction that satisfied me...so my question to all of you is: 
Do you have approaches that do always work? I mean like you write a theme, maybe a secondary theme and after you've done that you alredy know a few ways how you could potentially start your piece ( Like knowing a few formulas you can apply )

I know it may be a weird thing to ask...a lot of things came naturally to me, e.g. I can find b sections or reharmonize things quite quickly, but I'm definitely lacking the skill of writing an introduction for a piece and also structurizing things is sometimes a problem for me. I wonder if this is linked up somehow :D


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## VincentiZghra (Jul 12, 2016)

I throw away a lot of sheet paper(digital ofcourse <3 trees).

But in all seriousness yes. I don't always have approaches that work but I'm never afraid to try another approach either so in the end I usually come up with something that I find really works. I'm experimental in most things I do tho and the path of exploration within themes I find is something I really love and it's also my main method...

This may not help you at all ofcourse... Sorry if so.


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## mikehamm123 (Jul 12, 2016)

The intro should leave them wanting more... then the rest of the piece should give them more


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## mikehamm123 (Jul 12, 2016)

I'm starting a piece that will end with heavy percussion, using purchased drum loops. So I'm writing the finale first, to fit the rhythms. Then I will do the intro and middle spots, so I've set myself a puzzle that deals with exactly what you are wrestling with--writing the meat of the piece, and then setting it up properly. 

Hope I can pull it off! Dave's comment is food for thought.


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## JPQ (Jul 12, 2016)

I have problems with endings and chaning part 1 to 2 etc. even some other things... i post this i understand this kind hard problems.


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## Chandler (Jul 13, 2016)

Unfortunately I can't listen to your example right now, but I usually choose 1 element and focus on that during the intro. If we break music into melody, harmony and rhythm we can use one(and usually only 1) in our intros. For example it's common to take the melody and play it by itself with no rhythm in the background and no harmony(sometime a drone or a diad will be played). Often this is played on a different insturment than what is used in the main theme. I often hear this in Pop music and slow movie soundtracks.

You can also do the same thing with rhythm. Get a drum beat or even a rhythmic ostinato going and use that as your intro. Often times it is simplified a bit, so it doesn't over shadow the main part of the song though. I often hear this in trailer style music and hiphop.

Finally you can just play the chord progression from your song, but be careful not to add too much or the main part of your song won't pop. In many old jazz songs they take the last 4 to 8 bars and play them as chords and use different arrangement techniques or have someone improvise tastefully over it.

These are some of the approaches I usually use. For intros I think the 3 Rs are important. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.


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## Paul T McGraw (Jul 19, 2016)

Dave Connor said:


> An introduction should be kept inferior musically to the main theme or material. It should tend toward being static harmonically as well. Your piece sounds like it's off to the races with a chord sequence and almost developmental writing from the start (i.e. as if you have started or are already in the middle of the piece.) The energy level shouldn't be superior to the proper start as well (business/tempo.) Simplify in every way.
> 
> If you can foreshadow the accompaniment and then allow the main tune to come in over it you will have a seamless intro. If there is only a single chord or say two chords (I - V for example) then the listener will hear it as intro. Most importantly, the psychological effect must be to create anticipation; that the music has not begun because indeed it hasn't.



I believe your comments are spot on target, and you explained your thinking brilliantly.


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## Dave Connor (Jul 19, 2016)

Very kind of you to say Paul. The brilliance is from my teacher, the late Harold V. Johnson. He has some very illustrious students working in the film, classical and other music fields today. He was the type of teacher that would have fit in at any teaching institution throughout history, so throrough was his knowledge and coverage of everything from figured bass to contemporary harmony and composition (he was head of the So., Cal Conservatory of Music.) My comments on writing an intro are right out of his books.


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