So I got thinking about this (as I often do). I really like the sound of an electric piano. In my own compositions, I'm more likely to use electric piano than regular piano. Partially because the sound of the fake piano on my keyboard doesn't sound particularly good to me but also because I prefer electric piano. It's probably because of all of the Zombies songs I listen to. At their time at Decca, only three songs were released with piano; the rest feature electric piano or organ.
In any case, I got thinking about certain musical elements I like. Along with the sound of electric piano, I adore the sound of a Hammond organ, and I like hand claps as long as they're in an interesting rhythm. I hate the standard one-clap-on-the-first-of-four-beats sort of clapping.
Because NaNoWriMo was last month, I'd been reading Chris Baty's No Plot? No Problem! In the section of the book that explains how to come up with at least a general plot, he explains his two Magna Cartas. On the first, you're supposed to answer the question "What, to you, makes a good novel?" He writes that "Anything that floats your fictional boat should go on the list" and explains that "the things you appreciate as a reader are also the things you'll likely excel at as a writer. These bits of language, color, and technique, for whatever reason, make sense to your creative brain."
The second Magna Carta (called "Magna Carta II, the Evil Twin of Magna Carta I") lists "those things that bore or depress you in novels." The point is to avoid writing these into your novel.
I couldn't help but notice that my mental listing of instruments that I like the sound of was akin to the Magna Carta Exercise. And then I had the idea to apply my list in the same way that the Magna Cartas apply to NaNoWriMo. February Album Writing Month provides me with the perfect opportunity to do this. Like NaNoWriMo, it's a challenge that takes place during a single month. I can create a list of things I like about music and then try to stick as many of those elements as possible into the songs that I write during FAWM.
Of course, it doesn't apply in exactly the same way. Just because I like the sound of an instrument doesn't mean that I have the ability to play it. But I still think the Magna Carta idea could work as a general template.
And while I do intend to do this idea eventually, I don't think I'll be doing it any time soon. My problem is that I have too many musical projects that have objectives that conflict with each other. I stick with these projects for one year at a time, and the projects that I have in mind for the next two years either totally prevent my using electric piano and organ or constrain me from using them as fully as I'd like.
But I still think that applying the Magna Carta Exercise to FAWM is a good idea. I just probably won't get around to doing it for a few years.
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