Have you ever found yourself in need of some sad music? Perhaps your heart has broken or you are facing major changes in life? No matter the reason, there are ways to turn up the volume on your favorite tunes without making it all seem so heavy and painful?
1. Play in the Lower Dynamic Range
Dynamic range refers to the ability of an audio signal to change in volume. It’s essential for audio mastering because it enables engineers to bring up the quietest parts of a song and make them louder through compression, limiters or other compression techniques.
Dynamic range, also referred to as ‘depth of sound’, is an important tool in determining how punchy or dynamic a track sounds. Additionally, it plays an important role in photography by helping reduce noise that can be seen in photographs.
This feature is especially crucial for astrophotography, where low light conditions can produce a lot of noise and make it difficult to see details without a high dynamic range.
Turner and Huron (2008) discovered that nominally sad music tends to have slower tempos, smaller pitch movements, a lower overall pitch, slightly diminished melodic interval size and darker instrumental timbre. These features have been observed in sad music played on various instruments such as banjo or guitar.
The dynamic range of an instrument can be a key factor in conveying sadness. If it’s too narrow, it may be difficult to hear all the important sounds and create an emotional impact; on the other hand, if it’s too wide, all soft parts of music may not be heard clearly and thus create an equally intense emotion.
A higher dynamic range can be especially helpful in sad music, as it permits musicians to play with greater sensitivity and create an intense emotional response. Furthermore, this prevents musicians from having to constantly increase the volume which may make it difficult for listeners to focus on lyrics or melody of the piece.
2. Add Expressive Articulations
If you want to emote when playing a sad tone, use expressive articulations such as vibrato, legato and tremolo techniques. Additionally, add dynamic curves and trills for extra impact.
Sad music typically utilizes the low to mid range of dynamics, meaning you play it more subdued and rarely exceed the loudness level of a song.
You can create this type of sound using a range of articulations, such as picking, thumbpicking, palm muting, staccato phrasing (cutting note durations short), and legato techniques. Furthermore, some instruments require specific markings like slur markings or sustaining pedals for optimal effect.
Another effective way to add more emotion to your music is by playing it at a slower tempo. This will facilitate closer connections with listeners and enhance its emotional impact.
Furthermore, you can increase the density of your arrangement by using more nodes with slots of air between them. Doing so will allow the nodes to breathe more freely, giving the instrument a fuller sound.
This technique is frequently employed in music, especially mellow genres like jazz. It helps you shape the sound of your melody and chord progressions more precisely.
There are a wide range of expressive articulations to choose from, but some of the most popular include vibrato, legato and various tremolo styles. You can control these with either your controller’s modulation wheel or MIDI CC1 on the host device. Furthermore, some of these articulations work in combination with dynamic ones to create crescendos or diminuendos in volume or intensity levels which help enhance emotional impact of your music.
3. Add Minor Harmonies
Major keys, as you probably already know, are one half step lower than their major counterpart. That is why both keys have the same signature (no sharps or flats).
When playing music with a sad tone, there are several ways to add emotion. First and foremost, using minor harmonics is an effective way to add nuance and texture to your compositions.
Phoebe Bridgers’ song “Scott Street” is an ideal illustration of how to incorporate minor harmonics into this style of music. The piece begins with major chords but quickly transitions into either a suspended (sus2) or sus4 (pedaling high B or F chord), giving off an atmosphere that’s melancholic and sad.
This style of music works so well because it elicits strong feelings, leaving the listener feeling vulnerable and alone. This kind of feeling can be evoked through sad minor keyed songs or other types of emotional music.
One way to add depth and emotion to this type of music is by making the arrangements less dense. Doing so allows fewer instruments to be played simultaneously, creating a song that feels more isolated and vulnerable.
You can add more dynamic movement to your music through crescendos and diminuendos, which alter the loudness and intensity as time progresses.
Music with a sad tone can be achieved with just a few extra notes in your melody or harmony. Additionally, you have the option to adjust vibrato strength and speed as well as alter your voice leading notes for added expression.
4. Add Long Lyrical Notes
When music has a sad tone, it is essential to add long lyrical notes in order to increase its intensity. This technique, called meter, is employed in poetry to create an emotional connection between words and listeners.
For instance, when Alicia Keys sings “This girl is on fire,” she uses the metaphor of flames to express her feelings are out of control. This technique can be beneficial when crafting music as it creates an intense feeling that listeners will remember.
Another way to capture intense emotion when writing sad music is by adding minor harmonies. These can range from simple series of octaves up through more complex arrangements that elicit strong feelings.
The key is to play these harmonies in the lower dynamic range of your track. Doing this will provide that intense emotional experience you desire for your sad music.
For even greater expressive control, consider adding vibrato to the mix. Although this powerful technique may not always be available on piano, it’s worth trying as it has some great benefits.
You could also incorporate other instruments into your sad music, such as saxophones and violins. These expressive instruments tend to have a powerful impact on listeners’ emotions.
Minor chords are typically associated with sadness, while major chords convey happiness. You can use metaphors in your sad music to help the listener better understand your emotions. No matter if it’s sad music or another type of song, these guidelines can help create the emotional impact desired.
5. Add Emotional Boosters
Music has long been used to relax, inspire and lift moods. Some studies even believe that it may reduce anxiety and stress levels. Unfortunately, there are certain circumstances when the positive feelings generated by a song can actually have detrimental effects on one’s mental wellbeing.
If you’re feeling sad, one way to lift your spirits is by adding some emotional boosters when listening to a song with a melancholic tone. These could include adding expressive articulations, minor harmony, long lyrical notes and dynamic changes.
Expressive articulations such as tremolos, trills and bends can help you communicate your emotions more directly and authentically with music. Not only this but they also allow for deeper connections with the composer’s work.
Another effective way to add emotion is through dynamic changes that create crescendos and diminuendos. This technique will increase the power of your music, making it sound even more captivating.
This technique works on any instrument, but is particularly effective when playing a melancholic melody on the piano. You can increase the dynamics by going higher in range while adding strong vibrato and focusing on minor harmonies and long lyrical notes for added effect.
The key to creating an emotionally engaging tempo is ensuring the music’s tempo matches its emotional energy. Aim for somewhere around 50 – 80 BPM, which corresponds with our natural heart rate when in this state.