Write something in the Key of G Minor

This is a pretty straightforward challenge. All you have to do is write something using the chords and/or scale of G Minor.

The easiest way to participate might be to write a simple riff or melody using a G Minor scale or even a G minor pentatonic scale. With this method, you could make things a little fancier by using a melodic or harmonic minor scale. Dorian or Phrygian modal melodies would count as a “G Minor” melody as well. We don’t need to stay in natural minor for this exercise. Just explain what scale(s) you’re using when you post your creation.

If you want to get a little more involved, you could write a chord progression with a melody over the top. In this case, you’d want to make sure you’re targeting chord tones with your melodies, especially if you’re mixing natural minor and harmonic or melodic minor, because some of the chords in melodic minor will clash with some of the scale notes in natural minor.

While I’d STRONGLY recommend figuring out the G Minor scale and chords using WHWWHWW, and reviewing Music Theory Monday if you don’t know how to do that, I’ll break everything down below:

G Minor Scale:

G - w - A - h - Bb - w - C - w - D - h - Eb - w - F - w - G

G Minor chords (natural minor):

i = G-Bb-D = G minor

ii° = A-C-Eb = A diminished

III = Bb-D-F = Bb Major

iv = C-Eb-G = C minor

v = D-F-A = D minor

VI = Eb-G-Bb = Eb Major

VII = F-A-C = F Major

If you want to explore harmonic minor, think about how you have the option of sharping the 7th note of the scale (F to F#) and think about playing that sharp note while playing a D Major chord instead of D minor. There is more to it, but that’s the essence of harmonic minor.

If you want to explore melodic minor, think about using F# and E natural, which would be a sharp 6th and 7th note, and the chords that go with those notes would be C Major chord for E natural and D Major for F#. Keep in mind, “E Natural” means “E NOT-flat.” In the key of G minor, E is flat to fit WHWWHWW, so when you talk about wanting to sharp an Eb, you say “E Natural.” Think of it as “E that is typically flat in this situation, but not right now.”

Post your creations on the community forum.

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Write Something With An Odd Number Of Measures

This is going to be fun. I had a writing session recently where I realized that I not only enjoy writing in even measures, but that I get thrown off by odd measures and have to REALLY concentrate playing along with a progression that is 3, 5 or 7 measures long.

As a review, a measure is just a count of 4 (like 1 2 3 4) or a count of 3 (1 2 3) if you’re in 3/4 time signature. A measure and a bar are the same thing. In other words a "four bar progression" is a "progression consisting of four counts of four, as in 1234 1234 1234 1234."

Read more on the Patreon post…

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Write Something “House” Inspired

Your goal is to write something vaguely inspired by "house music." What is house music? The wikipedia article says its "a music genre characterized by a repetitive four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 120 beats per minute. It was created by DJs and music producers from Chicago's underground club culturein the late 1970s, as DJs began altering disco songs to give them a more mechanical beat."

Part of what inspired me for this challenge is the thought of having students try to write a riff or chord progression to a constant foot stomp to simulate that four on the floor beat, which is a fancy way to say the kick drum just hits 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 over and over.

So thats the simplest cell-phone recording version of this challenge: try writing a riff or chord progression to your own foot tapping 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4.

If you want to get fancier with it, you could use recording software. Make a beat that starts with that constant kick on 1 2 3 4, then build snare on 2 and 4 and get fancier from there.

Post your creations to the Community Forum! Have fun! Don't aim to write a masterpiece! Just aim for fun.

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Write Something Using Dorian Mode

There are a few ways to build a mode: starting from scratch with whole steps and half steps, adapting a familiar scale, or using the "which note of a major scale is it based on" method.

I'll quickly run through all three methods.

Dorian mode, in whole steps and half steps, is WHWWWHW

With scale-degree numbers, it looks like this:

1-w-2-h-3-w-4-w-5-w-6-h-7-w-8

Using "A" as the 1st note, we get a scale like this:

A-w-B-h-C-w-D-w-E-w-F#-h-G-w-A

Using "E" as the 1st note, we get a scale like this:

E-w-F#-h-G-w-A-w-B-w-C#-h-D-w-E

If we start with the second method - adapting a familiar scale - a Dorian scale is simply a natural minor scale with a sharp sixth note.

For example:

A Minor Scale: A B C D E F G A
A Dorian Scale: A B C D E F# G A

C Minor Scale: C D Eb F G Ab Bb C
C Dorian Scale: C D Eb F G A Bb C

D Minor Scale: D E F G A Bb C D
D Dorian Scale: D E F G A B C D

The "which note of the scale" method gets confusing for a lot of people, but it's also the method that makes it easiest to figure out which chord goes with each note of the scale.

Dorian mode is like creating a new scale based on the SECOND note of a major scale. The way you can think about it is like this:

"If I want X note to be the start of my Dorian scale, I can to go BACK a whole step from X and build a major scale and keep X as my root note."

Let's try is. If I want to build a Dorian scale based on "A" I can go back a whole step to G and build a major scale. Then use the second note "A" as the root note for Dorian.

G Major: G - w - A - w - B - h - C - w - D - w - E - w - F# - h - G
A Dorian: A - w - B - h - C - w - D - w - E - w - F# - h - G - A

The reason this method is SUPER useful is that it makes it a lot easier to figure which chords go with which notes of the scale:

Chords in the Key of G:

I = Gmaj
ii = Am
iii = Bm
IV = Cmaj
V = Dmaj
vi = Em
vii° = F#°

Chords in the Key of A Dorian:

i = Am
ii = Bm
III = Cmaj
IV = Dmaj
v = Em
vi° = F#°
VII = G
I have some lessons about this stuff in Music Theory Monday. A great starting point with Dorian chord progressions is to start with a simple i IV progression and slowly add other chords into the mix to see if "i" continues to feel like home.

Have a blast and remember, this is writing PRACTICE, so nothing needs to be perfect or even "good" for you to post it. It's all about experimenting and learning how YOU write to further your musical development.

Post what you come up with on the Community Forum.

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Write Something With A Fast Tempo!

As usual, there is no need to spend a ton of time on these projects. The idea is to think of the community challenge as your weekly sketchbook. If you're planning to write something that might take 5 to 10 hours, that likely means you'll NEVER participate. Think about writing a little something that takes you 5 to 10 minutes to come up with. It doesn't have to be a complete thought, it doesn't have to have a melody. It just has to be music.

The idea is to get into the habit of writing SOMETHING without putting too much pressure on yourself. Just try to have fun with it! When you've written something you like, you're welcome to record it as simply as possible - with a cell phone for example - or with recording software using drums, bass, guitar, etc. Whatever you have time for. If you feel that you never have time for the community challenges, you're putting too much pressure on yourself to be the most amazing musician.

When you've written something you like, feel free to post it on the community forum thread for this post!

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Write Something Lethargic

Often, the key to getting something to sound lethargic is to get your arms and fingers to mimic how it feelsto be lethargic. Lazily sliding from one note to the next, arriving to your notes late, playing behind the beat as if the drums have to pull you along - these are all ideas.

Explore, have fun, and try your hardest to write something with some lethargic elements to it. When you feel like you've got something - wether it's a VERY simple chord progression, a melody, or a full blown song, post it to the community forum.

Remember, not everything you write needs to be a complete song, not everything you write needs to be finished, and not everything you write needs to show people who you are. This is just practice. Have fun with it!

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Write Something With Guitar

I gave this one an EXTREMELY low bar because I want to invite new people to try participating in community challenges.

The only rules are:

1. Write something with one guitar - no DAW, no multi-layered recording - just use a single guitar without drums, bass, keys.
2. Record what you've written with your phone or recording software and upload it to the community forum.

You don't need to write a song, you don't need to write a rough draft of a song. It could be a little pentatonic riff that takes 5 seconds to play. It could be a set of chords you like together. It doesn't have to be amazing, it just has to be something you came up with.

IF YOU ARE A NEW PATRON and this is your first community challenge, feel free to say hello and introduce yourself in the comments below! Welcome!

Have fun, and if you've written something you like, you can share an mp3 OR a link to a video or mp3 on the community forum.

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Write Something With Improvisation.

We'll keep it loose for this challenge. You could START by improvising a melody or chord progression and then refining from there, or you could include a section to improvise. You could try a multitrack recording where you improvise each layer. It's all about exploring. Use improvisation at the beginning or at the end of your process. The only rules are:

1. You must write something AFTER reading this post - you can't post something you've already written.
2. You must give a brief explanation of how improvisation played a part in your composition.

To be clear, improvisation means you're making something up as you go. HOWEVER, you can pick a key (ie. the Key of D Major) and you can pick a specific scale (ie. D Major Scale or D Major Pentatonic Scale.) You could pick a set of chords (ie. D Em F#m G A Bm C#dim) and improvise a chord progression by playing random chords from the set. Or you could write a chord progression like "D Bm Em F#m" and try coming up with a melody on the fly. There are lots of options!

Have fun, and if you've written something you like, you can share an mp3 OR a link to a video or mp3 on the community forum.

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