It's always a happy day here when I see that Guy has posted a video. If I feel down and out or a little blue from being musically "stuck", Guy's videos on just about any topic turn my mood around and am happy to get back to work in the studio with renewed enthusiasm. This is one of those days.
Holst's Jupiter (from the planets) is one of the most joyous orchestral works. It is a great example of melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic elements coming together. Same can be said about Beethoven's ode to joy thematic construction. Mozart's 41st is also a good example of happy, without being cliche or campy.
Some tunes in La Belle Hélène or La Vie Parisienne, from Jacques Offenbach, give us a lot of joy and smile. "Le Couplet des Rois" (L'époux de la Reine, poux de la reine...) or "Le Brésilien"
Thank you for the video. I really enjoyed seeing your process, since writing energetic songs is always something I struggle with. I noticed quite a while ago that a core element of “happy” music is its predictability, like you said, but I always find it difficult to make something slightly formulaic while also not being too cookie-cutter (four chords, etc) or outright boring. I tend to write melodic and sometimes dissonant music, so most of my songs end up being in a minor key. The problem is that I try to make soft rock/pop-y music, so when it’s not something like a ballad or a bittersweet song, I get lost very quickly. Sometimes I write something complex and then break it down and simplify it, which seems to work, but I’d like to get better at writing “happy” songs normally.
Well, I submitted a happy song! I’m not going to pass up the potential opportunity of having Guy review something for me! What a great exercise though. I’d never written a “happy” piece before. Really good fun and pleased I did it!
Hello Guy, i was surprised you don't have a video about transitions. i struggle with them a lot. can you please explain how to properly transition form one idea to the next?
Crivens. I reckon you could have a picture of Guy in them glasses scored to the darkest possible version of The Funeral March and people would be dancing in the streets, eating ice cream and being kind to animals.
I was literally just thinking today about how my lyrics are increasingly happy and celebratory but my ability to create tunes is centered around depressing and sad sounds and styles. brb, excited to watch this
Fun video! Definitely highlighted some key components of producing upbeat songs. Also here's my take on the cultural vs psychoacoustic thing: They're both right. These two stances aren't mutually exclusive. Major chords are salient in musical history because of their elegant harmonic ratios of 1, 3 and 5. And they are "happy" because that is how we've been encultured to hear them.
I wish that you would have shown which acoustic bass plugin you were using. I love the sound of it and need one for my instrument arsenal. Love the video, Guy, although it took me some time to make my way through it... busy week for some reason or other. Cheers!!
Hey guy! Great videos. The entire EW Fantasy Orchestra is out now. It’d be so neat if you wrote a fantasy track with the entire fantasy orchestra. I think you’d write something very inspiring. You did a video on fantasy strings already but it would be so cool if you wrote a theme with the entire Orchestra now that it is out. EastWest doesn’t get that much attention as it used to, save for the composer cloud. ❤️
Hey Guy? You certainly have the cool happy care free vibe going on with this one. Love the rawness of it all. Just one thing that was bugging me was that your finger snaps were totally out of time, due to starting in 150bpm, then altering to a slower tempo. It’s kind like of funny in the way you didn’t mute or notice this until right at the end. Just shows how much fun you was having, not to notice 😂 Class of true brilliance mate. Have a great fun weekend xxx
Ah mate! Ive found you again. I remember watching one of your vids a few years ago. I didn't subscribe because i fell asleep and never found you again, glad i found my way back, ive subscribed this time haha. Hope you are well
Sounds like a long lost outtake from a Roger Miller record. Kept thinking that a 'Dang' was ever imminent while the bass and drums were giving serious King of the Road vibes
I didn't realize Guy wrote anything BUT happy music - and his example mock-up definitely knocked it out of the park! However, I'm super disappointed that he stuck with the pathetic cliché that "sad music is in a minor key; happy music is in a major key." What about Dorian? What about Mixolydian? (which, incidentally, mixolydian follows the harmonic progression better than major does because it actually flattens the 7th . . .) Some of the happiest pieces I've ever written are in mixolydian. Overall, though, was still a useful and informative video. Thanks, Guy!
Amazing as always Guy! I would love for you to do a tutorial on a meet-cute scene/romance music. Those scores are always so beautiful and would love to see your take on them!
These glasses are really looking great Guy! This video was indeed happy altogether, the tune got me whistling too😊 Somehow this tune reminded me of Monty Python’s Always look on the bright side of life, probably due to your whistling. And also of Cliff Richards Living Doll with the Young Ones. Have a nice and happy day, weekend and life Guy!
Guy, what is so nice is you are just being yourself .. unashamedly .. unapologetically .. just Guy on his own multicoloured train to wherever it will go ...
Dear Guy, as always very inspiring and refreshing to see and hear your video!!! You are a very very good teacher and a wonderful musician! Thank you very much for all that you give us. I am also enjoin several videos of Thinkspace where I learn so much!!!
Examples of happy music are hard to list. "Break My Stride" comes to mind, "Ob la di Ob la da," "Don't Worry Be Happy," and Pharrell's "Happy." Predictability is repetition, right?
I just composed a song! And it's a little longer and you don't need to listen to the whole song, you may skip around it you'd like =) This is my version of positive/happy. I usually writer more somber and mellow pieces so this was different and I loved it. I go by aPiainist or autumn piano, and I am a self taught pianist because I lived far away from piano class places, therefore taught myself how to play after covid. I've been using GarageBand (which is the software I used for this) for a little over a year and I really enjoy it. Thank you for everything you do, love your vids. Here my positive/happy song (I composed it with an anime theme sound) (Disclaimer, I don't know why the audio in the beginning glitches for a moment, please don't mind) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-OR9mV9zD4bk.html
You know? This is getting to the essence of music from Sesame Street & The Muppet Show Even Elmo's song is still jazzy (pretty Django) --> ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-vSYadh2xmcI.html And of course, there's Mahna Mahna --> ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zb47CstE7R4.html
@MapleSonicSolutions It makes ME very happy to hear the little tune of Guy!!! Maple: Your comment makes me unhappy. Where are you super original tunes on your channel? Why to be so unsensible and post such comments on a free, very generous and helpful video?
@TWDub It is for sure true that i do not make happy music myself. I do like happy music though. Easiest example might me “Happy”, by Pharrel Williams. Now there is a none corny song that sounds happy. On an alternative path i would say that “She blinded me with science”, by Thomas Dolby is a happy song.
