All music begins with one authentic sound. That is all there is to it, really. If you can make one authentic sound, then you have begun to make music. And if you can make one sound, why not two, or three? And if you have made three sounds, why then you’ve begun to create a melody!
Here’s how it works:
Stand with your feet firmly planted on the ground. If you are comfortable, close your eyes. Allow your hands to drop calmly at your sides. In this moment, get in touch with how you’re feeling. What do you feel right now? Do you feel tired, excited, angry, hungry, or maybe a little bit of everything? Whatever it is, say it in your mind to yourself. I feel … Now, take a deep breath. When you exhale, put all of your feeling into that breath. This is one authentic breath. All music is sound, and sound happens when vibration occurs, and vibration happens when air moves, so let’s start moving the air around a little. Take another breath. Again, when you exhale, put all of your feeling into that breath. Do it again. Good!
Now, to add a sound to your breath, you are going to sigh. Embrace what your body and mind are feeling in this moment right now, and when you exhale, sigh loudly. Put all of your feeling into that sigh. Don’t be afraid to really let it all hang out, but also try to resist the urge to be silly about it. Be honest about what you’re feeling. Be authentic.
If I could draw a picture of a “sigh”, it might look like a line graph that is aiming down. My line might begin at a high point on the page, and descend gradually down towards the bottom of the page. Let’s use this quality of sighing to turn our sighs into authentic, musical sounds. Breath in again. And again, embrace what you’re feeling right now, in this moment, whatever it is. Now, when you exhale, begin by sighing, but this time, as your sound slides down like a sigh, stop sliding when you settle on a pitch that is comfortable for you to sing. Hold that pitch until your breath runs out. Again, resist the urge to be silly, and don’t try to hold it for as long as you can. Just hold the note for as long you can comfortably make a pitch. As you did with your breathing and sighing, do this three times. Each time, allow your voice to make a different pitch.
You can also try this exercise with your instrument.
Try closing your eyes, grasping your instrument, and blindly making a sound. Then make another. As you make each sound, listen very deeply. When you find two sounds that work well together, in that they sound pleasing to you, repeat them. Then, one sound at a time, add to your sound. Release yourself from rules about key structures, harmonics, or chord changes. Just allow the music to tell you what to play, one quality sound at a time.