How to Gut Your Audience (with music and stories)
Two of my immediate family members are pursuing a career in the music industry. One of my favorite things to do is hear them work on a new composition or practice a difficult vocal run.
So my last year in college, I was inspired to finally fulfill one of my dreams—get over my embarrassment and take a @#$% voice lesson.
Couldn’t keep a pitch to save my mother’s life, but I absolutely loved it.
In the last year, I decided to take voice lessons again when I’m not behind a keyboard or paintbrush. I also braved new piano lessons to improve my improv skills. And, surprise, surprise—just like painting, music has so many similarities to writing.
I’ll get into one of them today 🙂
Picture this—you’re sitting in traffic. Spotify/Radio/whatever hooked up. And then a song plays. And it guts you.
One minute you’re fine. The next you’re raining tears harder than a monsoon season. Images of your childhood and past regrets and dead former pets play on repeat through your thoughts.
The song gets you. The song is you.
How can the artist/musician/actor portray the song so perfectly?
It’s more than just emotion.
It’s characterization.
