At just 22 years old, Michael Brun has already remixed the likes of Tiësto, Armin van Buuren, and Alicia Keys, not to mention performed from both Ultra’s main stage and Coachella’s Sahara Tent. It’s an astonishing résumé for such a young artist, yet one befitting of his abilities. The Haitian producer’s knack for creating anthemic progressive house has earned him top Beatport honors and the respect of his industry peers. More recently, he’s established his own label Kid Coconut as an outlet for both his music and that of upcoming international artists.
As a way to share some of his dance music wisdom, Michael Brun has offered his Top 5 Tips for Songwriting. Brun said of the list: “Hopefully these tips help you guys with getting the ideas flowing!”
“When I’m not producing, I listen to music in all types of genres and try my best to analyze what makes them click for me. I think having that approach is helpful in learning about why you gravitate towards certain styles, and hopefully it leads to the introduction of unique influences within your own productions.”
“I tend to write all my songs on either the guitar or piano first and then find the right sounds for the melodies as I work. I’m comfortable with those two instruments and it makes the writing process as simple as possible.”
“When writing chords, one technique that I’ve always used is to start with the bassline first and then layer the harmonies on top of it. It makes finding interesting harmonies a bit easier for me.”
“With my chords in place, the next thing I like to do is find an interesting lead line or hook that complements what I have. If I have short stabby type chords, I try to make my lead melody longer, and if the chords are longer and more sustained, I try to do a quicker, bouncier lead melody.”
“With the melodies and basic song structure in place, one of the most important steps for me is finding the right sounds for each element of the track. This is where you can really carve out your own sound because each artist will gravitate towards a different set of textures.”
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February 16, 2015
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