Music in fiction isn’t a common technique. I think authors usually retreat from incorporating music because they don’t know how to use it correctly or they have doubt of its quality on the reader’s experience. I agree that it is difficult to pull off music in a novel. After all, the two senses are completely different. But that doesn’t mean that it is impossible. If you wish to use music in literature, you must use it carefully and wisely. In this article, I will break down a few useful ways to help you overcome that doubt of putting music in your fiction by detailing specific methods, such as using the lyrics, the notes, and having it all connect with the character’s emotions.
Emotions and Music in Fiction
Let’s start with the most important tip of all. Literature breaks down to only being physical words on a page and the imagination by the reader. That’s it. It is up to the reader to “see and hear and smell and taste and feel” what the author has written. Looking at this feat from a distance could seem quite overwhelming. And at times, it is. However, if you understand how to use the information you have and then connect it with the emotions of the character, you will not have any problems.
When using music, just always remember that the music must connect to a character’s psyche or situation. Music, when done correctly, symbolizes what the character is going through. Films use this technique all the time. Certain filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino hardly will ever use a musical score of instruments to help give his story emotion. Instead, he will use actual songs with lyrics that have certain phrases or keywords within them that will describe what the character is thinking or a specific scenario at hand. Martin Scorsese does the same, too.
In literature, you can do the same, but it must be dealt with differently. For example, if a character is going through a divorce, the character can find himself or herself somewhere where there is a song playing that reminds them of their loved one. Rather than focusing on the whole song, which would be too drawn out, you can focus on certain words that really hit home. With each word, the character comes closer and closer to breaking down.
Another example is to use music to ramp up suspense. This time it doesn’t need to have lyrics. You can use the beat, the drums, the constant growing rhythm that speeds up as your character faces whatever obstacle he or she must overcome. But the key here is to have a decent perspective of the character’s inner thoughts as they experience the growing crescendo of music.
I cannot help but think of the great scene from Aliens where Ripley returns to save Newt within the hive. Ripley gears up and heads down on an elevator, preparing her weapons. James Horner’s awesome musical score assists her the whole way, finally coming to an end as the doors of the elevators open and Ripley steps out. That’s how it’s done, folks. If you can write a moment like that it will help the suspense in your scene.
*The song, lyric, or score must fit the scene. Simply playing a random song without it representing anything symbolic won’t work well. It will just be there and will not resonate with the reader. In fact, a meaningless song can likely sidetrack the reader.*
POP Music in Fiction
Be wary of using Pop music in your stories. I don’t care how much you like a new song from a new artist, it likely will not have the power to survive throughout the ages of Pop music. Most Pop music goes away just as fast as it arrived. That’s why they refer to it as Pop because it bursts and then goes away.
And that is exactly what is wrong with using Pop music in your novel. It will likely not be remembered by your audience in the near future. And then you have missed a great opportunity to use music as a way to convey something important.
To overcome this, I suggest you broaden your knowledge of music. If you are deadset on using Pop music, then I advise you to use mega-Pop music that has survived at least 10 years or more. I realize the desire to place Pop music in your story. You believe that everyone will relish in the moment that you used a fun, popular song. However, it won’t be like that. By the time your novel is ready for publication, that song will have came and went.
Music Notes in Fiction
This could be a difficult one. A knowledge of music theory is needed here. Unless you have a sufficient background in music theory, you must learn a decent amount of notes, such as octaves (A, A#, B, C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, and G#), intervals, scales, and chords. It can get very specific and tedious if you don’t have a history of it already.
The point I am making is that usually, only a story that is specifically about music will use such precise detail of music notes. If you are already interested in music to that degree where you know music theory well, then writing the novel will probably be the harder task.
Click this link for more information. https://www.musicradar.com/how-to/what-are-notes-intervals-scales-and-chords
Music Instruments in Fiction
This is pretty easy enough. Any writer can describe what an instrument looks like. Just check out Google Images and you’ll find an endless plethora of photos. However, as simple as just writing down what a saxophone looks like, it would help if you knew what it sounded like and how it felt in your hands as you played it. This will take more research.
If you are interested in using music in your novel to that level, then I suggest you venture out into music stores. Or even take some lessons to get a better idea. Becoming familiar with these instruments this way will force you to know the exact details that could never come from just examining an image.
You will know how much pressure it takes your finger to push down a trumpet valve. Or how much air intake you will need to play more than five notes on a saxophone before breathing again. You will know the weight of an electric guitar strapped around your neck as a music tutor teaches you Slash’s beautiful guitar melody from Sweet Child O’ Mine.
Titles and Headings
Many times, authors like to get their ideas from other forms of Art. Music (and poetry) is usually the go-to medium. Commonly enough, as an ode to the song, is a lyric at the beginning of the book or even as a quote of every chapter to foreshadow a theme during that chapter.
Sometimes, authors use a lyric from a song as the title of the novel. This isn’t necessarily bad, but as I mentioned before, it should be a lyric that is super well-known. Otherwise, the reference will go unrealized, and you could be left using a lame title that nobody understands besides you and your agent.
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