A catalog of attributes lets you take inspiration from music without copying it

Listen deeply to an inspiring piece and write a catalog describing its attributes across sound, harmony, melody, rhythm, and form — concrete enough to guide new work but not so detailed as to enable recreation. Set aside the original and compose using only the catalog as a template. Because two composers using the same catalog will produce different results, the method extracts the structural essence of an influence while enforcing originality. The catalog is a description, not a transcription.

Examples

Catalog: 122 bpm; 808 four-on-the-floor with filter motion on hats; D minor / A major alternating; bass line mostly offbeat eighths; additive layering — drums first, then parts enter one by one; 16- and 32-bar sections.

Assessment

Find a track that inspires you. Write a catalog of its attributes. Then compose a new piece using only the catalog — not the track — as reference. Compare the result to the source.