Lars Lentz Audio™

When you like to make all different kinds of music, how do you make good albums? Here are my thoughts on that.

What’s a Musician Who Makes Music of Different Genres Music to Do?

I find myself making a wide-ranging set of music in several different styles. When I sit down to make music, it depends on my mood, but I either make

1. Ambient in the style of pinkcourtesyphone, Richard Chartier, or Lawrence English.
2. Ambient in the style of William Basinski.
3. Electronic/Ambient in the style of Biosphere and Tetsu Inoue.
4. Nostalgic Electronic/Ambient in the style of Boards of Canada.
5. Electronic in the style of Aphex Twin.
6. Boom Bap in the style of Odd Nosdam or Jel.
7. Balearic in the style of several musicians.
8. Classical Piano in the style of Satie, Debussy, Robert Haigh, Matthew Bourne, or Akira Rabelais.

That’s a lot of different kinds of music! Also, my music combines styles sometimes, so I end up with a mix (or fusion) of any of the above. That is not a bad thing, and I’ve talked about this before in how to organize these tracks once they’re made. Above all, nobody should be slowing down their creative process just to gain structure.

But, forming cohesive albums proves to be a creative challenge for musicians like myself who experiment with different musical styles and it needs discussion in order to move beyond this problem.

An album needs some degree of unity according to listeners, but strategic diversity management can also create a valuable strength. So if you’re one of those musicians who makes a lot of different music styles, read on.

Also, I should say, I tried my own advice and tried making music in a structured way, but I find that it can limit my creativity.

So I thought about how I could manage this but still keep my creative edge. I found that I could go in several different ways, and these are a few of the ones I’m focusing upon right now:

Themed Albums

The central concept of an album like this would need to be a theme or story (emotional journey, a place, a time, a concept) that guides the selection of tracks regardless of their musical genre.

Interludes, along with recurring motifs, could be used as tools to unite diverse musical styles into a unified collection.

This way, I can take the diverse selection of music tracks I have already made and combine them to form an album.

Here’s an example set of tracks for a themed album:

1. Overture (classical piano)
2. Rising Sun (nostalgic electronic like BoC)
3.  City Pulse (electronic like Aphex Twin)
4.  Midnight Blues (Balearic)
5. Farewell (classical piano)

Genre-Based Albums

The musical tracks could be organized based on their genre categories or closest musical connections.

Each genre-based album can contain multiple styles so I can just collect all of my music that is of a similar genre, and put those tracks into an album. I’ll end up with an album of all similar genre tracks.

For example, the album ”Electric Heart” could contain all electronic tracks, while ”Acoustic Dreams” features all classical piano music.

I could even release these as a series (e.g., “Night Colors: Boom Bap,” “Night Colors: Electronic”).

I’ve had AI help me with this, but it can sometimes try to force me into making music that I naturally wouldn’t make on my own. Now that is not a bad thing because it is good to have new ideas, but it can slow the process significantly, so watch out for that if you try it.

Fusion Albums

For an album like this, the tracks should be hand-picked to merge different musical genres within each song while maintaining a seamless transition between various styles. I could follow a specific track order that will lead listeners through my musical development.

I could sequence the tracks to guide my listeners through my musical journey. I’ve used AI to help me figure these types of albums out, and they can turn out quite good with some hard work.

This is a good way to mix what I’ve already made through transitions between the genres. So some time selecting the right tracks is required here and that is where I find myself spending a lot of time when making this type of album.

It plays right into the variety that everyone wants too, so that is an excellent thing.

Compilation Albums or EPs

The concept here would be to embrace the diversity. Present my musical diversity through a compilation or EP titled ”Sketchbook,” “Palette” or “Experiments.”

Each song could have an accompanying liner note that describes my creative inspiration behind the composition.

For example, I could make an album like this:
“Soundscapes: A Collection of Styles,” which could present itself as a compilation/Sketchbook.

This one also plays right into the variety that everyone wants what with all the different playlists out there and all.

Practical Tips

Track ordering becomes crucial when arranging music because it creates emotional or logical connections between different genres.

Transitions: Consider short transition tracks or sound design elements to bridge different styles.

The album artwork along with track title selection should communicate the unifying concept through visual elements and titles (seasons, moods, personal stories).

When designing your album consider how new listeners will experience your music.
Intentional contrast between tracks creates excitement but abrupt changes should be minimized to avoid jarring the listener.

Share draft playlists with friends or fans to gather feedback regarding track cohesion and flow.

Listener Experience: Think about how a first-time listener will experience the album. Too much abrupt change can be jarring, but intentional contrasts can be exciting!

Feedback: Share draft playlists with friends or fans for feedback on cohesion and flow.

Final Thoughts

Trust your creative instincts! A correct approach for album construction with diverse tracks exists but no single method can define it. Your unique musical personality will shine through your choices because your audience will value the musical journey you present to them.