compose

# Compose — Research-First Composition Workflow > `/compose <description>` > Example: `/compose a chill lo-fi beat inspired by Nujabes` --- ## Core Principle **Compose like a musician, not a template engine.** A musician doesn't have all chord progressions memorized. They: 1. Listen to references in the target style 2. Analyze what makes those references work 3. Extract a few key principles 4. Create something new guided by those principles 5. Iterate until it feels right This skill follows the same process. --- ## The Composition Process ### Step 0: Parse the User's Intent Extract from their description: - **Genre/Style** — the most important signal - **Reference artists/songs** — if mentioned, these are gold - **Mood/Energy** — calm, energetic, dark, uplifting, nostalgic - **Key** — if specified; otherwise, research what's common - **BPM** — if specified; otherwise, research genre defaults - **Special constraints** — "no drums", "piano only", "with strings" - **Duration** — how many bars or minutes **If the description is vague**, ask the user to clarify before proceeding. Don't assume — a wrong assumption wastes a full generation cycle. ### Step 1: RESEARCH the Genre/Style **This step is mandatory. Do not skip it.** Use music-theory-engine's Phase 1 research process: 1. **Search for genre analysis**: - Search the web: `"{genre}" music theory analysis chord progressions` - Search the web: `"{genre}" song structure typical arrangement` - Search the web: `"{genre}" production techniques rhythm patterns` 2. **If user named a reference song/artist**: - Search the web: `"{song/artist}" chord progression key BPM` - Search the web: `"{song/artist}" song analysis music theory` - This is the highest-value research — the user is telling you exactly what they want 3. **Search for Strudel/TidalCycles examples in the genre**: - Search the web: `strudel "{genre}" pattern example` - Search the web: `TidalCycles "{genre}" live coding` - Finding a working pattern in the target style saves significant effort 4. **Check the DAW's built-in presets** for defaults: - Read `src/constants/generationPresets.ts` for genre BPM/key suggestions ### Step 2: ANALYZE and Extract Principles From your research, distill **2-4 principles** (default: 3; see music-theory-engine Phase 3): ``` Principle 1: [Harmonic character] — what chords, what voicing style Principle 2: [Rhythmic character] — what drum pattern, what feel Principle 3: [Textural character] — what instruments, what space/density ``` ### Step 3: Write a Composition Brief Before writing any code, present the plan to the user: ``` ## Composition Brief Genre: Lo-Fi Hip-Hop Reference: Nujabes "Feather" Key: D Dorian BPM: 78 Principle 1: Jazz-rooted harmony — Dm9, Gm7, Em7b5, A7b9 (i-iv-iiø-V7 in D minor); 7th+ voicings Principle 2: Boom-bap foundation — lazy kick, ghost snares, soft hi-hats Principle 3: Warm sparse texture — Rhodes keys, sub bass, pentatonic lead with delay Song Structure: Intro: 4 bars (ambient, filtered) Loop A: 8 bars (main groove) Loop B: 8 bars (variation — add melody) Loop A: 8 bars (return) Outro: 4 bars (strip down) Tracks: 1. Drums (TR-808) 2. Bass (sub synth) 3. Keys (piano/rhodes) 4. Melody (triangle wave + delay) ``` **Wait for user approval** before composing. The brief is cheap to change; a full composition is expensive to redo. ### Step 4: COMPOSE — Build Layer by Layer Follow strudel-maestro's Phase 3-4 process: 1. **Drums first** — get the groove right 2. **Bass second** — lock with kick pattern, follow chord roots 3. **Chords third** — establish harmony, lower velocity than melody 4. **Melody last** — sits on top, most expressive For each layer: - Reference your 3 principles - Use the minimum Strudel syntax needed (see strudel-maestro Phase 1) - If you need syntax you're unsure about, search the docs first Output format — Strudel `stack()`: ```javascript stack( // Drums stack( s("...").bank("..."), // kick s("...").bank("..."), // snare s("...").bank("...") // hi-hat ), // Bass note("...").s("...").lpf(...), // Chords note("...").s("...").velocity(...), // Melody note("...").s("...").velocity(...) ) ``` ### Step 5: EVALUATE Against Principles After composing, verify: 1. **Principle 1 check** — do the chords match the harmonic character I identified? 2. **Principle 2 check** — does the rhythm feel right for the genre? 3. **Principle 3 check** — is the texture/density what was intended? 4. **Key consistency** — are ALL pitched parts in the same key? 5. **Velocity variation** — no flat velocity anywhere? 6. **Musical space** — are there enough rests? 7. **Syntax validity** — sharps use `s` (not `#`), all `.s()` specified? If anything fails, fix it before presenting to the user. ### Step 6: Present and Iterate Present the composition with: 1. The Strudel code 2. A brief explanation of musical choices ("used Dm9→Gm7 for the jazzy feel you wanted") 3. Suggested modifications ("I could make the bass busier, add a counter-melody, change the drums to a half-time feel...") **Iteration is the norm, not the exception.** Users will ask for changes. When they do: - Modify only the requested layer - Keep everything else consistent - Re-verify key/harmony consistency after changes --- ## Handling Specific Requests ### "Make it sound like [artist/song]" This is the highest-value input. Research heavily: 1. Search the web: `"{song}" chord progression analysis` 2. Search the web: `"{artist}" music production style analysis` 3. Extract the defining characteristics 4. Apply them — but create something new, not a cover ### "I don't know what I want" Guide the user with questions: - "What mood? (happy/sad/energetic/chill/dark/dreamy)" - "Any genre preference? Or should I suggest based on mood?" - "Fast or slow?" - "Instrument preferences?" Then use their answers to run the research process. ### "Change the key / BPM / genre" - **Key change**: Transpose all note names by the interval - **BPM change**: May need to adjust note density (faster BPM = simpler patterns) - **Genre change**: Start the research process over — genre defines everything ### "Add [specific instrument/part]" 1. Research how that instrument typically functions in the genre 2. Write the new layer respecting existing key/rhythm 3. Add to the stack without modifying other layers --- ## What This Skill Does NOT Include - **Pre-built genre templates** — research the genre each time instead - **Complete chord progression databases** — search for the right one each time - **All Strudel API docs** — look up what you need when you need it - **Music theory encyclopedia** — extract only the 3 principles you need This is intentional. The process is more valuable than the data. The process adapts to any genre, any style, any reference. A template only works for the exact case it was written for.