composing a tune like this (Tal Wilkenfeld)

[bryanonbass]

so this is a pretty general question I think.
Basically when I listen to any of this type of music I am baffled as to how it is composed.
Take for instance the first track on Tal's transformation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbRxdZGSsjY


or anything on her CD, or anything in this vein of music.

[Chris K]

It's pretty groovy - I like it, though it might also be her picture - , but from a compository point of view, not very sophisticated. She is basically creating a string of nice licks in one key where I fail to hear a larger concept. A shift of time signature every now and then, and there you go.

[Hoover]

Originally Posted by Chris K

I fail to hear a larger concept

In answer to the OP's question "how does one go about composing a tune like this?" ...or any tune, really... my answer is

Get an idea.

Do that first.

imho any piece of music that's going to have lasting resonance for the listener must have an underlying goal, a point, a concept as Chris says, that guides its musical construction.

So decide what your composition is going to be about first, and then let that concept guide your use of musical materials. Note: "about" doesn't mean it has to have a narrative, or a poetic conceit; a piece of music could be "about" the relationship between two chords, or about the sound of a certain instrument combination.

Then again, a piece of music (even an instrumental) could be "about" fear, or love, or inconsiderate neighbors, etc. The point is to have that goal inform your decisions when executing your craft.



(btw, I haven't listened to the Wilkenfeld example so I can't comment on whether she did any of that.)