[INFJ] Music Composing and Functions

[Infinfj66]

As an INFJ who writes/composes music often Im curious to know your opinions of what functions play a role in the creation of music.
Alot of the music I make is related to uniting or inspiring humanity, the wonders/landscapes of the world, Deep feeling, life, true love, etc . Topics of depth usually. The music can span across different moods/emotions ranging from emotional/poignant (moving to me, sad to other people), to uplifting and meaningful. This comes out as Alternative/Indie Rock, Orchestral, Electronic and other (any really) genres. I enjoy combining synth/dreamy sounds, larger than life drums, and real instruments to create imaginative, captivating and powerful musical worlds that evoke feelings and visual imagery in the listiners mind. If I use words, the lyrics are deep and thought provoking.
My brain just likes music like this-- that is world uniting, hopeful, and strong. Im able to form a large amount of ideas in my mind from the keyboard and start creating. Every chord and Melody connects and is made to make an overall profound product. I can feel/know when it's just right and the alignment of things gel in the song. I mull over pieces and parts of the song and relisten and edit till everything clicks and has the desired and perfect result. (It's hard to explain it all.)
I'm also wondering what goes on in my ability to watch a video and write music to perfectly match whats going on in the scene--the same applies to an idea and writing music to accompany a story idea. Basically detecting the emotion in lyrics or video and constructing the musical world it lives in.
On a side note, I'm very versatile and I can write many different genres of music ranging from emotional ballad to thumping hip-hop. I usually try to include something inspiring (or something with meaning) in the chords and/or lyrics. Composing is fun for me because there's endless ideas and so many ways to make something new, incredible and emotionally effective.
What's going on function wise? Does any of you guys feel and experience the same thing?
#Themusicalmadnessismarvelous

 

[John K]

I don't create music myself, but have a pretty wide taste for it. There are so many different types that I think your question may be similar to asking what functions play a role in creating books - perhaps not quite that extreme but you get the idea. I think for example that JS Bach constructed quite a lot of his music with mathematical precision, as compared to Hektor Berlioz or Pink Floyd who seem to lead more from emotion and intuition. A lot of jazz - Ellington or Choltrane for example, or Oscar Peterson - has a very cerebral feel to it, whilst most blues is pure gut. Church music is an interesting one as well - some of the great Renaissance music has a profound spiritual and emotional kick to it, but they seem to have been as carefully engineered as a cathedral to create the effects they produce.

I suspect a lot of mainstream modern music is NF or SF inspired.

But these are the pure speculation of my unfettered Ni ..........

 

[Zola]

It's odd because music is a system, like math, with standardized intervals that create harmonies, which is Te function, yet it involves a lot of Ti, which involves trying various notes until they form a song that is coherent with overall musical theory. Also, the songwriting process relies heavily on inspiration provided by Fi or Fe. Also, a musician would probably employ Se to a great extent to be "present" in playing an instrument, enjoying the movement that becomes sound, in real time, actually "becoming one" with the music. I also think Ni or Ne would help come up with ideas.

I write music. I do it out of love for music and what must be innate ability because I lack formal training.

Does anyone want to venture to guess the Myers Briggs type of well-known musicians? That should tell us something about the role of the various functions.

 

[Asa]

There are a lot of lists of MBTI of famous musicians, including one that lists a Classical composer for each type.
Ultimately, I think the answer is personal. There are talented musicians of every type.
My SO is a Classically trained musician with a degree in composition, but he plays in different genres of rock bands, as well as traditional folk. He's an INTJ. He definitely uses Te, but not singularly. Ni and Fi play large roles, too, and I'm sure other functions as well, including shadow. (Considering how long I've known him and how familiar I am with his shadow traits, I'd say, yes, shadow traits play in.)

When I talk about music with him he will tell me the mathematics of why specific music has a certain effect on the brain (ie producing either thoughts or emotions.) That is definitely a Te trait. He is excellent at maths, and applying it to music (and gets annoyed, like any INTJ would, when others can't).

It's a fun exercise to think of how the writing process works for different types.

@Infinfj66 It makes me really happy to read about your love for music, your creativity, and your enthusiasm. <3

What do you think of Dvorak as an INFJ?
Schoenberg as an ESTJ makes me LOL because it seems so accurate.

 

[Zola]

I don't know Dvorak that well,but Mozart was probably ESTP -- one of the in-crowd of popular kids! Where is my dear Chopin?

 

[Wyote]

What do you think of Dvorak as an INFJ?

 

[John K]

There are a lot of lists of MBTI of famous musicians, including one that lists a Classical composer for each type.
Ultimately, I think the answer is personal. There are talented musicians of every type.
My SO is a Classically trained musician with a degree in composition, but he plays in different genres of rock bands, as well as traditional folk. He's an INTJ. He definitely uses Te, but not singularly. Ni and Fi play large roles, too, and I'm sure other functions as well, including shadow. (Considering how long I've known him and how familiar I am with his shadow traits, I'd say, yes, shadow traits play in.)

When I talk about music with him he will tell me the mathematics of why specific music has a certain effect on the brain (ie producing either thoughts or emotions.) That is definitely a Te trait. He is excellent at maths, and applying it to music (and gets annoyed, like any INTJ would, when others can't).

It's a fun exercise to think of how the writing process works for different types.

It makes me really happy to read about your love for music, your creativity, and your enthusiasm. <3

What do you think of Dvorak as an INFJ?
Schoenberg as an ESTJ makes me LOL because it seems so accurate.

View attachment 46002

That chart’s very interesting. I’d need to know about these guys’ personal lives as well as their music to get a feel for how accurate it is. The two you picked out seem good. Beethoven as intp feels all wrong - his music seems to me to be a gloriously well extraverted Ni/Fi loop (well soaked of course in musical genius).

 

[JennyDaniella]

Ooooh great thread!

I suppose a good combination of Te, Ti, Fe and Fi would oughta do the trick.

My brother is a professional pianist, so composing music not only requires true knowledge of music theory, but requires a combination of passion and creative thinking as well!

 

[Asa]

My brother is a professional pianist, so composing music not only requires true knowledge of music theory, but requires a combination of passion and creative thinking as well!

Agree! (I mean about it being a combination of true knowledge of music theory, creative thinking, and passion. Obviously I agree that your brother is a professional pianist. )


@Wyote – I see where you are going with this, though the quote makes me wretch.
I haven't listened to Dvorak in a long time and (unlike some of the others listed) don't know anything about his personal life.

@Zola – MBTIdatebase pegs Chopin as an INFP. That is based on member votes, so we're as free to argue it as we want.

 

[Zola]

Yay. Nocturne in B flat minor Op. 9 No. 1 floats me directly into a flow state.
I think they gave him INFP because he was technique-based, which would involve rigorous adherence to Te to achieve Fi principles, i.e. all those light, quick runs notes to create a relaxing mood.