How to Write Slow Music

A quick composition lesson in writing slow music, as well as its risks and pitfalls and how to navigate them. Hopefully this can help folks better study others' slow music and execute ideas in their own.
By the way, that asterisk at around 01:40 is something that I think is really important and will probably do an entire video on soon. I feel very strongly about the idea that being objective about art can often be really destructive and exclusive, and I understand that others may not agree, but it's very important to me that I communicate that.
Music:
Mahler: Symphony No. 4, III. Ruhevoll (Frankfurt Radio Orchestra)
Barber: Adagio for Strings (New Zealand Symphony Orchestra)
Walker: String Quartet No. 1, II. Molto adagio (Yellowtail Quartet)
Holloway: String Quartet No. 1, I. Chesapeake Bay (Myself and NotePerformer lol)
Still: Three Visions, II. Summerland (Curtis Ryan Smith)
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[@its_eis]

I search 'how to write slow music' and I get 'How to Write Slow Music'. I'm satisfied!

[@JordanMHollowayComposer]

Well that just worked out perfectly for both of us then! :-) Glad you enjoyed, Simon!

[@unslept_em]

as someone who makes electronic music, and often likes making songs with a slow tempo, but struggles to keep them from sounding dull and repetitive after a while, this was really helpful in figuring out some ways to lend more interest to what i make. thank you!

[@evansercombe]

I actually have the opposite problem! I really struggle coming up with interesting, fast paced music. For whatever reason, slow, tranquil, occasionally spiritual and even tragic music in slow tempo has always been very very easy for me! Would you consider making a video like this but on how to write fast music??

[@nelsonwalkermusic]

Jordan, this is a phenomenal video. I love the examples you chose and the insightful analysis of what exactly makes them work... Good stuff to think about

[@enriquesanchez2001]

Excellent job of expounding your suggestions. Thank you, Jordan!

[@JordanMHollowayComposer]

Thank you for your constant support Enrique!!

[@enriquesanchez2001]

@@JordanMHollowayComposer Always a pleasure, Jordan!

[@laurajhball]

I think of Stravinsky's Firebird. The contrast between his utter flamboyance in using dissonance in 3:37-4:52 and his contrapuntal caution at 4:53. Either way, he rocks it. But, it's easy to see that blurring at fast speeds produces a great result that might come off as irritating at slower speeds.
czcams.com/video/6wbkKWrUD-A/video.html

[@Dnfamy]

this helps a lot homie! sucks you didnt get the love this should have gotten because this really did help. i agree though, slow music is way harder than fast. i dont know why

[@JordanMHollowayComposer]

I appreciate the comment a lot and I’m glad it helped!! Best wishes for you and your composing :)

[@user-oc8jp2bk2y]

Frankly I was hoping to get into something more like ambient genre, but for learning, classic will do

[@unslept_em]

you can always consider referencing more experimental ambient producers like tim hecker and dedekind cut, and then if you like any of their ideas, you can bring a few of them back into whatever style of ambient you want to make

[@benantony4234]

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