--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first thing I do is lay out that…" description: "\"The first thing I do is lay out that melody and figure out how it has to hold here and then finish to land here, because you know in advance you're goi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/311/danny-elfman-14732_action_the-first-thing-i-do-is-lay-out-that-mel_706193.png" --- # The first thing I do is lay out that melody and figure out… ![“The first thing I do is lay out that melody and figure out how it has to hold here and then finish to land here, because you know in advance you're going to want the melody to catch four things in the action.” quote by Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/311/danny-elfman-14732_action_the-first-thing-i-do-is-lay-out-that-mel_706193.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/311/danny-elfman-14732_action_the-first-thing-i-do-is-lay-out-that-mel_706193.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/311/danny-elfman-14732_action_the-first-thing-i-do-is-lay-out-that-mel_706193.png) > “The first thing I do is lay out that melody and figure out how it has to hold here and then finish to land here, because you know in advance you're going to want the melody to catch four things in the action.” [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He plans the melody’s structure before finalizing it, ensuring it aligns with the action’s four key moments. **In simple terms:** Plan melody before finishing to fit action. Key Takeaway Design melody to match key actions. Themes composition planning music theory Mood focused analytical Type instructional creative When to use this quote - film scoring - songwriting - live performance - arranging Key Concepts melodic structure anticipation Questions to Reflect On - How does pre‑planning affect emotional impact? - Can flexibility be retained? A Different Perspective May limit spontaneity in performance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Melody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/melody/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [I've put my degree on hold, but I will finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-parker/i-ve-put-my-degree-on-hold-but-i-will-finish-it/) [Joseph Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-parker/) > [I'll just start laying out the melody exactly where I want it to fall. And then I'll go back and fill it out. Whereas,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/i-ll-just-start-laying-out-the-melody-exactly-where-i-want-it-to-fall/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) > [You hear the beginning of a melody, you should kind of know it's going to lead down this path. 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