--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One thing I've tried to do in writing…" description: "\"One thing I've tried to do in writing music is take on very basic things, very archetypal things.\" — Harrison Birtwistle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/876/harrison-birtwistle-21154_basic-things_one-thing-i-ve-tried-to-do-in-writing-mu_2788201.png" --- # One thing I've tried to do in writing music is take on… ![“One thing I've tried to do in writing music is take on very basic things, very archetypal things.” quote by Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/876/harrison-birtwistle-21154_basic-things_one-thing-i-ve-tried-to-do-in-writing-mu_2788201.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/876/harrison-birtwistle-21154_basic-things_one-thing-i-ve-tried-to-do-in-writing-mu_2788201.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/876/harrison-birtwistle-21154_basic-things_one-thing-i-ve-tried-to-do-in-writing-mu_2788201.png) > “One thing I've tried to do in writing music is take on very basic things, very archetypal things.” [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He focuses on fundamental, timeless musical elements to ground his work. **In simple terms:** Uses basic, archetypal ideas in composition. Key Takeaway Start with simple motifs. Themes creativity music foundation Mood reflective inspired Type artistic educational When to use this quote - songwriting - film scoring - teaching music Key Concepts Archetype minimalism Questions to Reflect On - What simple element could you explore? - How does archetype shape listener expectations? A Different Perspective Complexity can limit emotional impact if overused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Archetypal Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/archetypal-things-3359975/) [Basic things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basic-things/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [One thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-thing/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Things Archetypal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-archetypal-3359974/) [Tried Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tried-writing-536217/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-music/) ## Related quotes > [I've tried writing with music on, but I find it distracting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grisham/i-ve-tried-writing-with-music-on-but-i-find-it-distracting/) [John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grisham/) > [I've tried writing darker, more serious songs, but they don't go anywhere. Everything revolves around the chorus for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shura/i-ve-tried-writing-darker-more-serious-songs-but-they-don-t-go/) [Shura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shura/) > [Ever since I was a child, I've been a huge comic and graphic novel fan, but I've never tried writing one before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/ever-since-i-was-a-child-i-ve-been-a-huge-comic-and-graphic-novel-fan/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [I've tried writing on a computer thinking it would make me more efficient, but if you're writing crummy stuff, being efficient is no help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/i-ve-tried-writing-on-a-computer-thinking-it-would-make-me-more/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [I tried writing fiction as a little kid, but had a teacher humiliate me, so didn't write again until I was a senior in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/i-tried-writing-fiction-as-a-little-kid-but-had-a-teacher-humiliate/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [I started writing short stories. I tried writing horror, mystery, science fiction. I joined a little critique group here in town and ran my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-rollins/i-started-writing-short-stories-i-tried-writing-horror-mystery/) [James Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-rollins/) > [I tried to write poems in rhyme. I tried writing songs. Sometimes I jotted down a thought. I would keep a log of spontaneous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chath-piersath/i-tried-to-write-poems-in-rhyme-i-tried-writing-songs-sometimes-i/) [Chath Piersath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chath-piersath/) > [I don't know if you've ever tried writing a Doctor Who story, but it's a lot more difficult than it initially appears, especially if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-sutton/i-don-t-know-if-you-ve-ever-tried-writing-a-doctor-who-story-but-it-s/) [Sarah Sutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-sutton/) > [All I've tried to do (with my writing) is capture the essence of my time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-penn-warren/all-i-ve-tried-to-do-with-my-writing-is-capture-the-essence-of-my-time/) [Robert Penn Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-penn-warren/) > [I knew I just loved comedy, and I think it was my parents who initially brought up the notion of me trying to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-rogen/i-knew-i-just-loved-comedy-and-i-think-it-was-my-parents-who/) [Seth Rogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-rogen/) > [We already tried writing musicals. Sometimes that failure can become a cause for us. We had so much passion for the idea of doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-mael/we-already-tried-writing-musicals-sometimes-that-failure-can-become-a/) [Ron Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-mael/) > [I've never tried writing at a coffeehouse. I just know instinctively it's not for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-ve-never-tried-writing-at-a-coffeehouse-i-just-know-instinctively/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [I’ve tried writing and the sentences come out fine, but I write a few pages and I don’t want to go on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-block/i-ve-tried-writing-and-the-sentences-come-out-fine-but-i-write-a-few/) [Lawrence Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-block/) > [I tried writing a novel, but plays were the thing that kept feeding me, asking me to come back, sit down and be with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branden-jacobs-jenkins/i-tried-writing-a-novel-but-plays-were-the-thing-that-kept-feeding-me/) [Branden Jacobs-Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branden-jacobs-jenkins/) > [I've tried writing. Two days later I'd go visit it and say, Jesus Christ, who wrote this crap?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-farina/i-ve-tried-writing-two-days-later-i-d-go-visit-it-and-say-jesus/) [Dennis Farina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-farina/) ## More by Harrison Birtwistle > [I don't have ideas so much as there are things which constantly evolve... there are various threads or layers, if you like, which change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/i-don-t-have-ideas-so-much-as-there-are-things-which-constantly/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [I didn't have a record player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/i-didn-t-have-a-record-player/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [The thing about influence is that any composer worth anything will give you the same names.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/the-thing-about-influence-is-that-any-composer-worth-anything-will/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [I always write the pieces I want to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/i-always-write-the-pieces-i-want-to-write/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [Minimalism now is a reaction to what came before. It's absolutely of its time. Music moved into the set theory thing, and moved out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/minimalism-now-is-a-reaction-to-what-came-before-it-s-absolutely-of/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [I think there are influences that you open the door to, and influences that come under the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/i-think-there-are-influences-that-you-open-the-door-to-and-influences/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [I wrote music as soon as I knew notation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/i-wrote-music-as-soon-as-i-knew-notation/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [The opera tells the story with all the built-in contradictions and from many different angles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/the-opera-tells-the-story-with-all-the-built-in-contradictions-and/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [I'm not a music lover in the sense that I look for something to have on. I've never had that attitude to music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/i-m-not-a-music-lover-in-the-sense-that-i-look-for-something-to-have/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [I think music has gone through a period of something very severe, rather radical, rather the way painting did with cubism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/i-think-music-has-gone-through-a-period-of-something-very-severe/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [The piece that had a large influence on me was Turangalila.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/the-piece-that-had-a-large-influence-on-me-was-turangalila/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [There are rhythmic ideas which sometimes only work up to a point. In writing there are moments when it just comes off the page,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/there-are-rhythmic-ideas-which-sometimes-only-work-up-to-a-point-in/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [The theatre only knows what it's doing next week, not like the opera, where they say: What are we going to do in five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/the-theatre-only-knows-what-it-s-doing-next-week-not-like-the-opera/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [This sounds horribly pretentious, but I like to think that if music hadn't existed, I could have invented it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/this-sounds-horribly-pretentious-but-i-like-to-think-that-if-music/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [When I was confronted with official tuition, the academic thing, I could see no relationship whatever between that and the music I'd been writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/when-i-was-confronted-with-official-tuition-the-academic-thing-i/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) [Explore all 29 Harrison Birtwistle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) ## More Basic things quotes > [When it comes to educating all of us about the most basic things in life, it seems to me we need more kindergartens and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/when-it-comes-to-educating-all-of-us-about-the-most-basic-things-in/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [“Every human being, he believed, must do one of three basic things during his lifetime: leave something living, create something lovely, or make something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-manfredi/every-human-being-he-believed-must-do-one-of-three-basic-things/) [Renee Manfredi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-manfredi/) > [I want to do the basic things, like putting my daughter to bed. It's the sweetest thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-douglas/i-want-to-do-the-basic-things-like-putting-my-daughter-to-bed-it-s/) [Tom Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-douglas/) > [All I can do is just go in there and tighten up my game, tighten up my handles. Just all the little basic things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-rose/all-i-can-do-is-just-go-in-there-and-tighten-up-my-game-tighten-up-my/) [Derrick Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-rose/) > [Come back down to basics. The basic things of life, the basic things for me are the things that turn me on more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ashcroft/come-back-down-to-basics-the-basic-things-of-life-the-basic-things/) [Richard Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ashcroft/) > [Here's an easy one: "Race is an entirely social construct." No, it's partially one, depending on how any given society seeks to define it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-goad/here-s-an-easy-one-race-is-an-entirely-social-construct-no-it-s/) [Jim Goad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-goad/) > [And after a while, you just pare things down more and more and more, until you get to certain basic things which just -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/and-after-a-while-you-just-pare-things-down-more-and-more-and-more/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [This basic thing I always do: 'What happened between the character's birth, and page one of the script?' Anything that's not in the story,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/this-basic-thing-i-always-do-what-happened-between-the-character-s/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [When you realize how hard it is to know the truth about yourself, you understand that even the most exhaustive and well-meaning autobiography, determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-rose/when-you-realize-how-hard-it-is-to-know-the-truth-about-yourself-you/) [Phyllis Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-rose/) > [We just can't love without God. God wants for us want we want for ourselves. These basic things are not that hard to grasp.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/we-just-can-t-love-without-god-god-wants-for-us-want-we-want-for/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [Even though L.A Confidential box-office was a fraction of, say, Titanic or the Grinch movie, it finds its audience and will continue doing so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/even-though-l-a-confidential-box-office-was-a-fraction-of-say-titanic/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [If loyalty is, and always has been, perceived as obsolete, why do we continue to praise it? Because loyalty is essential to the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-felten/if-loyalty-is-and-always-has-been-perceived-as-obsolete-why-do-we/) [Eric Felten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-felten/) > [If you look at it that way, then you start thinking about the basic things, which are jobs not jails, and education not incarceration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oren-moverman/if-you-look-at-it-that-way-then-you-start-thinking-about-the-basic/) [Oren Moverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oren-moverman/) > [I was scared before every battle. That old instinct of self-preservation is a pretty basic thing, but while the action was going on some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audie-murphy/i-was-scared-before-every-battle-that-old-instinct-of-self/) [Audie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audie-murphy/) > [Cookbooks hit you where you live. You want comfort; you want security; you want food; you want to not be hungry and not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-colwin/cookbooks-hit-you-where-you-live-you-want-comfort-you-want-security/) [Laurie Colwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-colwin/) [Browse all 50 Basic things quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basic-things/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One thing I've tried to do in writing music is take on very basic things, very archetypal things.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harrison Birtwistle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/one-thing-i-ve-tried-to-do-in-writing-music-is-take-on-very-basic/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basic things" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/one-thing-i-ve-tried-to-do-in-writing-music-is-take-on-very-basic/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/876/harrison-birtwistle-21154_basic-things_one-thing-i-ve-tried-to-do-in-writing-mu_2788201.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/876/harrison-birtwistle-21154_basic-things_one-thing-i-ve-tried-to-do-in-writing-mu_2788201.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/876/harrison-birtwistle-21154_basic-things_one-thing-i-ve-tried-to-do-in-writing-mu_2788201.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One thing I've tried to do in writing music is take on very basic things, very archetypal things.” — Harrison Birtwistle", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Harrison Birtwistle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One thing I've tried to do...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/one-thing-i-ve-tried-to-do-in-writing-music-is-take-on-very-basic/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/one-thing-i-ve-tried-to-do-in-writing-music-is-take-on-very-basic/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```