Cross-genre Hybridity in Composition: A systematic method

This article serves as an introduction to the ‘hybridity table’, which is a systematic compositional tool designed to aid in the creation of balanced cross-genre hybrid music. The hybridity table was developed as part of my doctoral research, and has been utilised in my ongoing creative practice-based research. The article will, in a broad sense, discuss the terms ‘genre’ and ‘hybridity’, drawing from the current literature, and will attempt to clarify how an understanding of these terms was utilised in the development of the hybridity table. Also included is a brief example of the table used in the composition of a short piece – Tracking Forward – as well as a discussion of key considerations for composing hybrid music using this table. Through outlining this new compositional tool it is hoped that this method might be utilised by other composers in their own creation of balanced cross-genre hybrid music