Three Underrated Techniques for Writing Tearjerker Music
- Stephen Berkemeier
- May 30
- 4 min read
Because sometimes "sad" just isn't enough.
TL;DR
Writing sad music that actually hurts the listener requires a bit more than just using minor keys and slow melodies. These three underrated techniques (delayed resolution, emotional counterpoint, collapsing texture) help go beyond the obvious and help you craft music that breaks hearts in all the right ways!
What Makes Music a Tearjerker?
It's easy to write "sad-sounding" music.
It's much harder to write music that can actually move someone to tears.
Most composers know the basics:
Use minor keys
Slow the tempo down
Keep the instrumentation soft or intimate
But that honestly only gets you so far.
The truth is, real tearjerkers rely on emotional contrast, storytelling structure, and musical vulnerability.
I already have multiple articles about writing emotional music (check out my blog post The Secret to Writing Sad Music That Hits Hard for a great break down of the fundamentals) but in this article I'll break down three underrated techniques you can use to take things to the next level!
Delay the Resolution
We're wired to want closure. So when your music builds emotional tension... and then holds it just a little too long ... that's when the lump hits the throat.
In musical terms, think of a phrase that leans into a dominant chord ... but then sits there.
Or a melody that ascends toward a resolution...but falls short.
Or a cadence that almost lands...then detours into a softer, unexpected harmony.
That unresolved tension feels like yearning — and yearning is a language of loss, regret, and unspoken emotion.
How to Use it:
Linger on pre-cadential chords (the chords RIGHT before your cadence)
e.g., ii → V or IV → V
Avoid strong resolutions (use deceptive cadences or modal cadences)
repeat cadential gestures with slight variations to suggest "trying again" (e.g., end subsequent phrases with different types of deceptive or modal cadences).
It's not just sad — it's unfinished. And that hurts!
Emotional Counterpoint
Most Composers think of counterpoint as a technical skill, the ability to write multiple layers that can be layered on top of each other (check out my blog post How to Write Counterpoint if you'd like to learn how!) But it's also one of your most powerful tools for emotional layering.
Pairing two contrasting emotional ideas creates a complex, bittersweet feeling that can hit much harder than a unison idea.
A high, lyrical melody that climbs with hope ... against a descending bass line that feels like giving up.
A childlike piano melody...floating over slow, mournful strings.
The listener isn't just told what to feel — they're invited into an emotional conversation. That push and pull feels incredibly human, and brings an emotional richness to your sound!
How to Use it:
Start with your emotion first. Describe the surface level first, then describe the underlying subtext/elements that make it unique when compared to other, similar emotions.
Write a melody that captures the surface level of your emotion.
Harmonize using contrasting layers (counter melodies, part writing, etc.) that help highlight the subtle, unique elements of your emotion.
Collapsing the Texture
Big emotions don't always need big moments. In fact, one of the most heartbreaking moves you can make is to take something full and lush ... and strip it away.
The orchestra fades out, leaving a solo violin
The chords drop, and you're left with one note, barely holding on.
The reverb disappears, and just a dry piano, close to silence remains.
This shift in size and complexity creates contrast that highlights the intimacy and your emotional experience. It catches the audience off guard and exaggerates the most emotional elements of your music.
How to use it:
Start big and plan a textural collapse as the emotional climax (texture = number and types of layers used in your music).
Remove harmonic support and let the melody float on its own.
Use silence or negative space intentionally — make the listener lean in.
It's not about sadness. It's about intimacy and exposure.
Bonus Mindset: Contrast Creates Impact
All three of these techniques work because they create contrast — a shift that catches the audience emotionally off guard.
We expect resolution → but get left hanging
We expect unity → but get layered ideas
We expect support → but get isolation.
Tearjerkers don't just express emotion — they make us feel the gap between what we wanted and what we got.
Want Help Using These In Your Own Writing?
If this post hit something in you — you'll love my textbook The Musical Storyteller.
It's a practical, story-first guide to writing music that captures emotional nuance using harmony, melody, and orchestration that serve character, story, and feeling.
If you're a self-taught composer, you may also enjoy my free eBook The Composer's Roadmap, a self-guided framework to help you use your favorite pieces of music to identify what you need to learn, and in which order!
Final Thoughts
Writing tearjerker music isn't about being sad — it's about being honest.
And sometimes the most honest thing you can do...is pull back, leave a space, and let the audience feel it.
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