Write, sing, play, senior does it all

From writing lyrics and notes to playing the piano and drums, Jordan Pike does it all. And instead of focusing on one thing in college, he wants to keep doing it all.

Pike is a senior majoring in song writing through the Individualized Major Program. His song writing major is encompasses various aspects of music.

Currently, Pike takes song writing courses online through the Berklee School of Music. At IU, he has taken orchestral composition courses, vocal lessons, piano lessons, music theory courses and rock history courses to graduate with his IMP degree.

Pike said he has thoroughly enjoyed his rock history courses, such as Rock Music in the ’70s and ’80s, because they have given him a long list of songs he needs to listen to.

“Seeing how things progressed from the blues until now is vital for me, anyway,” Pike said. “I can’t really overstate how learning the history and progression of popular music has affected me.”

Pike started at IU as a music education major but said he had to force himself to work hard at it. He decided to become a song writing major because music production was the “most rewarding thing I’d been doing, so I went with it.”

Pike said he wants to be prepared for anything the music industry throws his way. Musicians of today need to branch out in order to be financially successful, Pike said, and in the future he might work on creating jingles and orchestral music. Currently, he is writing music for a string quartet.

For his senior project, Pike will create and produce his album, titled “Codex.” For it, he has written all the lyrics and instrumental parts, plays all the instruments and will develop the cover concept.

The song writing major is able to play all brass instruments, base, drums, piano and keyboard.

Andrew Hollinden, senior lecturer in the Jacobs School of Music and Pike’s sponsor through IMP, said Pike is working on the most imperative aspect of music: song writing and part writing. Hollinden said an example band is The Beatles, whose song writing and guitar writing explain why their music is so timeless.

“He is starting at the heart of the matter,” Hollinden said. “It’s a square a lot of musicians will overlook. I know I did.”

Pike’s album will consist of pop-rock sounds, but not the kind you are used to hearing on top-40 radio stations.

“What I want to get away from is the super-produced pop that is on the market now,” Pike said. “I want to go back to more organic, good playing and good arranging.”
Some of the songs on his album have taken him five or six years to write while others take 20 minutes.

“I tend to take a long time on something until I’m satisfied,” Pike said.

He said his goal is to have all the pre-production elements of his album done by summer and to do the entire recording during it. He said he hopes to create a truly marketable album.

Hollinden said he is impressed with the demos Pike has sent him, as well as with Pike’s ambition and independence.

“He told me about his desire for song writing, and he seemed like he was going to do it come hell or high water,” Hollinden said. “He’s an independent person, hasn’t really called upon me to do anything. For what he is going into, I think that’s a good sign.”