The art and craft of creating new music.
4
votes
3answers
108 views
What's the best way to provide musicians a copy of a song to use to prepare for a recording session?
I have a few originals I am ready to professionally record and want to provide the musicians that will be recording with me an opportunity to listen to a "skeleton" of the song (most basic outline ...
4
votes
2answers
154 views
How to compose an acoustic guitar chorus?
I've been playing guitar off and on for years, and every once in a while I come up with some lyrics and chords that seem to be really great for a few verses. The problem is that I can never seem to ...
4
votes
2answers
141 views
Capturing music in my head
Here's a strange question, so I welcome improvements...
Since I can remember, I've had grand orchestrated music pop into my head throughout the day-- sort of a musical dreaming. It's really good ...
4
votes
1answer
196 views
What is “Sonata-Allegro form” and what other similar forms should I be aware of?
There are lots of classical pieces called "Sonata", and they usually have 3 movements. But there are guitar Sonatas by Paganini that only have 2 movements! And I heard there's a crazy Tchaikovsky -- ...
4
votes
2answers
124 views
Accidentals in First Species Counterpoint
On page 39 of Alfred Mann's translation of The Study of Counterpoint there is a passage concerning justification of using accidentals in first species counterpoint.
Here is the passage:
Aloys: ...
4
votes
3answers
108 views
Temporarily Changing Keys - Which accidentals to use?
I've was taught that whenever you write a run of notes going up, you should use sharps instead of flats; And whenever you go downwards, you should generally write flats instead of sharps. My question ...
4
votes
1answer
1k views
What makes a happy song happy? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What gives a piece of music its personality and feeling?
What makes a happy song a happy one? What are the elements that give this particular property to a music piece? ...
3
votes
3answers
118 views
How many bars can a clarinet sustain?
Apologies if the question is too silly (my profile might explain why I don't know the answer).
I am writing a piece and at some point I want a clarinet to hold a note until the performer runs out of ...
3
votes
3answers
132 views
How can I establish myself as the creator of a given work [closed]
If I write a composition and want to share it with the world, what's the best way to establish that I am its creator? I remember reading a book where you could do something like write it down and ...
3
votes
3answers
478 views
How many voices do violins usually play in modern orchestral music
I've been into arranging and composing for orchestral music for a few years now, however, my music is usually fully computer-rendered (ewql), so I don't have any practical limits of how many ...
3
votes
1answer
99 views
What scales can I play over a A 13 flat ninth chord?
Okay, so I have been studying the music of Joe Pass and he loves to substitute minor seventh chords for dominant seventh chords. For example take a typical vi-ii-V-I progression on C,
instead of ...
3
votes
3answers
420 views
recognizing the motif
I encounter the term motif in composition books, and still have no idea what a motif is. Many sources (including some dictionaries) try to define it as "prominent sequence of notes" or "basic theme of ...
3
votes
4answers
157 views
Is there something like the Köchel catalogue for other composers?
I'm looking for public databases containing data about the works of different composers, just like the Köchel catalogue. I'm not really interested in any particular artist, genre, or time period. ...
3
votes
2answers
78 views
Cadential Six Four Chord
Must the V chord always immediately follow the I 6-4 in a cadential six-four or can there be maybe a passing six-four in between like in measure seven of beethoven's piano concerto no.1 op.15, I? ...
3
votes
2answers
124 views
How could I create a musical vocabulary based on a group of similar classical pieces?
Sometimes I'll be working on a group of pieces and realize that I'd like to experiment with abstracting some of the musical ideas (rhythms, harmonies, etc) into a musical vocabulary that I could use ...
3
votes
1answer
50 views
Why in the study of counterpoint by johan fux are minor sixths allowed but not augmented fifth?
If augmented fifths and minor sixths are enharmonically equivalent why does johan fux in his book study of counterpoint allow minor sixths but not augmented fifths if they sound the same? How does one ...
3
votes
2answers
58 views
Selling arrangements online
This summer, I want to earn money to buy sequencing software. I really enjoy arranging songs (as well as writing them) so I thought it would make sense for me to try to sell some online. Can I do that ...
3
votes
1answer
107 views
General methods for turning a riff into a song?
Say if have a really nice 2-bar riff that I like a lot. How would I go about composing a song around that?
Ok, the obvious answer is "play it a few times, then make some variation of it, play that a ...
3
votes
1answer
44 views
Older Hexachordal Systems referred to in The Study of Counterpoint
What are the hexachordal systems discussed in The Study of Counterpoint?
I would like an explanation of them and how they relate to the modal first species exercises
written out by Joseph.
The ...
2
votes
2answers
154 views
Aiding the transcription of naturally occuring sounds. e.g. Horse whinnying, bird singing, etc
I edited the question extensively. The comments helped me to phrase it to reflect more what I really wanted to ask.
....................
I don't have perfect pitch and badly trained and imprecise ...
2
votes
1answer
313 views
Which advanced chords can I use for a song composition in scale of G?
I am making a song composition in a scale of G.
I have already used major chords G, C and D and in some places I have used Am, Em and Bm.
I would like to make this composition richer with some ...
2
votes
3answers
362 views
How to understand layering of multiple elements in composition (pop/jazz)
I'm trying to understand more about how to compose music and most importantly combine multiple instruments at the same time.
I'm quite capable of composing a bass-line, chord progression, or main ...
2
votes
2answers
123 views
What should I be trying my hand at to practice composing?
I don't really know how to play any instrument, but I do have some USB keys that I have plinked with in Garageband.
I'm not interested so much in learning to perform my works. I enjoy and am inspired ...
2
votes
2answers
126 views
What is this 4 bar part of music called?
In the song Amie by Pure Prairie League there is a repeated section of muisc that is about 4 bars long(or 2 depending on how you count it). It occurs between every section of music except near the end ...
2
votes
1answer
151 views
Is there a formal name for this type of composition?
So, say there's a musical piece that has the following structure:
[A.1] [A.2] [A.3] [A]
Where A is a "harmonic theme", in the sense that it's treated as a theme, but its melodic content is contained ...
2
votes
4answers
142 views
2
votes
1answer
89 views
Chordal Analysis of Christian Petzold's Minuet in G (formerly attributed to J.S. Bach)
The piece I am asking about is the well-known minuet that was originally attributed to J.S. Bach but has since been re-attributed to lesser-known composer, Christian Petzold.
My question concerns ...
2
votes
1answer
43 views
Octave apart voicing
Strictly speaking, can adjacent voices (aside from tenor and bass) be an octave apart from each other? They can't be more than an octave apart but is it a violation of principle to make them an octave ...
2
votes
0answers
78 views
When did Bach diverge from the style of Palestrina? [closed]
It's interesting to note that Bach did follow many of the rules espoused in The Study of Counterpoint. Fux used the music of Palestrina as his basis for his theory. Yet, the music of Bach is separate ...
1
vote
2answers
73 views
Writing a song based on the harmonic minor
I'm writing my friend a horn solo (with piano accompaniment) and I asked her what her favorite scale was and she said harmonic minor, "because it sounds Egyptian". If I was trying to write a ...
1
vote
2answers
186 views
How to write partitures for an orchesta
I know a single musician would read from a partiture in real time and that is no problem, the partiture has its silences and tempo.
I am more a lyric musician but I like composing music because I ...
1
vote
2answers
241 views
Notating Augmented Chords
When writing an Augmented chord, which inversion of the chord should I use?
The problem came up while I was composing (piano). I came to an augmented chord and couldn't think of which version to use ...
1
vote
3answers
397 views
Understand how to build drum patterns with computer
The guy playing bass in my band was so lucky (and great) to be endorser for a brand.
It's local, nothing outstanding, but we're double rainbows.
He asked me to help him building a very fast / cheap / ...
1
vote
1answer
95 views
Arranging a copyrighted song [closed]
I have a friend in high school who wants me to arrange a copyrighted work for her high school band to play in concert. What do I need to do to make sure that the final composition is legal and ...
1
vote
1answer
85 views
Best way to notationally indicate that a solo phrase in an instrumental section should end
After writing "solo" over a part intended for one instrumentalist in a section, what's the best way to indicate that the the entire section should again begin playing?
1
vote
1answer
48 views
Can sequences in music be modified rhythmically?
Can a sequence still be considered a sequence if the rhythm is changed?
For example:
Beethoven's Piano Sonata Op.13, II, in the left hand:
The phrase beginning on the upbeat of 1 in the 3rd ...
1
vote
3answers
158 views
How to write a keyboard part for an existing song?
I was asked to make a keyboard part for a song somebody else has written. It's probably going to be organ.
I have no idea how to do this. I've been playing for a few years and I can improvise a bit, ...
1
vote
2answers
542 views
Audiation, Mental hearing, Composing/Reading scores without sound reference
Many composers in the past (as well as the present) were known to do that.
So, are there any ways in order to achieve this? Any exercises and so on?
1
vote
1answer
62 views
Recording a song in the right rhythm
I wrote a few songs and I try to record them since nearly one week.
I play on an electric guitar and I record my voice for vocals. I only have one mic (cheap karaoke mic for 20$) so I record both, the ...
1
vote
1answer
20 views
Voice-crossing in First Species Counterpoint
In two-part counterpoint, is it okay for the counterpoint and cantus firmus voices to cross?
Transferred from: Few Questions on Counterpoint in the Tradition of Johan Fux
1
vote
1answer
37 views
Diatonic Function of Accidentals in Counterpoint
Why is it in counterpoint that the fourth degree of natural mode "F"
lowered to "Bb" instead of remaining as "B"?
Why isn't the fourth degree lowered for other modes? Shouldn't the "B"
...
1
vote
1answer
38 views
Meaning of “Battuta” in Counterpoint
What is Battuta and does it only apply to voice leading by
contrary motion?
For example, in treble clef, if going from "E-G" (major-tenth - that
is, the "E" is in the bass and the "G" is ...
1
vote
1answer
124 views
Figuring out the difference between major and relative minor scales?
I always seem have difficulty determining whether a song is in a major scale, or the relative minor. (the 3rd note back into it, but minor)
Lets use the Pokemon theme song for example. As I ...
1
vote
0answers
31 views
Confusing passage from The Study of Counterpoint [duplicate]
Here is the passage:
Joseph: I wanted to write a sixth here. But when I studied singing, I learned that fa leads down and mi leads up. Since the progression moves upward from the sixth into a third I ...
0
votes
3answers
171 views
Instruments to compose a song or theme for setting in the desert
Im composing a song or theme for a setting in the desert. I'm trying to get instruments to use to capture the feeling being in the desert.
0
votes
2answers
185 views
Myspace is dead. What are the alternatives? [closed]
I've been playing and composing music all through my life, and I want a sort of showcase to store and make it available.
I was thinking about Myspace, but from several sources I heard it is in a ...
0
votes
4answers
75 views
Diminished Intervals
If I go from F# to D# down (F#-D#) is that a diminished third or augmented second interval?
I am composing in minor mode and want to know because augmented intervals are forbidden in part writing.
0
votes
1answer
39 views
Diminished Intervals in Voice Leading
I know that augmented intervals within part writing in both minor and major keys is forbidden but what about diminished intervals? For example if I we're in e minor and in 3/4 time and I'm writing a ...
0
votes
1answer
77 views
Few Questions on Counterpoint in the Tradition of Johan Fux [closed]
Question 1. I understand why in most cases the penultimate note of the counterpoint will be the leading tone, which must be raised in minor to establish a sense of tonality. But why is the leading ...
0
votes
3answers
77 views
Music and time, “natural” time
To play music rhythm in time it was always something difficult to me, with a metronome also. Basically I can not count time. On the other hand I have some intuition to compose simple music, and when I ...
