The art and craft of creating new music.
24
votes
8answers
478 views
What exactly should I have to learn to understand why certain combination of chords are harmonic when played in a sequence?
I am an intuitive music composer trying to move to a technical music composer. As a dummy, I see music as a composition of 'pieces' (my word). Each piece is a set of notes that are melodical when ...
23
votes
8answers
1k views
Key signature for writing in modes other than major and minor
I have trouble deciding what accidentals to put in the key signature for pieces in dorian, phrygian, lydian or mixolydian modes. There seem to be tradeoffs associated with each choice.
For example, ...
20
votes
5answers
1k views
Does it really make difference to play a song in a different key?
I hear sometimes players and composers say that this song won't sound good in F Major for example, and you should play it or write it in G Major (this was just an example). In other words, it seems ...
15
votes
8answers
361 views
Any advice for a novice composer?
I have been learning the acoustic guitar for about 3 years, but just recently started writing my own songs. I am currently learning music theory.
Given that starting point what advice would you give ...
15
votes
4answers
355 views
As a composer, should I be composing music for an instrument I don't play?
I wanted to know if composing music for a specific instrument demands that you know how to at least play the instrument. I'm sure if you know how the instrument sounds by itself as well as within an ...
14
votes
6answers
1k views
Is it possible to write a song without a key?
"This song is in F Major", "That song is in A Minor", "This song is in D Minor, but modulates to F Major in the middle", etc.
Can we say "This song has no key"? Are there songs that have/follow no ...
14
votes
2answers
852 views
What is the relationship between the melody line and the rhythm chords?
Let's say I've written a song with the chord progression I-IV-V in the key of A (just as an example). So, the chords I'm playing are A-D-E. When playing a lead over this rhythm, what notes do I need ...
13
votes
5answers
333 views
Is there any way to improve composing?
Beside playing drums I'm toying with software to create music. The problem is when I need to advance further. I may have some good, let's say "riffs" (or pieces, or melodies, or ideas), and I'm pretty ...
13
votes
5answers
1k views
Prokofiev's style
I have a predilection for music from the first half of the 20th century. I can't pinpoint the exact reason why, I suspect it is from absorbing so much music from movies, tv series and computer games ...
12
votes
2answers
2k views
How do classical composers write music?
I am starting to learn about music theory and today it hit me how do classical composers such as Mozart and Beethoven are able to write music for instruments they don't play, such as (for example ...
11
votes
2answers
638 views
Well-known composers or piano pieces generally suitable for someone with small hands?
One of my struggles with playing the piano is that I have small hands. I can reach an octave - mostly. I can reach it, I just can't maneuver between octaves quickly. Often times a piece will have a ...
10
votes
6answers
916 views
How to dramatically change the feeling of a song while keeping the melody largely the same?
How to dramatically change the feeling of a song while keeping the melody largely the same? Let's say we have a happy, upbeat pop song and we want to turn it into a sad song (or vice versa). Is it ...
10
votes
5answers
2k views
Tips on counting and playing odd time signatures
I'm pretty interested in learning, composing and playing along to songs using odd time signatures (3/4, 5/4, 7/8, ...) and I'd like some advice on how to wrap my head around all this stuff.
For ...
10
votes
4answers
401 views
What gives a piece of music its personality and feeling?
What makes a piece of music sound angry, dark, sad, happy, or otherwise?
"La Chute" by Yann Tiersen sounds so angry to me and "A Dark Knight" from "The Dark Knight" movie sounds so dark and ...
10
votes
3answers
198 views
Is there a name for this sort of ambiguity with respect to the rhythm of a piece, and/or is this a recognized technique in composition?
If you listen to the first 40 seconds or so of Veridis Quo by Daft Punk, you'll probably feel like you have a pretty good idea of the beat of the song, each of the chords starting on the first beat of ...
10
votes
2answers
230 views
Techniques for memorizing a musical idea and “saving it to paper”
Sometimes I have a very nice musical idea, with orchestration too, and I clearly hear it in my mind as if I was listening to a CD.
But I cannot retain it. The only way is to play it over and over in ...
9
votes
4answers
222 views
How can I stay informed of new art music?
As a composer, it's vitally important that I'm aware of what's happening in the contemporary music world. I find it very difficult to keep myself informed of a field that often flies below the radar ...
9
votes
2answers
462 views
Software for microtonal MIDI?
I'm looking to make some microtonal music (19/22 tone equal temperament). I want to produce it with midi. Timidity++ used to be able to produce a WAV file from a microtonal tuned .MID file, but it is ...
8
votes
7answers
325 views
Is looking for chord after having the melody unusual?
Most people I encounter seem to have the opinion that the definitive way is to first have the chords and then "mess around" with the harmony notes until one founds a desirable succession of notes, ...
8
votes
2answers
3k views
How to turn any (pop) song into a jazz song?
Quite often there are pop songs wich get covered in a jazz style. These covers are seen from youtube to tv.
Now I tried doing something like this, with for example Bad Day by Daniel Powter. It's ...
8
votes
3answers
1k views
Training and Influences of J. S. Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach is undoubtedly among the most celebrated of Baroque composers, and to many the great composer in all history. The era of the late 17th and early 18th centuries in which he lived, ...
7
votes
9answers
400 views
What instrument can an old guy learn if the main goal is to write music
At this old age I began, two years ago learning to write music. I write it using Sibelius and let the computer play it for me.
I have been strongly recommended to learn to play an instrument. I have ...
7
votes
5answers
512 views
tips for writing the drum notes to a song in a band
I play the drums in a band, and the song has already been written and everything that the vocalist, guitarist and bassist will play. The drums were left out and I have to write them to fit the song.
...
7
votes
4answers
801 views
A total newbie wants to learn how to write songs. What does he need?
I am recently being interested in writing my own songs/my own music. However, I'm a newbie when it comes to music. I am not really musically talented nor inclined. I only know basic guitar chords and ...
7
votes
6answers
1k views
How to select a key-signature for a song
There are so many songs in pretty odd key-signatures like 4,5,6 sharps or flats. At least this is my impression when I listen to songs on the radio/net while trying to follow them on my piano/guitar. ...
7
votes
4answers
293 views
What should I do about composing 'soft' accents for piano?
When composing for the piano, I often find myself writing a lot of sudden soft notes. I need an accent mark that suddenly softens notes. From my knowledge (and searching the web), I can not find any ...
7
votes
3answers
115 views
Registering with a Performing Rights Organization
Out of curiosity, I've recently taken a look at the websites of ASCAP and BMI, two big PROs. As a musician, if I wanted to hypothetically register with such an organization:
Should I register as a ...
7
votes
1answer
557 views
What components make military music especially rousing?
If someone were going to compose a piece of military music to especially rousing, what components would they be looking to emphasize? Like is there a certain key or time that military music is often ...
7
votes
1answer
89 views
Finding the “Starting point” when creating a composition or score
This is a fairly simple one, and hopefully not too wide-open to be permitted here: what approaches are available when sitting at a fresh screen or sheet of paper, or at your instrument, to create the ...
6
votes
3answers
200 views
What does an arranger do?
When you see the "arranged by" attribution on a score, what did the arranger (typically) do?
6
votes
2answers
98 views
Tips for using complex time signatures in a “catchy” pop song?
I'm looking to write some music in the vein of a band I discovered recently called Icarus The Owl, who use some pretty wacky time signatures (anything from 21/16 into weirder territories) but always ...
6
votes
3answers
335 views
How do you compose tuplets against straight notes?
I would like to know how to compose tuplets of odd numbers against even numbers on the piano (ie. 3 against 2). How would you go around composing something like this? I have been composing for some ...
6
votes
3answers
856 views
Most important musical concepts for writing songs on acoustic guitar
I want to be able to write catchy/"cool sounding" guitar parts for songs. I am currently studying music theory extensively. I am just wondering, are there any guitar-specific musical concepts that I ...
6
votes
2answers
250 views
What is the earliest known use or indication of “col legno”
col legno or col legno battuto meaning : strike (the string) with the wood (of the bow) is commonly found in 20th century chamber music. But I have heard it might have been used earlier (at least 18th ...
6
votes
1answer
113 views
Can someone explain the rhythm of a Mazurka?
While perusing some Chopin and Liszt sheets, I tried to play a Mazurka or two. But, I simply don't understand how the rhythm works. It feels awkward and unbalanced when I try and I just don't get it, ...
5
votes
6answers
298 views
Does following “musical forms” suppress “creativity”?
I'm not a professional musician (actually, I'm a computer programmer), but I'm playing Guitar and Recorder, and I also sometimes write some themes coming to my mind.
Thus, let's assume that I'm a ...
5
votes
5answers
208 views
How to keep practicing to compose music when you're too picky to listen to yourself playing
I'm a pianist, and I also compose songs in DAWs. My main spare time occupation is to improvise on the piano, and I've been doing it for several years now.
Even before I learned any instruments (when ...
5
votes
5answers
1k views
How do you compose using the chromatic scale?
Writting a piece of music using the chromatic scale would be interesting, but I can't think of a way to start it? What kind of structure would a piece have? Is it all subjective and up to the composer ...
5
votes
3answers
574 views
Scales, modes, techniques for writing “Super Mario” style music
I'm looking for a push in the right direction as to how to go about writing Super Mario type video game themes. What scales/modes work best, time signatures, etc...
Examples of where I'm trying to ...
5
votes
2answers
1k views
What are the most common ways to “decorate” a melody?
Yes, I know, there are way too many possibilities and it depends on the style of the music... I would be happy with an incomplete list for beginners (like me). Here is what I have so far:
...
5
votes
3answers
261 views
Composition of music suitable for concentration
What are the parameters of music to consider so that the resulting composition is suitable as a background music when reading, studying or doing some mental work?
I'm interested in parameters like ...
5
votes
3answers
212 views
Composing a song in Cm with major chord substitutes
I am composing a song in Cm with a very basic chord progression of I-IV-I. So, normally, in Cm, that would be Cm7-Fm7-Cm7, but I am actually playing Cm7-F7-Cm7.
First of all, why does this work? This ...
5
votes
2answers
808 views
What are the characteristics of Negro Spiritual vocal arrangements?
I've tried several times to write vocal arragnements that are in the style of Negro Spiritual music.
Here's an example of the style I'm referring to.
Typically, I use simple SATB style arrangements, ...
5
votes
2answers
465 views
What is this chord (spelled 2nd, 4th, 5th) and how is it used?
For the piano/composers:
I compose music for the piano in my spare time, and one particular chord that has caught my attention (as one that I like a lot) is the D-F-G chord in C Major.
I have seen ...
5
votes
2answers
278 views
Online counterpoint materials
For a long time I've wanted to teach myself counterpoint, but haven't been able to find any materials online. Are there any hidden tutorials anyone knows of, or good books written in English in the ...
5
votes
1answer
476 views
Influences of Mozart
Wikipedia article only mentions Hummel from Mozart's childhood but gives no further information.
I will appreciate if someone could shed more light here, in particular which composers have had an ...
5
votes
1answer
172 views
How can I improve my piano accompaniments?
When I play piano or keyboards, I've noticed that I keep slipping into playing the same chords (and variations thereof, such as very simple bass lines) with my left hand while I use my right hand to ...
5
votes
1answer
134 views
Difference between Fantasia and Rhapsody?
This question is pretty straight forward. From my knowledge, both forms are written freely without much restriction.
How can I tell the two apart and what are some of the things that make them ...
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
152 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 ...
