Tagged Questions
1
vote
1answer
71 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 ...
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 ...
-2
votes
1answer
91 views
2 guitar progression [closed]
These are progression from a song that I was playing with a friend but we don't understand it at all. Can somebody please explain conceptually why they sound good when played together i.e first ...
2
votes
2answers
112 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 ...
4
votes
2answers
151 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 ...
13
votes
5answers
332 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 ...
1
vote
2answers
230 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 ...
2
votes
3answers
339 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 ...
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 ...
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
2answers
805 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, ...
8
votes
7answers
322 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, ...
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 ...
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? ...
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 ...
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 ...
3
votes
3answers
401 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
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 ...
10
votes
4answers
400 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 ...
6
votes
3answers
855 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 ...
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 ...
2
votes
4answers
142 views
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 ...
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 ...
7
votes
5answers
505 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.
...
24
votes
8answers
477 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 ...
14
votes
2answers
830 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 ...
