Questions tagged [composition]
For questions about the creation of new music and the techniques used to do so.
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How does swapping parts affect an arrangement
So, thinking about a typical arrangement structure, from what I know, is built from bass parts to effectively soprano ones. So within a group of instruments, let's say trumpets, you could have 4th ...
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How do I define my own style as a composer?
Much has been said about the idea of a musical style. We can group composers of similar places and times together (e.g. the "Classical" style in Vienna), discuss groups of jazz musicians ...
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Why does Schoenberg think of "'semi-contrapuntal treatment' of the accompaniment" as a way of adapting a motive's melody to changes in its harmony?
Schoenberg says that the melody of a motive may be adapted to changes in the harmony "[b]y transposition," "[b]y addition of passing harmonies," or "[b]y 'semi-contrapuntal' ...
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Changing the harmony of a motive ''by additions at the end,'' according to Schoenberg
Schoenberg says that the harmony of a motive may be changed ''[b]y additions at the end'' (Fundamentals of musical composition, page 10). He cites examples 25c-i to illustrate what he means (see ...
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Can I use fast tremolo or triads on the third register?
When I compose music I always tend to avoid writing fast tremolo and chords in the low register as it can get really muddy, but where is the boundary after which I should avoid tremolos and chords?
...
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How can harmony be implied by melody [duplicate]
I'm just curious about allot of compositional techniques, and one of them is the concept of "implying" harmony because it can be useful for determining later harmonic lines for an already ...
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Why does this melody tend to be in the key of F Major rather than in the key of C Major
When composing, I generally start with C Major to be simple, but very often, I can hear that in the melody another key is suggested.
Here is such an example :
The melody starts by leaping to the VI ...
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How to decide between half-, quarter-, and eighth-notes when transcribing a song
I am trying to transcribe a little song and I am facing a problem: I am realising that there are several ways to write it, 2 ways to be more specific; Here are 2 images (I just wrote the first few ...
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I am unsure of what time signature to use for my piece, as I'm pretty sure it changes mid-way through
Here is my piece so far, as you can see in green, the melody is highlighted. It starts on beat one, but I need a write the repeat in a clearer way so that it starts on beat one the second time it is ...
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Is there a way for one player to have a solo but the rest of the instrument keep playing?
I'm writing a piece where there is like a bass line which is made up of all 5 string section parts (orchestra) that each have a similar rhythm, and that all together makes a cool sound.
I want to add ...
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Composing for Clarinet - how many registers to use
I am starting to compose for clarinet and read that the clarinet has 3 different registers, which, it is said, are not easy to change between. Do composers only use one register or is it easily ...
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Adequate chord progression for an intimate "bolero"-"jazz" song?
I am trying to compose an intimate song to be played by an acoustic guitar (and a piano at most) related to the genre of "bolero" or "jazz", perhaps with traces of "fado"....
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Rationale behind the modulations in Alice Cooper's Poison
I was playing along to Poison and noticed a curious chord progression:
[Verse]
(in Dm)
i VI III VII
Dm Bb F C
Your cruel, device, Your blood, like ...
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Beginner at composing - Harmonising a melody in imitation of Mozart's Klavierstück KV 33B
TL, DR :
I don't know how to harmonize this melody (explained below) and need help deblocking (questions at bottom)
I have been learning violin for a few years now and I wanted to learn how to compose ...
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What is the proper study of composition and arrangement?
I have been composing and arranging on my own for about 10 months now, i am confident that they sound good but i am not sure, how good, how to make them better and if taking the proper course will ...
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Trombone choir and French Horn choir
I’m interested in combining two instrumental groups: a trombone choir and a French horn choir.
There seems to be a lot of compositions for either trombone choir, or for French horn choir, but not for ...
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What is a "Bb Tenor"
I was overlooking Peter Tschaikovsky's 1812 Overture, and I came across one of the parts being the 1st and 2nd Tenors. May I add that there are already 1st and 2nd Alto Horns, so what is this ...
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What is the breakdown at the end of shows called?
I have found that towards the end of rock shows the song ends and then there is some amount of random noise produced before the show ends. Usually, it is when the singer says goodnight and goodbye to ...
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Why the terms "GERMAN double fugue", employed twice in Brahms's Ein Deutsches Requiem, and ITALIAN triple fugue (Bach's "St. Anne" p. & fugue)?
In the Brahms's Ein Deutsches Requiem, the composer sets the words, "Der Gerechten Seelen sind im Gottes Hand, und keine Qual ruhret sie an" as a German double fugue, with 2 completely ...
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Why is the solo/featured instrument in so many Baroque-era concerti silent during the slow movement?
Is the reason the soloist is
often silent during a Baroque-era concerto simply to provide a break from all the virtuosity often required within the outer movements? Or is it to allow a string soloist ...
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If there is a double sharp on a note, does that mean the piece has modulated?
I'm currently writing a 32-bar free composition for my music exam coming up soon (I'm allowed to get help and advice on it, so this isn't cheating lol).
It's in F# major and I'd like to modulate to D# ...
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Is there a compositional term for an introductory variation on a larger theme?
I’ve noticed that in some music spaces, specifically entertainment and gaming, composers rely heavily on character or main themes as recurring motifs. One such instance I’ve heard recently involves ...
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Can parallel perfect intervals be hidden by the use of adding more voices?
If you look at this score the arrangement adds one "voice" to the right hand chord when the voice leading gets into some forbidden parallel movement between the bass and tenor "voices&...
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Is it possible to write a phase-shifted pattern that obeys the rules of classical counterpoint?
Is it possible to write a phase-shifted pattern in the style of Minimalist phased looping on Gibson Echoplex Digital Pro that obeys all the classical counterpoint rules? Each note of the pattern will ...
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How to turn a 4-part into a 5-part chorale texture
I wrote this 5 part texture this morning only to discover that all I had done was double the tenor line an octave higher. Is this how its done? I dont see how else I am to write this without other ...
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Notating hitting cymbal with shoulder vs tip of stick
I am writing a pep band piece (although the type of piece probably makes no difference) and the snare part is going to have syncopation between hitting the marching cymbals (as if they are ride ...
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I want to learn transcribing music, where should I start? [closed]
I found a music notation app called Musescore, I fell in love with exploring it and started recreating music scores from another user's score for my practice, and also I started to learn video ...
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Genre of this Sample Library [closed]
I'm music Producer and trying to achieve this type of "samples" Music.
What Genre are these "samples"?
Can you recommend me some music that sounds like that?
What instrument do i ...
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is this bar too fast for a piano composition? (3/4 time) How can I improve my piece? [closed]
I have only started to make new pieces and im not quite sure if this sounds nice
Here is the first page...i want to make the first half should fast and ecstatic juxtaposed with the sad and slow ...
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Rule on doubling the second rather than the fourth when using ligatures
I was going through the ligatures in 4 parts exercises from Fux's Gradus. On page 133, Aloys says, "Finally, in the sixth measure of the same example the fourth is doubled, although as a rule one ...
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Examples of neutral lines
I have been reading Alan Belkin's book "Musical Composition". In the first chapter titled motifs he mentions the use of what is called "Neutral Lines" which are parts between ...
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Do composers arrange an entire score without parallel perfect intervals or is this only when you have few voices and need them to all be independent?
In harmony class one is taught not to use parallel perfect intervals as it undermines the independence of the voices. I have come to completely understand this and see why it is so important but when ...
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What is the best name for a short composition (Suite, Sonata, Partita, etc.)?
I have a short composition and I would like to give it a name but I don't know what term would be more appropriate (Suite, Sonata, Partita, another one?). The composition has a duration of 1:21, uses ...
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What Makes Pieces with similar BPM Sound So Different?
Ok, so I'm very novice as far as music theory is concerned, and I was wondering if someone could explain to me why pieces with lower tempos can sound faster or higher energy.
I need to know why on an ...
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What does the marking "Tempo" mean in the middle of a piece of music?
In Hubert Parry's (1848-1918) choral work "There is an Old Belief", there is a marking in a few places that just reads "Tempo". The first time it happens after a ritard, following ...
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When would I write E sharp and when would I write F natural? [duplicate]
My song is in E Major. The notes go as follows: A, G#, F#, E#/F natural, F#. My instinct is to do E# so that I don't have to put another accidental on the next note. Is there a specific reason to use ...
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How to compose like Liszt? [closed]
I've been trying to compose like him for a long time but I've got no idea where to start. What are some of his most used chord progressions? Info like this would help.
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What options do I have to utilize all my created riffs to their full potential?
Playing guitar, I tend to create a whole bunch of different riffs that flow one after the other in the same key. They all sound really good together but then I wonder how I could turn them into a song....
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Is there a word for the motif of linearly-tumbling & surging little bundles of notes? (E.g., "FEDC-FEDC-BCDEF")
For example, Cerulean's Flight (from the start and throughout):
I've found this to be one of the most common attributes of my favourite music. In my notes I've had to ...
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Are there any recorded cases of two composers working independently composing the same thing?
I heard the Miley Cyrus song Party in the U.S.A. on the radio yesterday (never heard it before) and I heard a vocal phrase that sounded very familiar. I couldn't place it for a while, but then it came ...
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Help with note grouping in 6/4 time
I'm currently preparing music for a rehearsal and recording session, and I want my charts to be easy and clear to read without any problems.
I have a tune in 6/4 and am a little unsure of what looks ...
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Harmonic accuracy check [closed]
I would like a harmonic accuracy check for a variation that I composed based on a section of the first movement of Brahms's Violin Concerto. I am concerned with whether or not the notes of Bars 18 - ...
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How can I maintain interest with a repeating bassline?
If it helps, this is my bassline(opening the piece as the melody of a chorale), for a classical orchestra plus trombones and piano.
This bassline has to repeat for the entirety of the piece, with the ...
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How well can woodwind instruments leap large intervals?
I've composed this passage:
I'm concerned about it due to the large leaps in three of the four instruments. I have tried to find some information online about leaps and woodwind instruments, but ...
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What methods can composers use to make the listener's perception of time feel slower or faster?
When composing or arranging, what methods can be exploited to affect the listener's perception of the speed they are moving through time?
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Greek modes, minor and major scales
By definition, a major scale is:
W W H W W W H
similarly, a minor scale is:
W H W W H W W
Now, the standard notion of Greek modes begins with: a major scale, and the construction of the modes with ...
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Is there a specific name for this cadence melody?
The trill or any ornamentation is optional but seems like it is usually there. I am familiar with this melody more generally as part of an authentic cadence, but this particular rhythm seems very ...
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How can I explain/understand a flattened 2nd in a minor melody
My 10yo daughter (~grade 4 piano level) likes composing her own tunes, and then we'll discuss them and expand on them. Recently she composed a melody that appears to be in c# minor, except that every ...
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Is deliberate voice crossing a common method for part writing?
In basic harmony exercises voice crossing is avoided.
But, in actual string music, well I suppose all instrument genres, voice crossing is fairly common, and by my reckoning it seems to be a method ...
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