# Composing, Just Start Somwhere, Where?



## waveheavy (Sep 20, 2014)

When you sit down to compose, where do you begin? Do you use multiple methods depending on the type of composition?

1. Do you begin with a simple melody, and then build chords?

2. Do you create a bass line first, and then build chords up from it and then a melody?

3. Or do you experiment with chord progressions until you find the structure you want, and then create a melody and bass line to go with it?

4. Or do you create a melody, then use counterpoint to create a matching bass line and or counterline, and then fill in the rest of the chord notes as needed?

5. Or you do what?


Dave


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## Christof (Sep 20, 2014)

Mostly I do 3. and 4.


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## muk (Sep 20, 2014)

Most often either a melody or an accompaniment pattern/chord sequence comes to mind. I notate these for future use. When starting to write a piece I always first decide which form it should have, and what I want to do with that form (note that I write classical stuff, so I might be an outsider here). I then go through my sketches to see which material can be used for that. From there, the hard work starts


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## AR (Sep 20, 2014)

For me composing starts when I take a s*** early in the morning. I'm humming something while still sleeping on the toilet. Sometimes the melody is possible to create with samples and sometimes not. If it's not sounding realistic I simply don't chase that idea anymore. I find it very hard to start with chord progressions. But for movies you probably won't need much more than 4 chords


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## Vin (Sep 20, 2014)

There are 2 options: melody first and chords first. For me, it depends, but I find my usual process similar to this one http://www.wisemanproject.com/education-orchestrationtip-by-KentaroSato.html (here).


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## mverta (Sep 20, 2014)

I did an entire masterclass on this, but I might suggest:

1) Establish simple patterns. Human beings are pattern-recognition machines and will seek them out in all forms of sensory input. When they recognize a pattern, they make a connection to it. To have a pattern, you need at least two of something.

2) Some people have suggested writing a melody; others suggested writing chords. Here's a fact: The most effective melodies heavily outline their supporting chords - they use the most important chord tones/outline the chord's scale. Play Star Wars or Raiders, or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, even, with no chords. You will hear the chords. You will hear them partially because they're outlined right in the melodies, and you will hear them partly because they trade in on very, very familiar chord patterns.


_Mike


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## ed buller (Sep 20, 2014)

I'd Highly recommend Mike's classes. Most run to several hours and are packed with useful stuff. You'll learn heaps.

http://mikeverta.com/



I also like this post from Ryan Leach:

http://music.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how ... udio-20103


and this book is amazing:

http://www.amazon.com/Composing-Music-Approach-William-Russo/dp/0226732169/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411213981&sr=1-4&keywords=bill+russo (http://www.amazon.com/Composing-Music-A ... bill+russo)

Good luck

ed


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## Piano & Strings (Sep 20, 2014)

I like to lay down, deeply relaxed and picture a concert hall populated with an audience of friends and family. I am the conductor with a full orchestra and there are a hundred clones of me on every instrument. As I solo various instruments, composing on the fly, my view switches perspective from conductor to performer. If something good comes, I grab my cell and hum it into the voice recorder as a melodic reminder to the idea. I really enjoy the liberating feeling! Alternatively, playing piano chordal harmony with two hands and composing the melody in my head, which allows the melodic exploration a greater degree of spontaneous fluidity... akin to singing nonsense or humming along to guitar, yet silent to the external world (as I always compose with the headphones on... I'm ultra-private and super-sensitive to judgement when creating).


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## dgburns (Sep 20, 2014)

mverta @ Sat Sep 20 said:


> I did an entire masterclass on this, but I might suggest:
> 
> 1) Establish simple patterns. Human beings are pattern-recognition machines and will seek them out in all forms of sensory input. When they recognize a pattern, they make a connection to it. To have a pattern, you need at least two of something.
> 
> ...



great post


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## AC986 (Sep 20, 2014)

5. Or you do what?


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## clarkus (Sep 20, 2014)

There was a post a month or so back where someone wrote in and asked "What chord progressions do you use," which reminds me a bit of your question.

Here's the post:

http://www.vi-control.net/forum/viewtop ... highlight=

It starts with a few suggestions, but it gains momentum as it goes on & culminates (or fulminates) in a pretty interesting discussion about what counterpoint is or isn't. I enjoyed it & so might you. 

It's very hard to answer your question. It's as if I was watching some people who play tennis well, and I asked them "So how do you do that?"

It's not that it's unanswerable - not at all - but to get a meaningful answer is to study composition, to study compositions, and to compose for a long time. 

If I had a gun to my head I'd say to start with a melody, that melody always rules. But melody for most us in invented with some harmony in mind, and a kind of piece we are intending to make. So we're back to the "tennis" analogy.

Some suggestions were made about study materials. If you can find someone (an actual, breathing composer) to bring your work to and ask questions of, that's really best.


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## KEnK (Sep 20, 2014)

I start w/ the Structure or Architecture first-
Meaning the the basic song form, or over all outline of the piece.

Am I writing a "jazz type" tune?
Most common form is AABA.
There are many variations to choose though.

An arch form w/ other song forms inside each "arch section"?
Sonata form?
A Rondo?

Rhythmically shall I choose a Dance Form?
What ethic origin? Slavic? Italian? A Tibetan Processional March?

I don't write a single note or chord until that outline is done.
When the Outline is complete- then I start filling in the blanks.

k


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## waveheavy (Sep 20, 2014)

Thank yal for the excellent info, and helpful links.

I also want to personally thank M. Verta for his classes, I've taken several of them, including the Kickstart one, they were all great and have given me the best practical grasp of orchestration so far.

Clarkus: 
I remember that thread you mention, I have some posts there too, but it seemed like it quickly went into a philosophical debate when I mentioned Bach and counterpoint, so I lost interest after a while.

I realize I need to find my own method, yet I know it cannot be much different than what yal are already doing, which is why I asked. I'm amazed at all the help offered and appreciate it very, very much. I've committed already, I signed up for Orchestration I at Berklee online, so maybe that will be my turning point towards finding my method.

Dave


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## clarkus (Sep 20, 2014)

"If you can find someone (an actual, breathing composer) to bring your work to and ask questions of, that's really best."


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## waveheavy (Sep 20, 2014)

clarkus @ 20/9/2014 said:


> "If you can find someone (an actual, breathing composer) to bring your work to and ask questions of, that's really best."



Yes, I definitely agree with that being the best and quickest approach. Thank you!


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## The Darris (Sep 20, 2014)

clarkus @ Sat Sep 20 said:


> "If you can find someone (an actual, breathing composer) to bring your work to and ask questions of, that's really best."



+1

For me, I find collaboration to be detrimental for me right now. I've been working with a dozen other talented composers recently that have a completely different outlook in regards to both style and form that has pushed me to really challenge myself and my pieces. 

I've stopped trying to approach a piece with a chord progression or theme but more for the texture or atmosphere that I want to represent with it. I've found that once I get the aesthetic of what I want down, the theme sort of writes itself. Though, I will still go through a few drafts of thematic material before I am happy with what I end up with. 

I have also been pushed to write for different groups. Since I am currently in school, we have a wind ensemble, string ensemble, the extremely talented Trio Ariadne in residence, and many small chamber ensembles that we are (as composition students) encouraged to write for as the chances of it getting played in concert/showcased are higher but mainly because most of the directors are happy to read through your piece with the group and give notes later. Obviously not everyone has this commodity available to them but I would encourage you reach out with other musicians and collaborate with them. That alone will help your creative juices flow and inspiring you to write. 

Inspiration is one of the biggest keys to getting started on a piece and would be the first place I would look....to answer your thread title's question.

Best,

Chris


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## Dave Connor (Sep 21, 2014)

The word 'craft' is commonly associated with composition. It simply means that you have a compositional technique that guarantees you can write several minutes of music in a given format even if the only inspiration is that it's due on a recording stage the following morning. Williams, Goldsmith, Mancini, Schifrin etc., all had great craft and were seemingly never at a loss to deliver (though they all must have felt that from time to time - but still delivered.)

The point is that the different approaches you mention may come into play depending on that nature and character of the music that is needed or desired. A love theme full of romance may cause a search for a lyrical melody since it would be the primary element while a driving rhythmic piece is more suited to a chordal approach to begin with. A hazy mysterious section may have one thinking purely of effects, putting the emphasis on atmosphere more than melody or chords. 

A good composer should be able (regardless of personal approach) to deliver a wide range of styles. In fact a good composer should be able to use any of your four suggested approaches and come up with quality music. In the end, who cares whether Hank Mancini wrote the chords or the melody first in The Pink Panther: He totally nailed it. At the same time, what do you want to bet he wrote the groove to Peter Gunn first and then that glorious tune on top of it.


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## Dan Drebing (Sep 21, 2014)

AR @ Sat Sep 20 said:


> For me composing starts when I take a s*** early in the morning. I'm humming something while still sleeping on the toilet. Sometimes the melody is possible to create with samples and sometimes not. If it's not sounding realistic I simply don't chase that idea anymore. I find it very hard to start with chord progressions. But for movies you probably won't need much more than 4 chords



For some reason I usually come up with new, sometimes good, ideas when I get up for bathroom breaks or to take a shower. I've found that making yourself just sing whatever comes to mind out loud will tend to lead you towards "cantabile" melodies (which in my experience are more relatable and enjoyable) than melodies I get from plinking on my keyboard. Often times you already know what the harmony is deep down without actually knowing exactly what the chord is, and then you just have to try a couple chords to pair with the melody note unless your inner ear is hearing a more complicated harmony.


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## mverta (Sep 21, 2014)

waveheavy @ Sat Sep 20 said:


> I also want to personally thank M. Verta for his classes, I've taken several of them, including the Kickstart one, they were all great and have given me the best practical grasp of orchestration so far.
> Dave



You're welcome, but something doesn't seem right... you may be fighting fear? If you've taken Comp 1 and Kickstarters and you've tried what I've suggested and aren't off and running, then I suspect it's something non-musical holding you up. There should be nothing stopping you from writing your first easy, child-like melody, and fleshing that out, which is fundamentally the same process at every level of composing. Patterns, precedent, surprises.

_Mike


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## waveheavy (Sep 22, 2014)

M. Verta:
It is fear, sort of. You're one perceptive dude.

Your practical methods work. I have tried them. It's getting the rhythmic feel that I struggle with on keys, because I'm a guitar player. I've played years in various styles, can do basic chord melody on guitar. I'm too late in life to try and learn all that for piano, not to mention all the various types of scales and chords I know on guitar, though I have been practicing piano after work.

I bought a GK3 interface for my guitar, and need to set it up. I'm weak with notating rhythms, poor sight reader with that. So I do need the ability to play when composing. But with notating in Finale a basic melody and rhythm, any kind of chord and voicing in SATB staves, no problem.

I know there's got to be some renown composers out there that began in my similar situation that play a different instrument than piano.


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## waveheavy (Sep 22, 2014)

Dave Connor @ 21/9/2014 said:


> The word 'craft' is commonly associated with composition. It simply means that you have a compositional technique that guarantees you can write several minutes of music in a given format even if the only inspiration is that it's due on a recording stage the following morning. Williams, Goldsmith, Mancini, Schifrin etc., all had great craft and were seemingly never at a loss to deliver (though they all must have felt that from time to time - but still delivered.)
> 
> ....



Yes, definitely. I think Peter Alexander's books have helped me especially with grasping that, I just need the experience and time of doing it, even when I don't feel like it.


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## clarkus (Sep 22, 2014)

Hi, Wave - You don't need a lot of skill with reading music, or ( I don't think ) with piano, if you can input notes to your DAW via guitar - the instrument you know best. I say that as someone who reads decently and notates music very well. Since I have composed on a DAW my notation abilities have only come into play when I feel like sketching something at the piano, which I occasionally do. But you don't need to do that. I assume with a MIDI gtr. interface you can operate just fine.

An interesting question - one which I never seem to lay to rest entirely in my life - is what sort of music is really "home" for me, as I have worn several hats, musically speaking. You may have a wide stylistic range, too, or a narrow one. But I do believe that what comes out most easily (the musical vocabulary you know best ) is the place to work from. I mean that you may think "I'm going to write music like ___ _______, he's so great." But he may have an entirely different background than yours. Perhaps he played Chopin growing up when you were learning songs by the Smashing Pumpkins. I have no idea. But run with what you know, and expand from there. That's my advice. There's need for all kinds of music, and if you're good at it you'll find a home.


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## waveheavy (Sep 22, 2014)

Thanks clarkus, and to all here,

What comes most natural to me is swing, Blues and Jazz, but I don't see doing too much of that with orchestration. Big band? Some, maybe. Even my guitar solos over Rock in 4/4 have a swing feel.

I've always wanted to compose Classical. I don't care if I sound 'old school', I love the old composers like Beethoven, Mozart, Hayden, and especially the later Debussy and Ravel. If I could learn to orchestrate like Ravel, and float like Debussy, hammer like Beethoven, and counterpoint like Mozart and Hayden, I'd be very happy.


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## Dave Connor (Sep 22, 2014)

waveheavy @ Mon Sep 22 said:


> If I could learn to orchestrate like Ravel, and float like Debussy, hammer like Beethoven, and counterpoint like Mozart and Hayden, I'd be very happy.



Why not follow in their footsteps then? Mozart for example would not only steal the exact form of a piece from his hero J.C. Bach but use the very same key and write an almost identical main theme. That would allow him to manipulate these elements exactly as J.C. did and without the mental strain of transposition. Since his main theme would be the same length and nearly identical in structure, when he came upon a section where Bach had written counterpoint to it or re-harmonized it or whatever, he could do it in almost the exact same way.

ALL composers MODEL on their predecessors. It's like a guitar player stealing licks from Clapton. J.S. Bach would hand copy from Vivaldi scores and Stravinsky would do the same with J.S. (to drill into the subconscious) Then they would model the form and structure of those works while composing their own.

Composition teachers have been teaching modeling for centuries. It's the same as building a car: the fundamentals of the assembly line just as the basic elements of the car itself are unchanged.

Perhaps choose a piece for strings only and model on a section at a time. A student of mine is currently modeling on the Tchaikovsky String Serenade and it's opened the windows of heaven for him.


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## impressions (Sep 22, 2014)

problematic question.

if it is inspiration you seek, I usually go and take out by ear a great piece of music I liked.
could be the orchestration parts, or just the chord changes. 

there is a dramatic difference between composing for art/yourself and doing it for a client.

the gap is probably bigger the less you identify yourself artistically in the project.


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## waveheavy (Sep 22, 2014)

Dave Connor @ 22/9/2014 said:


> Why not follow in their footsteps then? Mozart for example would not only steal the exact form of a piece from his hero J.C. Bach but use the very same key and write an almost identical main theme. That would allow him to manipulate these elements exactly as J.C. did and without the mental strain of transposition. Since his main theme would be the same length and nearly identical in structure, when he came upon a section where Bach had written counterpoint to it or re-harmonized it or whatever, he could do it in almost the exact same way.



I understand how that is a viable solution for killing two birds with one stone, i.e., learning from the Classical masters while using their works as a spring board for one's own. Debussy is probably who I'd most like to use that method with.

Dave


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## waveheavy (Sep 22, 2014)

impressions @ 22/9/2014 said:


> problematic question.
> 
> if it is inspiration you seek, I usually go and take out by ear a great piece of music I liked.
> could be the orchestration parts, or just the chord changes.
> ...



Yes, I understand. I've been to a lot of music libraries of orchestral material that I'm pretty sure was not the composer's best capable artistic statement; they appear to be writing more towards commercial needs.

Dave


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## Dave Connor (Sep 23, 2014)

waveheavy @ Mon Sep 22 said:


> I understand how that is a viable solution for killing two birds with one stone, i.e., learning from the Classical masters while using their works as a spring board for one's own. Debussy is probably who I'd most like to use that method with.



Debussy is quite an anomaly in music so the numerous conventions you find in Mozart and the many early and late classicists are absent from his work. Which is to say you will not be able to anticipate the standard formal structure or compositional devices to emulate. Still you can steal away in numerous ways: The subtleties of his orchestration, unique harmonies and chord voicings, string structures and purely coloristic writing have lots to teach us all even now.


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## waveheavy (Sep 23, 2014)

Dave Connor @ 23/9/2014 said:


> Debussy is quite an anomaly in music so the numerous conventions you find in Mozart and the many early and late classicists are absent from his work. Which is to say you will not be able to anticipate the standard formal structure or compositional devices to emulate. Still you can steal away in numerous ways: The subtleties of his orchestration, unique harmonies and chord voicings, string structures and purely coloristic writing have lots to teach us all even now.



Yes, I understand. If he had been born in New Orleans, I believe he would have wound being a Jazz musician.


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## Dave Connor (Sep 23, 2014)

waveheavy @ Tue Sep 23 said:


> Yes, I understand. If he had been born in New Orleans, I believe he would have wound being a Jazz musician.



A friend of mine who's orchestrated over two hundred feature films once sent me a passage of Debussy piano music along side a piece 'written' by the great Jazz pianist Bill Evans. It was virtually identical. I've lost count of the times I've heard Ravel's string voicings on recordings from nearly every era of Jazz. Those guys are pillars in Jazz.

*Apologies moderators as I hit the report button accidentally.


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## waveheavy (Sep 26, 2014)

Dave Connor @ 23/9/2014 said:


> A friend of mine who's orchestrated over two hundred feature films once sent me a passage of Debussy piano music along side a piece 'written' by the great Jazz pianist Bill Evans. It was virtually identical. I've lost count of the times I've heard Ravel's string voicings on recordings from nearly every era of Jazz. Those guys are pillars in Jazz.
> 
> *Apologies moderators as I hit the report button accidentally.



I guess that's why I love Bill Evan's style on Kind Of Blue so much.


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## Dave Connor (Sep 26, 2014)

waveheavy @ Fri Sep 26 said:


> Dave Connor @ 23/9/2014 said:
> 
> 
> > A friend of mine who's orchestrated over two hundred feature films once sent me a passage of Debussy piano music along side a piece 'written' by the great Jazz pianist Bill Evans. It was virtually identical. I've lost count of the times I've heard Ravel's string voicings on recordings from nearly every era of Jazz. Those guys are pillars in Jazz.
> ...



There's four Jazz CD's on my desk currently. The one on top is Kind of Blue.


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## Living Fossil (Oct 26, 2014)

waveheavy @ Sat Sep 20 said:


> 1. Do you begin with a simple melody, and then build chords?
> 
> 2. Do you create a bass line first, and then build chords up from it and then a melody?
> 
> ...



I find your question somehow disturbing...
It's like if you ask a woman if she gives birth to the fingers of the baby first and then to his hand or if she starts with his neck.
It's about a baby as a whole organism.

You should try yourself to get to a level where you have a holistic idea of the whole, at least the melody, the bass and the harmonic context.


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## Living Fossil (Oct 26, 2014)

waveheavy @ Mon Sep 22 said:


> I've always wanted to compose Classical. I don't care if I sound 'old school', I love the old composers like Beethoven, Mozart, Hayden, and especially the later Debussy and Ravel. If I could learn to orchestrate like Ravel, and float like Debussy, hammer like Beethoven, and counterpoint like Mozart and Hayden, I'd be very happy.



If you like music of specific composers, it's best to buy a score (ore download a pdf at imspl.org at least) and analyze it through and through and through.
Said that, for getting deeper you should do research about styles and learn the theory that is behind it.
If you like Beethoven, make a research on the "sonata-form" and look how he managed it in different pieces. You will see that how much his architecture is relying on the use of dualistic material (in the sonatas that's mostly a first theme with a "motiv" character and a more melodic second theme.)
Classical music is about the architecture of form & structure.

...of course a good teacher can help a lot....

Best regards,
Sigi


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## BubbaMc (Oct 29, 2014)

Living Fossil @ Mon Oct 27 said:


> waveheavy @ Mon Sep 22 said:
> 
> 
> > I've always wanted to compose Classical. I don't care if I sound 'old school', I love the old composers like Beethoven, Mozart, Hayden, and especially the later Debussy and Ravel. If I could learn to orchestrate like Ravel, and float like Debussy, hammer like Beethoven, and counterpoint like Mozart and Hayden, I'd be very happy.
> ...



This is great advice, I have some work to do. Cheers.


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## JohnG (Oct 29, 2014)

I start with something I like, that I think is cool. Sometimes it's just a bass drum, sometimes it's a figure in strings or winds.

Although advice is usually pretty unhelpful, I will offer some anyway.

Don't worry about what anyone but you might / will think of it. Don't worry about what your girlfriend / boyfriend / parents / other musicians will say about it or think about it. If you think it's really cool and impresses YOU, then that's helpful. The corollary is that, if you are writing for someone else's sensibility, you might get lucky and guess right, but most of the time, it's elusive and boxes you into a corner that is uncreative and judgmental.


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## tokatila (Oct 29, 2014)

JohnG @ Wed Oct 29 said:


> Don't worry about what anyone but you might / will think of it. Don't worry about what your girlfriend / boyfriend / parents / other musicians will say about it or think about it. If you think it's really cool and impresses YOU, then that's helpful.



How do you stay objective after listening to your own stuff for (too) many times?


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## AC986 (Oct 29, 2014)

What do you want to stay objective for?


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## JohnG (Oct 29, 2014)

There's nothing objective out there that I can think of when it comes to artistic / craft output. We just had a long thread that in part was trying to define "art."

If you feel the impulse to make something -- a poem, a garden, a piece of music -- there is no way to be sure anyone will like it at all. My own belief is that, if you don't at least like it yourself, but instead try to get someone else's opinion about whether your work is good / valid / artistic / satisfying / worthy you end up chasing shadows.

some day, 100 years from now, we'll find out what, if anything we prize today can be considered lasting art -- something worth preserving. But by then we'll all be long gone and our work will be public domain!

If you are working for a director or something, naturally you have to take his or her position into account. But if you have no opinion of your own about what is appropriate / cool for a scene or a picture, then what are you? A musical typist? If they just want a version of someone else's creation that _can_ work, but who wants to do that? 

So in the end it's on you, and you alone, as a creator. If what you think is cool turns out to be prized by others, like John Williams or Jerry Lee Lewis or Lady Gaga or whatever you like, then you get to make money.

Not sure what I'm talking about any more, so I'll stop.


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## Peter Alexander (Oct 29, 2014)

waveheavy @ Sat Sep 20 said:


> When you sit down to compose, where do you begin? Do you use multiple methods depending on the type of composition?
> 
> 1. Do you begin with a simple melody, and then build chords?
> 
> ...



The genuine answer to your question is, "yes." All four are valid techniques and the real truth of the matter is that you never really know which one will strike you in the creative process. For example, #2 is the basis for a passacaglia (also called ground bass) and the technique is forever being used in pop music where the bass line is created first, then the song and chords. 

Left out is creating a melody or theme from a word or a short set of words. For example, speak Indiana or Superman aloud and hopefully you'll see what I mean. 

Also, after you've written a melody you can use counterpoint to create the bass line then the harmony, or work out the melody first then use counterpoint to create the bass line.


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## Living Fossil (Oct 30, 2014)

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but a very effective method to train contrapunctical writing is "knitting canons" (don't know if this translation is very valid in english...):
E.g. you write a canon with 3 voices, where the second voice starts in bar 2 in the lower octave and the third in bar 3 an octave higher
(of course you can vary starting points and intervalls, then it usually gets more and more dificult You can also start with just 2 voices etc).

Now, when you write voice 1 in bar 1, you immediatly copy it to bar 2 (v2) and bar 3 (v3).
When you write v1 in bar2, you have to check if it works with v2; and by copying it to v2 in bar3 with v3 (which is rather an issue if you'd varied the intervall).
By writing v2 in bar 3 you have to pay attention to both, v2 and v3.
The difficult thing however is to develop melodic lines, which seem organic and have a natural flow, but also result in a nice contrapunctical polyphony.

Best regards, Sigi


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## AC986 (Oct 30, 2014)

JohnG @ Wed Oct 29 said:


> There's nothing objective out there that I can think of when it comes to artistic / craft output.



Agreed. The only time it's worth considering being objective about let's say music in this case, is when you're doing comparisons. You can't and shouldn't have any interest in making comparisons to anything when you're actually writing music. You can do all of that afterwards.


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## markwind (Oct 30, 2014)

Living Fossil @ Sun Oct 26 said:


> waveheavy @ Sat Sep 20 said:
> 
> 
> > [snip original questions]
> ...



I sincerely don't like to be negative. But This ^^. The OP is coming from a too technical an approach. And I get it, it's worries about doing wrong that inflate that approach. Stop worrying about doing wrong, and like Nike says:

Just Do It.


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## Living Fossil (Oct 30, 2014)

markwind @ Thu Oct 30 said:


> I sincerely don't like to be negative. But This ^^. The OP is coming from a too technical an approach.



I see your point, composition is quite a personal thing and there are many roads leading to Rome...
Anyhow, to me personally, it's not a technical approach, but rather the intuitive way.
What i meant is that very often when somebody has a melodic idea, unconsciously he "feels" the harmonic [and contrapunctical] context. I think it's worth it to work on the ability to make it conscious instead of "reharmonizing" it (what in my subjective opinion would be a rather technical approach).
I think, intuitivity is an extremely strong power and one shouldn't hesitate to train the ability to make himself aware of what he's hearing inside...

So i apologize if my post came over in a wrong way by not making clear that it's my very personal experience. For me personally it's the opposite of being a technical approach. Said that, of course there are situations where ideas result from improvising with sounds or grooves etc. But mostly the results are better [in my case 8) )where there was a holistic idea. 
Best regards, Sigi


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## Stephen Rees (Oct 30, 2014)

Not wishing to be negative either, but women compose too btw. There are quite a few 'he's' and 'himself's' in that explanation.


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## markwind (Oct 30, 2014)

Living Fossil @ Thu Oct 30 said:


> markwind @ Thu Oct 30 said:
> 
> 
> > I sincerely don't like to be negative. But This ^^. The OP is coming from a too technical an approach.
> ...


Oh no, Sigi! I totally agree with you. By OP I mean the Original Poster, ie. Waveheavy. 

And "This ^^" Means I am in full agreement with what's said above me. Sorry that didn't come off properly


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## Will Blackburn (May 23, 2015)

BOOKED


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