I’m new to composition any help/advice?

[Ilusa]

Hi everyone I’m new here.

I’ve done alot of theroy lessons and have taken years of lessons in piano and singing. I really want to compose and I have written part of a song bu ever an entire one, I just don’t really know how to go about composition. Do you think books are the best ways to do this? If so could anyone reccomend some? I’d really love to write my own music as I don’t want to be a singer who just sings other people’s works I want to be able to write music that is personal to me. The piece I wrote is a piano piece which I later added vocal and lyrics to but like i said it’s pretty much unfinished .

I have an intrest in contemporary writing classical pieces but also more modern music styles rock/pop songs(that are well composed), I think to start out I’d like to compose dark piano ballads.

[CaseyDoddMusic]

Hi Ilusa, welcome to the Forum.

From my experience, the best way for me to learn composition has just been through trial and error. I sit down at the piano every chance I get and I just improvise, just to see what I can come up with. If I think there’s anything worth saving, I’ll record it/write it down and work on expanding my ideas later. This is a good method of composition for me and it’s certainly worked for a lot of Classical composers along the way.

Another important tip I would have is to listen to the kinds of composers/kinds of music that you want to compose. If you would like to compose dark piano ballads, check out how the great composers composed piano music and try to emulate them. Try to figure out what it is that they did that made their music so great and incorporate that stuff into your own writing.

I hope some of what I said has helped and I look forward to your work! Keep us posted.

Casey

[yerik60]

Hello Ilusa!

Brahms had some useful advice for aspiring composers. I think we can say that these "rules" are valid today as well in the past and future?

http://members.aol.com/dmarko1/brahms/index_n.htm

[fontadoni]

Hi Ilusa, welcome to the forum!

I think Casey has given you great advice, I really have nothing to add to that except that it’s also important to be consistent. Putting yourself to a schedule and following it is good.

I wish I was more disciplined. This is one of the things I’ve always tried to change.

[Chevereaux]

Casey and fonta pretty much covered all I could think of.

You might want to try to sing with your voice along the piano, or just when you’re doing mechanical activities (IE driving, or whatever) just so you build a stronger musical sense.

Improvisation is great, too. Do it at random moments during the day.

Listen to CaseyDodd, basically.

As for books, I have dozens on my wishlist, but two that have helped me transcendentally are:

1. Composing Music: A New Approach (William Russo)

2. The Chord Wheel (Jim Fleser)

These are individual approaches. If you’re seriously serious about music, start by playing with someone else. It’s surprising what two people can do on the piano at the same time, and the music that is created.

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