261 Answered Questions for the topic Composition (Music)
03/26/19
How do I get out of my song writing rut and compose something new and fresh for a change?
I have been writing melodies for my original lyrics since 2008 and have written quite a few songs in that time. But the more songs I write, the more difficult it becomes to write melodies that...
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Composition (music) Composition
03/26/19
The use of each key in Western music?
I've been looking into variations on the following question: why was X piece written in Y key? For instance, why did Beethoven choose to write the Moonlight Sonata in C# minor? Presumably we can...
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Composition (music) Composition
03/26/19
Do real-life emotional experiences affect one's creative ability?
I have heard people say that music only flows from a broken heart. But I have never yet in my life been heartbroken in a big way.When I sit down to write music, not one melody comes out from me...
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03/26/19
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...
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03/26/19
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...
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Composition (music) Composition
03/26/19
I accidentally composed a song that sounds like a famous song?
About six months into learning guitar, I tried my hand at composing a song. Looked into some basic composing theory, picked a specific tempo, learned how to record and actually play the thing, and...
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03/26/19
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 trade-offs associated with each choice.
For...
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03/26/19
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...
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03/26/19
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...
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03/26/19
How to create Chord progressions that make sense?
I've been reading over Walter Piston's Harmony book, and it has been an eye-opener to say the least. I understand concepts like tension and release, voice leading and so forth, but I still don't...
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03/19/19
What does it mean to be able to write a fugue?
My theory teacher told me once in passing that she had written fugues. Later on people let me know that to write a fugue you need to be somewhat of a theory genius. Why is this so? What makes the...
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03/19/19
How do I write an original melody?
I'm trying to write a song, and I keep thinking of a melody, but they have all been taken. How do I find a melody that hasn't been taken?
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03/19/19
How to make the dominant preparation less boring?
This is one thing that I have always noticed when I compose a sonata. Even if I can get through most of the development section in sonata form, the dominant preparation sort of grinds my gears. I'm...
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03/19/19
Why do modern popular songs composed on piano sound different than songs composed on guitar?
Songs that I hear that are piano based - ie. **composed and originally performed on piano**, seem to have a different feel than those composed on guitar. The flow, the movement, the chords used -...
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03/19/19
Why isn't there a classical composer like Beethoven, Chopin or Mozart today?
Why there aren't composers writing in a classical style today?
Why don't we hear of classical composers today like we do of Beethoven, Chopin or Mozart?
My question may be strange, but I am...
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03/19/19
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](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgcY6qlzdf8) by Daft Punk, you'll probably feel like you have a pretty good idea of the beat of the song,...
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03/19/19
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...
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03/18/19
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...
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03/18/19
Why isn't there a classical composer like Beethoven, Chopin or Mozart today?
Why there aren't composers writing in a classical style today?Why don't we hear of classical composers today like we do of Beethoven, Chopin or Mozart?My question may be strange, but I am really...
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03/18/19
How can I develop an interesting or challenging 8-Beat rock rhythm?
The band I play with generally wants a simple 8-beat rhythm but I can find it a bit boring to play! So I'm looking for suggestions/tips/sheet music/video on how to develop a standard 8-beat drum...
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03/18/19
Why in the study of counterpoint by johan fux are minor sixths allowed but not augmented fifth?
If augmented fifths and minor sixths are enharmonically equivalent why does johan fux in his book study of counterpoint allow minor sixths but not augmented fifths if they sound the same? How does...
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03/18/19
Emulating human performance in orchestral software?
I recently bought *Garritan Personal Orchestra* and find it a great tool to get professional-sounding orchestral renders of my scores. However, I feel a certain lack of "human" playing in it, i.e.,...
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03/18/19
Why did composers write atonally?
Can anyone tell me the best justifications for writing atonally by the composers who did so? Did anyone, including Schoenberg, explain what "freeing the dissonance" means? Does it imply that he...
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03/18/19
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...
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03/18/19
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...
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