261 Answered Questions for the topic Composition (Music)
05/01/19
How can I make two chords on the ukulele sound interesting for a whole song?
I'm accompanying my friend on one of her own songs with my uke. However, the song only has two chords the whole way through!The chords are `Dm` and `Am` - eight even beats of each. It's mostly slow...
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04/29/19
How to select a key-signature for a song?
There are so many songs in pretty odd key-signatures like 4,5,6 sharps or flats. At least this is my impression when I listen to songs on the radio/net while trying to follow them on my...
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04/29/19
In 12-tone music, how frequently do composers allow themselves to alternate between adjacent notes of the tone row?
In Vi Hart's [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4niz8TfY794) on twelve-tone nursery rhymes, she says that one of the rules of twelve-tone composition is that you're allowed to alternate...
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04/29/19
How do I begin finally making music on the piano?
It's been almost 4 years since I had too much time on my hands while living in student dorms so I decided to learn to play the piano.I always loved listening to classical and suddenly listening...
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04/28/19
Composing For Drums as a Non-drummer?
As an instrumentalist I am primarily a guitarist, but as a composer I write for a range of instruments. The one thing I am particularly struggling with is writing for drums. Although I've managed...
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04/27/19
Training and Influences of J. S. Bach?
Johann Sebastian Bach is undoubtedly among the most celebrated of Baroque composers, and to many the great composer in all history. The era of the late 17th and early 18th centuries in which he...
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04/27/19
How would one create music based on the principles of Cubism?
How would one create music based on the principles of Cubism?
(e.g., 20th century painters: Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Juan Gris, Fernand Léger)
The basic definition of Cubism calls for the...
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04/27/19
Is it too late to learn music theory and composition?
I have been playing electric guitar for 5 years and have pretty decent technique. I have a decent ear too (I'm still improving it). I listened to rock guitar virtuosos like Yngwie Malmsteen, Paul...
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04/23/19
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...
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Composition (music) Music Theory
04/23/19
What is the most convoluted standard musical form?
In musical composition, we tend to reuse sections of a piece in patterns that are referred to as "musical forms". Some basic examples of these that I know of are ABA, AABA, ABAB, and the rondo form...
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Composition (music) Chord Progressions
04/22/19
Guide-lines for creating a simple chord-progression?
I am working on a computer program that generates a simple melody, based on a simple chord progression of four chords taken from the 7 triads of the C Major scale. The program is also supposed to...
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04/21/19
Proper understanding of dissonance?
I have recently had a big eye opener with one of my guitar pieces in how it uses dissonance in a musical way to make interesting music. I have always thought that for music to be dissonant is for...
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04/21/19
How to turn any (pop) song into a jazz song?
Quite often there are pop songs wich get covered in a jazz style. These covers are seen from youtube to tv.
Now I tried doing something like this, with for example Bad Day by Daniel Powter. It's...
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04/20/19
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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04/20/19
Composition for Clarinet?
I would like to write a song for a Bb clarinet. What is the easiest key for a clarinet player to play it in? Do I use the Treble clef register?
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04/19/19
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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04/19/19
How much are composers aware of the harmony structure they are using?
I am mostly referring to composers writing complex music, for example, classic composers. In particular, I am referring to change of harmony, and change of key. Let's take for example a fugue for...
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04/18/19
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...
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04/18/19
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...
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04/18/19
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...
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04/15/19
Online counterpoint materials?
For a long time I've wanted to teach myself counterpoint, but haven't been able to find any materials online. Are there any hidden tutorials anyone knows of, or good books written in English in the...
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04/15/19
How to choose a key signature for a song that modulates often?
In jazz, let's say, how would one choose a key signature for writing a lead sheet for a song where keys change every few measures or faster? Is writing the key changes explicitly going to be...
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04/13/19
The Chords in this progression sound great but don't belong together - so why do they work?
I am a songwriter and compose my own music to go with my lyrics. Most of my chord progressions follow common patterns like using a I V IV or I IV V with an occasional ii or iii or vi chord thrown...
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04/13/19
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...
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04/12/19
Is it acceptable to change tempo in the middle of a song or is this a bad idea?
I wrote a song that could be classified as Pop or Country that starts out at a medium slow tempo in the first two verses and bridge.Then there is a section after the bridge that can best be...
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