342 Answered Questions for the topic Composition

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... more
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03/18/19

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... more
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Composition Songwriting

03/18/19

How do I go about selling my musical composition?
I've been studying music on and off for several years now and I've finally composed a pop music like piece. It has no lyrics yet as I don't know how to integrate in the words yet. How do I seek... more
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Composition Songwriting

03/18/19

Advice on writing for music boxes?
I need to write two different short pieces for music boxes. The main limitations I'm facing are that I have to stay within 2 octaves and I can only(ish) write in the key of C major (or just C, D,... more
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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... more
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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.,... more
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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... more
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03/18/19

Industry Standard for Psychological Mapping of Emotion to Musical Keys?
I have found several references to map a key to a psychological feeling or psyche archetype. Is there an industry standard for musical scoring?
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Composition Songwriting Band

03/18/19

How do bands take notes of their songs?
I've never been in a band, and I'm trying to imagine how the songwriting process goes in a band. Most importantly, I wonder how does a band take notes of their songs and ideas during jams and... more
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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... more
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03/18/19

How are melodic sequences used?
I keep hearing about sequences. I know that there's both harmonic and melodic sequences. I am familiar with harmonic sequences I believe they're also called "basso ostinato" where you play a... more
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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... more
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03/16/19

Do piano composers often start out with C major?
I'm wondering if composers write their pieces starting with C major since it's just the white keys, and then later transpose the finished song to the key of their choice? Or will starting with... more
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03/16/19

What exactly should I have to learn to understand why certain combination of chords are harmonic when played in a sequence?
I'm pretty sure that there's a lot of theory in finding combinations that are melodical/harmonical. There must be a way to say that 3 different chords are likely to form music. That given 2 chords,... more
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03/15/19

What are the common problems when it comes to ear training and how do I fix it?
I can think of a few, first in formost, there is 2 different type of struggles transcribing in real time which requires you to hear and identify chords and melody and improvising, which requires... more
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03/15/19

What makes a piece a nocturne?
I am wanting to compose a second nocturne. I composed my first one about a year ago and pretty much all the feedback I got was that it should have been written in 3/4 instead of 4/4. I wonder if... more
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Composition Songwriting

03/15/19

What are the appropriate/technical approaches that professional composers do to induce creativity in music making process?
I feel like I've already been "programmed" by pop songs when creating new sound. I always enjoy simply improvising on piano but I can never break through that musicality that is "programmed" in my... more
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03/15/19

Question on harmonizing melodies?
In the melody to *Twinkle Twinkle Little Star* there are places with two notes of the same pitch in a row. So far I have only studied harmonizing (four-part harmony) melodies without the same pitch... more
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03/15/19

What instrument can an old guy learn if the main goal is to write music?
At this old age I began, two years ago learning to write music. I write it using Sibelius and let the computer play it for me.I have been strongly recommended to learn to play an instrument. I have... more
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Composition Songwriting Chords Melody

03/15/19

Chords and Melody?
I have a chord progression in Octave 3 , Bassline in Octave 1 , and the chorus and verse melody in Octave 2. ( Verse melody is lower pitch than chorus melody ) I wrote the verse and chorus melody... more
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Composition Songwriting Chords

03/15/19

How do I find chords to go with my melody in music I write?
I have written a number of tunes using just A,B,C, etc. to indicate notes. I have no musical knowledge so I am unable to find the appropriate chords to go with my tunes. Is there a an online... more
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03/15/19

Does it really make difference to play a song in a different key?
I hear sometimes players and composers say that this song won't sound good in F Major for example, and you should play it or write it in G Major. In other words, it seems that they assign aesthetic... more
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03/14/19

Composing/Arranging for a String Quartet?
I've been taking arranging and composing classes at the college I'm attending and I have recently been tasked with writing a piece for a string quartet. I would like to know in general, what should... more
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Composition Songwriting Cadence Phrase

03/14/19

Does every phrase in music end with a cadence?
I'm just wondering if every phrase in music ends on a Cadence? Much like every sentence in English ends with a period? I am mainly talking about common music such as pop, rock, classical,... more
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03/14/19

Do I have to prepare and resolve non-chord tones in certain ways?
I keep getting feedback from certain people on a classical music forum that I prepare and resolve my dissonances wrongly and that my counterpoint is off. And this is regardless of what type of... more
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