Composing Music

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  • #25722
    Snapper
    @dragon-snapper
      • Rank: Chosen One
      • Total Posts: 3515

      Does anyone have any tips on composing music? I thought I might try my hand at it…and it’s harder than I thought it might be. 😛 Where to begin, I have no idea.

      ☀ ☀ ☀ ENFP ☀ ☀ ☀

      #25724
      Daeus
      @daeus
        • Rank: Chosen One
        • Total Posts: 4238

        I want to know the answer to this myself. If @reaganramm isn’t too busy, I bet he’d have some pointers.

        🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

        #25748
        Mark Kamibaya
        @mark-kamibaya
          • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
          • Total Posts: 318

          @dragon-snapper

          I shouldn’t be answering this ’cause I’m not that musical, but everyone I know is super musical and many have composed pieces. And since you’re trying to compose I assume you know the basics down. Chords, notes, and stuff.

          First, invest in music theory. You can literally start by just googling music theory. I know https://www.musictheory.net/lessons has some basic resources. You need to know music theory so that you increase the possibilities of where you can go. Of what works and what doesn’t. It helps you expand creatively. I can’t overemphasize the importance of knowing music theory.

          Second, know what genre you’re trying to write in. Just listen to the stuff. Know what has and hasn’t been done. Maybe research a little, but people that I know don’t really research all that much.

          Third, compose and experiment. Compose music and experiment a bit. Find related chords. Find tunes based on the chords chords. Mix and match them. Or find the tunes first. Shift popular tunes into major or minor and experiment with that. Doing all of this gives you a better feel for the music. Trial and error takes time, but it gives you experience.

          What you’re aiming for is to be proficient enough for you to just let the music flow. And flow is only gained by knowing what you’re doing, where you’re going, how you’re going to get there, and, most importantly, seeing the possibilities.

          I’ll now let more knowledgeable students of the craft take center stage. Just remember to have fun!

          I blog on story and spiritual things at mkami.weebly.com

          #30878
          Snapper
          @dragon-snapper
            • Rank: Chosen One
            • Total Posts: 3515

            @daeus @emma-flournoy @kate-flournoy @that_writer_girl_99 @jess @ethryndal @northerner @overcomer @warrioroftherealm @anyone else interested in writing music
            *watches as thread deflates like a balloon*
            Ahem…I found the answer to all our music-writing problems! It is Musescore. What every music composer needs. I’ve only been using it for a few days, but as far as I can tell, it’s awesome. Basically it starts you out on a page with a bunch of measures, and you type out the music as you want it. Each key on the keyboard goes with a note. (I.g. D would be a D note) But that’s not the best part. You can choose virtually any instrument that you want in your song, often that is more than one (we’ve had up to 14), and the computer will play it for you in the sound of that instrument, or all the instruments together. It’s quite incredible, really. I recommend it to anyone looking for a hobby, a past-time, or if you’re looking to have fun with music.
            I’ve composed several already, and they sound almost as if I had a real choir and cellos and violins and even shofars!
            The download is safe and free, which makes it even better.
            Anyway. There’s your random Dragon Snapper recommendation. 😛

            ☀ ☀ ☀ ENFP ☀ ☀ ☀

            #30883
            The Impossible Girl
            @f5a8c3e92
              • Rank: Loyal Sidekick
              • Total Posts: 146

              @dragon-snapper Yes. I use MuseScore all the time! It’s great!

              "Not all who wander are lost."
              Wild Australian. INXJ.

              #30885
              Snapper
              @dragon-snapper
                • Rank: Chosen One
                • Total Posts: 3515

                @f5a8c3e92 Awesome! What type of music do you write, and which is your favorite instrument to use?

                ☀ ☀ ☀ ENFP ☀ ☀ ☀

                #30886
                Jackson Graham
                @warrioroftherealm
                  • Rank: Loyal Sidekick
                  • Total Posts: 115

                  @dragon-snapper

                  I’ve been using MuseScore for the past several weeks for a composition. It has been ENORMOUSLY helpful.

                  Jackson E. Graham

                  #30888
                  The Impossible Girl
                  @f5a8c3e92
                    • Rank: Loyal Sidekick
                    • Total Posts: 146

                    @dragon-snapper I play piano and generally write classical-style music. The stringed instruments are great to use on MuseScore.

                    "Not all who wander are lost."
                    Wild Australian. INXJ.

                    #31251
                    Emma Flournoy
                    @emma-flournoy
                      • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
                      • Total Posts: 1352

                      @Dragon-Snapper Hey, we have MuseScore. I’ve had…many problems with it, but much of it is awesome. XD I don’t use it much anymore, but I used to use it for writing down soundtrack sheet music that I couldn’t find online. I listened to videos or tracks of the music and figured out what the notes were and all, and wrote it down in MS. Now I still do that kind of thing, except I just memorize whatever I’m picking out and skip the trouble of having to write it down. 😛
                      I wish MuseScore could teach you how to compose music, not just give you a resource for writing it down.
                      But yes, it’s a great program. 😀

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