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Composing music
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xirdneH_imiJ
Posts: 1896
Joined: Dec. 2 2006
From: Budapest, now in Southampton
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 Composing music
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I'm writing this new topic because I'd like fellow guitarist to share their methods of composing, what works for you, how and how often does inspiration come, do you record it and/or transcribe it as soon as you figure out what you want to play?
I'm totally new to composing, all I'd done before were about two falsetas, but thanks to the Composition Challenge I'm now forced to come up with something. I never thought I could do it but as soon as I've started, the ideas just kept coming and all I had to do was just to clean them up. Once I've decided the final (or beta :)) version of certain notes, I instantly write them down in tab and this morning I've recorded the 3 minutes of music I've done so far - and to my surprise I like it! It's been going frighteningly fast as I've only spent about 4-5 hours with it so far, I always got tired in my mind after an hour of intense thinking. It probably helps that I'm doing a free palo with very little rhythmic parts, I'm sure it'll get more difficult once I try to compose something new in a stricter palo.
I've also found that while some of the parts reflect my level of playing, not too complicated, some are really difficult and it pushes my limits. That could be good or bad, but it's what's been coming out of me, I'll have to cope once I try to record the final version.
So please tell me how do you do it?
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Date Feb. 24 2010 15:53:16
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gj Michelob
Posts: 1531
Joined: Nov. 7 2008
From: New York City/San Francisco
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RE: Composing music (in reply to xirdneH_imiJ)
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quote:
I'm writing this new topic because I'd like fellow guitarist to share their methods of composing, what works for you, how and how often does inspiration come, do you record it and/or transcribe it as soon as you figure out what you want to play?
Lovely choice of subject, xirdneH, certainly open to intimately subjective sentiments.
Inspiration stops my clock, quickens the pulse and brings on a sweet despair which only melody can appease. So I seek melodies.
I first allow the whisper of a theme to scheme through my notes. I then deconstruct it only to later rebuild it from a few different perspectives. The elementary framework of introduction, discussion and conclusion still governs the methodology of my essays.
I too (as you emphasized) allow my compositions to be ostensibly beyond my means, and learn so much as I try to master my own work. Ultimately, similarly to a sculpture, what will please me is concealed under layers of colder material which I compose and continuously dismiss, until I feel the warmth I sought, the melody which hypnotizes me. I will play it a thousand times, just like a new song I might have fallen in love with. And yet, I will soon betray “her” for another melody which may ascend from the material i nelected and dismiss when finding that love.
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gj Michelob
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Date Feb. 24 2010 16:48:24
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KMMI77
Posts: 1821
Joined: Jul. 26 2009
From: The land down under
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RE: Composing music (in reply to xirdneH_imiJ)
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When trying to compose you are left with the task of finding sounds that you believe fit well together. Accompanying this are personal attributes. These can be positive or even act as barriers or restrictions, such as knowledge, technical ability and personal taste. I think in the end you can only be yourself. Trust your instincts. i view composition as the search for not only the music that you would like to hear but for ones self.
I though i would share a little of my story and how i think about composition.
Although i was exposed to many styles of music I have only ever learnt to play flamenco guitar music. The first tunes my father taught me were verdialles, sevillanas and rhumba. Then solea and siguiriyas and tangos etc... I always loved flamenco and listened to it constantly in my teens and was on a mission to get to spain. I kind of had this idea that by going there, someone would show me, or i would pick up on, some secrets that would enable me to play with the same feeling that had drawn me to flamenco.
When i arrived in spain i was excited to see so many great players and experience the culture and see these great players for the first time live. To be exposed to the aire and sonic ability was all i hoped it would be.
I had a great time but after a few years of learning and traveling around it suddenly dawned on me that although i had experienced a lot, i was still me. I had learnt new techniques and falsetas and had even learnt quite a bit of spanish but the part of me that was looking for something was still looking. I felt like nothing had changed.
Guitarists kept telling me that i should play my own music and not try to be someone else. I had heard this before and kind of viewed this statement as being one of those parroted lines that didn't teach me anything. Anyway, I found a conde that i liked and went to the UK to live in a pub to pay for it. 5 months of drinking, smoking and washing dishes day and night and it was mine. 
I then returned to Australia as i had been away for over 3 years. My guitar playing was in pretty bad shape when i got back. Too many dishes . I felt like i had failed in my mission and was uninspired by my playing. I didn't feel like i fit in with flamenco in spain.
After being offered some gigs i without thinking about it, eventually found myself only playing my own ideas. I had been listening and playing other styles of music but the ideas that came to me always seemed to fit into flamenco forms. I could hear that i was developing my own way of interpreting the music. It did not sound like the pure and traditional flamenco i had been learning but i accepted that i was not from that culture and decided to just be honest with myself. If i liked it that was good enough for me.
I think ideas will come and the best ones will stay. Don't be in a rush to finish something. I have found the next part to an idea 10 years later. It only needs to please you so don't write to please others. Of coarse respect must be shown and care must be taken when writing music and labeling it as flamenco.
Only by putting in lots of time, study, listening and having a genuine love for traditional flamenco can you expect to find your own path within it. If you are having doubts it is usually a sign that the idea is not finished yet. Other times you have no doubt. I don't think there is a process on how to do it. Only searching. Just like life.
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Date Feb. 24 2010 20:56:48
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