tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.comments2024-03-19T02:17:02.381-02:30→ Music Composition Weblog ←Clark Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13153382609775397798noreply@blogger.comBlogger2326125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-77333716476130252292024-03-19T02:17:02.381-02:302024-03-19T02:17:02.381-02:30Although dreaming big can be seen as a way to end ...Although dreaming big can be seen as a way to end up shooting yourself in the foot in the long run, I think it is almost a necessary 'evil' that has to be a part of the process. If we as humans found a way to completely dissolve any need for said 'dreams,' we would be left with no ambition to get anything done or started in the first place. Dreaming big is an aspect of everyone's life, and therefore can't be treated as if it's something that isn't mandatory for us. What we can do instead is treat these dreams more carefully, and aim to be able to fully accept the failure that comes with a lot of things we get our hopes up on.<br /><br />Of course, it's not quite that easy. When you care a substantial amount about a particular goal, it will inherently become disappointing if your expectations aren't met, even if you try telling yourself otherwise. On the contrary, if you try to be nonchalant about the goal in the first place, there may not be enough drive in the first place to get you there. If neither of these extremes will work for us, then we have to employ a compromise that will temper our expectations enough to not feel discouraged from having dreams too big, but also avoid being too passive about things we should be putting more effort into.<br /><br />I think this can be done by having a list of multiple dreams that you wish to achieve, all varying in scope. This is what I do to give me a sense of what I can achieve in what amount of time using the knowledge gained from completing smaller goals, which in turn prepares me for larger dreams that I'm working on.Connor Parsonsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-53186510538294943942024-03-18T17:51:50.455-02:302024-03-18T17:51:50.455-02:30I'm finding some challenges in my latest piece...I'm finding some challenges in my latest piece for singing bowls and percussive ensemble. I feel at times I am treading over very foreign ground that I am not at all used to. I could stop and write something different, but that would be the right thing to do. I love the challenges that come with composing, this is a big reason I compose. I need to tell stories and better myself through my music that I create. <br /><br />The singing bowls create immense limitation but it is that challenge that helps me to keep on going. Elements from the Nepali, Bhutani, Indian, and Chinese culture through Buddhism help me to structure the piece and the geometric formation of the bowls helps me to find relations between the fundamental pitches. <br /><br />This has been the most minimalistic piece for me and the most experimental becuase for the most part, I am not afriad of failing...part of this attitude I learned back in 2021 from Bob Ross and now Thich Nhat Han. Liam Kuhnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-4382832767725520412024-03-14T14:55:47.039-02:302024-03-14T14:55:47.039-02:30To start, I liked the way Copland summarized the d...To start, I liked the way Copland summarized the different ways of listening and I think teaching young music students the differences between each one would be valuable during the earlier stages of their training.<br /><br />In response to the first question at the end of this post, I would say that a given piece of music can be successful on one of these planes or all of them. However, I think all music will eventually reach all of these planes but may not succeed on all of them. Some music is written so it can be used in certain contexts but may eventually be used for something the composer did not intend which is usually a result of times changing.<br /><br />It is extremely valuable to learn how to listen on different levels and to be aware of how you are listening. I feel like the two benchmarks for this are the first plane, where listening is just for fun and leisure – what most people do, generally speaking – and the third plane which can also be fun but also involves listening for tiny details in what you are hearing that we try to develop in ear training classes. Teaching students early on the difference between the two and how to do both will help them find a balance in both ways of listening which, I think, would help them in learning their rep and understanding it with and without having to pick up on all of the small things right away.<br /><br />I would say that there are more planes than what was suggested. I feel like my general listening habits lie between the second and third planes. I focus a lot on how expressive a given piece is (the more expressive the more I will like it) and how the composer uses certain tools/techniques to convey what they are trying to express which then overlaps with the third plane. Regarding the third plane, I like to focus on big picture things like form, instrumentation (if the piece allows that to change) and how the composer chose to develop their material as the music progresses through various techniques.<br /><br />This was a fun read and gave some great insight into how we listen to music! :)Kaitlin Whitenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-41159360142430216552024-03-14T14:20:03.886-02:302024-03-14T14:20:03.886-02:30Playing with a listener's expectations is a ba...Playing with a listener's expectations is a balancing act, constantly treading the line between what listeners are accustomed to and novel ideas created by the composer, placed in deliberately unexpected places. If you lean too heavily into either side, the goal of subverting expectations is destroyed entirely. With constant changes in ideas, not only does the listener realize very quickly that they will be surprised for the rest of the piece, but they also may then become disinterested in the piece itself with no concrete idea or motif to latch onto. Sometimes writing things that the listener can predict can be good to an extent, as it allows for more connection between the piece and the consumer.<br /><br />On the contrary, oversimplifying a piece so that close to everything written is exactly what the listener is expecting, a composition can fall flat on it's face with nothing to keep the listener engaged, let alone want to listen multiple times. When we as composers write things that can be expected to happen, we have to remember that it's only expected because the listener has heard it many times before. Therefore, if we lean too heavily into that aspect of writing, we are simply regurgitating things that they have already experienced to some degree.Connor Parsonsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-31034846214732234982024-03-14T14:15:12.897-02:302024-03-14T14:15:12.897-02:30As someone who has recently come out on the other ...As someone who has recently come out on the other side from writing a piece for wind band, this is so interesting and reaffirming to read. A lot of the lessons Jessica shared that she had learned along the way align with the lessons I feel I learned throughout the process as well. I definitely agree with the edit edit edit point - sometimes no matter how many times you look over scores/parts, you can still find new mistakes every time. Perhaps “proofread, proofread, proofread” would be a better heading.<br /> One thing that I found in my experience was that looking at the Finale document with all the staves was really overwhelming at first. I found that solidifying a form, and mocking up melodies and themes in a separate, smaller, document was really helpful in moving me forward in the process. Once I knew my form, it felt like more of a fill-in-the-blank exercise, which was much less overwhelming. I definitely will take this approach when writing more for large ensembles in the future.<br /> One other thing that I found helped me tremendously was exposure. I’ve played in a wind ensemble since I began playing my instrument, and I believe this has helped me to have an instinctual understanding of how to write effectively for wind ensemble. There are some things about a wind ensemble that I think are best learned by playing in one, and if a composer looking to compose for a large ensemble has an opportunity to play in that kind of ensemble, I think it is an invaluable experience to have. If that isn’t possible, I think listening to some current and classic wind ensemble repertoire can also really help a composer to understand the palette of a wind ensemble, as it is quite different from an orchestra. Basically, I think the more you can immerse yourself in the world of the performers, the better + more idiomatic your piece will inevitably be.<br />Emma Hamiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06248088736793430440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-53618048901228316112024-03-14T14:08:59.729-02:302024-03-14T14:08:59.729-02:30I find this blog post very interesting. I agree th...I find this blog post very interesting. I agree that it works totally different with new pieces of music because of the lack of context and past performances to judge it off of. It can also be hard to judge when a lot of new music uses aeliatoric elements or uses techniques that are outside of the standard ones used by classical musicians. <br />Judging the quality of a composition itself can be difficult as well. I think a lot of it has to do with. consistency of ideas and how they are applied. If elements aren't developed well and harmonic language isn't consistent, pieces can be less enjoyable to listen to.<br />Evan Westnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-83111050801275034762024-03-14T13:54:30.543-02:302024-03-14T13:54:30.543-02:30These tips are very helpful. I am currently writin...These tips are very helpful. I am currently writing a piece for wind band for orchestration class and needed some guidance for how to write for a grade 4 band. I am happy to say I already knew to write a groovy bassline for the low brass because I used to play Euphonium. <br />I definitely find I tend to I have experience accidentally writing in difficult ranges for some instruments without realizing it. This is usually with instruments I have never played such as the saxophone and the clarinet. After having these pieces played, I learned what is acceptable and what isn't for each instrument. <br />I definitely find sticking to your guns is important when writing a piece. While working towards my composition recital I have learned to not beat myself up over writing music that isn't playable perfectly the first time or that might sound strange to the player.Evan Westnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-30447908502582273642024-03-13T12:31:24.765-02:302024-03-13T12:31:24.765-02:30When pandiatonicism was mentioned in class, I imag...When pandiatonicism was mentioned in class, I imagined it was just the use of a diatonic scale without tonality. While this is true I didn't consider the rule of having each note be of equal importance or the use of a seven tone matrix for the scale. <br />This has really opened my eyes to the possibilities of pandiatonicism. <br />I am curious about how matrix's work with a seven note row. Do you borrow from a new diatonic scale when playing different versions of the row like you would when playing different versions in a twelve tone row? Or do the exact intervals used in the order of the row change? (semitones change to whole tones depending on the starting note of the row.) I'm assuming it is the second option because the first option would break the rule of pandiatonicism.<br />Anyways. Maybe I will write a pan diatonic piece and it will answer these questions for me.Evan Westnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-80627252167363207642024-03-12T21:05:19.760-02:302024-03-12T21:05:19.760-02:30This presentation was overall extremely entertaini...This presentation was overall extremely entertaining. It gave me a new perspective of “atonal music” and the composers who make it. The idea that atonal music could be a result of simply boredom with all things tonal, rather than trying to create something different for the sake of being different. Applebaum explains his pieces as a result of reaching a level of skill and confidence with his instrument that he redefines music entirely. I like that despite being admittedly bored with tonal music, he never lost his passion for music as a whole. His passion just shifted into something new, expanding his horizons as a musician. The idea of using boredom as a motivator for growth both as a person and musician is fascinating. I also really appreciate how seamlessly he tries to bring what he's doing to a wider audience. Even if you're not deeply into the world of music and composition, everyone can agree the idea of a concert with a florist is more interesting than just a concert. <br /><br />The title of this video piqued my interest after finishing the video. A mad scientist is usually someone so smart they've lost themselves to their craft, pushing the boundaries of science as a whole. I think in Applebaum’s case, he not only pushes the boundaries of music but also evolves other parts of his person as a result. After becoming bored with the piano and composing tonal music, he takes up a variety of new roles in his life. The sort of domino effect music has taken for him is interesting (and anything but boring). <br />Natalie Younghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00995794374279753517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-83331619634652576762024-03-12T15:24:51.622-02:302024-03-12T15:24:51.622-02:30I think the greatest and most likely root to this ...I think the greatest and most likely root to this problem is ego. I know that this topic is really complex but if we take away a bit of the ego, some things will get better. It seems with the big names like Hans Zimmer and John Williams, they want to take all the credit for more share of the money. I personally think they should think more of the ghost writers and pay them more so that they may feel more motivated to write the best music they can for the scores. This is especially true if some of the ghost composers having to choose between gas or food. I also think though, more money should go into the arts for new classical music in general but in this case, for film. It is hard when Hollywood doesn't want to take as many risks anymore. Risks make people want to see movies, maybe some people like bland movies, but I know the cool people don't. Liam Kuhnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-22392611964769117322024-03-11T23:07:38.733-02:302024-03-11T23:07:38.733-02:30I’d never thought of form being original do to its...I’d never thought of form being original do to its smaller personal nuances, but now that I thought about it, I love the thought process behind the conclusion. I think that seeing presentations of pieces in progress over the last 2 years have really cemented that idea to me since I’ve noticed people saying, “that’s a really you thing to do” and being able to recognize certain aspects of a friends work myself, even within certain established form patterns, since every composer has techniques and patterns that they tend to gravitate towards. I also think that it should be stated more often that we don’t have to reinvent the wheel, as you stated, to write something that isn’t just a copy of something else.<br /><br />Although, in a similar vein, I also think there’s something to be said about leaning too heavily on one form as a single composer. I’ve also heard musicians mention that while they like a certain composer, all of their music sounds the same, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but is something that can be taken into account on an individual basis if you want to branch out as a composer. From a personal perspective, I find that I tend to use the general ABA format far more than I would care to, and would eventually like to challenge myself to move away from that and still write a piece with a form that I find satisfying. <br />Madison Brayenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-33900229319171037632024-03-11T20:01:53.070-02:302024-03-11T20:01:53.070-02:30This topic has sat in the back of my mind for a wh...This topic has sat in the back of my mind for a while. This post made me think alot of the difficulties of following your dreams within any career in the arts. Often growing up, we're told to choose something we like and make a career out of it. However when it comes to fields specifically in the arts, following your dreams becomes much more complicated. This post talks alot about the issues of following your dreams as a music educator. But in most other career branches in music and arts (such as performing) similar issues arrise. Getting a secondary education in general is expensive. But for music, if you don't go to one of the larger "well known" prestigious institutions, your limited career options become more limited. It’s extremely hard to be taken seriously in the arts, and often it’s never considered a viable career. And this isn't without reason. Daring to dream big in this field often results in a world of hardship, both emotionally and finacially. Which makes it difficult to see the dream to its full potential. However, as shown throughout this post, you don't always have to follow your dreams to their potential to find happiness. Your dreams can shift and evolve as you grow and change, so I would never think it a bad thing to pursue a dream in music if you have one. It's difficult most of the time but also extremely rewarding, and as shown in this post while pursuing one dream, you may find you have another that serves you better. Natalie Younghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00995794374279753517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-5051953098670621912024-03-11T20:00:16.546-02:302024-03-11T20:00:16.546-02:30The above comment was written by Connor Parsons.The above comment was written by Connor Parsons.Connor Parsonsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-78049025148807692772024-03-11T19:59:13.902-02:302024-03-11T19:59:13.902-02:30From my experience whenever I'm composing in n...From my experience whenever I'm composing in notation software, I find myself not having too much of a plan and instead just messing around with various ideas as they come to me until something sticks. When something does stick, I then usually attempt to create numerous variations on that discovered idea and bind them all together into one larger cohesive unit, usually repeating sections with variations taken from other aspects of the piece. When I compose this way there is usually little to no predisposed plan happening in my mind before I start actually putting notes onto the page.<br /><br />However, whenever I write songs that are not completed in notation software, usually being guitar - drums - bass - vocals, I almost always have a set plan before I begin recording or writing the song itself. I usually come up with chord progressions in my spare time that I end up taking home later and turning into a fully developed song, and also usually have ideas regarding form, hooks, etc.<br /><br />I'm not exactly sure why the style of music that I'm writing in drastically affects my workflow, however I do find it interesting. Perhaps when I'm writing more contemporary-style music, I'm usually writing for instruments that I'm more familiar with playing, such as the guitar and drums, whereas when I'm composing a piece to be written out on sheet music I'm almost always writing for instruments that I'm much less accustomed to such as piano or strings quartets. This can possibly lead to me being able to more easily visualize and plan ahead of time for instruments I've more comfortable playing.<br /><br />And so, regarding the question of which category I fit into, I would say I'm a part of both the mystical and mastery sides of the compositional world. That being said I switch between these two writing styles not based of mood or inspiration, but rather based off of the style of the music itself that I'm composing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-24664640703404982392024-03-11T19:23:12.567-02:302024-03-11T19:23:12.567-02:30Writing with a short score is something I have nev...Writing with a short score is something I have never done before but will try using for our upcoming orchestration project. I think this will be beneficial in not overscoring as you mention, because I think it can be tempting to give every instrument something to play when you see so much empty space on your score, and this helps you to think of ideas in simpler ways, then expand on them later. Evan makes a good point in the above comment as well, writing for a particular level can be a key part of getting your music played especially when it comes to wind band music. I think the restrictions these levels provide also can give you a more focused idea of what you want to achieve with your composition and can point to more idiomatic ways of writing for wind instruments that may not be considered by composers like myself who don't have as much experience with wind music.Jessica Ozonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08775444070974918550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-56452088822948370782024-03-10T15:44:47.114-02:302024-03-10T15:44:47.114-02:30Interesting. As always I can only talk from my exp...Interesting. As always I can only talk from my experience but to me is very hard to define ambition and even ego in such a creative and free field such as composition. Sure, you can say something ambitious in this field would be to be a film composer for a multi million dollar movie or something similar where the composer gets big bucks but I am not completely sure If I would qualify something like that as ambitious. Maybe writing a tremendously long piece that is also very interesting is an ambitious idea but that kind of composition is something very normal so I am not sure if I would say that is compositionally ambitious either. <br />The same goes for ego. Because music is so creative it is impossible (at least for me) to define something that I can truly and scientifically qualify as a "bad" composition (I might not like a piece, but that doesn't mean it is bad, its just the response I had to it [and that could even mean I am the one that doesn't understand the composers ideas]), so when someone has a very high or low ego about their own music I tend to ignore it as much as possible because what causes differences in ego is ones self idea of your own work. <br /><br />In conclusion I think it is too hard to say any piece of music is good or bad!David Eguigurennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-70600447640222914332024-03-07T14:33:56.631-03:302024-03-07T14:33:56.631-03:30I think this is an extremely interesting topic, th...I think this is an extremely interesting topic, that allows for some insight into the creative process through the lens of how it can be sometimes difficult to 'trudge' your way through getting a piece done or create new ideas, sections, etc. I think the typical way the issues with the creative process are looked at is almost always linked to writers block, which is a topic that has been discussed time and time again. Looking at it instead this way is a great way of redefining why we as composers sometimes can't bring ourselves to write anything on particular days, by having this be explained not with a lack of motivation, but rather an unwillingness to go through the 'pain' of composing.<br /><br />That being said, I fully agree with the analogy brought up here about us composers not being masochists for writing through the mental obstacles brought up by the way we write, but rather being driven by the result & feeling of finishing a section or entirety of a piece. There are times where I feel no motivation to write anything, even when a due date is up and coming. Now that I can think about my mindset during these times in relation to this topic, I've realized that maybe my issues don't come from not wanting to compose, but not wanting to deal with the difficulties of writing.<br /><br />This gives me some hope knowing that maybe these moments of apathy that I experience don't come from being creatively dead (which is an issue I've been dealing with for a while), but instead come from not being able to see any sort of goal in my writing. The way I see it, only one of these issues can be fixed easily. By making myself have a goal to reach in mind when I sit down to compose, it can hopefully make the entire creative process more worth the pain in a similar way, although obviously nowhere near as painful, as a mother going though childbirth with the unsurpassable desire to have a child.Connor Parsonsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-45098015995054358832024-03-05T22:59:30.160-03:302024-03-05T22:59:30.160-03:30Interesting post and composition! As I have mentio...Interesting post and composition! As I have mentioned in a couple other blog comments, the idea of combining tonal chords to create new post-tonal harmonies is really interesting to me. Though this is clearly a post-tonal composition, I did feel a subtle element of tonality in the use of triads. I often show my compositions to people who are not very familiar with contemporary/post-tonal music, to which they often comment on how odd and unfamiliar the music sounds. I typically do not compose music based on the opinions of others; however, if I was writing a piece to try to introduce someone to post-tonal music, I would avail of this technique. Combining tonal triads to create a post-tonal sound is a valuable way to create new colours in music whilst maintaining some subtle elements of the tonal music that most people are familiar with. As someone who is relatively new to post-tonal music, I find this technique to be very nice to listen to.Isaac Pierceynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-57908112014882042582024-03-05T22:09:14.197-03:302024-03-05T22:09:14.197-03:30I wish I had come across this post earlier in the ...I wish I had come across this post earlier in the semester as it has given so many compositional ideas! At the beginning of Composition 3100 I completely abandoned any tonal harmony techniques I had previously learned from tonal theory classes. This was interesting in that I discovered so many different colours that are not available in tonal music. However, I did struggle with finding more consonant sonorities, specifically in the context of ending sections or phrases as I was looking for some kind of a resolution feeling. In the future I will definitely look to implement some chords with a triadic structure or even a tonal chord used in a non tonal way. Additionally, I particularly enjoyed the combining of tonal chords in order to create a post-tonal chord. In the excerpt of the petrushka chord I liked how the F# chord was introduced before the C triad was played overtop of it, the harmony created a startling feeling– in a good way. I'll be sure to check out the other posts relating to post-tonal harmony ideas in search of new techniques I can experiment with.Isaac Pierceynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-87206673266719830932024-03-05T19:52:29.732-03:302024-03-05T19:52:29.732-03:30Although hard work, talent, and dedication are com...Although hard work, talent, and dedication are commonly thought to be tied to success in most professions, I personally don’t think that it’s accurate to say that every successful person has practiced doing these things. People have different ways of working, and the way that some people will find success differs highly from one person to the next. They may also focus on different areas of the work itself, such as collaboration or adaptability rather than simply being individually dedicated to a certain thing.<br /><br />I do think however that ambition is, in most cases, crucial to one’s success. Without ambition, no boundaries will be pushed, and nothing interesting will come of the person’s work. Ambition can also tie heavily into motivation, which is extremely important when it comes to being successful.<br /><br />As for whether or not aspiring composers should become egomaniacs, having such a mindset is usually a terrible approach. In my view, ego should only come into play as an extra layer of confidence, rather than having it in excess which can hinder the ability to learn from others and adapt.<br /><br />In the end, I see success as multifaceted and as something that doesn’t only come to those who are ‘gifted,’ nor does it only come to those who are determined to succeed. Success is a much more abstract thing, and if it could be defined and simplified down to a simple formula, everyone would be successful, making the very act of success unremarkable.Connor Parsonsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-75136417858966733322024-03-05T17:55:46.995-03:302024-03-05T17:55:46.995-03:30Prior to studying music in University, I was not f...Prior to studying music in University, I was not familiar with Atonality. Though I am only in my second year of studies, I would agree that there is a somewhat unpleasant connotation surrounding it. I think one reason might be related to the lack of exposure to Atonal music in typical classical music training methods. As a musician who learned through the Suzuki method of violin, my experience learning atonal pieces is highly limited. I briefly scanned the Suzuki violin repertoire and could not find any piece I would characterized as atonal. There are numerous reasons why this may be the case, nonetheless, I would argue that in the more advanced stages of the learning method it would be beneficial to expose musicians to atonal pieces. <br /><br />The impact of not being exposed to atonal music until my University studies was that it took me awhile to become familiar with the sounds of atonal music and I was much less open to it. I would guess musicians who went through similar classical training to me may have had the same experience. Overall, I am really glad that I have been able to learn to enjoy the different colours that atonal music can offer, V to I can get pretty tiring.Isaac Pierceynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-49542020363418737752024-03-01T00:51:02.262-03:302024-03-01T00:51:02.262-03:30I can relate to Emma’s comment above, I like to pl...I can relate to Emma’s comment above, I like to plan most things I do in my life with school, work, etc. and in some ways I have tried to apply this careful planning to my composition work. I find one trouble I have though is the urge to simply throw away ideas entirely when I realize that they’re not working out, at which point I simply try to make up some new idea with no plan whatsoever and just hope it will resolve my issue. Certainly many great composers were/are great improvisers and have had many great ideas that they simply stumbled upon, but in my case I find this leaves me either with pieces that have lots of good small ideas but don't work together overall, or a piece that I feel is pretty good but hasn’t reached the full potential of what I had originally planned for it. All this to say, the composition approach I’ve often taken gets me satisfactory results but nothing I think is really fabulous. As I keep developing my composition skills, I want to get a better sense of what exactly I should plan in advance and what space I can leave in my plan for changes or new ideas. I think striking a balance between planning and spontaneity would be a great way to make the way I compose more effective, as well as sticking to my ideas even when I’m struggling to figure out how to make something work (with exceptions to this of course)Jessica Ozonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-2449817510093650352024-02-29T23:46:39.059-03:302024-02-29T23:46:39.059-03:30This is a topic which I have lost a good deal of s...This is a topic which I have lost a good deal of sleep on. While Finale is a robust piece of software, it has many quirks that I often find myself grappling with at the worst of times.<br /><br />I often find myself envious of my friends in the visual arts, who have a very direct interface with their expressive craft. With music, there is a certain<br />level of dissonance between the austere graphical representation of one's ideas, and imagined sound of this coming off the page. When coupled with the <br />somewhat clinical and tedious process of punching things into a computer program, wrestling with audio output errors, trying to remember the right hotkey for this or that, etc., it can do a lot to render the creative process into something of scuffle.<br /><br />As you say though, it is well worth it for the ability to produce beautiful and legible scores, and there is more than sufficient help to be sought from one's peers.Liam Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10842879958641093767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-71887855144217838262024-02-29T23:45:43.215-03:302024-02-29T23:45:43.215-03:30As some others here, I checked out this post after...As some others here, I checked out this post after pondering what a "con" of development could be. I can definetely follow the line of thinking set down<br />here.<br /><br />I would raise a semantic point. When speaking of an idea "overstaying its welcome", perhaps this in fact marks the point when an idea ceases to be able to be developed effectively. I mean to suggest that developing an idea in itself is never necessarily a bad artistic approach, but that rather there comes a point where it is no longer possible in creative terms.Liam Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10842879958641093767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298312567843426829.post-23975194006402184292024-02-29T23:44:43.556-03:302024-02-29T23:44:43.556-03:30I can very much appreciate this line of thinking. ...I can very much appreciate this line of thinking. Particularly the notion that writing in atonal idioms can sow benefits for one's tonal writing.<br /><br />As you say, the standard of tonal writing which we are exposed to within the canon is of such a high quality, and it is difficult to work within a classical tonal idiom at an early level at one's development while sounding original. The material obfuscation which inevitably arises when working with<br />post-tonal systems helps greatly to take some of this burdon off of the burgeoning composer.<br /><br />I feel it is of further interest how these systems allow composers to focus on developing other facets of their craft. With a particular system chosen to<br />develop the harmonic language (modes of limited transposition, non-Western scales, dodecophony, etc), composers are able to render particular attention to<br />matters of form and structure, which are perhaps even more elemental to a composition's material integrity.Liam Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10842879958641093767noreply@blogger.com