→ Music Composition Weblog ←: Blog Index — Organized by Topic (® 2012-September)

About this blog

This blog began in the fall of 2008 as a forum for the discussion of issues relating to classical music composition. Although my primary objective has always been pedagogical – posts are generally aimed at students and others wishing to improve their composition skills – feedback from all interested readers, irrespective of their background, is welcome via the "post a comment" link at the end of each post.

Feedspot.com named this as one of the "Top 15 Music Composition Blogs" (2018), and it was also named as one of the "Fifty Best Blogs for Music Theory Students" by MatchACollege.com. Check out other music composition and theory blogs on these websites' lists if you like.

I used to get my composition students at Memorial University's School of Music to write their own weekly blog posts reflecting on things that went well and things that were challenging in the process of creating their own compositions; links to these student blogs can be found at the bottom of the right-hand column, grouped by course number (Mu3100 is "Introduction to Composition," and Mu4100 is the follow-up to that course).

Enjoy your visit, and please leave a comment on anything that interests you, even if you are not taking my courses! I receive automatic notifications of all comments, irrespective of how old the original post is, so if you leave a comment, I will see it.

Clark Ross

Below is an index of most blogs posted thus far. I omitted entries that I didn't think would be very interesting or relevant, such as reminders of deadlines, concert congratulations, order of class presentation, etc.

These are loosely organized by topic to facilitate browsing; clicking on any blog title will take you to that page. You may find some that give you ideas about composition techniques, or that contain useful things to think about when composing, including suggestions for what to try when you are stuck.

→ Course and Blog Information ←
Class Blog and Student Blogs Explained
Group Composition Lessons; Pros and Cons
Concert Protocol
Welcome Message (September, 2012)
Welcome Message (January, 2010)
Welcome Message (September, 2009)
Welcome Message (January, 2009)
Class Business — Odds and Ends (January, 2009)

→ Originality and Art ←
Originality and Quality of Initial Musical Ideas
How Important is Originality in Art?
Is Originality a Detriment in Art?
Originality — Does it have Any Role in Art?

→ Argh! I'm Stuck! ←
Stuck?
Strategies for Becoming Unstuck
Creative Angst... Welcome to the Club!
Oh, the Pain of it all!

→ Atonality – What's in a Name? ←
Why Atonal Music?
Atonal — Even the Word Sounds Unpleasant!
Atonality = Noise?

→ On Composition (Miscellaneous Topics) ←
When Your Reach Exceeds Your Grasp
Spectralism
Polystylism
How Much Theory do You Have to Know to be a Composer?
Bob Ross, Empowering the Masses, and Fear of Failure
On the Perception of Progress
I Love it When a Plan Comes Together
You Might be a Composer if …
The Ross (née Heisenberg) Uncertainty Principle, and Other Musical Dichotomies
How to Become a More-Skilled Composer
Talent? Skill? What's the Difference?
Inspiration, Perspiration, and Perspicacity
Express Yourself? Really???
Writing a Play; an Analogy to Composition
Keep? Discard?
Notation Software Woes
Musicworks Magazine

→ Composition Issues (10-part series) ←
1. Originality and Quality of Initial Musical Ideas
1.1. The quality of ideas may not matter very much in determining the quality of the complete composition that emerges from them; and
1.2. The degree to which these ideas are original may not matter very much.

2. How do you Develop Compositional Craft?
2.1. Study the music of others.

2.2. Compose as much as you can.

2.3. Invite criticism from others.

3. Understanding your Musical Idea

3.1. Live with it for a while.

3.2. What's it about?

3.3. Does it change character?

3.4. What is its function within the context of the piece?

3.5. Structural Analysis.

3.6. Harmonic (or Pitch, Scale, etc.) Analysis.

4. The Pros and Cons of Development

5. How to Extend or Develop Musical Materials; Specific Suggestions

6. Balancing the Old with the New, the Expected with the Unexpected