Why do I sound like another composer?

[loonbohol]

I need help!

AS I compose. I think that my compositions started to sound like the composition of Kajiura Yuki

If  you do not know Her! Go to Youtube and type her name and include one of her compositions here.

1.) Break the sword of Justice (Highly recommended)
2.) Mezame
3.) THe song of storm of fire (Highly Recommended)
4.) I talk to the Rain
5.) Hear our Prayer
6.) MATERIALISE

I recommend that you should listen to her composition.
So that you can Understand what I am talking
And I swear that you will not be bored listening to her

As you go to Wikipedia and search her name.
You will see that her compositions are trademarked.

How do I get original but if I do deviate to that style then there is no emotion.
IN honesty, Energetical music like Kajiura had been in my mind since I was a child.
And What separated Kajiura from other composers is that she composes with power and texture.
But I never heard of other composers who is strong  and textured

So I Compose but throw my compositions into the trashcan because they sound sad and energetic.

[pianowolfi]

1.Study harmony, counterpoint, solfège, music history etc.
2. Forget all of it (as somebody else suggested somewhere on this board)
3. Grow up
4. Live

[db05]

If you sound like another composer, lucky you. You say you have good ears and I believe you. You picked up someone else's sound. Well, nobody's really original. Everyone has influences, and I don't think that's a problem.

Don't (!!!) throw your work in the trash. You can save them for later compositions. I used to keep a lot of scratch writings for poetry. Same with music. String together lines under the same "overall theme". One of my poems took me a year to write. Counting the theme, it took me 3 years to write my first composition.  But it's interesting enough (for me).

How do you write? Observe your method, and change it up a bit. Or maybe you need new theme ideas.

I like Song of Storm and Fire. 

[loonbohol]

1.Study harmony, counterpoint, solfège, music history etc.
2. Forget all of it (as somebody else suggested somewhere on this board)
3. Grow up
4. Live

THat is not what I am supposed to say

[communist]

I listened to some of her compositions and i thought they sounded like gaming music,

but anyway try not to listen to her music for a while and it might leave your brain.

[jabbz]

Repost:

I recommend approaching like this:

1) Learn Music Theory. There really is no way around this, I've never heard of a professional composer who hasn't had at least a bachelors level education in music.

2) Expose yourself to as many musics as you can. Seriously, listen to everything.

3) Develop your aural skills to a high level. Nothing is worse than hearing something in your head and not knowing what it is.

4) Write constantly, different forms, different tonalities, different instrumentation, go mad.

5) Once you've mastered music theory, forget all of it.

6) Go and be a composer.

#

I've posted this many times now, specifically at you for several of them.

You will not be a good composer without a good technique. If you want to be original, and by original, I mean slightly less of a carbon-copy, you will have to develop skills.

The reason you sound like another composer is because your technique does not enable you create something special. Follow the steps above, they will fix it.

[loonbohol]

Repost:

I recommend approaching like this:

1) Learn Music Theory. There really is no way around this, I've never heard of a professional composer who hasn't had at least a bachelors level education in music.

2) Expose yourself to as many musics as you can. Seriously, listen to everything.

3) Develop your aural skills to a high level. Nothing is worse than hearing something in your head and not knowing what it is.

4) Write constantly, different forms, different tonalities, different instrumentation, go mad.

5) Once you've mastered music theory, forget all of it.

6) Go and be a composer.

#

I've posted this many times now, specifically at you for several of them.

You will not be a good composer without a good technique. If you want to be original, and by original, I mean slightly less of a carbon-copy, you will have to develop skills.

The reason you sound like another composer is because your technique does not enable you create something special. Follow the steps above, they will fix it.

WE'll It is understood.

But I should Identify the genre of the music else I can not separate my compositions from the other.

WE'll I will leave this to myself

[scottmcc]

you sound like other people because you haven't listened to enough music yet.  you need to know what is out there, and appreciate it, in order to figure out what hasn't been done yet, and thus be original.

I suggest you start by listening to as many compositions as possible by the following artists (in no order):  The Mars Volta, Rush, Primus, Muse, Killswitch Engage, Mudvayne, King Crimson, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Thelonious Monk, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, and of course, Beethoven and Bach.  You probably won't like all of the above--don't worry about that.  Just listen and absorb, see what moves you, what doesn't, listen for which of the above influenced the other, and then, you're ready to begin the real work of finding you're own voice.  Good luck. 


ps, listen to what jabbz said.  I'm just giving you some concrete suggestions for his second tip.

[healdie]

check out some frank zappa as well that guys music is seriously underated he wrote in nearly every style imaginable and made every one sound his own,

It annoys me when people refuse to listen to popular music because every composer in history has made references to the current popular sound even if that is not his main style, Ravel included Jazz and blues elements ino his music even though it is still obviously classical so why shouldn't modern composers make references to say motown or metal?

[javacisnotrecognized]

Instead of asking "Why do I sound like other composers", try asking "What makes this composer sound like it does". Then the answer to the first question will be that you're copying something from the second one!

[scottmcc]

check out some frank zappa as well that guys music is seriously underated he wrote in nearly every style imaginable and made every one sound his own,

It annoys me when people refuse to listen to popular music because every composer in history has made references to the current popular sound even if that is not his main style, Ravel included Jazz and blues elements ino his music even though it is still obviously classical so why shouldn't modern composers make references to say motown or metal?

I knew I shoulda listed zappa.  "You can't always write a chord ugly enough to say what you want to say, so sometimes you have to rely on a giraffe filled with whipped cream."

a lot of the rock/metal performers I listed have classical influences as well.  rush and the whole "math rock" subgenre is obviously heavy into bach, the Beatles drew on many different influences worldwide, including Beethoven (compare "Because" to the Moonlight), Muse draws upon Chopin's etudes, etc, etc, etc. 

hearing influences in music is good.  sounding like someone else is not.  the difference is what separates a good composer from a bad one.  good luck.

[loonbohol]

you sound like other people because you haven't listened to enough music yet.  you need to know what is out there, and appreciate it, in order to figure out what hasn't been done yet, and thus be original.

I suggest you start by listening to as many compositions as possible by the following artists (in no order):  The Mars Volta, Rush, Primus, Muse, Killswitch Engage, Mudvayne, King Crimson, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Thelonious Monk, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, and of course, Beethoven and Bach.  You probably won't like all of the above--don't worry about that.  Just listen and absorb, see what moves you, what doesn't, listen for which of the above influenced the other, and then, you're ready to begin the real work of finding you're own voice.  Good luck. 


ps, listen to what jabbz said.  I'm just giving you some concrete suggestions for his second tip.

I do not want to compose rock.
I want to build a space beetween the melody and Harmony.
But SOmetimes. THe fine line within space and structure is not defined.

Instead of asking "Why do I sound like other composers", try asking "What makes this composer sound like it does". Then the answer to the first question will be that you're copying something from the second one!

Kajiura sounds like Beethoven but only more modern.
We'll IT can't be Helped.
I also listen to Beethoven so No Doubt

I love that statement Javacisnotrecognized.

[quantum]

I do not want to compose rock.
I want to build a space beetween the melody and Harmony.
But SOmetimes. THe fine line within space and structure is not defined.

I think what people are getting at is that you need more exposure to a diversity of music, including that outside classical mainstream stuff.  You may not be attracted to the style as much, but the compositional elements are still as true as those found in classical music. 

[db05]

I do not want to compose rock.

That's funny, since Kajiura (and a lot of Japanese composers) have a rock influence in their music. It can't be helped.

I suggest you start by listening to as many compositions as possible by the following artists (in no order):  The Mars Volta, Rush, Primus, Muse, Killswitch Engage, Mudvayne, King Crimson, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Thelonious Monk, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, and of course, Beethoven and Bach.  You probably won't like all of the above--don't worry about that.  Just listen and absorb, see what moves you, what doesn't, listen for which of the above influenced the other, and then, you're ready to begin the real work of finding you're own voice.  Good luck. 

I don't exactly agree with the bulk of this suggestion. At least not yet. Start real simple. Go back to MTV or FM radio even. I know I started there, and soon enough went hungry for more different music, and that's when I started listening to Muse, The Mars Volta, Dream Theater/ Liquid Tension, plus a whole lot of hardcore/ punk/ emo that I would be stoned for mentioning. "Simple" songs, like by the abovementioned Beatles, are a good place to start. If you can't appreciate simplicity, you'll have a hard time writing your own stuff.

[goldentone]

Just keep composing, and be patient.  You might pull some reverse psychology on yourself and purposely write in the style of Kajiura Yuki, instead of feeling at the mercy of her influence.

[loonbohol]

She would kick me.
Sue me to court

[loonbohol]

I know that I am just a 15 year old guy who composes for himself.

THen all a sudden then I am starting to compose a symphony titled "Tsubasa"

For more INformation then proceed to this website and I am loonbohol.
https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,32882.0.html

I am not sure what will happen if Even If I did not intend anything about composing in the way Kajiura will compose.

My composition sounded like Kajiura Yuki's Compositions!?

Of course I only do compose for as a Hobbby.

I did not have Kajiurian Ominous Chants on it but the european motifs and the melody of the composition itself are the one Distinction that it would really sound Kajiura.

We'll As you can see,Her compositional skills are trademarked so I compose and throw my compositions on the trashcan
because they seem so Kajiura.

As a proof that her compositional ways are trademarked check this website.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kajiura

Yes, Even if  There are no violin solos or chanting and minus the pop beat.
THere is no way out! I will get sued into court if I do not change my tone.

I also have self-performed piano solos because I myself is a pianinst and My hardest piano piece I ever Performed was Chopin Etude Opus 25 No. 11
(Go to Youtube so that you can here how It sounds LIke).

European compositions and European styles are eminent in everyone.

I do not have European Chants nor Chanting in my symphony.

Beethoven Have Violin Solos in the middle of her compositions.
Yet I do not have any.

I certainly do not want to post the composition here since Kajiura will kill me and I am trying my best to find the right software to encode my Orchestra.

But If there is a fine line on Kajiura's composition and my composition titled "Tsubasa Symphony" well It is the melody itself.
Even just listening on it will give an Kajiurian Athmosphere.

I do not understand even If my compositions are the opposite of her trademark
does not affect the athmosphere.

THe same thing as Beethoven playing Ode to Joy which is at C-major do not affect the aura and Athmosphere.

[jabbz]

9th Symphony is in D minor, not C major.

Beethoven is not a 'her'.

You will not be sued for SOUNDING like another musician. Look at the thousands of pop bands which sound identical to each other, no lawsuits there.

At this really early stage, you should LEARN TO COMPOSE BEFORE TRYING TO WRITE A FORM AS ADVANCED AS A SYMPHONY. Do you even know how to write for different instruments, do you know anything about orchestral technique, colour, conducting, instrumentation, symphonic forms?

Seriously, go write a minuet or something.

[db05]

You will not be sued for SOUNDING like another musician. Look at the thousands of pop bands which sound identical to each other, no lawsuits there.

At this really early stage, you should LEARN TO COMPOSE BEFORE TRYING TO WRITE A FORM AS ADVANCED AS A SYMPHONY. Do you even know how to write for different instruments, do you know anything about orchestral technique, colour, conducting, instrumentation, symphonic forms?

Seriously, go write a minuet or something.

_{jabbz, I think he meant playing Ode to Joy in C doesn't affect the aura (diminish the effect).}

True, true. There is nothing wrong sounding like other musicians, unless it is identical - you deliberately copy something.

Start with smaller genres, both in composing and listening. Simple things are the best.

[Petter]

You will not be sued for SOUNDING like another musician. Look at the thousands of pop bands which sound identical to each other, no lawsuits there.

Our professor told us about that he acted as an adviser in lawsuits about music. Some Swedish popstar wrote a song that sounded too much like a Lloyd Webber tune. He advised the popstar which is well known locally here in Sweden not to release the song cause he suspected Lloyd Webbers lawyers would destroy him. I think there´s quite alot of these lawsuits. I remember Abba suing KLF for sampling something out of Dancing Queen and it ended up KLF burning up all the unreleased singles as a performance statement.

[Petter]

_{jabbz, I think he meant playing Ode to Joy in C doesn't affect the aura (diminish the effect).}

I heard something about concert pitch being lower back then, so a D was actually a Db, which is why some parts for voices is hard to sing in D major.

[loonbohol]

9th Symphony is in D minor, not C major.

Beethoven is not a 'her'.

You will not be sued for SOUNDING like another musician. Look at the thousands of pop bands which sound identical to each other, no lawsuits there.

At this really early stage, you should LEARN TO COMPOSE BEFORE TRYING TO WRITE A FORM AS ADVANCED AS A SYMPHONY. Do you even know how to write for different instruments, do you know anything about orchestral technique, colour, conducting, instrumentation, symphonic forms?

Seriously, go write a minuet or something.

You mean with one instrument.

Our professor told us about that he acted as an adviser in lawsuits about music. Some Swedish popstar wrote a song that sounded too much like a Lloyd Webber tune. He advised the popstar which is well known locally here in Sweden not to release the song cause he suspected Lloyd Webbers lawyers would destroy him. I think there´s quite alot of these lawsuits. I remember Abba suing KLF for sampling something out of Dancing Queen and it ended up KLF burning up all the unreleased singles as a performance statement.

Where will I get more Information.

_{jabbz, I think he meant playing Ode to Joy in C doesn't affect the aura (diminish the effect).}

True, true. There is nothing wrong sounding like other musicians, unless it is identical - you deliberately copy something.

Start with smaller genres, both in composing and listening. Simple things are the best.

How many classical compositions will I compose.

[jabbz]

Write some string trio stuff, quartet, wind quartet, choir mixed ensemble, ect, unless you learn how to effectively write for various different instruments.

Use set forms and follow them very strictly. I.e, Binary form, rondo, ternary, ect.

[Petter]

Where will I get more Information.

You don´t need to to worry unless you officially publish something. The popstar I was talking about sells alot of records and has alot of fans. Then it´s a different deal.
 If Kajiura inspires you I think she´d be more likely to be proud then to sue you.

[imbetter]

why would you even want to be like Kajiura Yuki the  music is just unoriginal video gaming music with very little artistic value

[Petter]

why would you even want to be like Kajiura Yuki the  music is just unoriginal video gaming music with very little artistic value

Please prove

[shinerl]

9th Symphony is in D minor, not C major.

Beethoven is not a 'her'.

You will not be sued for SOUNDING like another musician. Look at the thousands of pop bands which sound identical to each other, no lawsuits there.

At this really early stage, you should LEARN TO COMPOSE BEFORE TRYING TO WRITE A FORM AS ADVANCED AS A SYMPHONY. Do you even know how to write for different instruments, do you know anything about orchestral technique, colour, conducting, instrumentation, symphonic forms?

Seriously, go write a minuet or something.

If You are composing a symphony.
WE'll You have to be careful since composing a symphony is life threatening and
I care about you since you are still Fifteen years old.

Composing a symphony Is a sign that you are trying to kill yourself.
Is this your First Symphony.
And For the other Forum page. Frank_48 Just finished his 7th symphony
WE'll HE has to stop before it is too late.

And Loonbohol has been warned too early.
And It is real and many composers are victims.

why would you even want to be like Kajiura Yuki the  music is just unoriginal video gaming music with very little artistic value

You see Kajiura Composes in Aeolian Scale all the time.
Kajiura Yuki is less artistic than you thilk LOONBOHOL.

THe most effective way to DeKajiurialize yourself is not to compose at Aeolian Scale.

By the way, there are other underrated and frequently unused modes such as
Ionian, Dorian,Phrygian,Lydian,Mixolydian and Locrian modes.
Aeolian is overrated.

And the best guarantee to make your music different from Kajiurian is to compose
something Mixolydian or Lydian.
Not Just Aeolian.

Write some string trio stuff, quartet, wind quartet, choir mixed ensemble, ect, unless you learn how to effectively write for various different instruments.

Use set forms and follow them very strictly. I.e, Binary form, rondo, ternary, ect.

Correct and do not compose Symphonies if you want to have a long life.

[loonbohol]

You see Kajiura Composes in Aeolian Scale all the time.
Kajiura Yuki is less artistic than you thilk LOONBOHOL.

THe most effective way to DeKajiurialize yourself is not to compose at Aeolian Scale.

By the way, there are other underrated and frequently unused modes such as
Ionian, Dorian,Phrygian,Lydian,Mixolydian and Locrian modes.
Aeolian is overrated.

And the best guarantee to make your music different from Kajiurian is to compose
something Mixolydian or Lydian.
Not Just Aeolian.

What are these things.........
I do not even hear and these things do not exists in my musical reference.
And Are you suggesting me to compose songs from other cultures which I never ever heard of.
EXPLAIN 

If You are composing a symphony.
WE'll You have to be careful since composing a symphony is life threatening and
I care about you since you are still Fifteen years old.

Composing a symphony Is a sign that you are trying to kill yourself.
Is this your First Symphony.
And For the other Forum page. Frank_48 Just finished his 7th symphony
WE'll HE has to stop before it is too late.

And Loonbohol has been warned too early.
And It is real and many composers are victims.

WHAt does this mean.
What makes Symphonies lethal by the way?
It does not mean that if Frank_48 would push further in composing more Symphonies does not mean he is murdering himself.
And it is rarely that The conductor will fall into stage.

[quantum]

What are these things.........
I do not even hear and these things do not exists in my musical reference.
And Are you suggesting me to compose songs from other cultures which I never ever heard of.
EXPLAIN 

Knowledge of the modes is quite important, especially if you which to be a composer.  The ones listed above are all western. 

This should be a start:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_mode

[jabbz]

There is some sort of curse surrounding the fabled 10th symphony apparently. The only real reference I can think of is Mahler. It's a load of nonsense of course.

Yeah, Modes are very important, but it depends on their application.

[db05]

If You are composing a symphony.
WE'll You have to be careful since composing a symphony is life threatening and
I care about you since you are still Fifteen years old.

You see Kajiura Composes in Aeolian Scale all the time.
Kajiura Yuki is less artistic than you thilk LOONBOHOL.

THe most effective way to DeKajiurialize yourself is not to compose at Aeolian Scale.

Oh yeah, the 10th symphony curse. But that only goes for Mahler and Beethoven.

loon, Aeolian Scale is like natural minor. (My Etude for 2 Guitars was based on it.) The others are harder to describe, though. It's like the major scale, but start and end on another note and you get a different feeling/ mode.

Yes, I think you're overestimating Kajiura. The music is very similar to other Japanese soundtrack and game music. Japanese music is great, but it's not everything there is.

[frank_48]

What are these things.........
I do not even hear and these things do not exists in my musical reference.
And Are you suggesting me to compose songs from other cultures which I never ever heard of.
EXPLAIN 

WHAt does this mean.
What makes Symphonies lethal by the way?
It does not mean that if Frank_48 would push further in composing more Symphonies does not mean he is murdering himself.
And it is rarely that The conductor will fall into stage.

LOL. that was a Joke coated with sarcasm.

Besides, Concertos are more my thing anyway..

[loonbohol]

There is some sort of curse surrounding the fabled 10th symphony apparently. The only real reference I can think of is Mahler. It's a load of nonsense of course.

Yeah, Modes are very important, but it depends on their application.

What is the curse of the 10th symphony?
I have the right to know about it.

[shinerl]

What is the curse of the 10th symphony?
I have the right to know about it.

It states that A certain composer can only compose up to nine symphonies in the lifetime and should stop then.
Else,The composer will die before finishing the tenth.
Should he survive the curse.
We'll Misfortune brings to the composer

No composer since the time of Beethoven had escaped the curse of the 10th symphony.

Yes, I think you're overestimating Kajiura. The music is very similar to other Japanese soundtrack and game music. Japanese music is great, but it's not everything there is.

Your underestimating her in an overestimated way.
More than 10,000 comments in Youtube says that Kajiura is the best composer in the world.
And she had sold over 5,000,000+ tracks which is a hundred folds more than those boring Filipino composers except Nicanor Abelardo.
and seven folds more than the average composer

[communist]

to not sound like Kajiura Yuki than composer well

[loonbohol]

to not sound like Kajiura Yuki than composer well

Explain.

[alpacinator1]

I'm interested in seeing or hearing some of your compositions. I know you don't like them but if you allowed the members of this board to see the music or hear it then you could get some useful critique. Good luck composing.

[loonbohol]

I'm interested in seeing or hearing some of your compositions. I know you don't like them but if you allowed the members of this board to see the music or hear it then you could get some useful critique. Good luck composing.

To be presented within 2 weeks.

[db05]

to not sound like Kajiura Yuki than composer well

Do you mean:
"to not sound like KY, then compose well" ??

Your underestimating her in an overestimated way.
More than 10,000 comments in Youtube says that Kajiura is the best composer in the world.
And she had sold over 5,000,000+ tracks which is a hundred folds more than those boring Filipino composers except Nicanor Abelardo.
and seven folds more than the average composer

Who decided that Youtube comments mean someone is great? Or number of tracks?

Being such a famous and prolific composer can only mean either of 2 things:
1) She is a sellout.
2) She has her own formula.

loonbohol, listen carefully because one of these possibilities may be the key to your composing goals. From now on, I refer to Kajiura as KY.

If 1), KY's compositions are based on what is in demand in the J-pop/ soundtrack music scene. Therefore, the key would be to study the trends and try to predict what will happen next. It happens to people sometimes, how we hear something new on the radio or tv and think, this artist will make it big, or this sound is different and start a trend, or even better... the idea is good, but it would be even better if [insert own cool idea here]. Try to listen to popular music and think in terms of what you can add to these ideas.

If 2), KY's compositions are based on a formula or many formulas/ patterns. It is said that Mozart had a formula. I think it is true. Listen to a lot of Mozart and soon you hear that they sound similar. In this case, I agree with your idea on the other thread, that is, decode some of her compositions and study it in detail. And you will find the patterns in the music. You may not have to decode more than one, because just one pattern can help you compose many pieces.


PS.

I am not saying that KY's music is bad.

[pianisten1989]

You compositions maybe sounds like Kajiura Yuki's, because his compositions sounds like everybody else's?

[loonbohol]

I love on what you can say pattern.
And Mozart does have a formula.

How about the quality of the music or is there is something that I have flaws when it composing.

Was it unemotional or lack of creativity.

[alpacinator1]

OK, so for part 1, it sounded pretty good for the first 20 or so seconds, although perhaps a bit overdone on that percussion instrument.

After that it goes "biphonic" for a quite a while, which is a big no-no. It's supposed to be a symphony, your audience will lose interest.

The melodies are nice, I would suggest beefing up the harmonies. You need that full, complex orchestral sound.

Part 2 is interesting, it almost has a kind fo Bach-ish sound. The same applies here though: more harmonies, more voices!

[loonbohol]

The melodies are nice, I would suggest beefing up the harmonies. You need that full, complex orchestral sound.

If only I have the Genuine Orchestra to play it for me.
And how much will it cost?

[jabbz]

to get an Orchestra into a studio for a day will cost you thousands of £s. Unless it's a bunch of amateurs, then it will be cheaper. Your work isn't ready yet by any means.