How can I learn to compose?

[keasbey]

Hello all,
I've been playing piano for 4 years.. Unfortunately my teacher has put a huge emphasis on technique and well.. not much else.  I am starting to feel like I am simply a human typewriter just playing things and not knowing how they ever came to be.  I want to learn how to compose, but I have no idea where to start.  I've tried just coming up with a melody in a random key and time signature, but it never seems to work..  any suggestions as to how I could get started?

[javacisnotrecognized]

Start improvising and record yourself doing it. I guarentee you that within a few days, you'll have come up with a something you can't get out of your head. Compose your first composition around that! (It doesn't have to be a good composition, remember. You will improve by continuing to compose)

[keasbey]

Start improvising and record yourself doing it. I guarentee you that within a few days, you'll have come up with a something you can't get out of your head. Compose your first composition around that! (It doesn't have to be a good composition, remember. You will improve by continuing to compose)

sadly I don't know how to improvise either..  no further than just playing scales with random block chords in the left anyway.  ... or is that enough for your method?

[xxmynameisjohnxx]

No, you need to become pretty familiar with a key and then you should learn to use broken chord patterns while playing notes in a melodic fashion in the right hand.  Using intervals and modes usually works well, and if you're familiar enough with the key you can even improvise runs up and down the piano in whatever style you're playing.  Learning to improv well isn't hard.  Expose yourself to tons of types of music, learn to play in many styles, and then it'll start flowing.  There's no "method" to improv, it comes when you know enough music theory and have proficient enough technique to be able to play virtually without thinking.  Improving is good fun, and the more you get into it the better you'll get.  And I agree that you should know how to improv before you can compose...my two or three good compositions came from improv sessions that I happened to remember what I played or a friend was near enough to me to let me know that something sounded awesome.

you'll pick it up soon enough if you can already play the piano well.  I went from not knowing any chords and stuff to being able to improv pretty well in under a year.  It's a lot of fun once you get into it.

[quantum]

I agree with the improvising. 

When I first started, I thought there was a "proper way" one had to follow in order to improvise.  In fact I've come to realize that improv can take many forms.  You say you can play scales with random block chords, so start with that.  Don't try to make it sound "right".  Don't obsess over incorrect sounding harmonies.  Just make music.  You need to get the creativity flowing.  Start with your scales and block chords - then change something around a bit, than make another change and so forth.  In a short time you will go from playing the C major scale to creating patterns with that scale. 


I started out my improv adventures with randomly placed notes to form chords.  I liked the sound of complex harmony but didn't know any theory behind it.  So I created my own chords.  After continuous practice I've developed a sense to make progressions out of dissonant sounds. 

You can use your technical training to your advantage.  Take a technique and improvise on it.  Double trills used to intimidate me.  So I started incorporating them into my improvs.  I have definitely seen an improvement in my playing of them ever since. 

[G.W.K]

Hello,

There was a thread in another board that gave tips on composing/improvisations. I personally just play random notes until I end up getting something I like...then I just link it all together. The only problem with that method however, is that it is time-consuming! There is no right or wrong way to compose, it's whatever method you find useful.

If I find that thread that mentions composing, etc...I'll add it to let you see if there is anything there that may help.

G.W.K

[mad_max2024]

Had the same problem until a while back.

I think a lot of classical pianistss feel that way. We get so used to playing what's in the sheet that when they are gone we are clueless.
I would often be embarassed even when people would take me to some bar with a piano and ask me to play just to find out I could play a very little number of pieces without my precious sheets... 

I studied a bit about music theory (major and minor chords and scales should get you started, and their degrees and relationships in the key)
Then I started improvising using the chord progressions, I would stay in a chord and think where I would want to go next, after a while you will notice different chords have different feels according to their role in the key, the tonic and dominant (I and V) are unmistakable.
At first all you need to get started is to fiddle around with major and minor chords, then you can add more stuff gradually like 7th chords, aug and dim, pretty much all you can immagine. It's mostly a matter of becoming familiar with what they feel like and taking it one step at a time.

As for melody lines... Chord notes sound really good, in scale non chord notes sound good, non scale notes sound bad. Doesnt mean you dont use them though, just be aware that bad sounding notes create tension that must be resolved into a note that sounds good. I feel this is what gives colour and movement to music.
It is also helpful to think in terms of phrases. Play a phrase then play another that responds to it. It may be the same phrase, a variation, the same with a different ending or a different one altogether but that relates to the first somehow.
If you make a mistake, either go with it or make an appogiatura into a chord/scale note close by (I often wonder if appogiaturas aren't the most useful embellishment in music  ). Don't worry too much about sounding good, in the beggining it will sound pretty bad, just explore the possibilities.

Reading Walter Piston's "Harmony" was a great help too, so was analysing pieces I played.
But I think what helped me most was joining a band.
Pop/Rock music is often very simple and you just have to play the chords to sound good. You can then practise improvising lines in response to the singer/lead guitarist riffs. Or changing chord voicings or even throwing in a few passing chords. Start throwing in new stuff. It is also a lot of fun to play with people you get along well.
If you are into that sort of thing that is...

I think blues are a great place to start. Basic blues uses 3 chords and a pentatonic scale so there is less to worry about. And I have a lot of fun playing them.
Again, if it is the sort of music you like...

I have a limited experience improvising but these are my thoughts until now.
Hope it helps.
If not... just ignore me. 

[loonbohol]

I have a trick when it comes to composing.

---Step #1---
Listen to a song (modern).

---Step #2---
Play it on the piano without researching it's notation
(I mean You play what you heard without researching chords or what key to press).
Just use your mind to determine what keys and chords to use

We'll nobody could understand me. But If you could we'll I can do that.


In this way. You train your mind to choose a note.
You see, It is easier to compose while humming, It is SO SO easy that you can compose while performing that composition in your mouth then later forget it.

In my way of composing, I humm in the middle of a voice recorder then later,
I will just go to the piano and match my tune to the piano.
And I will then make the structure of the composition.

I think that is the easiest way to compose.   

[jabbz]

I think that is the easiest way to compose.   

Easiest, but certainly not the most mature or worthwhile. It will provide you will dated and uninteresting results.

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.

[dozapp]

look at the scores of some ligeti etudes

i think this is what he means by forget music theory

genius and full of theory, but hardly conventional

perhaps hardly conventional is what you have to be to be genius

work hard and never give up; my 25 cents (inflation)

[db05]

I think that is the easiest way to compose.   

NOT easy at all! Well, maybe easy for someone who has very keen sense of pitch. But really, I think it's still your theory knowledge tied to your ear that's working for you. For example, if you know zero about chords, it's much more difficult to come up with 3 or more tones that sound good together followed by another 3 than say, get a chord chart an acquaint yourself with the most common chords.

Lots and lots of songs (even easy classical pieces, or so they say...) were composed based on basic (I - IV - V) chords! So play around with those. Or take the chords of something you already know, say, Canon in D and make up a different melody on top. Canon is commonly played in weddings, and after a while musicians get tired of repeating it so they impovise LOL.

I have to emphasize rhythm too, as it seems neglected around here. A nice rhythm makes any melody interesting. Also, dynamics and articulation will add interest.

Here's a songwriting article (It says for guitar but can also apply to any instrument) part 1 of 5 to get you started:
https://tomhess.net/Articles/SongwritingPart1.aspx

[quacky_duckerton]

I've never heard of a professional composer who hasn't had at least a bachelors level education in music.

This seems to imply to me that you don't follow your own advice #2: "Expose yourself to as many musics as you can. Seriously, listen to everything."

Paul McCartney, for example, can't even read music.

[jabbz]

No. Paul McCartney most likely can read sheet music, and he is a songwriter, not a composer.

Mind you, I am talking art music. That's the only music I'm really interested in, outside of that I'm sure there are plenty of professional composers otherwise educated. I assumed we were talking about art music, as this is a forum dedicated to piano art music.

[G.W.K]

No. Paul McCartney most likely can read sheet music...

Nope, he cannot. He also self-taught himself the piano and everything. Learnt by ear.

G.W.K

[jabbz]

I stand corrected. But I am not sure if being unable to read music is something we should celebrate.

[Petter]

Easiest, but certainly not the most mature or worthwhile. It will provide you will dated and uninteresting results.

I recommend approaching like this:

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

I was thinking what the general aural skill of a composer would be. There´s probably no such thing thought, but would be interesting to hear what you regard as high level of aural skills.

[jabbz]

I think probably being able to understand a harmonic language, and understand the intervals the harmony is made from, are very important, and probably the most important thing after that is rhythmic accuracy. I don't think perfect pitch is something to be aspired to. Relative pitch is pretty suffice for most people's needs.