Translating Music in your Head to a Composition

[derekahc]

Hey everybody,

  This is a persistent problem I've had with all the instruments I've played. I can memorize and learn pieces fairly well (I think, at least), but I've never been very good at composing even simple pieces. I think I can come up with fairly nice-sounding (again, I think..) music in my head, and when listening to other pieces, I can do some mental-improvising along with the piece. But I can never seem to translate the music in my head to actually playing it.

  There have been a few times where I want desperately to play what I'm coming up with in my head, but I spend so much time trying to find the corresponding notes that I end up forgetting the original idea. Does anybody else have this problem? And does anybody have any tips on how to get this head-music onto the keys? Any help is appreciated, thanks!

[tdawe]

Have you had formal lessons in compositional / musical theory? This should allow you to easily translate your thoughts onto the page, giving you a framework to work within. 

[derekahc]

No, unfortunately I'm entirely self-taught. No money for lessons 

[keypeg]

Can you hum the melody that you come up with and record it, and then spend time pecking out what has been frozen into the recording?

[derekahc]

Ah yes, that's a good idea, I will give that a shot. But I feel that whatever nonsense I'm "playing" mentally is more complex than just humming. And I'd really like to get to the point where I can just play something on the fly, without having to stick to a prepared or memorized piece. Is the only (or best) way to get there with lessons?

[keypeg]

I used to invent music when I was young once in a while but it was a different process.  I would doodle two or three notes on the piano or humming.  After a while a few more notes joined them.  I think because they came gradually I remembered them, and I also had some freaky way of writing them down.  This was mostly along a single melody and maybe a second contrasting melody - nothing fancy.