Monkeysinfezzes

Thank you for your kind words. I am very sad whenever I hear of artists unable to create for whatever reasoning. It's not as if immediately when things went south I happily decided to compose. In fact, the process began in June. Then, on the bus, I had the theme for Icarus Also Flew, and after a lot of self-doubt and struggles in other areas, things just happened. The fugue was the hardest, and most frustrating in execution. I never thought I could hate writing a piece so much, but it happened, and now it's among my favourites. One bit of theoretical knowledge I'll share: The pieces are the sum of my recent exploration of Transformation Theory, and pan-triadicism. I highly recommend composers who are looking for recent and exciting theoretical approaches to check out the concept. One book I'd recommend is Hollywood Harmony by Frank Lehman. My first BandLab site is up. It's a start. I don't know if I should post it here, but if anybody is curious about participating--it's voluntary, at this stage--I'd love to meet them.

Thank you :)

Dear community, I hope you are well. Since March, I've worked independently on a series of nine orchestral pieces inspired by living and struggling during the Covid-19 Pandemic, and associated each piece with a Beethoven symphony: Aubade Fugue: Wear Pearls and Smile Kommos (Lamentation) / When the World Moved On Fanfare: Grit Icarus Also Flew Immortal Horses Nocturne: Neowise Romance Cocktails for the End of Time They were written primarily to keep me mentally healthy during a period of personal turmoil. I'm now actively seeking out performance opportunities, either physically or digitally. I kindly invite you to have a look at their website, where you can browse each piece's score, parts, synthesized mock-ups, and even play-along click-track videos to help with the possibility of a remote performance: https://sites.google.com/view/beethovenepisodes/home Here's the SoundCloud playlist if you just would like to listen to the mock-ups: https://soundcloud.com/benjamin-sajo/sets/beethoven-episodes None of these pieces were commissioned, but their pay-off has been deeply personal and self-affirming. That being said, I really hope that some of you are able to find the time to have a listen. If you would be interested in helping me get these performed, I'd love to hear from you. Kindest regards, Ben

Thanks!

It's your art, maybe you prefer less varied recaps. For me, I like variety the more the merrier.

Hey! Now that's what I can introduction! I really enjoyed this piece. I really hope this piece gets performed live someday. It's something musicians would definitely enjoy. Ok, the only constructive criticism, I could give, and this is really hard because I dig everything... maybe experiment in some more daring modulations when you recap your themes. But I'm only saying this because you gave me no choice. You are so evoking Ravel in your orchestrations, which I dig. I loved, loved, loved your harmonic choices and I found your melody writing has a strong sense of direction, and everything really linked together exceptionally well. My least favourite part, hard to say, but given no other option, hell I can't think of anything. This is just gorgeous. I hope that's constructive. Bravo!

Hi Riley, You've indeed asked a very deep and thought-provoking series of questions. I would say that the skills and traits of a good composer are, fundamentally, a strong spirit of curiosity. A desire to find new ways to make sense of the world we live in through music. This strong sense of curiosity will inspire a quest towards learning new techniques, whether they be methods for organizing sound like "tonality" or the powers of new technologies. Beethoven says it very aptly: “Don't only practice your art, but force your way into its secrets, for it and knowledge can raise men to the divine.” A good composer treats these new skills as revelations. I've been composing for almost twenty years, and even with a Masters in Music, I'm still watching YouTube tutorials on how to "properly" voice-lead. Never think you know everything; you'll always find a new context and nugget that will add to your arsenal of tricks. Musical composition is the art of magic tricks that inspire emotions and memories and feelings. A good composer is humble with their peers, is not judgmental regarding stylistic choices, but open to any possible way that music can bring people together. A good composer is sincere in their art. A good composer is a collaborator, who enjoys and values the company of the musicians that are to play their music. You are just the writer; they are the actors. In terms of a career, let me ask you this: I know you're in Middle School, so often the big question at that age is how can one integrate all aspects of my life in the future? What do you mean by, "career?" If you mean a steady job, then being a career composer is like any field that involves auditioning and showing off your skills. It's very competitive to get paying gigs, including commissions, arts grants, and productions. But if you're kind, positive, and competitive--though not a bully--then people will want to work with you, and your "career" will pick up steam. Who knows what the media landscape will be like when you grow up! But remember this, your art has value, and if it has great value, don't give away the best for free. Many "professional" composers, in the real world, have second jobs. They may be teachers and professors, but they can be absolutely anything else. They treat their art, however, as if it were a profession: dedicatedly. Final thought. Don't focus on the career-aspect just yet. However, find opportunities to enter competitions like Kiwanis for young composers. Build a portfolio. Make recordings with real players as much as you can, because they will open doors for you. Take lessons from whoever is available. Practice, practice, practice. Keep up the good work!

@Net1, that's very unfortunate you experienced a music education in such a way. All I'm going to say is musical notation is a tool just like any other, being able to identify sounds as visual markers. I find it to be the most efficient way of organizing sounds in a logical, strategic manner, like how a sniper doesn't just shoot a rifle with crack-shot gut instinct, but measures wind velocity, Coriolis effect, etc. Or how a painter who creates lifelike impressions doesn't just dab with a brush but measures all of the elements of perspective. On the contrary, music notation does not hinder creativity, it enhances it. When you have the time, I highly recommend you take the time to learn the fundamentals of traditional music notation, for your own curiosity--it will be an added tool in your box and might open ideas you never initially imagined. But you're the artist, you know what is best for you.

If I may ask, have you ever endeavoured to learn how to read traditional notation? Or is it relevant to what you do? Do you even want to learn traditional notation?

Also, this article sets the record straight about Elfman, in relation to my previous post on notational literacy: https://www.americancomposers.org/elfman_interview.htm

Most composers today who say they can't read music actual can, just not very well or it's just not the main way they do things. But to say Hans Zimmer and Danny Elfman can't read music is not entirely accurate, nor does it logically make sense considering their need to collaborate with notation-literate musicians and editors and publishers and copyright lawyers on daily basis. if you walked up to them and thrust a musical score in their hands, they won't find it an unintelligible mass of blobs. They're more than capable of identifying notes on sheet music. That's just not their main method of composing, usually. You might appreciate this video I found of Paul McCartney actually diving into his compositional process using a computer for his classical music. He too, can read music, he understands exactly what different pitches and chords are and what they sound like, but that's just their most natural and expedient method of creation. I can read piano rolls, I can read DAW timelines--but I'm slow at it and find it inefficient, for me. A composer should know as many information mediums as possible.

Dear composers, Many, many years ago, since the 2000's, i joined this site. Just last week, reminiscing, I checked to see if my password still worked. It has. I am absolutely impressed that, considering how many old websites--I'm thinking Geocities and the old about.com MIDI composers exchange--have gone the way of the dinosaurs, this community is continuing to flourish. When I joined, I was just a naive kid who wanted to make friends and share some music. Now, I'm a teacher with over seven years of university time behind me, a marriage of four years. I have no idea if the old guard remembers me, since I'm talking so long ago. As life would have it, there are many things one faces that can turn attention away from art. Illness, personal and financial struggles, and so many other things. When we are young, we often forget just how lucky we are to grow and experiment and focus our attention on just creating and having fun. Over the last year, entering my thirties, I had the game changing opportunity and privilege to be able to finance two concerts and an album release of original classical music. I had never had the opportunity to work with musicians of such calibre, ever. Prior to this, it's been years since I've had a considerable amount of my music performed or shared. I was very sad. For your consideration, I'd like to reintroduce myself to this community. Hi, I'm Ben. For your listening pleasure, available on ITunes, Spotify, and Bandcamp, I would like to share with you, dear readers, the result of five years of on-again off-again labours of love, now that I've turned 32 today: "The Great War Sextet: Canadian War Poetry with Trombone & Strings." https://greatwarsextet.hearnow.com/

congratulations in composing for band. The wind ensemble, or symphonic band, is an invaluable resource for new music. The world needs more composers who both can write good quality band music and, for the schools, accessible music. There are few things more thrilling than having your music performed by your school band. It will open doors, recognition, and the appreciation of your friends and teachers, but it's definitely a very exciting thing to happen. I'm curious to know if you've heard of the Encore Wind Band Competition? I've never won, but it's a good place to compete if you are interested in that, for people under 19. Good prize money. There's another band competition in Spain, that's very good, and very legit, I forget what it's called, but I'd google it. I have some advice for writing this kind of music. If you know of any other high schools, send gift copies to them, as a way to spread your music and get your name known.

I remember taking piece of paper, a pencil, and rhythmically draw one line, which would make one long sustained hss, and then make a sharp turn, than make curves, and it would make a pretty neat noise. I was four. But this is pretty cool

A lot of people, my composition professor included, call the music of John Williams, the film composer derivative, yet the only thing they ever source is star wars. In the words of John Williams, why the Tie Fighter scene from A New Hope sounds like The Rite of Spring, "the only time he ever listened to a click track." Now there is a difference between being derivative, and pastiche. As a theatre composer, a sign of expert craftsmanship is to take from any style, any reference, and make it your own to move the drama forward. In this sense, John Williams is an excellent craftsman. Let's leave Star Wars alone. Tell me, I'm curious, what Indiana Jones is derivative from. I want names of composers, and if you say, it sounds like the March of the Nile or any wartime march, that's precisely the point. Indiana Jones is a 1930s pulp hero, and he needs music that suits the time period and character, and therefore something the audience would subconsciously recognize. Second of all, Schindler's List. What is it derivative of? Perhaps, more inspired by Jewish composers, like Ernst Bloch, but the themes are all original, the structure is all there, and it definitely moves the story forward. Jaws, what is that derivative of? But now, let's leave film music for a second. Do any of you have Itunes? Download his so-called "serious compositions", that is, music without any other source but himself, for the concert hall. Tell me if you don't think its any good, and put your biases aside. Look up "Treesong for Gil Shaham", and "Concerto for Violin and Orchestra."