Why Do You Compose?

I wonder why each composer feels compelled to compose, and would like to hear each of your reasons for composing.

For me it might be an inner need springing from my subconscious, a need to probably order and harmonize experience. And composition for me has never been an intentional act or deliberate act. I have early on felt compelled to respond in my own music to the music I heard. But presently, it is more an inner inspiration that leads me to compose. And this inspiration is mostly something whose existence is not in my hands. It might happen that I am no longer inspired after today. But still, my present period of compositional activity (in the past 6 months) coincided with getting a new software for composition (Sibelius 6) whereupon I experienced an increase in compositional activity and output, composing 37 short pieces in that 6-month period. So, from this experience of mine I can also infer that composition can be a response to external stimulation (in my case a new software program). For others (and for me also) it might be other types of stimulation that lead to compositional activity. What might these other types of stimulation be? I think new experiences, like meeting new people, doing new things could be examples of such stimulation. For example, after attending a religious conference, I wrote a short song as a march for the group.

Waiting to hear your reasons for composing.

because people don't listen to me when I speak

I've been given a gift from God. I use it for his Glory.

I've been given a gift from Satan, given to me for my soul, I use it for his glory.

I've been given a gift from Satan, given to me for my soul, I use it for his glory.

No wonder we're in constant opposition!

No. It was relevant to the OP.

I write music as a way to communicate. I write music as a way to preserve memories onto paper. I write music to evoke emotions. I write music because it's pure.

To impress girls.

^ Lang-ism.

Because I have attempted not composing and it's too much of a nuisance.

Because I am garralous and artisitc creation, for me, is simply my humble commentary upon the unfolding present, the misremembered past, and delusion future.

Regardless of my comical statement....

I compose because I wouldn't know what to do otherwise.

Debussy described music as 'the imaginary country; that is to say, the one that can't be found on the map'. This comes close to the reason why I feel the need to write; namely to create something that is an object of fantasy, some kind of landscape that does not really exist in a tactile, material form. I believe that music should not ignore the real world, indeed it is sometimes the strongest way of addressing it, but it justifies its existance by being a means of accessing 'another place' which is otherwise hidden, and so to compose is to give others some experience of one's imagined world. There is an element of fantasy in most music, and this seems to be particularly prominant in many of my works along with a need for drama. I have to have the stimulation of some unpredictability, and so this is something I try to put into my music. Nearly as strong is the desire to leave an impression on others and for my listeners to be stimulated and transported by the music (also something I try to achieve in performance). I also believe that creative, useless acts are what makes us special.

I suppose I could, more bluntly, say it's because I have an opinion of what music should sound like, and feel the need to express this in some recognisible form (which probably explains why I am drawn to arranging almost as much: I feel I can almost always 'improve' something existing). And I can't imagine not trying to write notes on the page.

I compose music to manifest my hyper and sometimes redundant energy.

Because not composing is too mainstream.

ok, my real answer, is very closely related to Siwi. I'm not happy with the world we live in, too polluted. (oh, and the fighting thing too). So, why not just create a world of my own? Where I can get away from the problems of reality and dwell in a world of infinite wonder.

I write because I NEED to. Doesn't make a difference if I "make it" or not, I need to write.

There are far too many things around me that influence and inspire me to write music and it's something that you just don't "turn off".

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www.soundcloud.com/skyy38

So I can look back on something I've written and feel satisfied. Also so I can feel good about myself and get praise from other people.

Allow me to have a second go at this question. I had the insight that in writing music we create our own truth, so that we no longer are at the mercy of society "imposing" on us (or filling the gap in our theory of truth with) its own version of truth. So, I compose in order to create my own truth, my own inner truth (as against society's superficial truth), something I can do best through composition. I believe that at a fundamental level that is why we all compose - to create our own truth.

And here's my contribution of a funny reply:

"Because I don't want to "decompose"!

Yet it has a grain of truth in it because composition is great stimulation for our minds, and hence a composer's ceasing to compose may well spell the the beginning of the process of "decomposition" of their mind.

Because I enjoy composing?

Though, I admit to some degree it's for some sort of recognition and a place in the history books as arguably bad that may or may not sound to some. I don't agree with most notions that people compose music or do anything really without some sort of want of recognition and acceptance.

Haha, well, not everyone has to fulfill their ego. Sometimes they just want to fulfill themselves. o_O?

Of course people who base their lives entirely on what other people think can't understand when other people don't act likewise.

Everyone bases their entire lives in some way on what everyone else thinks. Truth.

I'm going to get all philosophical and say I write because I enjoy it.

I think Kefienzel is right to a certain extent, unless you are 100% sociopath. In fact, am a sociopath. It's great! Whenever I have to take a dump, I just drop trou in the middle of a busy intersection.

I think i enjoy it as well. and at the moment i have nothing else better to do.

I compose, now, because if I don't... I lose my scholarship... I say that because I am not writing the kind of music I want to write right now.

But, in general, I compose because it's something to where my body and mind push me. Like, when I was 13, and I was sitting at home, I had no desire to go outside and play. My desires lay at my piano where I would noodle around and write down the things I played because I liked their sounds. Soon enough, I realized I was in college for it. hahaha. What do you know?!