Annoyance With Performers Edits

Hello all, Ive been writing music for a long time but I've only recently gotten to the point where another person was interested in performing my works.

This person, who is a cherished friend, is learning my piece very eagerly but is also applying a lot of 'performers edits'.

At first, it was flattering to see someone really into my music, but now its gotten to the point where annoying and I've given up correcting him.

These 'performers edits' include playing sections of the song 2x faster than indicated tempo. Cutting out endings. Adding extra bars of transitional passages and intentionally altering harmonies or even refusing to play the right hand melody as written.

Has anyone ever felt like this and how were you able to get past this frustration? And am I justified in feeling this way? Or perhaps I'm just a really mean and uptight composer.

I've never had this happen to me on this scale. i guess what you should do is find the parts that you especially want to keep the same, and tell him/her to play it as written. For example forget about the endings and tell them to play the harmonies correctly.

or perhaps what you could do is slowly over a few weeks tell them to change small things until you get it to how you want it and hopefully they will never notice that you changed it on them :P

i don't really know if it's normal to feel that way about a piece because i've never had it happen to me on that scale. although i do remember when i was in 5th grade i won a writing contest and got the little skit i wrote performed by a college group, but when i watched it they had completely changed it up on me. So instead of telling everyone that it wasn't very much like what i had written, i just laughed and told everyone i made it like that. Although that was just because they had changed it for the better.

so i would say... if you think it sounds better, let the performer do what they want

That is irritating, but it could probably also be a good learning experience for you as a composer.  Try to get into their head and figure out why they are changing the specific places they are changing, and not other places.  Are those sections a bit too difficult for them and they are simplifying them?  Too repetitive, and they are trying to add more interest?  Is the voice leading awkward there, and they can't hear it the "correct" way?  

A lot of times younger musicians don't understand where the line is between changes a musician is encouraged to make to breathe life into a piece and make it their own, and changes that a musician is NOT allowed to make.  (Yes, you can alter dynamics or tempo a bit, add a fermata, add an accent to make an entrance of a counter-melody stand out to the listener.  Yes, you should add ornamentation on the repeat of a da capo aria.  Yes, you can sometimes revoice a chord or two if you don't have the optimum number of players the composer originally intended for a piece.  No, you can't rewrite the melody.  No, you can't change the harmony just because you feel like it.)  It's a frequent annoyance for directors and teachers of young players, but try not to take it too personally.  

I think you should never compromise beyond a certain point. And I agree it is very annoying. It has happened to me. It is tricky for the composer because there is the possibility of performance dangling in front of you like a bait! If you were to refuse to be flexible, you might lose that opportunity. And the performer knows this and might exploit it! He/She might play on your vulnerabilities. On the other hand, there is the need, actually the necessity, to be true to yourself as a composer. That trueness to yourself as a composer must come before the performance. And I believe the best performers will not spare any effort to present the piece as it is, and to be true to the composer.

One advice I can give you is not to overvalue performance. The performer will sense and exploit this. Yes, performance of a piece, especially if you have never yet had a piece performed, is a great and invaluable experience. But know that it will turn into a sour and terrible experience, in some senses actually a psychical trauma, should it come at the price of the perversion of your composition!
 

"Hey, Mr. Performer - can I just hear it played as written? Just want to compare it it what you're playing now."

*listen to it played*

"Yeah, I think I like it better that way - can you do it like that from now on? Thanks!"

If you don't like how he is playing it stop listening to it. You can decline to consent to a public performance if you don't want your name on it.

It's just notes. Find a different performer if you are dissatisfied with this one.

If they're not playing what's on the page they're not a very professional musician. Perhaps the fact that the performer is a close friend is causing the professionalism of the relationship to break down?

I wouldn't call those performer edits, those are more like co-composing edits. 

With my performs I allow them free range to interpret and edit the music to better fit their instrument or voice. I am no expert in every instrument I write for, so if there is a better way to play something or if the performer feels that it would be better at a certain dynamic or tempo to fit their instrument I allow them. However I don't allow them to change the music itself. I closest I have ever gotten to that was allowing a performers to add helper notes and a few graces notes.  I wouldn't allow them to change the harmonies or omit passages because then it wouldn't be what I wrote. Every note on the page is their for a purpose so to add or take away changes the purpose. 

In short, I feel your performer is over stepping their bounds. You asked them to performer not collaborate in the composing process. 

This is all very helpful feedback....with the exception of one opinion, it seems that most people are sympathizing with my position. And I do welcome dissenting opinion, hehe.

If you don't like how he is playing it stop listening to it. You can decline to consent to a public performance if you don't want your name on it.

 

It's just notes. Find a different performer if you are dissatisfied with this one.

Yeah, technically you are absolutely right, it's the fact that he's my cherished friend that is making this difficult.

That is irritating, but it could probably also be a good learning experience for you as a composer.  Try to get into their head and figure out why they are changing the specific places they are changing, and not other places.  Are those sections a bit too difficult for them and they are simplifying them?  Too repetitive, and they are trying to add more interest?  Is the voice leading awkward there, and they can't hear it the "correct" way?  

There is some simplifying going on, though my friend has some impressive technique. I think he's taking over artistic vision over certain parts. He'll say stuff like: "I don't think that you should elaborate/develop the melody you have here. I just like the melody so much from before. Hence I'm going to play the melody straight and without all these embellishments." It's pretty annoying to have to be challenged like that as a composer.

"Hey, Mr. Performer - can I just hear it played as written? Just want to compare it it what you're playing now."

 

*listen to it played*

 

"Yeah, I think I like it better that way - can you do it like that from now on? Thanks!"

Yeah, I make these direct comments over the internet message. (he is far away) And basically, I get ignored when I start pointing out more than 4-5 places where he has deviated from the sheet music. I'll then say something along the lines of: This piece is important to me, I wrote it going through a difficult time in my life and all the notes were chosen for a reason. We'll change topics and chat for a while. I'll try again some other time, and say something to the extent: "You know, I'm really not enjoying way you way you are playing my pieces, but I'll continue listen to your recordings to give support/feedback. And he'll reply back with something like: "Oh? I'm sorry that it isn't fun for you, but it's super exciting for me, I've been working on this song so much and I feel like I am entering uncharted waters stylistically"

If they're not playing what's on the page they're not a very professional musician. Perhaps the fact that the performer is a close friend is causing the professionalism of the relationship to break down?

There may be some truth to this. My analysis is that my friend really enjoys this song. He's never written music before. I think that either subconsciously or consciously he's enjoying the fact that by changing parts of my song he is living out perhaps some fantasy or pleasant feeling of being a composer.

Anyways, I do appreciate the support guys. This was really bugging me and for a while I felt like the douchebag, which made me feel worse.

The piece that he is performing is one of the most personal that I have written - it came from a really tough place in my heart and basically summarized some of the emotional struggles I've been through as a young guy growing up. I once explained to my friend that this piece was essentially like a dairy a certain part my life. And that when he was playing the song, it was almost as if I would be there on the stage with him, naked, and with all my emotions present for the audience to examine. And if he was then to change parts of the song it would like he would be perverting my soul and distorting the experiences that I've been through.

Didn't stop him from totally messing up the song though :/

The fact is that when a musician sits down to play his instrument he plays whatever he wants. Some musicians just improvise. Some musicians play a piece they know and make changes as they desire. Some musicians only play what is on the page in front of them. Just because a single musician isn't playing your piece the way it is written doesn't change your piece at all, it just means he is only sort of playing it. Just think of it as a jazz cover, and look for a new performer. Or intimate to him how important it is for you to hear it as written.

Point is getting upset is silly, unless he is publicly performing it under your name and you feel as if it is not representative of your intentions. Otherwise it's just a musician playing in his room.

In fact, if you are a musician and you have never done that, please for the love of God go do it. Find your favorite piece, and rewrite it. Make it jazzy. Make it sad. Make it crazy frantic. scraggy, make it dodecaphonic if you can just to see how it sounds. It's called creativity, and as long as you're among friends or playing alone in your room you certainly aren't doing anyone any injustice.

The fact is that when a musician sits down to play his instrument he plays whatever he wants. Some musicians just improvise. Some musicians play a piece they know and make changes as they desire. Some musicians only play what is on the page in front of them. Just because a single musician isn't playing your piece the way it is written doesn't change your piece at all, it just means he is only sort of playing it. Just think of it as a jazz cover, and look for a new performer. Or intimate to him how important it is for you to hear it as written.

 

Point is getting upset is silly, unless he is publicly performing it under your name and you feel as if it is not representative of your intentions. Otherwise it's just a musician playing in his room.

 

In fact, if you are a musician and you have never done that, please for the love of God go do it. Find your favorite piece, and rewrite it. Make it jazzy. Make it sad. Make it crazy frantic. scraggy, make it dodecaphonic if you can just to see how it sounds. It's called creativity, and as long as you're among friends or playing alone in your room you certainly aren't doing anyone any injustice.

Well, did you read the part where the performer being a close friend upsets the balance of the equation? What you describe holds true for most situations where there isn't much of a relationship between the composer and performer.

My song isn't a jazz piece. And he is in fact performing the piece publicly in my name. I'm not a professional musician, and I didn't ask him to perform the piece for me. This is someone who basically liked the song I wrote so much that he ended up treating the song as if he wrote it. That is what pisses me off.

I change/mess around with pieces all the time. I like jazz as well. I'm not really sure you understood the deeper meaning behind my dilemma...=/

I would tell him it's no longer my piece he's playing, and ask him not to perform it in my name. Maybe that will get the point across.

I would tell him it's no longer my piece he's playing, and ask him not to perform it in my name. Maybe that will get the point across.

That sounds intense. I've certainly thought of it, but I am worried that going this approach would end up losing a friend unnecessarily...

**edit**

My compromise was to basically have him present the song as: Written by grantweep - adapted by him.

That sounds intense. I've certainly thought of it, but I am worried that going this approach would end up losing a friend unnecessarily...

**edit**

My compromise was to basically have him present the song as: Written by grantweep - adapted by him.

That may be a good compromise. However, seen another way, you would effectively be rewarding him for perverting your composition, for doing something he should never be doing in the first place!!!

Since, you've already found a solution to your problem, I guess my reply is unnecessary. Still, this may happen again and if it does, I think it will be good for you to have heard this little story:

I have had the same thing happen to me on two separate and actually pretty recent occasions. Same piece too! In both cases, they wanted to play my piece for a recital at their respective schools. The two of them (let's call them Brandon and Brendan) aren't that far from me, so we visit each other from time to time. When the three of us were all together one day, they each decided to see who played the piece better at this point. As you can surmise, they both had made some significant changes to the piece in much the same manner as with your friend. I didn't really like that, but I didn't complain. I merely mentioned it to them over the course of the next week or so. When they failed to figure out what I was getting at, I was forced to be more clear with them (something I should have tried in the first place). Brandon is generally level-headed and understood me when I explained myself more directly. However, Brendan was less sensitive to my concerns and got annoyed with me after a while. Long story short, Brandon ended up performing the piece the way I intended it and Brendan opted not to perform it at all (can you believe he chose Schumann's Fantasy Dance over me???). In both cases, the friendship remained intact. Brendan may have been a bit miffed, but I think that was just the result of him being a naturally abrasive and stubborn person. We're still quite close, and he has since performed some of my other pieces (albeit only at small church/family social functions).

Minutiae aside, the point is that if things had gone more poorly than they did, then I believe it would have been an indicator that our relationship was of lesser quality than I had realized. But as it happens, good friends don't break their bond with you just for telling them how you feel about something like this. In any case, I think your solution was a pretty good one, given the circumstances. It's a more fair and accurate assessment of the nature of what he'll actually be performing to call it an 'adaptation'. But if it ever happens again, perhaps you will try a different method. Anyway, such is my tale and the counsel I would give.

I've been lurking on some piano forums lately and I'm AMAZED by the nearly universal opinion of beginning and intermediate students there that they are SUPPOSED to always change a piece to "make it their own."  Students taking formal lessons from a teacher may be under-represented on these sorts of forums, since they can just ask their teacher questions.  They don't need to lurk on the internet.  But still.  Gack!  

When I'm not doing music stuff, I'm in the visual arts, and it reminds me a lot of the sort of people who just kind of glue some stuff together and go on and on about how it's all so creative…  Creativity should not be an excuse for poor quality work or work without thoughtful content.  It is not an end unto itself.  

Creativity is also not an excuse to go rewriting someone else's music.  You like writing music, go write your own.  

I think we do ourselves a real disservice when we place a value on individual expression without any context or boundaries. 

(Thanks for your patience with my rant.)

But yes.  There are people who think this is perfectly acceptable, and even desirable.  Maybe it's best not to let them play your music in future.  ):  

That may be a good compromise. However, seen another way, you would effectively be rewarding him for perverting your composition, for doing something he should never be doing in the first place!!!

That is totally true. But I'll let one slide for a cherished friend.

 

I think we do ourselves a real disservice when we place a value on individual expression without any context or boundaries. 

This point really resonates with me...I've always seen art as a balance between form and expression. Unfortunately it just feels like there is such a high emphasis on expression these days. A very egocentric approach. I really liked your post and this point stood out.

KJ...thanks for sharing your story. I'm definitely a bit of a softie - I have my principles but I'll bend them if I like you enough. I don't think I'll be able to share my music with this friend in the future, which really is a shame - since he absolutely loved the piece that I wrote...so much that he decided to make it his own. To steal it. It's sort of discouraging to see how my biggest dream as composer literally turned into a nightmare as someone liked my music *too* much.

At the same time, it's been a really valuable learning experience for me as a composer. I am already working on some new pieces, so I suppose that it makes me feel alright by remembering that my friend has never written any music and I'll just write more music to make things right again.

Thanks again, for all the helpful suggestions/opinions in this matter...I do have a recording of the way he played my piece right now, and the sheet music. Once I'm able to find a proper piano to record myself playing the piece - I will most definitely share the piece with you all!

If he is presenting the piece as yours in a manner in which you don't desire it to be performed, my advice would be simple:

Grow some loving balls. The friend who would end their relationship with you over your demand for artistic integrity was never a friend to begin with. A friend who would sit quietly by while the other tramples on their art is in essence a liar and not a true friend either.

If you do not consent to a performance it is most likely a violation of copyright law. If you won't stand up for your artistic integrity, who will?

If you can't stand up for your art then you don't deserve to call yourself an artist.

If he is presenting the piece as yours in a manner in which you don't desire it to be performed, my advice would be simple:

 

Grow some loving balls. The friend who would end their relationship with you over your demand for artistic integrity was never a friend to begin with. A friend who would sit quietly by while the other tramples on their art is in essence a liar and not a true friend either.

 

If you do not consent to a performance it is most likely a violation of copyright law. If you won't stand up for your artistic integrity, who will?

 

If you can't stand up for your art then you don't deserve to call yourself an artist.

Hehehe, that's some great advice. All I can say is, if I viewed the world through your lens - it wouldn't be too hard to make any decision. I think that there are a lot more possibilities than what you have come up with, so I've found a compromise that I am happy with.

I do resent the accusation that I am not deserving to be an artist, but I'll gladly accept that if it means that I am a better human being.

Hehehe, that's some great advice. All I can say is, if I viewed the world through your lens - it wouldn't be too hard to make any decision. I think that there are a lot more possibilities than what you have come up with, so I've found a compromise that I am happy with.

 

I do resent the accusation that I am not deserving to be an artist, but I'll gladly accept that if it means that I am a better human being.

I don't tell you that you don't deserve to be an artist out of a sincere belief in it. Rather, I would hope that you desire to reaffirm your identity as an artist and reconsider the mindset you are bringing to the situation. I just want you to RESPECT your artform and your artistic agency, as well as the agency of the artists associated with you (i.e. the performer).

I am happy that you have found a satisfying middle ground. I hope it works out well for you, brother!