How long do you spend composing a single work?

A couple months for a well piano solo and about 3-6 months for a good score.

Of course, the compositions I write are always changing. One composition I have been

on for about a year and a half. (Of course, I'm in public schooling so it takes me

longer.)

Hi

The best songs take about a month to make. Then I'd probably spend several hours a day composing. Smaller pieces of music or pieces that aren't as good take me about two or three days.

Hmm. Thinking of time and writing music... Primo, does one have to compute into it the weeks when you don't work on something? For instance, I've at least one piece that requires several more movements, but I haven't worked on one in two years. Does that means I've spent two years composing it (and more) even though I haven't touched it since?

Also, do what extent do you lose track of time while composing?

Let's see..... My first Piano Concerto took me 3 days to complete. (A movement every day. Each of the movements were about 6 - 8 min long. Not much, but not bad for my first concerto :thumbsup: ) I wrote the first movement of a violin concerto in about 4 hours (this one was about 7 min long). My little compositions like trios are only like 2 minutes long. Those take me about an hour and a half. However, my composing rate has slowed down to about (if I'm writing a concerto and I'm working really hard on it) 3-7 days to complete a movement. The Flute Concerto I'm writing now took me about 4 hours to get 1/4 of the way done because I really like it. (I think Flute Concerti should be shorter than others, such as Piano Concerti)

-PS: These times only count when I'm writing a piece I think is good. If I'm writing a piece that is so/so, than maybe it'l take me a week, sometimes more to get it done

-William

Whenever I outline a piece of music. It takes me few days I believe. I generally work through out the day taking 4 hour breaks in between the one hour working time.(haha get it?!) After my general idea is completed I start writing the actual notes in. That takes a lot longer. There are so many ways you can present a single idea, so I try to look at every angle possible. I cannot say I am ever truly happy with any song I write. Not because I think they are bad but simply because I know if I spent 2 more months on it. I would be better. Of course, I may just be thinking that because I am never truly happy with myself as a person, so that cares onwards to my music.

Another thing I notice is a lot of people here spend a rather short time composing long works. Not to be a jerk but that would explain a lot of the music here. A lot of the times rather basic ideas are missing in large pieces of work and if the person would've spent extra time looking at their own work, they would see how they could improve it. Also if they would spend more time thinking about the next chord or note, then the rythm wouldn't be plain and the chords would be a bit more interesting. So that is my 2cents.

I compose in a kinda slower manner - but not incredibly slow. It'll take me a week to write a short piece, say around three minutes and maybe a fortnight for a longer orchestral work. At the minute, I'm working on my first symphony which is coming up to three months in the making. Pieces for piano and solo instruments I generally write really quickly.

Well, I haven't written much yet. All my works so far are for solo piano. I've worked on each one for about 4-5 months and each one is about 6-7 minutes long.

For me, it depends on what I'm composing. Since I compose mostly songs for musical theater, to complete an entire song will take anywhere from 3 days to a month. (That's including lyrics, which I try to procrastinate around.) Writing an entire score, however, you'll have to ask me when I finally get around to finishing one.

It also depends on the style of music I'm doing. If I'm writing something that is heavily influenced by pop music, then it tends to take less time and is easier to write. If its a bit more atonal, then it takes a little more time.

For me, I begin with musical "seeds," or little motifs and accompaniment figures that I will use throughout the course of the song. That session probably lasts a few days or a week since I don't get to sit at a piano too often. (Hopefully going to college will fix this as I don't have a piano at home.) After that, I'll either attempt to compose the entire thing at the piano (which is difficult since I'm horrible at piano.) or go to Sibelius and use my knowledge of what's possible to finish the song.

When I'm writing something orchestral, however, that takes quite a bit longer to do. I tend to just sit at Sibelius and go with what I feel the music needs. I've been thinking about trying the "silent method" (composing entirely in one's head) but my past attempts with that have been rather displeasing. It's probably because I haven't taken AP Music Theory in two years and need to keep practicing it.

It depends on what it is.

Sonatina #4 and Etude #5 took a mere 20 - 30 minutes.

The Requeim took about 2 weeks or so, started the first movement 2 weeks after teaching myself composing and just finished the last movement not long ago.

Normal pieces maybe take 1-2 hours to write and are generally 2-5 minutes long.

The Lullaby I wrote for my friend's daughter took me about 2-3 hours to write and is 9 and a half minutes long.

The Duet for Flute and Oboe, about an hour to write, 3 minutes in length.

Duet for Piccolo and Flute, also, about an hour, 1 and a half minutes in length.

Duet for Harpsichord and Mandolin, about an hour to write, a minute in length.

Now, for the incompletes. Having trouble with them.

Harpsichord Concerto, 3 weeks so far.

Piano Concerto, 2 weeks so far.

Again, it depends on what I am trying to write, and also how inspired I am.

- Jen