Voting begins now, and ends next Friday, October 4th, 2013, at midnight California time. Vote for your favorite composition! …
Continue Reading about Composing Challenge #1 – Voting Begins! →
Composing Challenge #1
Hear ye! Hear ye! http://youtu.be/hjE2sxCQ_rU I'd like to announce the official start of the first Art of Composing Challenge. For this challenge, you will be required to write a piece, based …
Courageous Decisions
http://vimeo.com/35901438 What courageous decision are you avoiding, that you know will change your life? So most of the time, I like to talk about composing on this site, and for good reason... …
Good Composers Borrow, Great Composers Steal
Why It Is Okay to Copy Other Composers (Public Domain) DISCLAIMER: If you are using your music for commercial purposes, don't steal from other composers if they are alive or their works are not in …
Continue Reading about Good Composers Borrow, Great Composers Steal →
Questions Every Composer Needs to Ask
How to Really Start Improving Your Composing Since I started artofcomposing.com back in August of 2011, I have been searching for different methods, techniques, theory... in fact just about …
Continue Reading about Questions Every Composer Needs to Ask →
Some Beautiful Ralph Vaughan Williams
Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis http://youtu.be/IbzxhZT6akk The Lark Ascending http://youtu.be/ZR2JlDnT2l8 …
Continue Reading about Some Beautiful Ralph Vaughan Williams →
The Meaning of Your Music
Internet Forums, Symbols, Value, and the Golden Rule If you are a regular visitor to artofcomposing.com, you may have realized I have not been posting very much recently. The main reason is, I have …
Novel Writers on the Composing Process
Recently I've had ideas for a novel, that I think could be pretty good... if not down right awesome. The problem is, I don't know how to write. Actually, I know how to write, I just don't know how to …
Continue Reading about Novel Writers on the Composing Process →
You Are a Terrible Composer
Actually, thats not true, but hopefully I got your attention. The fact is, most people will get this idea in their head at least once in their career. Many will get it over and over again. So let's …
Piano Sonata No. 1, Mvmt ii
Here is the 2nd movement to my first piano sonata. I am trying to finish up this piano sonata soon, because I have put off the last movements for far too long. Gotta keep on keepin' …
30 Minute Composition #8: Prelude in C# Minor
Here is another 30 minute composition. This is written in 5/8 time, so there is a constant "incomplete" feeling most of the time... but I kind of like that. As far as composing for 30 minutes, I made …
Continue Reading about 30 Minute Composition #8: Prelude in C# Minor →
Merry Christmas!
Enjoy this little ditty. I arranged this back in college, and I always wanted to take it caroling. I once went caroling using a caroling book from the high school band. Needless to say, the …
Beethoven Following My Lead
Well... maybe I am just following his. I stumbled across this little ditty on youtube. Is someone doing a little 30 minute composing session... I like to think so. http://youtu.be/FeRZokkMNy4 …
30 Minute Composition #7: Prelude in E Major
I wanted to write something a little bit faster and chromatic. I think it turned out pretty well. …
Continue Reading about 30 Minute Composition #7: Prelude in E Major →
Your Composing Does Not Equal Your Worth
I just wanted to take an opportunity to come out and say... you are not your compositions. Sometimes it may feel like you are. This can be when the composition turns out well, or especially when it …
Continue Reading about Your Composing Does Not Equal Your Worth →
Comment from an Art of Composing Reader
I received this letter today from a reader of the blog named Wes Bain. It was meant to be a comment to an article I wrote entitled, "Composing Music by Hand vs Software", but. I found this to be very …
Continue Reading about Comment from an Art of Composing Reader →
30 Minute Composition #5: Prelude in Eb Major
In my last post, I talked about how I was going to get back into composing short pieces in 30 minutes or less. So here, I am putting my money where my mouth is. This was composed 10 December, in 29 …
Continue Reading about 30 Minute Composition #5: Prelude in Eb Major →
Key Signatures Make the Music
Have you ever thought about the effect of key signatures on your composing? Does it matter what key signature you compose in, or can you just transpose after the fact and thats that? Key Signatures …