What do you want to compose?
Popular, Jazz Classical, New Age, Rap etc. Why are you studying composition? That is, do you want to know as much as possible about music or do you want to limit your knowledge to what is the most practical for yourself? I don’t mean original and unoriginal–just your point of departure. Since this column will be a self-teaching guide you can chose to use or ignore any parts of it. I will work from the notion that you want to know it all. We will try to understand all forms of music composition.
Once you have decided what style you want to compose —study the models, that is, the music you like best and least. Try to emulate the work of another composer you respect.
For Classical:
Take the tack that Rossini took. Look at Mozart Piano Sonatas copy them out by hand, just copy out the melody and try composing your own accompaniment–or copy out the accompaniment and create your own top line. Compare with the original.
For Popular:
If you are a song writer–take a favorite song and try different accompaniments and chord voicing to go with the melody.
Help! What’s a melody?
What’s an accompaniment?
Answer –get a music dictionary and a harmony book that fits the style of music you want to compose. I like Arnold Schoenberg’s books and Walter Piston’s Harmony. However, I don’t want to promote any specific materials.
I feel that you should learn to read music. Be aware that notation of popular music is not so easy to read because the rhythmic nature of the melody of popular songs is often very complex.
To compose you need some things: A musical idea, ( for example a melody an accompaniment),a way to notate your ideas–notation, a lead sheet, midi, or recording, and if composing a song, a text.
Study Chords and their voicing and functions–
for this I suggest the piano. For guitar, try different strums and parts of chords and how they work together.
Well that’s the first lesson.