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Tortured Composer Digest #4
My dearest tortured composer,
I pray the last week has treated you well.
That Earth-shattering melodies have flowed from your pen.
That the muses whispered in your ear songs of joy and laughter.
But if they didn’t…
Fear not!
For today is today, and the stream of inspiration could be lurking just around the corner.
In fact, this COULD be the best day of your composing life.
I’m not saying it will, but it most definitely could.
Because with what I’m about to share, there’s a chance you end up glowing with inspiration and ideas.
Take a seat, and prepare for the “composer’s block” to lift away as a new wave of ideas fills you up.
Hark! We begin…
If You’re Feeling Stuck, Put On a Straitjacket
Oh, the horror of a blank page.
To look at that empty page and dream of turning it into music…
It can strike terror in even the most seasoned of composers.
And sometimes when you feel like you can’t move forward, it’s a good idea to put some constraints on your process.
A straitjacket if you will.
And this week, I wanted to give you a “straitjacket” to wear while you compose. I’ll be doing this too.
Choose 3 contrasting emotions (e.g., joy, anger, melancholy)
Compose a 24-bar piece for solo piano, with 8 bars dedicated to each emotion
Constraints:
Use 4/4 time signature throughout
Tempo: Quarter note = 80 BPM
Each emotion section must use a different key signature
When finished:
Label each section with its corresponding emotion
Add tempo, dynamic, and expression markings to your score
If you want to expand it, use different instruments, or modify the idea, do it.
But once you “define” the idea, don’t change it!
If you get to the middle of the piece and can’t figure out how to make it work, don’t change your rules! That’s where the magic happens and the creative gears begin to churn.
If you complete this by next Saturday, August 10 at midnight EST and email me a picture of your score, you’ll earn 25 points.
How To Wear a Straitjacket for Fun and Profit
If you’re going to be forced into a straitjacket, why not give yourself the chance to make some money?
One of the ways you could get some great practice in…
And set yourself up to earn some serious cash-eesh…
Is to create vid-ya game music packs.
There’s a lot of websites that allow composers and producers to upload albums of music.
Then vid-ya game developers can buy these and use them in their games.
This may seem like a silly idea, and you may have no interest in vid-ya game music, but hear me out.
When you do an external project like this, it can give you a different perspective on your entire process.
And it can give you a that gives you a clearer end goal that’s better than something like “Make good music.”
Remember…
The goal is not the goal!
You don’t have to create this to make money.
You can think of it like you’re “using” this external thing as a way to move forward, and if you make money, it’s a side effect.
Here’s how you could do it:
Pick a genre or fictional vid-ya game.
Then compose a “score” for that game.
Define the elements of the style you’ll go with as well as the instrumentation.
Plot the whole thing out and then write it.
And so on.
That’s a perfect way to use a “straitjacket” to get you moving.
And it doesn’t hurt if there’s some chance of profit in there.
And if you want some instruction on how to get started with vid-ya game music packs…
I found this great video that breaks it down:
One of the websites you could start on is Itch.io
Massive points potential here. If you release one of these, we’re talking a minimum one hundred points (with bonus potential if you go further).
The Ben Franklin Experiment I’m Trying
Benjamin Franklin, the fabled American statesman, would write out full texts and books by hand.
He’d literally hand copy them.
He did this to improve his style and get an understanding of what made great writing great.
So I figured, if this worked for ol’ Big Ben and writing, couldn’t the same thing work for composing?
I’ve been hand copying Ravel’s Pavane pour une infante défunte.
I’m doing this with a pencil, a fidolino (these are fun, you need one), and a regular old sheet of paper.
As the Germans might say, I’ve gone Das Analogon (no Germans have ever said this).
And I must say, doing this is just blessing my little heart.
I’m getting a way deeper understanding of the music.
And it feels the music is becoming part of my DNA.
It is turning out to be an engaging experience for me.
Get yo’self a cup of coffee, some exquisite white paper, an artist’s pen…
And meld your hand with the music of the great geniuses.
If you send me a picture of your hand copied score by replying to this email, you earn extra bonus points (12.6 points per page emailed back).
Make haste dear composers!
Spare no time!
Walk slow, take deep breaths, and let the music flow.
I hope this helps you make better music…
And feel ever so slightly less tortured in doing so.
The world waits for your music…
Luke
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