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7 ways to start a composition
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Welcome to my channel.
My name is Antonio Gervasoni.
I’m a Peruvian composer and university professor, and this is the seventh video in my series
on music composition, which aims to introduce you to some key aspects of this wonderful
art.
In this video, I'll give you some ideas on possible starting points for a composition.
One of the most common fears among composers is the fear of the empty page.
In fact, a fellow composer once confessed to me that he had this fear (I remember he
used the word "terrifying").
To overcome this, he ended up inventing an elaborate system that involved mathematics
and algorithms, thus providing him a starting point for his compositions.
There are many ways to tackle this problem and which one a composer selects depends on
his preferences or the type of music he wants to write.
I’ve tried various strategies to start a composition, from simply imitating a work
by another composer in my formative years—say, Bach, for example—to complex systems like
the one my friend devised.
However, I’ve never been afraid of the empty page.
Somehow, I always come up with an idea.
Sometimes I know where this idea comes from and other times its origin is quite unclear.
Usually all I need is some patience, a very useful virtue in musical composition.
My personal motto is "there’s always a way" and, until now, I’ve always been able to
find it… with a little patience.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines inspiration as "an inspiring agent or influence" and "the
quality or state of being inspired".
It then defines the word “inspiring” as “having an animating or exalting effect.”
I’m not an expert in these matters so I'm not really sure how inspiration works, but
I believe it has something to do with mental associations.
I believe that the ideas that arise in my mind when something inspires me come from
the fact that my mind relates what I’m perceiving with something that I’ve perceived in the
past, be it music or something totally different.
And if my mind is unable to find something to relate my experience to, it chooses the
closest thing it can find.
The important thing here is that inspiration requires previous experiences.
Therefore, a key aspect of becoming a composer (or any other type of artist) is to experience
as many things as possible, within the limits of what’s desirable, of course.
However, I wouldn’t say that having no experience in something prevents a composer from being
inspired by it.
Experience just makes things easier.
The ability to write music depends primarily on a gradual process of cultural assimilation.
We listen to music from the moment we are born and perhaps even while we are still within
the womb.
In this way, we passively assimilate the fundamental musical practices of our particular culture.
The process is very similar, if not identical, to the way we learn our mother tongue.
So the first thing a composer needs to develop his composing ability is simply listening
to music…
Lots of music!
However, there are ways in which a composer can write music that seems to be devoid of
any cultural influence, which often involves a system of some sort, leading many to criticize
those who do so as they say that in this way anyone can compose, ruling out the need for
talent.
However, in my opinion, it’s still a valid way of composing.
Why not?
The careers of many composers, including myself, began simply by imitating other composers.
Indeed, one of my first compositions was a simple imitation of Mozart's style, although,
on my behalf, the harmony was a bit more modern.
After all, one has to start somehow, and imitation is the simplest way of all.
So if you plan to get started in the art of composition, don't rule out imitation.
It is perfectly normal.
Over time, you’ll be able to create more personal works and one day you’ll develop
your own style.
Some say, "you are what you eat."
Well, in the same way, I could say that "you compose what you hear", unless you use some
system that gives you a satisfactory result without the need for any type of source.
One thing that is very commonly said about established composers is that their music
shows the influence of another composer or various composers.
Some take this comment negatively, thinking that the uniqueness of their creations is
being challenged, while others accept it as a compliment.
However, this is true for almost all composers.
Modern physics has overthrown the idea that matter cannot be created out of thin air.
However, this is not true for art.
My music didn't just come out of nowhere.
Even composers who use mathematics must stand on the shoulders of other composers.
There’s simply no other way.
Sometimes I imagine that my brain takes all the music I listen to, passes it through a
kind of grinder, and then recombines the pieces.
Much of the time, I’m aware of where my ideas come from, but I’m also aware of the
differences between them and their source.
Another starting point for a composition is other compositions, either your own or those
of others.
Of course, of these two options, the first seems preferable, but many composers have
used the second, including many famous composers such as Mozart and Beethoven.
In fact, the variational form, which I covered in the fifth video of this series, is mostly
based on a theme from another composer.
Own works are also a possible source of material.
That’s why I always tell my students never to throw away an old work, even if they’re
not satisfied with it.
Mahler is said to have destroyed his first compositions.
Whether true or not, this is not a good idea.
Keep everything you write.
You never know when it might come in handy.
Folklore is another good source for musical ideas and not just for popular music.
In fact, many works by famous classical composers, such as Stravinsky, for example, are based
on folk melodies and rhythms.
However, some composers despise this practice and try to stay away from folklore like the
plague.
They see it as a barrier to musical development and think that it clouds their efforts to
create something totally new and their point of view is valid if, in fact, they’re trying
to do just that.
Some of them even harshly criticize composers who use folklore in their music, exactly why,
I don't know.
But many composers like the idea that their music has some form of connection to a tradition,
and if that is what they want, then using folklore is justified.
In the end, whether or not folklore is a good starting point for a composition depends on
your personal goals.
Take a stand and make it yours and don't let anyone bully you for it.
Finally, there are what we call "extramusical" sources, in other words, things outside the
field of music that compositions can be based on.
Some examples are books, poems, fictional characters, deities, objects, landscapes,
and so on.
In other words, they’re things that inspire composers to write their music.
Sometimes composers reveal the extramusical source of their works by suggesting them in
the title, and if they do, the audience will probably expect some kind of relationship
between how the piece sounds and its source of inspiration.
I usually reveal the sources of inspiration for my music, but it isn’t something that
I’m obliged to do.
I may prefer to keep them a secret.
In the end, using extramusical sources is simply another way to get a starting point
for a composition.
Whatever allows a composer to write with ease and comfort is a good and desirable thing,
in my opinion.
Whether the audience should know what it is, it’s something secondary to take into account.
There’s a kind of division between composers, that separates those who like to base their
compositions on extramusical ideas from those who don't.
Neither position is better than the other, they’re just different.
The option that works best for a composer is always the most suitable option.
For beginning composers, it’s not uncommon to get stuck in one part of a composition.
It has happened to me in the past.
Over time one learns strategies to deal with it successfully.
(I’ll delve into this in another video.)
Don't dismiss imitation as a form of training and don't think ill of your music if it shows
the clear influence of other composers.
In time, you’ll find your own style.
Try to draw from various sources, especially music and art in general, but not only those.
Do some yoga, visit some interesting place, read a book on quantum physics, watch a documentary
on Nepal, and so on.
When you need an idea, you never know where it will come from.
Thank you for watching this video and subscribe to be notified when I post a new one.
I give private lessons online on composition.
If you want to know more, click on the linked video or visit my website (the link is in
the description below).
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