Composition

= **__THEORY AND PRACTICE OF MUSIC COMPOSITION__** =

__Juantomás Martínez.__

Creating original music from scratch is part of a combination of intuition and knowledge.To be able to think musically and put those thoughts on paper is a skill worth developing. Even though natural individual talent counts, most of the elements necessaries can be taught. In order organize the musical ideas and being able to write them, one can divide this process as follows:


 * I.- Learning the musical language to be used in its writing:**

The elements and tools of music theory for composition can be learn while the practice of the art of music composition is developed. There are some essential musical concepts and a components that the students need to achieve in order to succeed at writing their musical ideas. All these forms the language of music which like any other language has its rules and structure. Students should understand that in order to be capable of creating artistically and freely in any language one should study its rules of structure and coherence. Once one a student is set to the task of writing a musical idea he or she will confront the progressive need to master the principles of the this art. The study of notation, harmony, counterpoint, form, voice leading, and orchestration, are some of the disciplines one has to explore in the process of music creation and writing.

I.-1: Rhythm: Music has a very close relation with math. Counting, adding, subtracting and many other mathematical processes are used in music. Musical sounds can be from very long to very short. Their duration is determined by the use of deferent combinations of musical values. The traditional system used for the representation of these musical (mathematical) values has been long stablished. Teachers can start by using many known methods of rhythmic exercises to develop in their students the necessary understanding of the rhythmical structure of music. Rhythm is like the skeleton in which the body of music holds together. Silence (rests) is also vital part of music. Every musical value has its rest equivalent. Mastering the concepts of time signature and the many combinations of structures of measures there are.

I.-2 : Melody : Music is based in a system of sounding frequencies. A sequence of sounds of deferent pitches which expresses a musical idea is called melody. Melody combines deferent intervals in a sequential horizontal matter. In order to write down these sounds, students need to be taught the use of the musical staff. Along with the study of melodic structures students should comprehend the concept of tonality. Key signatures, different scales and modes are to be properly mastered. I.-3 : Harmony is a system of musical intervals or different distances between frequencies of sounds in a vertical fashion simultaneity. Sounds which are played at the same time forming different chords. In traditional harmony a tonal center is stablished around the first degree or tonic of the tonality in which the music idea is being written. The historic evolution of the rules of voice leading, harmonic structures and styles should be gradually discover by the students.

I.-4 : Expression and dynamics: This refers to the expressive fashion and loudness in which musical sounds are played or sang. Dynamically, musical sounds can be from very loud to very soft. A system of symbols has been is used to indicate the graduation of sound strength or volume in which a sound of a group of them are to be interpreted. Expressibly, musical sounds are played or sang the way is indicated by the use of the composer’s indications written on the music score. Sounds going from very aggressive or scary to very sweet and tender are expressibly marked by a written indication.

From the first knowledge of musical composition in history to the present day, many styles, tendencies, and genres of music have been written. Composers guided by their geographic, cultural, social, and political backgrounds have left an infinite legacy of musical heritage. Teachers should awake the student’s interest to investigate and analyze their works so they can obtain the tools they already developed through their practice. Music like any other art or science has gone through an intense historic evolution. The resources used by past composers are available to all teachers and students for their study.
 * II.- Comparing notes with different musical styles from other composers throughout history.**

II.-1: Looking for clues and useful tools used by past composers: A great number of musical works have manage to survive and maintain there universal value and fame throughout the years. There are without any doubt many clues and tools which can be extracted and used by teachers and students to learn the reasons of their everlasting greatness.

II.-2: The influence of society and historic period in which they wrote: It is important to create in the students a sense of awareness of surrounding characteristics of the time and place in which a musician wrote. The comprehensive musical elements present in a the different compositions and the lives of their composers are essentials to the better learning about music creation. Social, economic, cultural, political, historic, geographic and even climatic trades are pieces of the complex structure to be study in order to fully appreciate a musical work of art.

Once teachers have shown the path of the historic development of the music language the students will gradually discover there own path. The practice and craftsmanship of all the mentioned steps are the doors and windows to a magic world of musical composition. These rules need to be studied and known in order to be aware of the freedom of braking them. Any form of artistic expression implies the study and mastering the proper technique. Then one can in a knowledgeable way start on ones own journey of artistic creation. The intuitive nature of the students should be nourished and stimulated by the teachers care and dedication providing the wonderful resources available to educators to help achieve the best results.
 * III.- Developing ones own personal freedom and individual style and aesthetics.**

__**Assessment**__: Please write your own version of the observations numbered in this page and post them in the DISCUSSION section of this page.

______________________________________________________________________ __**Bibliographic References:**__

Wilkins, Margaret Lucy. 2006. Creative music composition: the young composer's voice. New York: Routledge. Miller, Michael. 2005. The complete idiot's guide to music composition. Indianapolis, IN: Alpha. Wohlfahrt, Heinrich, and John Sullivan Dwight. 1859. Guide to musical composition, for those who wish, in a short time, and without the aid of a teacher, to acquire the power of inventing melodies, and of providing them with suitable accompaniments; especially of composing the easier kinds of musical pieces. Boston: O. Ditson & co. Stewart, Dave. 1999. Inside the music. San Francisco: Miller Freeman Books. [|__http://www.netlibrary.com/urlapi.asp?action=summary&v=1&bookid=52788__]. Wuorinen, Charles. 1979. Simple composition. New York: Longman. Kollmann, Augustus Frederic Christopher. 1973. An essay on practical musical composition, according to the nature of that science and the principles of the greatest musical authors. New York: Da Capo Press. ______________________________________________________________________ __**Useful Links:**__

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