Music takes the listener on a journey from absolute silence to a first sound and through a whole trajectory back to silence. How we go about what happens in the middle of this has infinite possibilities, and there are no right or wrong ways to approach it.
The article from Native Instruments Blog titled “How to Compose Music: A Beginner’s Guide” provides a comprehensive introduction to the essentials of music composition. It explores the journey of creating music, emphasizing the boundless nature of this art form, with no definitive rules for the process.
Here’s a detailed summary of the key points discussed in the article:
- Understanding Music Composition:
- Music composition involves crafting original pieces by arranging sounds, melodies, harmonies, and rhythms to evoke emotions and convey messages.
- The article illustrates the flexibility of composition through simple exercises like playing a single note and its variations.
- Basic Elements of Music:
- The guide breaks down the fundamental aspects of music:
- Harmony: The relationship between notes to create a sense of musical belonging.
- Chords: Building blocks of music composition, including the creation of triads and chord progressions within a scale.
- Rhythm: The pattern of sounds and silences that establishes the groove and flow of music.
- Timbre: Describes the unique ‘character’ of sounds, which contributes to the mood and texture of music.
- The guide breaks down the fundamental aspects of music:
- Developing Musical Ideas:
- Techniques for expanding musical ideas include:
- Moving within a scale using chord inversions to explore different sonic possibilities.
- Introducing notes or chords from outside the scale to add color and contrast.
- Using chromaticism to enrich the musical narrative through subtle shifts in tone.
- Techniques for expanding musical ideas include:
- Instrumentation and Orchestration:
- Instrument selection is crucial in defining the timbre and emotional impact of music. The article suggests considering the timbral qualities and interaction between instruments to achieve the desired effect.
- Arranging Your Composition:
- Arrangement involves envisioning the song structure and deciding how to employ elements like harmony, melody, and rhythm to enhance the piece’s overall impact.
The article encourages experimenting with musical elements within a set framework to foster creativity and resourcefulness, embodying the philosophy that “pleasure is the law” in music composition, as quoted from Claude Debussy.
Source: How to compose music: a beginner’s guide | Native Instruments Blog
