Archived Introductions

Welcome to YC!

hi

i am Luis and i have studied Music Theory and Composition.

Right now i am trying to make a multicomposer creation project that will involve 3 other composers.

I have written for several solo instruments, duos, trios and quartets, for orquestra and orff orchestra and for some stranger combinations.

I have also written the sound track for some short films, like for example the award winning "Estranhos Casos Ocorrem" (that you can find on YouTube...lol) for the FantasPorto International Film Festival.

=)

Hi, I'm Jason Charney! I'm 18 and from Overland Park, Kansas. I'm currently a freshman at the University of Kansas studying composition and music theory! I really enjoy composing for wind band and chamber ensembles as well as electronic music.

I joined this forum because I want to meet some other young composers and expand my lexicon and skill!

hi

i am Luis and i have studied Music Theory and Composition.

Right now i am trying to make a multicomposer creation project that will involve 3 other composers.

I have written for several solo instruments, duos, trios and quartets, for orquestra and orff orchestra and for some stranger combinations.

I have also written the sound track for some short films, like for example the award winning "Estranhos Casos Ocorrem" (that you can find on YouTube...lol) for the FantasPorto International Film Festival.

=)

Mais um portugu

Nina,

If someone has 1) an intense desire to learn music, as well as 2) a love of what they already know and somewhat understand (as you've said you have), I have found it's very rare for them to be incapable of growing musically.

It's more common for someone to have great innate musical ability and squander it because he is lazy. But that's another story.

Now, as for how to take hold of your desire and direct it towards musical progress, I have three suggestions.

1. First, you must continue to foster your love for music away from the piano. With the internet and recordings, expand your knowledge and get to know different composers and their music. Why not pick one composer a week and listen to one of his works for orchestra, one for chamber groups, and one (or more) for solo piano?

2. Then, concerning piano, focus your attention at your lessons on learning how to practice well. The reason I suggest this is that practicing, for the performer, is like EATING music. You need to learn how to take it in, take it apart, and put it together inside your brain.

This "consuming" form of practice isn't as complicated as it seems. It involves two things, basically. (1) Learning music theory is absolutely necessary. In some ways, not having a knowledge of theory and trying to play music is like memorizing poems in a foreign language. You can appreciate the basic sound and structure, but almost all of the joy and meaning is lost. Please understand I'm not saying music is nothing without a knowledge of theory. After all, most people don't have such knowledge, yet they greatly enjoy music! However, if you want to perform music, to convey it to an audience, you can't ignore trying to understand it first. Otherwise, you will find the process of working on, memorizing, and performing music to be overwhelming and a little pointless. So, to put all of this simply, study theory.

Note: if you're wondering where to start with theory, your teacher is the ideal way. The reason is that she can give you bits and pieces of theory that explain the pieces you're working on. This will keep you from being overwhelmed by studying a bunch of information that doesn't apply to what you're learning. So, ask her about the form/structure of the piece, the harmony, the style (Baroque, Classic, Romantic, Impressionistic, or a modern style), etc. You will enjoy being able to seewhy the composer is doing what he is doing. That's a great part of the joy of music.

3. Having said all of that about learning theory, the most important thing is how you practice. Do NOT--I repeat--do NOT sit at the piano and play your pieces (especially when you find yourself making mistakes) all the way through over and over. Instead--and this is where "eating/digesting music" comes in--take apart your music.

Here's how to do that. You must first decide that you will spend all your time at the piano profitably. Try to practice for 15 minute blocks of time, and if you practice more than 15 minutes (as you will almost always do, eventually), divide your time into those 15 minute block and set goals for each block. The reason for this is to give your brain (which gets tired) the knowledge that "I am going to stop soon; I need to get busy before the 15 minutes runs out." You will work better this way.

Once you've made this decision--to work with goals and not waste time--you've already set yourself up for success. Now, what should you do in the "blocks" of time to "take apart" the music? Try these things:

- take small sections of the piece in each 15-minute block. Sometimes this means even just 2 measures for me, if the music is complex. It could be up to 3 lines, or about 12 measures. That's a good maximum size.

- explore the harmony: play all the notes that line up vertically on the main beats, in other words, block the chords. You can usually do this preety easily with most musical styles. Do this only for one hand at a time, if you need to. This will teach your hands the basic shapes and your ear the basic sounds, while slowing you down so that you are accurate.

- explore the melodies: look at the score (without playing) and see if you can find the different places where the same melody comes back. Feel free to mark those places in your music with letters ("A," "B," etc.). This will help you make connections in the music. You will find that there are lines or melodies in places other than the very "top" of the right hand. Don't miss any of them; dig for them like treasure. You will find the composer changes them a little bit here and there. That's part of the fun.

- Putting together: once you've worked with these chords and melodies,

practice them very slowly in tempo. Here's how: start with one melodic line, perhaps in the right hand, that goes over a couple of measures. Then, if there's another line that goes on underneath it in the same hand, add that line. Stay slow and accurate. Then, add some of the left hand, then all of the left hand. In all of this, your goal is to train your brain by "programming" it with correct finger motions and the sounds of different combinations.

If you don't understand any of these 3 suggestions above, your teacher can help you, I'm sure. They're very brief explanations, and they aren't exhaustive. There are more elements of music to explore besides melody and harmony, but that will take you a long way in understanding the music.

Your teacher could give you more ways to "explore" the music in your 15 minute blocks. This kind of work will make practice--honestly--fun! It will give you a purpose, keep you from wondering, "Why am I doing this," and help you make progress. It's worked for me!

Basically, all I'm trying to do is to tell you how to keep developing your love for music and how to add to that love by learning how to practice efficiently and profitably.

I'd love to help you further. Let me know if I can.

Best wishes,

Brooks

Hi everybody i have found out that this is a very cool site.

I'm Sam, I am 13 and I am a violinist. I have only been playing for 4 years. I am not the greatest but I am O.K.:toothygrin:

Hello

I live near Manchester in the UK.

I play the Piano, & Accordion and drums. I can just about read music if it's simple but have never had music lessons. My problem is that I play by ear, so

if I hear a piece I can ususally play the basics of that tune.

However, I do love to compose and sometimes really astound myself as to the originality of the piece and then hairs on my neck stand on end! Problem is I always forget to switch the recorder on and then I've lost the thread.

It's a freaky 'eureka' moment when one plays something that sounds really commercial.

Anyone recommend a good piano keyboard with multi track recording facility?

Nice being here and look forward to reading and contributing the postings.

Pete

first post

my name is bryan reynolds and i'm 20 years old

my musical background-

been playing trombone 11 years and reading music as long, playing drums & percussion about 8 years, writing music about 7 years or so

i attended the Hartt School for three semesters before dropping out

my page w links to most of my projects (w recordings) - bryan reynolds

My name is Betti and I started to compose music for the piano about a year ago. I like classic music and I want to compose film-music.

Haha Nice to meet you betti.

Well, I really look forward to discussing musical views with an audience of people as well learned as yourselves. Before we get to know each other, I would like to give you a brief summary of my music career.

At age 4, my parents started to teach me the violin using Wolfardt's method. Sorry I butcher his name about every time I use it. I really honor them as musicians, especially the level they managed to teach me before I saught out a teacher back in Rhode Island. Oddly enough, neither of them were string players. They were leading vocalists for the New York Opera Theatre in their prime. Anyway, about three years after I started to learn the violin. I started to really love the music. I really enjoyed the Bach minuets. Speaking of which, Bach interested me to the point of writing my own little melodies.

My father would write out the notes as I would play them on my violin. I really love him for that.

That being said, I couldn't play the accompaniment at the same time.

That was when I started to take piano lessons from him. Before he started in Opera, he was in a really poor family in which he played piano in a bar just to make ends meet.

To try and keep you from that story, I'll skip his life and move onto my own.

At age 10 I gave my first piano concert at my church and I've been moving on ever since.

Oh dear, I seem to be dragging on.

I'm just trying to introduce you to the real me for the start of a truly wondrous exchange of opinion and knowledge.

Thank you for reading and look for me in the forums sometime.

The Maestro sends his "fare well".

wo, lots of new members!

Welcome to YC, everyone!

Well, I really look forward to discussing musical views with an audience of people as well learned as yourselves. Before we get to know each other, I would like to give you a brief summary of my music career.

At age 4, my parents started to teach me the violin using Wolfardt's method. Sorry I butcher his name about every time I use it. I really honor them as musicians, especially the level they managed to teach me before I saught out a teacher back in Rhode Island. Oddly enough, neither of them were string players. They were leading vocalists for the New York Opera Theatre in their prime. Anyway, about three years after I started to learn the violin. I started to really love the music. I really enjoyed the Bach minuets. Speaking of which, Bach interested me to the point of writing my own little melodies.

My father would write out the notes as I would play them on my violin. I really love him for that.

That being said, I couldn't play the accompaniment at the same time.

That was when I started to take piano lessons from him. Before he started in Opera, he was in a really poor family in which he played piano in a bar just to make ends meet.

To try and keep you from that story, I'll skip his life and move onto my own.

At age 10 I gave my first piano concert at my church and I've been moving on ever since.

Oh dear, I seem to be dragging on.

I'm just trying to introduce you to the real me for the start of a truly wondrous exchange of opinion and knowledge.

Thank you for reading and look for me in the forums sometime.

The Maestro sends his "fare well".

This perplexes me a bit; you are introducing yourself alright, but only to the age of 10. Are you 11 years of age?

I checked your profile and once again your state two events together with your age. Not trying to be an donkey here but, I think people would like to know about the present you and not what you did as a kid.

Welcome.

I do apologize for the error. I'm now 18.

I am Shashi. A bud in music composition. Need to improve a lot, that's why I am here..

Welcome to my forum site. Beer is in the fridge and there is chips and dip near the lovely young ladies standing by the T.V.

Hey,

I am a composer and musician. I have been composing since I was 7, and I have completed 4 albums as well as two albums with my band.

We collaborate online in the global workspace of a band that you can start or join on www.myblogband.com.

It's a great site and when you join, I'll feature your band and music on the homepage. It enables musicians to have a shared but privae workspace online and upload, download, rework and repost tracks. Patent pending!

Thanks,

Parker Emmerson

Hello everyone!

I am ... actually just call me Munkey. =D

I am 14 years old and i live in Canada.

I play piano, and past ABRSM 8/ RCM 10.

Since ABRSM does not focus on theory as much as RCM does, that is why I am not very familiar with harmony. (But i know basic theory though =S)

So now, I downloaded free trial for Finale NotePad, and wanted to try to compose, but apparently, it isn't going very well...it sounds so random.

THIS IS THE ULTIMATE REASON WHY I AM HERE! I AM HERE TO GET IDEAS FROM ALL OF YOU PROS!!!

(And btw, I have a real life friend on this website, but I don't think I want to name this person, because he/she didn't want me to join because he/she thought I would get spazzed at for my music composing skills.

Anyways, nice meeting you all.

Munkey =)

Hello my name is Helene. Im a violist from Belgium. Never wrote a single note of my life! Im in my last year of Bachelor degree at Royal Academy of Music of london.

Please let know if you need me! koerverhelene@aol.co.uk

Welcome to YC - nice to see another violist join the ranks.

:)

Hey,

I'm 15 and I play the piano and trumpet. I've been writing music for a while now and I'm hoping to learn more through this forum.

I use Anvil Studio and sometimes FL Studio for my music editing (I hope you Finalists will accept me :P). But most of my music comes from tinkering around on my piano and building from that.

-Rare Pickle (yes it's an odd name :cool:)

(and, no, it's not my real name)

I use Anvil Studio and sometimes FL Studio for my music editing (I hope you Finalists will accept me :P).

NO! We will not. Prepare to die, heretic!!! :angry:

Hi folks, we are a group that make film scores (custom-made).

Our website is currently not official, but we do have a freewebs

site account for now: here!

Anyway, that's all for now. ;)

My name is Dean Macgregor, and i would love feedback on my early compositions, i have just left college, and intend to be a film composer!

please visit

www.bebo.com/macgregormusic

and please give me feedback