How to Compose: A Guide

Many of us went to university to learn music - but amongst the recitals, exams, studying, and all-nighters, some escaped school without having answered a simple question: How do you compose music?

Step 1: Come up with an awesome idea. 

Imagine the cosmos unfurling before your eyes, the sun setting over the ocean, a sapling growing into a mighty oak tree. That's inspiring, right? Aww, yeah. INSPIRATION. 

WHOA. PSYCHEDELIC, DUDE. 
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Step 2: Start writing your awesome idea down. 

Are you a paper and pencil composer, or a computer composer? Maybe you're a sit-at-the-piano and record stuff composer? Figure it out - experiment! Write down that awesome idea! 

AWESOME. 
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Step 3: Realize that what you are writing down sounds nothing like your awesome idea. 

Did you just hit playback in your music notation software, and realize that what you thought you were writing...isn't? Don't worry - you're in good company. Composition is a skill that takes a long time to hone and perfect, unless you're like, Mozart, or something. Still, the experience can be damaging to your enthusiasm and be incredibly frustrating. 

ARGH. 
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Step 4: Erase. Delete. Take a deep breath. Start Again. 

There's nothing quite as soul-crushing as having to erase or delete what added up to hours of effort. Try to see through the tunnel to the other side, where you are revelling in the glory of a finished new composition. 

Crying forever. 
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Step 5: Clean up that score. I mean it. 

Do you know what wastes precious minutes of rehearsal time? Messy scores. Dynamics in weird places, improper note alignment, confusing technique text, not enough spacing - the list goes on and on. Sure, editing and clearing up a score can take up hours of time and make you want to throw your computer out a window, but it's all worth it when you hear your piece performed and the ensemble doesn't want to tar and feather you. 

NO MORE COPYEDITING, NOOOOO! 
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Step 6: Revel in the divine glory that is completing a score. Bask in that glory. 

SUCCESS. 
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