Covering some of the fundamentals already puts you steps ahead. Music theory will make you a better composer but you donвЂ™t have to become an expert to benefit from it. Now I know what some of you are saying: вЂњBut Matt, do I really need to spend years learning this stuff?вЂќ Music theory doesnвЂ™t make you unoriginal, it makes you informed.вЂќ Music theory doesnвЂ™t make you unoriginal, it makes you informed. I will leave that argument for another day but when done properly, music theory is simply about understanding how music works and why it works that way. In its broadest sense, music theory is everything from the rudiments of notation to the details of how notes are organized (into rhythms, scales, chords, etc.) as well as to the more advanced topics of harmony, counterpoint, form, orchestration and so on.Д¬ontrary to what some believe, music theory doesnвЂ™t make you unoriginal. It all depends on what youвЂ™re focusing on. When I studied orchestration, I noticed how the woodwinds worked with the strings (and I especially noticed the oboe solo in the first movement).ДЄnd on and on, there are hundreds of lessons in every piece. When I studied sonata form, I noticed the key scheme. When I came back to the same symphony later, I noticed the dynamics and what a big impact they have on the overall effect.

The famous motif from BeethovenвЂ™s 5th Symphony The first few times I heard and read BeethovenвЂ™s 5th symphony, I simply followed that вЂњdun dun dun dunnnвЂќ motif all throughout. The beautiful thing about musical analysis is that itвЂ™s so rich in lessons.вЂќ When you come back to a score the second, third and more times, there are new lessons for you there.

The beautiful thing about musical analysis is that itвЂ™s so rich in lessons. What is interesting about it? How does it progress? If youвЂ™re studying a particular topic, how does the music make use of it? If it doesnвЂ™t, whatвЂ™s the effect of its absence? When you read a score ask yourself what makes this music work the way it does. Either way, this is one of the most underestimated activities today even though itвЂ™s one of the most valuable. You can do this while listening to the music and you can do it without. Just like we can read a poem written on paper, we can read music written on the staff. Score reading is exactly that: reading a (musical) score. This kind of critical listening is essential to a budding composer. What could you adapt from it to make it your own?.What is it that you donвЂ™t like about it?.But do take it as an opportunity to be curious. We all have our preferences вЂ“ being a musician doesnвЂ™t mean liking everything thatвЂ™s out there. Yes, you will run into music that you donвЂ™t like and thatвЂ™s good news. And each one of their creations has something to say about what music can be.Д®ach one of their creations has something to say about what music can be.вЂќ

There are only so many notes (and sounds) available to us and yet, millions of musicians, composers and songwriters have found вЂ“ and continue to find вЂ“ something new to do with them. Why do I emphasize listening to such a variety of music? Because through this variety you will experience how other musicians thought about music. Listen to instrumental music, choral music, electronic music and any other you can think of. Listen to the music of other cultures as well as to your own. Listen to ancient music, contemporary music and everything in between. You should listen to all sorts of music by all kinds of artists of all types of styles. Now youвЂ™re probably thinking вЂњBut Matt, I listen to music all day longвЂ¦ is that all it takes?вЂќВ Of course this is not all. ItвЂ™s a lot like how children learn their first language simply by immersion. It should be rather obvious that to get to know music, we simply need to listen to it. The first few points in this article are all about nurturing your musical instincts and the most basic activity to do so is to listen. First Build the House, then Choose a Front Door Judge Your Work (fairly and not too early) Where do you find musicians to perform your work?.Can you really practice being creative?.Practice (aka The вЂJust Write SomethingвЂ™ Principle)

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