GENERAL DISCUSSION Thread: Click Here to Have a Conversation!

This is the place for general discussions which don't fit in the weekly threads

  • Perhaps you have a question inspired by the challenge?
  • Want to chat about general topics of music composition?
  • Or just looking to chat with fellow challenge participants about music?
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    • Marti Luz
    • Marti_luz
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Hello Ashley! I'm writing my first guitar composition ever and I'm quite new to written music...

    Part of the piece is made of an arpeggio based on sixtuplets and right now with all the "6" and the brackets above it looks quite messy 😅 Is there a sort of rule or a common way to deal with this problem? Thanks, this is exciting!

    Like 1
    • Marti Luz Great! When it comes to grouping notes, you want to be sure (to the best of your ability) to show where you want your accents in the measure to occur, unless you're writing syncopated rhythms. So, for example, if you're writing in 3/4 time but you want a sextuplet on each beat, you want to leave them as 3 groups of sextuplets. Otherwise, honestly the sky is the limit and the best thing you can do is ask another performer if they understand what you are trying to communicate. But, I wouldn't group all 18 notes together with one "6" above them; now THAT would be confusing :) but I like that you're thinking about experimenting with notation! Sometimes we have to break certain standards to get our vision across to others who may want to perform our music.

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      • Marti Luz
      • Marti_luz
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Ashley (Ash) Lucero Thank you Ashley, the arpeggio I'm writing is actually in 3/4 with a sextuplet on each beat so your advice was reeeally helpful! 😁

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    • Roni Glasernull
    • Classical guitarist and composer
    • roniglaser
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view
    Ashley (Ash) Lucero said:
    then as for the orchestration, the term can also refer to a composer's choice of voicing in a composition

     Ooh, OK, but I'm guessing you mean something different to counterpoint? More like the distribution of notes in a chord, like considering the timbre the instrument has with the notes in particular registers?

    Like 1
    • Roni Glaser Yes! the voicing of chords to get certain sonorities, balancing different aspects of the harmonies while still accommodating the instrument. 

      Like 2
  • Today in the live I asked a question, perhaps moved by my curiosity. And the question was: Can the traditional "Hero's Journey" that a lot of writers use to structure the plot and keep the reader connected, can this be applied to music composition? 

     

    As I got no answer I decided to investigate and I found that it was actually used. I am sharing it here as a curiosity

     

    https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/bitstream/handle/2152/ETD-UT-2009-12-662/BRACE-THESIS.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

     

    I found the live interesting and I found very important Ashley (Ash) Lucero advice on not stick to the I-IV-V-I form in the first place.

     

    But I have a question. Perhaps to myself, perhaps to my colleagues and Ashley (Ash) Lucero . When you hear a piece, what really turns you on? What makes you enjoy that music? That's, in my modest opinion, the most important thing to consider, to ask. I've seen too much "correct" pieces that are just boring. They are well written, perhaps. But... something missing inside. And suddenly, something appears that I just love. And asking why we love those things can be, perhaps, the first step to do something that others can love admire as well. Just my fifty cents I guess...

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    • José Espírito Santo Thank you for sharing your question! I will be answering it in todays livestream :)

      Like 1
  • I have a pdf version of Fundamentals of Musical Composition. It is a very old edition and not very reader friendly, but if you want to browse it before buying, I can send you by email. I think I shouldn't share it from here.

    Like 2
  • Ashley (Ash) Lucero  can you talk about modulations in the next course please? They make the compositions very exciting when used properly.

    Like 1
    • Gokce Turkmendag Thank you for sharing your question! I will be answering it in todays livestream :)

      Like 1
      • Marek Tabisznull
      • retired guitar teacher
      • Marek_Tabisz
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Ashley (Ash) Lucero I can not wait! 😄

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    • Debbie
    • Debbie
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Hello friends! In case anyone want to learn traditional music theory from the ground up, or start further along, or just brush up, here is an online course that is college level. It starts super basic up to advanced. It’s taught by a University professor and is only $30.  I’m using it to brush up and I really like it. 
    You can check it out here : https://learnmusictheory.com/college-music-theory/

    Like 1
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