5 STEPS TO COMPOSING MUSIC EFFICIENTLY WRITE BETTER MUSIC, FASTER CHRISTOPHER SIU STEP 1: LEARN AN INSTRUMENT A must to jot your ideas down quickly Learning a physical instrument is one of the best things you can for your music Why? There is nothing more frustrating than hearing a melody in your head and being unable to record it without trial and error As you become comfortable playing an instrument (piano, guitar, trumpet, cello, etc.), your practice material (scales, arpeggios, licks) will naturally become ingrained into muscle memory, which enables you to call upon those techniques when needed Another reason is that you will have the physical means to lay down your musical ideas without a hitch Musicians who don't play an instrument typically need to fumble around finding the correct notes on a MIDI keyboard until they land on the pitches they're looking for STEP 2: LEARN MUSIC THEORY The musical language Learning music theory is essentially putting reasoning and methodology to the sounds you hear and love Ensure that your music theory fundamentals (scales, chords, progressions, voice leading, inversions, etc.) are up to scratch That way, if you're stuck on a certain idea and unsure what to next, you can follow music theory's guidelines to give you some ideas Ideally, use music theory as a tool and a guide, not a crutch Songs & pieces that rely solely on music theory tend to sound static and bland, while music written entirely by ear without an understanding of theory can sound jumbled and disorganized If you write an idea, it's always good to know why that idea works, and how you can expand upon it STEP 3: LISTEN TO MUSIC The best way to find fresh inspiration When we typically listen to music, generally we are listening for enjoyment, something to fill out the background However, in order for this step to be effective, you need to something called 'analytical listening' In short, pull up one of your favourite songs/pieces, pull out a notepad or blank document, and begin taking notes on the elements you enjoy/do not enjoy See if you can identify the structure, harmonic progression, melodic construction, and rhythm of the music. These are all essential pieces of information that will expand your palette and fill your toolbox with new sources of inspiration to draw from YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music are all good places to find music STEP 4: WRITE A PIECE OF MUSIC EVERY WEEK Like everything, exercise breeds improvement When you work out, you see great results from going to the gym once a month and eating whatever tempting morsels catch your eye? Absolutely Joking aside, writing music is like any other form of exercise This time, it's mental Some composers swear by writing music every day, but it's just not practical for some of us Heck, I can't even commit to that However, if you're a hobbyist, shooting to write a piece of music (length doesn't matter - bars or 32) once a week should be an attainable goal You must have a writing pad, notation software, or a DAW in order to lay your ideas down You can this! STEP 5: MAKE FRIENDS IN THE COMMUNITY There are others just like you You don't have to this alone In fact, many composers thrive by joining like-minded communities and sharing what they have to offer! Facebook groups and Discord channels are wonderful places to share your music, get feedback, and deliver your own opinions Staying connected with others also breeds accountability When we see others working hard and improving at their craft, it motivates us to the same and improve a little each day. Whether that means reading a blog post on writing counterpoint, watching a YouTube video on string writing, or listening to a podcast on music business, there are many ways to improve ourselves Last but not least, enjoy the process! RESOURCES Tools to get you up and running LEARNING AN INSTRUMENT Piano: https://www.youtube.com/user/PianoLessonscom Guitar: https://www.youtube.com/user/yourguitarsage LEARN MUSIC THEORY Rick Beato: https://www.youtube.com/user/pegzch 8-Bit Music Theory: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeZLO2VgbZHeDcongKzzfOw Music Matters: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8yI8P7Zi3yYTsyperaIQg COMPOSING / ORCHESTRATION Orchestral Tools: https://www.youtube.com/user/HendrikSchwarzer Orchestration Online: https://www.youtube.com/user/OrchestrationOnline Alex Moukala: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_CyR8Aqfl45kzFIDeMrCQ Christopher Siu: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzM2CcAZ3kqTy01ybxF0nw ONLINE COMMUNITIES Composing Made Simple (Discord): https://discord.gg/uXHmWg Facebook: Virtual Orchestration Facebook: Film Scoring and Orchestration Applied There are obviously many more resources out there, but these a few of my favourites I'm in the Composing Made Simple Discord Server, so feel free to join We'd be happy to have you! Thank you for reading through this guide I hope it's been helpful! Please don't hesitate to respond to my email you downloaded this guide from and let me know what you'd like to see from me in the future My YouTube channel exists because of you watching and supporting my content! ... the Composing Made Simple Discord Server, so feel free to join We'd be happy to have you! Thank you for reading through this guide I hope it's been helpful! Please don't hesitate to respond to. .. idea, it's always good to know why that idea works, and how you can expand upon it STEP 3: LISTEN TO MUSIC The best way to find fresh inspiration When we typically listen to music, generally we... what to next, you can follow music theory's guidelines to give you some ideas Ideally, use music theory as a tool and a guide, not a crutch Songs & pieces that rely solely on music theory tend to