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 do 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 do 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 do 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, do 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 - 2 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 do this!
STEP 5: MAKE
FRIENDS IN THE
COMMUNITY
There are others just like you
You don't have to do 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 do
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/UC8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-
IQg
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_CyR8Aqfl45kzFIDeMr-
CQ
Christopher Siu: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzM2CcAZ3kqT-
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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!
