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Advice for the Emerging Composer: A Forethought
Posted on September 5, 2008 at 10:19 pm
All right…
I get a LOT of emails from emerging composers looking for advice, and I know exactly how they feel. When I first began writing I tried to talk with as many composers as possible, just begging for a single crumb of an idea that might help me move forward. Many, many composers have been helpful to me throughout the years, and I’m incredibly grateful for their tutelage.
Based on the emails I have received over the years, I think there are two major areas that might be of help:
- The creative part of the process.
- The business part of the process.
Concerning the creative aspects of writing a piece:
- How do I find my own ‘sound’?
- How do I get the sound in my head on to the page?
- How do I develop an idea/finish a piece?
- How do you overcome ‘writer’s block.’
- Where do you find inspiration?
- Which program do you use for notation?
- Do you write at the piano?
Concerning the business of being a composer:
- How do I get my music performed?
- How do I get my music published?
- Should I get my music published, or should I self-publish?
- What is a copyright, and how do I get my music copy-written?
- How do I get commissions?
- How much should I charge for a commission?
- Can I make a living as a composer?
- What is ASCAP? Or BMI? Should I join one of them?
We’ll use these topics as a starting place. While it’s not a comprehensive list, I think it’s a good foundation, and it’s definitely stuff that they don’t seem to be covering in school. We can expand on this as we get going. If you see that I haven’t addressed something you’d like to hear about, don’t hesitate to post a comment. More than anything I want this to be helpful.
I know that ‘emerging composer’ is a big category; some of you are just starting, and some of you have been writing a while and are trying to move to the next level. I’ll try to respond to your posts and help in any way that I can.
Here we go!
32 Comments
Courtney K on September 5, 2008 at 7:57 pm
YAY! New post!
I have a question for you and I hope you don't mind:
When you have a really good idea in your mind to write down (like chords, notes, lyrics etc.) and you don't have a piano around or something, what do you do?
I tend to have that problem so much it's no longer funny!
Well, that's all. I hope it was okay to ask.
I hope to hear answers to questions from up above like on the Creative Aspects (no. 1 and 7).
Thank you!
KEEP ROCKIN' AT MUSIC!!!
:O)
sullivanmt on September 5, 2008 at 8:14 pm
I have a question as well! How do I go about printing choral octavos? It's rather difficult to figure out what size paper to get, and how to figure out how to print music onto that paper. I just feel a tad unprofessional handing standard legal-paper printouts to my choirsters.
Christian on September 5, 2008 at 11:01 pm
When you compose music to certain texts, like Scripture or poetry, do you find it deeper (connected to the Arts of human history) than writing to your own literary works? For an emerging composer, is it better to start with your own "lyrics?"
Tessy on September 6, 2008 at 8:14 am
I can't wait to see answers to these questions, and I am having the same problem as Courtney is. Basically I have no access to a piano. There are some in the music building, but they are in the practice rooms, few and far between, and usually are in use by someone else by the time I get down there. So I am also wondering what the next best thing would be. Some of my music friends say "just write it out by ear" but being new to composing (I am trying it out just for fun at the moment)I am not quite comfortable with that just yet. I know it's a good ear training exercise though, and I am trying to do it that way. But sometimes I feel like I need to actually hear what it sounds like.
Anyways, enough rambling! I can't wait to see what advice you have. :)
Matt on September 6, 2008 at 8:26 am
Thank you so much for doing this! Especially from the business side. I've been composing for about 3-4 years now and I'm looking for that "big break" that will put me into the world of composition.
For some of the other posters…download finale notepad! It's a great and free way to get some music software that might help you just by being around. I've been using it for years, just to write down ideas and things I've been kicking around in my head. http://www.finalemusic.com/notepad/
Also, carry staff paper around with you for those rare moments of inspiration that come out of nowhere. That's the only advice I can think of, but then again I'm not the expert that Eric is…not even close.
spudbass on September 7, 2008 at 7:48 am
Thanks so much for deciding to give out advice to budding composers, Eric! I know I'll benefit greatly from any advice anyone can give me!
Simon x
Danny Bloom on September 7, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Ok, so yea this will be a really cool subject for you to write about knowing how many people you've inspired to compose music. I'm more interested in hearing more of your music, but I will most deffinitely keep reading this blogs.
Please keep updating us on Paradise Lost! I'm actually quite apprehensive to see it because it looks very "unique" if that's the right word? You're obviously going for something different. I am taking people to see it during the next production! I love electronic music that is well done and doesn't make me feel like I had just taken drugs after listening to it! Ugh! That bugs me a bit.
Anyways, keep posting and hopefully reading these comments!
Oh, and I'm with Tessy^^. You can't honestly write out all those chords by ear. They are so dense it would take forever to write each individual part at a time! If you do write it by ear, maybe some tips at how you even do that at all? Or if it's just natural because you're just good like that? I wouldn't be surprised if that was it!
Emily Woodrow Clock on September 8, 2008 at 1:46 pm
YAAY!! I'm so excited you're doing this! My mom is in Kantorei, and when you came to town you inspired me to try writing music. Thanks for being awesome, and I can't wait to see what you write. :)
Emily R.
Tessy on September 8, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Keep in mind I am new to the game. Oh, and I do use Finale Notepad. And I have to say sometimes I love it…and sometimes I have complaints about it. I do find it a useful tool to get down the ideas, but what I would really love is to actually get an accurate idea of what the sonority of the sounds of the different instruments sound like together. But I guess that's more for the rehearsals before premiering the piece. ^^ In any case a lot of times I find that when I try to write the music out by ear on staff paper and then put it on a music program like Finale Notepad that it sounds very different. I figure that once you write more and more music that this barrier eventually goes away, but at this point in time I was wondering what other tools could be use to help.
Matt W on September 8, 2008 at 7:26 pm
This is absolutely perfect timing – I'm a freshman majoring in music composition (inspired to do so by yourself nonetheless), and am finding no help with the "real word application" aspect of composition as of yet. Thank you so much for doing this!
Darren on September 9, 2008 at 6:16 pm
I got to have a 'sit down chat' if you will with the Christian artist Andrew Peterson last weekend. He said that when he had a melody or a lyric like that at the spur of the moment, he would call his own voicemail and leave it there. I thought that was ingenious!
I'm looking forward to reading all these topics on this website now! I'll be here getting all I can. I'm a vocal performance major, but I've tried my hand at writing, and would like to try more.
Thanks in advance for your time in writing these posts!
dw
Chris on September 10, 2008 at 5:53 pm
First of all, thank you so much for starting this! I can't even begin to tell you how much help it is!
I was wondering how exactly you get to the point where you can be a "full time composer", how do you make it work where you can actually support yourself and a family off of composing?
I'm sorry it's such a broad question, it's just something I've been wondering for a long long time
Paul S. Banninga on September 10, 2008 at 6:15 pm
I'll look foward to these posts
Marques Garrett on September 11, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Mr. Whitacre,
Thank you so much for starting this post. Even though I've been composing/arranging for 6 years now and have some songs published, I still need help. Like I've said in posts on here and Facebook, your music has inspired me so much. I actually wrote a song that is reminiscent of "i thank You God for most this amazing day" and "Sleep" with those being my two favorite pieces. I can't wait to see your answers to your and our questions.
Nikki Harris on September 12, 2008 at 6:59 pm
This isn't actually a composition question, but back in May, I performed Cloudburst with the Michigan Youth Arts Festival Band. The video has been posted online, and this is the link: http://www.banddirector.com/article/msboa_feature…
Scroll down to MYAF 2008, and I'm sure you can find it. It was really a joy to play, especially in an ensemble of that caliber. I hope you enjoy it.
-Nikki
P.S.: I'm the piccolo player!
Jenny on September 15, 2008 at 2:44 pm
I'd like to echo Christian, and add a question about the use of text to your list of questions on the creative process – where 'should' we be looking for words? Our original writing? Using poems/texts verbatim, or for inspiration? I recently wrote a sop/alto duet on Elizabeth Barret-Browning's sonnet which begins 'How do I love thee,' and am expanding it into four-part (with no intention of taking it anywhere – I'm very much just beginning). Can you get in trouble with copy-right for that kind of thing?
Thank you very much for writing these, I shall be waiting eagerly ^.^
Tessy on September 16, 2008 at 7:21 pm
I just thought of another question. How exactly do you go about transcribing your own work into a different genre? Are there specific steps you go through? And do you alter the original piece at all, either for personal preference or to be more playable for the genre you're transcribing for? This is more of a side thought…in case I need to do this in the future. :)
The Chill of Watersh on September 18, 2008 at 4:14 pm
It would be great if you could possibly answer the questions you listed in a 2nd post? Honestly I would ask most of the business ones in this comment but it would be a little pointless since they're already stated. I'm a freshman in music technology/composition, and musical theater *To be able to write something like Paradise Lost is a dream of mine*. But I also am clueless as to how to go about the business angles of things so any answers to those questions would be fantastic ^_^
~thanks~
To some of the other questions I have a couple of answers although they're probably not quite as good as Eric's
For those of you who don't have piano's – perhaps carry a laptop around *if you can afford it* with your notation software, I find after getting really comfortable with my notation software (*sibelius*) I can just type in what I want and most of the time it is right – if it isn't I'll catch it and fix it during the play back. Also if you can sing *or even if you can't* buy a cheap little voice recorder and hum it when it hits you, then when you get home listen to it again and see if you can write it from there – it helps me a lot ^_^
About Printing – Go to your local Printing shop, you can hand them scores on letter paper and they can make it into professional looking scores
About Lyrics – I find that w/e moves you the most is what you should do, I personally have a hard time adapting text unless it's mine, but my friend can take poems and make beautiful music out of them, just depends on what you're comfortable with
AJ Peacox on September 19, 2008 at 12:20 am
Hi Mr. Whitacre!
I have a question that sort of goes along with question 7 under the creative category. Is it okay to compose for choir/wind ensemble using guitar instead of piano? Or will switching to piano be in my best interests? I want to major in composition, but I wanted to know ahead of time if they're just going to laugh at the kid trying to compose with a guitar : (
-AJ
Matt on September 20, 2008 at 7:30 pm
AJ,
Don't let anyone stop you from composing on guitar! Hector Berlioz was one of the greatest orchestrators who ever lived, and he couldn't play the piano one bit (he actually chided those who did use the piano). In fact, he mostly played the guitar (and also dabbled in the flute). Irving Berlin, the great American songwriter, also composed nearly everything on guitar. I use both piano and guitar to compose, and I find that the ideas are equally fruitful on each. Even though most people nowadays consider the piano to be the composer's main instrument, whatever you are most comfortable with should be what you use! Don't let others' preferences decide what is best for you!
Jenny on September 28, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Mr. Whitacre,
My name is Jenny, and I am a student at THS in Tipton, IA. My choral group is currently singing your composition A Boy and A Girl. I would like to ask you a few questions.
1. What is your reponse to people referring to you as "The most performed composer of choral music of his generation"?
2. What inspired you to form BCM International?
3. Do you prefer to compose pieces for concert bands or choral groups?
Andrew Boss on October 1, 2008 at 11:04 am
Hello, Mr Whitacre,
My name is Andrew Boss (based on all these emails, you probably get the first three words in this sentence a lot) I am a piano performance/composition major at Florida Southern College. I believe you are familiar with Dr. Carol Kreuger. Personally speaking, she is an extremely knowledgable and amazing musician. We had a long talk about certain subjects that I think you would be able to help me with. I don't sxpect you'll be able to answer all the questions at once because you are very busy, but if it is easier for you, you can answer them one at a time.
First off, I am kind of in the "orchestral phase" of my composing, and I would like to start composing for band or transcribing some of my pieces from orchestra to band. However, because I am a sucker for the string instruments, I am not sure how to accomplish that successfully.
Secondly, I considered transferring my school until Dr. Kreuger told me that most graduate schools(unless it is a conservatory) and most job opportunities(performance and composition related) don't accept the conservatory catalog. They want a well-rounded student, even if music is going to be your life. I was hoping I could avoid all the non-musical classes by going to a conservatory. Another reason for transfering was so I could be in a big city. However, Dr. Kreuger told me it doesn't make a difference whether it is a small town or a city. If you are good enough, you will get your opportunity either way. How do you feel about this.
Many teachers are encouraging me to publish some of my works. However, I am a little nervous because when you send it to a publisher, according to their rules, they control the copyright and it is no longer yours. Should this be a concern? Also, how do you know which publisher is right for you?
I know composing is going to be my career, but I am unsure whether to compose for a living as you do, film score, or both. I find some of my pieces to be as if from a movie; on the other hand, I was also told classical training is the best way to go, whether you are doing either. Based on your experience, how do you feel? Most of all, how did you start getting your name out?
I am sorry for indulging you with all these questions. I appreciate any answer at all.
Thank you
Andrew
Justin on October 6, 2008 at 5:08 am
I can't tell you how excited I am that you though to do something like this. I am really looking foward to what you hve to say in this blog. Good luck with you compositions, especialy Paradise Lost.
Justin on October 7, 2008 at 11:45 am
AJ,
I have to agree with matt on this. I personally use the piano but that's only because I've played it since I was six and I have one in the house. Use whatever comes easiest to you; it makes writing a lot less frustrating.
jrsnowmusic on October 8, 2008 at 7:38 am
Here is a different direction….I am an instrumental conducting graduate student prepping for my recital and have chosen to break down the walls that separate choir and band and evaluate and compare Lux, Sleep, and Cloudburst with a band and choir on the stage. I am enjoying the comparison of orchestration and differences from the original settings to wind works among many other topics. My questions would be WHY these particular pieces? WHY the concert band idiom? Was this in your mind all along to recompose/arrange for winds? Was this more of a business decision or did you see a need for more works in the band library? Your notes in Ghost Train clearly define your early fascination with timbre of the ensemble, but why do you think these three works have had such success in the band world??? Your thoughts to these Why's would help support my research and development…..
thanks for your lyricism and colors….it is always a pleasure to share your music with my students….and this will be no exception!!
tenorsupremacy on November 10, 2008 at 7:21 pm
I thought I would be sly and slip this in while I could, I f one person wanted to commission you-Eric Whitacre- to write a song for them what necessary steps would have to be taken?
empyrealoasis on November 16, 2008 at 9:06 pm
I think we are ALL still hoping you will continue this idea!
alli on May 27, 2010 at 1:57 pm
i want to be a composition major. i used to write everyday. now i have the pressure of having to compile a portfolio and every time i sit down to write it falls apart within minutes.
i realize i have to write for writings sake but i don't know how to get my mind off of college long enough to get into the zone!
Lane on May 28, 2010 at 12:48 pm
Mur…where exactly…is..the..advice…besides the questions lol…this is like 2 years ago….
Audio Tutorials on November 12, 2010 at 1:58 am
Thanks so much for deciding to give out advice to budding composers, Eric! I know I’ll benefit greatly from any advice anyone can give me!
Self-publishing – nuts and bolts | Steven Bryant on April 5, 2011 at 6:28 am
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Jason on May 17, 2011 at 6:59 pm
Mr. Whitacre how important do you think music theory is to improving one's composition? I've been composing since I was seven up until now, 18 years old. Out of those years, I've only had one year of piano experience and 8 years of choir experience. My idea of composing is basically playing random notes till they sound pleasing to the ear and from there I establish a foreground from which I can spread out from. I just know the bare fundamentals of music theory, and I feel like that's holding me back. I know you wrote Water Night early in your music career. Did a good understanding of music theory help you write that piece? Also thanks again for taking the time to share advise with other aspiring composers.