How do you compose?

[nickysnd]

I have come upon a very interesting article that I though I would share. This is how it starts: "How is it that an ordinary mortal can walk into a room and come out with the B-Minor Mass...", and it continues as a short essay about the impossibility to derive a composer's creativity from his biography (or from anything else, for that matter), having Wolfgang Mozart as a focus case study. I have found that article very well written, many good points. Here it is - http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...DG5PGQKRA1.DTL

And here is what Mozart says about his own creativity:
"When I am, as it were, completely myself, entirely alone, and of good cheer - say traveling in a carriage, or walking after a good meal, or during the night when I cannot sleep - it is on such occasions that my ideas flow best, and most abundantly. Whence and how they come, I know not, nor can I force them."
http://www.submityourarticle.com/art...otes-24934.php

I don't expect anyone to answer my title-question, it obviously is a tongue in cheek one (inspired by another, not-so-tongue-in-cheek, one: "how fast do you compose?" ). Consider my question as an invitation to think a little about the mystery of composing music. Nothing meaningful can be said about that, IMHO. Still worth thinking about it, now and then.

To end on a lighter note, I will repeat here one of my all-times favorite quotes, by Mozart: "I write as a sow piddles."

[Enrique]

"When I am, as it were, completely myself, entirely alone, and of good cheer - say traveling in a carriage, or walking after a good meal, or during the night when I cannot sleep - it is on such occasions that my ideas flow best, and most abundantly. Whence and how they come, I know not, nor can I force them."

I find this is exactly what happens to me, I get my best continuous ideas when I'm NOT thinking about writing music. I find it quite strange that when I sit down to try to write is when it is the most difficult for ideas to flow. Doodling on the piano, is different and does generate a lot of ideas, but I'm saying when the mindset is turned to composing is when I have the hardest time composing

I liked reading how Mozart went to a frenzy of study and self improvement after his belated discovery of Bach. Makes me feel studying this old chap might be worth something after all

-Enrique

ps. To answer your title-question, does "In my boxers" count?

[nickysnd]

Originally Posted by Enrique

To answer your title-question, does "In my boxers" count?

Yes, it actually is a good one.

Which reminds me -- Towards the end of his life, when practically deaf, Beethoven was sometimes composing "in his boxers" (and sometimes with no boxers at all, picture that), sitting on the floor and loudly playing a feetless piano -- so that his body would feel the vibrations. Not funny, his struggle to hear was really dramatic. Titan indeed.

[nikolas]

Well this is the ultimate reply:

I open the computer, double click on a software named S***********A and then after 5 secs, I get a complete piece!

Everything else should be inside a museum!

Signed: A bot once named Nikolas!

[Vincent Bergbahn]

lol nice one!

[Michael Allen]

Sometimes while walking and driving. Sometimes at the piano or guitar. Sometimes a mistake can lead me to a wonderful place. Often it has to be forced with a specific task in mind to fit a brief. My wife hates it when I compose while she's talking to me. Apparently my lips move, my head nods and my foot or finger taps while she's mid story.....makes her furious.

[nickysnd]

Originally Posted by Michael Allen

Sometimes while walking and driving. Sometimes at the piano or guitar. Sometimes a mistake can lead me to a wonderful place. Often it has to be forced with a specific task in mind to fit a brief. My wife hates it when I compose while she's talking to me. Apparently my lips move, my head nods and my foot or finger taps while she's mid story.....makes her furious.

Man, never, never, EVER show lack of attention when a woman does speak. That's unforgivable, in their eyes. Also, don't you dare to ever interrupt her, that's unforgivable too. I am yet to see a woman that would consider music more important that what she has to say. In a way, I agree -- women, and children, do need a lot of attention. It's what they crave most. Music?!? Forget music when I'm talking to ya, will ya??!!

[Vatroslav]

I sit. I tap with a pencil.

Then I get bored of that and start writing notes.

[nikolas]

Ok.

A more serious reply.

It depends.

If I need something with drums, bass, etc, I just open Cubase
If I want a cheesy track with piano, etc, I open Cubase and sit on the keyboards
If I need something orchestral I go to the manuscript with a pencil and eraser.
If I need to work for the PhD I don't do anything for months some times. I arrange, I precompose, I think, I organise, I program software (yes, I do use software as well. Sorry ), and then I just sit and shoot for prolonged days (you know the kind of days with 30 hours where you work the 16 hours off your arse) and for a month and then don't do nothing for another few months...

The thing is that I NEED to compose FOR something/someone. I no longer compose for fun, or to learn something to try out something new etc. I work for computer games, or my PhD, or a competition. Not just for me or just for fun. But it's always fun.

[Nanto Warrior]

IThe glorious Silver Nanto Warrior waits for the night to fall, and the darkness to scatter across the sky, then when the moon has risen, the warrior taps into his trance -ike state. The Siver Nanto Warrior pulls no punches-he is lost in music, with the ability only to communicate through notation.


http://youtube.com/watch?v=3cpIv_jVU78&feature=related


The Silver Nanto Warrior's truly terrifying technique puts himself at risk, but he does it anyway because he filled wityh the spirit of the Warrior!

Then when daybreak falls, the Silver Nanto Warrior is lifted from his trance, and reverts back to his public personna...

Until the moon rises again!

Same Warrior time.
Same Warrior place.
Same Warrior channel.

The Silver Nanto Warrior.