Music Composition DUMmIES

Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Tools of the Trade .........................................................................................

In This Chapter


Writing music by hand


Composing on an instrument


Using software to help you write music


Training your ears


Understanding the importance of music theory


Finding the space, time, and ideas to compose

J

ust as electricians, plumbers, and mechanics use toolboxes to organize

their tools, composers also bring toolboxes with them to work. The differ-

ence is, of course, that the aforementioned tradespeople’s toolboxes can be

seen, felt, and tripped over in the dark, whereas the composer’s toolbox is

contained mostly within his or her mind.

But they are still tools, and you need to use and develop them if you are

going to get very far composing music. If you could open up a typical com-

poser’s toolbox and take a peek inside, you would find the tools covered in

this chapter within.

The Ability to Compose with Pencil and Paper .........................................

Believe it or not, even in this computerized world there are still many situa-

tions where a sheet of paper and a pencil are the best tools for the music

composer. Many important modern composers, especially those born before

1940, won’t work with anything butpaper and pencil. So, never think you are

too advanced for these humble tools.

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