Four simple steps

Wow. I haven't posted for awhile. I've had a lot of encouraging educational discussions and experiences in the last couple weeks, some disappointments, and much of my energy has been dedicated to setting up a meeting at the SXSW (South by Southwest) Interactive Festival on March 13th.

Here is a post about the educational process from Eric Whitacre on the BCM International discussion board:

Theory didn't (doesn't) help me at all...

When I first started writing (and still today, I guess) the biggest obstacle I faced was learning how to notate. Just getting your head around basic notation ideas can take a while (I'm talking the basics here: notes, rhythms, etc.).

I just started trying it. I made a lot of NOTATIONAL mistakes at first (I still do) but don't worry about the theory, or how much you know. Ultimately, it's just one more excuse for composers to use to justify why they never finish anything.

1) Start writing.
2) Get real humans to play it.
3) Correct things you didn't like after you heard it.
4) Repeat.

That has been my sole technique, and it has worked well for me.

e

MDS: I agree that the notation part has been the biggest part of the learning curve for me. Not only learning the conventions, but really figuring out how the musical gesture I'm feeling fits rhythmically, what meter to use, etc. Right now I'm in the process of smoothing out the fourth piece, "whatever the moon" (based on another e.e. cummings poem). I've found that pretending I'm conducting makes me aware of expression and nuance that I can put down on the page. I also have a better sense of where I hold a note a little longer or add an extra rest.

"whatever the moon" also almost had a performance (I wrote it for a particular choir), but that fell through. Definitely a painful experience, but now I have one more piece out of it.

toodles,
~m