Admittedly, some people truly want to simply play music in the way that it is presented in scores or other means. However, there are some people who really want to write their own songs.
Somehow, there is a creative knack in some people and they really want to write something that they can call their own. I admit, I’m one of those guys.
The question is: Is there such a thing as a certain level of competence before you can compose music?
The answer is, yes and no. You probably need a certain level of competence with music theory, but the practical considerations (like how good your techniques are should be secondary).
The first point – The Theory Behind Music
If you are unfamiliar with time signatures, crotchets, and even up to cadences, then composing music is going to be tough.
Though there is an extended amount of creativity that can be injected into musical composition. It will be much, much smoother if you understand basic progressions and how they sound. It creates a whole new perspective. Perhaps I’m wrong, but I still think that an intermediate understanding of theory is necessary.
Of course, you can teach this to yourself and don’t need to go for a traditional degree from a ‘credited’ organisation like the Associated Board of the Royal School of Music (ABRSM). Heck, even going to the Music Theory wiki will give you some knowledge.
If not there are always paid and free programs around to learn this. An example is 8notes.com, but any serious site can teach you. Hanging around musical communities can also be a good way to pick it up. Rest assured, its going to be much easier than any subject you take at school, and most people really just hype up the stuff you need to know to compose, trying to sound ‘educated’.
I will not set a threshold for how much you need to know, because I think that it really depends. Just use as much as you need and learn the rest along the way, music is a journey after all.
The second point – The practical aspects
Do you need to play like your idol before you start composing? Heck NO!
Anybody with a good idea can compose a song. You need zero technical competence. In fact, I will contend that composing and practicing your own songs is better. The reasons are as follows:
- You will be motivated to show off your piece
The corollary from this is that you will practice harder and smarter to get your piece done right. On top of that, there are the obvious emotional and social rewards from having an original piece.
- You will try to stand out, and hence experiment with all sorts of techniques
This basically builds up your technical competency. So in fact, the situation can be reversed, whereby you’re so motivated to play your own songs that you increase your skills in various techniques due to the act of practicing them.
- You can’t be wrong
When you’re playing someone else’s piece, you’re always wrong. The best imitation will never ever be looked at with the same light as the original. You will only truly come of age when you have your own original pieces, however good, that you can call your own.
The upside is then that you can experiment with creating your own style, your own preferred techniques, etc. In essence, your own ‘sound’.
Wrap Up
In any case, I don’t see much of a downside to composing your own pieces. Even if you don’t make it as a musician, composing your own songs can be a tremendous learning experience, one that shouldn’t be passed up.
Image Credit: AgniMax
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