Common Problems Many Students Share
Photo by PleuntjeOver the years I have taught aspiring composers across every range of education and skill level. Even from the hobbyists to the professionals there are certain issues that come up remarkably often. Here is a list of some of the most common problems I’ve found composers face.
- Good at coming up with ideas, but don’t know what to do with them.
- Getting bored with their own ideas, and thus moving through them too quickly.
- Too many different ideas in the same piece.
- Introducing new ideas near the end of the piece, when they should be heading towards a conclusion.
- Not enough cadences. This means not taking the time to complete a thought but just rambling on and on from one thought to the next. A cadence just means a punctuation mark, it doesn’t have to be a formal harmonic progression.
- Throwing elements into the orchestration because they think they have to (drum loops, big thick whole not pads).
- Following an orchestration pattern religiously (ie. always having melody, rythym and chords) without variety.
- Not listening to their music to really appreciate the impact. Eg. Intending a drum hit to be big and loud without really considering if it really is! They imagine it being loud so they ignore the reality.
- Impatience. Not letting certain ideas merely exist for a period of time before moving on.
Which of these problems resonates with you? What would you like me to explore further in depth in future posts?
Are you interested in studying music with a professional composer? I now offer private instruction via Skype in composition, harmony, orchestration and music production. Visit my lessons page for more information!