Chapter 3. Finding and developing ideas

[ LiB ]

Chapter 3. Finding and developing ideas

So far we have talked about and sequenced other people's music well mine actually, apart from the classical stuff and I'm sure you are itching to put some of the topics covered into practice by composing music of your own. Before you can start doing this, you will need ideas. No doubt some of you will have dozens of ideas already. Many people though, find it difficult to be inventive and will either stare blankly at the screen or doodle for hours with nothing to show for it at the end. 'I can't think of anything,' they say.

The old saying, 'Composing is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent hard work,' is exactly right. Beethoven for example a creative genius if ever there was one would tortuously rework a fragment of melody over and over until he considered it perfect. From that one tiny idea a symphony would develop. One percent eureka, ninety-nine percent hard work. So it is for the rest of us in most cases.

[ LiB ]