October 15th, 2013 by Meryl Danziger | Tags: compose, composer, composing, composition techniques, musical tools | No Comments »
It’s exciting to find useful things in unlikely places. Today I was shopping for a new towel at “Laytner’s Linens” and found a little zippered bag that said “Tool Kit.” Hmm … Since I frequently describe my role as “filling a learner’s tool box with tools she may need at some point,” it took me just a minute to figure out what I would use this for: Tools that can help you compose, particularly at the piano or keyboard.
These tools are techniques, ranging from simple to advanced, and are used by composers both for inspiration and organization of their pieces. The tools are written on cards with the name of the technique on one side and an explanation on the other. “Repetition” means just what it is: Taking a phrase you’ve come up with and repeating it once or twice, maybe bringing it back later so that the listener’s ear can hang onto it. Of course it can be a challenge for a composer to have a sense of how many times or how often to repeat a particular segment. At Music House, we are just beginning to work the “composing muscle.” Then there is “Capturing,” where you might start out free form, playing random notes with reckless abandon, but all the while listening, ready to capture a pattern that sounds good to you and keep track of it. I picture the young composer romping through virgin fields with a kind of butterfly net – Though notes may be more agreeable to being captured than butterflies. “Transposition,” which is moving a piece to a different key, can be presented in a way that is accessible, useful and gratifying for anyone who wants to try it. For the youngest, we start by singing a song “higher up the mountain” or “lower down, in the valley,” and proceed from there. More on all these in my book, coming soon!
Meanwhile, I wonder who will be the first to look inside and start using some of the tools. Stay tuned …
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