Want to know how to write music?

 Composers FAQ - Do's and Don'ts for composers

Would you like some free help from a professional composer?

You've come to the right place. My name is Rowy and I'm a classical trained composer. One of my hobbies is writing small scores for solo instruments. When I finished my study, long time ago, I wrote contemporary music. I started out in a classical style though, like most young composers, and I never forgot my roots.

Would you prefer not to study harmony or counterpoint?

That I understand. However, it's important that you know what you're doing. If you just want to have fun and you're not planning on going professional (soon), you could skip music theory and start writing right away. After a while, if you get really enthusiastic, then you could take lessons in harmony and counterpoint.

How should you start to write music?

Especially for beginning composers, even who play at an easy or intermediate level, I wrote first parts of small compositions for a solo instrument, like the piano. These are all free. A first part consists of a number of measures. If you play these measures, you will notice a sense of flow in the music. This will help you to write on where I left off. Just follow the flow and try to finish the composition. That's all there is to it.

- All parts come with empty music paper. These parts are provided as a PDF. You can print the PDF in black & white on a simple printer. Get a free PDF reader here, if necessary. Get yourself a pencil and a raiser as well.

The music is kept very simple. However, if it's still too difficult for you, then you should learn more about the basics first: learn to read notes and/or how to play an instrument at a reasonable level.

Do you have to buy some kind of a follow-up?

No, this is a Booswigte website. Booswigte* websites are always non-commercial websites with free content. Just download one or more of these PDF files and start writing.

Piano: 1. Lullaby 2. Misty morning 3. Empty house 4. Summer Holiday 5. Twilight waltz (completed by Rowy) 6. Nocturne

Guitar: 1. Falling leaves 2. Morning Mood 3. Melody (completed by Rowy - MP3)

Melodie: 1. [recorder] Chinese Music (completed by Rowy - MP3) 2. [trumpet] Rondeau (completed by Rowy - MP3) 3. [violin] Minuet (completed by Rowy - MP3)

When you work on a composition, try to keep it simple. You don't need a lot of alterations to write a nice piece of music, nor do you have to use polyrhythms. Take for instance these examples (free music scores):

Piano: Satie's Gymnopedie I (PDF) for piano or Händel's Sarabande (PDF) for harpsichord. Simple, but brilliant compositions. Do you want to write something more lively, then write a two part composition, like Autumn - Sun in the City (PDF) (MP3). Or try a lively piece with a simple accompaniment, like Rameau's Le Tambourin (PDF) (Midi). Are you thinking of writing something for white keys only, then take a look at Closing Time (PDF) first.

Guitar: Guitar players could have a glance at You (PDF) (MP3). Another piece of easy sheet music is this composition by Paulian: La Biondina (PDF) (Midi).

Melodie: For a melody instrument, like the cello, you could take a look at this score: Chinese Song (PDF) (MP3). This composition, like "Chinese Music" for melody instrument - in this case the recorder - has been written in a pentatonic scale. Btw, writing for flute is much easier. Maybe this composition will inspire you: Autumn (PDF) (MP3).

You'll find more free sheet music at RowyNet's, but not all that simple.

Suppose you've written some music. Then what?

Like I said, if you just want to have fun, start writing music. Use my beginnings (or not) and when you've finished a piece, play it for your family and friends. Compose whatever you want and be a satisfied amateur. There's nothing wrong with being an amateur. You could even have more fun than a professional.

However, if you want to develop yourself as a composer, if you want to avoid making mistakes all the time, then you should take the lessons I mentioned before. Study harmony and counterpoint - and composition, if you can find a trained composer. There's no other way and NO, you can't learn it from a book. You need proper lessons from a professional teacher, online or offline.

Where should you take lessons?

- Read the Composers FAQ and the Do's and Don'ts.

You probably live in an area that's unfamiliar to me. It's best you look online for a music course. There must be hundreds of them out there. If you've found a professional course, then try to find messages about that course in one or more forums.

I hope this site will encourage you to start writing music. And remember, there is no need to despair if you get stuck when you're writing music. Most professional composers get stuck every now and then. Have a look at this manuscript of a mazurka by Chopin. As you can see, it wasn't easy for him either.

Rowy
- who would like to thank Booswigte for their technical support

*) Other Booswigte websites are
www.rowy.net - free sheet music for several instruments
www.classical-sheet-music.eu - free sheet music for piano solo
www.quatre-mains.net - free sheet music for piano four hands
www.ctunes.eu - free real tones for your cell phone

You are allowed to use the material from this website for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that you retain all copyright and other proprietary notices contained in the original materials on any copies of the materials. Unauthorized distribution is strictly prohibited.