Post by Bob Porter on Oct 17, 2018 21:40:38 GMT
I'm in over my head here. It's been almost 50 years since I escaped from music school. Some professors were picky about the rules. Some, not so much. My take away is this. The theory is just that. It's the way things have been done, and a guide on how to do them. It's an inexact science. We each have our favorite pet ideas on how things should be done. There is the school of "There's only one way to do something". And the school of "Do what seems the most clear". Trouble is that there is seldom agreement on what that one way is, and what is clear to one musician may not be to another.
Musicians will read what you put in front of them. Sure, it has to be organized somehow. There are norms that should be adhered to. But give them some credit. It's their job. E# or F may have some theoretical basis, but in the end, they might not care. And the listener (the main reason for writing anything to begin with) certainly doesn't care. If we are afraid that history will judge us for that E#, then maybe composing isn't for us.
We live in a time when composers can self-publish. In the past, commercial publishers always fixed problem scores (hopefully). Now there are people doing all kinds of stuff. You don't have to know anything about music to compose it. Don't get me wrong, that's fine by me.
Heck, there are even electric pianos that are better than the real thing. Soon they will replace real pianos.
(not)
We can have perfect scores and perfect recordings, but still have crap music.
Dave, thanks for writing great music. Virtual three out of three.
Why back in my day (all hunched over, wobbling on a cane) music directors went to physical music store, looked at scores, could hear them in their heads, and made great choices.
Musicians will read what you put in front of them. Sure, it has to be organized somehow. There are norms that should be adhered to. But give them some credit. It's their job. E# or F may have some theoretical basis, but in the end, they might not care. And the listener (the main reason for writing anything to begin with) certainly doesn't care. If we are afraid that history will judge us for that E#, then maybe composing isn't for us.
We live in a time when composers can self-publish. In the past, commercial publishers always fixed problem scores (hopefully). Now there are people doing all kinds of stuff. You don't have to know anything about music to compose it. Don't get me wrong, that's fine by me.
Heck, there are even electric pianos that are better than the real thing. Soon they will replace real pianos.
(not)
We can have perfect scores and perfect recordings, but still have crap music.
Dave, thanks for writing great music. Virtual three out of three.
Why back in my day (all hunched over, wobbling on a cane) music directors went to physical music store, looked at scores, could hear them in their heads, and made great choices.