Exercises from Composing Music: A New Approach - Revision history

Andy Culbertson: Added my rule of thumb for exercise length.

2018-10-14T04:51:22Z

Added my rule of thumb for exercise length.

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:51, 14 October 2018
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	## Don't use ties. (p. 12)		## Don't use ties. (p. 12)
	# Use notes and other musical elements sparingly, and include rests. Restraint and silence contribute to the music.		# Use notes and other musical elements sparingly, and include rests. Restraint and silence contribute to the music.

			To give myself targets for exercise length, as a rule of thumb I'm treating each staff line as four measures. So if Russo provides three lines for an exercise, I write 12 measures for that exercise.

	== Chapters ==		== Chapters ==

Andy Culbertson: Added a link to William Russo's Wikipedia article.

2018-10-14T04:40:02Z

Added a link to William Russo's Wikipedia article.

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:40, 14 October 2018
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	I used to write music when I was a kid. Now, many years later, I've come back to it, inspired by participating in my church's worship ministry. Based on recommendations from the [https://www.reddit.com/r/composer/ r/composer] subreddit, I've chosen William Russo's ''Composing Music: A New Approach'' (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1983) as a way to wade back in and develop my skills.		I used to write music when I was a kid. Now, many years later, I've come back to it, inspired by participating in my church's worship ministry. Based on recommendations from the [https://www.reddit.com/r/composer/ r/composer] subreddit, I've chosen [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Russo_(musician) William Russo's] ''Composing Music: A New Approach'' (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1983) as a way to wade back in and develop my skills.

	On this set of pages I'll link to my uploaded exercises and write some observations. There are 191 exercises, so I'm splitting the list into separate pages by chapter.		On this set of pages I'll link to my uploaded exercises and write some observations. There are 191 exercises, so I'm splitting the list into separate pages by chapter.

Andy Culbertson: Reformatted the rhythm rules and added one.

2018-10-06T23:49:35Z

Reformatted the rhythm rules and added one.

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:49, 6 October 2018
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	# Include tempo, dynamics, and articulation. These complete the music and make it ready to perform.		# Include tempo, dynamics, and articulation. These complete the music and make it ready to perform.
	# Give the exercise a descriptive title if it's longer than six measures. This will give the piece life and unify its mood for the performer and the listener.		# Give the exercise a descriptive title if it's longer than six measures. This will give the piece life and unify its mood for the performer and the listener.
	# Use a 4/4 or 3/4 meter for most exercises. Use only what Russo calls the Basic Note Values: half note, quarter, pairs of eighth notes, sets of four sixteenths, quarter rests in groups of one or two. This rule will reduce the beginner's risk of trouble. Use only two or three rhythms in an exercise. On rarer occasions you may use 5/4 or 7/4. Group the beats of 5/4 meter into patterns of 2 + 3 or 3 + 2, and use only one pattern in an exercise, though the rhythms within the pattern may vary. Similarly, for 7/4 choose a pattern of 3 + 4 or 4 + 3.		# Rhythm rules:
			## Use a 4/4 or 3/4 meter for most exercises.
			## Use only what Russo calls the Basic Note Values: half note, quarter, pairs of eighth notes (no eighths or rest following), sets of four sixteenths (no sixteenths or rest following), quarter rests in groups of one or two. This rule will reduce the beginner's risk of trouble.
			## Use only two or three rhythms in an exercise.
			## On rarer occasions you may use 5/4 or 7/4. Group the beats of 5/4 meter into patterns of 2 + 3 or 3 + 2, and use only one pattern in an exercise, though the rhythms within the pattern may vary. Similarly, for 7/4 choose a pattern of 3 + 4 or 4 + 3.
			## Don't use ties. (p. 12)
	# Use notes and other musical elements sparingly, and include rests. Restraint and silence contribute to the music.		# Use notes and other musical elements sparingly, and include rests. Restraint and silence contribute to the music.

Andy Culbertson: Added a note on skipping rote exercises.

2018-10-06T23:44:17Z

Added a note on skipping rote exercises.

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:44, 6 October 2018
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	On this set of pages I'll link to my uploaded exercises and write some observations. There are 191 exercises, so I'm splitting the list into separate pages by chapter.		On this set of pages I'll link to my uploaded exercises and write some observations. There are 191 exercises, so I'm splitting the list into separate pages by chapter.

			I'm only uploading exercises that involve composition. The ones I skip are simple, rote exercises meant to teach a specific mechanic, such as notating chords based on their symbols.

	I'm tracking my progress through the exercises on [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dF3AU1fM9JQeEPWSEm_SYYnt6PXUdcEF43ciyi4m5VU/edit?usp=sharing this spreadsheet].		I'm tracking my progress through the exercises on [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dF3AU1fM9JQeEPWSEm_SYYnt6PXUdcEF43ciyi4m5VU/edit?usp=sharing this spreadsheet].

Andy Culbertson: Added the chapter titles.

2018-10-06T23:36:38Z

Added the chapter titles.

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:36, 6 October 2018
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	== Chapters ==		== Chapters ==

	* [[/Chapter 1/]]		* [[/Chapter 1: The Cell, The Row, and Some Scales/]]
	* Chapter 2		* Chapter 2: Harmony (I)
	* Chapter 3		* Chapter 3: Transformation
	* Chapter 4		* Chapter 4: The Small Theme and the Large Theme
	* Chapter 5		* Chapter 5: More Scales and the 12-tone Row
	* Chapter 6		* Chapter 6: Isomelody and Isorhythm, Combined
	* Chapter 7		* Chapter 7: Ostinato
	* Chapter 8		* Chapter 8: Accompaniment Procedures
	* Chapter 9		* Chapter 9: Harmony (II)
	* Chapter 10		* Chapter 10: Counterpoint
	* Chapter 11		* Chapter 11: Organum
	* Chapter 12		* Chapter 12: Imitation: a Useful Game
	* Chapter 13		* Chapter 13: Words and Music
	* Chapter 14		* Chapter 14: Picture Music
	* Chapter 15		* Chapter 15: Popular Music as a Source
	* Chapter 16		* Chapter 16: Minimalism

	[[Category:Music]]		[[Category:Music]]

Andy Culbertson: Added the general rules and some headings.

2018-09-30T13:01:24Z

Added the general rules and some headings.

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:01, 30 September 2018
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	I'm tracking my progress through the exercises on [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dF3AU1fM9JQeEPWSEm_SYYnt6PXUdcEF43ciyi4m5VU/edit?usp=sharing this spreadsheet].		I'm tracking my progress through the exercises on [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dF3AU1fM9JQeEPWSEm_SYYnt6PXUdcEF43ciyi4m5VU/edit?usp=sharing this spreadsheet].

			== General rules ==

			The book's approach is to give each exercise restrictive rules so you can focus on the specific musical resources the exercise is teaching. There are additional rules that apply to all the exercises (pp. 1-3). Here's my summary of those:

			# Prepare to concentrate on the exercise.
			# Compose by singing. This will train your inner ear.
			# Start and end melody-only exercises on the tonic in the same octave. Start a melody with harmony or accompaniment on any tone, and end it on a tonic below the starting tone. This will shape your melodies and help you stay in one key.
			# Use intervals of mainly 2nds and 3rds. Singing is the origin of all melody, and this rule will make your melodies easier to sing.
			# Write for instruments you can play and have access to. This will keep your music playable and give you the excitement of hearing your music performed.
			# Write for string or wind instruments. These can play simple melodies more expressively than the piano. In most cases you may write harmonies or accompaniment for piano or guitar.
			# Include tempo, dynamics, and articulation. These complete the music and make it ready to perform.
			# Give the exercise a descriptive title if it's longer than six measures. This will give the piece life and unify its mood for the performer and the listener.
			# Use a 4/4 or 3/4 meter for most exercises. Use only what Russo calls the Basic Note Values: half note, quarter, pairs of eighth notes, sets of four sixteenths, quarter rests in groups of one or two. This rule will reduce the beginner's risk of trouble. Use only two or three rhythms in an exercise. On rarer occasions you may use 5/4 or 7/4. Group the beats of 5/4 meter into patterns of 2 + 3 or 3 + 2, and use only one pattern in an exercise, though the rhythms within the pattern may vary. Similarly, for 7/4 choose a pattern of 3 + 4 or 4 + 3.
			# Use notes and other musical elements sparingly, and include rests. Restraint and silence contribute to the music.

			== Chapters ==

	* [[/Chapter 1/]]		* [[/Chapter 1/]]

Andy Culbertson: Added the link to my tracking spreadsheet.

2018-09-23T07:40:49Z

Added the link to my tracking spreadsheet.

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:40, 23 September 2018
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	On this set of pages I'll link to my uploaded exercises and write some observations. There are 191 exercises, so I'm splitting the list into separate pages by chapter.		On this set of pages I'll link to my uploaded exercises and write some observations. There are 191 exercises, so I'm splitting the list into separate pages by chapter.

			I'm tracking my progress through the exercises on [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dF3AU1fM9JQeEPWSEm_SYYnt6PXUdcEF43ciyi4m5VU/edit?usp=sharing this spreadsheet].

	* [[/Chapter 1/]]		* [[/Chapter 1/]]

Andy Culbertson: Added the project category.

2018-09-23T07:20:02Z

Added the project category.

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:20, 23 September 2018
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	[[Category:Music]]		[[Category:Music]]
			[[Category:Exercises from Composing Music: A New Approach]]
	[[Category:Lists]]		[[Category:Lists]]
	[[Category:Developing]]		[[Category:Developing]]

Andy Culbertson: Added the article.

2018-09-23T06:59:07Z

Added the article.

New page

I used to write music when I was a kid. Now, many years later, I've come back to it, inspired by participating in my church's worship ministry. Based on recommendations from the [https://www.reddit.com/r/composer/ r/composer] subreddit, I've chosen William Russo's ''Composing Music: A New Approach'' (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1983) as a way to wade back in and develop my skills.

On this set of pages I'll link to my uploaded exercises and write some observations. There are 191 exercises, so I'm splitting the list into separate pages by chapter.

* [[/Chapter 1/]]
* Chapter 2
* Chapter 3
* Chapter 4
* Chapter 5
* Chapter 6
* Chapter 7
* Chapter 8
* Chapter 9
* Chapter 10
* Chapter 11
* Chapter 12
* Chapter 13
* Chapter 14
* Chapter 15
* Chapter 16

[[Category:Music]]
[[Category:Lists]]
[[Category:Developing]]