Composing for Dummies

When most people hear the word composer, they automatically think of classical composers like Mozart or Beethoven. This is the point where many "would be" composers freeze up because they tell themselves that their music could never be as good. And this is also the point where would be music makers end their desire to create.

When you compare yourself to another person you are really defeating the whole idea of creating to begin with. Why? Because your music is as unique as you are!

There will never be another person like you and there will never be anyone else who can create music like you. So give up your notions of becoming a great composer. Instead, focus on the joy that comes from being n the moment and creating your own music. To do this, learn how to improvise first.

You must have the ability to move forward without censoring what is coming out of you. Just like writers do with freewriting, so you too must do with improvisation.

Once you are able to just sit down at the piano and play without worrying if it's good enough, you'll be ready to put pen to paper and compose. Of course you could compose without learning how to improvise, but chances are the music will sound stodgy andfoursquare. It may not have the "life" that most composers shoot for.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/piano_lessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!

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#39;08 music sales hit record high - Hollywood Reporter

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0i-0fd=Rurl=http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10130206-93.htmlcid=1285991953ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNGSmAOU0C1xUEjhwGjOc-f5r9EWBgimg src=http://nt2.ggpht.com/news?imgefp=TigD3usBtT8Jimgurl=news.cnet.com/i/bto/20090101/Music_270x202.jpg width=80 height=60 alt= border=1brfont size=-2CNET News/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-0fd=Rurl=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/inc/quickread/e3i7fcfe6ddd3b5d6c22c5700ff3a805662%3FKeepThis%3Dtrue%26TB_iframe%3Dtrue%26height%3D310%26width%3D600cid=1285991953ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNEerL8C1RvmQTm-Qtieow6j99--6g#39;08 bmusic/b sales hit record high/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fHollywood Reporter,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobrJan 4, 2009/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Overall bmusic/b sales set record in 2008, with more than 1.5 billion units sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The Nielsen Co.#39;s annual year-end bmusic/b b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-1fd=Rurl=http://www.antimusic.com/news/09/jan/05Rock_Ruled_Music_In_2008-_Biggest_Sellers_Revealed.shtmlcid=1285991953ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNECYnRhMk9FyLibhdSDk-beTF0XyQRock Ruled bMusic/b In 2008: Biggest Sellers Revealed/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrantiMUSIC.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-2fd=Rurl=http://www.thecelebritycafe.com/features/23113.htmlcid=1285991953ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNH_YLxQKMcQyPyrAFLHGo2B_LQ1EgbMusic/b Sales Reach a Record High, But Not Through Album Sales/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrTheCelebrityCafe.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-3fd=Rurl=http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2009-01-01-soundscan-numbers_N.htmcid=1285991953ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNFJXlMZbpnC3KxCZeJKOE19MyxdeAbMusic/b sales boom, but albums fizzle for #39;08/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrUSA Today/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-4fd=Rurl=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/01/arts/music/01indu.htmlcid=1285991953ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNF6Vy1qYAF6332LaP5D8W0nSezd5QnobrNew York Times/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-5fd=Rurl=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/music/la-fi-music1-2009jan01,0,3450566.storycid=1285991953ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNGbphO9HoXaZJQlbaywVtNdo2-rjAnobrLos Angeles Times/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1285991953hl=ennobrall 521 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Hyundai Super Bowl ad to feature music by Yo-Yo Ma - Reuters

Musebin: The future of music reviews? - Los Angeles Times

More schools getting in tune with mariachi - The Associated Press

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/3-0fd=Rurl=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gh-BPSHCjEnd0-RefNJx3gr7dVtQD95GU3IO0cid=1287185631ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNER5LlQzaxVqMHOI1bd-ZquubjNHgMore schools getting in tune with mariachi/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Associated Pressnbsp;-/font nobr17 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Then the teenager started playing the bmusic/b of the elder#39;s homeland. Perez, 14, took a mariachi bmusic/b class at his Fort Worth high school, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Music matters at Sundance - Variety

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-0fd=Rurl=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117998001.html%3FcategoryId%3D16cid=1286885000ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNF3GtTCEcYolwLREqlAEpYAIEGJWwbMusic/b matters at Sundance/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fVariety,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobr35 minutes ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By KATHY A. MCDONALD bMusic/b matters at Sundance. Both the Sundance Institute and Sundance Film Festival have long supported the cross-pollination between b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Miccus Unleashes Digital Music: Launches BluBridge Home Speaker ... - Reuters

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/12/prweb1757854.htmcid=1287169971ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNG6Z6RCnQPWff-lJiR_dNUsN4f3fwimg src=http://nt3.ggpht.com/news?imgefp=Sz20AOdFIUgJimgurl=www.prweb.com/prfiles/2008/12/15/1020734/gI_0_sp01sm.jpg width=80 height=49 alt= border=1brfont size=-2PR Web (press release)/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-0fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS91933%2B05-Jan-2009%2BBW20090105cid=1287169971ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNFjh_MpQkGBaroea_NxN0ajycrZGQMiccus Unleashes Digital bMusic/b: Launches BluBridge Home Speaker b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fReutersnbsp;-/font nobr16 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Bridge bMusic/b Wirelessly from an iPod, Macbook or Phone to Existing Home Stereo and Audio/Video Equipment HOLLAND, Mich.--(Business Wire)-- Amidst a growing b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-1fd=Rurl=http://www.prweb.com/releases/bluetooth/speaker/prweb1822994.htmcid=1287169971ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNG-pfJketVGOk0YiQT6VhbanHcQLQTenqa to Exhibit New Line of Bluetooth® Wireless Speakers b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrPR Web (press release)/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-2fd=Rurl=http://gadgets.tmcnet.com/topics/gadgets/articles/48026-miccus-debuts-blubridge-wireless-speakers-transmitters-receivers.htmcid=1287169971ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNE-NkLpZGXl296V0IguFoA7S3nG6wMiccus Debuts BluBridge Wireless Speakers, Transmitters and Receivers/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrTMCnet/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1287169971hl=ennobrall 18 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Music Review | Yefim Bronfman - New York Times

Free music gushes out of the Internet, if you know where to look - The Oregonian - OregonLive.com

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.oregonlive.com/music/index.ssf/2009/01/free_music_gushes_out_of_the_i.htmlcid=1287183308ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNH2EVYOiT6T1mXaQ_7Ikw8iojZlLwimg src=http://nt0.ggpht.com/news?imgefp=vCMSTEutn_sJimgurl=blog.oregonlive.com/ent_impact_music/2009/01/large_sharonjones-bonnarroo.jpg width=64 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2The Oregonian - OregonLive.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-0fd=Rurl=http://www.oregonlive.com/music/index.ssf/2009/01/free_music_gushes_out_of_the_i.htmlcid=1287183308ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNH2EVYOiT6T1mXaQ_7Ikw8iojZlLwFree bmusic/b gushes out of the Internet, if you know where to look/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Oregonian - OregonLive.com,nbsp;ORnbsp;-/font nobr7 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Luciana Lopez, The Oregonian Jake Coyle/AP Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings perform at the Bonnaroo bmusic/b festival in Manchester, Tenn., last June. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-1fd=Rurl=http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/ht.ssf%3F/base/news/123115053048560.xml%26coll%3D1cid=1287183308ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNHBqyEJJfwCRyetmJIk-KejAka8MwFree bmusic/b Web site plays to individual taste/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe Huntsville Times - al.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1287183308hl=ennobrall 4 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

YouTube dispute underscores music labels#39; weak hand - Video/Imaging DesignLine

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.javno.com/en/bestseller/clanak.php%3Fid%3D220672cid=1286905074ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNGhNZyLGy0AnQDZlIH1D5EN1pkBZgimg src=http://nt2.ggpht.com/news?imgefp=gnqTfwbbgCMJimgurl=www.javno.com/slike/slike_3/r1/g2009/m01/y191874233509354.jpg width=80 height=40 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Javno.hr/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-0fd=Rurl=http://www.videsignline.com/news/212600029cid=1286905074ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNEqEELT1LZPsn6vcKFxI-Be_ULs_AYouTube dispute underscores bmusic/b labels#39; weak hand/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fVideo/Imaging DesignLine,nbsp;New Yorknbsp;-/font nobr14 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Reuters The bmusic/b industry, faced with declining CD sales, has repeatedly tried to find new income streams only to see its partners thrive with minimal b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-1fd=Rurl=http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20090105/how-to-solve-the-big-musicyoutube-spat-copy-myspace/cid=1286905074ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNEoHIMI-5M7xyVMnQV9xsVm9vZBdQHow To Solve The Big bMusic/b/YouTube Spat: Copy MySpace/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrAll Things D Blogs/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-2fd=Rurl=http://www.streamingmedia.com/article.asp%3Fid%3D10912cid=1286905074ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNHI4gZXwSuIywQ_KudUqJuxbR3zGQYouTube Saga Mirrors iTunes Negotiations/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrStreamingMedia.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-3fd=Rurl=http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/music/36949489.html%3Felr%3DKArksD:aDyaEP:kD:aUnOiP3UiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUcid=1286905074ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNHJfC_XJO3gXSIP28vZYyuwBS5j9gNow you see it, now you don#39;t/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrMinneapolis Star Tribune/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-4fd=Rurl=http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10132086-93.htmlcid=1286905074ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNEiL0VIkdVNmOMvrfRb76zNK-UfDQnobrCNET News/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-5fd=Rurl=http://blogs.reuters.com/mediafile/2009/01/05/hulu-keeps-bringing-in-the-fans-even-without-sarah-palin/cid=1286905074ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNH37o3Qm9sWt8VlsfMd-ZBkIeZOnQnobrReuters/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1286905074hl=ennobrall 44 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Portland Music Award nominations out - The Oregonian - OregonLive.com

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/9-0fd=Rurl=http://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2009/01/portland_music_award_nominatio.htmlcid=1287368128ei=Qd1iSc-zCoHI9AT9utCSBAusg=AFQjCNEyeuRAMsDJqwhPvgEUnj880HcF8APortland bMusic/b Award nominations out/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Oregonian - OregonLive.com,nbsp;ORnbsp;-/font nobr2 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Luciana Lopez, The Oregonian Nominations for the Portland bMusic/b Awards are out -- no big surprises, but some good artists nonetheless (Kristina Rae is, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

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