Creating Your Own Unique Music

Have you ever dreamed of penning your own compositions? Writing music has been a dream of mine for the longest time. And it's a dream I am fortunate enough to have realized.

The idea of having a finished piece of music in front of you is exciting to say the least, but many students rush the process and end up with music that is less than what they originally thought of.

The way around this "compostion trap" as I like to call it is to be able to sit down at the piano or keyboard and be able to play for at least 15-20 minutes without judging what is coming out of you. Once you can do this, your ability to capture musical ideas as they first came to you increase.

First thoughts are powerful!

Your first ideas will ALWAYS BE YOUR BEST IDEAS! Why? Because this music comes straight from the heart and does not have the censorship of the critical mind attached to it. Always improvise first, then memoralize your ideas if you wish. I do this by jotting down an 8-bar section. Once the melody is recognized, I pencil in the first 2-bars and try to fill up the 8-bars with chord changes.

Once I have the first 8-bars, the whole piece is practically done. I usually do not finish a piece in one sitting, however, I do make it a point to at least get 8 bars of music down. This is a very doable goal and one you can accomplish as well!

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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Music industry eases tactics in fighting piracy - 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/0i-0fd=Rurl=http://newsoxy.com/riaa/article11568.htmlcid=1286509853ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNEJ4vWUfFtu7EjidiXcz-UG7gGxYgimg src=http://nt0.ggpht.com/news?imgefp=XLIVuS2yT5QJimgurl=www.newsoxy.com/img/news/mediasentry.jpg width=80 height=60 alt= border=1brfont size=-2NewsOXY/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://uk.reuters.com/article/autoNews/idUKTRE5050NR20090106cid=1286509853ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNEgMAUjPAVTVuvBbWZCTgDrr6xaDgbMusic/b industry eases tactics in fighting piracy/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fReutersnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b file-sharers marks a fundamental shift in the bmusic/b business#39;s battle against piracy, from one focused on enforcement to one emphasizing education. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-1fd=Rurl=http://news.cnet.com/8300-1023_3-93.html%3Fkeyword%3DSling%2BMediacid=1286509853ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNHyS1TINfWEFEVP0OvRqzMCc0g7tQSling Media,/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrCNET News/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-2fd=Rurl=http://chronicle.com/wiredcampus/article/3538/music-industry-ditches-company-it-used-to-gather-evidence-on-studentscid=1286509853ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNHDFVa-zcYmh19VF1WfPGonSeRmJgbMusic/b Industry Ditches Company It Used to Gather Evidence on Students/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrChronicle of Higher Education (subscription)/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-3fd=Rurl=http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2009/01/draft-verizon-o.htmlcid=1286509853ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNHzdBqy_GtnUrV9rW4dXUlciZiPUQTop Internet Providers Cool to RIAA Three-Strikes Plan/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWired News/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-4fd=Rurl=http://newsoxy.com/riaa/article11568.htmlcid=1286509853ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNEJ4vWUfFtu7EjidiXcz-UG7gGxYgnobrNewsOXY/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-5fd=Rurl=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i8984cd09f9fc9836d439f072c2fe560acid=1286509853ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNFWLw4onDqW08wqXlXOFxvVcCNrzQnobrBillboard Business News/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=1286509853hl=ennobrall 33 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

#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/1i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.freshnews.in/latin-album-sales-decline-in-2008-109648cid=1285991953ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNE9K_kW9KXGowHfesi2AJ9f0pfyiAimg src=http://nt0.ggpht.com/news?imgefp=iL7ysbvYeoAJimgurl=www.freshnews.in/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/latin-album-sales-slide-in-2008.jpg width=80 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Fresh 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/1-0fd=Rurl=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/inc/quickread/e3i7fcfe6ddd3b5d6c22c5700ff3a805662%3FKeepThis%3Dtrue%26TB_iframe%3Dtrue%26height%3D310%26width%3D600cid=1285991953ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNEQOIUkRjFRwSCqldRi4pO5zP30Mw#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/1-1fd=Rurl=http://www.antimusic.com/news/09/jan/05Rock_Ruled_Music_In_2008-_Biggest_Sellers_Revealed.shtmlcid=1285991953ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNF2lE55s6MfC4CvPGA3oUpuhdwAxARock 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/1-2fd=Rurl=http://www.thecelebritycafe.com/features/23113.htmlcid=1285991953ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNH9549_co0rgHcLsoJPM2Us58b1GAbMusic/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/1-3fd=Rurl=http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2009-01-01-soundscan-numbers_N.htmcid=1285991953ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNHia5R6k-prnw-6BRziaEvQou7HugbMusic/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/1-4fd=Rurl=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/01/arts/music/01indu.htmlcid=1285991953ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNHEYLVEI15oTt1BEVAkbo31Kyr7zgnobrNew York Times/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-5fd=Rurl=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/music/la-fi-music1-2009jan01,0,3450566.storycid=1285991953ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNGFOoVMvTDmu9BCGF2JPIeAMva-twnobrLos 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 519 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Music marketers target female shoppers at home - Reuters

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/2-0fd=Rurl=http://uk.reuters.com/article/autoNews/idUKTRE5050KX20090106cid=1287391948ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNH6XtO5MZqGoN0BRgnKbKqmz-YM-AbMusic/b marketers target female shoppers at home/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fReutersnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Ed Christman NEW YORK (Billboard) - With CD sales dropping fast, the bmusic/b business is exploring nontraditional ways to expose consumers to recording b.../b/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/5-0fd=Rurl=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gh-BPSHCjEnd0-RefNJx3gr7dVtQD95GU3IO0cid=1287185631ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNESNn3IOfrjInXYc_wenLOF7BSHkAMore schools getting in tune with mariachi/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Associated Pressnbsp;-/font nobr19 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

Read all #39;Macworld 2009#39; posts in Digital Media - CNET News

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/6i-0fd=Rurl=http://news.cnet.com/8300-1023_3-93.html%3Fkeyword%3DMacworld%2B2009cid=1287366747ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNHX3vdAoEc9NmyitJhtNg7JL0bP_wimg src=http://nt2.ggpht.com/news?imgefp=ipP30G3Vh4EJimgurl=news.cnet.com/i/ne/pg/fd_2009/090105_itunes.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/6-0fd=Rurl=http://news.cnet.com/8300-1023_3-93.html%3Fkeyword%3DMacworld%2B2009cid=1287366747ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNHX3vdAoEc9NmyitJhtNg7JL0bP_wRead all #39;Macworld 2009#39; posts in Digital Media/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fCNET News,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobr4 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Apple has cut deals that will finally enable iTunes to offer songs free of digital rights management software from the three largest bmusic/b labels, b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-1fd=Rurl=http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/01/05/apple_inks_deals_for_all_drm_free_itunes_3g_downloads.htmlcid=1287366747ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNF0Frn6Dcm7joZYL0FlsoHVQMpntgApple inks deals for all DRM-free iTunes, 3G downloads/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrApple Insider/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-2fd=Rurl=http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2009/01/05/apple-finally-drops-drm-on-itunes-music-ota-3g-music-downloads/cid=1287366747ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNEgI2Zrj69qScQnA7I3As5liNiHMgApple finally drops DRM on iTunes bmusic/b, OTA 3G bmusic/b downloads?/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBoy Genius Report/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-3fd=Rurl=http://mashable.com/2009/01/05/drm-free-music-on-itunes/cid=1287366747ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNETpY5nNmtCU9JgoJcnu7KgoaY2bwiTunes Rumored to be Dropping DRM; Jacking Up Pop bMusic/b Prices/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrMashable/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-4fd=Rurl=http://venturebeat.com/2009/01/05/drm-close-to-extinction-on-itunes/cid=1287366747ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNFtYD8un2fIaNqY03Fmg2KAsEnl2AnobrVentureBeat/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-5fd=Rurl=http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/01/05/apple-ditching-drm-3g-itunes-downloads/cid=1287366747ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNGVazPYewKchGeBnPQ4CVc2fs3G4AnobrCrunchGear/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=1287366747hl=ennobrall 13 news articles/nobr/a/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/7-0fd=Rurl=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117998001.html%3FcategoryId%3D16cid=1286885000ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNE29jxriJswiIPFCsona4nDMJAeCgbMusic/b matters at Sundance/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fVariety,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobr2 hours 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/8i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.prweb.com/releases/bluetooth/speaker/prweb1822994.htmcid=1287169971ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNHeCdo56cjs7kjcEG5sZOinHLGpcwimg 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/8-0fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS91933%2B05-Jan-2009%2BBW20090105cid=1287169971ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNGLhxayq2x6ZW-hF68ZNVS7aUv9wgMiccus Unleashes Digital bMusic/b: Launches BluBridge Home Speaker b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fReutersnbsp;-/font nobr17 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/8-1fd=Rurl=http://www.prweb.com/releases/bluetooth/speaker/prweb1822994.htmcid=1287169971ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNHeCdo56cjs7kjcEG5sZOinHLGpcwTenqa 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/8-2fd=Rurl=http://gadgets.tmcnet.com/topics/gadgets/articles/48026-miccus-debuts-blubridge-wireless-speakers-transmitters-receivers.htmcid=1287169971ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNGabyIYtbTt-R1_Ozqs-wSJNYe7QAMiccus 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

A Year in Love and Music - New York Times

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/9i-0fd=Rurl=http://measureformeasure.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/05/a-year-in-love-and-music/%3Fref%3Dopinioncid=0ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNHukP_Z-giXkjh09dnCLb8nXcOdlwimg src=http://nt1.ggpht.com/news?imgefp=-QR3ekXvzcMJimgurl=graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2009/01/05/opinion/jan2009.jpg width=80 height=55 alt= border=1brfont size=-2New York Times/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/9-0fd=Rurl=http://measureformeasure.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/05/a-year-in-love-and-music/%3Fref%3Dopinioncid=0ei=UvRiSdO3FKDM8ASk8fCdBAusg=AFQjCNHukP_Z-giXkjh09dnCLb8nXcOdlwA Year in Love and bMusic/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNew York Times,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr27 minutes ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1With bmusic/b now available with a single, offhand click, it#39;s easy to forget that songs are not born whole, polished and ready to play. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Music - Google News

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50 Cent
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Music & Citizenship: Can Playing a Musical Instrument Help Your Child Become a Better Citizen?
Disregard the popular image of rappers with their ghetto blasters, terrorizing neighborhoods with eardrum-splitting cacophony. Consider instead our delightful school bands and orchestras? and ponder on whether those students might be becoming our best future citizens.

Guitar Performance - Make The Most of It!
Getting ready for any type of guitar performance can be a little scary at first, but if you are well prepared, you will find the experience much easier to handle. Whether you're playing with a band, or by yourself; are a seasoned performer, or a rookie; there are several things you can do to make the most of your performance.

Liberate your iPod
When Akio Morita came up with the idea of the Sony Walkman all of his colleagues at the thought he was completely insane. The general consensus was that people wouldn't want to walk around the streets wearing headphones.