Should All Pianists WRITE Music?

[@PlayTheMind]

This is fantastic advice, Charles. I've been preaching this idea for years, that a pianist who composes can gain so much more perspective on the pieces they perform. Thanks for this video 🙏

[@PianistAcademy1]

Absolutely!

[@bethanywakim6175]

The fact that you compose (as well as give great technique advice) is one of the reasons I watch this channel so frequently. You gain so much perspective from the creation process! It’s a testament to your teacher that he recognized how your composition skills made you a better musician. I really wish I’d been able to learn composition alongside piano lessons - but it mostly seems to be viewed as an extra part of music education, rather than an integral part of the learning process. As a math nerd next to my “artsy” friends, I grew up believing I was uncreative. It never occured to me that composition was a skill could be learned. Better late than never! Thanks once again for an insightful video!

[@PianistAcademy1]

Thanks so much, Bethany! To be totally honest and fair, a great many "piano" teachers have no idea how to write music... even those holding a degree or more than one. I learned this somewhat the hard way when I needed to hire pianists for various tasks at my previous church job. Some who held DMAs in performance couldn't alter the score they played from in any way. They were literally locked into the notes on the page and only those. I was kind of astounded when I realized this, many years after I finished schooling, and it's had a huge impact on how I approach the teaching process.

[@KeyboardKirby]

Love this!

[@PianistAcademy1]

Thanks, and thanks for watching!

[@rgarlinyc]

A great compliment about you from Robert Hamilton 👏🏻 and what's even better is that you continued to become even better as a composer and pianist! (Lot's of 'even better' in there, my apologies; guess I should compose my sentences, uh, even better!)

[@PianistAcademy1]

😂 Thanks a bunch!

[@RhodesyYT]

You have helped me alot with composition charles thank you charles one of the best musicians on youtube

[@PianistAcademy1]

That's very very kind, Rhodesy! I appreciate it, and I'm glad I've been able to help you with your composition and improv!

[@serwoolsley]

One of the best teacher here on youtube!

[@PianistAcademy1]

@@serwoolsley Ironically, some of the best teaching (imho) isn't on any of the major/large channels. I put Denis Zhdanov right at the top of my own list, even above the master teachers over on Tonebase!

[@JoeLinux2000]

@@PianistAcademy1 kzbin.info/www/bejne/haqzlXeefqqNi6c

[@JoeLinux2000]

@@PianistAcademy1 kzbin.info/www/bejne/haqzlXeefqqNi6c The problem with this playing is there is no compositional organization. It's just "noodling". It's not unpleasant, but it doesn't go anywhere. He did write a book on piano playing called "Effortless Mastery". I find Gerald Clayton's solo performance much more compelling: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHa6ZqSDnbulpJo

[@aBachwardsfellow]

I suppose it makes sense that, when performing, a pianist would want to be as "self-composed" as possible ;-) Seriously -- an excellent perspective.

[@PianistAcademy1]

🤣 This literally made me chuckle out loud.

[@aBachwardsfellow]

@@PianistAcademy1 Clearly you are made of the "write" stuff! 🙂

[@JoeLinux2000]

As a performer, you have to make performances your own.

[@serwoolsley]

Oh i would love to study in order to be able to compose, i barely have time to play tho, it will have to wait

[@PianistAcademy1]

All in time!

[@aBachwardsfellow]

​@@PianistAcademy1 What litte "composing" I do is typically done at the instrument -- I get an idea -- motif, picture, etc. -- in my head, and sit down at the piano and start playing it out. I'm using all the same tools -- harmony, melody, counterpoint, theory, rhythm, dynamics, articulation, etc. -- that I would use if putting it down in staff lines. I suppose in a sense it's "improv" -- or composing without "paper and pen" -- trying to put it on paper seems to bog me down -- I supposed it's part of the discipline I haven't learned yet. What I end up with is a finished "composition" that I can play easily, but which requires a labor of love to capture in notation -- especially dealing with notation software that has its own ideas of how it wants to do things. So I end up making a video recording of me playing it for future reference (and also because I tend to "continuously compose" -- that is change things, alter/add things) as I go. For something I'm going to perform, I typically end up having to write it out so I can play it the same way twice (or more). I only recently wrote out "Good Morning Bach" to play as an offertory after having put it together several years ago; I'm still working on (developing/"composing") the "Advent Medley", and I have a choral arrangement of "The Fight Is O'er" that I'm working on for Easter.

[@JoeLinux2000]

I've always felt composition is your true forte.

[@PianistAcademy1]

Thanks! I quite enjoy my creative time composing and arranging!

[@sobrcelt]

I play more as if wolves were actually attacking me in the moment lol, but everyone has to start somewhere, eh?

[@PianistAcademy1]

🤣 love it! And yes, we all start somewhere!

[@bunnyhollowcrafts]

And so ... what software/app do you use, or would recommend, to write down the music?? I can't read my own chicken scratch! Love this video!

[@PianistAcademy1]

Thanks! Personally, I've used Finale for notation since about 2002 or 2003. I've learned the program inside and out, and now I'm reluctant to change even though I'm very interesting in experiencing Dorico and there are plenty of frustrating things about Finale. I just don't have the time to learn a new platform amid keeping everything else going! At this point, I've probably written and engraved about 800-1000 pages of music in Finale between all of the projects I've done over the last 20 years.

[@bethanywakim6175]

If you’re just looking to try something, musescore is free and has come a long way in the last several years. It’s not quite up to the professional standard as finale/sibelius/dorico, but you can still put out a decent score with it :)

[@bunnyhollowcrafts]

@@PianistAcademy1 Thanks Charles! I’ve used Publisher for the last 25-30 years and know it inside and out! I get why you want to stick with the one you know!!! Thanks for your reply!!

[@qazsedcft2162]

Thanks for the great advice! But how do I start composing? My music theory is okay but I have no idea where to start.

[@PianistAcademy1]

The best part is you can start literally anywhere! You absolutely don’t need theory to get started, even to write some beautiful stuff. Yes, eventually it will come in handy. But in the meantime, try writing a 4 bar melody. Try picking a few chords you know that work together and write a melody to those. Ask yourself what makes a good melody? Pick a few of your favorite pieces and ask yourself why they are your favorites and what makes them so great? Use your ears just as much as your eyes with the scores for those. And besides all that, just sit at the keys and start. It doesn’t matter if it’s good or not, we just get started and make it a part of your regular routine on the bench!

[@qazsedcft2162]

Thanks for the advice! I sometimes play around improvising stuff but wouldn't really call it composing. I'd have to write it down and actually think about it.

[@Sara53131]

My dream is writing Music .

[@PianistAcademy1]

That's wonderful! What's holding you back? Just pick a day and start! It doesn't matter what comes out of the day, it only matters that you began the journey.

[@Sara53131]

I have to learn more about it first

[@PianistAcademy1]

@@Sara53131when I first began composing, all I had were my ears to tell me if something sounded good or not. No theory, no training, not even great piano technique. But I just started! And over time, learning composition more officially slowly worked its way into my life. You don’t need any training to begin to compose, you only need to listen and respond to what you hear 😁

[@Sara53131]

I will try it. I play piano with notes and by ear.

[@PianistAcademy1]

@@Sara53131 Yay! Wonderful!

[@JoeLinux2000]

I find this guy to be quite creative from a compositional point of view: www.youtube.com/@xian-yuan/videos

[@JoeLinux2000]

This is a very complex subject. Very few people can compose musically. The "modernist school" tends to be a complete disaster. True composers have to have a great feel for melody, rhythm, harmony and the resolution of dissonance. They must be able to combine these elements in a creative and fresh manner. There has to be a certain element of surprise. The ability to use dissonance effectively with proper resolution is an extremely important aspect. I really don't care for the International Chopin Competition. Liu won it, but where are his compositions? Cateen was eliminated in Round III, but he's a very talented and creative guy, the most like Chopin that I know of. Quite frankly, most "classical" musicians are just very well trained parrots that paint very well within the numbers. Has Jeremy Denk every written anything? I don't know. I find his machine gun style of piano technique somewhat tedious and boring, while I do recognize he has "excellent" finger technique which many people find most impressive.

[@PianistAcademy1]

This highlights one of (I think) the major problems with traditional classical music education today and also why a huge number of multi-degree holding musicians are still completely lost once they no longer work on repertoire with their coaches or teachers. For them, music has been boiled down to certain actions at certain times, but there is little to no understanding of why. No number of degrees, no number of private lessons, no number of practice hours logged gets them past that point. Put a lead sheet in front of them and they literally can't play a note. In pre-written music, notes, dynamics, articulations, are all learned and "well executed" but the result is like a grainy black and white photo, where as a performer with great understanding of *music* itself will represent the same notes like a film in full color.

[@JoeLinux2000]

@@PianistAcademy1, Right now I'm into Beegie Adair. I only learned of her recently and she also passed recently. Her sense of musical taste is exquisite. As a non-pianist who dabbles at it as a hobby, I have become lazy. The are so many wonderful arrangements being posted on KZbin, it's just easier to obtain great compositions (arrangements) prepackaged. I generally abridged them to accommodate my limited technique. There is no sense in slogging through complex and difficult to play "filler." You might compare it to picking the cherries off the top of the cake.