The why and the who of composition

[Tyler]

These are some simple questions that I believe can bring about some interesting conversation.

Why do you compose music?
Who is your intended audience ?
Who is your typical audience?
What do you hope to gain through your compositions if anything? (is this a career or a hobby)

[Adrian Allan]

1. Enjoyment, challenge and the need for self expression. A release for my often tortured soul.

2. The generally experienced music listener - neither the intelligencia nor those whose tastes deem it appropriate to purchase phonographic products by Cliff Richard, Girls Aloud, Lady Gaga and the like.

3. You, a few others on this website and youtube, and my long suffering parents !

4. A sense of satisfaction in musical self development and eventual recognition when I'm either good enough at doing this, or dead and buried (although it should be noted that excarnation by a totemic bird such as the sea eagle would be my preferred funerary rite).

[AndrewG]

Well, one can say many things here, but I guess that the most will be either wrong or superficial. This is similar to asking somebody "Why are you in love with somebody?". Such questions involve too many subconscious, unreasonable and unexplainable phenomena. Still one can try to answer, there is no harm in this...

[Andrew Wonders]

Great topic and questions, Tyler...

1) Because if I didn't, my soul would die.

2) Anybody who will listen. Seriously. But I guess, more specifically, people who enjoy melodic orchestral/ensemble music (or sometimes metal, and some other times a blend of both).

3)Again, anybody who will listen. Usually friends and family first, then the greater internet community (like you all).

4)First and foremost, my own satisfaction. However, I *would* like to make a living composing music. Ideally for media (film, tv, games, etc.). I'm still acquiring the skills I will need to do that, and even their presence doesn't guarantee anything, but I'm willing to give it a good go, nonetheless.

[Fredrick zinos]

I compose music as a condition of my parole ( I once killed a clarinet player who asked too many questions-but that's a story for another time).

I don't have a specific intended audience. I no longer know any musicians (see above) so the prospect of getting performances is limited to that small gaggle of performers who I am able to blackmail.

I don't have a typical audience except perhaps for a few lonely souls who wander into a concert hall in which something of mine is on the menu, only to find that the entrance was free but they had to pay to get out.

The last question is the most interesting. What I hope to get out of composing is a deeper more profound understanding of phrenology.

[James May]

1. Why do you compose music?

I compose for a number of different reasons. One in particular: In 2007, I was diagnosed with DID (dissociative identity disorder, aka multiple personality disorder). Music and composition is the other activity that my alters (or other personalities) do together. Creating music keeps me center and allows me to stay conscious and revel in the moments of life. Also, I believe we are made in the image of whoever created this space we live in and our jobs are to create as well, whether it be life, music, poetry, paintings, etc. The feeling of accomplishment and ownership is also a great motivation tool in life.

2. Who is your intended audience?

My intended audience is anyone who appreciates music on all levels and can equate emotion and feelings with style, melody, harmony, rhythm, and tempo of music. Also, people who have an appreciation for music that comes from real talent and effort.

3. Who is your typical audience?

People who enjoy and appreciate creativity, security guards or professors at universities that find I've snuck into the performance hall, skeptics, disgruntled misinformed contemporaries and naysayers, family, friends, other classically-rooted artists, music producers, and people who listen to music for peaceful sleep or relaxation.

4. What do you hope to gain through your compositions if anything? (Is this a career or a hobby)

I hope to gain a deeper understanding of music, myself, my place in the world, and my range of creativity. For now it's a hobby but I'm reluctantly crossing the bridge towards a career. During this time of healing my psyche I'm currently okay with just making music for myself. If a few or many don't like it or approve of it that's their issue; I'll keep it moving.

[Gerry Flags]

Good question(s)!

I write music as comfortably as I write prose. It's an extension of the creative personality. When I manage to glue those notes together on screen/paper - and they realize the sound I had in my mind all along... it's an experience like nothing else.

My audience? Whoever wants to listen. But I suppose I aim for those folks who understand the process. Or those who [i]appreciate[/i] the process.

My typical audiences so far have been friends, family and coleagues. A limited number of paid audiences. Music for me, transcends the promise of immediate profit.

I hope to gain meaning (cliched maybe) But I honestly feel that the more prolific my writing is, in spurts, the more I get to understand myself. Like, which other composer inspired me; what circumstances prompted the composition; how I felt at the time etc.

Music will always be a dearly loved hobby until someone thinks it's worth any money. And even then I'd keep my integrity, and remain cautious. No wonder people refer to their works as their 'children'. They are (if less physically), equally important, creatively.

[Chris Alpiar]

I compose music because it is who I am. God has given me the gift to see life and interpret it into music. It can be an overwhelming charge at times, but there is nothing as fulfilling as bringing the good word with music. For many years I was a performer of the saxophones in the free jazz circuit and that was the root of my soul and where all my creativity stemmed from. Being a saxophonist in the way I was, was verily like being a priest, just never using the words 'god' or 'religeon' but rather only the honesty and truth of my spirutuality via my instrument. I longed for living better than a gypsy, half a step from living on the street and so somewhere in my 30s I changed. Now I perform less and focus on composition, which brings me to question 2:

My intended audience with my composition is as many people as possible as I am focused on commercial media composing and less so on art composing. I still believe strongly that my music should have a high element of craft and art to it, but my composition fails if there is no 'street savvy' to it

My typical audience is just that. When I played free jazz my audience was very different, and many people i knew then probably consider me a sell out from that era of my life. But rather I feel as if I have grown and that my music has evolved from being a geo-political statement via truth of art often riddled with angst and anger, it is now more mellow and melodic and focused on making people feel a certain resonation with my music instead of making them be initially repulsed (often) and then later if they passed the test, a level of enlightenment. I still hope to get back to playing free jazz at some point when I have established my writing enough commercially to be able to afford the time ;-)

While I have spent over 10 years as a pro saxophone studio and touring sideman earlier in life, and i have been playing and writing for over 25 years, I have been full time professional composer for 6 years now: 100% of my income is from making music. Life is up and down and its always feast or famine, but with some luck I am maintaining my life and my studio and I hope to emerge within the next 10 years as being a feature studio score composer. I hope to have my days filled with making great music with teams of talented people and have a few gigs a week where i can go play 'crazy people music' and not care about if there is a full house or just 10 peopel that want to experience my trip

[Chris Rodier]

Why do you compose music?
Because it moves me.
When a small little theme enters my brain either through me improvising on Flute or listening to music, I feel a need to take that little theme where I want it to go, I cant wait on an old dead composer to write the theme out how I want it, Its my job.

Who is your intended audience ?
Myself and anyone else who wants to enjoy it with me. As of now, this isn't a career for me, and I don't intend it to be, but things change.

Who is your typical audience?
Myself and random other people.
Especially my friends.

What do you hope to gain through your compositions if anything? (is this a career or a hobby)
Hobby. I hope to gain entertainment and self-encouragement by being able to do something and be proud of it.

[Michal Cielecki]

Why do you compose music?
Because I can. Because I am able to express myself with composing music. And there is always an opportunity to get more experience and knowledge about music composition + a possibility to get some additional money. ;)


Who is your intended audience ?
Everyone that likes good and intelligent music.

Who is your typical audience?
Video games players.

What do you hope to gain through your compositions if anything? (is this a career or a hobby)

Fame, $$$, chicks... :P :D

[Mike Milillo]

I enjoy composing because it enables me to put into musical form what I see.
It's a documentation process of basically who I am.
In the process of writing I never think about the audience, or the listener, if there is one.

I have gained so much fulfillment from my imagination which is my greatest asset.
My goals have never been about money, and I have not made much money in what I do, but I consider myself a success!

I think everyone in this website knows basically what I'm talking about. We share a common bond....

[Mike]

Great post idea Tyler. what R your answers?

One reason I play and compose music is that I always have melodys and rhythms running in my head and I found that if I play them out loud it helps calm my mind (I am a bit nutty). Also composing is my emotional release, my expression. I also compose for in the hopes of money and recognition =P

I make music for myself first and foremost. Outside of that, anyone that enjoys my style.

My typical audience includes y'all, my girlfriend, my folks... I do have a few songs being used at a dance studio now so that should help open up my audience.

The biggest thing I gain from composing is the satisfaction from hearing physically what was playing in my mind. I also gain tremendous understanding and refinement in my musical knowledge, i.e. by starting out saying I am going to use a motif based on a scale or mode I am have little exposure to and then learning that scale and all the permutations, how chords are built around the motifs, etc.. I find that gaining in knowledge to be VERY fulfilling.
of course I became a musician for the girls to =p