# Mixed Up Eras!!



## mstar (Aug 14, 2013)

Hello! I am having a serious problem with my compositions.... I love the Romantic Era, and most of the music I listen to is from that era, and I have composed a little bit. The problem is that I do not even enjoy my melodies, since they are so late modern/contemporary! A few times, people have heard my melodies, and I have often gotten suggestions that I should write them down. My piano teacher, for I am still pretty young and am still learning to play, has also suggested that I play some of my melodies for her. Sadly, I simply do not like the style of the era in which they are written: contemporary!! Any advice?


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## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

No matter what you write, you will write contemporary music because contemporary is when you are. You can try to write like Brahms but you will only end up with a stale simulacrum of Brahms, and who needs that when we've already got the real Brahms? It's good that you admit your lack of experience, because that is the key to your problem. You desire a mature style in which you are comfortable, but there are no shortcuts to obtaining one and there's no one here who can develop one for you, it all comes down to hard graft. So my advice is to get off this forum and compose some music. Come back when you have something to show for your efforts, I'm sure the community will be happy to offer feedback and help you on your way.


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## StevenOBrien (Jun 27, 2011)

mstar said:


> I love the Romantic Era, and most of the music I listen to is from that era, and I have composed a little bit... Sadly, I simply do not like the style of the era in which they are written: contemporary!! Any advice?


Write romantic melodies instead.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Crudblud said:


> [...]
> it all comes down to hard graft.
> [...]


[extracted from a post of what is probably good 'Dutch Uncle' advice.]

"Hard graft"? Would that be difficult-to-extract bribes?


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## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

Hilltroll72 said:


> [extracted from a post of what is probably good 'Dutch Uncle' advice.]
> 
> "Hard graft"? Would that be difficult-to-extract bribes?


I wasn't sure whether to use that phrase or not, it's probably a bit too local to Yorkshire, but here it means hard work.


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## mstar (Aug 14, 2013)

Oh, no, Oh, no! I'm terribly afraid that you've misunderstood me, Crudblud.... Lack of experience is not holding me back. My question is: If people like my (style of) music, but I do not, (and note that I am not a major in music, and will not be having a professional musical career, I think. Music is more of a passion/hobby for now!) then should I compose, noting that it would take a lot of time and effort? I just thought that someone may have run into a similar experience. Thanks, anyway....


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## pluhagr (Jan 2, 2012)

Just write the music down and stop thinking so much!


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## Ramako (Apr 28, 2012)

mstar said:


> Oh, no, Oh, no! I'm terribly afraid that you've misunderstood me, Crudblud.... Lack of experience is not holding me back. My question is: If people like my (style of) music, but I do not, (and note that I am not a major in music, and will not be having a professional musical career, I think. Music is more of a passion/hobby for now!) then should I compose, noting that it would take a lot of time and effort? I just thought that someone may have run into a similar experience. Thanks, anyway....


It's a very interesting problem!

Unless you get something out of composing, or feel that you have a duty to others (e.g. being a professional musician), then there seems little point.

That said, by doing it, and working at it, then it may begin to give you much more satisfaction as you get more skilled. For example, Learning an instrument is often sweat and toil to start with, and it is only as your skill grows that you get something out of it. Also, your compositions may change stylistically so that what you write pleases both you and others!


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## Tomposer (Jul 9, 2011)

I have to say, you have made some strange statements.

Firstly, you should be aware that there is no single contemporary style of melody, nor indeed a singular contemporary style. For that reason, stating that you dislike "the" contemporary style appears naive, and it suggests that you should listen more broadly.

Secondly, you've said things like:
"I don't enjoy my own melodies."
and,
"why should I bother to compose music"

Creative music making (of any kind, anywhere) is, for most of us, time consuming and challenging. It is only when we are passionate that we can do it inspite of it being difficult. If you are not particularly interested in composing, clearly you have no place doing it. This is so obvious I can't help finding your statements a little, well, pretentious. Could you be a bit clearer about what your actual concern is?


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

mstar said:


> Oh, no, Oh, no! I'm terribly afraid that you've misunderstood me, Crudblud.... Lack of experience is not holding me back. My question is: If people like my (style of) music, but I do not, (and note that I am not a major in music, and will not be having a professional musical career, I think. Music is more of a passion/hobby for now!) then should I compose, noting that it would take a lot of time and effort? I just thought that someone may have run into a similar experience. Thanks, anyway....


You have to start from wherever you are, and that usually means writing some pretty dreadful music before getting more control of the craft, and what you want it to sound like.

Write, write, and write some more. Do not expect great pieces or masterpieces from yourself. If you do not write, write, write, nothing will happen, including improvement or a shift of finding yourself veering into an area where what you write begins to actually sound more like what you would like it to sound like.

I also seriously doubt that your tunes are "Modern / contemporary" in the classical meaning of those words, but are more likely 'contemporary' in that more pop music genre new-age manner... which I would be less than happy about myself, since I rarely care for much of anything from that genre.

You also have to write AS YOU CAN, period. Being retro-romantic conservative did not stop Rachmaninoff from writing his music, after all.

Write, write, write. Even if you read music very well, you may be astonished at how initially difficult notating your ideas is, so if nothing else you need practice / experience in that.

If you are one of those sorts who is basically regenerating bad / mediocre / watered down or even brilliant facsimiles of say, Chopin, I would either work like a dog to get away from that or remain "UnComposed"-- since Chopin has already given us all the best of Chopin there is.


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