# Surviving as a composer



## KenOC

We've all heard the joke:

"What's the difference between a composer and an extra-large pizza?"
"The extra-large pizza can feed a family of four."

Times are tough for composers these days. So how to survive, how to compete for a share of the limited resources available? How to do that Darwin thing and live to pass on your DNA? Here's the answer.

http://cereal-music.blogspot.com/2013/02/how-to-win-composing.html


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

^ very good lol I especially like the comments on percusion - Why not use 7 triangles? and "3. Use lots of tuplets of things"


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## arpeggio

*Frank Ticheli-Interview*

Here is an answer from a real composer.






Sample of one of his most successful works:


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## Crudblud

"One of the main reasons we all became composers is the thrill of competition."

Lost me at the first line.

(i guess this was a joke article, never mind)


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

:lol:

Some of the ideas aren't bad though I must say. I am currently planning a piece of music using crotales.


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## jani

I guess that if you want to survive as a composer today you need to write some commercial stuff too, like jingles, score Tv/shows and movies etc....


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## PetrB

LOL. Yes indeedy! 

It is all about that competition, and once won, all those tie-in sweet big bucks deals endorsing products....


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## Praeludium

I loved it. Particularly the triplet parts - made me think of the "New complexity" movement were, as far as I know, composers seem to love those kind of things (I wonder if they sometimes perform the piece themselves ?)


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## Ramako

Who said anything about surviving?


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## Lunasong

Weird focus in the article on winning competitions. I thought the whole thing was 1. To write what you need to write 2. To get your piece played and heard.


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## aleazk

Lunasong said:


> Weird focus in the article on winning competitions. I thought the whole thing was 1. To write what you need to write 2. To get your piece played and heard.


Well, point 1 is relatively easy if you are good. The problem is that point 2 is difficult if you are not known, and a way for being known is by winning competitions.


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