# Composing advice?



## Manok (Aug 29, 2011)

I compose mostly as a hobby, and usually 90% is never written down, and just improvisation that I do when I get frustrated with a work I'm working on for piano at the time. I come up with great intros, and great middle parts, but can never seem to combine the two things into one serious work, also I rarely can think of a decent ending for something either, does anyone have any suggestions?


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## Kopachris (May 31, 2010)

Check out some of the books in section 5 (theory and composition) here: http://www.talkclassical.com/2150-music-books-quick-reference.html

Specifically ones about form.


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## Manok (Aug 29, 2011)

which would be best for general form?


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## contra7 (Oct 26, 2010)

Manok said:


> I compose mostly as a hobby, and usually 90% is never written down, and just improvisation that I do when I get frustrated with a work I'm working on for piano at the time. I come up with great intros, and great middle parts, but can never seem to combine the two things into one serious work, also I rarely can think of a decent ending for something either, does anyone have any suggestions?


I can say I have the same problem. I've heard about Schoenberg's book Fundamentals of Musical Composition which I think, would be best for general form. I personaly don't have it yet, but some musicians have recommended me this book. Here is the link on amazon.com: Link


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## Kopachris (May 31, 2010)

William Caplin's _Classical Form_ is an excellent book on form, though it focuses mainly on the smaller parts of a form--individual phrases, sentences, periods, and such. Alan Belkin's _A Practical Guide to Musical Composition_ (free ebook on his website) is really good for larger-scale form, combining music theory and psychology.

I'd suggest reading _Classical Form_ Part I (Preliminaries) up through Part III (Looser Formal Regions), then reading Belkin's book, then reading Part IV (Full-Movement Forms) of _Classical Form_.


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## ricardo_jvc6 (Dec 8, 2010)

Sometimes, I let my works unfinished because of the exhausted ideas, But I never let a work in half. I am foward to learn more composition. I guess reading manuals from the books is actually good to learn more stuff about tones, Intervals, Chords, Tone centre, Keys.


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