# Creating music from mind to paper..



## JamieHoldham (May 13, 2016)

Just felt like creating this post, I just wanted to know if there is anyone else that can hear multiple instruments, different pitches, harmonys and rhythms at the same time and notate it down precisely as you hear it?

I can myself and it's something I would love every other musician to be able to hear, sometimes when I am creating a romantic Fantasia style work similar to Wagner focusing on harmony, I can hear the most dreamy and wonderous sounds I didnt know existed... I wish others could hear what I could


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

JamieHoldham said:


> Just felt like creating this post, I just wanted to know if there is anyone else that can hear multiple instruments, different pitches, harmonys and rhythms at the same time and notate it down precisely as you hear it?
> 
> I can myself and it's something I would love every other musician to be able to hear, sometimes when I am creating a romantic Fantasia style work similar to Wagner focusing on harmony, I can hear the most dreamy and wondrous sounds I didn't know existed... I wish others could hear what I could


I wish I could, alas not.


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## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

I can "hear", for notation purposes, one musical line. I do not hear harmonies. However, I can see that the harmonies are going to complement the melodies. I do hear instruments when I am orchestrating so I know what the piece is going to sound like. I also make note in my piano sketch about which instruments a particular line is being written for.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

I can't say with certainty that I've yet been able to do this, but it is something I would like to be able to do. Lately I'm thinking maybe I have the knowledge, but I would need to find a different state of mind. And perhaps get more comfortable with the use of notation paper.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Considering I've had dreams with full orchestras playing in them before, yes, my mind can fully replicate multi-voice part-writing. In the past at school I had to do listening exercises where we had to listen to someone play the piano, and then write down the voices we were hearing, mainly top and bottom voices, but also know the harmony. I'm able to realize what I'm hearing and put it on paper.


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## TwoFlutesOneTrumpet (Aug 31, 2011)

One time under the influence of a certain substance I heard a whole symphony in my head. I wished I had a way to write it all down but of course it was probably a lot of nonsense going on in my head


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## Xenakiboy (May 8, 2016)

This happens day to day with me, it's quite often full ensembles or orchestra's. I am not quick enough lol to be able to notate even a fraction of what I hear, I wish I could though. 
When my mind is fully active, the amount of non-existing music I hear in my head can get a bit too much, talk about headaches! :lol:

If I'm in an alert mood, I can sometimes get 10-20 bars of what I'm hearing, I guess it helps to get ideas that way. Then build off them later, even though they turn into something completely different from what you imagined!


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## JamieHoldham (May 13, 2016)

Xenakiboy said:


> This happens day to day with me, it's quite often full ensembles or orchestra's. I am not quick enough lol to be able to notate even a fraction of what I hear, I wish I could though.
> When my mind is fully active, the amount of non-existing music I hear in my head can get a bit too much, talk about headaches! :lol:
> 
> If I'm in an alert mood, I can sometimes get 10-20 bars of what I'm hearing, I guess it helps to get ideas that way. Then build off them later, even though they turn into something completely different from what you imagined!


Dont worry, your not the only one, occasionally I dont manage to notate what I hear correctly, mainly when I am working on large works such as Symphonys, orchestral suites ect.

It gets easier and easier however since I only compose on paper, ignoring when I want to have fun with Musescore to make a short Organ work.


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## Xenakiboy (May 8, 2016)

JamieHoldham said:


> Dont worry, your not the only one, occasionally I dont manage to notate what I hear correctly, mainly when I am working on large works such as Symphonys, orchestral suites ect.
> 
> It gets easier and easier however since I only compose on paper, ignoring when I want to have fun with Musescore to make a short Organ work.


Because I'm influenced heavily by modernism/post-modernism (as they call it), quite a lot of the stuff I hear is aesthetically centred around colours, sonorities, gestures and abstract uses of timbre. Sometimes I can't work out even what time signature it's in because it can feel very ad-lib. Part of it subconsciously relates to finding my own distinct style, not merely copying my idols. I don't know but I'm very neurotic about music.


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## georgedelorean (Aug 18, 2017)

When I compose, it's very interesting. I don't actually hear the instruments in my head in my type of audiation. I just hear the music itself. It's as close to pure sound as you can get.


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