# How to write Contemporary music?



## greybackshadow

Hey everyone,

I've been trying my hand at Contemporary music, but I still don't know how to write it. Tried googling how to write contemporary music and I've come across the 12-tone method which I find really interesting!

I was told that contemporary music is more about telling a story using music, like a theme and such.

This is what I've done with using the 12-tone method. It's not completed yet. Still writing the right hand piano part:

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https://soundcloud.com/yunxiang%2Fburglar-in-the-house

Can anyone guide me as to whether am I on the right track and how do I really write contemporary music?

Thanks!!


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## Aramis

12-tone method is as contemporary as powdered wigs. So no, it's not the right track.

The right track is to listen to contemporary music and find out what do you like and want to take for your model/inspiration. You don't find your artistic way by googling phrases.


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## StlukesguildOhio

You're alive. You write music. Voila! Contemporary music. :tiphat:


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## Yardrax

Aramis said:


> The right track is to listen to contemporary music and find out what do you like and want to take for your model/inspiration.


That plus reading scores of contemporary material.

Tip: If you sign up for an account with Boosey and Hawkes you can view some of their catalogue online for free. Only downside is you have to make sure to unclick a bunch of boxes so they don't start sending you advertising.


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## Forte

Contemporary music is an extremely diverse web of musical thought and there are many composers today who focus their entire lives in one branch of it, while there are others who migrate and change their ideas often. Your best bet is to listen to lots of music (I would advise lots of music _in general_, seeing there are so many places you could find inspiration from), while not stressing over having so many options of course, and then choose which path you most find interesting, going from there.

Or if you're even not satisfied by any existing examples of musical thought, maybe you can create your own! It'll take lots of time, energy, and imagination, but all art does.


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## Mahlerian

Study counterpoint, harmony, and form in works you admire (if you really want to imitate Schoenberg, use Bach and Beethoven as models; if you want to imitate Webern, study up on Renaissance polyphony as well to get a sense of where he came from). Write something you can be proud of. Your little piece is amusing, but a little on the repetitive side. If you enjoy working with serial methods, why not try it in a different way than what's been done by countless other composers (especially in America between the 50s and the 70s)?


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## aleazk

Reading your post I got the impression that you are _not_ very familiar with contemporary music. I don't say this as an attack, of course.
In my experience, there's only one way: you need to explore the style as a listener first, and then as a student.
Become familiar with the different styles, composers, etc. Listen to their music, study their scores, their methods, their thinking and philosophy, their influences (often ethnic music, like indonesian gamelan, african music, etc.; but also jazz, for example). Make an exhaustive analysis of the music. Become an expert in the techniques. That's the only way in which you can learn about their advantages but also their disadvantages. Also, don't waste your time in crackpot theories about musical taste (the current fashion, it seems).
I started to try to compose more serious pieces in a "contemporary style" once I became deeply familiar with some of the scores of my favorite contemporary composers. Use their techniques, but do not copy what they do (of course, at the beginning, some copying is necessary in order to learn to use the techniques).
At least in my personal case, I like to have a lot of information (both practical and theoretical) before attempting to compose something new, or in a style unfamiliar to me.
In that way, I feel my imagination has a lot of interesting resources to work with.
There are many members here who are very knowledgeable about modern and contemporary music, you can ask them for suggestions (composers, pieces, scores, books, papers, etc.)
For example, at a more concrete level, it took me more or less a year of hard study to acquire the knowledge I needed in order to compose my piano concerto (a piece of only twelve minutes of duration). And that's just the more practical and concrete knowledge, related to the particular style of the music. In order to do that, you need first a thorough understanding of the essential aspects of music theory, musical analysis, etc. That takes years of preparation.
I say all this not to sound intimidating, but in order to show you that the goal you aspire is something that you (or at least most people) will achieve at the long term, after a process of intense learning. In my case, I'm still in that process.
I definitely would like to hear more of your attempts in the future. The small piece you posted is clearly just a first attempt at twelve tone composition, but there's something there I would say. Keep studying and working.


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## aleazk

I listened to the piece again, Mahlerian is definitely right. But I think that the problem can be solved easily and without much change.
The piece is ok until that chord at 0:30. After the chord, you do some kind of variation of theme there. The problem is the texture: it's the same!. You already have exploited that texture in the first 30 seconds of the piece. We are bored of that register by now. My suggestion is the following: for the fragment between 0:32 and 0:36, keep the same notes (maybe a little more faster), but transpose them to a very low register; there, they must sound with a pp dynamic and with staccato (a very shy and insecure sound).
The gesture at 0:37 is an answer to the previous fragment. A high contrast is required. Again, keep the same notes, but transpose them to a very high register; there, they must sound with a ff dynamic and possibly with pedal (a very bright and secure sound).
The fragment starting at 0:39 is similar to the previous section. For the first part, use the same device, i.e., low register and shy sound. Now, after this section (fragment with answer), a very naughty section starts at 0:45. That's the section we want with a very secure sound. So, the answer to the first fragment in the section we were talking about cannot be in the same fashion as the answer in the similar section we analysed in the first paragraph. So, for the answer at 0:43, keep the same notes and in the register you wrote them, and with a p dymanic. In that way, we create expectation for the section at 0:45 and without anticipating (and then not diminishing) its effect.
Now, the section at 0:45 must sound with a ff dynamic; extreme registers are better.
After that, I would end the piece with that chord at 0:49, with a p dynamic. The section at 0:52 is an unnecessary repetition of the same material.
There's only one idea in this piece: a gesture followed by a short and naughty answer.
So, everytime you use that resource, you need to make it interesting again. Otherwise, we already heard it and it becomes boring.
But you have at your disposition register and dynamics: use them! . I'm basically suggesting you to use those things in order to make your gesture-answer more interesting everytime it appears again.


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## Igneous01

well... besides serialism and 12 tone... there is set theory, and there are a few decent books out there that discuss modern and contemporary music by using set theory. You can take what you will from it and maybe this will help you expand your musical palette.


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## Anterix

Can't hear it anymore... broken link?


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## greybackshadow

aleazk said:


> I listened to the piece again, Mahlerian is definitely right. But I think that the problem can be solved easily and without much change.
> The piece is ok until that chord at 0:30. After the chord, you do some kind of variation of theme there. The problem is the texture: it's the same!. You already have exploited that texture in the first 30 seconds of the piece. We are bored of that register by now. My suggestion is the following: for the fragment between 0:32 and 0:36, keep the same notes (maybe a little more faster), but transpose them to a very low register; there, they must sound with a pp dynamic and with staccato (a very shy and insecure sound).
> The gesture at 0:37 is an answer to the previous fragment. A high contrast is required. Again, keep the same notes, but transpose them to a very high register; there, they must sound with a ff dynamic and possibly with pedal (a very bright and secure sound).
> The fragment starting at 0:39 is similar to the previous section. For the first part, use the same device, i.e., low register and shy sound. Now, after this section (fragment with answer), a very naughty section starts at 0:45. That's the section we want with a very secure sound. So, the answer to the first fragment in the section we were talking about cannot be in the same fashion as the answer in the similar section we analysed in the first paragraph. So, for the answer at 0:43, keep the same notes and in the register you wrote them, and with a p dymanic. In that way, we create expectation for the section at 0:45 and without anticipating (and then not diminishing) its effect.
> Now, the section at 0:45 must sound with a ff dynamic; extreme registers are better.


I tried what you have suggested:

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https://soundcloud.com/yunxiang%2Fburglar-in-the-house
Thank you for analyzing it and helping me with my work!
I have attempted to write a different texture towards the end. No longer focusing on the 12-tone method.

Do let me know how it is so far.

Thank you all!!


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## Anterix

I enjoyd the work. I think it goes well together. Except for the section between 1.06 and 1.14. Maybe because of the octaves?
It has some jazzy chords I find interesting.

I never bother with maintaining dodecafonism on a musical work. I only use it for two reasons: Or for an exercise or because in some section it becomes a handy tool. I wouldn't see serialism as an end in itself.


Edit: text errors. Sorry for not so good English. I'm trying to get better.


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