DIVING DEEPER INTO COMPOSITION

(part 14 of 20)

Composition Exercise using Baroque Dance

Select an existing baroque dance and write out its melody (don’t look at the bassline). Play through this melody several times at the piano to internalize it. Then compose a bassline for it. Again, composers should follow their ear–don’t think about theory/voice leading. Use intuition while improvising a very slow moving bassline to fit the right hand. Start with just whole notes and occasional half notes. Make the left hand part move as slowly as possible, only changing to a different note when it sounds like it really wants to. Write it down.

Next, dress up the bassline. Add passing notes here and there, add some rhythmic interest, make it more compelling so that it could stand on its own without the right hand. But don’t let it get more complicated than necessary, overwhelming the melody. When complete, compare with the original by playing both versions. Try to listen objectively!

Then try composing a melody to an existing bassline. Again, start simple. These exercises can help develop an intuitive sense for harmony and voice leading.

Next

---

Index

• Introduction
• Why Piano?
• Improvisation:
  • Performance-Improvisation vs Composition-Improvisation
  • Learning to Improvise
  • More Improvisation Techniques
• Notation:
  • Computer Notation
  • Learning Notation
• Related Skills/Knowledge:
  • Music Theory
  • The Artist Trains the Mind’s Eye, the Composer Trains the Mind’s Ear
  • Ear Training
  • Musical Form
• Composition:
  • Getting Started with Composition
  • More on Baroque Dances, Simple Forms, & Repetition
  • Composition Exercise using Baroque Dance
  • More Advanced Composition
  • Other Forms
  • Counterpoint
  • Aesthetics
  • Writing for Other Instruments
  • The Elusive Creative Flow