I took piano for years but never "got it." I also played guitar for a while, until I broke my wrist. Now I've got a bit of nerve damage, and I can't play for long periods of time. I get going, and after about 10 minutes my left hand goes numb. Not too good to play the guitar, eh?"

But I can still wail on air guitar though!!!

NP: Mahler: Symphony #1 (Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Solti)

Indeed, I premiered Samuel Barber's long lost Triple Concerto for Oboe, Castanets, and Triangle in f minor, as well as the composer's [b]Sonata for Triangle back in 1991.

but demand has fallen off recently for triangle players, resulting in almost no new commissions, with very few people make a living doing it full time.

Study orchestration so you know the ranges and different "colors" of the various orchestral instruments.

Know what a choir can do for you.

Know that a piano is as much a percussion instrument as it is a stringed instrument.

Know who Johann Sebastian Bach was, and why he is important.

Study musical terms such as "andante," "langsam," "col legno"

Be able to count past 4.

Purchase a metronome.

Study musical forms, such as sonata form, or fugue.

study musicology, so your music is as well-informed as possible. We all draw on past influences, so don't be afraid of the impending Maxx-bashing. When you make oodles of money from your scores, you can laugh at all us poor folk.
If you start to sound like Trevor Rabin despite your education, be prepared for an ass-whoopin'.

and lastly, learn the difference between, treble, alto, tenor, and bass clef

Now you, too, can become Jerry Goldsmith's heir apparent.

Good luck!

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Originally posted by JJH:
Playing an instrument is helpful, indeed, but is not completely necessary.

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Must be hard to compose music if you can't play it and experiment with it though. Must be hard enough if you can play an instrument so well that you don't need to play it, but doing it without theoretically being able to play it must be even worse.

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Originally posted by Marian Schedenig:
Regarding your triangle comment - I imagine triangle really isn't that easy. You must be able to move your hands very quickly and yet rhythmically.

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I watched in amazement as a percussionist did some really complex stuff with a triangle at the rhythm session for 3000 MILES TO GRACELAND. These guys are truly underrated!

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Originally posted by JJH:
I am a vitruoso triangle player.

it is SUCH an underappreciated instrument.

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Then you should check into the scores of Brian May....you'll here TONS of 'triangle-fu' in most of his scores Actually, the damn thing is overused in his music for Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare....

And Maurice Jarre used some thing called the 'Death valley triangle' in his Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome score....

Just out of curiosity, what's everyone's favorite instruments?

Mine are the cello and violin and flute...

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Originally posted by Marian Schedenig:
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=1 face=arial>quote:</font><HR size=1>Originally posted by JJH:
[b]Playing an instrument is helpful, indeed, but is not completely necessary.<HR size=1></BLOCKQUOTE>

Must be hard to compose music if you can't play it and experiment with it though.[/B]

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Originally posted by Gae:
Sometimes being able to play an instrument can be a handicap to a composer because he limits his writing to his own capabilities on the instrument.

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As can be heard in some "cheaper" film scores, for example. I think when the composer doesn't have even any basic orchestration ideas when writing the piano sketches, you'll hear that in the final work.

On the other hand, there are instances where it's fun to hear the composer's "own" instruments "through" the orchestra...for example, parts in Bruckner's later symphonies are clearly written for orchestra, there's nothing wrong with the orchestrations at all - and yet they still sound a bit like an organ.

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Originally posted by Jared Cowing:
I compose without any piano skills whatsoever- all I need is Sibelius and a quiet room so I can do all the composing and editing in my head.

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Clayton<HR size=1></BLOCKQUOTE>

Theremin and vibraphone. Also: glass harmonica and harpsichord.

Dylan

I do most of my composing at the piano, but I really find that thinking about what I want (away from the piano) can be very liberating too.

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Sometimes being able to play an instrument can be a handicap to a composer because he limits his writing to his own capabilities on the instrument.

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Speaking of under-rated instruments though, I think the anvil is sorely under-rated.
Last week I had two pieces performed during the Conservatorium Music Festival here in Newcastle. One was a Saxophone quartet
(which actually won a composition competition I entered for any combination of Saxophone ), but the other was a piece for brass and percussion which, yes, you guessed it, featured an anvil.
The title of that piece is "RED - The Six Paradoxes of Communism" and the anvil is supposed to be played with a hammer and sickle to give it that authentic soviet feel, however, seeing as a sickle could not be found, it had to be played with a hammer and butter knife.

LOL

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Originally posted by Jennie:
we're talking about willies here now???
what is going on!

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Well, I guess for women it's more like a wind instrument...

I play piano and I love to sing. Both of which, I am told, are very pleasing to the ear. Have I ever composed anything? no Have I ever played any film music? I have tried copying things by ear, but have never performed it for anyone (and never will...I'm not shy in most cases, but when it comes to playing before others I get nervous!). Favorite instruments? All legitimate musical instruments...yes, even the Triangle!

the filmscore gal,
Galina

[b]EDWARD SCISSORHANDS by Danny Elfman

1)Learn the piece of music completely so you can play it in your sleep ...memorise it if you can. With knowledge and certainty of a piece of music comes confidence in performing it.

2)Allow yourself to make mistakes as it takes the pressure off yourself. If mistakes happen learn to cover them up, laugh them off when you make them and continue the piece without losing the rhythm. After all..we are only human and we are allowed to make mistakes. To be honest, most people wouldn't even know a mistake was being made especially if its a piece of music they dont know.

Anyway, theres just a couple of tips on performing in public with confidence.

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Originally posted by Kimiakane:
Favorite instruments? All legitimate musical instruments...yes, even the Triangle!

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Hear hear!

NP: Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue (LA Philharmonic, Bernstein x 2) - and Bernstein isn't the best piano player either

Knowing Bernstein he was probably sight reading from the score and hadn't practiced it much!!
I always remember seeing him playing Gershwin's 2nd prelude at a Gershwin Tribute and thinking he was living dangerously. He came onto the stage, to thundering applause, carrying the manuscript with him. He put the score on the piano and with his glasses pretipitously perched on the end of his nose, preceeded to give an incredibly "unmemorable" and sluggish attempt at the prelude. I was thinking at the time, on a good day, I could have played that better!!
Oh well, since when have great composers ever also been great performers?!! You cant always have it all can you?