Day after Saint Patrick's day

Wow! I got on today and saw comments from FP, Rapster, and WHP folllowing blog posts! Thanks!!!

Today-- continued working out another song. Then started thinking about what it takes to compose music.

Some say Mozart "saw" entire compositions at once. Doesn't work that way for me. However, pieces of compositions come out of thin air for me. I save 'em up and then see if I can put them together.

Sometimes a part will seem to lead naturally to a second. However, most of the time I have to play and play and play and play before something pops up. Other times I have to play and play and play and play, then put the instrument down. When I pick the instrument backup-- there's the piece in full glory.

I can draw many comparisons between writing words and writing music. Many times, it's a drafting process. That is, go full steam for a while and come up with a structure. Then set it aside for a day or a week-- then pick it up again, and it's obvious what parts need to be cleaned up.

In my early days of trying to write songs, if it didn't come right out-- I'd just give up. One thing I've learned is that it's VERY worthwhile to keep pieces around-- record them or whatever. Also it's worthwhile to stick with a piece, even if it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. I think there's a marinating process that goes on-- and it gets especially active while what you're playing seems to be getting you nowhere. The juice is permeating the meat (as it were) and then you get something really delicious when it's done.

Anyway-- thanks for reading this. Let me know what you do to compose.

George