So how many of you guys actually play your own stuff?

[Krausse Kreugar]

I don't mean full on compositions, either, but just really anything original. Even if its the simplest little diddy ever you just improvised out of your a**.

I mean, I'm all for playing other people's pieces, because its a way to improve your own playing, but ultimately I see playing other people's pieces as a way to assimilate their techniques into your own playing and make your own original music better. Yet I never see that. I've found the amount of musicians who can play something original and especially the amount of musicians who can do any kind of improvisation is really disappointing.  

[`Kel`]

I've played around with little things on the piano.

Music is a talent. But inside music there are many different "sub" talents. Composition is one of those, and one of the rarest in the world of musicians. I know dont have a talent to compose.

There are many other talents though for example. Sight reading, a good ear for intonation/pitches, a good musical memory for pitches and/or musical logic, improvisation/composition, perfect pitch (even rarer than composition), an easy understanding of music theory, counting (also sight reading really), even teaching music is a talent, and im sure theres more. You can break it down further.

I think we all as musicians have different types of musical talent. And you use those to your advantage and work on developing the rest. Composition is a rare talent.

Most people dont compose/improvise because they cant. Not everyone is given that ability. You wont find many who can compose, its a rare gift.  

[Krausse Kreugar]

No. You're wrong. see, none of that is a talent. A talent is something you're born with. You weren't born being good at reading sheet music, or being able to count to music. I used to have no timing at all, but all I had to do was work on it and now I just can't lose the beat. These things are skills.

Improvisation is not something that's difficult. Do you know how easy it is to improvise? Do you realize how easy it is to make your own music? Apparently you don't, because all you have to do is hum a melody and then arbitrarily assign a key to that melody and play that melody on your instrument on choice. Anyone can do it. Same thing with composing, because composing is just taking a melody and making chords out it with a bunch of instruments.

Music is not a talent because no one is born instantly able to make it. Some people are just born with more of an affinity for others than others. Its why you get your Beethovens, you get your Beatles, and then you get your Avril Lavignes.  

[Chief Chilly]

Well when I was in piano class with nothing to do, I'd put together these quick little songs and play them over and over until I came up with another.  

[`Kel`]

Krausse Kreugar

No. You're wrong. see, none of that is a talent. A talent is something you're born with. You weren't born being good at reading sheet music, or being able to count to music. I used to have no timing at all, but all I had to do was work on it and now I just can't lose the beat. These things are skills.

I dont agree, I believe music is a skill yes, but some people are better than others, aka talent. Talent is the ability to progress at the skill quickly, or even understand them. I wasnt born being able to play an oboe no, but with others that began learning oboe at the same time with the SAME experience, and lessons, we ended up in different places, and some couldnt do it at all. The difference between us isnt skill, its the talent to perform a skill. So I have to respectfully disagree.

Quote:

Improvisation is not something that's difficult. Do you know how easy it is to improvise? Do you realize how easy it is to make your own music? Apparently you don't, because all you have to do is hum a melody and then arbitrarily assign a key to that melody and play that melody on your instrument on choice. Anyone can do it. Same thing with composing, because composing is just taking a melody and making chords out it with a bunch of instruments.

First of all dont insult my intelligence. Im not an idiot as far as music, please at least be respectful. Im halfway through a bachelors in music education, and i've been playing the oboe and flute for 13 years.

Improvisation is not hard to you because you can actually do it. No its not hard to sit down at a piano and make a simple MELODY. No s**t thats easy a 2 yr old can do it. But when your on the spot with a harmony going on, ummmm not so easy to some people. Originality is something a lot of people have trouble with.

And yes I know what composition is... Its learned by every music major in part writing in music theory. That dosnt mean your any good at it. Some people can just sit down and write with MUCH more ease that others.

Quote:

Music is not a talent because no one is born instantly able to make it. Some people are just born with more of an affinity for others than others. Its why you get your Beethovens, you get your Beatles, and then you get your Avril Lavignes.

Affinity for music = Talent for music. What you call "affinity" is what the rest of us call talent.

dictionary.com
Talent - a special natural ability or aptitude
------------------

Oh, and dont talk down to me just because you disagree.  

[Jellyrum]

it's fun making up things on the piano. i luv to improvize on my violin too!  

[Gjornia X]

I can count on one hand how many times I've actually composed something. I like to improvise on violin. I just don't have the patience to write it down. Maybe I'll hire some transcription service (I think I actually saw a flyer somewhere advertising it). I commend any musician will to give not only hours to create and rehearse music, but more hours to put it on paper.

I almost wish I was studying jazz because of their ability to improvise so cleanly on the spot. Sometimes the improvisation is better than the original piece itself (if the player's frighteningly good).  

[SaxySoul]

I'll make up my own little thinks from time to time in the hopes of finnshing a full composition one day...unfortuneately, it hasn't happened yet. I have a friend who will sit down at the piano and just start playing..you'll ask who wrote the peice and he'll say "I just made that up right now!" it's incredible. I've filmed the process a couple times-you can't even tell, he looks like it's a peice he's just memorised and played so many times, he doesn't even need to think about it.  

[CheeshireCat]

I'm not good at composing, I just don't know how to start.
I think I should try simple melodies first and practice more...  

[toco clarinet]

`Kel`

Krausse Kreugar

No. You're wrong. see, none of that is a talent. A talent is something you're born with. You weren't born being good at reading sheet music, or being able to count to music. I used to have no timing at all, but all I had to do was work on it and now I just can't lose the beat. These things are skills.

I dont agree, I believe music is a skill yes, but some people are better than others, aka talent. Talent is the ability to progress at the skill quickly, or even understand them. I wasnt born being able to play an oboe no, but with others that began learning oboe at the same time with the SAME experience, and lessons, we ended up in different places, and some couldnt do it at all. The difference between us isnt skill, its the talent to perform a skill. So I have to respectfully disagree.

Quote:

Improvisation is not something that's difficult. Do you know how easy it is to improvise? Do you realize how easy it is to make your own music? Apparently you don't, because all you have to do is hum a melody and then arbitrarily assign a key to that melody and play that melody on your instrument on choice. Anyone can do it. Same thing with composing, because composing is just taking a melody and making chords out it with a bunch of instruments.

First of all dont insult my intelligence. Im not an idiot as far as music, please at least be respectful. Im halfway through a bachelors in music education, and i've been playing the oboe and flute for 13 years.

Improvisation is not hard to you because you can actually do it. No its not hard to sit down at a piano and make a simple MELODY. No s**t thats easy a 2 yr old can do it. But when your on the spot with a harmony going on, ummmm not so easy to some people. Originality is something a lot of people have trouble with.

And yes I know what composition is... Its learned by every music major in part writing in music theory. That dosnt mean your any good at it. Some people can just sit down and write with MUCH more ease that others.

Quote:

Music is not a talent because no one is born instantly able to make it. Some people are just born with more of an affinity for others than others. Its why you get your Beethovens, you get your Beatles, and then you get your Avril Lavignes.

Affinity for music = Talent for music. What you call "affinity" is what the rest of us call talent.

dictionary.com
Talent - a special natural ability or aptitude
------------------

Oh, and dont talk down to me just because you disagree.

i think i'm going to agree with krausse. saying you have a "talent" for music because you progress faster at it than others is slightly ridiculous. it's like saying someone who hits puberty at age 10 has a talent for being a boy/girl.

although puberty is much less controllable than your ability in music, it can be related for this purpose.

i really sucked at composition and improvisation before this year. i'm in music theory(and it's very basic music theory) and with the little i now know, if i wanted to i could write a new song every day. i am also able to improvise fairly easily. it's not something i was born with, and i'm not particularly "skilled" at it. but i can write the music, and i can fit an improvised melody in a harmony.

i don't believe there is any such thing as "can't" in the music world, as far as standard skills go. it's even possible to develop perfect pitch. people who say they "can't" write music just don't want to take the time to learn how chords interact with each other and how to use the theoretical music devices which make writing music incredibly easy.  

[`Kel`]

I still think there's such thing as musical talent...

Some people are just better without trying any harder if at all. And in some cases the people that try the hardest i've ever seen, still fall short in comparison. I've seen it way to many times to think otherwise.

Its the same with painting, art, sports, acting ect... some people are just.... good. And they really dont have to try as hard. Some others want it maybe more so, and try just as hard if not harder, but they may never make it as far. This is certianly not every case, but it does speak for quite a few.

The difference in them is a natural ability... called talent.

I believe if your in a musical career long enough you'll see this, ESPECIALLY if you teach.

Oh and yes there are some people who just cant do music, I have met them. I never used to believe it but now I do from experience. Disagree with me if you want.. But I have seen it.
---------------
I kinda threw the topic off so im not talking about it anymore.  

[winnlovesyou]

PHHT I improvise all the time! I almost do it so much that I improvise more than I actually practice! I need to work on that D:  

[Elemental Doll]

Why is a raven like a writing desk?...

I am still a beginner on the violin, but for sure, when I feel that I am confident that I can play it well, I WILL try to make my own music. ^^

...I haven't have the slightest idea...

 

[Numiii]

I'm kind of scared to write my own compositions. I know it sounds stupid, but I am. I hate hearing bad notes that don't go well (I play the piano.) so when I hear them, I kind of flinch. Right now, I am just ear playing songs I hear on the radio, like Starlight by Muse, and Stay by Miley Cyrus.  

[Keiji Suzuki]

I like to improvise on the guitar but as far as composing and writing goes I never tried it but maybe I will some day when I get better at music.