Some words from Brahms

[James]

1. When you study music, the most important thing to learn is Strict Counterpoint.

2. Writing variations is something good for the beginner.

Etc.:

The rest is here >> http://members.aol.com/dmarko1/brahms/composition.htm

[cx]

"A beginning composer should follow the methods of composition which are set by the masters like Brahms..." (from #18)

Brahms wrote that?

[BachQ]

1. When you study music, the most important thing to learn is Strict Counterpoint.

2. Writing variations is something good for the beginner.

And Brahms had at his disposal the planet's two greatest teachers for counterpoint and variations: JS Bach and LvB .......

[karlhenning]

And Brahms had at his disposal the planet's two greatest teachers for counterpoint and variations: JS Bach and LvB .......

Is that phrasing designed to imply a distinct category for Stockhausen and Sun Ra? 

[Norbeone]

'Writing variations is something good for the beginner.'

As are all the points in that link. Past that though, they become less and less relevant to the composer. Especially of today.

[greg]

# You should not always trust your ideas. The pen is not only for writing, but also for deleting. But be very cautious. Once something has been written down it is hard to get rid of. But if you have come to the conclusion that it will not do; even if it's good in itself- then don't think about it for long; simply strike it out! How often one attempts to save such a passage and thus ruins the entire thing, not to mention becoming a slave to the idea instead of being the master. Sometimes passages like this also serve to conceal the troublemaking elements whose presence you might have intuited but would have not looked for it there at all. Corrections usually should have to do with particular details of the composition.

the more i compose, the more i think about this EXACTLY. I think I should make up a new motto to remember while composing, "Any doubt, cross it out"

It is rare that a piece, once it has been completed, becomes better through revision; usually it gets worse.

like this one

When you examine a piece, read only the vocal line separately and or the bass separately, so this way you can see if your melody is dreary or your bass boring. The determining role of the melody and of clearly perceived basses created in good counterpoint should be a requirement. The accompaniment should be a equal, even independent, element and sometimes to move it canonically in relation to the voice. The canonic form never develops into the controlling element, but only as a means of increasing the charm of the vocal melody. And the melody will always break the form when its powerful and sublime flow so dictates.

one thing i mean to do a bit more.... though every line doesn't have to be excessively exciting all the time- what's so exciting about a long sustained bass note? Well, how it relates to whatever else is being played. Doing this helps, but just sort of.

Usually the best ideas flow from the hand or mind without any particular effort, these are the ideas that will endure in your compositions.

exactly! This is another thing i've noticed more and more. When composing seems easy, you're music is just better. But when it isn't so easy, and you're struggling to get another idea down, that's when it's both hard and the idea sucks at the same time.