Warning! This is not a recipe! I am about to share, through words and images, a bit of my experience and routine as a composer, but experience tells me that the ways to create music are infinite. My intention is merely to introduce myself in a more intimate setting because making music is a very personal and (yes, why not?) emotional endeavor. It’s not an easy task, as it involves letting oneself be known closely, with our quirks, stubbornness, and, above all, the dark circles from insomnia.
However, more than just talking about myself, I believe this small series of posts will also resonate with many readers who will find in my paths a piece of their own, or, in the absence of that, at least draw interesting conclusions about the inexhaustible diversity of this resource (increasingly strategic) that we call creativity.
First and foremost, I must express my belief that musical creation happens spontaneously for all human beings, and therefore does not require instruments, techniques, or specialized training to exist. Even in a post-apocalyptic world where absolutely no technology remained, if at least the air we breathe remained, the vibration of things would produce sounds, and with them, people would continue to invent music, even if by scraping stones or kicking debris.
However, in their everyday use, the terms composing, producing, or creating music refer to more specific activities, related to equipment, skills, and more or less conventional processes, and it is these elements that I want to write about—from my perspective, as mentioned. I decided to do this in four interconnected posts, which cover the entire composition process step by step, from the initial idea to the delivery or performance of a piece of music. And, to illustrate my approach at each of these steps, I included two personal examples of creation in each one. You can read the posts in order or, if you prefer, access a specific topic from the menu below.
Shall we?