Technology Fails Me

The compositional process is different for everyone, but it is a basic fact that every person needs a compositional vessel. When I am at school, this vessel is most frequently the keyboard in my bedroom, at which I hand-sketch notes on looseleaf staff paper. If I'm feeling particularly ambitious, I go to a practice room and use a real piano--there's still nothing as wonderful as sitting down at a real piano to play my own music. However, when I am at home, as we do not have any kind of keyboard instrument, I am left with notation software.

Now there's nothing inherently wrong with notation software--it does a wonderful job of notating what you've written, and has been swiftly increasing in playback quality. But I can tell you from personal experience in writing my Canto III that notation software always obscures what real sounds will be, and can be incredibly discouraging to use--that which sounds beautiful suddenly sounds cheesy, and that which is dissonant suddenly sounds ugly.

That being said, I have no real issue with using notation software to copy down the music running through my head, as I have had enough musical training that I can copy it down easily without having to hear it at all, thus negating the need for auditory confirmation.

This is all thrown down the proverbial toilet, however, when your laptop's keyboard starts acting up. If you've seen me on Twitter or Dailybooth, you know I've been having issues with my F key constantly signaling (The only reason that it's not occurring now is that I have the opportunity, now that my brother is at school, to use the illustrious Family Computer to check the internet. The Family Computer, however, has no option I can readily transfer for notation software, so I am again at a loss!)

This constant F signaling doesn't seem like it should be an issue--after all, in notation software, what need is there for text? Well, F is a note on the keyboard, and subsequently, F is a hotkey to insert a note on F in the notation software. So unless I suddenly become extra minimalist and want my entire musical to be everyone singing unison F's for two hours straight, I will have to change course.

The fortunate thing is that I have a hand-written notebook of ideas that I can play with, themes to bring out, scenes to imagine, and concepts to develop without having a note of music written. I can sketch out certain musical motives in the margins--nothing long or complicated--so that the foundation will be ready.

So, essentially, this is one long excuse for having made very little progress in the last few days. Hopefully there won't be many of these! Thanks for reading this if you've just found me. It's looking like it's going to be a very good year, and I hope to share it with all of you!