Baby Steps Composition
based on Bree van Reyk's work "Light for the first time".
This resource will guide you through the process of composing a thematic piece that features compositional concepts related to Aleatoric and Minimalist music. We will explore various aspects of music including programmatic/thematic music, modes and chance composition.
This resource uses a work by the Australian composer Bree van Reyk as a model for the various techniques and processes and the steps will be based off aspects of her work "Light for the first time" (2017).
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To get started have a listen to Bree's work "Light for the first time"
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1. Inspiration
Having a purpose behind a composition is a great way to get started. This can be in various forms, but let's take a look at using a specific theme to direct our composition.
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Bree's piece is dedicated to her daughter and it explores the idea of seeing the world for the first time in slow motion. It depicts the experience of light becoming clearer and the process of forming specific images.
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Have a listen to Bree explain her inspiration for her work.
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Other works that use a specific theme include:
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To get your composition started, think of an event, feeling, action or object that you would like to describe/depict through music. some ideas could include; sleeping, dreaming, running, swimming, thinking, anger, happiness, growth, a season etc.
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Inspiration Worksheet: Use this worksheet to develop your chosen inspiration/theme.
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2. Choose your pitch set/mode
Choosing a specific set of notes as your foundation for your piece will help you to get a good start. The main thing here, is to not get too worried about your decision, just work through it and move on. It will sound good no matter what you choose!
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In "Light for the first time", the composer has a narrow pitch set and they all come from the A Phrygian mode. We are also going to use a mode for our composition.
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Modes are collections of seven notes based around one key note. There are 7 modes all, with a different sound:
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Ionian
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Dorian
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Phrygian
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Lydian
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Mixolydian
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Aeolian
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Locrian
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Each mode can be based off of any note - therefore adding black notes (sharps & flats) to the 'mode'.
Have a look at this website (Ableton.com) which explains more about each mode. You can also listen to each mode by using the keyboard at the bottom of the page.
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By choosing a key 'note' and then a 'mode' you can hear the exact notes that will make up your composition.
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Bree's work is in A Phrygian and it has the notes: A Bb C D E F G
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Once you have listened and played with different modes, choose one to use in your composition.
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3.Using chance composition to create melodic content
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Bree's work "Light for the First Time" features Aleatoric composition.
Aleatoric Composition is music in which some element of the composition is left up to chance. It can be included in the way that melodic or harmonic content is developed or in the way that the work is performed.
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In Bree's work, she gives more freedom to the performers by suggesting melodic and harmonic "cells" that the performers can play and develop on their own. Instead of dictating exactly how the piece will sound, she is designing an aesthetic that will be created in the actual performance of the work.
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Have a listen to why she thinks that this is a valuable composition technique.
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Aleatoric methods can be used in many different ways and to different extents in the composition process.
We can use methods of chance composition to get our own composition started.
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Using your chosen pitch set you are now going to randomly select your melody by using an interactive dice.
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With a Roll of a Dice Worksheet: Use this worksheet to get started!
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Interactive 8-sided Dice
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Now that your melody notes are chosen, use your knowledge of rhythm to notate a melody in Sibelius using a range of different note values.
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Tips for setting up your Sibelius file.
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- Pick an instrument that you are familiar with eg. your main instrument (you only need one melodic line)
- For this activity, choose a time signature out of these options: 4/4, 3/4, 2/4, 6/8, 9/8
- Your melody must span over 2 - 4 bars and you can include repetition.
- Add at least one articulation marking
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Here is an example:
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Now that you have a melody you can start developing it.
You could continue to use chance composition to create entirely new material or you could build more based on it.
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Before you move on though have a listen to Bree's encouraging words for aspiring composers just like you!
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Composition in Music Education Task 2 - Baby Steps
