WELCOME CURIOUS COMPOSERS
In this installment of Curious Composer, we are embarking on a journey to cultivate the optimal mindset required to Conquer Our Fear Of The Blank Page!
DO YOU FEAR THE BLANK PAGE?
Do you experience anxiety whenever you’re confronted with a blank sheet of music paper?
Does that blank page whisper to you, “You don’t have what it takes to write great music,” every time you sit down to compose a new piece?
Imagine if instead of bringing you anxiety, a blank page brought you immense excitement!
Imagine if that blank page was a symbol of potential rather than a harbinger of looming embarrassment from another unfinished composition!
BE THE ONE TO SAY YOU CAN
You are human with one of the most complex and powerful tools on planet earth.
Your Brain!
I know you have one because you wouldn’t be reading this if you didn’t.
A blank sheet of music paper should never hold the power to instill fear in you. Refuse to grant it, or an empty music project file, the ability to intimidate you to the extent that it hinders your creative process.
If you aspire to become a composer, your ultimate objective is to compose music regardless of your emotional state. Therefore, it is advantageous to cultivate a mindset that is excited, positive, and full of self confidence.
“The man who says he can, and the man who says he can’t. Are both Correct.”
-Confucius
The moment you succumb to the anxiety brought on by a blank page, you align yourself with those who claim they cannot.
I’m going to be the man who says he can!
What about you?
WHY DO WE FEAR THE BLANK PAGE?
You are completely normal for feeling this fear. Your feelings are valid. That fear means you are human. In fact we wouldn’t be here if that fear didn’t exist.
Tell me why the blank page is so anxiety inducing.
The reason is simple. It’s connected to a deeply ingrained human fear.
The Fear of the Unknown
From an evolutionary perspective, our early ancestors who exhibited caution and fear when venturing into unfamiliar territories had a higher likelihood of escaping predators, thereby ensuring their survival. In contrast, those who recklessly approached new environments as if they were exploring their own living room were more vulnerable to harm and did not survive. Consequently, the transmission of cautious and fearful genetic traits from one generation to the next ultimately culminated in the existence of composers like you and I.
Don’t believe in evolution? I understand! Whether it’s evolution or some other higher power, The Fear of the Unknown is ingrained in our DNA.
The blank page is the Unknown. It’s unknown to you what you are going to write. It’s unknown to you how you are going to write it. You are embarking on a creative journey to compose music that remains uncharted, venturing into unexplored realms of music composition.
Are those some scary unknowns or what?
Let’s make them less scary! I don’t want the Curious Composer Blog to give you nightmares.
A PUZZLE WHERE YOU CREATE THE PIECES
I challenge you to change your mindset on the blank page.
This is not the time to be worrying about measure one. This is the time to create your emotional landscape and sketch out your ideas for your new composition.
Think of your music composition as a puzzle. Have you ever done a puzzle without any puzzle pieces? Have you ever committed yourself to a puzzle without knowing what the final result is going to be?
Of course not.
All the pieces are in a box that you then organize on the table. You know what the final result is going to be because the image is on the box. That image of the final result is your guide, it’s your map to successfully putting the puzzle together.
Your new composition is a puzzle. However, you don’t have the pieces nor do you have the image of the final result.
The blank page is not the time to start with measure one. The blank page is your time to :
- Write all your melody ideas
- Experiment with different variations of those melodies
- Explore captivating harmonies.
- Decide on the form of you new piece
- Create your sound palette. (This is a big one for those of you who are writing directly into the computer using a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW))
- Decide what emotional journey you want to take your audience on.
Which one of those sounds the most exciting? Start there to get your creativity flowing.
My greatest joy in the art of music composition lies in writing melodies. I am utterly captivated by the allure of a well-crafted melody. When faced with a blank canvas, I find myself in a state of euphoria, for it is during this moment that I can weave melodies that not only resonate beautifully but also evoke emotions that transcend the power of any other form. It is at this juncture that I shape the emotional journey I intend to take my audience on when they listen to my music.
SYMBOL OF OPPORTUNITY
The blank page is a pivotal moment, it’s a canvas of limitless potential. It beckons with an infinite array of musical ideas, poised for your creative touch. You wield absolute freedom to compose the music your heart yearns to hear. Staring down at a blank page is your opportunity to craft an emotional tapestry that will resonate with your audience when they immerse themselves in your music.
The blank page is an invitation to experiment.
This is the time to be feeling like a kid in a candy store. There is a world of sweet ideas for you to indulge in. You have the freedom to taste test them all before you dedicate yourself to the first measure of your composition.
You have the privilege to claim all the melodies, harmonies, and sounds that indulge your senses. The best part is that the only cost is the time you spend writing them down. And with the technology and social media today you can share them with the entire world in an instant.
OMG, can you think of anything more exciting?
WHAT’S NEXT?
Now that you are in the right mindset, it’s time to sit down and start composing your themes, develop your ideas, and sketch out your entire composition.
Bottom Line- It’s time for you to create a composition road map. It’s time to get a birds eye view of your new composition so you can make the unknown known.
You won’t be having nightmares of the Blank page tonight. You’ll be dreaming of exciting new musical worlds that you create.
Welcome to Curious Composer!
Next on the Curious Composer Blog Creating a Composition Road Map
Check Out Other Articles on Curious Composer!
- The Lost Art of Developing A Beautiful Melody Part 1
- AMAZING TECHNOLOGY FOR THE NEW 21ST CENTURY COMPOSER
- CREATING A COMPOSITION ROAD MAP
- CONQUER YOUR FEAR OF THE BLANK PAGE
- FOUR SECRETS TO CREATING INSPIRATION
A big thank you the following Pixaby artists for providing images for this article:
Anaterate
Darkmoon_Art
Naobim
Clker-Free-Vector-Images
