How do I write good music on piano?

[pharmboyjoe]

 

Piano is useless for IDM.

 

 

Help me with my ignorance, but what's IDM?

[Dejavoodoo]

Some thoughts:

 

1. You do NOT need talent to write a song, though it helps tremendously. Just turn the radio on to a top 40 station and listen for about half an hour. Yeah, sure, some tunes are good, but most are easily forgettable.

2. As most have said, do what the artists do: copy the masters. Mimic their style. I stole some killer riffs from Elton John and Rick Wakeman. They're mine now.

3. You don't have to write anything. Just like you don't have to say anything. Let the muse speak to you when she's ready.

4. The more proficient you are on your instrument, the easier it will be to compose on it.

5. Listen to classical and real jazz more often.

5. All that being said, take a song and do the following to it: change the key, change the tempo, substitute some chords, change the time signature. Reverse the order of some of the chords. Trust me: this works well.

 

Best of luck to you.

[bruto]

Here's a quick trick: use Band In A Box. It's a good program to work out chord progressions, changes etc.

 

You can download a demo version here: http://www.pgmusic.com/

 

I don't think the demo version lets you print out sheet music, but you can still listen to it, write down the chords, and then play it on your piano.

[pharmboyjoe]

I think a lot of tunes are "written" because someone is trying to learn/copy someone else's tune, doesn't quite nail it, and it becomes an "original". That's why you hear the the same riffs over and over. Is it "My sweet Lord" or is it "He's So Fine"?