Composition Project

What are the four main elements of a musical composition?

The four main elements of musical composition are pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and articulation.

Pitch 

Pitch is the actual frequency, the highness or lowness, of a tone. In the Western tuning system of equal temperament, there are twelve different pitches possible within the octave.

Rhythm 

Rhythm is all about the timing of the pitches. The combination of slow and fast note values contributes to the overall rhythm. Some compositions, such as for drums, contain mostly rhythm with very few variations in pitch or tone. Download a FREE rhythm composition worksheet for beginners here.

Dynamics 

This is a musical term for volume: the loudness or softness of the tones. Dynamics are usually represented by Italian abbreviations.

Articulation

Articulation refers to the quality of touch. Are the notes played legato (smooth and connected), staccato (short and detached), or somewhere in between? Is a single note played gently or with a sharp attack?

How do I choose a key for my composition?

Composers choose a key by matching its emotional quality to their intended mood, with major keys often conveying brightness and minor keys conveying depth or tension.

Mood

The key you write in depends on the mood you want to convey. Generally, a bright and cheerful mood will best be expressed in a major key, while for morose feelings a minor key will be more appropriate. This is a very subjective guideline, of course, and there are plenty of exceptions. Jazz, blues, and pop often use minor keys and the effect is anything but sad. While minor keys readily express a more somber tone, you’ll find many a major-key song that will tear you up!

Instrumentation

The instruments you write for will also determine which keys you might want to use. String players, for example, have an easier time if they can take advantage of the open strings on their instruments. It’s no accident that so many violin concertos are in keys like G and D major. A violinist will be grateful if the unstopped G, D, A, and E strings can be used, and so any key containing these pitches is seen as “violin-friendly.”

Should I start composing with melody, harmony, or rhythm?

The answer is, try all three! Part of the challenge of composing is to start with material in one musical dimension and use it to flesh out the others. A keyboardist who plays in Baroque ensembles will usually have nothing more than a bass line with intervals to work with. Just from that, a whole keyboard part can be improvised, including harmony and rhythm. 

Check out this article for a fun and easy guide to getting started with composition.

What is ABA form in music composition?

ABA, also called ternary, is a three-part structure with a first section, a second, often contrasting section, and a return to the first section. A simple example is Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman, better known as Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.

This structure is also found in large-scale pieces, like symphonies. The first and last movements of a classical symphony will usually have an exposition (A), a development (B), and a recapitulation, or restatement of A.

Read this article to learn more about form in music.

What is the difference between a parallel phrase and a contrasting phrase?

Parallel phrase period

Parallel phrases both begin in a similar fashion if not identically, but differ in how they end. The second phrase in Billy Joel’s The Downeaster Alexa is almost an exact repeat ...