I compose my own music on the piano…?
Tuesday, November 30th, 2010 at 9:26 pm
I’ve written songs but im having a hard time getting them out there. I’m to afraid of what people are going to say. the songs I’ve written are to people i loved, and still do. and they mean something to me… so i really need some advise if i should or should not put my music out there on youtube.
Do or don’t, it doesn’t matter to me.
… those people who you wrote for might appreciate it.
I don’t think your music is classical.
If you’re too sensitive to take bad criticism, then don’t. I have been composing music for a while that most people don’t like, but I enjoy doing it, so it really doesn’t matter. The people that would criticize your music in a negative way are probably very closed minded, and aren’t open to your unique way of expressing yourself, so their opinion isn’t very valid. If you can realize that, then I think you should post it, you may have a lot of people who enjoy listening to it, and maybe there will be some constructive criticism to help improve your composition skills.
When you say *written* – are these actually notated, or do you make them up in your head, and then play from memory? If the latter, that is not genuine composition, it is memorization of improvisation. If you can play these into Sibelius or Finale, and then tweak the notation for accuracy, you can upload them to the Users portions of the programs home websites – and get some kind of peer feedback. Or – you can record yourslef playing, throw it up on YouTube, and duck . . . This is no place for the think-skinned. There is an AWFUL lot of garbage out there – much like every single kid in middle school carries around a notebook with tons of gag-me lyrics they have written about their internal angst – and then they tell people they have *written a song*. Nope – just juvenile lyrics. If you have LEGITIMATELY composed music, then perhaps it is worth hearing – or perhaps, it will stay a personal gift to the recipient. I have written all kinds of mushy things inside greeting cards to my family – that does not make me Walt Whitman.
Is this music you have composed in a classical piano solo style or songs with lyrics? If you honestly think your music would sound good to someone other than the people you have written it for then give it a go and upload them to youtube, then you could advertise them on here to attract an audience. Though be prepared, people WILL dislike your music and won’t be afraid to say so and not so kindly either, though some people may find it charming. If you find the criticism to much to deal with then you can always remove them later on though it could damage your enthusiasm for composing. So maybe start off by uploading one at a time, if you get a good response for the first one, upload a few more and see how it goes.
You can find an audience for nearly any type or style of piano playing; I have read comments about some performances being really great when I thought they were below average. Put a sample on youtube and send me a link. I recently composed one but have not recorded it yet. Listen to some of what I have on youtube; it’s not classical but I use a lot of arpeggios and some scales.
http://www.youtube.com/lightrays