Music vs Tools
As I notice composers of all skill levels (mostly beginner) post examples of their music, it makes me wonder how conscious everybody is about the influence the tools can have on the resulting music.
For example, when you identify as a composer as opposed to a producer, you might feel inclined to use notation software as your starting point instead of a DAW or voice notes then dictating on manuscript, etc.
I see myself in a lot of newer composers in that I was influenced by the aesthetic of being a “composer” that was fed to me through films like Amadeus, music books, and even in music school up to a certain level. Using a DAW was for people who made beats and couldn’t read music, so I thought.
So I would start with Sibelius, staring into the bright white manuscript as it totally hijacked my visual field. Then, due to its grid-like nature, I was inclined to write stilted music that fit into simpler rhythms and time signatures because it would take so much more time trying to notate all the nuances that I actually wanted.
Eventually, I learned that a DAW mixed with drawing/writing in a free form way on manuscript or blank white paper was the best way to get the music out, then only using notation software to clean it up and make parts was the best way for me.
It took me a while to recognize and remove the stock visual aesthetic of being a “composer” and to just use what served me better. The priority switched from tool-use to a pure focus on the musical idea. I arrived at the realization that notation is just a rough visual recording, not necessarily the composition itself.
I’m curious to know if this has been a conscious consideration for others or if maybe this post is enlightening to those who haven’t considered this.