My compositions are improvisations and vice versa, all made at the piano. Some sound more "conventional" than others, with more or less clearly delineated "sections," and others are more "patchwork quilt" in form. I like to strike a balance between these two extremes. It is satisfying to hear something later in a piece of music that you heard earlier, even if it is just a vague reference to it.

I write several motifs while sitting at the piano, then try to string them together in the best sounding sequence. The beginning and ending are composed last. Finally, once the song is finished in my mind, I will put it down on paper. My hope is to save time through MIDI keyboard (which I am purchasing today!). My true goal is to one day be able to write a significant amount of music away from the piano. My composition instructor is teaching me how to do this.

It's amazing how differently each of us writes music.

I love this topic!

Teri

I start at the piano, and have my laptop right by me at the piano, I come up with something and jot it into PrintMusic. Then I eventually do more work on the Piano and then put it into Finale, so basically I believe I work from the Piano, then write my pieces on Computer