Whether you’re a classical composer or an EDM artist, finding the perfect workspace to capture your ideas is key. While the tools of the trade may have changed over the centuries, some composers had unique strategies for writing music.
We’re going to take a look at one of Franz Liszt’s most beloved workspaces and consider how other composers around the world have organized their workspaces in order to bring their musical visions to life!
How Does a Composer Write Music?
Writing music is a creative and thoughtful process that requires a great deal of skill and knowledge. A composer might employ several strategies to write their music, such as:
- brainstorming melody lines with free improvisation
- looking through records for inspiration
- experimenting with different harmonies and modulations
- seeking feedback from close collaborators
- giving a musical idea time to percolate in the back of their mind for a while before resuming work on it.
All of these techniques have their uses, and the composer must find what works best for them in any given situation. At the end of the day, the most important factor is creating something that resonates deeply with both themselves and their audience – only then can they be truly proud of the results.
One of the best ways to get better at writing piano music – besides having a dedicated piano studio desk to compose, that is! – is to work with a teacher who can help you improve your craft. Learn more about piano lessons here and check out the video below to learn more about what else you’ll learn in piano lessons:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wQ1ZXph1HI
What is a Piano Studio Desk?
If you’ve ever walked into a piano studio, you may have seen a peculiar piece of furniture that you can’t quite put your finger on. It looks like a desk, but it has some features that don’t quite make sense. You’re probably looking at a studio desk with a piano tray!
What is a Piano Studio Desk?
A digital piano studio desk is a hybrid between a standard computer desk and an electronic keyboard stand. It has two main parts—a large flat surface for placing your laptop or other equipment and an adjustable shelf for holding your digital keyboard or synthesizer.
The flat surface usually comes with space to hold extra items such as books or music scores, and the shelf can be adjusted to fit any size keyboard or synthesizer. The overall design allows for easy access to both the laptop screen and the music production gear.
Do I Need a Store Bought or DIY Piano Desk Studio?
If you are serious about making music with digital technology then yes—you need one! A piano studio desk will make your life much easier when it comes to organizing all of the cables, keyboards, laptops, and other gear required for your creative process. It also helps keep everything in one place so that all of your equipment is protected from dust, moisture, and other environmental factors.
Plus, having all of your gear within arm’s reach makes it much easier to switch between different instruments while recording or playing live sets without having to constantly move around between different stations.
Origins of the Piano Keyboard Studio Desk
Franz Liszt was a virtuoso pianist and composer known for his incredible performances and compositions. His piano studio desk was perhaps his most famous workspace. The desk featured various compartments that held scores, notebooks, pencils, and other items he used while composing.
This particular desk also included a hidden drawer that could be opened with a secret mechanism revealing even more compartments for storing larger items like manuscripts and sketches. It has been said that this desk helped him stay organized so he could easily find what he needed when inspiration struck!
Other composers have had interesting approaches to capturing their creative ideas as well. John Cage famously kept a sketchbook with him at all times where he would jot down his thoughts and musings as they came to him throughout the day. He believed that by keeping these notes close at hand he would be able to quickly flesh out any idea before it vanished from his mind.
Similarly, American composer Philip Glass keeps an old-fashioned typewriter in his office so he can quickly type out any thoughts or melodies that come into his head without having to fumble with plugging in digital devices or looking for pencils!
And some modern-day composers use technology like laptops or tablets to keep their creative sparks alive. These digital tools allow them to quickly create sketches of musical ideas as soon as they come into their heads without having to worry about losing them down the line.
Many programs are designed specifically for composition which provide features like visual score editors and software instruments for creating realistic sounds digitally—allowing composers more control over their work than ever before!
Don’t Have a Piano Keyboard Studio Desk? Here Are Other Options
Franz Liszt (1811 – 1886) was a virtuoso pianist and composer, and generally recognized to be the one of the greatest of all time. To help him with his composing, Liszt had a custom desk built which had a small piano keyboard built into the middle drawer. It was built by a manufacturer called Bösendorf, and it is currently on display at the Franz Liszt Museum in Budapest.
These days, many aspiring musicians have similar set ups in their compositional studios. We still use the same musical language and symbols that Liszt used, but we also have a variety of programs and technology to help us capture and develop our musical ideas quickly. In this article, I would like to review a few of these technologies and programs that can help you put your music studio to work.
Compositional Programs
There are several compositional programs available to music writers. I should note, however, that the ability to read music is definitely a prerequisite to using these programs effectively. If you don’t know how to read music, or you need a little brushing up on the basics, there are several free applications, YouTube tutorials, and websites available, such as musicnotes.com, or teoria.com. You can also hire a private tutor like me to guide your progress and tailor your experience to fit how you learn.
If you are comfortable reading and writing music, you can try out compositional programs like Sibelius or Finale. These are comprehensive music writing programs that you would find at any music school, and they are the standards used by most professional composers. With programs like these you can create musical works with as much or as little detail as you need. You can, for example, compose for any instrument and play back what you write as you go. You can adjust your work, such as changing the key signature, transpose a passage, or copy & paste selections with jus a few clicks. You can insert lyrics, performance markings, or even make custom symbols if you’re trying to create special musical diagrams (as I often need to as a music theorist). They are also compatible with USB connected piano keyboards, so you can add to your compositions directly from your piano.
Sibelius and Finale are largely interchangeable programs. I use Sibelius, but more out of familiarity at this point than anything else. There are free, more limited versions of the program if you only need the basics. But for more complicated writing, I recommend getting the full program. There are also other free programs such as MuseScore, although they may not offer the same level of reliability, compatibility, or range of compositional options.
Microphones
Maybe you want to skip the writing programs and go straight to recording and mixing your voice or instrument. If so, you can start by creating an audio file, either with an iPhone voice memo or any other kind of digital recording device. The microphone on most smartphones is of a reasonably high quality these days, but if you want to make something with a more professional sound, it is important to get a high-quality microphone.
Microphones can range in price significantly, from $50 to $300 or more. I use an Audiotechnica ATR2100-USB for my meetings and performances, which works well for me. To improve the quality even more, you add a pop filter and a foam ball mic cover. These are great for reducing overly harsh consonant sounds. A microphone arm to suspend the mic in the air is also helpful for reducing extra noise caused by placing them on a table.
Sequencing Programs
Once you have your studio set up for recording, you can start plugging those recording into sequencing, or “mixing” programs. For Mac users, the most popular mixing program is probably GarageBand. For PC users, there is Adobe Audition CC or Audacity, to name a couple. I use Adobe Audition CC and I do recommend it, although there is a steep learning curve to use it effectively.
With programs like these you can drop in your audio files and organize or adjust them in several ways. If you have multiple files, you can time them together, cut & paste clips for a master track, or add effects like fade-in/fade-out transitions. If you want to run multiple tracks simultaneously, such as one for each instrument, you can record a new track while listening to another in headphones. This will help you line them up properly and make sure you keep the same speed.
Some programs, like GarageBand, also have the option to create electronic music directly from the program. This allows you to choose from a range of instrumental sounds, create programmable loops, and drop them into a track whenever you want. This is actually how many recording artists do it these days. Why hire a full band of musicians when you can do it all with a single computer program? Often performers write (or have written for them) an electronic back track using a program like this, and then sing another track over it.
Creating Your Own Music
Sometimes you need to feel yourself play or sing your idea to confirm that it is what you really want; to make sure that it feels natural. It’s easy to put something into a program and then realize that it is incredibly awkward to sing or play. If you are starting a new song from scratch, there is something to be said for just sitting down with your instrument, a pencil, and some blank sheet music paper, just like Liszt did at his piano studio desk.
How Do Composers Get Their Ideas?
No matter what tools or techniques you use to capture your musical ideas, it’s important to have something that works best for you!
Whether it’s Franz Liszt’s piano studio desk or Philip Glass’ typewriter or John Cage’s sketchbook or even just your laptop—find what works best and make it your own personal space where creativity can flow freely!
With the right setup, you will have all of your musical inspirations at your fingertips ready when you need them most! Ask your music teacher for recommendations on what might work best for your needs.
Lance Russell