Ideas for Compositions

I want to start a tips section for anyone trying to compose their own songs. I remember when I was taking lessons I ate up the tips my teacher had. So, as I think of things I will make posts about them.
Before I go into tips I want to let you know that I am not a music major. I got my degree in dental hygiene. Um, farthest thing from music as possible! However, I did take private piano lessons from when I was 7 to when I was 17. Those are my qualifications. I compose what sounds good to me. That’s it. I don’t think about what is supposed to come next because that is how songs are supposed to be written. I play, and my fingers just fiddle around until I find just the right sound I was going for.
Tip:
TRIPLETS: When it comes to arranging music I’ve found that to really make the last verse (or the climax) of your arrangement more powerful , add triplets to the left hand accompanying the right hand’s melody.
Going from eighth notes, or other rhythms, to triplets just gives the piece energy and movement. In the final verse of my “Nearer, My God to Thee” arrangement, I even added triplets into the melody while the left hand held half notes. This proved to be the most powerful part of my song. I get chills every time I play it.
Triplets, when used at the right place and the right time, can turn an ok piece into a “wow” piece.

Photo: Pencil by Dave Rutt

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