So I always seem to come across one problem when trying to make a piece of music; I always seem to have an idea for one section that works well, but then I'll have complete writer's block when trying to come up with any further sections to the piece. This is an example I think that this works great as an intro but I just couldn't think of a way to continue the piece. Anyone else suffer from this problem and what are your ways of remedying it?

Recommended Listening: Beethoven's 5th Symphony.

Analyze the whole first movement, note by note.

That sounded great :)

How'd you make that?

I'm just starting out on this topic myself

Grey

That's a great start for an action cue.
It's not impossible to start with an intro, but you might want to start with a basic melody that recurs throughout the song, then add more instruments/bass and the percussion.
To be honest I find it pretty hard to create full songs as well - I guess it just takes knowledge and practice.

Hey,

Nice intro cue. I think there are MANY places you can take this intro!! I'd recommend you experiment with:

1) Changes in the string ostinato pattern you've set up. Right now it is floating around one main harmony basically. What happens if you move away from that to another harmony? This gives you some more to mess around with.

2) Add in some more instruments as you progress. At the start I'm hearing some synthy pads and ambience, string ostinato and percussive elements. Try adding in an intense drum beat after the intro and have the ostinato figure supported by more than just strings.

3) Figure out a melody to introduce after the introduction completes itself. Perhaps a more simple melody if there will be alot of action in the harmonic and percussive parts.

4) Play the song then once it is finished, hum or whistle what you feel should happen next. Begin to work that new idea into the song.

5) Danthr is right: analyzing other pieces of music is a great way to learn what others have done to create a piece with variety, length and depth. I find that some are greatly intimidated by musical analysis, especially if they do not have a college education in music, but it is still very possible. At the very, very least doing some careful listening can still provide some great ideas. I would also recommend you listen to plenty of theme and variations for a solo instrument (like piano or guitar). This is a great resource where it shows what a composer (or arranger) can do with one theme and making different variations from it.

Do any combination of these and I think you'll find there's plenty to move forward with in this piece.

Best of luck,

Nate

Thanks for the tips guys.

Nathan, thanks for your ideas, I'll see if I can continue the intro into a suitable melody (although they always seem to come to me when I'm not at my workstation.)

Although composition relies on creativity it does also require practice, so I'll keep going and hopefully I'll reach a finished piece that I'm happy with.

I don't have a degree in music, this is how you self-teach.

Beethoven's entire first movement is built upon a single 4 note motif--how do you write a whole piece from one idea? Beethoven's fifth is one of the BEST examples of how to do that.