Untitled…

Coming up with a title is one of the hardest parts of composing a piece of music for me. (Hence the “title” of this blog post.)

Sometimes the title comes first. That helps the development of the piece a lot. In the case of “Primary Colors” I knew what the direction of the piece was going to be from the very beginning. (Even if it took me 10 years to finish the piece) It always had a definite trajectory every time I came back to it. The piece had a point that it was trying to make and because I had a title from the beginning, it was my job to help the point get made. It was the same way with “Why do we Fall?”

In the case of my latest commission, I had an idea for the inspiration of the piece while I was writing it. I played a few notes on the piano and felt like it would be a great ending to the piece. From there I worked backwards to write a piece that would build to that ending. (though the ending ended up getting cut from the final version…) Even if I still don’t have a title for it yet, I at least know where the inspiration came from so I know the title will some way be related to the imagery that was swirling through my head as I worked on it. It makes it easier to close in on an appropriate title.

Sometimes however, the music comes by itself. I write something that feels cohesive and definitely has a tone, but the title still eludes me. I listen countless times, show it to friends for ideas, google random buzz words that pop in my head while I listen, check the thesaurus for something that sounds more creative. Sometimes I give it to the commissioning party still without a title in hopes that we can work together to figure out something that fits. This is how I came to the rather long and drawn out title “Dichotomy: A Love Severed, The Ballad of Lazerhands”, and also “Security Breach”

There have been a few instances where I needed a title a.s.a.p. and just threw something down out of necessity and now that I look back, I wish I had given it more thought, but alas, the pieces are already out in the world and attached to those less than poetic titles. (I’m lookin’ at you “Alpha Bravo Niner”)

Sometimes I long for the days of composers past when you could just call a piece “Symphony in C” or “Nocturne”. I know technically I still could, but the modern composer needs to play the “search algorithm game” at least a little if they hope to make a living. If you search a distributor’s website for a piece of music called “Symphony No. 1”, it might take you weeks to single in on the one you’re looking for. Plus, imagine you are a 7th grade trumpet player and your director calls up the next piece. Are you more likely to give a cheer when they call up “Andante” or when they call up “Explode!”?

I know I’m not the only composer who has trouble with titles. I regularly see composers talking about it on Twitter. Just last week I listened to a composer’s new piece to help them come up with a title. Unfortunately, I was of no help. Sorry Tony. 

So if you are looking through my catalog some time and see a title that you really like, (or really hate) let me know! Maybe there is a story behind it, or maybe it was a spur of the moment decision that is now forever affixed to that particular collection of notes.