Hmm... I've been intrigued to this question when I was commenting on one of the member's arrangement. Is notating music properly important? I personally find it very important. Unless you're writing some electronic music that can't be notated, it's important to be well-notated, because every composition have a chance to be performed. If your score is messy, or notated in a way where not everyone agrees on, then the performers won't know what to do. I mean, because it is different from the standard, the performer might interpret it differently. Therefore, I think composers should be aware of this.

Being a performer, I experienced the bad things about poor notation. It is especially confusing if there are more than one part. Being a composer, I understand how frustrating it is to get notation stuff right, but I still think it's worth the trouble to take some time and make your scores clean and reader friendly. Though, I know some people like to actually use pencils to write on manuscripts on composing, so if you do that, please use a ruler if it's your final draft. :P

So what are your thoughts about this?

Overall, yes. But making it so perfect that you get turned on isn't all that important to me. Lol.

Sure, I hate to play "messy" scores, but it really matters if the music is hard or [relatively] simplier than some Chopin or Liszt piece. If I can read the notes, then it's fine. If it isn't perfectly lined up, and the measures don't all have equal lengths I don't care. It's the notes and telling what they are is what's important.

Well, if you never plan on having it performed, I'd say it's pretty unimportant.

Well, if you never plan on having it performed, I'd say it's pretty unimportant.

XD But you never know, some crazy musicians might come by and say they want to perform your music. And it's always good to have a hard copy of your music incase anything happens.

I've had 4 people wanting the sheets for a recent song I wrote, but ack, I never noted it :) In fact, I've not used notation for almost a year now, and I'm not planning on going back.

Wait, what HAVE you used?

Well, when you make computer-generated music, it's not generally common that you will use notation. I don't usually use notation myself, although I know I should.

Wait, what HAVE you used?

Um, I perform the parts myself? :P

I don't find notations too important. Other than some dynamics where the composer may declare that the song has to go that way, I don't think its too important. In fact, many 20th century composers do not put much of any notations into their music and wants the performer to determine for themselves on how the song should be played. Many classic composers have chose to put very few notations on their score because they believed that the performer who is able to perform their music should be able to feel how the music should be played.

The current music notation is not yet perfect. This means that even if you want to notate it the way you hear it in your head, it might not be possible. Also, when you write a music into the computer and want to hear a good play back, the notations you use will be different from the notation you would use for a performer. One has to get creative with what they do to achieve a good play back to post on sites like these.

The current music notation is not yet perfect. This means that even if you want to notate it the way you hear it in your head, it might not be possible.

That's why it's an advantage for a composer to play an instrument or two.

~~~

Wow, I am quite surprised that you people are saying notation isn't important. I find proper notation being essential for any composers. Yes, I know it's impossible to do that when you write for electronic instruments and other exotic instruments. But notation is like the 'hard copy' of your music, I mean, there's a possibility where composers in earlier eras might have composed something much more awesome than what we consider 'classics' now and never really wrote it down properly. Furthermore, the standard 'notation' of music is created for a reason, so it's essential we follow the tradition.

Furthermore, if you create music just 'for the music', you could do it over sequencing programs as opposed to your Finale, Notion, or Sibelius. But if you have the 'notation' programs, your advantage here is to create clean looking scores :P

I get the feeling that people have different ideas of what notation is. I also find that notation is important in my compositions, if only because that's the easiest way for me to see what I'm composing and to edit it.

Yes, notation is very important, at least for music in the classical genres.

You're the artist. Notation is however you want it. I thought you learn the proper rules only to break them :)

You're the artist. Notation is however you want it. I thought you learn the proper rules only to break them :)

Exactly :) Music is an art, and as with all the arts, there are no rules. Notation is only a preference, and it's not mandatory (unless you need a hard copy for whatever reason, then it has to be fairly legible).

But don't forget the fact that music is a performing art. You can't expect performers to perform it if you don't write it down properly. I think some of you don't understand the fact that notation isn't about making the music pretty on paper, it's about clarity. All sheets need to be clear in order for the performers to perform successfully.

imo, notation isnt exactly the most important thing. some are more important than others, if you ask me. most important ones, i think anyway, are the tempo, loudness, crescendos and descendos. good notation is definatly better than none, but i tend to use notation as a guideline for playing rather than a set of rules. i like to play how i feel like playing at that moment.