Sign up for a free online composition resource: Online communities of composers and sheet-music readers also exist to compose and congregate over their music. Much like using composition software, you can compose your tune right online and save your work, then make it public and get feedback from other composers, or leave it private and access your composition from anywhere.
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Noteflight is one such free community, and an excellent resource both for learning to read music, writing music, exploring other peoples' compositions, and posting your compositions.
Select an instrument or a group of instruments for which to compose: Want to chart out some horn lines for an R&B song, or write up a string part to back your ballad? It's most common to work on one phrase or instrument at a time, then worrying about harmony and counterpoint later when you've got the first part knocked out. Common charting projects might include:
- Horn section parts for trumpet (in Bb), saxophone (in Eb), and trombone (in Bb).
- String quartet for two violins, viola, and cello.
- Piano charts for accompaniment.
- Vocal sheets.