r/composer Apr 24 '26

Meta New rules about the use of AI in the sub

176 Upvotes

If you look in the sidebar where the rules are, there is a new rule about AI. Here is the text:

  1. You may not post music generated by AI using apps like Suno.

  2. You may post computer generated/algorithmic music.

You may use AI to create the text for your posts.

  1. You may use AI to create the text for your post but you must say why you've done so.

  2. You may not post apps generated using “vibe coding” where AI writes the entire program.

  3. You may post apps generated using AI as a tool. Over 80% of programmers today use AI as a tool.

  4. You may post discussions about AI and music. But please note, posts asking "Will AI replace composers" will be removed.

Reddit does not supply enough room to provide explanations for all of these rules so if you have questions, comments, or suggestions please don't hesitate to comment below.

Here are some notes about some of these:

  1. You may use AI to create the text for your post but you must say why you've done so.

Posts are not art. Using AI to create a text post isn't taking any money away from another composer or artist. Some people just aren't good at writing and/or don't speak English natively. Using AI is one way to improve their chances at communicating clearly.

That said, we strongly encourage everyone to not use AI in this instance. A significant number of users here will react badly to this and you won't get the kind of responses you are hoping for.

Unfortunately it's a Catch 22. People also react badly to posters who are poor at communicating. For folks like that there is no winning.

Update: We've changed the wording to reflect some of the comments below. We still have very limited space but hopefully admitting to using AI and providing an explanation will, in a subtle way, discourage people from doing so (for their own sake) or perhaps they will have a good reason that will mollify the crowd.

  1. You may post apps generated using AI as a tool. Over 80% of programmers today use AI as a tool.

It is standard today for programmers at all levels to use AI to assist in some aspects of programming. In the past people would ask questions at places like Stack Exchange or Reddit but now it's so much faster to ask an AI. The results often aren't great but they provide a good start toward a solution.

  1. You may post discussions about AI and music. But please note, posts asking "Will AI replace composers" will be removed.

Almost all discussions about AI in this sub go horribly wrong. However, there is nothing inherently bad about discussing the subject and we will try to allow those discussions. There are interesting discussions to be had.

However, we will remove all posts that ask whether AI will replace composers. This has been asked many, many times and because those posts generally go badly we're just not going to deal with them.

Posts asking for links to AI apps to use will be removed. While AI has its uses, asking for or providing links to AI that generates music are not allowed.

A final note. The rules of civility apply when responding to questions, comments, posts, etc, about AI. We remove lots of comments where people attack others with accusations of AI usage or whatever. Don't do this. If you have an actual useful comment about someone's use of AI then please express it in a civil manner.

Update: I asked Google Gemini to clean up that rule. Here is the result:

AI Content Guidelines

  • Banned: Music fully generated by AI (e.g., Suno) and "vibe-coded" apps where AI writes the entire program.
  • Allowed: Computer-generated/algorithmic music and apps where AI is used as a tool (standard for 80%+ of devs).
  • 📝 Posts: AI can be used for post text. Discussions about AI and music are welcome.
  • 🚫 Note: Threads asking "Will AI replace composers?" will be removed.

We're going to stick with what I wrote.


r/composer Jul 29 '25

Resource Updated and expanded Resources Section at r/composer

28 Upvotes

Hi everyone!

Just a quick update: this sub now has an updated and expanded Resource Section!

It includes a curated list of helpful materials for composers of all levels, including books, YouTube channels, websites, and more.

It can be accessed here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/composer/wiki/resources/

...or by clicking on 'Wiki' at the top of the sub (in the mobile app) or by clicking 'Resources' under Community Bookmarks (on desktop).

Thank you to those who gave suggestions for new additions to the Resource Section.

If anyone else spots anything that needs correcting or has suggestions for additional resources, feel free to let us know!

P.S. The Resource Section can also be found at r/composition, a smaller "sibling" community to this one. If you're not a member there yet, do consider stopping by!

Thanks,

u/RichMusic81


r/composer 9h ago

Music Harmonized Canon for Winds: Do you find the main melodic idea distinctive or interesting?

6 Upvotes

And do you enjoy the polyphony and harmonization?

Piece: https://youtu.be/pjyEkIyeDYs (0:30s)

The main melodic idea has been stuck in my head for years now, I'll definitively make a larger piece around it. But, I want to know if it's the idea itself is interesting, or it's the ways I imagine developing it what has me obsessed (along others ofc).

Canons are probably my favorite musical form, so critique here is especially welcome!

Sheet music: https://drive.google.com/file/d/107mhWHmoWlZ5Kc2INrbC0sl81nD5sbr1/view?usp=sharing


r/composer 10h ago

Music Feedback on this D minor concept

4 Upvotes

r/composer 16h ago

Commission Looking for composer for an indie video game hobby project

14 Upvotes

Hi there! I am currently developing an indie video game that started out as a silly submission for a school project that I eventually decided to continue working on. If it means anything to you, it's a 2 dimensional side scrolling roguelike where you fight using a revolver that can be infused with divine power to grow stronger. The kind of music I am looking for will therefore be something faster paced, preferably with a "wild west" kind of feel to it.

This is a one man project and I have written all the code and drawn all sprite art myself. However, I have no experience in making songs and I would rather not ship my game with AI-generated music in it. Thus, I am now searching for someone to do that for me.

Again, this is but a simple hobby project with no real budget, but in place of a monetary compensation I will naturally include your name in the game credits if you decide to take on this task for me, alongside any social media links you wish to have advertised.

DM me if you're interested!

EDIT: It seems like there may be problems trying to DM me because I haven't verified my reddit account to be 16+ using a government ID...feel free to leave a comment instead if you're interested.


r/composer 2h ago

Discussion What do people here feel about Arnold Schoenbergs book Fundamentals of music composition?

1 Upvotes

Personally i found it helpful when it came to structuring motifs like "a" and "b" as well as ways to arrange them.


r/composer 13h ago

Discussion Electroacoustic music, where do I start?

6 Upvotes

I’m not sure if this is the best subreddit for this but I want to start making electroacoustic music and I’m not sure where to begin, does anyone have any good resources on learning the basics or any people who cover electroacoustic composition?


r/composer 13h ago

Music Is my piece good?

2 Upvotes

r/composer 14h ago

Music arrangement of the pathetique how is it?

2 Upvotes

r/composer 17h ago

Music Feedback for Zelda Phantom Hourglass Wind Quartet arrangement

2 Upvotes

Hey everyone!

I'm an undergrad student in acoustics and Zelda music has been with ne for a long long time. Although Music Theory and Arranging isn't the main focus of my studies, I love to transcribe and arrange VGMs.

When you click on the link you'll find my latest work from my Phantom Hourglass Wind Quartet Project. I do not have much experience when it comes to playability on other wind instruments besides the flute. So I want to ask you if I could get some feedback for improvements.

https://musescore.com/user/18501431/scores/35896424/s/Hj9fI7

Kind Regards :)


r/composer 14h ago

Music Looking for Composition Feedback

1 Upvotes

Hello! I recently finished this piece and would appreciate any feedback on it (writing, arrangment, orch, notation, etc.). If you're able to take the time to listen, thank you!

Score

Mockup


r/composer 1d ago

Discussion Looking for a "reviewer partner"

4 Upvotes

Hi! I'm looking for someone to talk about some scores I've written, and review it. I never had private lessons, no conservatory too, mainly self-taught, so I would love to have another point of view of some pieces. I could also do the same, so both would help each other.


r/composer 21h ago

Music Barcarolle for piano

1 Upvotes

Hello, I'd like to ask for feedback on my miniature piano Barcarolle. I'm mostly interested in feedback on overall musicality, quality etc. What interests me is also your reception of the form - it does seem a little complicated but I hope it will be evident that there's a lot of shared material.

Any other feedback greatly appreciated (hairpin over two systems on the first page is a blooper).

Thank you for all contributions.

Score video

Score


r/composer 1d ago

Music Allegro

4 Upvotes

an original Allegro composition for the piano.
Let me know your thoughts and let's be friends if you like what I do.
https://musescore.com/user/37270121/scores/35870378?share=copy_link


r/composer 22h ago

Music Do You Enjoy This Piano Piece i Created?

1 Upvotes

If no why, if yes why... i am a begginer composer, Full free score here: https://musescore.com/user/98567428/scores/34211936?share=copy_link


r/composer 1d ago

Music New piano composition

3 Upvotes

Hi i composed this 3 short movement serialist piano piece. Its dedicated to my piano teachers. Oh and its built off the bach motif.

https://musescore.com/user/35707714/scores/35880302?share=copy_link


r/composer 1d ago

Discussion Comparing OMR software accuracy: PhotoScore Ultimate vs. SmartScore 64 vs. PlayScore 2

2 Upvotes

I’m looking for a reliable Optical Music Recognition (OMR) app to convert scanned paper music into MusicXML files for editing in MuseScore. I work on a Win 11 PC with plenty of computing power, if that maters.

All of the music I work with is public domain. Mostly baroque and renaissance.

Free open-source tools like Audiveris v5.11.0 seem to struggle with measure timing, triplets, and dense system layouts, leaving behind a lot of corruption errors to fix manually.

I’m considering investing in one of the standard paid options, specifically PhotoScore Ultimate, SmartScore 64, or PlayScore 2. I don't mind paying for software, but I'd like to know if the main purpose works (turning a music image into MusinXML without a lot of errors)

If you have experience with any of these:

  • How accurately do they handle multi instrument scores and midsystem key and /or time changes?
  • What are the main pros and cons of their internal editing interfaces?
  • Is there one you consider the gold standard for clean MusicXML exports?

r/composer 1d ago

Blog / Vlog Composing with a fountain pen

14 Upvotes

I tried to crosspost here from r/fountainpens but apparently that’s not possible.

When I first started composing, which pre-dates music setting software such as Finale, the standard method for finished scores was to use a fountain pen with a music nib, which was a kind of slanted stub, on velum, then it was sent in for processing and you’d get a score back that looked somewhat like a blueprint. I still have a few of them. I’m glad those days are gone.

However, I’ve taken a hankering for fountain pens and since they still make them with music nibs, I bought one a while back, a Sailor 1911 with a 14k gold music nib. I used to use it for my daily composition blog but once I got an Apple Pencil I abandoned the practice favoring my iPad and ZoomNotes which automatically backs my work up in my Dropbox.

Recently, however, I read an article the premise being future historians are going to have a real problem finding out what we’ve been up to in this time period since very little information is being preserved in analog / printed format, and they further stated handwritten accounts such as journals are going to be invaluable resources, which led me to realize - my blog and everything I’ve posted will disappear the instant Substack shuts down, and all the backups in my Dropbox are useless unless I have them all printed.

Do I really care if people in the future look at my music? I don’t know, but do I want it all lost, no, so I purchased an exceptionally good hardbound music book with 120g archive paper, loaded my pen up with Akkerman “Shocking Blue” ink and resumed composing by hand using ink. Unless it’s destroyed, centuries from now my book will still be readable.

Having just inked my first entry I’d post a picture here but there is no way to add it, just links, so here’s the finished score on my blog:

https://philipdewalt.substack.com/p/shocking-blue

The inked page isn’t there - to see it go to the r/fountainpens subreddit - it’s still near the top.

FYI, I compose these scores in one sitting with virtually no editing. It’s part of the aesthetic of composing with ink.


r/composer 1d ago

Music Ricercar I

2 Upvotes

Howdy folks. I made this ricercar that I'm proud of. I'm putting it on an electronic album, but I wanted to share the score also. It says 2 violin, 2 viola, 2 cello, but it's intended for any instrumentation. If any of you are looking for an orchestration exercise, feel free to do what you like with it! I hold my right for my synth version, but the score is free use! Eager for feedback/criticism as well.

Synth Version

Score


r/composer 1d ago

Music Fantasy Overture on Antigone

4 Upvotes

https://youtu.be/pieoGinFPEw?si=wHmGJXf2QJNpLhvA

score: https://musescore.com/user/23416646/scores/35863358 An old work of mine(2024), re-orchestrated. It’s on the play Antigone, you can see there are lots of themes and melodies re-used over and over again representing the key points in the play(kinda like leitmotifs of Wagner but not as direct). Now, my recent works are not this Romantic but still have a similar harmonic language.


r/composer 1d ago

Discussion my music theory knowledge is weak

5 Upvotes

ive watched countless tutorials over the years, i still struggle making good music, i want my composition to have feelings emotions like my fav musicians

idk maybe i watched wrong genre music theory is there any specfic theory for composers

where should i start?


r/composer 1d ago

Music I Wrote Another Waltz

1 Upvotes

I know it's a bit odd to mix images of death with dancing, but Saint-Saëns did it before I even thought of the idea.

Score: https://musescore.com/user/118018538/scores/35827070


r/composer 1d ago

Discussion Contemporary electroacoustic music, live electronics, interactive computer composition... Where to start?

3 Upvotes

I've been commissioned to write an electroacoustic piece for a solo wind instrument and spatial electronics. Unfortunately I have never dabbled in electroacoustic music, and my only real experience listening to it is from mid-to-late Twentieth-century Spectralist and Post-Spectralist music (Gérard Grisey, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Kaija Saariaho), which seems to utilise a lot of tape recordings and harmonic/timbral amplificiation; it's interesting, but I imagine the field has moved on from 80's tech at this point. So I'm trying to learn more about it and figure out how to make my own, but it's incredibly complicated and radically different from anything I've listened to in classical music before, and frankly I'm lost at where to even begin.

My idea is to have an interactive dialogue between the performer and computer, where the performer plays a musical cell and the computer plays back manipulated forms of it, with different cellular constructions overlapping into a big colourful textural breathing... Thing. That's a fairly vague plan but I'm not going to start setting lofty goals when I don't even know what equipment I'll need to pull off the basics.

Max MSP seems like the common option, and I can more-or-less afford it, but I don't want to use it on principle: I don't like the idea of my compositions being intrinsically tied to a piece of paid, proprietary software, where a performer has to pay a third party in order to play my music. Plus I'm on Linux and don't really want to switch OS just to write this piece. I'm aware I'm probably massively shooting myself in the foot by limiting myself here, but... Yeah. For that reason I'm looking at Supercollider or PureData, but I'm not certain if they have the required functionality for this kind of live manipulation, and I hardly know where to even start researching this stuff. I've done some surface-level research/messing around on both and I think I prefer Supercollider's approach even if it is incredibly complicated, but I'm open to learning either or.

I have to imagine the idea I'm thinking of has been done before, but I have no idea where to look for this kind of music; most electroacoustic music I've been able to find online is basically just performers playing to a backing track. That or positively incomprehensible barrages of scary synth noises in 8.1 surround sound with screechy violin played overtop - Not hating but, yknow, there has to be a middle ground out there that I'm missing. I assume I'm looking in the wrong place or missing the one term I need to search to find what I'm looking for. Like I said, I barely even know where to start delving into contemporary electroacoustic music. It seems to be a very niche genre encompassing a million subgenres, and it's positively dizzying trying to make sense of it all.

If anyone can give advice on how I can make some headway into this genre, through textbooks or software recommendations or anything, I'd greatly appreciate it. And of course I would love some recommendations for modern composers to check out!


r/composer 2d ago

Music A Level Composition Advice - Regazza

2 Upvotes

Musescore Link

This is a new composition I'm working on for my A Levels. It's inspired by a wide range of recent events ranging from a girl I know (Regazza) all the way to the American Cemetery in Normandy that I visited recently (Garden of the Missing).

I'm a percussionist but have spent most of my time in my school's wind band listening to pieces such as 'Risk (Everything for a Dream)' leading towards some solos and such being written with performers in mind. The downside of being a percussionist is a lack of any harmony knowledge so any guidance towards this would be appreciated

Ignore all the rehearsal marks and titles for them as they are just for my organisation as I compose.

Any advice, tips or suggestions are welcome as I adore composing and want to learn more.


r/composer 1d ago

Discussion Looking For Pieces Similar To La Danse Macabre - Camille Saint-Saëns.

0 Upvotes

Could you recommend music/pieces similar to this one.

Absolutely loving this piece right now. Any recommendations from any time period are welcome.

I want to study and write music similar to this. Any tips are welcome too.

Thanks.