Creating music : composition

So we can consider what are the long-term cognitive processes in composition. Problem solving at large may be thought as having multiple dimensions of variation, an extended time frame, and as approachable by empirical more than experimental methods (Newell & Simon, 1972). Such ideas require further investigation. Applying them to composition, I briefly survey composers’ views. I push aside ideas of genius or “big Creativity” (with a capital C), focusing on routine professional creativity: composition with a small c. After a broad synopsis, composition since 1950 is emphasized. Next, at a more general level, I address computational inputs to composition in order to approach the central topic of the chapter: empirical studies on cognition within composition. I close with suggestions for future work.