INPUT ARTICLE: Article: tart with the melody. Most composition begins with the melody, or the lead musical phrase that will follow and develop throughout the composition. This is the "hummable" part of any song. Whether you're writing out solo charts for a single instrument or starting your first symphony, the melody is the place you'll start when you're writing sheet music. Standard melodies normally last 4 or 8 measures. This is because they are the most mathematical and pleasing to the ear, as they are somewhat easy to predict how they will end.  As you start composing, embrace happy accidents when they occur. No pieces arrive fully formed and perfect. If you're looking for a new place to go with a melody, jam around on the piano or whatever composing instrument you favor and follow the muse where she leads you. If you're feeling especially experimental, explore the world of aleatoric composition. Pioneered by composition luminaries like John Cage, aleatoric compositions introduce an element of chance into the writing process, rolling dice to determine the next note on a 12-tone scale, or consulting the iChing to generate notes. These compositions will sound dissonant, in most cases, and is not always the best way to start or end a melody. It can however give your piece a unique feel that makes it stand out. Once you start with the melody, how do you move the music forward? Where should it go? How does a group of notes become a composition? While there's no easy answer to cracking the Mozart code, it's good to start with small fragments called phrases and gradually build them up into full musical statements. No piece arrives fully formed. Try grouping phrases together in terms of the emotions they evoke. Guitar composer John Fahey, a self-taught instrumentalist and composer, wrote by combining small fragments by "emotion." Even if they didn't necessarily come from the same key or sound like they belonged together, if different phrases felt whimsical, or forlorn, or wistful, he would combine them together to form a song. . If you're writing for a chorded instrument--an instrument capable of playing more than one note simultaneously--or you're writing for more than one instrument, you'll also need to compose a harmonic background to give context and depth to your melody. Harmony is a way of moving a melody forward, providing an opportunity for tension and resolution. But don't underestimate they value of just melody. Many times when people start out composing, their melodies have too may chords in them and it is hard to pick out exactly where the melody is. Good compositions should swell and subside, should punctuate moments of extreme emotion and melodic peaks with louder dynamics.  You can signify dynamic changes in the sheet music with Italian words that signify basic descriptions of loud and soft. "Piano" means that you should play softly, and is usually written below the staff when the music should be played quietly. "Forte" means loud, and is written in the same way. Note the original name of the Piano, the Piano forté; this may help you in remembering that one of the exceptional features of the instrument is it's ability to be a percussion instrument (That also utilizes strings) that can both increase and diminish in sound. If you're not intending a great amount of dynamic contrast in your piece, or don't want to worry about this yet, or you prefer to focus on tonality and rhythm while learning to write, you may consider it's older relatives, the pipe organ and the harpsichord, which have different strengths and will help your fluency on piano. Gradations can be suggested by drawing an elongated "<" or ">" sign under the staff, where the music should either crescendo (get louder) or diminish your sound, depending. The expression process through music is already pretty complicated for most, and there's no need to throw extra dross on that. Depending on your ambitions for your piece, you may want to have multiple parts and polyrhythmic structure, or you may want to have a simple piano melody unaccompanied. Don't be afraid of starting small and refining your work, or leaving a melody undeveloped. Some of the most iconic and memorable lines are the most effective and the most elegant.  If you want a reference point from the past century, Erik Satie's "Gymnopedies" provide a classic example of "less-is-more" music writing, and he was considered by many musicologists to be one of the first to write minimalist music. Minimalism in music is a relatively recent trend, as it wasn't popular till after Satie's death, though it has gained considerably popularity today, and is often characterized by techniques such as: Use of a single rhythm or tone structure throughout a piece, primitive melody structure, use of only one or two scales or modes in the context of an entire piece, and exploration of a single theme using a minimal frame: notable examples of minimalism in the last fifty years include works by George Crumb, Phillip Glass, Steve Reich, John Cage & Terry Riley, with an incredible volume of music including such works as minimalist opera and other vocal music (Einstein on the Beach, and Tehillim, for example) Satie's first Gymnopédia was used countless times in ads and film, but there remains something beautiful and moving in it's melancholy melody, though it only uses whole notes and a tonal note structure, not straying from diatonicism for most of the piece. Study Mozart's variations on "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" for an example of turning maybe the most universal of children's melodies into a complex exercise in variation and adornment. It exemplifies the Theme & Variation form, which is one of the most popular and straightforward forms one can write in. Other accessible examples of this form include: Beethoven's "Diabelli Variations", which were a response to a composition his publisher submitted, Michel Rondeau's variations on "Pop Goes the Weasel" and the Enigma variations by Edward Elgar.

SUMMARY: . Write in phrases, then chain your phrases together to make the music speak. Background the melody with harmonic accompaniment Punctuate the music with dynamic contrasts. Don't over-complicate your music from need to impress people.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Probiotic supplements contain yeasts and bacteria that are similar to those that are in a healthy gut. These bacteria assist with digestion. They may be able to lessen bloating due to:  Diarrhea Irritable bowel syndrome Difficulty digesting fiber Though this natural remedy is frequently used, it is unclear if it is actually effective against gas. If you are interested in trying it, you can purchase it at your local pharmacy. The following contain charcoal:  Charcoal Plus CharcoCaps These medications are supposed to help break up uncomfortable gas bubbles in your digestive tract and make them easier to pass. While frequently used, these products haven’t been scientifically proven to be effective. If you try them, read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the packaging. Common brands include:  Mylanta Gas-X Mylicon Gelusil If you really enjoy eating beans, cabbage, and broccoli and don’t want to cut back, the solution may be to use Beano. This product contains enzymes that help your body break down foods without producing as much gas.  You can purchase Beano at your local pharmacy. It is available as tablets and drops. Read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Many people who are lactose intolerant may still crave dairy products like ice cream. If this describes you, you don’t have to give up dairy. You can supply your body with the enzymes it needs to process dairy in a supplement. Common brands are:  Lactaid Dairy Ease.

SUMMARY:
Rebalance your gut bacteria with probiotics. Try activated charcoal. Experiment with products containing Simethicone. Add Beano to gassy foods. Take lactase enzyme supplements.