Hi Peter,

I would like to encourage all music lovers to try their luck at composing. The software MuseScore you are using is free, reasonably easy to use and has more features than most of us are likely to need in their whole lives.

Like in all other arts, one year of trying will make nobody a master. The point is to sharpen one's sense of quality by self-critically comparing one's own products to existing ones. By and by, you will get a better understanding of how the chosen kind of music works. This alone is a great benefit, and the reason why composing courses are compulsory in schools of music even for those musical professions that do not involve composing a single note.

Composing folk tunes is usually learned by playing a lot of existing ones and analyzing them. Try out variations and find out which ones work, and why. Many folkies frown at harmony tutorials, but I for one strongly recommend them. Work through the exercises on your MuseScore and listen carefully to the success. Particularly mind clean and meaningful bass lines.

On a more technical note: you seem to be a guitarist. If you write for other instruments, you have to acquire some knowledge about their technical and musical features. To start with: for flute music, forests of ledger lines are suitable at the top of the staff, not at the bottom.

Best of luck to all composers! Regardless whether your tunes turn out successful, your musical intelligence will improve in proportion to your serious effort!