Links update: 15/11/2018
Demystifying Music Composition Through Practical Exercises and Techniques for the Modern Composer and Songwriter
When most people think of a composer, they imagine someone sitting in a dusty attic with a grand piano, big white wig, and the year is 1800. That might have been accurate back then, but the modern composer is just like you and me. In fact, I am one.
In this course I'll show you techniques I use for writing music in a variety of styles and situations. I've worked with major american orchestras, film studios, and video game designers, so I've got more than a little experience. I'm also a PhD in music composition and a university professor (of music composition).
Recently I was named as a semi-finalist for the Grammy Foundation's Music Educator of the Year award because of my in-person university classes. Now I'm taking those classes to Udemy in an online format in order to reach more students, and give them the joy of Music Theory.
I'm planning on making several "sections" of this class, and this is only part 1. As the class grows, we will go deeper and deeper into my techniques. This class is focused on the beginning: Generating ideas and getting started.
In this class, we will cover:
*My background, and listen to some of my music
*The different between music theory and music composition (highly opinionated!)
*Tools of the trade: Software
*Tools of the trade: Pencils and fine paper
*How do you start?
*The process
*Program music and metaphors
*Character sketches
*Writing through canon
*Form
*Binary, Ternary, and Rondo forms
*Starting with a plan
*Graphic form representations
*Triads, and basic rules of harmony
*Chord progressions
*Inversions
*Song analysis
*Melody writing
Any much, much, more!
Home page
