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Music Composition Techniques


Skill Success

Summary

Price
£29 inc VAT
Study method
Online
Duration
Self-paced
Qualification
No formal qualification
Certificates
  • Certificate of completion - Free
Additional info
  • Tutor is available to students

19 students purchased this course

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Overview

This course includes lifetime access so you can complete the course at your own speed.

This course will teach you how to write and compose music using proven techniques and tips, create their own music using software, or good old pencil and paper and generate musical ideas through creativity exercises. By taking this course now, you will learn how to get started on music composition techniques.


Benefits of taking this course include:

  • Unlimited and lifetime access to the course
  • Learn the course at your own pace
  • Course can be accessed on any platform
  • 24/7 Customer support

Certificates

Certificate of completion

Digital certificate - Included

Course media

Description

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 in an online format in order to reach more students, and give them the joy of Music Theory.

I’ve made several “series” 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.

Music Composition Techniques course will cover the following topics:

Topic 1 - Introduction

  • Welcome And Overview
  • My Background
  • What Is The Difference Between Music Theory And Music Composition?

Topic 2 - Tools And Methods

  • Software Tools For Composers
  • Good Old Pencil And Paper
  • To Sit With An Instrument, Or Not To Sit With An Instrument?

Topic 3 - Process

  • Which Comes First? How Do We Start?
  • F-Sharp!
  • Program Music And Metaphore
  • [DOWNLOAD] Symphony Fantastique
  • Character Sketches
  • Free Writing
  • Canon
  • “Good Composers Borrow…”

Topic 4 - Form

  • What Is Form?
  • Different Form “Templates”
  • Starting With A Plan
  • Graphic Form Representations

Topic 5 - Harmony

  • Triads: Our Most Basic Building Blocks
  • Building Triads
  • Diatonic Chord Progressions
  • Inversions
  • Roman Numerals
  • Song Analysis: No. 1
  • Song Analysis: No. 2

Topic 6 - Writing Chord Progressions

  • The Circle Of Fifths
  • Using The Circle Of Fifths For Composition
  • Song Analysis: No. 3
  • Non-Chord Tones
  • Song Analysis: No. 4

Topic 7 - Writing Melodies

  • Writing Melodies Alone
  • Antecedent And Consequent
  • Writing Melodies With A Harmony
  • Using Other Melodies As Influences

Topic 8 - Wrap Up

Who is this course for?

This course is designed for anyone who is interested in learning how to get started on music composition techniques.

Requirements

how to get started on music composition techniques.

Career path

May pursue a career in the music composition.

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FAQs

Study method describes the format in which the course will be delivered. At Reed Courses, courses are delivered in a number of ways, including online courses, where the course content can be accessed online remotely, and classroom courses, where courses are delivered in person at a classroom venue.

CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development. If you work in certain professions or for certain companies, your employer may require you to complete a number of CPD hours or points, per year. You can find a range of CPD courses on Reed Courses, many of which can be completed online.

A regulated qualification is delivered by a learning institution which is regulated by a government body. In England, the government body which regulates courses is Ofqual. Ofqual regulated qualifications sit on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF), which can help students understand how different qualifications in different fields compare to each other. The framework also helps students to understand what qualifications they need to progress towards a higher learning goal, such as a university degree or equivalent higher education award.

An endorsed course is a skills based course which has been checked over and approved by an independent awarding body. Endorsed courses are not regulated so do not result in a qualification - however, the student can usually purchase a certificate showing the awarding body's logo if they wish. Certain awarding bodies - such as Quality Licence Scheme and TQUK - have developed endorsement schemes as a way to help students select the best skills based courses for them.