Here are a few new compositions I've done this month. Last month, I was out of the loop, so I am trying to get back into it with a passion. …
Learning Counterpoint On Your Own
The Frustration of Learning Counterpoint This article talks about: My frustrations with learning counterpoint on my own from books Some facts and assumptions about learning counterpoint My …
Music Composition Pedagogy
So recently I have been very busy with different things in my life. We are getting ready to move to California in the next couple of months because I am getting out of the Army very soon. This means I …
Simple Functional Harmony
Functional harmony is a way of thinking about composing harmony with direction. Harmony Basics So lets take a real quick look at what harmony is. You can look at harmony with two lenses. The …
String Quartet Moment 1 – Daugmented
I wanted to write something after hearing a jazz pianist play some augmented chords up and down a whole tone scale. This is what I came up with. Enjoy! …
Continue Reading about String Quartet Moment 1 – Daugmented →
Other Peoples Recipes and How to Compose Music
The process of learning to cook is similar to learning how to compose music. When you think about it, you have some of the same things at play. Both require deliberate copying of other peoples recipes …
Continue Reading about Other Peoples Recipes and How to Compose Music →
String Quartet Moment #2
Can You Learn How To Compose Music?
Learning to compose music is a funny thing. I seem to hear a lot, and read a lot, that composing cannot be taught. Why is it that so many people think this? Is it true that composition can't be …
Continue Reading about Can You Learn How To Compose Music? →
Improvising a Fugue
This is a pretty awesome recording to watch. I am a very amateur pianist, but I have found myself getting more and more into Bach. Here is a great video of a guy named David Briggs improvising a …
How To Learn Music Composition
How To Learn Music Composition - One Step at a Time Learning music composition is a life long journey. But do not fear, if you are deliberate and focused you will improve. The key is learning how to …
The Secrets Behind the Music Composing Process, Part 3
Developing the Composition The next phase in the music composing process is developing your composition. All composers must go through this process. You have to take that messy glob of musical …
Continue Reading about The Secrets Behind the Music Composing Process, Part 3 →
Capturing Musical Inspiration
The music composing process seems to be elusive and hard to nail down. But I believe it boils down to a few things: Finding inspiration and removing inhibition, capturing that inspiration, letting the …
The Secrets Behind the Music Composing Process
In this series of articles, I will address, not the specifics of how one composer worked versus another. Instead, I am going to take a bird’s eye view of the music composing process. [Update: 2019] …
Continue Reading about The Secrets Behind the Music Composing Process →
The Building Blocks of Musical Form
Musical form is the study of how pieces of music are put together. When composing, we have an almost infinite amount of choices we could make about what to do in our music. This thought can be …
Continue Reading about The Building Blocks of Musical Form →
How to Compose Music, Part 4 – Start Composing Now!
Start Composing Now It's more than just a statement it's a directive. The reason that most people never learn to compose, is because they never try. There are just a few things that you need in order …
Continue Reading about How to Compose Music, Part 4 – Start Composing Now! →
10 Steps to Becoming a Better Composer
Compose. Compose more. Compose even more. Compose even more than that. Compose when you don't want to. Compose when you do. Compose when you have inspiration. Compose when you …
Continue Reading about 10 Steps to Becoming a Better Composer →
The Process of Composing a Symphony
Have you ever experienced that you wanted to express in music, because it could not be explained adequately with words? Music is an incredible thing, that can often express the ineffable, but how …
Continue Reading about The Process of Composing a Symphony →
How Functional Harmony Works
Have you ever found yourself stuck in a rut, creating chord progressions that seem to wander aimlessly without a clear sense of direction or purpose? The secret to crafting compelling, meaningful …