Product Description

Aimed at those who have some knowledge of music but not formal training in composition, this concise introduction to composing starts right in with a brief composition exercise, then proceeds step by step through a series of increasingly complex and challenging problems, gradually expanding the student's musical grammar. "This is a wonderful book for anyone who is developing improvising skills or who would like a fun way to explore music."--Jim Stockford, Co-Evolution Quarterly

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #152164 in Books
• Published on: 1988-02-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Plastic Comb
• 240 pages

Customer Reviews

Really enjoying this
I am relatively musically untrained. I got to grade 5 on piano and have done occasional basic composition as a hobby (some pop, some "classical", some "modern classical") by ear and fingers over the years on the piano. I really wanted to get back into composing so I bought this book.

I have been using it and I'm already learning a lot. And I don't just mean from a theory point of view. It's also training my ear, and teaching me to work with sheet music, and sing from sheet music, something I've never tried to do much before.

The author's method of limiting the notes, keys and rhythms that you can use works really well to make me focus on the principle being taught. Also having empty staves under the exercises in the book helps to motivate.

This is very much a "hands on" book. To use it as part of a hobby, you'll need to put aside time every couple of days or so for working on it. I worked on it for an hour or two almost every day for 2 weeks and found it very rewarding.

Although I'm no expert, it doesn't seem to have a bias towards any particular style. I have a tendency to write stuff with a lot of "out of key" chords which modulates alot. This book seems to be suitable for learning in that vein, but also in the more traditional vein. I am looking forward to getting to the section on minimalism as well - I'm a fan of Phillip Glass!

I wouldn't say this was totally a beginners book. I would recommend having some theory knowledge first, but grade 5 seems to be easily sufficient for this book.

Anyway, overall if you want to stimulate creativity in pure music then this is a great way to get going.

Especially recommended to the musically untrained.
This is a good tutorial on composition. It deals mainly with small forms (4-16 bars), but larger forms are also treated (up to a few tens of bars).

The text contains many useful exercises. They are fun to work out, too! You'll find yourself writing music without noticing.

Orchestration is not treated in depth, but there are a few elements as well.

The text is utterly unconventional and may be of no use for a traditional curriculum, but is very well thought and I would recommend it especially to people with little theoretical background. I think it can also be useful to people who already write music because of its nonstandard approach: food for thought.

Composing In Sequence
I am a musical novice with some basic theory picked up over the years but no practice, I can't even play an Instrument and have no desire to learn as I have not got the patience.
I do however like music sequencing software on a computer which In my opinion has opened up a whole new world for people like me with an Interest In music but no training, The slow step by step method of entering music and the constant saves allow you to work on a piece at your own pace and without the boring repetition neccessary when playing an Instrument live.
This book seems to me to be Ideally suited to this approach provided you don't mind taking the time to actually do the lessons on your chosen sequencer software, The limited Information approach of the well structured lessons gently guides you Into focusing on the lesson at hand making the learning curve a little less steep In the process.
If the Interest Is there It will go a lot farther with some theory behind It and I don't think you will find a better book to provide It than this.