A Practical Guide To Becoming A Composer

Would you like to become a better composer, advance your skills, and increase your creativity? This book can help you: Become a more skilled composer. Be a more prolific composer. Promote your work. Get your pieces performed. Publish your music. Even now, as a published, award-winning composer, if I saw this book, I'd buy it. That's because earning a high school diploma, a college degree, or even an advanced degree is a wonderful, promising achievement--I know. I did that. But the problem is: Diplomas and degrees don't guarantee that you know how to advance your skills and increase your output and success. Degrees don't ensure your continued success in today's complicated, competitive world. A degree doesn't guarantee success especially when you make major or even minor career changes. This book's huge amount of specifics makes it a valuable reference that you read, reread, and consult often. This book is a vital standalone guide for composers outside of formal learning circles and a practical supplement for composers who are studying or who have studied in classrooms. Because composing music is so varied with an enormous number of opportunities, a diverse, international group of 24 fellow composers contributed their ideas to this book. These composers work in different genres and styles. This book includes details of specific composer how-to skills, so composers and those who want to be composers get an intimate, unique view of the private professional procedures and practices of fellow composers--a perspective few composers ever see in one comprehensive source. Let this book's wealth of guidance, insights, and suggestions inspire you! Dive into this book and watch your skills, output, and success blossom!

A comprehensive, practical guide to composing video game music, from acquiring the necessary skills to finding work in the field. Music in video games is often a sophisticated, complex composition that serves to engage the player, set the pace of play, and aid interactivity. Composers of video game music must master an array of specialized skills not taught in the conservatory, including the creation of linear loops, music chunks for horizontal resequencing, and compositional fragments for use within a generative framework. In A Composer's Guide to Game Music, Winifred Phillips—herself an award-winning composer of video game music—provides a comprehensive, practical guide that leads an aspiring video game composer from acquiring the necessary creative skills to understanding the function of music in games to finding work in the field. Musicians and composers may be drawn to game music composition because the game industry is a multibillion-dollar, employment-generating economic powerhouse, but, Phillips writes, the most important qualification for a musician who wants to become a game music composer is a love of video games. Phillips offers detailed coverage of essential topics, including musicianship and composition experience; immersion; musical themes; music and game genres; workflow; working with a development team; linear music; interactive music, both rendered and generative; audio technology, from mixers and preamps to software; and running a business. A Composer's Guide to Game Music offers indispensable guidance for musicians and composers who want to deploy their creativity in a dynamic and growing industry, protect their musical identities while working in a highly technical field, and create great music within the constraints of a new medium.

Get complete guidance on both traditional orchestration and modern production techniques with this unique book. With effective explanations and clear illustrations, you will learn how to integrate the traditional approach to orchestration with the modern sequencing techniques and tools available. You will discover how to bridge the two approaches in order to enhance your final production. The accompanying CD includes a comprehensive and wide selection of examples, templates and sounds to allow you to hear the techniques within the book. By covering both approaches, this book provides a comprehensive and solid learning experience that will develop your skills and prove extremely competitive in the music production business.

In 'So You Want To Become a Media Composer?', Adonis Aletras provides all the necessary insight for beginners and professionals alike in a very unique way: by interviewing 65 of the BEST composers, performers and industry executives who are currently successful in their respective fields (more than 300 questions and answers). Offering their 'in the trenches' perspective through 5 custom questions, the interviewees (including John Debney, Jeff Beal, Bruce Broughton, Deborah Lurie, Steve Vai, Richard Kraft, Dawn Soler and dozens of esteemed others) provide answers that shed light into: film-TV scoring, composing for media, getting jobs, the business, academia, career, success/pitfalls, the industry, etc. No stone is left unturned in this one of a kind publication making it a must for anyone interested in pursuing a career in media composition.Presented in a clear and easy to navigate format, this book will be useful to aspiring composers, students and professionals who want to get an insider's view of how the best of the best handle their careers towards a path of success.

An invaluable introduction to the art and craft of musical composition from a distinguished teacher and composer This essential introduction to the art and craft of musical composition is designed to familiarize beginning composers with principles and techniques applicable to a broad range of musical styles, from concert pieces to film scores and video game music. The first of its kind to utilize a style-neutral approach, in addition to presenting the commonly known classical forms, this book offers invaluable general guidance on developing and connecting musical ideas, building to a climax, and other fundamental formal principles. It is designed for both classroom use and independent study.

Music is for everyone — no prior experience required! Make Music! invites kids and families to celebrate the joy of sound with a variety of inventive activities, including playing dandelion trumpets, conducting percussion conversations, and composing their own pieces. Musician and educator Norma Jean Haynes brings the pioneering work of Ann Sayre Wiseman and John Langstaff to a new generation of kids aged 5 and up, focusing on the playfulness, spontaneity, and creativity of music. Kids explore rhythm with clapping, body drumming, and intonations. They learn to create found sound with kitchen pots and pans, the Sunday paper, or even the Velcro on their sneakers. And step-by-step instructions show how to make 35 different instruments, from chimes and bucket drums to a comb kazoo and a milk carton guitar.

The bible of the music biz—now fully revised with new contacts, fee info, trends, tips Want to know how to set prices for a gig? Want to be ahead of the curve on new trends in music? Want to have all the latest contact information on hundreds of industry pros? Have we got the book for you!The Musician’s Handbook, already the industry bible for working musicians, has been thoroughly revised and updated with the answers to all these questions and more. New interviews with music-business leaders, new pricing and legal structures for the digital age, new how-to tips for independent and do-it-yourself musicians—it’s all in here. Fees, royalties and advances, live performance, touring, merchandising, working with managers, lawyers, and agents, spotting new opportunities—all these topics and many, many more are covered in depth in this indispensable guide to becoming successful in music and in business. Praise for the Previous Edition • "An exceptionally well-written, thorough, and competent legal and business book for an author who is a non-attorney. Bobby's book is extremely valuable for anyone trying to understand the music business."—Peter Paterno, The Law Offices of King, Holmes, Paterno, & Berliner, representing Metallica, Dr. Dre, and Pearl Jam • "The music business is full of minefields.The Musician's Handbookhelps steer you through them in a way that lets you enjoy the journey. It's packed with valuable information you'll use time and again."—Don Gorder, Chairman of The Music Business/Management Department, Berklee College of Music • "Although there are many books dealing with the music business,The Musician's Handbookhas a special and important perspective—that of a working musician."—Mark Goldstein, Senior VP of Business Affairs, Warner Bros. Records • Straight talk and insight for musicians at every level • Concise, clear, authoritative information from a music-industry insider • Up-to-the-minute guidance on money, business, management, career planning, much more

Many musicians are finding a new market for their music scoring for films and television. This comprehensive resource guide provides all the practical tools and information needed about how to organize and run a film and television music business. Section I contains helpful marketing materials, such as sample letters, brochures, postcards, resumes, and product packaging. Section II provides forms, documents and examples for the management, production, recording and delivery of music for projects. Section III features frequently used sample contracts and agreements, and Section IV lists other composer resources, such as a glossary of terms and abbreviations, info on performing rights organizations, attorneys and agents, listings of different markets to tap, internet resources, and much more. Essential for any musician interested in a career in film and television music.

(Instructional). The essential companion for every musician. Accessible and authoritative, How to Practice Music is an ideal guide for anyone learning to play music. Suitable for instrumentalists and vocalists of any genre, this comprehensive handbook will give you a better idea of how to practice music, good reasons for doing so, and the confidence to succeed. Concepts: how to be motivated; how to plan your practice; how to warm up; how to practice core skills; how to practice pieces; how to practice mindfully; how to practice playing; and more!