Music Composition For Dummies
2. Edition April 2021
336 Pages, Softcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
Further versions
You can hum it, but can you write it down?
When most people think of a composer, they picture a bewigged genius like Mozart or Beethoven frenetically directing mighty orchestras in the ornate palaces of Vienna. While that may have been the case once upon a time, modern composers make themselves heard far beyond the classical conservatoire and concert hall. These days, soundtracks are in high demand in industries such as TV, film, advertising, and even gaming to help create immersive and exciting experiences. Whatever your musical ambitions--composing a dark requiem in a beautiful Viennese apartment or producing the next great Star Wars-like movie theme in LA--the fully updated Music Composition For Dummies hits all the right notes to help you become confident in the theory and practice of composition.
To help you translate your musical ideas from fleeting tunes in your head to playable bars and notation on paper, professional composer and instructor Scott Jarrett and music journalist Holly Day take you on a friendly step-by-step journey through the process of musical creation, including choosing the right rhythms and tempos, creating melodies and chord progressions, and working with instruments and voices. You'll learn how to match keys and chords to mood, use form to enhance your creativity, and write in different styles from pop to classical--and you'll even learn how to keep hammering away when inspiration eludes you.
* Organize and preserve your musical ideas
* Formalize your knowledge with professional vocabulary
* Get familiar with composition apps and software
* Make a demo and market on social media
Filled with musical exercises to help you acquire the discipline you need for success, Music Composition For Dummies has everything you need to turn your inner soundtrack into a tuneful reality!
Part 1: Basics and Rhythm 5
Chapter 1: Thinking Like a Composer 7
Chapter 2: Tools of the Trade 13
Chapter 3: Musical Scrapbooks: Writing on Paper and Screen 21
Chapter 4: Rhythm and Mood 27
Part 2: Melody and Development 39
Chapter 5: Finding Melodies Where You Least Expect Them 41
Chapter 6: Scales and Modes, Moods and Melodies 53
Chapter 7: Building Melodies Using Motifs and Phrases 65
Chapter 8: Developing Your Melodies 75
Part 3: Harmony and Structure 85
Chapter 9: Harmonizing with Melodies 87
Chapter 10 Composing with Chords 97
Chapter 11 Composing from the Void 119
Chapter 12 Beginnings, Middles, and Endings 131
Chapter 13 Musical Forms 139
Part 4: Orchestration and Arrangement 157
Chapter 14 Composing for the Standard Orchestra 159
Chapter 15: Composing for Rhythm Sections and Small Ensembles 185
Chapter 16: Composing for Multiple Voices 195
Chapter 17: Composing Commercial Music and Songs 207
Chapter 18: Composing Electronic Music 231
Chapter 19: Composing for Other Musicians 241
Part 5: The Part of Tens 253
Chapter 20: Ten Career Opportunities for Composers 255
Chapter 21: Ten Recommended Books for Composers 265
Chapter 22: Ten Platforms for Promoting Your Music 271
Part 6: Appendixes 277
Appendix A: Modes and Chords Reference 279
Appendix B: Glossary 299
Index 305
Holly Day has created work for over 3,000 international publications including Guitar One Magazine, Music Alive!, and Brutarian Magazine. She is also the co-author of Music Theory For Dummies.
