Let's learn to compose together.
Join over 17,000 composers that have taken the free course. It's time to start making real progress in your ability to compose. Learn how music theory and your own creativity really work together to create music that's logical, and satisfying. If you're having trouble putting the pieces of the puzzle together, this is the place to start. "I am so glad I found this course. - Benjamin W. - ★★★★★"
See the coursesHabits are critical to how your life will unfold. Good habits generally lead to many good things, while bad habits on the other hand will slowly bleed you of the accomplishments you think you’ve …
Continue Reading about The Two Critical Habits of Songwriting →
I have been a composer since I was a young kid (I am currently 36 writing this), and so when I got into songwriting over the last year, I felt somewhat out of place.But I’ve also come to learn that …
Continue Reading about How to Become a Songwriter if You’re a Composer →
When I sit down to think about why Art of Composing exists, the initial thought is To Make Better Composers. This on the surface feels like it’s generally in the right direction, but it’s also very …
Continue Reading about Why Art of Composing Exists: To Make Better Composers →
If you want to grow, you need to start measuring. This has been at the back of mind for a while now. For the last 6 months, I’ve been deep into the art of learning… analytics and data science of …
Continue Reading about The Science of Becoming a Better Composer →
Why Learn the Melody and Chord Progression? One of the best ways to master composition is to memorize the musical meaning of a passage, and be able to use it in a different way. Memorization, …
What are harmonic inversions? If you're not using them, you run the risk of writing very boring progressions and pieces. But they don't have to be a scary confusing thing. In this episode, I …
It is possible to write without the aid of an instrument. Instruments can actually be detrimental to your composing. And it's not just instruments. DAWs, notation software, and virtual instruments …
The two main theme types, the sentence and the period have somewhat different musical goals. In this episode, I talk about how I use them in my own composing. …
In this episode, I talk about the basic idea, and why it's such a useful way to start your themes. …
This is the first video in a short series on form, or how your music relates to time. In this video, I talk about Formal Functions, the idea that your music can represent temporality. If …
Continue Reading about Music and Time: What Are Formal Functions? →
In this episode, I show you my scoring template. …
In this vlog, I show the techniques I talked about in the previous video on sketching. …
Sketching is a critical skill. Here are five tips to improve your ability to sketch. …
Watch me compose a functional chord progression. I took the music out that was around 9 minutes in. Major chart Minor chart Article on Diatonic Harmony …
Don't ruin your hearing. In this episode, I talk about why it's important for composers to protect their hearing. Listen to the music "Pancho Villa Rides" here: …
