Description

Composition is an essential skill for a variety of careers within the music industry. Whether the intention is to be a composer, musician, sound engineer or producer, versatility is a vital component in today’s constantly evolving music industry so a broad skill set is always advantageous. Compositions have longevity and the capacity for the work to generate income for the composer through the collection of royalties from recorded, live and broadcast performance can have ongoing financial benefits.

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COURSE CONTENT

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Contextual Language

• Knowledge of genres/styles,

• composers, artists and producers

• Understanding aspects of popular music history and culture Origins of popular music, e.g. African roots 

• Contextual factors associated with genres, e.g. slave trade, migration, civil rights movement, Vietnam War, Stonewall riots etc.

Composition Skills and Techniques

• Structure and arrangement, e.g. verse-chorus Instrumentation, i.e. range, relevance and suitability

• Analysis of key compositional elements

• Understanding harmony

• Use of scales and modes relative to the style being composed Riffs/Motivic and melodic development Counterpoint, oblique, contrary, similar and parallel motion Modulation, transposition Augmentation, diminution

Knowledge of Instrumentation

• Instrumental ranges and capabilities

• Playing techniques (e.g. fingering, pull ups, harmonics)

• Tuning systems Intonation

• Facility on an instrument or DAW, as/where appropriate

Practical Knowledge of Music Theory

• Understanding rhythm and time, tempi, BPM, bars

• Understanding and identification of form and structure

• Understanding melodic form

• Understanding and identification of chords and harmony

• Understanding transposition

Practical Knowledge of Musical Devices

• Modulation and key change

• Counterpoint Pedal notes

Aural Skills

• Identification of hook lines and strong melodic content

• Identification of harmonic content and associated emotional/reactive relationships

Practical Knowledge of Notation

• Note and rest values Bar lines and bar line formats (e.g. repeats, double bar line etc.)

• Dynamic/Directional symbols and their meanings Key signatures Drum notation Clefs – treble, bass, plus an awareness of alto, tenor, drum, percussion (e.g. 1 line, 2 lines etc.)

Score Production Skills

• Use of DAW based scoring packages

• Creating a full score (Transposed or ‘C’ score)

• Creating a lead sheet

• Creating chord charts

• Creating graphic diagrams

Analytical Skills

• The ability to analyze and assess own skills and personal aims

• The ability to assess and evaluate own work and develop strategies for improving own performance when composing music

• The ability to assess own skills base and development needs

• The capacity to respond positively to tutor comments and evaluations

• The ability to assess and utilize peer evaluation

• The capacity to assess and act upon Health & Safety considerations

Organizational Skills

• The capacity to plan and prepare effectively for music arrangement activity.

• The means to access the relevant personal, musical and peripheral equipment required for composing music.

• Time management skills – working to a given time frame, working to deadlines