Synopses & Reviews
Write the songs that make the whole world sing. A step-by-step guide to writing music, this book shows musicians how to compose simple chord progressions and melodies, and leads them through more advanced compositional techniques and musical forms. Designed for composers of all types of music, it includes instruction on composing stand-alone melodies, using different scales and modes, themes and variations, orchestration, and composing for film, theater, and videogames.
-Perfect complement to The Complete Idiot?s Guide to Music Theory and The Complete Idiot?s Guide to Songwriting
-Includes a comprehensive glossary of musical terms, as well as an appendix of various computer-based composition tools
-Easy-to-use oversize trim
Synopsis
Learn to compose your own music with this simple, straightforward guide.
The songwriting process can seem intimidating at first, but Idiot's Guides: Music Composition teaches musicians of all skill levels, step by step, how to write music and compose simple chord progressions and melodies. It also leads them through more advanced compositional techniques and musical forms. Designed for composers of all types of music, it includes instruction on composing stand-alone melodies, using different scales and modes, themes and variations, orchestration, and composing for film, theater, and videogames. Here's what you'll find in this practical guide:
- The essential basics every aspiring songwriter needs to know to get started on their composition journey
- Basic techniques for harmonic composition including composing with chords and creating chord progressions
- Basic techniques for melodic composition including working with scales and modes, working with a melodic outline, using rhythm and syncopation, and building tension and release
- Guidance for developing compositions as well as advanced techniques for orchestrating, arranging, and songwriting
- A comprehensive glossary of musical terms, as well as an appendix of various computer-based composition tools
About the Author
Michael Miller is the author of several books, including The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Music Theory, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Playing Drums, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Singing, and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Music Composition. He has been using Cubase for a number of years. He used Cubase SX to record the audio CD included with the second edition of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Playing Drums.