100 Best Composition Books of All Time
We've researched and ranked the best composition books in the world, based on recommendations from world experts, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. Learn more
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Fundamentals of Musical Composition represents the culmination of more than forty years in Schoenberg's life devoted to the teaching of musical principles to students and composers in Europe and America. For his classes he developed a manner of presentation in which 'every technical matter is discussed in a very fundamental way, so that at the same time it is both simple and thorough'.
This book can be used for analysis as well as for composition. On the one hand, it has the practical objective of introducing students to the process of composing in a systematic way, from the... more
This book can be used for analysis as well as for composition. On the one hand, it has the practical objective of introducing students to the process of composing in a systematic way, from the... more
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Behind Bars is the indispensable reference book for composers, arrangers, teachers and students of composition, editors, and music processors. In the most thorough and painstakingly researched book to be published since the 1980s, specialist music editor Elaine Gould provides a comprehensive grounding in notational principles.
Behind Bars covers everything from basic rules, conventions and themes to complex instrumental techniques, empowering the reader to prepare music with total clarity and precision. With the advent of computer technology, it has never been more important for... more
Behind Bars covers everything from basic rules, conventions and themes to complex instrumental techniques, empowering the reader to prepare music with total clarity and precision. With the advent of computer technology, it has never been more important for... more
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Silence, A Year from Monday, M, Empty Words and X (in this order) form the five parts of a series of books in which Cage tries, as he says, to find a way of writing which comes from ideas, is not about them, but which produces them. Often these writings include mesostics and essays created by subjecting the work of other writers to chance procedures using the I Ching (what Cage called writing through). less
Kyle ChaykaJohn Cage is one of the composers most associated with minimalism. He’s a kind of pioneer, not just in music, but also for the arts, and for philosophy as well. In the 1940s and 1950s, he had already cultivated an interest in Zen philosophy. He experimented with these forms of emptiness in art that were very radical at the time. (Source)
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(Manuscript Paper). 96-page wirebound book; 12 staves per page; 8 1/2 x 11; Music Notation Guide. less
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Written by a renowned composer whose works have been performed by major orchestras around the world, The Study of Orchestration is the only text that explores the characteristics of orchestral instruments and shows students how a master composer approaches orchestration. The Fourth Edition invites students to experience the instruments through online audio and video recordings and now offers more coverage of writing for band. less
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Since its appearance in 1725, it has been used by and has directly influenced the work of many of the greatest composers. J. S. Bach held it in high esteem, Leopold Mozart trained his famous son from its pages, Haydn worked out every lesson with meticulous care, and Beethoven condensed it into an abstract for ready reference. less
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At last, an orchestration book tailor-made for the classroom musician on a budget. Any teacher, student or professional musician, whether a composer, orchestrator, arranger, performer or enthusiast will find this thoroughly comprehensive dictionary full o less
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Recommended by Mark Nichol, and 1 others. Mark NicholThis book is good for beginners, but I also find it helpful for people who might consider themselves experts. It’s very clean, and it’s in a workbook format with many exercises in it. You read a short, simple lesson about adjectives and adverbs, or about when you use ‘that’ or ‘which’ in a sentence, and then you can practise with the exercises. (Source)
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While composers and percussionists are working more closely than ever with one another, there are few resources that address this collaborative relationship in depth. However, Samuel Z. Solomon, himself a percussionist and teacher, offers a comprehensive examination of the issues that percussionists and composers encounter in How to Write for Percussion. The first edition, self-published in 2004, provided musicians and music programs the world over with practical and indispensible information about issues of notation, concert production, and much more. This new edition goes even... more
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Faber Piano Adventures Level 3A introduces 3/8 and 6/8 time signatures and the triplet. Students learn the chromatic scale, the 7th, one-octave arpeggios, and explore the key of D major. Contents include: Amazing Grace * Campbells are Coming * Cool Walkin' Bass * Cossak Ride * Echoes of the Harp * Eine Kleine Nachtmusik * Ice Dancing * Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho * Land of the Silver Birch * Looking-Glass River * Lunar Eclipse * March Slav * and more. less
Don't have time to read the top Composition books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
11
The Must-Have Guide for Songwriters
Writing Better Lyrics has been a staple for songwriters for nearly two decades. Now this revised and updated 2nd Edition provides effective tools for everything from generating ideas, to understanding the form and function of a song, to fine-tuning lyrics.
Perfect for new and experienced songwriters alike, this time-tested classic covers the basics in addition to more advanced techniques.Songwriters will discover:
- How to use sense-bound imagery to enhance a song's emotional impact on listeners
-... more
Writing Better Lyrics has been a staple for songwriters for nearly two decades. Now this revised and updated 2nd Edition provides effective tools for everything from generating ideas, to understanding the form and function of a song, to fine-tuning lyrics.
Perfect for new and experienced songwriters alike, this time-tested classic covers the basics in addition to more advanced techniques.Songwriters will discover:
- How to use sense-bound imagery to enhance a song's emotional impact on listeners
-... more
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On the Track offers a comprehensive guide to scoring for film and television. Covering all styles and genres, the authors, both noted film composers, cover everything from the nuts-and-bolts of timing, cuing, and recording through balancing the composer's aesthetic vision with the needs of the film itself. Unlike other books that are aimed at the person "dreaming" of a career, this is truly a guide that can be used by everyone from students to technically sophisticated professionals. It contains over 100 interviews with noted composers, illustrating the many technical points made...
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Analyzing Classical Form builds upon the foundations of the author's critically acclaimed Classical Form by offering an approach to the analysis of musical form that is especially suited for classroom use. Providing ample material for study in both undergraduate and graduate courses, Analyzing Classical Form presents the most up-to-date version of the author's theory of formal functions. Students will learn how to make complete harmonic and formal analyses of music drawn from the instrumental works of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. Part 1 introduces the principal theme-types of classical... more
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Here for the first time is an orderly presentation of the harmonic procedures to be found in music of the first half of the twentieth-century. The author examines the nature of intervals in various contexts, discusses the modes and other scales employed in modern music, describes the formation and uses of chords by thirds, by fourths, and by seconds, of added-note chords and polychords; he deals with different types of harmonic motion, with harmonic rhythm and dynamic sand ornamentation, with harmonic behavior in tonality, polytonality, atonality and serial composition. less
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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... more
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... more
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Primary Journal Composition Notebook:7.5" x 9.25" (19.05 x 23.495 cm), 200 Pages / 100 Sheets for School / Teacher / Office / Student Composition Exercise Book.
*Space to draw and write *Pages printed with solid and dotted line primary ruling for practicing writing the alphabet
*Durable Softcover with tight binding
*200 pages / 100 sheets
Just what the doctor ordered.
Cover Durable Matte Paperback.
Binding: Professional grade binding (Paper back retail standard)
Product Measures:... more
*Space to draw and write *Pages printed with solid and dotted line primary ruling for practicing writing the alphabet
*Durable Softcover with tight binding
*200 pages / 100 sheets
Just what the doctor ordered.
Cover Durable Matte Paperback.
Binding: Professional grade binding (Paper back retail standard)
Product Measures:... more
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(Manuscript Paper). (Tan Cover) 64-page stitched book; 8 1/2 x 11; six 6-line staves on each page; 8 blank chord diagrams printed at the bottom of each page; punched to fit all ring binders; Music Notation Guide. less
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One autumn evening, shortly after ending a ten-year stint as a pop-music columnist for the Montreal Gazette, Eric Siblin attended a concert at Toronto's Royal Conservatory of Music. There, something unlikely happened: he fell in love with a piece of classical music -- Bach's cello suites. Part biography, part music history, and part literary mystery, The Cello Suites weaves together three dramatic stories: The first features Johann Sebastian Bach and the missing manuscript of his suites from the eighteenth century; the second is that of Pablo Casals and his incredible discovery of... more
Don't have time to read the top Composition books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
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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,... more
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,... more
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Want to turn that haunting tune in your head into an awesome sound in your ear? You can! Music Composition For Dummies demystifies the process of composing music and writing songs. It guides you through every step of writing your own music, from choosing the right rhythm and tempo to creating melodies and chord progressions and working with instruments and voices. In this fun and practical guide, you'll learn how to match keys and chords to the mood you want to convey, work a form without limiting your creativity, and hammer out a musical idea, even when your mind is drawing a blank.... more
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r.h. Sin, bestselling author of the Whiskey, Words & a Shovel series, returns with a collection of poetry and prose meant to remind the wounded that they are, in fact, beautiful in a way society may never comprehend.
A Beautiful Composition of Broken is inspired by some of the events expressed artistically by Samantha King in the bestseller Born to Love, Cursed to Feel. It serves as a poetic documentary of the lives of people who have been mistreated, misunderstood, and wrongfully labeled in a way that limits them in this world. The author’s most... more
A Beautiful Composition of Broken is inspired by some of the events expressed artistically by Samantha King in the bestseller Born to Love, Cursed to Feel. It serves as a poetic documentary of the lives of people who have been mistreated, misunderstood, and wrongfully labeled in a way that limits them in this world. The author’s most... more
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Creative Orchestration by American Composer George Frederick McKay (1899-1970) is highly regarded in academic circles for its direct and uncomplicated approach based on McKay's 40 years of teaching music theory at the University of Washington, Seattle while using experiential methods with small groups of students. McKay himself had his music presented in the concert halls of America by the master conductors Stokowski, Beecham and Arthur Benjamin during his lifetime, along with hundreds of publications and other honors. He taught at Washington, USC, Oregon, Michigan and Drake during his years... more
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(Schott). Originally published in the 1940s, Paul Hindemith's remakable textbooks are still the outstanding works of their kind. In contrast to many musical textbooks written by academic musicians, these were produced by a man who could play every instrument of the orchestra, could compose a satisfying piece for almost every kind of ensemble, and who was one of the most stimulating teachers of his day. It is therefore not surprising that nearly forty years later these books should remain essential reading for the student and the professional musician. Preface * Construction of the Simplest... more
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Learn to “see” more compelling images with this on-the-go field guide from Bryan Peterson!
What makes an image amazing? Believe it or not, it is not about the content. What makes a photo compelling is the arrangement of that content—in other words, its composition. The right composition gives your images impact and emotion; the wrong one leaves them flat. In this handy, take-anywhere guide, renowned photographer, instructor, and bestselling author Bryan Peterson frees amateur photographers from the prejudices of what is “beautiful” or “ugly” so that they can instead focus... more
What makes an image amazing? Believe it or not, it is not about the content. What makes a photo compelling is the arrangement of that content—in other words, its composition. The right composition gives your images impact and emotion; the wrong one leaves them flat. In this handy, take-anywhere guide, renowned photographer, instructor, and bestselling author Bryan Peterson frees amateur photographers from the prejudices of what is “beautiful” or “ugly” so that they can instead focus... more
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This is a pocket-sized collection of over 70 Leonard Cohen hits, with complete lyrics, guitar chord symbols, and chord diagrams. Perfect for fitting into gig bags! Songs include: Ain't No Cure for Love * Bird on the Wire (Bird on a Wire) * Closing Time * Death of a Ladies' Man * First We Take Manhattan * Hallelujah * Lady Midnight * Lover Lover Lover * So Long Marianne * Winter Lady * and many more. less
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"This book is a must read for newcomers and experienced composers wanting to learn more about the art of video game composition." --Chuck Doud, Director of Music, Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios All You Need to Know to Create Great Video Game Music Written by the developer of Berklee School of Music's pioneering game scoring program, this guide covers everything professional composers and music students need to know about composing interactive music for video games, and contains exclusive tools for interactive scoring--tools that were previously available only... more
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Based on the third edition of 1922, this new translation of Schoenberg's largest and most important treatise is well-focused, expansive, reflective, and wittily down-to-earth. The heart and soul of the book is to be found in Schoenberg's vivid and penetrating digressions--they are the fascinating reflections of a great and humane musician. less
Don't have time to read the top Composition books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
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brHoward Shore's Academy Award-winning score for The Lord of the Rings has been hailed as among the greatest film music ever written. Sweeping in scope, it is an interpretation of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth as music; an operatic tapestry of cultures, histories, languages and peoples. The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films takes the reader on an unprecedented journey into the heart of this history-making opus with extensive music examples, original manuscript scores, a rarities CD, and fascinating glimpses into the creative process from the composer himself. With a foreword by Howard... more
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In this comprehensive and definitive survey of current notation procedures, Kurt Stone has brought order to a field traditionally fraught with confusion and idiosyncrasy. He not only describes and recommends new methods for notating modern music, thereby establishing standard procedures for the present and future, but integrates them with traditional practices still in use. The result is a guide to all forms of notation used in serious music today.
Stone is undoubtedly one of the world's leading authorities on contemporary music notation and its problems. As head of... more33
Among the most popular and important modern British composers, Gustav Holst (1874–1934) was a true eccentric, given to odd enthusiasms and mystical musings. His spectacular symphonic suite The Planets, first performed in 1918, established his international reputation and remains a staple of the orchestral repertoire to this day.
Scored for huge orchestral forces and a wordless chorus, the work is divided into seven movements, the music of each embodying the astrological and mystical qualities of a different planet. From the ominous, relentless march of "Mars, the Bringer of War"... more
Scored for huge orchestral forces and a wordless chorus, the work is divided into seven movements, the music of each embodying the astrological and mystical qualities of a different planet. From the ominous, relentless march of "Mars, the Bringer of War"... more
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(Manuscript Paper). 64-page stitched book; 12 staves per page; 8 1/2 x 11; punched to fit all ring binders; Music Notation Guide. less
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Learn to take better pictures in this step-by-step, how-to photography guide filled with tips on lighting, equipment, inspiration, and more.
Featuring more than 200 of master photographer Art Wolfe's stunning images, The Art of the Photograph helps amateur photographers of all levels break bad habits and shatter common yet incorrect assumptions that hold many photographers back. This is Wolfe’s ultimate master class, in which he shares the most important insights and techniques learned in four decades of award-winning photography. Along with co-author Rob... more
Featuring more than 200 of master photographer Art Wolfe's stunning images, The Art of the Photograph helps amateur photographers of all levels break bad habits and shatter common yet incorrect assumptions that hold many photographers back. This is Wolfe’s ultimate master class, in which he shares the most important insights and techniques learned in four decades of award-winning photography. Along with co-author Rob... more
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Musical composition is a key discipline in music programs in conservatories, colleges, and universities. Many teachers consider it as important in the development of young musicians as listening and performance. It can be argued that through compositions musicians achieve the deepest insight into the composer and his music. Musical Composition takes the student through the elements--melody, harmony, counterpoint, and rhythm--before covering a variety of special subjects such as writing vocal and choral music, accompaniments, and film and TV music. Chapters are devoted to recent... more
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This pocket-sized dictionary presents current and correct notation practices in an easy-to-use format. Generously illustrated and concise, this book is essential to any musician looking for a handy reference for the correct notation of music. A most welco less
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9 songs arranged to be easy-to-play on electronic keyboards. Titles include: All I Ask of You Angel of Music Masquerade The Music of the Night The Phantom of the Opera The Point of No Return Prima Donna Think of Me Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again. less
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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,... more
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,... more
Don't have time to read the top Composition books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
41
Building on ideas first advanced by Arnold Schoenberg and later developed by Erwin Ratz, this book introduces a new theory of form for instrumental music in the classical style. The theory provides a broad set of principles and a comprehensive methodology for the analysis of classical form, from individual ideas, phrases, and themes to the large-scale organization of complete movements. It emphasizes the notion of formal function, that is, the specific role a given formal unit plays in the structural organization of a classical work.
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There is a lot more to photography than simply picking up a camera, pointing it toward something, and tripping the shutter. Achieving a great photograph requires thought and preparation, an understanding of the photographic process, and a firm grasp of how light and composition affect a photo. There must be personal involvement and personal expression. There must be experimentation, with the recognition that only a small percentage of experiments end successfully.
In this book, best-selling author and world-renowned photographer and teacher Bruce Barnbaum explores these... more
In this book, best-selling author and world-renowned photographer and teacher Bruce Barnbaum explores these... more
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Written during Tchaikovsky’s years as professor at the renowned Moscow Conservatory, this volume presents a clear and thorough introduction to the study of harmony. The great Russian composer expounded upon his views of music while he was in the full flower of his creative powers, offering students a chance to learn the discipline’s fundamentals from one of its great masters.
Out of print for decades and exceedingly rare in its original edition, Tchaikovsky’s Guide to the Practical Study of Harmony possesses an intrinsic historical interest, yet remains as useful and instructive... more
Out of print for decades and exceedingly rare in its original edition, Tchaikovsky’s Guide to the Practical Study of Harmony possesses an intrinsic historical interest, yet remains as useful and instructive... more
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Originally published in the 1940s, Paul Hindemith's remakable textbooks are still the outstanding works of their kind. In contrast to many musical textbooks written by academic musicians, these were produced by a man who could play every instrument of the less
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PREFACE TO THE NEW EDITION
Wren and Martin's monumental work High School English Grammar and Composition now appears in two editions. One is a de luxe edition, illustrated in full-colour, and the other is an ordinary edition without illustrations.
The material in the book has been further updated where called for. It has been felt necessary in particular to revise some material in the chapters dealing with adjectives, active and passive voice, articles and prepositions. Appendix I, which deals with American English, has been expanded. Appendix II has been replaced with a... more
Wren and Martin's monumental work High School English Grammar and Composition now appears in two editions. One is a de luxe edition, illustrated in full-colour, and the other is an ordinary edition without illustrations.
The material in the book has been further updated where called for. It has been felt necessary in particular to revise some material in the chapters dealing with adjectives, active and passive voice, articles and prepositions. Appendix I, which deals with American English, has been expanded. Appendix II has been replaced with a... more
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A grand and panoramic biograhical history of the giants of classical music, The Lives and Times of Great Composers is a new, unique, and lovingly constructed modern reference--and a beguiling read which you will return to again and again.
Interlinked yet self-contained, each chapter distills the life of one or more composers, set against the social, political, musical, and cultural background of the time. Read the story of Bach, the respectable burgher, much of whose vast output was composed amidst petty turf disputes in Luteran Leipzig; or the ugly, argumentative... more
Interlinked yet self-contained, each chapter distills the life of one or more composers, set against the social, political, musical, and cultural background of the time. Read the story of Bach, the respectable burgher, much of whose vast output was composed amidst petty turf disputes in Luteran Leipzig; or the ugly, argumentative... more
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(Music Sales America). 100 compositions, progressively graded for grades 1 through 4, ranging from the works of the great masters to the folk tunes and dances from many countries. less
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One of the most forthright and talented of American composers writes here of the part played by the freely imaginative mind in composing, performing, and listening to music. He urges more frequent performance and more sensitive hearing of the music of new composers. He discusses sound media, new and old, and looks toward a musical future in which the timbres and intensities developed by the electronic engineer may find their musical shape and meaning. He considers the twentieth-century revolt against classical form and tonality, and the recent disturbing political interference with the form... more
Don't have time to read the top Composition books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
51
Throughout his life, renowned and prolific composer Johann Sebastian Bach articulated his views as a composer in purely musical terms; he was notoriously reluctant to write about his life and work. Instead, he methodically organized certain pieces into carefully designed collections. These benchmark works, all of them without parallel or equivalent, produced a steady stream of transformative ideas that stand as paradigms of Bach’s musical art.
In this companion volume to his Pulitzer Prize–finalist biography, Johann Sebastian Bach: The Learned Musician, leading Bach... more
In this companion volume to his Pulitzer Prize–finalist biography, Johann Sebastian Bach: The Learned Musician, leading Bach... more
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(Schott). The book aims to be a guide through the little universe which is the working place of the man who writes music. As such it talks predominantly to the layman, although the expert composer may also find some stimulation in it... From the center of basic theory the discussion will spread out into all the realms of experience which border the technical aspects of composing, such as aesthetics, sociology, philosophy, and so on. less
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(Berklee Guide). Learn the nuances of music notation, and create professional looking scores. This reference presents a comprehensive look at contemporary music notation. You will learn the meaning and stylistic practices for many types of notation that are currently in common use, from traditional staffs to lead sheets to guitar tablature. It discusses hundreds of notation symbols, as well as general guidelines for writing music. Berklee College of Music brings together teachers and students from all over the world, and we use notation in a great variety of ways. This book presents our... more
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Going beyond the rule of thirds, this offers invaluable tips and tools to help the photographer take control of the creative process with emphasis on four elements: an impactful subject, dynamic composition, effective use of lighting, and an ability to invoke an emotional response in the viewer
What makes a great photo? Flicking through the pages of popular photography magazines you might get the impression that there’s only one rule of importance - the rule of thirds. Indeed it appears that some will judge the merit of a photograph based almost solely on this. Rarely do you... more
What makes a great photo? Flicking through the pages of popular photography magazines you might get the impression that there’s only one rule of importance - the rule of thirds. Indeed it appears that some will judge the merit of a photograph based almost solely on this. Rarely do you... more
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THIS JUST IN!
As of 3/20/20, in response to the novel coronavirus (covid-19), the College Board has decided to administer all 2020 exams online. You'll still be able to prep with this book! But for your best results, you'll want to modify what you're focusing on (both question types and content). Remember, everyone's in the same boat, so just do your best and keep practicing. You've got this!
Head to your Online Student Tools page (access included with your book purchase)... more
Head to your Online Student Tools page (access included with your book purchase)... more
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Sam Morgenstern's classic anthology, now thoroughly updated with new selections and commentary reflecting recent music scholarship less
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Virtual Music is about artificial creativity. Focusing on the author's Experiments in Musical Intelligence computer music programme, the author and a distinguished group of experts discuss many of the issues surrounding the programme, including artificial intelligence, music cognition and aesthetics. less
Don't have time to read the top Composition books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
61
Create compelling paintings by mastering compositional techniques!
While happy accidents may occasionally contribute to producing strong, eye-catching paintings, conscious painting is more important. According to author Frank Webb, "Composition is more important than fact, technique, or subject." To create compelling, expressive works, you must make the composition the foundation of your plan. This book provides example-by-example demonstrations of how you can achieve this.
The works of 24 professional artists included in this book give you an over-the-shoulder look at... more
While happy accidents may occasionally contribute to producing strong, eye-catching paintings, conscious painting is more important. According to author Frank Webb, "Composition is more important than fact, technique, or subject." To create compelling, expressive works, you must make the composition the foundation of your plan. This book provides example-by-example demonstrations of how you can achieve this.
The works of 24 professional artists included in this book give you an over-the-shoulder look at... more
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Based loosely on the author's earlier New Music Composition (Schirmer Books, 1977), this new book is designed to be a practical guide to the compositional techniques, resources, and technologies available to composers of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Indispensable as a ready reference for composers and scholars, Techniques is also an excellent introduction to the motives, ideas, and styles behind contemporary music. Beginning with a general survey of 19th century harmonic and melodic techniques, each chapter traces the development the traditional and modern elements... more
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A practical guide to professional orchestration featuring recorded musical examples performed by Henry Mancini. Included in the book are sections on the woodwinds, brass, the rhythm section and the string section. A recording is included to follow along with the printed scores. less
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A broad understanding of the fundamental concepts, conventions, and theories of art is essential when it comes to producing a successful piece of work. Art Fundamentals addresses key basic subjects such as color and light, composition, perspective and depth, anatomy, and portraying emotions in a series of insightful chapters. Find out about color relationships and how to choose colors that work well together. Learn about the Rule of Thirds, Rule of Odds, Golden Triangle, and Divine Proportions, all of which are key when it comes to creating a realistic and dynamic composition. Discover... more
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One of the greatest of contemporary composers has here set down in delightfully personal fashion his general ideas about music and some accounts of his own experience as a composer. Every concert-goer and lover of music will take keen pleasure in his notes about the essential features of music, the process of musical composition, inspiration, musical types, and musical execution. Throughout the volume are to he found trenchant comments on such subjects as Wagnerism, the operas of Verdi, musical taste, musical snobbery, the influence of political ideas on Russian music under the Soviets,... more
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Remove the guesswork. Really know your fretboard. Read beyond the open position. Take your playing to a whole new level!
The Missing Method(TM) for Guitar Note Reading Series is your step-by-step guide to learning how to read guitar music anywhere on the neck! Chances are you've learned to read some of the notes in open position, but the rest of the neck is just a landscape of lucky guesses. Many guitar method books simply give you the basics, but very rarely do they give you everything you need in order to feel confident in your reading and playing. The Missing... more
The Missing Method(TM) for Guitar Note Reading Series is your step-by-step guide to learning how to read guitar music anywhere on the neck! Chances are you've learned to read some of the notes in open position, but the rest of the neck is just a landscape of lucky guesses. Many guitar method books simply give you the basics, but very rarely do they give you everything you need in order to feel confident in your reading and playing. The Missing... more
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This high-quality music writing pad has clearly engraved, evenly spaced staff lines for easy writing. Affordably priced for students and professionals. less
Don't have time to read the top Composition books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
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In Mastering Multi-Band Compression I'm going to be giving you the step by step formula for using multiband compression. By using this formula you'll get rid of the confusion and discover the benefits of multiband compression.
This isn't another wishy-washy difficult to grasp book on mixing theory. I'm not in the camp of people who will tell you "It all depends." Well actually it does depend-- it depends on the situation. And there are only 2 situations a multiband compressor deals with: Transient Control and Volume Leveling on a per-frequency band basis.
By identifying... more
This isn't another wishy-washy difficult to grasp book on mixing theory. I'm not in the camp of people who will tell you "It all depends." Well actually it does depend-- it depends on the situation. And there are only 2 situations a multiband compressor deals with: Transient Control and Volume Leveling on a per-frequency band basis.
By identifying... more
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..". one of the most interesting, useful and even exciting books on the process of musical creation." --American Music Teacher
..". noteworthy contribution... with plenty of insight into interpretation... remarkable as an insider's account of the works in an individual perspective." --European Music Teacher
Drake groups the Beethoven piano sonatas according to their musical qualities, rather than their chronology. He explores the interpretive implications of rhythm, dynamics, slurs, harmonic effects, and melodic development and identifies specific measures where... more
..". noteworthy contribution... with plenty of insight into interpretation... remarkable as an insider's account of the works in an individual perspective." --European Music Teacher
Drake groups the Beethoven piano sonatas according to their musical qualities, rather than their chronology. He explores the interpretive implications of rhythm, dynamics, slurs, harmonic effects, and melodic development and identifies specific measures where... more
74
Recommended by winners of the Academy, Grammy, and Emmy Awards, Professional Orchestration is the first multi-volume series in orchestration from an American Publisher that teaches the devices and orchestral combinations which, before now, have been known by only a privileged few. It's also the only orchestration book whose orchestration notes were checked and edited by members of the Hollywood studio musician elite. Features full page/full score examples on an 8.25x11 page. Optional Professional Mentor workbook and audio package from eClassical available. less
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Clear, challenging and inspiring, this book contains instructions for 65 abstract paintings that you can get to work on straightaway, with no previous experience. All the basic information relating to picture elements, composition, theme and design is provided at the start of the book, together with an exploration of the meaning of abstract painting, and its importance as a means of self-expression and creativity. less
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(Manuscript Paper). Deluxe tear off pad with firm backing for easy writing; 32 sheets (64 pages) printed both sides; 12 staves per page; 8 1/2 x 11; punched to fit all ring binders; Music Notation Guide. less
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The earlier chapters recapitulate in condensed form the principles laid down in his Theory of Harmony; the later chapters break entirely new ground, for they analyze the system of key relationships within the structure of whole movements and affirm the principle of "monotonality," showing how all modulations within a movement are merely deviations from, and not negations of, its main tonality.
Schoenberg's argument is supported by music examples, which range from entire development sections of classical symphonies to analyses of the experimental harmonic... more
Schoenberg's argument is supported by music examples, which range from entire development sections of classical symphonies to analyses of the experimental harmonic... more
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Michael Nyman's book is a first-hand account of experimental music from 1950 to 1970. First published in 1974, it has remained the classic text on a significant form of music making and composing that developed alongside, and partly in opposition to, the postwar modernist tradition of composers such as Boulez, Berio, or Stockhausen. The experimentalist par excellence was John Cage whose legendary 4' 33'' consists of four minutes and thirty three seconds of silence to be performed on any instrument. Such pieces have a conceptual rather than purely musical starting point and radically challenge... more
Don't have time to read the top Composition books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
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This classic, step-by-step approach emphasizes the fundamentals of great composition writing. Students develop writing skills to prepare them to make the transition from use of simple prose to more linguistically sophisticated and complex discourse. less
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Through accessible discussions and exercises, readers learn to use composition, available light, color, and point of view to create stunning photographs in any environment.
Photographers are born travelers. They’ll go any distance to capture the right light, beautiful landscapes, wildlife, and people. But exotic locales aren’t necessary for interesting photographs. Wonderful images are hiding almost everywhere; you just need to know how to find them.
Extraordinary Everyday Photography will help you search beyond the surface to find the unexpected wherever... more
Photographers are born travelers. They’ll go any distance to capture the right light, beautiful landscapes, wildlife, and people. But exotic locales aren’t necessary for interesting photographs. Wonderful images are hiding almost everywhere; you just need to know how to find them.
Extraordinary Everyday Photography will help you search beyond the surface to find the unexpected wherever... more
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Many people find music theory a tough subject-- but it doesn't have to be! The best-selling Idiot's Guides: Music Theory, Third Edition, is a concise and clear guide that teaches any budding musician (and even more experienced ones) how to read musical notation by navigating the basics of reading and composing music. This book covers:
- The basics of tones, including pitches, clefs, scales, intervals, and major and minor keys.
- The building blocks of rhythm, including note values, basic notation, time signatures, and tempo, dynamics, and navigation.
- How tunes... more
- The basics of tones, including pitches, clefs, scales, intervals, and major and minor keys.
- The building blocks of rhythm, including note values, basic notation, time signatures, and tempo, dynamics, and navigation.
- How tunes... more
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This guide to the more adventurous evolutions of music since 1945--pointillism, post-Webernism, integral serialism, free dodecaphony, aleatory and indeterminate music, graphics, musique concrete, electronic music, and theatre music--was first published in 1975 and has been reprinted several times. For this second edition, Smith Brindle has added a new chapter reviewing developments over the decade since first publication. He discusses the decline of experimentalism and the reaction against increasing cerebralism and complexity as variously illustrated by the more recent works of... more
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An exceptional text for undergraduate and graduate music students, Modal Counterpoint, Renaissance Style uses a wide variety of carefully graded exercises to present guidelines for writing and analyzing 16th-century music. The only species counterpoint text that draws directly on Renaissance treatises, it provides a conceptual framework to guide students through composition and analysis as it teaches them general structural principles. With stylistically diverse examples including not only motets and mass movements but also French chansons, German chorale settings, English canzonets,... more
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Gabriel Fauré (1845–1924) enriched the literature of the piano with freshly melodic, elegantly wrought compositions that embody the aristocratic qualities of the French tradition. This superbly produced volume brings together in one authoritative playing edition one of the most important segments of his works for piano: all of his nine Preludes, five Impromptus, and four Valses-Caprices.
Each of these distinctive compositions, so often heard today in concert and recital halls around the world and frequently recorded by leading pianists, reveal Fauré's lyrical melodic gifts and innovative... more
Each of these distinctive compositions, so often heard today in concert and recital halls around the world and frequently recorded by leading pianists, reveal Fauré's lyrical melodic gifts and innovative... more
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Don't have time to read the top Composition books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
91
Often regarded as the last great composer in the Austro-Germanic tradition, Gustave Mahler (1860–1911) exerted a major influence on 20th-century music; his later work in particular affected the musical ideas of such composers as Arnold Schoenberg, Dimitri Shostakovich, Alban Berg, and Benjamin Britten.
While his mature work foreshadowed radical elements of modern music — particularly the dissolution of tonality — Mahler's first symphonies were written in a relatively traditional programmatic style with a strong spiritual element. These early works are seen by some critics as attempting... more
While his mature work foreshadowed radical elements of modern music — particularly the dissolution of tonality — Mahler's first symphonies were written in a relatively traditional programmatic style with a strong spiritual element. These early works are seen by some critics as attempting... more
92
Record, arrange, mix, produce, and polish your audio files with this best-selling, Apple-certified guide to Logic Pro X 10.4. Veteran producer and composer David Nahmani uses step-bystep, project-based instructions and straightforward explanations to teach everything from basic music creation to sophisticated production techniques.
Using the book's downloadable lesson files and Logic Pro X, you'll begin making music in the first lesson. From there, learn to record audio and MIDI data, create and edit sequences, and master mixing and automation techniques such as submixing with track... more
Using the book's downloadable lesson files and Logic Pro X, you'll begin making music in the first lesson. From there, learn to record audio and MIDI data, create and edit sequences, and master mixing and automation techniques such as submixing with track... more
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In this introduction to natural-base music theory, Ernst Levy presents the essentials of a comprehensive, consistent theory of harmony developed from tone structure. A Theory of Harmony is a highly original explanation of the harmonic language of the last few centuries, showing the way toward an understanding of diverse styles of music. Basic harmony texts exist, but none supply help to students seeking threads of logic in the field. In a text abundantly illustrated with musical examples, Levy makes clear the few principles that illuminate the natural forces in harmony. He shows that general... more
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An indispensable resource for every scholar in the field--both as textbook and as professional reference. less
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In Great Songwriting Techniques, veteran composer and teacher Jack Perricone shares years of experience in the art, science, and pedagogy of songwriting to teach readers the craft. Whether they write for a small group of friends or in the hopes of creating a smash hit, aspiring songwriters can learn how to focus on topics essential to their success in this competitive field; every songwriter must be aware of audience, thick-skinned enough to handle rejection and competition, and most importantly have the confidence to master the craft of composing and producing. Perricone teaches... more
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(Berklee Guide). Essential for anyone interested in the business, process and procedures of writing music for film or television, this book teaches the Berklee approach to the art, covering topics such as: preparing and recording a score, contracts and fees, publishing, royalties, copyrights and much more. Features interviews with 21 top film-scoring professionals, including Michael Kamen, Alf Clausen, Alan Silvestri, Marc Shaiman, Mark Snow, Harry Gregson-Williams and Elmer Bernstein. Now updated with info on today's latest technology, and invaluable insights into finding work in the... more
Don't have time to read the top Composition books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.