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Composition for Electronic Musicians and Music Producers

Gisela Paterno

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Embark on a transformative journey through the art of musical composition with our meticulously designed course, tailored specifically for aspiring music producers. This comprehensive program promises to equip you with deep theoretical insights and extensive practical skills. By exploring the subtle intricacies of melody construction, common and complex chord progressions, and engaging deeply with modern production techniques, you will learn to craft captivating melodies and enrich them using modes and harmonies.

Gain practical experience in structuring songs, from understanding 8-bar phrases to sophisticated mode mixtures that add depth to your compositions. Our hands-on lessons will enable you to create robust bass lines, manipulate musical textures, and analyse the impact of timbre on your tracks, providing you with the tools to not just create music but to produce soundscapes that resonate. As you progress, you’ll apply these skills in composing and producing a complete song, mastering the art of musical storytelling.

By the end of this course, you will have developed a portfolio of works showcasing your ability to integrate theory with practice, preparing you for a successful career in music production. Join us to transform your musical ideas into polished, professional compositions, ready to capture the ears of listeners and industry professionals alike

The core structure of this course is to offer you the tools to create the tracks you always wanted to make but you felt they were missing parts that prevent to do so.

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Course Instructor

Gisela Paterno Author

Before we start

Basics of Musical Notation
Structure of Chords: Triads and Sevenths Chords
Basics of Rhythm
Basic Musical Terminology

Notation Softwares

Musescore, Sibelius and Dorico

What is a Melody?

Introduction to Melody: Define melody, explore its components such as pitch, rhythm, and dynamics, and discuss its role in music.
Types of Melodies: Analyse different types of melodies (linear, static, motif-based) and famous examples from various genres.
Melody Writing Tools: Introduce tools like scales, modes, and melodic contours, and how they shape a melody
Practical Melody Creation: Guide students through creating their own simple melodies using a MIDI keyboard or software

Common Chord Progressions

Understanding Chord Progressions: Basics of chord theory and progression patterns in different genres.
The Circle of Fifths in Chord Progressions: How to use the circle of fifths to create harmonious progressions
Popular Chord Progressions Analysis: Break down popular music to identify common progressions and their emotional impacts
Creating Chord Progressions: Hands-on session to create various chord progressions in major and minor keys

8-Bar Phrase

Structure of 8-Bar Phrases: Define and discuss the importance of the 8-bar phrase in musical form
Analysing 8-Bar Phrases: Listen and dissect 8-bar phrases in different songs and genres
Writing 8-Bar Phrases: Exercises in writing effective 8-bar phrases
Incorporating Dynamics and Texture: How to enhance 8-bar phrases using dynamics and textural changes

Harmonisation of our Melodies

Basics of Harmonisation: Introduction to the principles of harmonising a melody
Harmonising with Triads and Seventh Chords: Practical applications using more complex chords
Voice Leading in Harmonisation: Techniques for smooth transitions between chords
Workshop on Harmonising a Given Melody: Students harmonise provided melodies and receive feedback

Harmonic Rhythm

Understanding Harmonic Rhythm: Define and explore the concept and its importance in composition
Analysing Harmonic Rhythm in Music: Identify and discuss examples from various genres
Exercises in Creating Harmonic Rhythms: Practical session on creating effective harmonic rhythms
Harmonic Rhythm and Musical Expression: How changing the harmonic rhythm can alter the mood and style of a piece.

How to write our first Melody on a Chord Progression

Choosing a Chord Progression: Start with understanding and selecting a chord progression
Melodic Concepts Over Chords: How to develop melodic ideas that fit harmonically
Writing a Melody to a Chord Progression: Step-by-step guide on composing a melody over the chosen progression
Critique and Improvement: Peer review session where students share their work and suggest improvements

Bass Lines

Fundamentals of Bass Lines: Roles and characteristics of bass lines in music
Constructing Bass Lines from Chord Progressions: Practical techniques for creating bass lines that complement chord progressions
Analysing Famous Bass Lines: Study and discuss iconic bass lines across various genres
Bass Line Writing Workshop: Create bass lines for different musical settings

Musical Texture

Exploring Textural Elements in Music: Introduction to texture and its types such as monophonic, polyphonic, and homophonic
Textural Development in Composition: How to develop and vary texture to enhance musical narratives
Practical Textural Creation: Exercises to create different textures using software or instruments
Analysing Texture in Popular Songs: Break down the textural layers in well-known tracks

Melodic Analysis

Tools for Melodic Analysis: Introduction to analytical techniques for examining melodies
Case Studies of Great Melodies: Detailed analysis of famous melodies and their effectiveness
Melodic Construction and Design: How melodies are crafted to convey emotions and themes
Hands-On Melodic Analysis: Students analyse melodies from assigned music pieces

Harmonic Analysis

Introduction to Harmonic Analysis: Basic concepts and methods.
Analysing Harmony in Classical and Popular Music: Explore differences and similarities in harmonic strategies across genres
Harmonic Function and Progressions: Understanding how chords function within a progression
Workshop on Harmonic Analysis: Students perform analysis on selected pieces and share findings

Modes: how to apply them on our Melodies

Introduction to Modes: Overview of what modes are, including the seven modes derived from the major scale
Characteristics of Each Mode: Dive into the unique emotional and tonal characteristics of each mode (e.g., Dorian, Lydian, Phrygian)
Composing Melodies Using Modes: Practical exercises to write melodies in various modes, highlighting their distinct sounds.
Mode-Based Song Analysis: Analyse how different artists use modes in their melodies to achieve specific musical effects

Mode Mixture: how to enrich our chord progressions and Melodies

Basics of Mode Mixture: Introduction to the concept of borrowing chords from parallel keys/modes to enrich harmonic progressions
Analysing Mode Mixture in Music: Study examples from both classical and popular music where mode mixture is effectively used
Practical Application of Mode Mixture: Hands-on exercises to apply mode mixture in students’ own chord progressions and melodies
Creative Uses of Mode Mixture: Explore advanced applications, such as changing the mode mid-composition for dramatic effect

How the timbre affects the character of our Music

Understanding Timbre: Define timbre and discuss its importance in the identity of musical sounds
Exploring Timbral Choices: How different instruments and synthesis techniques can change the character of a piece
Timbre in Composition: Practical exercises to create varying emotional effects by altering timbre
Analysing Timbre in Recorded Music: Break down the use of timbre in well-known tracks across different genres to understand its impact on the music’s overall feel

How to write our first song

Songwriting Essentials: Discuss song structure (verses, choruses, bridges) and the role of each section
Lyric Writing and Setting: Techniques for writing engaging lyrics and matching them with melodies.
Arranging Your Song: Guidance on arranging the song for various instruments, focusing on dynamics and texture
Recording and Producing Your First Song: Basics of recording and producing a song using digital audio workstations
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