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JerGoertz · Post by **JerGoertz** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 3:22 am

Can anyone recommend top notch books on composing music?

Better for me would to be non genre-specific.

For example, is this one any good?

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-G ... 357&sr=8-1

Thanks,
Jer

barbakane · Post by **barbakane** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 4:30 am

A couple of good sources are by Ricky Rooksby:
How to write songs on guitar....ISBN 0879306114
How to write songs on keyboards.....ISBN 0879308621
You should be able to get or order these from your neighborhood bookstore or definitey online.

The guitar one is the better of the two, simply because the author references certain chord progressions, then gives examples of 3 or 4 very famous songs that use that same progression.

I finished two songs within 3 days of getting the first book. I work at Barnes & Noble, and I recommend them both every week or two.
The keyboard version has a cd with it that has examples of the music in the book.

Hopefully this helps. There are tons of books available, but I think the best source is listening to your favorite songs and reverse engineering them. Find out how there are structured then copy that same structure, perhaps in a different key, or take an interesting progression from the verse of a song and slap it together with the chorus from a different song.

The only rule is, there are no rules. Winton Marsalis says you can play any scale in any key during a song, as long as you resolve it well in the end.

Good luck.

MoreDread · Post by **MoreDread** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 11:25 am

I like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Composing-Music-A ... 263&sr=8-2

asbfly · Post by **asbfly** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 12:22 pm

MoreDread wrote:I like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Composing-Music-A ... 263&sr=8-2

I just got this one this week and it looks very promising. It's packed full of practical exercises. Just what I was looking for.

flippya2000 · Post by **flippya2000** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 8:26 pm

JerGoertz wrote:Can anyone recommend top notch books on composing music?

Better for me would to be non genre-specific.

For example, is this one any good?

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-G ... 357&sr=8-1

Thanks,
Jer

I've read this book & can recommend it. Also, check out M.Miller's Music Theory book too (the Composition book you linked to assumes some basic knowledge of theory, esp. in the later chapters).

Berklee's Melody in Songwriting is a good book too. Also, The Composer's Handbook by Bruce Cole is good. That should be more than enough to get you started

Take care.

Resonant Serpent · Post by **Resonant Serpent** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 8:48 pm

flippya2000 wrote:
JerGoertz wrote:Can anyone recommend top notch books on composing music?

Better for me would to be non genre-specific.

For example, is this one any good?

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-G ... 357&sr=8-1

Thanks,
Jer
I've read this book & can recommend it. Also, check out M.Miller's Music Theory book too (the Composition book you linked to assumes some basic knowledge of theory, esp. in the later chapters).

Berklee's Melody in Songwriting is a good book too. Also, The Composer's Handbook by Bruce Cole is good. That should be more than enough to get you started Take care.

+1 on this.

I've found it to be the easiest book for newbies to grasp once they get over the name. The approach is straight forward, and assumes you know just about nothing except some theory. So yeah, get the theory book first, then the composition book. I know people that I turned on to both of them who say it's made the largest change for the better in what they do, and a couple of them made their living from music for the last couple of decades.

I took both books, took notes from them, and had them laminated to keep on my desk while I write. If I need to look something up, then I know where it is.

So, keep notes whatever books you choose, and it'll stick in your mind a lot easier. And if it doesn't stick, then you can look it up.

herodotus · Post by **herodotus** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 9:39 pm

Once you have the basics down, you really can't beat
Arnold at his best.

JerGoertz · Post by **JerGoertz** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:31 pm

Thanks for all the rec's, guys. Much appreciated.

-Jer

tony Smyth · Post by **tony Smyth** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 3:59 pm

Quote: M.Miller's Music Theory book

??? Link please? Goofled and can't find anything. Surely not The bass god Marcus Miller?

flippya2000 · Post by **flippya2000** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:05 pm

tony Smyth wrote:Quote: M.Miller's Music Theory book

??? Link please? Goofled and can't find anything. Surely not The bass god Marcus Miller?

http://www.molehillgroup.com/music_theory.htm

ilyash · Post by **ilyash** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 6:02 pm

JerGoertz wrote:Can anyone recommend top notch books on composing music?

Better for me would to be non genre-specific.

Here is on-line manual
http://www.palette-mct.com/manual_eng/t ... tents.html

It is manual of The Palette - Melody Composing Tool program. There is theory chapter that describes theory of the melody creation. It is mini-edition of the 'Basic of Composition' textbook by E.Messner (only russian edition of this texbook exists). Also take a look at the program. It is very useful program.

JerGoertz · Post by **JerGoertz** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 9:12 pm

Thanks, ilyash!

Musicologo · Post by **Musicologo** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 2:13 am

If you ever thought of composing serial or contemporary music, then I would also recommend Charles Wuorinen - Simple Composition. It's very technical, lots of exercices and music just comes right out of it without having to think too much or being inspired.

But have in mind that is most for contemporary classical music, not pop songs!

keyplyr · Post by **keyplyr** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 8:04 pm

I would advise working with a qualified composition teacher in addition to using any text.

Good Books on Music Composition