Class Central is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Skillshare

Music Composition with the Piano

via Skillshare

Overview

Unleash your composing & songwriting with tools to unblock the writing process and generate material at the piano with ease, whether you're a beginner or intermediate at piano & music theory. 

The course consists of four core elements: 

  • Piano technique, theory & arrangement.
  • Fundamental & advanced harmony & music theory.
  • Compositional techniques and strategies 
  • Piano chords, progressions and songwriting

What you will learn. 

  • Express yourself and your musical ideas fluently, at the keyboard and DAW
  • Use extended music theory without reading a line of music
  • Compose different styles of music; filmic, classical, jazz and mainstream through a fundamental understanding of harmony
  • Build interesting chord progressions

Syllabus

  • Introduction
  • Overview of the Course
  • Resources
  • The Grid
  • The Chromatic Scale
  • Creating a Major Key
  • Creating Chords Inside of a Key
  • Naming Notes on the Piano
  • Ambient Track Assignment
  • Ambient Track Example
  • Establishing 'Gravity' With Keys
  • The Circle of fifths Major Key Gravity
  • Creating a Minor Scale and Key
  • Circle of fifths Minor Key Gravity
  • Learning all Keys
  • Assignment Transposing Chords & Melodies
  • Get Composing!
  • Technique & Fluency at the Piano
  • Hand positions & Fingerings
  • Wandering Hands Backing Tracks
  • Assignment - Wandering Hands Track
  • Wandering Hands Example Track
  • Introduction to Chords in a Key - Diatonic Harmony
  • Analysing 1000+ Tunes
  • Common Chord Progressions and Conventions
  • 30% Different - Changing Standard Chord Progressions
  • Chord 5 in a Minor Key
  • Harmony Cheat Sheet: Stage 1
  • Tension & Resolution
  • Chord tones
  • Non Chord Tones
  • The Feelings of Different Intervals
  • Layering & Overlapping
  • Non diatonic Tones
  • The Pentatonic Scale
  • Patterns - The Way to think about your music
  • Assignment - Melody Writing
  • Example - Melody Writing
  • Roman Numerals in Analysis
  • Harmonic Structure
  • Repeating Harmony
  • Repeating Harmony Example
  • Small Changes in Harmony
  • Varying Your Bass Lines
  • Modulation - New Centres of Gravity
  • Assignment - Composing 3 different sections
  • 3 Different Sections Example Track
  • Introduction to Voicing
  • Arpeggiation
  • Examples of Arpeggiation in Context
  • Closed & Open Position Chords
  • Chord Inversions
  • Doubling Notes
  • Dropping Notes
  • Voice Leading
  • Grace Notes
  • Accompaniment Singers Assignment
  • Accompaniment for Singers Example
  • Orchestral String Writing Assignment
  • Orchestral String Writing Example
  • Example of Voice Leading
  • Harmony Cheat Sheet Level 2
  • Bass Lines Introduction Supporting the Harmony
  • Voice Leading & Passing Notes
  • Bass Line Riffs
  • Introduction to Chords from Scratch
  • In Depth Chords from Scratch
  • How to Create Triads from Scratch
  • Suspension Chords
  • Working out the Key of a Song
  • Modulation & Secondary Dominants
  • Pushing Out of the Key Example Track
  • Introduction to Upper Structures
  • Creating 7th Chords from Scratch
  • Diminished & Augmented & 7th Chords
  • Creating 9th Chords from Scratch
  • Creating 11ths 13th Chords from Scratch
  • Upper Structure Assignments
  • Upper Structure Composing Example
  • How to Read Chords and Chord Symbols
  • Harmony Cheat sheet Level 3
  • Where do I Start? Generating material with rules
  • Patterns, Patterns, Patterns
  • Problem Solving
  • Introduction to Harmonic Rhythm
  • Passing chords & Reharmonisation
  • Reharmonisation Assignment
  • Melodic Rhythm
  • Phrasing & Space
  • Phrasing and Melodic Rhythm Assignment
  • Standard Accompaniment Patterns (with commentary)
  • Standard Accompaniment Patterns (no commentary)
  • Musical Layers & Alignment
  • Musical Alignment Example
  • The Chord Progression Bible
  • What Scales go with What Chords?
  • The Blues Scale
  • Harmonic & Melodic Minor Scale
  • The Scale Omnibus
  • Paired Pentatonics
  • Modes
  • Introduction to Chord Relationships
  • Chord Relationship & Arpeggiation Assignment
  • Chord Relationship & Arpeggiation Example
  • Writing Themes
  • Conclusion of the Course

Taught by

Jack Vaughan

Reviews

Start your review of Music Composition with the Piano

Never Stop Learning.

Get personalized course recommendations, track subjects and courses with reminders, and more.

Someone learning on their laptop while sitting on the floor.