Leaderboard

1. Use of composition software, sound samples etc. This has become something like a necessity for composers at present. It would be great to learn more than we know and to cover things beyond the basics (while covering/reviewing the basics also). 2. Composing in sonata form and the other large forms with practical examples or exercises. 3. Theory, harmony, counterpoint as general topics and different aspects of them. 4. Orchestration, and discussing (the orchestration of) various classics from the orchestral repertoire.

Harmony: Alteration, extention & spicing up harmony. For example Neapolitan sixth. Ways and tricks to create (more) emotion in music (Mournful, exited, etc.)

Topics on contemporary techniques: New scales, new modes, mixing modes, modes of limited transposition Composing with interval sets Working with rhythm: polyrhythm, addition, odd meter, no meter, non retrogradable rhythm Extended triad techniques: non functional triads, parallelism, planing, stasis New Forms: Fibonacci series, mosaic form, cagean structures Indetrminacy: chance music, graphic notation etc...

I'd love to see classes on things that traditional theory books don't cover but that are central to composition: Thematic development Structuring a work Techniques for revising a work Writing for different instruments (above and beyond what you'd get in an orchestration text)