Composition Studies

Hi all, I'm new, so I'm looking forward to get to know all of you. I start composing when I was, I'd say 11. I haven't formally studied composition, but I want to. So I have a question. I am thinking about learning theory to improve my composition. I have made a list in the order I will study it. Is this a good list? Is it in the right order?

1. Rudiments

2. Counterpoint

3. Harmony

4. Orchestration

5. Form

I think that the Counterpoint and Harmony is a very controversial topic. Which really should be studied first?

Also, can someone recommend good books for the first three topics. I prefer books that focus more on the application to composing than the theory. Also, I am teaching myself, so I would definitely look for a book with clear and easy to understand text. And definitely, LOTS OF EXERCISES!!! I thought about books by Mark Sarnecki for Harmony, and the Fux book for counterpoint.

Hi all, I'm new, so I'm looking forward to get to know all of you. I start composing when I was, I'd say 11. I haven't formally studied composition, but I want to. So I have a question. I am thinking about learning theory to improve my composition. I have made a list in the order I will study it. Is this a good list? Is it in the right order?

1. Rudiments

2. Counterpoint

3. Harmony

4. Orchestration

5. Form

I think that the Counterpoint and Harmony is a very controversial topic. Which really should be studied first?

Also, can someone recommend good books for the first three topics. I prefer books that focus more on the application to composing than the theory. Also, I am teaching myself, so I would definitely look for a book with clear and easy to understand text. And definitely, LOTS OF EXERCISES!!! I thought about books by Mark Sarnecki for Harmony, and the Fux book for counterpoint.

Universities generally go

100/200 level: Rudiments, Harmony

300-400 level: Counterpoint, Orchestration, Form

In my opinion, they have it right. The books I would personally reecommend are "Tonal Harmony with an Introduction to Twentieth-Century Music, 6th Edition" by Stefan Kostka/Dorothy Payne, for counterpoint "Counterpoint (4th Edition)" by Kent Kennan, and for Orchestration "Orchestration, 3rd Edition" by Samuel Adler. These are all university standard texts, and workbooks are available for all three (as well as CDs for both TH and Orchestration).

If you want to learn modal counterpoint (the Kennan is for tonal), there are a number of texts. Jeppeson is okay, but a bit out-dated. Fux is out of the question. Peter Schubert has a good book, "Modal Counterpoint" as well as Robert Gauldin's "A Practical Approach to 16th-Century Counterpoint" (though I am weary on Gauldin; his harmony text is awful). I would also avoid Walter Piston at all costs, especially with Mark DeVoto's massacring of Piston's theory.

For counterpoint I would recommend Harold Owen's "Modal and Tonal Counterpoint - from Josquin to Stravinsky" above any other text I've ever come across (I've read Piston's, Kennan's and Fux, and none are as comprehensive or severly awesome as Owen).

So, which is usually studied first? Harmony or counterpoint?

I don't really recommend doing them one after another. Such an order implies that it is possible to first "master" one thing and then go on. But in reality, none of the subjects can just be "completed". They are all intertwined aspects of composition/theory, which all depend on each other to some degree. So the order should probably be more like: Learn the fundamentals of all those aspects, then move on.

Sure, you don't have to do that strictly and may want to concentrate on some things fist, but I don't think it depends so much on what that is. It is important however never to get too fixed on some definite terms like those, but to see them as a whole which just can be approached from somewhat different angles. One could easily add ten more terms to those, or merge two of them into one etc.: They are just a very common (and traditional) way of "splitting up theory". A useful one, I admit, but by far not the only one.

I'd just start with whatever aspect interests you most.

i think you shouldn't put form at the very last. O_O