violinfiddler Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Hey, Are there any good composition books out there that I could use to self teach myself? Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Walter Piston: 'Harmony'. Then 'Counterpoint', then 'Orchestration' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_the_sane Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 There are about 50 threads on this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javileru Posted December 27, 2010 Share Posted December 27, 2010 See, I think there are little secrets and tips on how to approach music compositions, since its a mental work 90% of the time. So there must be a book out there that aside from revealing important compositional tips, approaches harmony, counterpoint and orchestration in such a way that it striclty relates to the composers final goal; to apply what one is learning to his daily work. I am pretty sure JW could write a book of that nature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kvothe Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 I would suggest with developing a good aural imagination...you can do this by start knowing what music you are most comfortable with and what you're not. This is the better than books. Though books are always a good choice. For books, Schoenberg's book on counterpoint and composition are always good start. Piston's harmony for sure, then A good counterpoint book, and then a good orchestration book. But start with listening to music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuohey Posted December 29, 2010 Share Posted December 29, 2010 As has already been mentioned, Schoenberg's books are worth looking at. They teach the art of composition rather than any music theory or orchestration but reading them completely changed my outlook on composing and I'm much better for it. For orchestration I would recommend Rimsky-Korsakov's book although some prior knowledge is necessary to really understand the book. It's always a book that I revisit though to check up on certain things while composing. Also, if you are interested in learning the basic rules of counterpoint, check out Joseph Fux's Graddus ad Parnassum. If you do all the exercises like I did myself, you won't ever have to worry about looking for parallel or hidden fifths or octaves, they will just jump out of the page at you but after going through the book, it's unlikely that you would unintentionally write any parallels anyway because you would just know how to avoid them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kvothe Posted December 29, 2010 Share Posted December 29, 2010 I would have to concur with that. A good counterpoint book is a must. Fux's and Schoenberg's texts on the subject are the best out there; I don't known about piston's text on CP. But he has superb text on harmony which differs from any other theory text, for harmony is a better mode to learn than what they teach you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arfus Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 I would have to concur with that. A good counterpoint book is a must. Fux's and Schoenberg's texts on the subject are the best out there; I don't known about piston's text on CP. But he has superb text on harmony which differs from any other theory text, for harmony is a better mode to learn than what they teach you. Are there anything like a Ebook regarding to this issue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Orpheus Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Are there anything like a Ebook regarding to this issue? http://books.google.com/books?id=m9_CTe8qNWIC&printsec=frontcover&dq=orchestration&hl=en&ei=utg-TaPfCsGBlAep9MSYAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=book-preview-link&resnum=2&ved=0CCsQuwUwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false http://books.google.com/books?id=zuU-AAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=counterpoint&hl=en&ei=79g-TYaUDtCRgQfF3JzuCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=book-preview-link&resnum=8&sqi=2&ved=0CFYQuwUwBw#v=onepage&q&f=false Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ansthenia Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I have had my eye on these 2 books for a while, does anyone here have them that would recommend them? I want to study the art of orchestration more so than composition right now and if either, or both, of these books are helpful then I will purchase them. "The Technique of Orchestration: 6th edition" by Kent Kennan and Donald Grantham "The Study of Orchestration: 3rd edition" by Samuel Adler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryla Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Both are actually really great! I would start off with Adler though as it's most up-to-date and really nice laid out and easy to read. Then loan Kennan's on the library to fill the gaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ticktockfool Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3A%22Goetschius%2C%20Percy%2C%201853-1943%22 Download all of these books. They'll make your eyes bleed. Wonderful stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ticktockfool Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Hey, Are there any good composition books out there that I could use to self teach myself? Thanks, http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3A%22Goetschius%2C%20Percy%2C%201853-1943%22 Try these. The best I've found. Period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinkarom Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Of course, you will not go far without William Caplin's "Classical Form". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osbuurn Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3A%22Goetschius%2C%20Percy%2C%201853-1943%22 Try these. The best I've found. Period. Thank you for this ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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