Music Composition 2: Secrets of the Musical Scales

There is probably no greater drudgery to the budding musician than learning and practicing scales. This is not a glamorous activity by any means. But for the composer, learning the musical scales is an absolute necessity. All melodies and harmonies originate from scales. To the advanced musician, that statement might sound incorrect. After all, melodies [...]

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Music Composition 1: Musical Formulas

As a working composer, I have to create large amounts of quality music in very short periods of time. This is not meant to sound boastful. It is simply the requirement for working as a Hollywood composer “for hire.” I’d like to say that I produce absolutely original, never before heard pieces of music every [...]

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May I Suggest . . . Holst, Ravel and Stravinsky

Young composers are always curious about what music I listen to. And I always respond that I try to listen to everything. But I think the purpose of their question is to find out what inspires me, so that it might inspire them as well. To cut directly to the chase, I thought I would [...]

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Why Be A Composer?

There are an infinite amount of experiences you can have in a lifetime. So you might ask, “Why be a composer? Doesn’t that require years of grueling work and enormous talent?” Well, the answers all depend on how you define “composer.” So what exactly is a composer? Ask ten musicians and you’ll probably get ten [...]

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Welcome to Secret Composer

Welcome to the Secret Composer blog, where I’ll share with you what I know about music composition. With over 35 years of music composition experience, I have a wealth of information for you. And because I’ve been a working Hollywood composer for the last 25 – recording my music with some of the best orchestras [...]

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