Online Music Composition Lessons

Lesson Highlights

• Two lesson packages: Economy and Standard (Click on links for pricing and more information)*
• Students purchase as few or as many lessons as desired and complete the lessons at their leisure.**
• 24/7 Access to The Composers Studio.
• Access to the Tri-Annual Music Seminar.
• Monthly student newsletter providing essential lesson information.
• “The Elements of Music Composition” eBook.

Lesson Overview

Lessons are a premiere service for qualified students. An application is required to enroll in lessons and admission is contingent upon student ability and instructor availability. Our lessons are designed to provide students with competitive instruction that improves the student’s skill and technique.

The Composers Studio

“The Composers Studio” is located at http://www.uremusic.net and provides students with the opportunity to upload assignments, review lessons, and participate in music composition seminars and available courses. The studio provides a convenient way to organize lessons and administer special student only features. Included in the studio is a student forum where students may post compositions and receive student advice.

Lesson Process

New Students

New students receive an introductory assignment that is designed to test and evaluate their current ability. The assignment must be uploaded to “The Composers Studio” by the agreed upon due date. Once an assignment is uploaded an initial review of the work takes place. This review can take up to 72 hours.

Upon completion of the review, students will receive a PDF booklet of information pertinent to their current level. The booklet will contain information on their submitted composition and instructions for the next assignment. The first month is typically a time where the instructor becomes familiar with the students speed, ability, and attention to detail.

Continuing Students

Once a student has completed their initial lesson, they are transitioned into a normal lesson schedule. A typical lesson will ask the student to write an original composition. The instructor then evaluates the work, and provides further instruction to ensure the student is continually improving. Students are tested and challenged with each lesson.

Each student must consistently take at least one lesson per month to maintain enrollment in lessons. To ensure consistent feedback, there is a mandatory word count that the instructor must meet. Since lessons are not timed, this could mean that a student may receive a much longer lesson, time-wise, than what is possible with traditional lessons.

Lesson Packages

Economy Lessons

Economy lessons provide 400 to 600-word PDF documents, which is the equivalent of a 30 to 45-minute in-person lesson.

Standard Lessons

Standard lessons provide 700 to 1200-word PDF documents, which is equivalent of a 60 to 90-minute in-person lesson. Standard lessons also may come with one video lesson at the end of each month.**

Student Profile

The students in “The Composers Studio” come from a variety of backgrounds, from professional composers to hobbyists that show a great deal of talent for composing. Many of our students are successful film composers, have their own performance groups, or are attending university and conservatory music programs. Our studio does not impose one style of writing. Students are encouraged to explore their own, personal style of writing.

Seminars

Music composition seminars are courses that allow students to participate in group discussions and learn about music from the literature. Composition techniques, harmonies, and styles are discussed in detail. Every four months a new seminar will begin, allowing new students to take part in the seminar. For students that begin lessons in the middle of a seminar, they can choose to try and catch up, or wait for the next seminar. Three seminars are offered each year and begin in January, May, and September.

Composition seminar topics relate to music analysis and provide additional training. These seminars are optional for students, but will allow students to analyze a composition from a composer’s perspective. The best way to learn how to write music is through practical application of concepts such as development, form, orchestration, and melodic invention.

Student Newsletter

The student newsletter goes out monthly and includes information on studio policy changes, payment reminders, and studio wide goals for the month. A new article on music composition is written specifically for the newsletter and linked in our “Article” section so that students and members of the public can read and learn. We also occasionally feature a student composer’s work in the student newsletter.

The Elements of Music Composition

"The Elements of Music Composition" is an eBook created by Kevin Ure. The work is updated three times per year. Students that take lessons will receive updates at they are available. The booklet deals with the basics of music composition. Basic topics include dynamics, rhythm, form, and voice leading. These basics of music are essential learning for all students interested in learning to write their own compositions and to get their compositions noticed.

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