HOW TO WRITE MUSIC
WITH GUY MICHELMORE
$49
Online course. Lifetime access.
A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO TURNING YOUR IDEAS INTO PROFESSIONAL MUSIC
Whether you are just starting out, or looking to take your skills to the next level, How To Write Music explores the fundamental skills that underpin every great piece of music — whether it’s a song or a film score, string quartet or video game soundtrack. In 6 hours of fun videos, this course gives you a step-by-step process for writing effective music.
LEARN hOW TO USE CHORDS, RHYTHM, STRucture & more
You will start by learning a range of techniques for getting started and developing the spark of an idea into something more substantial. Then we look at the foundations of every piece of music in much more detail - tune writing, chord progressions and harmony, rhythm and texture. Finally, we look at the different ways you can structure your music. You will learn a process that ensures you find it easier to start writing and turn more of your ideas into finished pieces.
- Turning a 3-note motif into a fully-developed tune.
- Alternative approaches to chord progressions.
- Scoring demonstrations — watch complete pieces of music come to life.
- Ways to get started when facing the dreaded blank sheet of paper.
- A bonus unit on music theory.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
1. DEVELOPING YOUR IDEAS
Learn where ideas come from and how to take a spark and develop it into a viable musical ideas.
2. HOW TO IMPROVISE
The foundation of most songwriting and composition, but something most people never really learn.
3. BUILD BETTER CHORD PROGRESSIONS
A system for creating effective chord progressions quickly and simply.
4. GOING DEEPER
Writing music using suspensions, extensions, and more.
5. MELODY
What makes a great tune, and 5 things to help you get started.
6. MELODIC DEVELOPMENT
Take a simple short idea and turn it into a really satisfying and memorable theme.
7. WORKING WITH RHYTHM
Take a simple short idea and turn it into a really satisfying and memorable theme.
8. STRUCTURE
The key to building interest and emotion. How to take a 15-second idea and turn it into an effective 3-minute piece of music.
9. TEXTURE
Look at a range of approaches to arrangement, instrumentation, and more.
10. DYNAMICS
Using dynamics, density, and volume to build up your music.
YOUR EXPERT INSTRUCTOR
Guy Michelmore is an Emmy-nominated games and television composer whose clients include Marvel, Disney, Dreamworks, Lionsgate and dozens of major TV networks around the world. He is best known for his work with Marvel on eight animated feature films including Ultimate Avengers and Thor, as well as hundreds of episodes of television including Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, Iron Man: Armoured Adventures, Hulk and many more. His unique and accessible style has made him a popular YouTuber with over 300,000 subscribers.
AN OVERVIEW FOR BEGINNERS
"I now have more confidence, I have more knowledge, and I have much more fun! Maybe I will take more courses – it's never too late to start."
Ricardo Carvacho (from Chile)
Course student
ONLINE LEARNING, BUILT FOR MUSIC
Course videos, notes and quizzes are all available inside the ThinkSpace course reader — the same custom-built system used by our Master’s Degree students. It works seamlessly on computers, tablets and phones.
Video Tutorials explain essential concepts and ideas in a straightforward manner. Didn’t quite get it first time? Don’t worry, many of the main ideas are supported by Further Explanation Videos. It’s just like asking your teacher to explain something again.
If you do get it first time, you can move on, or choose one of the Going Deeper tutorials — which look at more complicated and advanced ideas. You can then check your understanding with a short quiz.
Finally, Course Notes give you a detailed, written explanation of the ideas in the video tutorials, supported with illustrations and diagrams.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are thinking about taking the course, there are some requirements you may want to consider. Here are the most frequently asked student questions to help you to assess whether the courses is right for you.
INTERESTED? Get Started Today
- A composition guide for beginners and intermediates.
- Over 6-hours of video tutorials.
- Comprehensive course notes and illustrations
- Lifelong access to the course and all videos
Lifetime access. Start, finish and revisit anytime.
30-day money-back policy
Related Courses
LEARN MUSIC THEORY
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HARMONY ONE
$99
Transform your music with harmonic interest and master 4-part harmony.
HARMONY TWO
$99
Make your music stand out from the crowd with complex harmonic passages.
SAMPLED ORCHESTRATION
A ThinkSpace Interactive course. Create MIDI mockups with the realism of a live orchestra.
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