advice for an aspiring musician, please?

Question:Hi. I'm a 16 year old pianist who has played for about 10 years now and is very interested in a career involving music. I mostly enjoy composing and arranging, but can hardly read music. Unfortunately, my ear has dominated through the years and I'm trying to relearn (the hard way!). Like most other artists, I'm VERY eager and nervous about what the future has in store for me, and have quite a few questions for you if you're willing to listen to a composition or two of mine:

http://youtube.com/user/pianistra

1) What type of music should I listen to to expand my musical sound?
2) What can a musician like me do to increase my chances of getting into a good music school?
3) What type of career is best suited for my style?
4) What's a good school for pursuing that career path? (Aside from the obvious and out-of-reach Juilliard?)
5) Any general criticism on my compositions?

I can't thank you enough!

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Hi. I'm a 16 year old pianist who has played for about 10 years now and is very interested in a career involving music. I mostly enjoy composing and arranging, but can hardly read music. Unfortunately, my ear has dominated through the years and I'm trying to relearn (the hard way!). Like most other artists, I'm VERY eager and nervous about what the future has in store for me, and have quite a few questions for you if you're willing to listen to a composition or two of mine:

http://youtube.com/user/pianistra

1) What type of music should I listen to to expand my musical sound?
2) What can a musician like me do to increase my chances of getting into a good music school?
3) What type of career is best suited for my style?
4) What's a good school for pursuing that career path? (Aside from the obvious and out-of-reach Juilliard?)
5) Any general criticism on my compositions?

I can't thank you enough!

If you really did improv on that piece, then I'd definitely say you have a talent for arranging/composing music. You obviously have a good ear (seeing as how you improvised that piece without looking at the score) but honestly, I don't think any legitimate music school will except you without being able to read music. I know you don't want to hear this, but you HAVE to learn how to read. I know it's difficult, especially when your ear has carried you for so long, but conservatories rarely provide classes that facilitate musical illiteracy. Learn how to read music, even slowly, and practice arranging/improvising on the sheet music (I'd say you be good at arranging popular songs/melodies).

There are PLENTY of jobs for compsers. Unfortunately, you have to know the right people and have a lot of luck. You could compose/arrange film scores or commerical background music. That's honestly the first idea that came to my mind.

I think you should look up John Williams, he is a classically-trained pianist (who actually attended Julliard) and now composes mainly for films-- and I think he is absolutely amazing.

This might sound expensive to you, but you honestly need to find a teacher to teach you music theory. Once you begin to understand scales and key signatures, reading music will make so much more sense. It will also help you to understand just what it is you're doing when composing, and can help to make your compositions even better!

You're very talented, keep up the good work!!

Edit: I think Chinese Cowboy presents a very limited view of what composing entails. What he says deals with strictly classically-concentrated composition. I have many friends who are hip-hop/pop and popular "composers" in the sense that they have a vast knowledge of different kinds of music and produce/arrange new songs based on this music, and NONE of them ever went to a conservatory. Now, for classical composers, jobs are rare. However, you can find jobs in more popular music much EASIER (I'm not saying it's easy). I think you definitely need to understand theoretical concepts in music, and you also need to learn to read music--NEED to. However, don't just think that the only "composers" out there, are ones who went to conservatory and studied counterpoint, because that's simply not the case. I'm not putting down composres who do study classically-- many of them have hard times finding jobs because they're music requires "educated" listening, and/or is too comtemporary for many listeners. You seem unsure about the type of music that will provide you with the best career. If you want to still have career in music, learning to read is not a question--it's something you must do. Learning counterpoint however, is not.. Your piece to me seems like you would be more suited for a popular music route. It is rather simplistic, but you know what...that's the kind of music our society enjoys listening to! There's a reason classical music has such a small following these days--many audience members don't want to have to think analytically when they listen to a piece or song (learn about 12 tones series he mentioned, and I think you'll agree).

You have a gift for composing/arranging music. You need to learn music theory (I think counterpoint is superfluous) which does entail scales, key signatures, modes and aural training. Try checking out Berklee Conservatory in Boston. They have programs with tracks geared toward composing/arranging etc and even offer courses in film, popular music. Most of those conservatories listed below are for classical musicians with an extensive knowledge in music theory before they even audition (I should know, I go to one of them). With such little time before you need to start applying to schools, try to learn as much as you can in terms of reading music and understanding theory. Look at schools that will be willing to assist you in your continuation of this (such as Berklee) rather than assume it's already a proficiency before you even audition. I'm sorry to say this to you, but you will not be accepted into a classically-centered conservatory playing anything like that. Your technical skills will have to improve on the piano, and you will have to be proficient in music reading, theory, aural skill (listening to music and dictating it), and sight-reading at conservatory, and you only have two years to prepare--plus, at most of these conservatories there are 100 students vying for 2 spots. Try looking at conservatories that provide popular music courses of studies. I honestly don't think classical music is your composing style anyway...

I'm going to just focus on #2: To get into a good music school, you are simply going to have to learn to read music. You will need to know scales, chords, and arpeggios to get a decent scholarship. You are going to have to have a reasonable repertoire of classical music that you can play well. Find a good private instructor who can teach you these things. Since you're already 16, you might consider paying the big bucks for a college professor for your lessons.

I like your touch and I like the arrangements, but the thing is, you need to learn to read music. Fast. If you are interested in a career as a composer and arranger, you have to understand that it's kind of impossible without the ability to accurately write down (and read) your own work. You are not going to get into a good music school without being able to read well. Even a basic composition class is going to presuppose that you read music extremely well.

That said, style-wise I hear adult contemporary/pseudo-classical in your pieces. If that's what you like, that's what you should play.

Okay... first thing is that there are not a lot of jobs for composers. some one posted that and the truth is there are not. The truth is that there are a lot of composers, few have steady full time jobs.

I have friends in composition who have in the past done odd jobs like transcribing music to make cell phone ring tones, compose music for commercials, and transcribe music for broadway composers.

The truth is, composers do not make a lot of money. Most of their money comes from commissions from other performers, grants, and those who have the backing of publishers.

In Canada, the music publisher that puts out the most music is Frederick Harris Music - they have a bunch of composers on their roster who compose music for music education. They get royalties from the sales, but this is very little. they maintain their own studios composing. Some are very lucky and have their works performed by major orchestras, but honestly, how many new works do you hear performed.

There are a number of student composers out there and unfortunately, the majority of them end up not finding a lot of success in music. In general there are very few positions in music. You need a luck on your side but as a composer you will have to be doing something very innovative. I will tell you now that it is not an easy world. I am very lucky, I had a bunch of breaks a long the way but when I graduated from the Manhattan School of Music, there were 150 others who graduated with a Masters degree of which, a small number of us received full time jobs and performing contracts. 90% of my graduating class - pianists, violinists, composers, instrumentalists, vocalists have a bunch of part time jobs and live pay check to pay check.

With that being said, there is not reason why you can't find success. Music really is the luck of the draw. Talent is required but more importantly work ethic plays an important role.

Honestly, you are a bit behind, you would be applying for college in two years. For composition, school will be looking for a significant portfolio, one that includes works for all settings - orchestra, chamber, solo instrumental, vocal selections, and choir. Part of admission will be to submit professional recordings of your works with scores.

The route that you would require includes this
1. Learn to read music - all clefs, not just treble and bass, as a composer you have to understand movable C clef (soprano, alto and tenor)

2. Rudiments - meter, notating scales (major, minor, octatonic, blues, all modes, whole tone and pentatonic), intervals, triad building, rhythmic notation, musical terms in three languages (Italian, German and French), transposition, key identification, and cadences (perfect, plagal, deceptive and imperfect).

3. Form Analysis - Understanding musical forms - binary, ternary, Sonata Allegro, Rondo, Dance forms (Allemande, Sarabande, Gigue, Gavotte, Musette, Minuet, Waltz, Mazurka, Horn Pipe), Symphonic Structure, Theme & Variations, Rhapsodic Forms, Vocal Forms (strophic, modified strophic, aria, da capo aria.... etc.)... the list goes on.

3. Four Part Harmonic Writing - Chord Progression, Sequences of Fifths, 7th Chords & Resolutions, Implied Chords, Augmented 6th Chords, Voice Leading, Cadences and Figured Bass.

4. Counterpoint - Species Counterpoint (All Species), Contrapuntal Compositions (Fugue, Chaconne, Canon, Basso Continuo) and Fugal Analysis

5. History - Understanding of composers and their compositional styles, development of music from Renaissance to present times, development of musical forms, Development of musical language

6. 20th Century Analysis - 12 Tone Matrix, 12 Tone Compositional form (retrograde, inversion, retrograde inversion), neo classical, impressionism and jazz

7. Orchestration - understanding how to write for all instruments, transposing clefs, transposing instruments, instrumental ranges, technique for each instrument (i.e. flute - harmonics, violin - vibrato, senza sordino, brass - use of mutes, double and triple tongue, percussion - all instruments), textural balance and score reading.

The 7 items are in the order that you should study. To give you an idea, each one of the above topics would take about 1 full year to study, not master. You will have a chance to master these things in University, however, these are the skills that a school will look for in a prospective composition student.

It is going to be a difficult route for you. You need to find yourself a theory teacher who can help to develop all these areas. It doesn't matter what type of composition area you do, you are require do have all this upon acceptance and show proficiency on one instrument. You will have to audition - play 3 contrasting pieces, sight sing and be tested in aural skills.

A student preparing for Juilliard or any other major conservatory like Oberlin, Manhattan School of Music, Curtis, Peabody or New England has been preparing all their lives. Music conservatories are serious studies in music and students are expected to have developed a great deal musically to be accepted.

To give you a general idea - and this is not to burst your bubble, there are students who have entered these schools and have works performed by orchestras at your age.

I listened to you music and I will give you my very honest opinion. You obviously love music and enjoy playing. It is demonstrated first because you want others to hear your music and secondly one can tell you are having fun. Unfortunately, what your work shows is nothing that is unique or ground breaking. Your improvisations and compositions are very elementary and what you do is done very often by many others. There is a tendency to use 3 or 4 chords in a simple progression, where really you should learn chord substitutions to develop different colors and use modulations to build up the emotion of the music. With that being said, your inexperience in music theory is the cause of this. With lessons and mentoring in theory, you will learn to develop these skills and stretch your creative ability.

You should listen to all music! Bach, Mozart, Palestrina, Chopin, Jazz, Country, Rap, Hip Hop, Brahms... the more you listen to, the more you can understand.

It will be stretch for someone like you to make it to a prestigious school. Not impossible but like i said before, you are behind the 8 ball and well behind your counterparts who are vying for the same spot.

Good luck

Addition:

My view is not limited... it happens to be what is going on out there. No matter what form of composition you want to enter, you must know the basics. Those are the basics. While I was the assistant director at a conservatory in New York, we administered a theory and history exam to all prospective hires (instructors for piano, violin... all instruments). The majority of potential hires failed the exam. These are candidates with Masters Degrees. This was very telling in the knowledge of the candidates. No matter the genre you compose or the field of music you are in, absolute knowledge is important. Even Jazz Majors at music schools have to learn traditional theory and history. To compose you have to understand all the compositional styles before you, other wise you won't have a clue what has been done, attempted and tried.

Even within the pop music genre, jobs are limited. Again, there maybe many composers, but there are few jobs that pay well and can be considered a career. why? Because there are so many aspiring song writers and composers with little music training and those with training have nothing unique to offer. If you listen to the popular music now, all the music backings and beats come from previously recorded music! Producers and song writers remaster old music to produce the hits today.

Elton John is a graduate of the Juilliard School.
Vanessa Carlton studied Mozart as a child and attended Columbia University where she minored in music.
John Williams is a graduate of the Juilliard School and studied piano with famous teacher Rosinna Lhevinne
David Shire (broadway composer) is a graduate of Yale's music program.

Now these are non-classical composer, however they have extensive training. You know the names, you know their successes.

To attend Berklee in Boston, everything I posted above is required. I have friends who graduated from Berklee, tops in their class and struggle with finding a full time position. No matter what school you attend, formal music training and understanding of theory is a pre-requisite. No music school, conservatory or even a program at a University will accept a student without formal training, an audition and like I said before - a portfolio for composition majors.

My experience isn't just from stories of my colleagues or what i have done. I have worked directly with David Shire, a prominent Broadway composer. We have talked a lot about composers and how the job potential is very small. He takes on 1 graduate student a year to assist him in his work. Of all his assistants, he said that they all have talent but none bring the uniqueness that is required to be special.

I have a friend who is a composer/performer, composes music for NBA DVD's. He cannot make a living on just composing. He told me when he set his portfolio in for the NBA DVD job, there were 600 other applicants! You can do the math there... 1 Job, 600 applicants, that is less than 1% chance of getting the job. He held that contract for 5 years.

I've never known anyone who got into a good music school without reading music. Then again, I don't know everyone who has gone to music schools. :-)

Your best bet is to contact some schools directly [their Admissions offices] and just ask them outright if reading music is a requirement.

Then again, it depends on what your goal is -- performance, or composition. If performance, I presume that a jazz focus would be ideal, since improv has a lot to do with that -- in a classical focus, you'd have to be able to learn some classic materials for your graduate recitals. But if it's composition, you need to actually WRITE your compositions so your professors can actually see them, and you need to be able to comprehend the written materials used to teach you the fundamentals of structure. A composition major also includes orchestration classes, meaning you learn about writing music for those instruments that transpose.

If a school required you to read music, the good news is that it wouldn't take you that long to learn the basics. Once you learned that, it would simply be a matter of being able to transfer what's in your head [i.e. your current arrangement] onto the page, which would take a little finessing since you're currently "seeing" the music differently in your head than a pianist who reads music would.

Finally, you probably know that there are music software programs available wherein you hook an electronic keyboard [with MIDI interface] into a computer and thereby have what you play appear on music manuscript on screen, ready for clean-up or print-out. Though that would help you create materials to send with your college application, I don't know if it would substitute for music-reading skills.

Hope this helps.