How much training have you had? - Music-Web Forums

Ballaw de Quincewold · #1 24-12-2006, 12:01 AM

I have recently taking up composing and am realizing how hard it is. The only training I've ever had is a one semester composition course. Most of you guys here seem to be pretty talented so I was wondering how much training you have had.

Aephion · #2 24-12-2006, 12:46 AM

I've had no training whatsoever ^^;
I started composing (and taking it seriously) februari this year

I thought I'd been composing for over a year now, but newgrounds tells me otherwise o.o

ttw · #3 24-12-2006, 05:16 AM

None.

I did have piano lessons from my mother (who was a student of Joseph Lhevinne.)

martinzufall · #4 24-12-2006, 09:19 AM

Composition training?
I was composing in high school (through my piano teacher) but received no formal training until college. There I had four years. Then I had two years in grad school but left without the degree.

Boneman · #5 24-12-2006, 09:51 AM

No real training just played a lot of music in my time so one picks up this and that

Bassoonery · #6 24-12-2006, 10:07 AM

Composition? no formal training except help when doing GCSE and now AS level music at school. But I do read books.

Theory? Grade 8 but still lots to learn!

Practical? formal bassooning for 4-5 years now doing diploma; piano on-and-off for 10 years grade 6.

So not a lot really but I love to learn and I'm hoping to study music at university in... erm... 2008! yay!

Boneman · #7 24-12-2006, 10:13 AM

Wis you lived near to me, could do with a basson player! Are you a member of a wind quintet?

kenm · #8 24-12-2006, 06:23 PM

I started playing the piano in 1939, cornet in 1946, horn in 1951, double bass in 1976. I took a music degree after I retired in 1994, and did some post-graduate study of composition, including some experimental electronic music produced by additive synthesis using Csound.

MaestroX · #9 24-12-2006, 06:59 PM

I've had a composition tutor for about 13 months, and been composing for about a year and a half before that. From September I'll be studying composition full time for 4 years...yay!

reith · #10 26-12-2006, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by Ballaw de Quincewold

I have recently taking up composing and am realizing how hard it is. The only training I've ever had is a one semester composition course. Most of you guys here seem to be pretty talented so I was wondering how much training you have had.

I think it is hard at the outset - there's quite a lot to learn but even sitting at a keyboard toying with a progression or trying to harmonise something helps build up experience. Acorns and oak trees again.

As for teaching/training in composition - I truly believe composers at every level are self-trained - at best, guided by some kind of mentor who might help the student get on his feet. but the spark of creativity comes from the composer. A teacher is useful where the topic conforms to rules that can unwittingly be broken!

Best of luck for 2007 and on!

Reith

Forgot to say - my training has been a bit peacemeal, starting with some early harmony lessons on joining a choir and the choirmaster decided I was worth helping. My (birth) parents were negative so I hardly knew I had music until circumstances changed rather abruptly when aged 13. I went on to get a diploma then...I dunno...