# Scoreclub - Essential Composer Training: Foundation



## jononotbono (Jul 3, 2018)

So...

Just pulled the trigger on Scoreclub's 'Essential Composer Training: Foundation course. Hoping it's going to help me learn a little bit more about the basics of music. I've read good things about the teaching approach so I'm looking forward to it. Anyone here done this course?

Jono


----------



## jononotbono (Jul 3, 2018)

So... I'm already at that first hurdle which makes a course take a long time. Having to know all Maj and Min scales, All triads and 7ths, all inversions, and in all keys. And being able to play them all “Instantly”.

Got the Maj and Nat Minors memorised but this is going to be an intense journey to get up to speed.


----------



## JPComposer (Jul 3, 2018)

Took me a year to get through it, but I don't have much spare time. Totally worth taking time over it and letting everything soak in. There are many other benefits to the course apart from what's in the curriculum - sight reading, keyboard knowledge and skills. If you want the best out of it, do it like Alain says - keyboard, paper, pencil - this is not a course to just watch a couple of times while eating your tea, it's the foundation and the foundation must be rock solid. It'll set you up for life. Alain is the best teacher I've had (and I've had a few).


----------



## jononotbono (Jul 3, 2018)

Oh yeah, I’m gonna do everything the course says. I’m excited to see what happens by studying it! I can tell it’s going to be hard work!


----------



## JPComposer (Jul 3, 2018)

I'm halfway through the counterpoint course now - really looking forward to the orchestration ones and starting to put it all together.


----------



## jononotbono (Jul 3, 2018)

I’m really looking forward to doing the Modal Mastery course because that’s another thing I need to learn and have to understand how to use and internalise Modes. Probably wise once I complete the foundation course though.


----------



## Richard Wilkinson (Jul 3, 2018)

In the past I'd probably grumble along the lines of '_you're doing this the wrong way round, learn music first, then start trying to make a living from it_' but I'm older and wiser now  So good on you. It's awesome to see when people are keen to boost their knowledge like this. And Alain's courses are great - I'm halfway through orchestrating the line 2 now and have 3 lined up for after.

I think boring old practice, practice, practice is the best way to learn and internalise chords and scales. But you can get some contextual association from Mike Verta's vids on Silvestri, Williams etc, and Alex Ball's score breakdowns.

Good call on the course - his stuff is ace.


----------



## jononotbono (Jul 3, 2018)

Yeah I am trying to transcribe as much music by ear too but I just want to nail the basics of theory, learn Harmony and just get better.
I want to start writing decent Orchestral music so figured I’d give these things a go. Love the M Verta Masterclasses too. It’s an amazing time to be alive with so many people sharing their knowledge!


----------



## jononotbono (Jul 6, 2018)

Decided to go right back to Ground Zero and do Music Theory Grades and also learn how to play the Piano so why not do the grades for that too. Just a personal goal. Grade 8 in both asap. I'm well beyond Grade 1 but I thought it would be good to start from the beginning. Then I'll be ready for this Scoreclub course!


----------



## Emmanuel Rousseau (Jul 6, 2018)

@jononotbono : Damn, that taskbar !

Mine suddenly looks very sad.


----------



## jonathanparham (Jul 6, 2018)

jononotbono said:


> I’m really looking forward to doing the Modal Mastery course because that’s another thing I need to learn and have to understand how to use and internalise Modes. Probably wise once I complete the foundation course though.


I did the Foundations, counterpoint, and got halfway through Modal Mastery and got a slew of gigs so I had to put it down. BUT it's good stuff.


----------



## D Halgren (Jul 6, 2018)

jonathanparham said:


> I did the Foundations, counterpoint, and got halfway through Modal Mastery and got a slew of gigs so I had to put it down. BUT it's good stuff.


I'm halfway through Foundations myself. Trying to really take my time and do the work. Great stuff!


----------



## Maximvs (Jul 7, 2018)

jononotbono said:


> Decided to go right back to Ground Zero and do Music Theory Grades and also learn how to play the Piano so why not do the grades for that too. Just a personal goal. Grade 8 in both asap. I'm well beyond Grade 1 but I thought it would be good to start from the beginning. Then I'll be ready for this Scoreclub course!


You don't need to reach ABRSM grade 8 to be prepared for the foundation course from ScoreClub... I have taken that course and have ABRSM grade 6 in piano and 5 in music theory, this was 15 years ago and now I am well ahead of those grades... ScoreClub Foundation course will take you to a high level of proficiency if you put the work in every day... My two cents, Max T.


----------



## milesito (Jul 7, 2018)

I have taken the first two orchestration classes and am on the 3rd. They are rxcelllent and well laid out.


----------



## jonathanparham (Jul 9, 2018)

milesito said:


> I have taken the first two orchestration classes and am on the 3rd. They are excellent and well laid out.


Can't wait. I decided to to do the modal mastery course before his orchestration course. Just wanted to have a few more 'tools in the toolbox' before starting on that one. Cannot believe he's doing a third.


----------



## jonathanparham (Jul 10, 2018)

milesito said:


> I have taken the first two orchestration classes and am on the 3rd. They are rxcelllent and well laid out.


how's the third orchestration course? Compared to the other 2? I know there's stuff at the scoreclub site, just wanted to get your impression


----------



## JeffvR (Jul 10, 2018)

Looks interesting! Do they ever have sales?


----------



## milesito (Jul 12, 2018)

JeffvR said:


> Looks interesting! Do they ever have sales?


Yes usually when they launch. But every once in a while


----------



## milesito (Jul 12, 2018)

jonathanparham said:


> how's the third orchestration course? Compared to the other 2? I know there's stuff at the scoreclub site, just wanted to get your impression


The 3rd is fantastic. He only references concepts in 1 amd 2 a couple of times...but it could stand on its own if you want to jump to it. However taking them in order would give you the best understanding on how he teaches/Style.


----------



## ed buller (Jul 12, 2018)

milesito said:


> The 3rd is fantastic. He only references concepts in 1 amd 2 a couple of times...but it could stand on its own if you want to jump to it. However taking them in order would give you the best understanding on how he teaches/Style.



yeah do em in order is best 

e


----------



## ed buller (Jul 12, 2018)

jononotbono said:


> So... I'm already at that first hurdle which makes a course take a long time. Having to know all Maj and Min scales, All triads and 7ths, all inversions, and in all keys. And being able to play them all “Instantly”.
> 
> Got the Maj and Nat Minors memorised but this is going to be an intense journey to get up to speed.



not sure that's a MUST at this stage. Do everything in C to start ( if keyboard is your main ). Just work through the course with what you have. This is traditional Harmony boot camp but you'll need it. By the end you'll GET functional Harmony and how to use it !

best

e


----------



## thesteelydane (Jul 14, 2018)

jononotbono said:


> Having to know all Maj and Min scales, All triads and 7ths, all inversions, and in all keys. And being able to play them all “Instantly”.



That's really not as hard as it sounds. A scale is a scale, so Ab major is exactly the same as C major - just different starting notes. If you're struggling with this, I suspect its because your familiarity with intervals as a concept needs some work. Once that is fully understood and internalised, you can rattle of any scale or triad half asleep.

Also, are you doing the ABRSM exams for your piano practice? My friend Anyssa is an ABRSM piano examiner in the UK - I'd practice my butt of if she was judging me....


----------



## hstone (Jul 14, 2018)

I have taken the course and would say that both the way the material is presented and the actual content remind me of my 1st, maybe through 2nd, music theory semesters in college. I do like his style, as he often relates things in a film context that I certainly didn't get in college. I would just caution that he uses a very pen and paper based composing approach, so you won't be spending time in your DAW really, which is both good and bad I feel. Good because you might focus on the music more, but bad because many modern composers don't have the time to compose outside of their DAWs and the level of production required to make your music competitive is a high barrier to entry and is an aspect useful to at least incorporate to some extent in music training, IMO. 

Anyways I would be glad to answer any questions you have about it, just let me know! Also, don't stress over knowing how to play and recall chords and things "instantly" - that will only come over the long haul as you practice. Instead, you might try keeping a cheat sheet handy with all the formulas in whole and helf-steps to construct different types of chords. Plus, I know you are a fellow Cubase user, so you could work in the piano roll and draw out each chord (or play it in of course), and then just save the midi. Might be slower than using the chord pads, but you will spend more time hearing the notes and seeing the structure visually on your piano roll, which is kind of another style of reading music altogether.


----------



## jonathanparham (Jul 15, 2018)

milesito said:


> The 3rd is fantastic. He only references concepts in 1 amd 2 a couple of times...but it could stand on its own if you want to jump to it. However taking them in order would give you the best understanding on how he teaches/Style.


Thanks gentlemen


----------



## jononotbono (Jul 17, 2018)

thesteelydane said:


> That's really not as hard as it sounds. A scale is a scale, so Ab major is exactly the same as C major - just different starting notes. If you're struggling with this, I suspect its because your familiarity with intervals as a concept needs some work. Once that is fully understood and internalised, you can rattle of any scale or triad half asleep.
> 
> Also, are you doing the ABRSM exams for your piano practice? My friend Anyssa is an ABRSM piano examiner in the UK - I'd practice my butt of if she was judging me....



I'm actually studying both ABRSM Music Theory and also Piano. Just starting with Grade 1 and going to book Grade V for both by end of year. Just a personal goal to achieve. I want to study Jazz Piano but (in the voice of Bane) "That comes later"


----------



## Scott Moran (Feb 6, 2019)

I'm going through the foundations course and it is amazing. I've been looking for something like this for a year and just recently discovered it. I can't wait to get to the other courses, but I'm taking my time to do the exercises. 

Does anyone know if there's a forum to support the courses where we can ask questions? If not, I have a specific question from one of the early modules. Alain mentions memorizing the harmonic series and how it's built. I'm just wondering about the practical benefit of this, how it's put into action when writing. @alainmayrand ?


----------



## Michael Antrum (Feb 6, 2019)

There is a forum on the score club site for the courses - though you have to be logged in to access them.


----------



## ed buller (Feb 6, 2019)

Scott Moran said:


> I'm going through the foundations course and it is amazing. I've been looking for something like this for a year and just recently discovered it. I can't wait to get to the other courses, but I'm taking my time to do the exercises.
> 
> Does anyone know if there's a forum to support the courses where we can ask questions? If not, I have a specific question from one of the early modules. Alain mentions memorizing the harmonic series and how it's built. I'm just wondering about the practical benefit of this, how it's put into action when writing. @alainmayrand ?



There IS a forum but you can always reach out to Alain. He's very helpful and if not swamped i'm sure he would respond.

best

ed


----------



## TimCox (Feb 6, 2019)

ed buller said:


> There IS a forum but you can always reach out to Alain. He's very helpful and if not swamped i'm sure he would respond.


Alain is pretty on it when I ask questions about anything which is _more_ than gracious. Great guy, great teacher


----------

