# Scoreclub for the win. My experience thus far.



## Studio E (Jan 7, 2018)

Full disclosure; I have no affiliation with scoreclub.net

So I've been faking my way through being a musician and composer for 35 years. Playing piano as a solidly half-assed player for all those years and composing music for media for over 15 now (I think ). 

Anyway, I've always been scatter-brained about it all. I have all the passion and feels in the world, but have always lacked focus and proper education in such matters. I have picked up a LOT in all my years of trial and error as well as internet searching things I wanted to learn. But even with all of that, I've always felt like a handyman going job to job without the tools to properly get the job done. I just kept messing with the tools I had, and the determination, to get things done, and it has worked to a certain degree for a long time now.

Thankfully, there are now many online resources for pay and for free. Although I had picked up some interesting things from free resources, I also often felt that they lacked focus or were opinion-based to a degree. Some had decent information, but was shelled into a package of hours and hours of non-information.

So I had always wanted to buy a course from Scoreclub.net but was honestly too busy or completely broke. I was also concerned that my half-full toolbox wouldn't be enough to get me through the exercises, that it would be over my head because my sight-reading is weak. 

Well what I can tell you is, as a person who knows some really basic theory, the clefs, how to make scales and chords, but not necessarily anything about how to use them formally, the introductory course is absolutely perfect for me. It basically assumes that I have the skills that I do indeed already have, and then IMMEDIATELY expands upon my knowledge with voice leading, cadence structure, SATB writing, etc. I mean, I feel like it couldn't be a more perfect launching point to move me forward and I feel like in just the first half of this first course, I am totally prepared to start writing in a much better way. Alain gets straight to the point and doesn't mess around or drift at all. He presents the information and then does exercises for you to see them working in a musical context on the Staves and on a keyboard.

Just wanted to point others to this amazing resource. If you hadn't heard of it, you have now. If you were on the fence, I can't really recommend it enough.


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## agarner32 (Jan 7, 2018)

I can whole-heartedly agree with Eric. I have 3 music degrees and teach full-time at the college level and I purchased a couple of Alain's courses. I mostly bought them because I wanted to get another perspective on teaching. I ended up learning quite a few things about workflow and some other really helpful compositional approaches. Alain is a great teacher.

So even for a well-educated musician, I think the courses could be very beneficial.


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## thesteelydane (Jan 7, 2018)

I agree, Alain is a phenomenal teacher, it will only make you a better composer. And, as someone who has recorded some of Eric's music, I'd say you were pretty good to begin with!


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## Oliver (Jan 8, 2018)

+5 from me!
I studied music 30 years ago.
Alain is fabulous!


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## jonathanparham (Jan 8, 2018)

Oliver said:


> +5 from me!
> I studied music 30 years ago.
> Alain is fabulous!


I'm very similar. My last counterpoint class was about 25 years ago. Alain's counterpoint picks up right were my learning left off. His teaching is so purposeful with lots of practice. Even from his first Essential course, I love how he has you take basic SATB writing and apply it multiple music styles.


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## Studio E (Jan 8, 2018)

thesteelydane said:


> I agree, Alain is phenomenal teacher, it will only make you a better composer. And, as someone who has recorded some of Eric's music, I'd say you were pretty good to begin with!


You are too kind Nicolaj. You made that score a lot of what it was. Thank you!


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## MatFluor (Jan 8, 2018)

Can't do much more than agree. Alain has very good courses and a good teacher. Ever since Orchestrating the line 1 I sketch out on paper an try to orchestrate this way - very intuitive, challenging to some degree, a very nice view of composing, and very, very fairly priced.

Can't recommend it enough.


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## TimCox (Jan 8, 2018)

Every experience I've had with ScoreClub has been nothing but awesome. Whether it's solidifying things I've thought I was doing right or correcting things I was doing wrong or teaching me totally new concepts, it's hands down the most helpful tool I've ever had.

+1,000,000,000 to this post


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## pinki (Jan 9, 2018)

Yes yes yes to this. The counterpoint course is phenomenal...Alain teaches with clarity, great skill and a totally unique approach.


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## mac88104 (Jan 9, 2018)

I first bought the orchestration course and then... everything.


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## Rohann (Jan 17, 2018)

Has anyone here taken Mike Verta's classes? How do they compare, practically and layout-wise?


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## pinki (Jan 17, 2018)

Well Mike Verta's courses are not for me, I find his approach a little narrow in terms of its language. Really my own take so please don't lambast me on that!.
Also the use of the live notation by Alain is very clever as it allows a certain immediacy. If you are hesitating about whether to purchase..don't!


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## Studio E (Jan 17, 2018)

Rohann said:


> Has anyone here taken Mike Verta's classes? How do they compare, practically and layout-wise?


Mike is brilliant. He is amazingly talented and driven. That said, his classes have not been my favorite. They just aren't focused to what I have needed in the same way as scoreclub. No offense to Mike. I thoroughly enjoy his classes, the banter, and I do pick-up things, but by comparison, scoreclub has a laser focus on the topic at hand and seems to just get to the business of things, with lots of exercises demonstrated, downloadable outlines for each course section, etc etc. It is VERY concise in my view.


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## pinki (Jan 17, 2018)

Studio E said:


> Mike is brilliant. He is amazingly talented and driven. That said, his classes have not been my favorite. They just aren't focused to what I have needed in the same way as scoreclub. No offense to Mike. I thoroughly enjoy his classes, the banter, and I do pick-up things, but by comparison, scoreclub has a laser focus on the topic at hand and seems to just get to the business of things, with lots of exercises demonstrated, downloadable outlines for each course section, etc etc. It is VERY concise in my view.



Yes that's what I was trying to say, thanks!


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## Rohann (Jan 17, 2018)

Studio E said:


> Mike is brilliant. He is amazingly talented and driven. That said, his classes have not been my favorite. They just aren't focused to what I have needed in the same way as scoreclub. No offense to Mike. I thoroughly enjoy his classes, the banter, and I do pick-up things, but by comparison, scoreclub has a laser focus on the topic at hand and seems to just get to the business of things, with lots of exercises demonstrated, downloadable outlines for each course section, etc etc. It is VERY concise in my view.


I like Mike's approach, and it's been really foundational to the way I think about music, but I think delving more deeply into some specifics will be of further help. I'll check it out!


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## SoNowWhat? (Jan 21, 2018)

I can only agree with the posts here. It's turning into a bit of a love-in. I have a couple of Alain's courses and want moooaaarrrr!!! They will come when time and budget allow. Thank you Alain.


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## Chris Richter (Jan 22, 2018)

Is there any (best?) order to take the courses in?


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## lucor (Jan 22, 2018)

CQrity said:


> Is there any (best?) order to take the courses in?


Yes, there is an actual "Course Map".
https://scoreclub.net/course-map/


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## mac88104 (Jan 24, 2018)

I have almost everything from Mike Verta and Scoreclub (I don't have the ear training course yet). I like both approaches. Currently I work on Orchestration following Mike numerous orchestration tips, and next I plan to watch the 2 orchestration courses of Alain to help me to streamline all of knowledge.


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## Mike Fox (Jan 26, 2018)

So you would recommend this course, even If you dont read sheet music?


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## Studio E (Jan 26, 2018)

mikefox789 said:


> So you would recommend this course, even If you dont read sheet music?


Mike, I'm still on the very first course, and I have to say, if you don't read at all, I would learn that first. I mean just the basics though of being able to read the treble and bass staves and you would get all you need from it I think. He generally starts most new concepts in the key of C, so no flats or sharps to deal with there, but he also does do exercises in other keys. Furthermore, he hammers home the idea that you HAVE to practice this stuff out on staff paper yourself to get the hang of it. If you can't even read the staves, it would certainly impede your ability to learn.

That said, I am a poor reader at best, but can find my way around bass and treble clefs (slowly sometimes) and I feel I have gotten a lot out of the course.


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## Mike Fox (Jan 26, 2018)

Studio E said:


> Mike, I'm still on the very first course, and I have to say, if you don't read at all, I would learn that first. I mean just the basics though of being able to read the treble and bass staves and you would get all you need from it I think. He generally starts most new concepts in the key of C, so no flats or sharps to deal with there, but he also does do exercises in other keys. Furthermore, he hammers home the idea that you HAVE to practice this stuff out on staff paper yourself to get the hang of it. If you can't even read the staves, it would certainly impede your ability to learn.
> 
> That said, I am a poor reader at best, but can find my way around bass and treble clefs (slowly sometimes) and I feel I have gotten a lot out of the course.


Thanks for the response! I've learned everything by ear for so long that everything else seems...uninteresting? Regardless, I feel like sight reading is a skill I need to have down. Thats actually my goal this year, so once I have that down I will revisit this training course. Thanks for sharing the info!


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## Will Blackburn (Jan 26, 2018)

I've had Scoreclub bookmarked for a long time but i can't afford them right now, would love to get them eventually though. Have a few of Mikes which are great. I usually sit down in my studio and just doodle on the piano whilst he's talking. I find it a very meditative way of learning. Also must give Music Matters some props as gareth green is an excellent teacher. As it happens he has a webinar on composing a song next saturday (3rd feb).


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