# I finished!



## just2high (Jul 21, 2020)

A bit late announcing, but wanted to share that I finished the course! Was back in March shortly after things shut down so life got a bit hectic, but it feels really good to have persevered through all 12 books. EIS has definitely been transformative in how I think about music and how I use harmony, made me much more disciplined in voice leading and counterpoint, not to mention helped me compose much much faster. 

For those of you still in the course, keep on going! For those thinking of joining, the investment in yourself is worth it! 

A couple tracks from the very end, one was for a project, the other was part of the final arrangement section of the course:


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## MikeK (Jul 21, 2020)

First, congratulations! Takin’ My Chances is fun.

Second... for a newcomer like myself, what is EIS?


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## just2high (Jul 21, 2020)

Hard to describe it briefly, but personally how I think about it myself is that EIS is a music theory system. It is a system of thinking about notes and how they relate to each other vertically AND horizontally. In the later parts of the course there is also coverage on orchestration / arrangement.

I think it is important to focus on the term "music theory" here, because in a lot of traditional and modern education the teaching of music and "how to compose" comes from the perspective of there being "rules" that you have to follow. We forget that most music theory is applied after the fact to explain or analyze a piece of music and breaks down when talking about different styles or time periods, so a lot of time is wasted spent trying to rationalize how a note or chord progression still "works" or what to "label it" when we come across music that doesn't fit the theory. Not to say that there arent "rules" in EIS but they have logical reasons.

EIS comes at it from the direction of the distance between "notes", notes being the Fundamental pitch (or vibrating frequency) and its related overtones. This leads to a system of how to place notes vertically and horizontally in order to best leverage harmonic relationships between notes, thus Equal Interval System, where every interval is equal in value (or usefulness). The system being focused on relationships between notes is thus also style agnostic, styles and music conventions (like perfect cadences) being more related to the culture of standard use of notes than to the actual "theory" of why the notes sound good together.


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## MikeK (Jul 21, 2020)

Thanks for the explanation... I appreciate it!


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## laurikoivisto (Jul 22, 2020)

congrats! I'm on book 10 and wish there were 10 books more! Who was your teacher?


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## Farkle (Jul 22, 2020)

Congratulations! You've got some secret weapons in your arsenal now! As always, take Spud's advice and "Write like Mad!" 

Mike


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## jonathanparham (Jul 22, 2020)

just2high said:


> For those of you still in the course, keep on going! For those thinking of joining, the investment in yourself is worth it!


It's time for me to probe as I do every few years. How long did it take you? Who did you study with?


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## just2high (Jul 23, 2020)

Thanks all! I studied with Tom Griep.

It took me a long time to get to the end but a lot of that is because of life complications and work schedule. Around 2016 I started freelancing full time so in the busy season I'd often not be able to do a lesson for 3 to 4 months.

That being said I started in 2012. It took me 3 years to get to book 10. So the last 3 books (really 4, book 11 is 2 books) took the longest but I was applying everything in my professional work from day 1.


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## jonathanparham (Jul 23, 2020)

just2high said:


> Thanks all! I studied with Tom Griep.
> 
> It took me a long time to get to the end but a lot of that is because of life complications and work schedule. Around 2016 I started freelancing full time so in the busy season I'd often not be able to do a lesson for 3 to 4 months.
> 
> That being said I started in 2012. It took me 3 years to get to book 10. So the last 3 books (really 4, book 11 is 2 books) took the longest but I was applying everything in my professional work from day 1.


ahh good to know there's that level of flexibilty


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## Craig Sharmat (Jul 23, 2020)

Congrats!! Tom is an excellent EIS guy and a monster pianist, and a hell of a nice guy. It is quite the haul but you do it so well done!

Jonathan, there are people who finished the course in 2yrs (that is crazy though Lauri above is on a very fast pace). David Blumberg one of EIS's notable figures was proud it took him 17 yrs to finish as work and life got in the way but he got there. That's the longest time I know of, of a graduate.


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## jonathanparham (Jul 23, 2020)

Craig Sharmat said:


> Jonathan, there are people who finished the course in 2yrs (that is crazy though Lauri above is on a very fast pace). David Blumberg one of EIS's notable figures was proud it took him 17 yrs to finish as work and life got in the way but he got there. That's the longest time I know of, of a graduate.


hmmmm didn't know. Should've asked. But good to hear


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## Farkle (Jul 23, 2020)

I think I was about 6 years under Sharmy. He was my only instructor. Did Books 1 and 2, then took 18 months off. Got back in, went all the way to Book 12, then took 6-9 months off (work), then pounded it out. So, that's my duration. 

Craig, Lauri is blazing! I remember him approaching me to ask about EIS, and I think it was only 3 years ago? 

EIS could easily be considered a college degree program in composition, if you think of it taking 4-5 years, which is completely doable, and not "crunchy". Of course (in my opinion), the content is way more thorough, empowering, and creatively freeing than other composition programs, but that is (as always), just one dude's opinion! 

Again, congratulations!


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## laurikoivisto (Jul 24, 2020)

Craig Sharmat said:


> David Blumberg one of EIS's notable figures was proud it took him 17 yrs to finish as work and life got in the way but he got there.



Luckily, i was made redundant from the theater i worked so work didn't get in my way. PHEW! :D



Farkle said:


> Craig, Lauri is blazing! I remember him approaching me to ask about EIS, and I think it was only 3 years ago?



That was actually a bit over 2 years ago. Time flies when you're having fun!


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## jim2b (Jul 24, 2020)

Congrats!!!!!
A wonderful accomplishment.

Jim


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## MatFluor (Jul 24, 2020)

Congrats man!
I'm in the middle of it, had to take a break last year (unfortunately not music-work related), but pounding through.

To add to the "how much time" - that's one of the great things of EIS - you're not bound to a fixed semester curriculum - you can tkae time off to do work, or for other reasons, and jump back in whenever you want to. That's way more freedom than I had in University xD


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## GNP (Jul 29, 2020)

I've just finished as well!!

(turns off the porn)


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## jsaras (Aug 20, 2020)

Congratulations!


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## Pier (Jan 13, 2021)

Are the books/courses expensive?

EIS has picked my interest but I'm a hobbyist.


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## Craig Sharmat (Jan 15, 2021)

not cheap, first 2 books in the 60-70 dollar range (total around 26 lessons), lesson prices vary per instructor but certainly not inexpensive.


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## Rossy (Jan 15, 2021)

just2high said:


> A bit late announcing, but wanted to share that I finished the course! Was back in March shortly after things shut down so life got a bit hectic, but it feels really good to have persevered through all 12 books. EIS has definitely been transformative in how I think about music and how I use harmony, made me much more disciplined in voice leading and counterpoint, not to mention helped me compose much much faster.
> 
> For those of you still in the course, keep on going! For those thinking of joining, the investment in yourself is worth it!
> 
> A couple tracks from the very end, one was for a project, the other was part of the final arrangement section of the course:



Congratulations


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## lullaby (Jun 6, 2021)

Congratulations!


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