Best school for Music Theory/Composition

College Majors Music Majors
1

<p>Alright this is going to be a bit lengthy so let me first say thank you to all who read it and respond. I would also like to set some premises so nobody is confused as to what my goals are.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>I am NOT looking for a career in music, I make plenty of money with my business</p></li>
<li><p>My ultimate goal is to become a DJ, probably in the Happy Hardcore sub-genre of techno, maybe ill even invent my own genre, and bring this amazing genre of music to the Southwestern United States
-------a. I am not worried about the marketing/networking/etc. I have
-------the capital required to hire all of this out.</p></li>
<li><p>I am looking for the best place, in the Southwest United States, preferably Southern California, to learn music theory/composition</p></li>
<li><p>I would also like to pursue a degree in English to improve my writing. This is not something I intend to spend to much time on (on a weekly basis maybe like 5 hrs). </p></li>
<li><p>My music education is second only to my business… well and partying, but my music and partying are not mutually exclusive :)</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Background Experience/History with Music:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>I played percussion in middle school for like 3 months… that is it.</p></li>
<li><p>Music is my life, my 160gb iPod is more than full.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Until my freshman yr in high school I just stayed with whatever was “popular”. At this point I became interested in bands rather than just single songs that I found on THPS and other video games/movies. </p>

<p>First it was Powerman 5000 and Rage Against the Machine.</p>

<p>Then Rise Against was my “Introductory drug” into Punk/all sub-genres of Punk (REAL Punk, not the new whiny ***** punk)</p>

<p>Fast forward two years when I became interested in techno. I have listened to all sub-genres of Techno, Trance/House/Electric/Dance/Jumpstyle/Hardcore/Dubstep/DnB/ and just about every other label you can give this stuff. (I’m listening to it as i write this)</p>

<p>I have always enjoyed classical music, it inspires me. And I think I am going to download a compilation of big band music, who knows maybe that will be another favorite genre of mine.</p>

<p>I still listen to all types of music [besides country, blues, anything negative(not including punk)]… pretty much 24/7, its just hardcore has the biggest timeshare.</p>

<p>Anyway so in order to become a DJ:

  1. What instrument(s) should I learn to play (keyboard, maybe turntables if that is even an instrument). From what i can tell most of my influences learned on a keyboard, and then combined that with alot of knowledge in music theory to be the best composers possible.</p>

<ol>
<li>Which schools (in the West, near Socal and Vegas) are the best for learning:
---------a. **Theory<a href=“all%20types%20both%20harmonic%20and%20rhythmic”>/b</a>,<br>
---------b. Composition- And how is this different than theory?<br>
---------c. Instruments/tools(computer programs) for DJing live.</li>
</ol>

<p>I asked my brother the same question, he has played the guitar for 5 yrs, but he is extremely closed minded and doesn’t even consider techno to be music.</p>

<p>Thank You,
Thomas Rones</p>

2

<p>Here is one school to look at, and a popular music program is offered, as well as theory, composition, music industry classes, many others:
[USC</a> Thornton School of Music : Academic Programs](<a href=“http://www.usc.edu/schools/music/programs/]USC”>http://www.usc.edu/schools/music/programs/)</p>

<p>Not sure what you mean by “how is this (composing) different from theory?” Have you done any composing as yet?</p>

3

<p>This is an interesting question; I would have thought many DJ’s started out on college campuses practicing and fine tuning their skills. In regards to techno … that is a very specific genre, so like compmom said you should look at those schools that offer contemporary, R&B and rock, and see if they explore other styles like techno. </p>

<p>But you are right, you will need to have some basic instrumental or vocal skills to survive university- or conservatory- level music theory, composition and production courses. I would start with keyboard, which is a good fundamental instrument to learn theory and composition. </p>

<p>Another type of school you should consider is a non-traditional for-profit, like Musician’s Institute. I wouldn’t normally recommend this for a music major, but if you already know your genre and you have the funds, they may be willing to work with you uniquely to fill in the gaps of your training and education.</p>

4

<p>Have you considered a degree in audio production? The majors at my D’s school (East coast, so I know you’re not interested) have to take plenty of music theory classes. Several of them are DJ’s or are interested in producing music. They don’t have to have a primary instrument, but they do take theory with the music majors. There are many different types of audio production degrees. You would need to investigate each college’s requirements to see if any of them meets your needs. </p>

<p>Audio production is usually distinct from audio technology as the latter requires a lot of physics and hard science. At D’s school, audio production is a BA focusing on the music/business/technology side.</p>

5

<p>Awesome thanks everyone. I know my question isn’t the typical one, I just love listening to music, and I think that now that I have the money I can spend some time learning about it, and creating it; rather than just listening to it.</p>

<p>@compmom - I have not done any composing, I am brand new to this, I just today started reading up on music theory. Based on just the words I would believe that people use the theory to compose, is that true or am I mistaken?</p>

<p>@SnowflakeVT - As far as the West Coast /East Coast situation goes, the West Coast is my home, I have lived in NC for the last 4 years, after a bit of travel all over the country, but I cannot wait to go back home. I miss the mountains, beach, and desert and the fact that they are all within like 50 miles of each other.</p>

<p>@megpmom - Thanks for the suggestion about Musician’s Institute, my brother also actually recommended that one to me, I guess there is one in LA.</p>

<p>I would consider moving to the UK because that is where this type of music is most popular, but I would not be able to run my business from there, unless i just became a figurehead which I do not really want to do.</p>

<p>The good news is I wont be doing this for at least 9 months, but it probably wont be until the fall of 2014 and I can spend some of this time preparing myself (havent created a time mgmt plan yet that’s why I say “some”), and getting the pre-requisite knowledge and technical abilities with the tools used.</p>

<p>As far as degrees go I do not need anything other than that which will help me reach my goal; nothing other than knowledge of music theory, of composition,and of history, and the technical abilities required to create it. In fact I probably will just take the classes that I need, maybe I will ask some of the prominent DJ’s within my favorite genres as to what I should focus on.</p>

<p>And I have been up since yesterday morning so I apologize if this is not very clear.</p>

<p>Thanks Again and Happy Holidays! (I only say Merry Christmas on the 25th itself)</p>

6

<p>Just a quick comment that may not apply to you at all. A long time ago, I called a very intimidating composition teacher for my daughter, who was then in high school. I asked about composition lessons. The teacher replied that “composition cannot be taught.” While I quaked in my boots at the time, I do, now, sort of know what she meant (though at the time, I persisted enough to get a referral from this person).</p>

<p>Theory can help execute ideas, but composition involves a lot more than that. In theory classes, you may be asked to compose in certain styles, in the styles of certain composers, that sort of thing, but when you do your own work, it will be a matter of having your own “voice”: student composers, ideally, produce works that are very different from one another, that reflect their own vision musically. This process can be facilitated or even guided, and teachers can be sounding boards, but technical training (or even teachers/classes) do not really produce composers I don’t think.</p>

<p>You sound like someone who may indeed end up composing, and learning more theory will be very helpful, so pardon this fine point that I am making somewhat clumsily.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

7

<p>Cool, thank you. I will keep this thread updated…</p>

8

<p>You might be interested in this composer/dj (if you don’t know of him already):
[Mason</a> Bates: composer ? DJ](<a href=“http://www.masonbates.com/]Mason”>http://www.masonbates.com/)</p>

<p>and here is a blurb about him: The music of MASON BATES fuses innovative orchestral writing, the rhythms of electronica and techno, and imaginative narrative forms brought to life by cutting edge sound design. A composer of symphonic music who often includes live electronica in his orchestral music, he has become known as an artist who moves fluidly between those two worlds performing on electronic drum-pad and laptop, for example, with the National Symphony Orchesta in his Liquid Interface at Carnegie Hall; or, creating an evening of concert music and electronica with members of the Berlin Philharmonic at the Volksbühne in the former East Side. Recent commissions have explored everything from the marriage of orchestral sonorities and earthquake recordings (Music From Underground Spaces, commissioned by the California Symphony) to the fusion of techno beats and the ancient sounds of a pipe organ in Digital Loom. Repeat performances of his works have occurred throughout the United States, from the Oakland Symphony to the New York Philharmonic, and he is a frequent guest at summer music festivals such as Tanglewood, Cabrillo, and Aspen. Current events bring the premieres of The-BSides for orchestra & electronica, which will be premiered by the San Francisco Symphony in May, and Sirens for the renowned male chorus, Chanticleer. He currently serves as composer-in-residence with the California Symphony. Active as a performer, he has played his Concerto for Synthesizer with the Atlanta and Phoenix Symphonies, and he also stays busy as a DJ of trip-hop and electronica in San Francisco s many clubs, lounges and art spaces. With Maestro Benjamin Schwartz of the San Francisco Symphony and set designer Anne Patterson, he recently launched Mercury Soul: An Electro-Acoustic Evening, which brought over a thousand people to the San Francisco club Mezzanine to hear contemporary classical music interspersed with DJs and live electronica. Studying English literature and music composition in the Columbia-Juilliard program, he worked primarily with John Corigliano, and has also studied with David Del Tredici and Samuel Adler. Now living in the San Francisco Bay Area where he worked with Edmund Campion at UC Berkeley, he is currently a Guggenheim Fellow and the composer in residence for the California Symphony.</p>

9

<p>This may or not be helpful, but…</p>

<p>My son attends a major university that has several campuses. His interest is mostly on performance of his primary instrument and in classical music. The campus that he picked out fit him very well for his interests. However, the branch campus that is my hometown has a BA in commercial music, which focuses a lot less on being excellent with a traditional instrument, and a heck of a lot more on popular music. their “honors” ensemble is actually a pop music band that performs at quite a few public off campus venues.</p>

<p>The Commercial music program requires 3 semesters of music theory and aural skills (total of 9 semester hours), but neither class goes quite as much into detail as at my son’s campus where 4 semesters (16 total credit hours of theory/aural skills) is required. And there are other differences in the curriculum, like the Commercial Music program requires a course called “song writing” while the Classically focused program requires “composition” (the difference being that “song writing” is focused on contemporary music styles and classical instruments, while the “composition” class is focused more on classical music and classical instruments). Also, his classical program doesn’t include any music business or music technology classes, while the commercial music classes requires several classes in those types of subjects.</p>

<p>The funny thing is that my son loves electronica, despite the fact that he considers himself a classical musician. That huge electronica festival that they have in Miami (Ultrafest) happens to coincide with his spring break, and he already has tickets and hotel reservations to attend (big money).</p>

<p>My point is that music programs can vary, a lot. Most likely, you are better suited for a BA in music, than a BM. The BM generally requires students to be fairly good at an instrument prior to enrolling in the program, and almost always requires an audition, and acceptance is very competitive. Most BA programs do not require auditions, and do not require pre-existing expertise. Also, most BA programs tend to be more flexible, with lots of options for minors and to “try out” various subjects that you really wouldn’t have the time to take as a BM student.</p>

<p>A couple additional schools (on top of what was already mentioned) that I would check out first would be Berklee (famous for contemporary music) and Middle Tennessee State University (good reputation for music technology - look at their “audio technology” department, not the music department). I’m not suggesting that they would be good fits, but if you looked over their curriculum it might give you some more insight into what you should be looking for.</p>

<p>Here is some of the courses at MTSU (copied from their website):</p>

<p>

</p>

10

<p>Quick note: I think Belmont is mentioned a lot here, too.</p>