Please note that this is a self-paced class - there are no live meetings! During registration, select a start date - start immediately or sometime in the future.

This in depth hands-on class lays the foundation for music composition and song writing: the melody. We begin by exploring the smallest unit of melody - the motive. Learn how to write them and various ways to manipulate them to create a melody. As you build your melodies, we'll explore the idea of tonality and how that affects how cohesive your melodic lines sound. We will also spend time doing musical analysis to understand why you like the songs that you do - and discover how our different tastes in music affect how we approach compositions. This class will conclude with a mini project that will allow you to showcase what you learned.

Class Structure

Most lessons contain a video lecture and/or demonstration. Students will then have an assignment to complete that will allow them to explore the concepts discussed in the lesson. Assignments will take the form of short music writing exercises, analysis, and a final project so students can apply everything they've learned. Most assignments will be completed with Noteflight, a web-based music composition application. (See below for more information).

I check for completed assignments on Monday afternoons (Eastern time) and provide feedback. If students need help or would like me to look at something sooner, they are always welcome to reach out to me.

Class Assignments & Feedback

I check for completed assignments on Monday afternoons (Eastern time) and provide feedback. If students need help or would like me to look at something sooner, they are always welcome to reach out to me. I typically respond within one business day if not sooner.

Please note that Monday is not a deadline - only when I have time set aside to check for work. Students may complete the work at their own pace.

Prerequisites

This class is geared towards beginning composition students. This class is not limited by instruments or genres - the concepts covered work for everything. And, because we are using Noteflight, students do not need to own an instrument. At minimum, students should:

• Understand and read basic rhythm (whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth note/rests; dotted rhythms)
• Be able to read the Treble and Bass clef including 2 ledger lines above and below and Middle-C
• Be able to read sharps and flats

This class builds upon these basic skills.

Students do not need to know how to use Noteflight. I provide tutorials for what they need to know.

This class is offered as part of my Music Composition Series.  If students have experience with melody writing, they may opt to skip this class and take my Music Composition II: Basic Harmony Techniques & Song Form for Beginners.

Noteflight Music Composition Web App

Students create their work in Noteflight, an external web app for music composition. For the duration of the class, students will be able to use a special "Noteflight Learn" account through my studio. This is free of charge and I will set up each learner. Students do not need to register for an account themselves. No data is collected or stored in this account beyond their classwork and first name. Noteflight Learn is COPPA and FERPA compliant which means it meets the standards required by public schools to ensure student privacy. 

Students are welcome to use the Noteflight account for non-class composition work. If they want me to look at one of their compositions and give feedback, I am always happy to do so. The last lesson of this class will show how to retrieve work out of Noteflight in several formats so students can retain their compositions.

Noteflight Account Set Up

• If starting immediately, Noteflight accounts will be set up within 2 business days of class registration. 
• For future start dates, I will issue a Noteflight account a few days before the start date. 

Registrations that happen after Friday 4pm Eastern and over the weekend will receive accounts no later than Tuesday. I try to get accounts set up sooner if at all possible.

Noteflight Account Deactivation

• If students are not continuing to the next class in the Composition series, access to Noteflight will be discontinued 10 weeks from account creation or the first day of class (which ever is later). 
• If students need longer than 10 weeks to complete the work, please message me and I may be able to extend access by another two weeks. 
• If students register for the next class in the series, or let me know their intentions, they may retain their Noteflight account.