Composer Focus Community: Composer Focus - Composition articles & tutorials

Working in today’s film and game audio environment nearly guarantees you many opportunities to produce interesting and evocative soundscapes, but while working from pre-made synth patches is great for folks in a hurry, it pays to sit down and craft something by hand whenever possible. (Read More)

This tutorial is going to walk you through the steps to harmonise a melody in 4 parts. The harmony we're using is that of the classical common practice period. (Read More)

The double bass is the largest of the string family and is played by either standing or sitting on a tall stool. Due to its size care must be taken when writing and orchestrating for the bass. (Read More)

A cadence is a progression of two chords that form the end of a phrase. They mark a point of rest, and play a pivotal role in establishing the tonality of the music. (Read More)

The tango is a genre of dance music that originated in Argentina early in the twentieth century. It features a prominent combination of Spanish and African musical heritage, but the result very distinctively South American. (Read More)

If you write music for musicians chances are you use notation software. This mini-roundup gives a overview of the top three notation software available today. (Read More)

A fugue is a piece of music of contrapuntal texture which is predominantly based on one theme called the subject. It's important to note that a fugue isn't really a form, it is a way of presenting a contrapuntal texture. (Read More)