Regime for students of composition

Just thinking about a regime for composers whereby you will be able to develop some helpful skills to inform your musical studies.

1)  Every day read a new piece of music at the piano. You can begin with simple things like the Notebook for Anna Magdelena Bach for example. This has the added benefit of having well worked out counterpoint which is so helpful for the aspirant composer. Almost by osmosis you will be getting a composition class with Bach! Check this out - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEnsmpqJ3MU&list=PL1BacJUzFmHgPqSLcg7A-U0Dqoj7YksPZ

2)  Every day read something new about music. This can be an instructive video on a composer, a piece, a composition technique or any related subject. See here for a couple of examples. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G6xMcUUbEA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjGn4MPhi74

3)  Every day ask a question about music and seek the answer from your resources or ask a teacher.

Here is an example – “I wonder they mean by the augmented 6th chords”?

Here you go.........

Augmented 6th Chords

The augmented sixth interval is typically between the sixth degree of the minor scale,  and the raised fourth degree, With standard voice leading, the chord is followed directly or indirectly by some form of the dominant chord, in which both  and  have resolved to the fifth scale degree. This tendency to resolve outwards to is why the interval is spelled as an augmented sixth, rather than enharmonically as a minor seventh.

Italian sixth

The Italian sixth (It+6 or It6 or ♯iv6) is derived from iv6 with an altered fourth scale degree. This is the only augmented sixth chord comprising just three distinct notes; in four-part writing, the tonic pitch is doubled.

French sixth

The French sixth (Fr+6 or Fr43) is similar to the Italian, but with an additional tone,  The notes of the French sixth chord are all contained within the same whole tone scale, lending a sonority common to French music in the 19th century (especially associated with Impressionist music).

German sixth

The German sixth (Ger+6 or Ger65) is also like the Italian, but with an added tone, ♭.

Sounding like a dominant 7th but spelt with the ‘give away’ augmented 6th.