Which ScoreClub course to start with?
- Thread starter BenG
- Start date
bote
New Member
Somewhere on his site Alain sets out a suggested path through the courses. I'm doing them in an ad hoc fashion based on what interests me at the moment. I don't think (but may be too stupid to know) that I am suffering for doing so. I expect that with your background, the 'Ear Training' and 'Foundation' courses may be redundant. They were for me.
If you've already been composing professionally for 8 years, what are you hoping to get from these courses?
The Score Study sessions are very helpful.
If you've already been composing professionally for 8 years, what are you hoping to get from these courses?
The Score Study sessions are very helpful.
OP
OP
BenG
Senior Member
Good question and yes, those fundamental courses may Ben redundant. I guess that I'm always looking to find new and interesting approaches to composition/orchestration so maybe 'Memorable Melodies' or 'Orchestrating the Line'...?
jonathanparham
Senior Member
on the legacy site, there's a flow chart. He's updated it once already. I'm slowly working through them. I'm doing orchestrating the line 2 when I have down time between projects. I had counterpoint in school, but no orchestrating. So I enjoy the very systematic approach he's using. I also bought Orchestrating the Line 3 and Counterpoint 2. You should be able to see the course outline for all the classes.
OP
OP
BenG
Senior Member
Ah, I wasn't aware of that. Thank you!
DavidRubenstein
Member
Ben, the "Orchestrating the Line" courses might be useful for you. It's all about starting with a melody or a 4-part chorale, and going to a full orchestration, step by step. Alain takes you through the entire process, and explains each and every decision that he makes. Sometimes he develops alternate orchestrations, to evoke different moods. In each lesson, he starts with a simple melody or a 4-part chorale on staff paper. Then he adds harmonies, middle-ground and background, and notates which instruments will go with each note. Sometimes he adds flourishes, or ostinato rhythms. Then he lets you listen to a very nice mockup, to give you the idea of what it will sound like.
A slightly unorthodox nuance to this - if I were doing it again, I'd quickly skim OTL 1, then get stuck into OTL 2 in earnest first, which is, in effect, how I've ended up approaching it.
Depending on what sample libraries you use, I think that, however counterintuitively, the techniques of OTL1, while basic in conventional study of orchestration, with sample libraries, they're more advanced techniques, or at least less natural in a composition work flow based on samples.
OTL2 by comparison, I've found much easier to get stuck into, and I plan to go back to OTL1 in detail later (possibly after OTL3, but not sure about this).
Of course if you're studying orchestration for real instruments the conventional order OTL1 followed by OTL2 remains perfectly sensible.
jonathanparham
Senior Member
Henu
Dismember
I got myself "Orchestrating the Line 1" in the summer and have been really enjoying it today (I've been too busy earlier, haha) even though I noticed quickly that I could had prolly started with OtL2 instead.
Which made me think that I should get that next- but judging from the email I got from there, it seems that you cannot buy separate courses anymore but have to get a subscription instead? Or have I understood something wrong?
Which made me think that I should get that next- but judging from the email I got from there, it seems that you cannot buy separate courses anymore but have to get a subscription instead? Or have I understood something wrong?
Yep, this is indeed the case. I'm struggling with the new business model myself.
Though I have nothing but good things to say about OTL2.
Henu
Dismember
That's some utter bollocks if you ask me. As a someone with a family, regular job, freelancing, band activities and such my time is very limited for any subscription model.
I might have an hour this week and three hours next one, and then a whole free week next month, so this sort of business model means that they lose one customer who would had gladly bought more individual courses in order to watch them when it's suitable time-wise.
I might have an hour this week and three hours next one, and then a whole free week next month, so this sort of business model means that they lose one customer who would had gladly bought more individual courses in order to watch them when it's suitable time-wise.
Yes, I imagine it will be really good for students and professionals though. There's probably is no business model that works optimally for everyone.
I subscribed over the summer, think I could find time to focus on it and ... I managed to skim a little bit, but for the most part work and various other pressures intervented ... and sadly, might as well have flushed the money down the toilet. Not that I don't think it can't work as a business model, just that it very risky, and clearly not designed to benefit people such as ourselves.
Good point! I should probably have quality that.
