Author Description

Composing With Constraints Proposes An Innovative Approach To The Instruction Of The Craft Of Music Composition Based On Tailored Exercises To Help Students Develop Their Creativity. The Fundamental Premise Of Composing With Constraints Is Based On My Previous Book On Algorithmic Composition, Which-in A Few Words-states That All Compositional Approaches Are Algorithmic And Can Be Reduced To A Formal Process That Involves A Series Of Logical Steps. When Composition Gets Condensed To A Series Of Logical Steps, It Can Then Be Taught And Learned More Efficiently. With This Approach In Mind, Composing With Constraints Proposes A Variety Of Exercises In The Form Of Algorithms To Help The Student Composer And The Instructor Create Tangible Work Plans, With High Expectations And Successful Outcomes. The Book Is Structured Around The Parameters Of Melody, Rhythm, Harmony, Texture And Pre-compositional Approaches. All Chapters Start With A Brief Note On Terminology And General Recommendations For The Instructor. The First Five Chapters Offer A Variety Of Exercises That Range From Analysis And Style Imitation, To The Use Of Probabilities. The Chapter About Pre-compositional Approaches Offers Original Techniques That A Student Composer Can Implement In Order To Start A New Work. Based On Lateral Thinking, This Last Section Of The Book Fosters Creative Connections With Other Disciplines Such As Math, Visual Arts, And Architectural Acoustics. Each Of The 100 Exercises Contained In The Book Proposes A Unique Set Of Guidelines And Constraints Intended To Place The Student In A Specific Compositional Framework. Through Those Compositional Boundaries The Student Is Encouraged To Produce Creative Work Within A Given Structure. Using The Methodologies In This Book, Students Will Be Able To Create Their Own Outlines For Their Compositions, Making Intelligent And Educated Compositional Choices That Balance Reasoning With Intuition.