Links & Resources
Recommended Books
Behind Bars: The Definitive Guide to Music Notation by Elaine Gould
This is an indispensable reference book for composers, arrangers, teachers and students of composition, editors, and music processors. In the most thorough and painstakingly researched book to be published since the 1980s, specialist music editor Elaine Gould provides a comprehensive grounding in notational principles.
Music Notation: A Manual of Modern Practice by Gardner Read
This book covers everything you need to know about traditional music notation.
Guide to Standardized Drumset Notation by Norman Weinberg
A great book to aid performers, teachers, students, composers, arrangers, orchestrators and music engravers in producing clear drumset parts for a variety of uses. Topics covered include: general notation, drums, cymbals, noteheads, voicing, improvisational notation, and more.
Essential Dictionary of Music Notation by Tom Gerou
This pocket-sized dictionary presents current and correct notation practices in an easy-to-use format. Also available as a Kindle Edition.
Music Notation in the Twentieth Century by Kurt Stone
This is a very useful book for the professional composer and music engraver. It covers many topics that "traditional" engraving texts tend not to cover as far as contemporary music notation is concerned.
Hearing and Writing Music: Professional Training for Today's Musician (2nd Edition) by Ron Gorow
A self-training manual as well as a classroom text, this book is a complete step-by-step course to develop the musician's ability to hear and notate any style of music. Personal training, theory and exercises produce techniques which are combined in an integrated craft that may be applied to composition, orchestration, arranging, improvisation and performance. Also available as a Kindle Edition.
On the Track: A Guide to Contemporary Film Scoring by Fred Karlin and Rayburn Wright
A detailed and comprehensive guide on the art of writing music for film and television. It contains over 100 interviews with noted composers including lots of score and sketch examples taken directly from film soundtracks. Also available as a Kindle Edition.
Percussion (Yehudi Menuhin Music Guides) by James Holland
Excellent book full of important and accurate information from the former principal percussionist of the BBC and London Symphony Orchestras. Holland shares his first-hand knowledge generously and there are many references to important aspects of the percussion musical literature. It is extremely useful to percussionists, composers and arrangers but much of the material is written in a style accessible enough for interested non-musicians as well.
Sounds and Scores: A Practical Guide to Professional Orchestration by Henry Mancini
A practical guide to professional orchestration featuring recorded musical examples performed by Henry Mancini. Included in the book are sections on the woodwinds, brass, the rhythm section and the string section. A recording is included to follow along with the printed scores.
The Art of Writing Music by John Cacavas
John Cacavas has written an extensive book on the techniques of composing, orchestrating and arranging. Includes chapters on each section of the band and orchestra, voicing techniques as well as special chapters on concert band writing, choral writing, electronic applications and writing for film and television. Also available as a Kindle Edition.
Music Arranging and Orchestration by John Cacavas
In this great book John Cacavas shares his extensive experience and ability with a practical approach to the practical problems of orchestrating.
Essential Dictionary of Orchestration by Dave Black and Tom Gerou
An orchestration book tailor-made for the classroom musician on a budget. Any teacher, student or professional musician, whether a composer, orchestrator, arranger, performer or enthusiast will find this thoroughly comprehensive dictionary full of the most needed information on over 150 instruments. Designed for quick and easy reference, the Essential Dictionary of Orchestration includes those much-needed instrument ranges, general characteristics, tone quality descriptions, technical pitfalls, useful scoring tips and much more! Also available as a Kindle Edition.
Music Composition For Dummies by Scott Jarrett and Holly Day
In this fun and practical guide, you’ll learn how to match keys and chords to the mood you want to convey, work a form without limiting your creativity, hammer out a musical idea and much more, even when your mind is drawing a blank. Filled with creative exercises to build your composing skills. Also available as a Kindle Edition.
Composing Music: A New Approach by William Russo
Aimed at those who have some knowledge of music but not formal training in composition, this concise introduction to composing starts right in with a brief composition exercise, then proceeds step-by-step through a series of increasingly complex and challenging problems, gradually expanding the student's musical grammar.
Theory of Harmony by Arnold Schoenberg
This harmony text ranges over such diverse subjects as nature, artistic creativeness, culture, and aesthetic theories of the past. The author writes of his fascination with sound, on the idea that musical order may be manifested in many inconceivable ways, and questions the need of order in music. Ninety music examples are included.
General Resources
Of Note - Sibelius and Finale tips and tutorials by music notation expert Robert Puff.
The SoundSet Project - leading provider of Sibelius sound sets, integrations and related services for composers, producers and musicians using Sibelius notation software.
Sibelius Blog - great place where to find hints and tips about how to make the most of Avid Sibelius notation software.
The Note Performer - realistic orchestral playback for Avid Sibelius.
Sibelius Scorch - free internet web browser plug-in that lets you play, transpose, change instruments, save and print Sibelius scores.
Numerical Sound - leading-edge audio technology company run by Ernest Cholakis.
PDF Creator - freeware PDF documents creator program.
Apache Open Office - open-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, databases and more.
TechSmith Snagit - powerful screen capture software.
Alien Keyboards Academy - online music academy run by virtuoso keyboardist Maestro Mistheria for anyone wanting to take their Keytar studies to the next level.
Earmaster - powerful interactive ear training, sight-singing, sight-reading and dictation software to take your musicianship to the next level.
Ars Nova - leader in the music education software industry.
Of Note - Sibelius and Finale tips and tutorials by music notation expert Robert Puff.
The SoundSet Project - leading provider of Sibelius sound sets, integrations and related services for composers, producers and musicians using Sibelius notation software.
Sibelius Blog - great place where to find hints and tips about how to make the most of Avid Sibelius notation software.
The Note Performer - realistic orchestral playback for Avid Sibelius.
Sibelius Scorch - free internet web browser plug-in that lets you play, transpose, change instruments, save and print Sibelius scores.
Numerical Sound - leading-edge audio technology company run by Ernest Cholakis.
PDF Creator - freeware PDF documents creator program.
Apache Open Office - open-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, databases and more.
TechSmith Snagit - powerful screen capture software.
Alien Keyboards Academy - online music academy run by virtuoso keyboardist Maestro Mistheria for anyone wanting to take their Keytar studies to the next level.
Earmaster - powerful interactive ear training, sight-singing, sight-reading and dictation software to take your musicianship to the next level.
Ars Nova - leader in the music education software industry.