# Recommendations needed



## ScipioAfricanus (Jan 7, 2010)

I have a goal of writing a piano concerto. I started about 14 years ago, I have a great theme, but very poor compositional skills. I am hoping to take up back the work only after I have the requisite skills. Because of this I want to gain some knowledge on harmony, melody writing, fugue and counterpoint. 
Do you guys know of any elementary book that would teach the basics of these? I would greatly appreciate it.


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## Praeludium (Oct 9, 2011)

Good teacher > any book you could ever read


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

I would highly recommend Fux's "Study of Counterpoint" from Gradus ad Parnassum.



Praeludium said:


> Good teacher > any book you could ever read


I disagree. With composition I think the best path to take is your own path without guidance from other people. Self-teaching is highly effective.


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## LordBlackudder (Nov 13, 2010)

get someone to arrange your music for piano than play that. you might learn a lot from them too in the process.

i think they're called arranger.


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## Jeremy Marchant (Mar 11, 2010)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> ...Self-teaching is highly effective.


Hmm, I think it is truer to say that self-teaching _can _be highly effective. However, if you want to make progress, having some guidance is very useful. Being told stuff you don't know and can't work out for yourself is also helpful. You don't know what you don't know.

Of your list ("harmony, melody writing, fugue and counterpoint"), I suggest that fugue isn't essential - there plenty of good concertos without fugues in them. On the other hand, structure _is _essential, as other posters have recently illustrated.


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

I think the main attraction of a teacher is not a level of expertise you can tap into that's unavailable elsewhere, but another interpretative mind you can turn to in order to have difficult concepts clarified in different words, or to bounce ideas around with. You may find, however, that other people as interested in composition who study it and talk about it online can provide the same service.


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