Alexander Publishing Scoring Stage 2: Something From Nothing TUTORiAL

The big question many ask is, “How do I generate inspiration to create something new?” Scoring Stages 2: Something From Nothing begins answering that question by first showing you specific compositional techniques using triads then four-part harmony to create, near instantly (without ever having had counterpoint), two- and three-part compositions. Apply tone colors and Span of Orchestration from the Spectrotone Chart, and voila, a professional sounding composition. To accomplish this, Scoring Stages 2 starts with a harmony review. Not Theory! Instead, Harmonic facts that can be applied to most any genre of music you’re working on. And! From Rap to Orchestral, synths to strings. You can apply this information in a bazillion ways.

How You Learn/What You Do
Scoring Stages 2 uses a learning technique composers and songwriters have used for literally hundreds of years. It’s called OSA. OSA is an acronym for Organized Screwing Around. It’s the musicians way of expressing of experimenting and working with music that leads to discovery. The specific task you’re trying to accomplish is to see what happens when you do this, or if you do that, and if you assign to one instrument or section vs. another.

This is where the Spectrotone Chart is so important.

Once I’ve shown you how to apply each concept, you’ll then apply OSA to take your musical idea and see how it works in different registers (Span of Orchestration), with different solo instruments or sections, and the four different types of combinations available in each register. Only the Spectrotone Chart enables you to do this.

The more you work with this, the quicker you’ll find “inspiration” coming to you as you discover just how many options you have to score your musical idea, depending on what you’re trying to say.


home page: