Become a better composer.
“I’m great at coming up with ideas but don’t know how to develop them.”
“I know all this music theory but not how to actually use it.”
“I can get my music sounding awesome, but after only about a minute I don’t know where to go next.”
If you’ve ever run into these or similar problems writing music, I can help.
I’ve worked with students ranging from beginners to professionals to help them with their toughest challenges as composers. How to move beyond simply looping the same main idea over and over and adding layers on top, how to plan out the form of a piece to give it a meaningful and satisfying shape, how to make important conceptual and structural decisions before even writing a single note, and many other topics from harmony to orchestration to production.
Studying music is a lifelong pursuit and the best way to learn is under the guidance of an interested teacher. I have helped students from all backgrounds develop their composition skills, knowledge of music theory and overall musicianship. Whether you are not even sure how to begin writing music or just need some guidance getting through a stuck phase, let’s work together to get your writing where you want it to be.
To apply for lessons
Fill out this short form to apply for lessons.
If you have questions I can be reached at ryanleachmusic@gmail.com.
“Ryan is an excellent teacher that will push you to achieve your goals.
Before I took lessons from Ryan my compositions started and stopped without actually going anywhere that interested the listener. Each lesson I learned more and more about probably the most important aspect of composition, musical form. This was helpful for me as I’m never short on ideas but always had a challenging time developing and expanding on them and deciding what needed to come next. Ryan is great at assessing the needs of his students and offering constructive feedback to help you improve.”
– Rick McGuire
“Ryan is incredible! Working with Ryan has, in all ways, made me a better composer.
One of the many things I appreciate about him is his ability to communicate complex ideas in a straightforward way. His accessible approach to composing music and rich experience in the industry makes for an amazing teacher. 5 stars and all the Oscars!”
– Ryan Ricks
“Coming from a non-traditional musical background, I came in knowing a lot of music theory but having no idea how to apply it. From our very first class, Ryan has been amazing at identifying those gaps through listening to my work and providing the correct books and exercises to fill them. He’s extremely inspiring. I feel energized and excited to do the work he assigns. Whenever I get stuck, he provides guidance that enables me to move forward. He’s also extremely flexible and enables me to work around my changing schedule. I recommend learning from Ryan to all my friends and enjoy learning from discussing their classes with him as well.”
– Mayank Sanganeria
FAQ
What topics do you cover?
Composition (Developing longer pieces, avoiding the “loop and build” trap, creating and developing motives, building phrases, periods/double periods, expansions of double periods, simple ternary forms, advanced concepts in form, etc.)
Orchestration (McKay’s Eight Orchestral Textures, Orchestration as separate from Composition, contrast, timbre, instrumentation, etc.)
Film Scoring (Techniques for Scoring to Picture, Film Score Analysis, Theme Writing, Technical aspects, etc.)
Music Production (Creating realism and fullness with MIDI, tips for using Logic Pro X, Sibelius, Pro Tools, Synthesis and Sampling, creating custom sample libraries, etc.)
Music Theory/Harmony (traditional diatonic theory, romantic harmony and chromaticism, jazz harmony, contemporary techniques such as root movement by thirds, 12-tone rows, chords in 4ths, etc.)
How can someone “teach” composition?
The best way to learn how to compose is simply by composing. The more you write, the better you get. The next step is to work under the guidance of an experienced teacher who can help bring your attention to your strengths and weaknesses and guide you on how to develop and improve your craft.
When I first started teaching I would try to create worksheets and specific lesson plans, but it never ended up working. Everyone has a completely different background and level of experience, so there is no one-size-fits-all program.
My teaching method now is very practical. We begin by assessing the student’s current levels and develop a lesson plan according to their individual interests and needs. In general, I give a specific writing assignment, and then we spend the lesson critiquing it, ripping it apart, and studying other music in response. People have a lot of ideas about what they think they need to work on, but the music never lies!
What kind of students do you accept?
First and foremost, I like working with students who love to write. The best students are also the most prolific.
Students with a particular goal in mind tend to do best, for example, those who want to focus on orchestration, or who want to write tracks that sound like John Powell.
Preferably students have an intermediate understanding of music theory, so, for example, we don’t have to go over the pitches of a D major triad or what it means to say “the IV chord in the key of A”. Obviously no need for a doctorate in music theory, but a firm grasp of the fundamentals is helpful.
I have no software requirements, as long as you’re able to use the tools you have to create. I personally work in Logic and Sibelius, but there’s never been a conflict with someone working in Finale, Cubase, etc.
Do I have to be able to read music?
Although I personally think notation is the best way to craft motives and develop ideas, I do not require my students to work in notation. I am just as competent at reading Logic’s piano roll as sheet music and can understand people who come from a self-taught background or who spend all of their time in their DAW for an efficient working method.
How often are the lessons?
As often as you want. If you want to do once a week or once a year, that’s entirely up to you. In my experience, the best schedule is every other week, which seems to be the right amount of time for people to do the assigned writing or analysis, and is regular enough to see steady growth. When lessons are every week people inevitably fall behind when school/work/life gets in the way.
But note that lessons don’t have to be on a regular schedule. It’s perfectly fine to do a single lesson, more like a consultation session, where you can receive feedback on your work and ask whatever questions you might have.
What are your rates?
Lessons are conducted over Zoom and are $95/hour for a single lesson or $85/hour when you purchase four at a time.