AboutDr Colin Expertise I can answer questions from students of "classical" composing, arranging, notation problems and music theory, writing for instruments and voice and writing music for education. I can answer questions about orchestration but I do not cover questions about pop or rock music, pop song writing or electronic music.
I taught for many years in UK up to "A" level theory and composition. I have spent many years in music education, initially (like everyone else) as a teacher. Then I moved on to advisory work (teaching teachers!) and also lectured, giving many workshops for teachers in developing music education skills and techniques. For a time I worked as a teacher-lecturer at London University's Institute of Education and eventually worked full-time as a Music Education Adviser to schools in part of London, offering advice on music education and curriculum development.
Experience I started composing music at the age 14 (it was mostly rubbish, since you asked) and now have a large number of compositions to credit as well as many publications, especially for instrumental music and choral music. I have also written several acclaimed works for large orchestra and choir. My work has been published particularly in the UK (under different names)(notably by Boosey & Hawkes, Novello, and Schott) but also in the USA and the Netherlands.
My music for elementary players (several publications) has been performed and broadcast worldwide. I am now retired from my previous job as Music Education Adviser. These days I spend most of my time composing and arranging. I am currently working on instrumental arrangements of world national anthems for my National Anthems website and also completing a suite of very easy piano solos and duets for elementary players. For many years I have used the music program "Finale" for all my music writing activities.
Organizations International Society for Music Education;
Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Publications "The Times" Educational Supplement; "Hi-Fi News and Record Review". For several years, I used to write for many of the state music education periodicals in the US and I also wrote several influential articles on instrumental music teaching for "Music Teacher" magazine in the UK. (UK).
Question Hi Sir, Iam taking an introduction to music class, I've been asked to write(create) a melody with 8 mesures using one of the major scales like from G to G or D to D, I have to start and end with the same note, At this point a know how to write a quarter note, half note, one/eight note and i/16th note, my problem is coming up with a melody, and write it on the staff, how do I know what a quarter note is saying in words or a half note, or a 1/16th note. How do I do this? Is has to be a melody that is a question and answer type, the answer has to contain notes that are in the question in a different order. Could you help me please.
I do not know if my question is clear, but What I do not know what to do is for example if I say Before my baby goes to sleep, he likes to play, ones he is tired he will go to sleep. how do I write this on tha staff?
Thanks in advance
Carlos Yanez
e-mail:
Answer Hi Carlos,
Thank you for contacting me. This is a simple question but very difficult to answer by email. I understand exactly what you mean. If you have a piano or keyboard there, that would be a good start because you can experiment with the notes and try different combinations. If you don't have a keyboard you could try singing which some teachers would say is even better. Make up a simple melody like this, for example (all quarter notes except the last two, which are half notes) G-A-B-B-C-B-A-C-B-A-B-G-A--A-- The answering phrase could be something like this (using the same note lengths) D-G-A-B-C-B-A-C-B-G-A--G--G--. Now, if you write that out in 4/4 time you'll have the eight bars needed.
Next thing is to play it or sing it and change some of the notes to something you like more. Just rememder that a melody in a succession of notes which are arranged for expressive purposes. During the course of a melody, a note can do only three things; it can move up, move down, or stay the same. Examine the melody I've written and you can see what I mean.
When a note moves up or down it can do so in two ways: (1) it can either step-by-step to the next note to it, such as G-A-B or (2) it can jump to another note several notes away like this, G-D-G-B-D-A-D--. In your melody, try to get a variety of movement but it will work best if most of the movement is step-by-step with just two or three jumps. Always try to sing (or play) what you have written to find out whether it sounds OK.
There are certain rules (perhaps "recommenations" is a better word) for writing melodies but it would take far too long to go into all that here. Anyway, I hope this is enough to get you started.
