Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Open Course Ware: Music Composition
A complete, undergraduate level online course on music composition. Includes all course material, projects, assignments, and exams with solutions.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Open Course Ware: Composing With Computers
A complete, undergraduate level online course on music composition with computers. Includes all course material, projects, assignments, and exams with solutions.
John F. Kennedy Center
The Kennedy Center: Arts Edge: Composing With Solfege
Through solfege, students will create their own musical compositions as Maria did in the musical The Sound of Music.
University of Pittsburgh
Center for American Music Stephen Foster's Career
This University of Pittsburgh site provides a wealth of information about American songwriter Stephen Foster. This link discusses his professional career with various other links within the text about minstrel shows, etc. Return to the...
OpenStax
Open Stax: Catherine Schmidt Jones: Scoring Music: Write for Specific Instruments
If you are interested in arranging your own music, you should check out the tips offered at this website. Including a history of how music was arranged, this site also gives several good ideas of how to make your arrangements interesting.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of American History: Smithsonian Jazz: Duke's Music Class
Learn about jazz from the master, Duke Ellington. Three activities explore his role as jazz composer, orchestra leader, and pianist.
Classical Net
Classical Net: Renaissance Repertoire: Renaissance Composers
Those well-versed in music will find this site helpful, as it offers biographical information on a number of Renaissance composers, along with pictures and information on compositions.
University of Virginia
Music Paper
Composing your own music is just a click away with this blank music paper. Several templates are available to help you quickly begin composing. Simply select the one you would like and print out as many copies as you need.
Other
Music Sheaf: Music Paper
Here is an excellent site that allows you to print your own music paper. The great feature of this site is that you can also create your own customized version of music paper to better suit your needs.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Students will enjoy this interactive website. There are many musical topics to explore while having fun. Learning how to make your own instrument, playing games and listening to music are just a few of the things you can do here.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Students will enjoy this interactive website. There are many musical topics to explore while having fun. Learning how to make your own instrument, playing games and listening to music are just a few of the things you can do here.
Other
Using Theme and Variation in Composing
A good article on how to take a musical idea and develop it further using theme and variations. Included are a few music samples in written form and mp3 form that help to explain the concept.
PBS
Pbs: Elements of Music: Exploring the Composer's Tools
This online lesson plan will help students understand how composers write music by engaging in a project which culminates in their own compositions.
Other
Creating Music
This online, interactive environment for music creation and exploration includes games and puzzles and interesting activities that teach about music in a visual way.
University of California
Ucla: Popular American Music
See images and find out about the original sheet music from the early 1900's. Famous songs such as "Dapper Dan", "Down the River", and more. You can search for music by title or author.
Other
Berklee.com: Composition Major
This site gives details to what a composer, an arranger, and a conductor really do. Includes other related careers as well.
Other
Classical Composers Database: Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni
This site is provided for by the Classical Composers Database. Biographical information on Albinoni with comparisons made to Telemann and Vivaldi' compositions and preferences.
Other
George Crumb: Echoes of Time and the River
Part of a program, these notes on Crumb and his composition have some good information, and some good quotes.
ArtsNow
Arts Now Learning: Music and Acoustics [Pdf]
In this instructional activity, students will create a rhythmic composition using cups to demonstrate understanding and identification of various sounds. Musical skills addressed include improvising, composing, listening, and playing.
Other
Chord Studio
Have fun composing your own music with this easy to use online tool. Select the chords you want your song to have and choose the various instrument styles. You can sign up for a free account so you can save your songs and edit them later.
Other
Composing Music Using Computers
Understanding MIDI, digital audio, and how to compose using both. Although this site is from 1996, much of the information remains relevant.
Other
Virtual Composer
Compose music with this interesting online tool. To compose, you click small boxes on a grid. The grid is continuously scanned with a line that passes over your clicked boxes which in turn plays their sounds. You can listen to other...
PBS
Classics for Kids: Compose Your Own Music
In this interactive you will compose your own music in 4/4 time. Hit play to hear to hear your song then send it to your friends!