This looks incredibly useful, Saad - thanks very much indeed. I'll digest it in chunks (!) and give it a share around. Five and a half hours is a pretty colossal effort and you're probably ready for a long lie-down 🤣
Yours is a very impressive course. It is not devoted to music theory so much as to inculcating good habits and attitudes. There are many online courses that deal with “how to do” theory, which has perhaps led to a widespread notion that advanced techniques and complexity are the ultimate goal of music. Your course is more about practical steps that are applicable to all stages of experience and understanding. Rather than complexity, it is simplicity that one should strive for. One aspect you didn’t really touch on is the bewildering variety of musical approaches taken by contemporary composers, which can make analysing or even appreciating their work extremely difficult. Influences range from early medieval to modern AI generated “non musical” patterns. Each composer seems to set up their own personal set of rules, which has atomised the whole field and made it much more difficult for beginners to transition from first principles to understanding what is being composed today. As a part time musical hobbyist with little to no chance of hearing my work performed (and a strong sense of imposter syndrome) I take comfort in your comments about intrinsic motivation, and an awareness that the process itself being a worthwhile activity.
Something i always are erasable pens for composing looks much cleaner than pencil. I always find it frustrating to be writing something down, and suddenly, the pencil is dull, and everything looks so messy. That is when i use manuscript paper, but i much prefer a daw. It helps me visual time better than in my head. And i am able to instantly record ideas and save them. Thanks for the video! Lots of helpful things, much appreciation.
Believe it or not, I almost got a feature film using General MIDI. I made it to the final three composers. This would probably never happen in 2025, but years ago we simply couldn't produce anything of quality unless we had at least $100,000 invested in a studio.
@@saadhaddadmusic Yes. I went to Juilliard as well (for six years, not a composition major) but all doors have been pretty much closed for around 30 years. I remember playing Eric Ewazen's pieces before anyone else even saw them...with him coaching.
@@saadhaddadmusic I honestly think that sample libraries and related gear manufacturers conduct questionable business practices considering the fact that purchasing their products is virtually a requirement for anyone who wants to enter the industry. However, the majority of sample library company owners/employees seem to be failed composers. Well if they know how hard it is, how on Earth can they morally promote "means-to-no-end" products? I want to see the ratio of sample library/DAW sales to composition-derived income of purchasers! Simply put, samples and "digital Legos" (DAWs) simply make the sheeple think that they are composers. It's the equivalent of a demo button on an old keyboard or sound module.
@@songandwind72 i tend to err on its just 1 of many tools at our disposal. But even at my relatively young age, I still go to pencil and paper for the majority of my process and it works faster for me to get my ideas down on paper. I personally don’t use any sample libraries.
@@saadhaddadmusic Jerry Goldsmith even told a very good composer friend of mine (Jerry selected him to win a BMI award) to stay away from the piano as much as possible. Film composer nerds might respond to this comment saying, "BUT I watched videos of Jerry working at the piano!" Yes, that is true, but I think that he was probably confirming ideas that he came up with away from the piano and also wanted to provide some content for the cameras (it's more interesting watching a composer play the piano than it is watching them sit in front of a piece of paper). Mr. Goldsmith thought that fingering habits/patterns had an adverse effect on composition and that the composer should be free to imagine without such "restrictions." I'm sure that you have probably heard similar things from your teachers. I believe that Albert Fuller taught a composition class for non majors at Juilliard. I went to the first class but then decided to drop it because it was too much work, but my ex girlfriend stuck with it for a year. She was only working with paper...never saw her composing at the piano. It's quite a challenge. Even having perfect pitch and the ability to hear sounds in detail in my mind, I'd be lying if I said that I could produce any harmony in my imagination on demand. Can you? I remember Bruce Adolphe telling us all that we should have this ability.
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
00:00:00 Prelude
00:35:00 Ideas
01:43:15 Writer's Block
02:12:32 Essentials
02:55:16 Feedback
03:24:58 Score Study
Brother, thank you for taking time out of your busy life to document this for all of us.
I hope it was useful!
Thanks for this masterclass, there are some nuggets of wisdom here that are useful to me, Lots to work on.
Glad it was useful Kevin 🎻
This looks incredibly useful, Saad - thanks very much indeed. I'll digest it in chunks (!) and give it a share around. Five and a half hours is a pretty colossal effort and you're probably ready for a long lie-down 🤣
Thanks Bill! This is the stuff I wish I knew years ago 🫡
What you have accomplished here is heroic!!!
I love to teach. What can say. Glad you liked it!
You're a mad man for this!
just a little bit :P
Thank you, Saad. Great effort. I will look into it when I have some free time.
Enjoy!
Thank you, im excited to watch :) all the best
Hope you enjoyed it!
Yours is a very impressive course. It is not devoted to music theory so much as to inculcating good habits and attitudes. There are many online courses that deal with “how to do” theory, which has perhaps led to a widespread notion that advanced techniques and complexity are the ultimate goal of music. Your course is more about practical steps that are applicable to all stages of experience and understanding. Rather than complexity, it is simplicity that one should strive for.
One aspect you didn’t really touch on is the bewildering variety of musical approaches taken by contemporary composers, which can make analysing or even appreciating their work extremely difficult. Influences range from early medieval to modern AI generated “non musical” patterns. Each composer seems to set up their own personal set of rules, which has atomised the whole field and made it much more difficult for beginners to transition from first principles to understanding what is being composed today.
As a part time musical hobbyist with little to no chance of hearing my work performed (and a strong sense of imposter syndrome) I take comfort in your comments about intrinsic motivation, and an awareness that the process itself being a worthwhile activity.
I can only cover so much material in 5 hours :) -- I'm very glad you found this useful!
Thank you for your work
You are very welcome
That's a great project! Thank you, Dr.Saad
You are welcome!
Thanks!
You're welcome!
Tysm
Of course!
Something i always are erasable pens for composing looks much cleaner than pencil. I always find it frustrating to be writing something down, and suddenly, the pencil is dull, and everything looks so messy.
That is when i use manuscript paper, but i much prefer a daw. It helps me visual time better than in my head. And i am able to instantly record ideas and save them.
Thanks for the video! Lots of helpful things, much appreciation.
Awesome :)
نعيما اخي
Glad to chat with you the other day :)
@@saadhaddadmusic i have started implementing the pre composing process, thanks. Hope to see you soon
@@jamilal-marri579 🤝🫡🤝
Believe it or not, I almost got a feature film using General MIDI. I made it to the final three composers. This would probably never happen in 2025, but years ago we simply couldn't produce anything of quality unless we had at least $100,000 invested in a studio.
Times are different!
@@saadhaddadmusic Yes. I went to Juilliard as well (for six years, not a composition major) but all doors have been pretty much closed for around 30 years. I remember playing Eric Ewazen's pieces before anyone else even saw them...with him coaching.
@@saadhaddadmusic I honestly think that sample libraries and related gear manufacturers conduct questionable business practices considering the fact that purchasing their products is virtually a requirement for anyone who wants to enter the industry. However, the majority of sample library company owners/employees seem to be failed composers. Well if they know how hard it is, how on Earth can they morally promote "means-to-no-end" products? I want to see the ratio of sample library/DAW sales to composition-derived income of purchasers!
Simply put, samples and "digital Legos" (DAWs) simply make the sheeple think that they are composers. It's the equivalent of a demo button on an old keyboard or sound module.
@@songandwind72 i tend to err on its just 1 of many tools at our disposal. But even at my relatively young age, I still go to pencil and paper for the majority of my process and it works faster for me to get my ideas down on paper. I personally don’t use any sample libraries.
@@saadhaddadmusic Jerry Goldsmith even told a very good composer friend of mine (Jerry selected him to win a BMI award) to stay away from the piano as much as possible. Film composer nerds might respond to this comment saying, "BUT I watched videos of Jerry working at the piano!" Yes, that is true, but I think that he was probably confirming ideas that he came up with away from the piano and also wanted to provide some content for the cameras (it's more interesting watching a composer play the piano than it is watching them sit in front of a piece of paper). Mr. Goldsmith thought that fingering habits/patterns had an adverse effect on composition and that the composer should be free to imagine without such "restrictions." I'm sure that you have probably heard similar things from your teachers. I believe that Albert Fuller taught a composition class for non majors at Juilliard. I went to the first class but then decided to drop it because it was too much work, but my ex girlfriend stuck with it for a year. She was only working with paper...never saw her composing at the piano. It's quite a challenge. Even having perfect pitch and the ability to hear sounds in detail in my mind, I'd be lying if I said that I could produce any harmony in my imagination on demand. Can you? I remember Bruce Adolphe telling us all that we should have this ability.
I was the first view & comment 🎉🎉.
🫡
If there are no geniuses, then there is nothing to work towards. pure cope.
50 minutes in we start discussing actual music only to study a piece for.... woodblock. Sigh. I'll stick with Alan Belkin