Musical Studies in the Internet Age

There has probably never been a more accessible base of knowledge available for learning composers before than in today’s times. Being able to watch legendary performances of all sorts of music on Youtube, listen to millions of tracks on Spotify while reading through the complete classical score sheet repertoire on IMSLP and being able to discuss all that with people from all over the world who share the same interest opens up endless possibilities to learn and broaden your musical horizon.

Yet so few people as well as professional composers use these to full extent. One of the worst arguments I keep hearing from seasoned composers is “I’m working on music all day long, I can’t be bothered with listening to even more music in my spare time.” But also learning composers often keep circling around the same musical artists and genres. Set time aside to explore music, all sorts and all genres. Youtube related videos help a great deal as well as the radio or recommendation algorithms on Spotify. With these functions you can explore the musical world step by step.

Especially for learning film composers, developing an understanding of different styles and genres is essential. As I’ve mentioned several times before, it is not just about what tools and theoretical things you know in music but way more about how tastefully you use them. And this taste only comes with a broad musical horizon and understanding.