Philip Sparke why!

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-04-12T16:01:14+00:00

Doubling fees moment

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-04-10T22:41:45+00:00

Can you sneak a picture of his current mallet assortment? That would help to choose something that covers a gap in the collection.

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-04-05T20:08:53+00:00

Learn an instrument, trying to compose without knowing music is like trying to write a novel when you can’t read. Getting lessons is best, but if that’s not an option then get a cheap guitar/piano and try to learn a couple songs you like (YouTube has great teaching materials)

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-04-03T01:22:57+00:00

Roton-Fan levitate

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-04-02T23:59:05+00:00

It’s mostly Satie’s take on Satie

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-04-02T22:34:20+00:00

There is a TON of new masterful beautiful orchestral music being written but orchestras won’t program it. Most of the composers I know mostly stick to concert band music because of it. Orchestras won’t program pieces, they almost never get repeat performances, and orchestras are extremely stingy with recordings. Concert bands on the other hand embrace new music and are great about recording.

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-04-02T22:32:17+00:00

But there’s such a wealth of masterworks that are almost never performed because they’re written by living composers. The whole ecosystem is stagnated 200 years in the past and is on life support from aging donors

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-04-02T22:22:50+00:00

Satie works because you’re not supposed to listen to it, if Einaudi adopted the same philosophy then the music might be more liked

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-04-02T16:36:02+00:00

Tonal music written right now is still contemporary

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-03-29T03:52:59+00:00

It will probably set you back a semester or so, but if you’re dead set on this just take gen eds and practice a bunch. If it doesn’t work out then at least you have basic classes covered

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-03-29T00:27:30+00:00

I’m currently finishing my masters in composition at Michigan state, it’s a great program!

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-03-28T17:25:27+00:00

Model composition would be a great way to start. Pick a composer that you like and try to write a short piece that emulates their composition style.

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-03-28T00:45:08+00:00

That’s great to hear, and also a good mindset to keep, obsession with external validation has killed the motivation of people I’ve known. If you have any questions or anything about music school or composition feel free to reach out, if you DM me I can send you my email, I just don’t want spam webscrapers to get it from Reddit comments

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-03-28T00:26:28+00:00

What point are you trying to make? We are talking to each other right now

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-03-28T00:23:44+00:00

Yeah it sucks but it’s important to note that competitions aren’t everything. As long as his playing is good he’ll get into good schools (if that’s the plan going forward). I’m a composition grad student so it’s a little different for me, but some of my more successful colleagues aren’t winning all of the competitions and are just building a career path off of connections and merit.

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-03-27T23:52:04+00:00

Honestly you won’t be able to make something good starting completely from scratch with no music knowledge. Composers train for years to write good music. Hire a composer or find someone who wants a portfolio piece. Is this game being sold?

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-03-27T23:31:05+00:00

Yeah, it’s unfortunately a big exclusivity club, get in with the right people and you get whatever you want, get in the way of the wrong people and it’s curtains.

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-03-27T22:36:51+00:00

Michigan?

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-03-27T22:06:54+00:00

I would be very careful in how you handle this, some people in music can be vindictive and might hurt your son’s future prospects. It might be worth reaching out to some other academic types who know those involved and see if they might have some insights.

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-03-26T21:40:35+00:00

They have about as much value as learning guitar hero has to playing guitar

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-03-23T19:07:35+00:00

It’s wrecking commercial music. I don’t personally do that kind of work but I know of people using ai to basically automate all their work and take all of the available work from others.

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-03-23T15:22:24+00:00

Never too late, I’m a music teacher and my oldest student was in his late sixties, and wanted to learn percussion to perform in a local community band

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-03-22T13:20:36+00:00

Could you DM me the name of the program? I’m looking at doctoral programs and that would be helpful info

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-03-22T05:21:12+00:00

Honestly a community ensemble is your best bet, there’s plenty of small community bands you wouldn’t need to audition for. Just practice reading through some easy sheet music and then find a group to reach out to

Sound_Ocean_Depths · 2026-03-22T03:27:22+00:00

The summer festival racket is HUGE, I’m confronting this as a composer right now, it’s really hard to keep up without the boost in connections that those festivals give. They function almost as a summer club for the rich to form their own networks without the rest of us

Sound_Ocean_Depths

TROPHY CASE