The Best Composers Use Only 3 Composition Tools, Not 30

I know this is a bold claim, and I want to add more context to do it justice. Over the past ten years or so, I've talked to hundreds of composers to help them move forward with interval theory. Some told me they have studied every music theory book available and that they know all the theories and detailed nuances to (theoretically) write the best music in the world.

Complex theory can be fun for music theory enthusiasts, but it usually doesn't reach a wide audience. It's not accurate to say that advanced theory automatically makes music good, whatever "good" means: Financial success? Impressing fellow composers?

Please don't believe that "easier to follow" equals "simple-minded." Music doesn't have to be dumb to reach a wide audience, but I've learned that the audience will tune out the moment they get confused. And using three composition techniques for a cue is sufficient to tell a compelling story.

The real challenge isn’t limiting your workflow to three composition techniques. It’s deciding which techniques to use to best serve the story. After scoring many projects, I want to share three composition techniques that have helped me finish a gig almost every time. I think these are basic skills every working composer should have, so let's talk about those three techniques.

Your Essential 3 Composition Tools

Let's take a look at each of the three tools, one at a time. 

Triads

Triads are your color. A "4+3" is a major triad, "3+4" is minor and you know these already. The shift is treating them as interval combinations rather than chord labels. When you see C major as 4+3 instead of a name, you can start playing with the intervals themselves. The chord stops being a fixed object on a scale, and starts being something you can actually shape in many ways. Here are a few quick examples.

This technique is called "scaling of triads." If you want to learn more about it, check out the free flipbook called: 5 Spells Every Composer Needs.

Here’s another example. After we identify the intervals that form the triad, we can extend the formula and switch between the two intervals. This creates a horizontal formula extension, as you can see below. 

Position Change (PC)

Position Change is the second tool. Even though it may not look impressive at all, it's an essential tool for composers. Same three notes, but the intervals redistribute and the intervallic options shift with them. You can take one chord and turn it into a full phrase of harmony just with PC.

Again, let's look at a few examples. Below, you see just one dominant seventh chord and how its position changes. Did you notice that the emotion never changes? That’s why we stick to just one structure. 

We can also shift an interval, which creates complementary intervals. Their numbers always add up to 12. So if we start with a 5-interval, its complementary partner is a 7. Take a look at the short example below and find out how many chromatic steps are between the notes. 

Root Cycles (RCs)

Root Cycles are the third tool. An RC is a sequence of bass notes spaced equally, and you know the most popular one, which is the circle of fifths.

However, there's also the RC1, RC2, RC4, RC4, and RC6. Each of those cycles sounds a little different and leads to some very interesting musical places. Let me show you an example with the RC3 descending.

The Secret Connection Between Those Techniques

There is a reason why I chose those three composition tools. They cover a lot of ground in music and give you a nice palette of different emotions. Triads are the safe area that the audience knows and values. They help you connect to scales and tonal centers, so everything feels grounded and familiar. 

Root cycles help you move these tonal center in an unexpected way, so they can add interesting turns to your story and let you shake the diatonic feeling a little bit. This way the audience can still follow along but notice the twist. And position changes are the part that combines triads with root cycles. They ensure proper voice-leading and help you control the register and overall movement in your writing.

These techniques work together, and that’s where the real power shows up. Let's listen to an example and see how those techniques work together to create strong connections. 

Your 1-Week Plan

I want to suggest a simple way to practice all that, so it really sticks. Over the next month, choose one triad type each week: major, minor, diminished, or augmented.

Monday: Play it through its three positions slowly.
Tuesday: Apply PCs over an RC5.
Wednesday: Use the RC3.
Thursday: Play it through the RC4.
Friday: Write a short 8-bar sketch using only that triad, PCs, and one Root Cycle of your choice. 

That's where a ton of music lives, and this is a wonderful place to discover new things while staying in familiar territory.