Compose music?

I have just finished watching the Phantom of the Opera on my dvd player (one of my fav. movies btw) and I just can't get past the fact that people like Andrew Lloyd Weber can make such beautiful and powerful music. It has always been a dream of mine to either participate in the music or to write it myself. However, I'm stuck in a crappy school band without professional experience and it is a LONG time before I can go to college and study musical composition. I am VERY short on money and I just want to learn how to form beautiful music ideas of my own. Does anyone know where I can study musical composition for free on the internet?

Compose music?

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I don't know of anything online other then searching on google. but one way to compose music is Finale Notepad. There is a trial version available on-line. The program itself is not very expensive. If I remember it was only like $30 bucks for the beginner version. It allows you to compose you own music. I learned alot about musical theory by just fiddling around with it. The program is also really easy.

Compose music?

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I know how you feel. I love listening to film scores and themes (especially The Kraken from Pirates 2; goodness that's something crazy good) but really, if you have that love of music like you say, and you have a musically creative mind, then I say simply get out your instrument, and orchastrate the parts in your own composition, and while it my be difficult, it's fun. I'm doing it with my alto saxaphone. Musical study for free is logically impossible. They make you pay for everything from teachings to simple sheet music. I say don't let that take you down.
Composition is a skill that can be taught, but not in an impersonal setting like the internet. If you're serious about composing, you would need to seek out the best teacher you can find and study with him or her one-on-one. This is, essentially, what college composition programs are all about.

But becoming a composer is a lifelong goal, and there are other skills you can start learning now that will help you along the way. First and foremost, I would recommend taking piano lessons from a teacher who also stresses music theory. Guitar lessons are also helpful, but either way, the key is to find a teacher who will help you to learn more about how music "works," and not someone who wants to make you the next Rubenstein -- and certainly not a Suzuki teacher. Once you've learned the basic principles of music theory and harmony, you can start to analyze your favorite pieces to see how they are put together, and that's one of the most important things an aspiring composer can do.

You can start to read about music theory on the internet (just do a search for "music theory" or "music fundamentals"), but you'll need the give-and-take with a teacher to really understand how to use it. You may not think that you have the money for lessons, but if it's really important for you, you need to find a way because there is no substitute. Some community music schools offer scholarships, and some teachers may offer reduced rates or group lessons. You can start by asking your band director for a recommendation.

If you start studying piano and music theory now, and really devote yourself to it, you'll be in a position to get into some of the best university composition programs in the world when the time comes. It will take a lot of very, very hard work to get there, but if it's your passion, it will be worth it.