Resource: Ryan Leach Teaches Composition
As music teachers, we are often encouraged to get our students to compose music using a variety of tools: notation tools such as Flat for Education or Noteflight and digital audio workstations like Soundtrap and YuStudio. The problem is that many music educators have either never composed music themselves OR were never taught effective pedagogy for teaching composition. It’s very similar to improvisation - if you’ve never done it yourself, it’s a little tricky to teach others. I have trained thousands of teachers how to get started with composition in their classrooms, and one of the first things I discuss is coming up with prompts to get students inspired. A picture, a poem, a current event, etc. II recently came across Ryan Leach’s YouTube channel and found one really great video titled “12 Composition Exercises to Get Inspired, Beat Writer’s Block, & Write More Music.” It’s a wonderful overview of ways to get started with composing music - especially if you have writer’s block. In the same way that we encourage students to listen deeply and think critically, Leach gives practical, immediate exercises that push young composers to start composing right away, wit a variety of helpful suggestions on how to get inspired.
Ryan Leach is an award-winning composer whose music you may have already heard in film, television, and commercial media. An Australian-born creator, he studied film scoring at Berklee College of Music and worked at Hans Zimmer’s Remote Control Productions before launching his freelance career. Leach’s music has been featured on major networks and projects including Disney, Netflix’s Candy Jar, MTV, and more — and his voice on YouTube has become a resource for emerging composers around the world. His YouTube channel, with nearly 200 videos about composing for film, TV, and video games, provides insights on composing music with motivating challenges for writers of all levels. He’s a 100% legit composer and I think he is highly engaging and PERFECT for use in the classroom.
Leach’s 12 exercises aren’t just drills, they’re creative prompts. They encourage students to engage with melody, rhythm, harmony, form, and texture in ways that feel playful instead of overly complicated. Here’s how you can translate his ideas into classroom activities:
Start With Constraints to Spark Creativity
One of the lessons from Leach’s exercises is that limitations can fuel invention. I couldn’t agree more. I always tell teachers that when startiong out with teaching composition, the more rules and structure you provide to your students, the better the results. Ask students to write a melody with only three distinct pitches, or to build an accompaniment using a fixed rhythmic cell. Constraints like these help students focus on expressive choices rather than endless options. Give students a “constraint card” at the start of class — for example, “write 8 bars using only 16th notes and perfect fifths.” Rotate through constraints weekly to build flexibility.
Beat Writer’s Block With Bite-Sized Tasks
Leach understands how intimidating a blank staff can be. His exercises break the creative process into manageable “micro-tasks.” In your classes, assign short composition sprints — 3 minutes to generate a motif, 7 minutes to harmonize it, 5 minutes to vary it. Use a timer and a whiteboard to turn composition into a series of quick challenges. Celebrate student attempts, not just finished pieces.
Connect Theory to Imagination
Many students know theory rules but don’t see how they fuel creative decisions. Leach’s approach uses theory as a toolkit rather than a rulebook. Have students examine his examples (especially where harmony surprises or motives evolve) and then ask, “How would your piece behave if we changed this chord here?” After watching the video together, assign students to re-imagine one of Leach’s prompts in a different genre: film music, pop, jazz, or electronic; and then present their results.
In schools today, composition often gets squeezed between performance and theory. But when we equip students with engaging exercises that feel like games and investigations, we demystify creative risk-taking. Ryan Leach’s video isn’t just content — it’s a launchpad for student discovery. Integrate his methodology into your lesson plans this semester, and watch as students who thought “I can’t compose” begin to say, “I just wrote something I’m proud of.” Ryan has a HUGE collection of other similar videos covering a wide variety of topics that you and your students will enjoy. I highly recommend subscribing to his channel today and adding it to your list of resources. Let me know what you think!