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Roberto Toscano BA in Composition Berklee College of Music '06 Masters in Composition (Candidate) Tufts University Modern Composer

Roberto Toscano is a Berklee College of Music Graduate (2002-2006) with a degree in Composition. He has taught hundreds of students over the past 5 years, in which the main focus has always been theory and its applications to music in general (not limited to the guitar, but always applicable.)

His column at Guitar Messenger is called Beyond Theory. Some of the concepts the column will deal with are theoretical principles that apply to Modal and Tonal works, as well as occasional glimpses into Polytonal, Free Atonal and Dodecaphonic techniques and their compositional applications.

From the basic harmonization of commonly used scales (Major, Melodic, Harmonic Minor) to the harmonization of more obscure ones (Harmonic Major, Hungarian Minor, Octatonic, etc), going as far as synthetic scales (their construction, harmonization, and applications.); this column will cover theory from the most basic principles to the most advanced and everything in between.

Furthermore, the column will also sometimes break down a specific player’s approach to linear and/or harmonic concepts (eg. Allan Holdsworth’s approach to Chordal Playing.) or dive into a composer’s compositional approach within a given work (eg. Stravinsky’s use of Polytonality within the Rite of Spring.)

Roberto hopes to present all of this information in a manner that can be digested by all readers, from the most novice to most advanced, that is the goal of this column.

Go to Roberto's Column - Beyond Theory | E-mail him at roberto.guitarmessenger@gmail.com