Instructor & Author

Gavin Leeper

Gavin Leeper is a composer and a music educator. His YouTube channel explores the music of Japanese anime and video games through the lenses of jazz harmony and classical orchestration.

Courses Articles

Biography

Gavin Leeper is a composer and music educator. His YouTube channel explores the music of Japanese anime and video games through the lenses of jazz harmony and classical orchestration.

He was previously a band leader for jazz and math rock projects, studied Economics at Stanford, and worked as a Data Scientist at Spotify Japan before taking the plunge on a music career. Today, he's composing music for video games like "Secret of Moonlight" and "Rotomagnet" while teaching students from around the world.

Courses

Learn from this instructor

The Legend Of Otoe: Composing Music For Anime and JRPGs

Ryan Leach

Gavin Leeper

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The Legend Of Otoe: Composing Music For Anime and JRPGs - Levels 2&3

Ryan Leach

Gavin Leeper

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Articles

Written by this instructor

Music Theory and Composition

Japanese Instruments: A Composer's Guide

The traditional Japanese instruments composers actually use — koto, shakuhachi, shamisen, biwa, and taiko: what they're called, how they work, and how to write for them.

Read article →ryan-leach

/article/japanese-instruments

Music Theory and Composition

Japanese Scales: A Composer's Guide

The essential Japanese scales for composers — hirajōshi, insen, iwato, yo and the pentatonic family: note spellings, sound character, which instruments they live on, and how to use them.

Read article →ryan-leach

/article/japanese-scales

Music Theory and Composition

Music Scales: How They Work and How Composers Use Them

How music scales are built from interval patterns — major, minor, the seven modes, pentatonic and the scales film composers reach for, with fifteen diagrams.

Read article →david-mccaulley

/article/music-scales

Music Theory and Composition

Piano Chords: How to Build, Play, and Use Every Chord Type

How piano chords are built, how to play them comfortably, and how composers voice, connect and use them — with twelve keyboard diagrams.

Read article →david-mccaulley

/article/piano-chords

Music Theory and Composition

Syncopation: What It Is and How Composers Use It

What syncopation is, how to count and write it, and how film, game and trailer composers use accents against the meter — with examples and diagrams.

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/article/syncopation

Music Theory and Composition

Modal Interchange: Borrowed Chords and How Composers Use Them

What modal interchange is, why borrowed chords still make sense in the key, the palette composers use most (iv, flat VI, flat VII, flat III, flat II), and how film, game and anime writers use them for colour and lift.

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/article/modal-interchange

Music Theory and Composition

Augmented Chords: How They Work and How Composers Use Them

What augmented chords are, why they sound unresolved, their two jobs as altered dominant and passing chord, why one augmented triad reaches six keys, and how composers use them for magic, mystery and tension.

Read article →ryan-leach

/article/augmented-chords

Music Theory and Composition

Diminished Chords: How They Work and How Composers Use Them

What diminished chords are, the three kinds (triad, dim7, half-diminished), how they resolve, why one diminished seventh reaches eight keys, and how composers use them for tension, pivots and atmosphere.

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/article/diminished-chords

Music Theory and Composition

Secondary Dominants: How They Work and How Composers Use Them

What secondary dominants are, how to find one for any chord, and how film, game and anime composers use them for momentum, chromatic bass lines and drama.

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/article/secondary-dominants

Music Theory and Composition

Leitmotif in Music: Meaning, Examples, and How to Write One

A leitmotif is a short musical idea that stands for a character, a place, or an idea. What makes one memorable, how film composers use them, and how to write your own.

Read article →david-mccaulley

/article/leitmotif

Music Theory and Composition

The Circle of Fifths: How It Works and How Composers Actually Use It

How the circle of fifths is built and read, and how film, game and anime composers actually use it: descending-fifths chains, key planning and modulation.

Read article →ryan-leach

/article/circle-of-fifths

Music Theory and Composition

What Is a Tritone? Why It Sounds So Tense and How Composers Use It

What is a tritone, why does it sound so tense, and how do composers use it? From dominant chords and tritone substitution to the Blackadder chord and horror scoring.

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/article/tritone

Music Theory and Composition

The Royal Road Progression: Japan's Signature Chord Progression

What is the Royal Road progression (IV–V–iii–vi)? Why it defines anime and J-pop harmony, how Japanese composers modify it, and how to use it in your own music.

Read article →ryan-leach

/article/royal-road-progression

Music Theory and Composition

Chord Progressions: The Complete Guide for Composers

What chord progressions are, the ones composers reach for in major and minor, borrowed-chord colors, Japanese progressions like the Royal Road — and how to write your own.

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/article/chord-progressions

Music Theory and Composition

Sentence Form in Music: How This Phrase Structure Works

Sentence form explained — presentation, repetition and continuation — how the phrase structure works in classical, jazz and pop, with a score example.

Read article →david-mccaulley

/article/sentence-form

Music Theory and Composition

How to Write a Catchy Melody: 10 Tips for Film & Game Music

Ten practical melody tips with examples from Zelda, Mario and Jaws — simplicity, rhythm, repetition, contrast and the hook.

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/article/how-to-write-a-catchy-melody

Music Production

Virtual Instruments

Want to know more about what virtual instruments are and how to use them? This article breaks down the basics of one of the most important ‘instruments’ for a modern composer and how to use, choose, and implement them in your music.

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/article/virtual-instruments

Music Theory and Composition

How to Write Anime Music

Discover the secrets to writing music for animes: ranging from learning how to write melodies, harmonies, which instruments to use, the different styles you can try, and even how to highlight the storytelling itself.

Read article →ryan-leach

/article/how-to-write-anime-music

Music Theory and Composition

How to Write Cinematic Music: Instruments, Themes & Contrast

The building blocks of cinematic music — instrument roles, dynamic contrast, memorable themes and the composers to study. A quick-start guide.

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/article/how-to-write-cinematic-music

Music Production

5 Easy Steps: How to Mix

Ready to turn your raw tracks into polished, professional-sounding music? Discover the five essential steps to mastering the art of mixing!

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Sound Design

How to Learn Sound Design

This article is the perfect beginner guide for starting sound design, from key concepts like frequency, amplitude, and timbre to essential tools like DAWs and plugins.

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Music Production

What Is EQ in Music? Equalization Explained for Composers and Producers

What does EQ mean in music? How equalization shapes frequency, gain and Q, the four EQ types, and how to EQ a mix, from the Master The Score mixing curriculum.

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/article/what-is-eq

Trailer Music

How to Write Trailer Music: A Step-by-Step Guide

The complete trailer music guide: three-act structure, cinematic sounds, tension and release, focused motifs, and mixing tips for maximum impact.

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/article/how-to-write-trailer-music-a-step-by-step-guide

Music Production

What is Reverb?

This article breaks down the basics of reverb in music production, covering key settings like decay time, pre-delay, and wet/dry mix. It’s got practical tips and creative ideas for using reverb plus some great plugin and best mixing course recommendations!

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/article/what-is-reverb

Gavin Leeper

Learn from this instructor

The Legend Of Otoe: Composing Music For Anime and JRPGs

The Legend Of Otoe: Composing Music For Anime and JRPGs - Levels 2&3

Written by this instructor

Japanese Instruments: A Composer's Guide

Japanese Scales: A Composer's Guide

Music Scales: How They Work and How Composers Use Them

Piano Chords: How to Build, Play, and Use Every Chord Type

Syncopation: What It Is and How Composers Use It

Modal Interchange: Borrowed Chords and How Composers Use Them

Augmented Chords: How They Work and How Composers Use Them

Diminished Chords: How They Work and How Composers Use Them

Secondary Dominants: How They Work and How Composers Use Them

Leitmotif in Music: Meaning, Examples, and How to Write One

The Circle of Fifths: How It Works and How Composers Actually Use It

What Is a Tritone? Why It Sounds So Tense and How Composers Use It

The Royal Road Progression: Japan's Signature Chord Progression

Chord Progressions: The Complete Guide for Composers

Sentence Form in Music: How This Phrase Structure Works

How to Write a Catchy Melody: 10 Tips for Film & Game Music

Virtual Instruments

How to Write Anime Music

How to Write Cinematic Music: Instruments, Themes & Contrast

5 Easy Steps: How to Mix

How to Learn Sound Design

What Is EQ in Music? Equalization Explained for Composers and Producers

How to Write Trailer Music: A Step-by-Step Guide

What is Reverb?

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