Automatically apply for jobs with Zippia

Upload your resume to get started.

Music composer skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

1 min read

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical music composer skills. We ranked the top skills for music composers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 23.1% of music composer resumes contained audio engineering as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a music composer needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 music composer skills for your resume and career

1. Audio Engineering

Here's how music composers use audio engineering:

Experienced in audio engineering, putting out a completed quality product for the public and promotion through social media.
Work in the fields of audio to video, sound design, audio engineering, and beat making.

2. Video Games

Video Games are a form of entertainment where the player interacts with a virtual space. The subject and strategies for video games vary depending on the kind of game. For example, some video games require the player to solve a puzzle in addition to exploring the virtual world, while others encourage combat strategies.

Here's how music composers use video games:

Designed music games and created music assets and MIDI sequences for video games.
Created original music and sound effects for video games (flight simulators).

3. Music Theory

Here's how music composers use music theory:

Teach entry-level music theory at the undergraduate level
Created a more comprehensive music curriculum that encompasses not only singing but music theory, history, listening and comprehension.

4. Sound Design

Sound Design skills are required to give animations or films more depth through the use of sound. E.g., the sound of a spaceship, footsteps in movies, sound during fight scenes, etc., all require sound designing skills. It involves creating, recording, and optimizing sound samples for film production, theatre, live performance, and more. You must have a sharp ear to identify different sounds, eliminate redundant ones, and eventually conclude the best audio sample for a particular scene.

Here's how music composers use sound design:

Coordinated with team members, producers, writers, artists, animators and programmers to develop innovative sound design for projects.
Composed and produced music and sound design on a project basis from brief to final delivery.

5. Pro Tools

Here's how music composers use pro tools:

Studied Pro Tools under distinguished musician/bassist Professor Steve Bailey
Conducted recording sessions complete with Pro Tools LE and created instrumental tracks and audio sampling with Reason.

6. Sound Effects

Here's how music composers use sound effects:

Composed music, created sound effects, and recorded dialogue for interactive media.
Composed original score and sound effects for over forty animated shorts.

7. Logic Pro X

Here's how music composers use logic pro x:

Compose music for various mediums using Logic Pro 9, Logic Pro X and various software plug ins.
Operate Soundcraft Ghost console within the Logic Pro X DAW Environment.

8. Music Production

Here's how music composers use music production:

Drive all business development activities for self owned music production company providing products and services to the entertainment and music community.
Freelance music production and recording engineering for major music and post-production projects.

9. Midi

Here's how music composers use midi:

Created music with MIDI mock-up on the latest software tools.
Enter components of passages, image file, MIDI file, and source file, into site's database individually.

10. Ableton

Here's how music composers use ableton:

Developed proficiency with composing software: Ableton and Sony's Acid interface.

11. Synthesizers

Here's how music composers use synthesizers:

Create all original sounds using a multitude of VST's and Synthesizers to be used in various projects.
Use computers and synthesizers to compose, orchestrate, and arrange music.

12. Video Production

Here's how music composers use video production:

Composed and edited music for an international organization -Organized and categorized music files for video production

13. Drama

Here's how music composers use drama:

Direct the organization and implementation of a comprehensive church music program including choir, vocal and drama team.
Recruited, trained, rehearsed and led volunteer and paid Praise and Drama team members.

14. CSS

Here's how music composers use css:

Managed daily task by using the following computer systems: FACS, SORD, BOSS, and CSS.

15. Cinema

A cinema is a place where motion movies are shown to people for public entertainment. Cinemas not only offer relaxation and entertainment but also create awareness and education.

Here's how music composers use cinema:

Composed music for the short film named "Edward" that was release at Regal Cinema LA Live.

What skills help Music Composers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

List of music composer skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a music composer resume and required skills for a music composer to have include:

Audio Engineering
Video Games
Music Theory
Sound Design
Pro Tools

Sound Effects
Logic Pro X
Music Production
Midi
Ableton

Synthesizers
Video Production
Drama
CSS
Cinema

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Zippia Careers
Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Industry
Music Composer
Music Composer Skills

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse arts, entertainment, sports, and media jobs