Table 1Transition record

lyricisttocomposer

A lyricist already meets 27% of what the composer role asks for. The move turns on 12 required skills not yet in the profile.

From lyricist

27%

Overlap1

To composer

7 Skills carried over

12 Required, not held

71.7 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 71.7

This move: 71.7 of 100 · substantial

1 Share of the composer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the lyricist profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 7 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A composer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a lyricist background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held film music techniques arts and humanities
already held transcribe ideas into musical notation communication, collaboration and creativity
already held create musical forms communication, collaboration and creativity
already held write musical scores communication, collaboration and creativity
already held study music information skills
already held record music communication, collaboration and creativity

All 7 carried skills, including the 4 the composer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 17 missing skills fall into 3 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 communication, collaboration and creativity 12 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held select elements for a composition required
required, not held complete final musical scores required
required, not held create musical structures required
required, not held define creative components required
required, not held describe artistic experience required
required, not held develop an artistic framework required
required, not held develop musical ideas required
required, not held evaluate musical ideas required
required, not held read musical score required
required, not held rewrite musical scores required
required, not held transpose music required
required, not held work out orchestral sketches required

optional, not held use digital instruments optional
optional, not held organise compositions optional
optional, not held play musical instruments optional

02 management skills 1 supplementary

optional, not held supervise music groups optional

03 working with computers 1 supplementary

optional, not held edit recorded sound optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a composer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 7 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held create musical forms skill
already held study music skill
already held transcribe ideas into musical notation skill
already held write musical scores skill
already held film music techniques knowledge
already held music literature knowledge
already held record music skill

5 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held use digital instruments optional
optional, not held edit recorded sound optional
optional, not held organise compositions optional
optional, not held play musical instruments optional
optional, not held supervise music groups optional

18 held skills the composer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role adapt to artists' creative demands skill
not needed by the target role advise on music pedagogy skill
not needed by the target role attend music recording sessions skill
not needed by the target role compose music skill
not needed by the target role consult with sound editor skill
not needed by the target role copyright legislation knowledge
not needed by the target role create a rhyme scheme structure skill
not needed by the target role match lyrics to mood of melody skill
not needed by the target role musical genres knowledge
not needed by the target role musical notation knowledge
not needed by the target role musical theory knowledge
not needed by the target role practise singing skill
not needed by the target role sing skill
not needed by the target role study musical scores skill
not needed by the target role transcribe musical compositions skill
not needed by the target role work with composers skill
not needed by the target role write songs skill
not needed by the target role write to a deadline skill

Index

Other moves recorded from lyricist

Full index of moves from lyricist

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.