Schillinger was a professor at The New School in New York City and taught such musicians as George Gershwin, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and other Hollywood and Broadway composers.
His flamboyant manner based on extreme assertions is evident in his writings: "These procedures were performed crudely by even well-reputed composers.
By revealing principles of the organization of sound through scientific analysis, Schillinger hoped to free the composer from the shackles of tradition.
[5]Schillinger rarely attempted to predict the aesthetic consequences of his system, but instead offered generalized pattern-making techniques, free of stylistic bias.
For all its rigour, repetition and challenge, the system was enjoyed and apparently used with great success for many years after its author's death.
Schillinger’s influence lingers on in the work of celebrated musicians as well as those who produced countless film scores and television theme tunes.