I want to be a composer well its a dream anyway

[mrfixit]

The only problem is i havent touched a piano in 6 years and i know nothing about music theory, i do mess about with midi sortware (The closest i can get to playing a instrument anyway just wondering if any of you experts can give me advice. I at least want ot learn more about music theory just out of interest anyway.

[Sorrano]

Originally posted by mrfixit:
The only problem is i havent touched a piano in 6 years and i know nothing about music theory, i do mess about with midi sortware (The closest i can get to playing a instrument anyway just wondering if any of you experts can give me advice. I at least want ot learn more about music theory just out of interest anyway.

If you can learn something about the basics of musical form (study some of the smaller works by Bach, Schumann, Heller, etc.) and something about harmonic progressions I think you could get a good start. Anything you can learn regarding compositional devices will aid you and give you more tools to write.

[mrfixit]

might as well show you what i have done so far. http://www.geocities.com/spiderman_fix/music.html

[spaceray]

I can recomend Dr Blood and friend's online Music Theory at www.dolmetsch.com this is a great resource.(thanks Gurn Blanston)
Don't be too discouraged or impatient trying to learn music theory.I use Barbara Wharram's
"Elementary Rudiments of Music" I do the exercises and to be honest they are boring and tedius,nevertheless this and a halfhour piano lesson weekly plus at least a half hour of practise every day has me reading in both clefs and playing with both hands.As long as the music is at my level of expertise I play confidantly.It gets more challenging all the time but is so gradual that one dosen't need to feel overwhelmed.Music theory is a huge subject people study it for years ,a music student might spent a year on harmony alone!
Read and play a little bit every day,you will be surprised how quickly it will make sence to you .

[mrfixit]

Yeah wehn you lot go on about stuff like counter point and thigns like that i have no what you are going on about lol.

[urtextmeister]

Mrfixit,

Thanks for providing the link. I have listened to a couple of the examples (I don't have time to listen to the rest, but will do so later. Actually, I should be working on my own composing projects right now).
First, the term "counterpoint" simply refers to the combining of melodic lines. There are many rules and lots of terminology and the highest manifestation of counterpoint is probably fugue, but the basic principle is overlaying one melody on top of another and seeing what happens. You are doing this to some degree in your compositions.
Speaking of the compositions, you are on the right track. The first step to being a composer is to write music. For many years I knew quite a bit about music theory, but was afraid to really get started composing. You have put down a lot of raw material on these midi tracks and that is an excellent beginning.
Now find out what more you can do with your ideas. Fit the music into some kind of structure. Add some harmonic interest--it's a bit bland at times. Use some contrapuntal techniques--you come across a nice melody once in a while so why not combine it with itself, try it backwards, have another voice play the melody twice as fast while the first voice does it normally.
Here is a great way to find out about structure: read about basic sonata form and try to fit some of your ideas into a sonata or sonatina first movement.
The important thing is to keep composing and apply what you learn to it.
I used mostly Hindemith and Piston books when I was in school. They're a bit academic and stodgy, but check them out.
If you have any particular questions about theory, I would be glad to try to answer them.
Keep up the good work.

[mrfixit]

The problem with the midi program i use is that i dont think you can change the tempo of the song halfway through the tempo you select is fixed through out the song. Thanks for the advice i will try out what you suggested when it comes to doing the melody backwards. I think i would come up with better stuff if had a keyboard to mess about with though to test out my ideas quicker.

[Rod]

Originally posted by mrfixit:
The problem with the midi program i use is that i dont think you can change the tempo of the song halfway through the tempo you select is fixed through out the song. Thanks for the advice i will try out what you suggested when it comes to doing the melody backwards. I think i would come up with better stuff if had a keyboard to mess about with though to test out my ideas quicker.

I have a program on my old Amiga that lets you compose anything you can do as on a real score and is very flexible, and it prints out the music like a real score. It's great, I composed a piece for organ and strings in no time, and a string quartet, and a symphony, and...


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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[mrfixit]

What was the sound quality on your amiga midi program? I sadly cant seem to print out the score on anvil studios so i am going to have to write it out by hand on a blank sheet if i ever want to play my scores on the piano.

[urtextmeister]

Mr. Fixit,

If you are looking for notation software, go to www.finalemusic.com. You can download "notepad" for free. It allows you to notate, print and playback music.
The quality of midi playback has to do with your soundcard and speakers (if you are playing through computer) or your keyboard (if playing through keyboard). It has nothing to do with your software. Midi is not actual audio it is just bits of information.

[Rod]

Originally posted by mrfixit:
What was the sound quality on your amiga midi program? I sadly cant seem to print out the score on anvil studios so i am going to have to write it out by hand on a blank sheet if i ever want to play my scores on the piano.

This program uses real sound samples but has an export to midi option.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[John Rasmussen]

Originally posted by mrfixit:
The only problem is i havent touched a piano in 6 years and i know nothing about music theory, i do mess about with midi sortware (The closest i can get to playing a instrument anyway just wondering if any of you experts can give me advice. I at least want ot learn more about music theory just out of interest anyway.

Can you read music? Can you write it with pencil and paper? Then start writing! Forget the theory and write the melodies, harmonies, and rhythms in your head and heart. Then, when you find you need to know how to do something, you can learn theory. And when you have something that you think is good, then figure out which computer program works for you.

And don't try to be Beethoven, or even Eminem. You won't. Be yourself, and write from the heart, as Ludwig did. If you aren't any good, it won't matter; and if you are, you can't imitate anyone anyway.

We need new voices in music. I wish you well!

[mrfixit]

I am not good enough to write music with out playing the notes first to double check what i done. btw dont worry i wouldnt dare be a other bethoven lol. Yeah i can read music but i have read sheet music to play anything in about 6 years at least.

[John Rasmussen]

Ah. In that case, I'm not sure how much advice I can give, as I have little experience in writing music on computer and none at all on MIDI. Fortunately there are others here that have the experience.

As for theory, remember Beethoven's comment: "It is important to know the rules in order to know what is contrary to them." But our Ludwig also knew when to throw theory out with the trash.

[mrfixit]

Well i am finding i am learning a lot of things i have forgoten, but i think i need to take at least some basic paino lessions. I cant rember all the diffrent scales. I get confused reading sharps and flats. I forgoten what most of the italan terms for diffrent speeds mean. I supose i want to play a paino again even if it was just to bash some keys randomly. Oh yeah and i find it hard taking diffrent rhythms i imagine in my mind and putting them down in music. I cant seem to quite get the rhythms right so they get stuck in my head untill they fade away quite annoying. Oh yeah and heres a other annoying thing its hard not to think of inane little pop tunes all the time. So of messes up my thinking a lot. Oh well just ranting on really lol