I bought some new, inexpensive orchestral sounds for GarageBand, and spent some time yesterday creating a test composition. It appears on your right, at the top of the sidebar. Give it a listen and tell me if you think I'm on the right track.
Note: I only spent $100 on the orchestral samples, so try to use your imagination as you listen, to envision real musicians playing this music on real instruments. (one day I'll be able to afford better samples, or maybe one day I'll find a small orchestra willing to perform these pieces)
The Gift
-
[Christmas, 1965 or thereabout]
The boy was very young; perhaps 7 or 8 years old. He loved everything about
Christmas - the lights, the music, Santa ...
3 months ago
6 Comments:
Stu:
I'm abysmally ignorant.
(Let me start again.)
I'm abysmally ignorant when it comes to anything outside of real instruments. How do you piece these things together? Is it note by note, or by phrases, or...? Do you specify time sig and key, or just pick what sounds good and tell it to migrate to the key you began in? Did you write the music and then pick the sounds from the software? Does the software transcribe your compositions?
I'm interested in as much info as you have the time to lay on me.
Sul, well admitted. Ignorance is something to be proud of. Me, there is a metaphorical ton of stuff I don't know.
As for the music, I hand pick every note.
Specifically, here's the process:
I have GarageBand, which is a software version of a multi-track recorder, sitting on my Macintosh. I open a new track, make it a software track (as opposed to hardware, which is for vocals or guitar or bass or whatever). Once the track is open, I choose an instrument, like a cello. Then I reach for the 61 key M-Audio keyboard attached to my Mac. I then set a tempo, set the metronome, hit record, and lay down a track.
This gets repeated until I have something that isn't completely full of suck.
Questions?
Stu:
I couldlistento a long version of what you playd. It is very comfortable
dad
Stu:
It sounds like something I'd LOVE to fool around with. You pretty much answered my questions - it takes some actual musical skill and knowledge.
The only question I have remaining is: Does it have a feature whereby the program will transcribe what you've played? Perhaps even write the different parts in one score, like orchestral sheet music for a conductor? I ask because my musical reading/writing skills are very weak.
I have much music in my head, and I can get it out via fingers on a number of different instruments, but actually being able to relay that to other musicians has always been a problem for me.
I am 95% self-taught. I took one set of classes at a guitar workshop once, on bass, but all else I learned on my own. I learned to read/write music from a beginners book on the subject, but I am (I suppose) functionally illiterate. Give me a piece of sheet music and I can read it, but I'm like a little kid sounding things out phonetically - "That's a G, OK, now the next one is an E - no, wait, it's D#; forgot the key signature - then A..." and I'll finally string it all together after an hour.
Stu,
Excellent. I too would like to hear a full-length version.
---allen
Right on trax. I would like to spread this over hot bread and call it breakfast - but that would be silly.
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