Music General

[BTGBullseye]

Hey guys, what's your favourite key? :3

Here they are, in all their glory!

 

 

[AP_Pastor]

Hey guys, what's your favourite key?

 

D minor and C# minor, heck any key that can give that sinister/dark sound

[Vapymid]

This is another one of Jasmine's (the original is here).

 

It's the first time I ever touched drums in MIDI (or IRL, for that matter), so - apologies if it sounds a bit amateurish...

 

Regards

Dreaming moda.zip

[Jeb_CC]

Haha BTG, so... funny... XD Anyway, I'm making a new song but I might need your help Vap. The problem with my software is that it has bugger all sounds. X3 I need a bass track, and a drum track. I won't bother with the drums, cause I suck at trying to make a good drum beat. The song I'm making is going of a techno sort of feel, so the treble track needs to be something that stands out. We also might need a better sounding bass, cause this one is very dull. It works for fading the volume, but when it's full blast, it's very very dull and weak. But yeah, this is the main 'chorus' (If you'd like to call it that) of the song. I'm going to add more but I just wanted to get instruments out of the way first. X3

Dash To It.zip

[Vapymid]

I'll try to take a look tonight. Trouble with MIDI is that it sounds slightly different on every machine, even the standard GM bank, though it's supposed to be the same in theory...

 

A question to everyone - how did you get to like the music you like? Do your tastes change with time? Do you keep the music you like or do you listen to it for a while, then move on to find something new, never to touch the old stuff again?

 

Regards

[Jeb_CC]

I have a small list of songs I listen to on a YouTube playlist. I almost never listen to music on my phone. X3

I never really liked listening to music, despite being a musician. I only listened to the creations I made.

 

Then one day, my (now) enemy gave me a song to listen to. Aaaand I was hooked. Electro Swing, the only music genre I'll pleasantly listen to. X3 It's got the classics, mixed in with good new technology, completely missing out the terrible pop songs we have today. Yay. (Sorry if I offended anybody). I just hate how it was my enemy who sparked my love for this music. This one song only gives me memories of fear, hatred and revenge because it links to this enemy of mine. I STILL haven't forgiven her/him. But that's another story! :3

[Vapymid]

@Jeb_CC: See if any of the attached are any good... The first number in the file-names is the lead track program No. and the second - is the Bass'. All from the standard GM bank.

 

Answering my own question...

 

I was always picky about music. I liked various stuff - hard rock, Beatles, classicals - but I was never completely happy or satisfied with any specific piece. Always looking for something that would combine bits I liked from pop, rock, jazz, classical in one number.

 

Then one day I heard a couple of records which I was told were "art rock" (aka "prog") - and it was like - hey, that's exactly what I've been missing, I want more of this! And it never changed since. I still like everything that I liked as a school boy with the same degree of "something is lacking here but it suits my mood" attitude. But my soul is in prog and I'm pretty sure - that's until death do us part.

 

Regards

Dash_to_it_test_23-02-15.zip

[Jeb_CC]

@Jeb_CC: See if any of the attached are any good... The first number in the file-names is the lead track program No. and the second - is the Bass'. All from the standard GM bank.

Regards

 

What program do you use to edit the MIDI stuff? I notice some strange notes not playing when they should be, and these instruments for some reason are not found easily on my program. I use MuseScore which is purely working off of sheet music. X3 I've gone into the zip file, ranked the files to which ones I like the best and labelled appropriately. Will go and edit it. :3 Also nice work on the drums. I'll edit this post with the new midi once I'm done.

[Vapymid]

I was using an old open source MIDI sequencer, called Jazz.

 

It is no longer maintained but can still be found. Here, for example:

http://tecnologia.tiscali.it/download/scheda.php?id=211744

(click on "Preleva" button to download - I've checked, the file matches exactly the zip I got directly from the developers earlier, so it's safe).

 

Regards

 

P.S. Notes not playing: do you mean in bars 18, 20, 22? There are some notes almost overlapping and that seems to throw some of the instruments off (works with the basic piano though). Slightly adjusting the duration, so that the note ends before the next one starts, fixes it.

[Jeb_CC]

Thanks! I won't be able to do much work on the composition yet though since I have work tonight. But I'll get this downloaded and give it a whirl later :3 Cheers.

(Also, you can be my MIDI buddy if you want. It even suits your name. XP)

[Vapymid]

MIDI buddy! For some reason it reminded me about "midiclorians" - may the force be with us!

 

Regards

[Vapymid]

Finished, at last!

 

This arrangement is as close to my ideal view of the original Jeb_CC's beautiful piece as I could possibly get.

 

Hope you'll enjoy.

 

Regards

Dreaming_modh_final.zip

[Jeb_CC]

Thank you very much Vapy. :3

1. I really like how you changed the ending. The extra notes really make it stand out a lot more.

2. Organs are VERY loud. And whilst it sounds cool, it's not usually used as a main theme instrument. When I was playing keyboard in my Church, the music leader would tell me off for fiddling with the organ. XP Organs are just meant to be played as single solid chords. So maybe try a different instrument.

EDIT: Actually. Keep the organ. XD I love it too much. It sounds too awesome. Especially paired with other instruments. I dunno, maybe make the first part of the song NOT an organ, and later on make it an organ.

3. Try using volume modifiers and see if you can make it sound perfect in that none of the instruments loudly clash. :3

4. One thing I'd love to see in this song, is a drum kit. Like, band styled. A solid bass beat, occasional clash of a cymbal. That sorta stuff.

 

But other than that, I love it!

[Vapymid]

OK, I'll work on it. Do you have any particular moments where for you feel the instruments clash and need volume rebalancing?

 

The drums - I admit, I've pulled all the stops and made them as jazz/prog as possible. We'd need a high-class percussionist like Bruford or Mastelotto + another drummer for congos if it was ever to be played live. I'll tone them down, simplify and see how it sounds.

 

Organs are just meant to be played as single solid chords.

I am sure, Herr Bach would have begged to disagree very strongly with that sentiment! In prog rock music, organs and synths are often given the lead and as my main music interest lies in prog, it must have influenced the way I approached this arrangement.

 

To illustrate, here are some classic prog numbers with prominent keyboards. I have not tried to copy/emulate any specific track (actually, I have not listened to them for months) but subconsciously, they must have had an influence:

 

Genesis - Riding the Scree

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlepn7295xo

Caravan - Nine Feet Underground

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1cAZbw_gbY

Rick Wakeman - Anne of Cleves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kUhhPXIkRE

 

I could come up with many more, given some time to think - these are just the one that sprung to mind immediately...

 

Oh, and this - one of the earliest prog rock numbers

FqHRDNFmj1s

 

 

Regards

[BTGBullseye]

Oh, and this - one of the earliest prog rock numbers

FqHRDNFmj1s

One of the best renditions I've heard... Though I have to say that

Beethoven was the rock of classic, far more so than Bach.

 

[Jeb_CC]

Vapy, is it possible to add a fade in mechanic? I think that's what it really needs. I just find it uncomfortable when music suddenly goes BAM, have an organ! XD I think the organ would work, it just needs to be phased in. The only reason for music to suddenly go BAM is when ALL instruments go quiet. or... the bass drops. B)

[Vapymid]

Of course, fade-ins are easy - they can simply be painted in the sequencer.

 

I actually liked the attack when the organ came in - that's why I also started the drums there - to emphasize the moment. Now I see what you mean - I will tame it down. Will take me a few days though - this coming week is going to be busy for me

 

Regars

[Jeb_CC]

Oh I'm sorry! I didn't just ruin your ambitions did I? @_@

[Vapymid]

Not at all! It's your song - you're the boss.

 

Regards

[Jeb_CC]

Since you'll be busy though, I can always use the time to think of how I want the song to be edited.

I'll post a more detailed description of what I want done later. Going through each track and just the sound and tone of the song in general. And thanks for the hard work Vapy. :3 I shall pay you in internet cookies. X3

 

EDIT:

Drum track: Add a bass beat to the start of the song. The intro seems a little too bland compared to the rest of the song. when it's just piano at first, it seems like a cute little ballad that a pianist plays at a music festival. No. XD I want the intro to show the listeners that there IS more to this song. Just a simple bass beat will do. :3 Because of this though, the organ WILL have to fade in no matter what. With no sudden beat to come in with, the organ will need to fade in to really sound right.

0:32 of the song needs a change in drum beat, stick to the original pattern. Of course, I know you said that the drum track of this song was very much experimental, but I might as well just give you a heads up of what needs to be changed anyway. X3 Just cause.

 

Weird Saxaphone Jazz thing in the middle of the song:

I dislike how it suddenly cuts off at 1:55. Maybe make it dampen down a little by phasing it out if possible?

 

Note: Keep a backup of this current file. In case something goes TERRIBLY wrong with the version you're editing, you can always come back to this backup. :3 I've always hit myself over the head because of how many times I've messed up a file SO badly and I forgot to make a backup of it. Really frustrating having to start over.

 

I would give more but I'd like to see where this goes first. :3