most elevator music is smooth jazz as far as I know, not exactly the kind of jazz I was hoping for, but very close (plus they are kinda hard to tell apart) I was going for lounge or something…
MY DEMO
(easy and simple… i think I had a mistake)
http://notessimo.net/?id=59205
UPDATE!
@Karo: I didn’t know old school songs had those kinds of sounding drums. Lol. I like it
That was great!
Nice.
What song is that?
His Random Jazz
It’s a cover of… I don’t know…
Boogie Wonderland is by Earth, Wind, and Fire. One of the best funk bands ever, if not THE best. Love 'em.
I love them, too. I bought one of their CD’s from Wal-Mart the other day. I might just do “September” after Boogie Wonderland.
A little bit I made. I may make a piece from this, but I’m not sure if I should.
It’s pretty much bits and pieces here and there.
What do you think of it?
The “question-and-answer” format on sheets 3 and 6 almost worked, but get rid of the “Female Vox #1” on them. Let your melody alternate between “Male Vox #1” and “Synth Vox #1.”
You can safely throw out sheets 0 and 1.
From what I’ve analyzed, the song is in C Dorian mode (except for sheet 6, where it modulates to D Dorian). Unless you’re really familiar with writing in “unconventional” modes, it’s hard to make a song that sounds good. In this song, I always had this feeling that something sounded off in it. If it were me, I would rewrite it in the key of C Minor. But, of course, it’s not my song.
All previous points aside, good song.
The Female Vox #1 isn’t meant to be the “answer” in the “question-and-answer.” I’ll probably change it.
I was planning on making a song with a Chorus and such, and I plan on using sheets 0 and 1 to use as transitions (proper editing).
I will probably change it so a different key of some sorts.
Bits and pieces.
Wait… so you’re a music theorist? TEACH ME!
Sure! What do you want to know?
…or were you being sarcastic? I can’t tell over the internet.
No, I’m serious. I have an A.P. music theory test in a month and I’m horrible XD
EDIT: I want to know how you go about composing your songs.
Not that that is technically music theory, but that that music theory is which what I want to know.
YAY GRAMMAR!
if you want some theory behind composing, here’s something to know, make chord progressions that follow the circle of 4ths (which is the same as going backwards on the circle of 5ths), stuff like the I IV V chord progressions of rock and the II V I chord progressions of jazz are the most common examples I can think of, although there are many many more.
I’m fine with harmony, My problem is melody.
Well… My actual problem is is that I can heart what chord/melody I want to play next, but can not for my life put it on staff paper. I hear the perfect chord to put next, but can’t write it
Kaveman’s Basic Tips on Writing a Song in Notessimo
Much of your ability to compose on Notessimo is based on your ability to compose in general. If you know how to play an instrument, you’ll have an advantage over composers who do not. If you know scales and chords, that helps immensely. If you don’t know anything, you can still make something that sounds good, but it will take you a LOT more trial and error to find it.
Don’t be afraid to rewrite. Sheet 1 of “In My Defense” contains a solo, that, in my opinion, sucks. I threw it out and eventually came up with sheet 7. Sheet 9 – which is, and shall remain, unfinished – contains a solo I was considered using in between the 1st chorus and the 2nd verse. It didn’t work, so I scrapped it. The verse was rewritten a couple times, with the old stuff thrown out and a new verse started afresh.
If you can figure out stuff by ear, it helps. Unfortunately, this is a skill that, if you don’t possess it innately, takes quite some time to learn. Fortunately for me, I’ve managed to learn a thing or two after about eight years of piano. I’ll often have a tune in my head, and the trick is getting it down on paper. Sometimes it doesn’t come out exactly as I imagined it. That’s okay. As long as it sounds good, that’s what’s important.
Common chord progressions are easily abusable. Find a song you like. Listen to it. Look up tabs or find the chords by ear. Then copy the chord progression. Go ahead, there’s no law against it. Chord progressions do not fall under the jurisdiction copyright law. (Songs as a whole do, however, but that’s another discussion.) You can even copy the beat if you so desire.
As a side note, in Notessimo there are a lot of songs being created rather quickly. First impressions are everything. So, when building the structure of your song, get to the point early! Let the listener know within the first few seconds why he or she should stick around to listen to the rest of the song. It doesn’t matter how epic the last five minutes of your song are if the listener doesn’t make it through the first thirty seconds.
My biggest point would be: LISTEN TO WHAT YOU WRITE! Figure out what sounds good, and what sounds bad. If you have a sibling, parent, or friend who will listen to what you wrote and give you some quick feedback, that’s a great plus. Listen to what others write. If you hear something that sounds cool, listen to it closely and try to figure out WHY it sounds cool.
Of course, the most important key is to never stop composing. Keep at it, and let time do its thing. You’ll get better eventually.
Sorry there’s not a lot of theory in this, but unfortunately theory is not something I can teach easily over the internet. If you really want to know theory, find a good music teacher. I sure as heck had an excellent music teacher.
Bonus:
The solo in “In My Defense” is really not that complicated. The backing, like the chorus, is a vi-IV-I-V chord progression in the key of F minor.
The first four measures (16 according to Notessimo, because everything has been multiplied x4) follow the F minor pentatonic scale (F, bA, bB, C, bE). Seriously, just those five notes, save for a few outliers that I used to simulate guitar slides. Measures 5-8 follow the scale almost as closely, with a dD in measure 6 (22 in Notessimo) and a G in measure 8 (32).
The second part of the solo runs a similar pattern. It sticks to the F minor pentatonic scale except for a bD here, a G there, and a F minor natural scale somewhere. The third part of the solo is just a lot of crazy arpeggio tapping before running a quick scale (Notessimo measure 92) followed by some more arpeggios to close it out.
That is exactly my problem But i also have complete songs in my head…and i can’t put them down onto the stave
Well for the melody, you could try just experimenting with space to find the correct notes, repeating it in your head over and over. If you feel the notes aren’t right anyway just write them anyway (don’t worry about rhythm) and you can go back see what sounds too high/low.
For the rhythm just tap your foot and divide it up so you can work out each measure separately.
Idk about chords, just work each note separately.
I’m sure with enough practice you can do it.