Music Composition Help
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You are currently reading a thread in /mu/ - Music
You are currently reading a thread in /mu/ - Music
Hey, /mu/. Complete idiot here.
Ever since I was young I wanted to transcribe my internal music, but I simply don't know how, I was never taught an instrument and can not read a sheet to save my life. I want to change that, but I don't have an inkling where to begin. Does anyone have any books/lectures/videos that can help me pave my way to complete understanding of notation, and perhaps beyond that? Thank you in advance.
>>64178190
Almost any book about basic music theory will help you.
>>64178206
Any one you liked in particular?
http://www.monarchknights.com/teacherwebpages/halladay/documents/BasicMusicTheory1ed_000.pdf
>>64178190
just use piano rolls of software like FL studio etc., much easier and faster than old fashioned notes.
Plus, for real-time playback of your notes you can use the best vst instruments possible, a whole orchestra if you want
Music notation is pretty much obsolete in this day and age. I mean, it's not totally worthless, but it's just unnecessary with the technology we have now. Download a DAW, torrent some VST's, find the sounds you're hearing, and fill in the midi. There you go, you composed the music you're hearing without even playing an instrument.
>>64178558
>Music notation is pretty much obsolete in this day and age
nah, it serves the same purpose it has always served: getting real players to play music.
If your music doesn't involve doing this, its fine, but there is still an entire world that uses notation; from game and film soundtracks, to producers for bands who want a string quartet to play on their album, through to professional composers writing for the concert hall.
While sample libraries are pretty good these days, they still dont compare to real players. They may be cheaper to use, and easier to use, but in the end you just dont get the same sound as a real orchestra. You wouldn't use a VST guitar, so why would you use a VST orchestra?
Often amateur composers "make do", especially game composers, with VST libraries, but if you do a professional game soundtrack for a AAA game tomorrow, you will be expected to work with live orchestras. Its a prerequisite of being a composer: to be able to write for live classical players without issue.
Scores also serve an excellent teaching device. You can study the scores of the master composers, and work out how they achieve certain sounds, or see how their harmony and counterpoint works. There is almost no way to write a good sounding fugue without examining Bach fugues, for example. And looking at Mahler or Tchaikovsky scores will give you some great tools to use for writing lush romantic scores.
>>64178190
University / College. Its the best way, they start you from the start, and work you through to high level understanding. Everyone there knows what they're talking about, and are happy to answer questions, or do 1 on 1 tutor time or have a look at your pieces. Plus you learn with a whole bunch of other people so you can organize study groups if there's something you'r having trouble grasping.
This is the best way, and gives you a historical background for why music is the way it is, and how it developed since the 15th centuries.
>>64178874
>While sample libraries are pretty good these days, they still dont compare to real players
This is partially true, but there is some serious delusion here, even professional composers sometimes can't afford a performance of their works by real life musicians. This is misleading since OP is not a megalomaniac, unlike you, perhaps.
>You wouldn't use a VST guitar
Why not? Really?
>but if you do a professional game soundtrack for a AAA game tomorrow, you will be expected to work with live orchestras.
Utter nonsense, many professionals use HQ libraries.
Stop fooling OP with your pretentious words, he's probably not a genius and will not work with London Symphony tomorrow, all he wants to do is just express himself, and a good DAW with good plugins will do, it will be perfectly enough for him.
>>64178190
this little game will help you recognize notes faster. but in order to play it you must be able to figure out any note on the grand staff even if it takes you a while
>>64179243
forgot link https://www.musictheory.net/exercises/note
>>64179081
>You wouldn't use a VST guitar
>Why not?
have you heard a VST guitar compared to a real guitar? there's your answer.
There's nothing "megalomanic" or "pretentious" about using real performers. Its the industry standard for films and games since about 2005.
VST plugins are fine for starting out composers, and like I said, even some professional composers "make do" with them. The main purpose of that part of my post was to show that notation is far from obsolete.
OPs question was about notation, but really he could capture ideas without it. Notation purely serves as an intermediary to live performers, and as a learning tool from every score ever written.
If a composer doesn't want to use live performers, that's fine, the quality of their music will suffer, and they'll be seen as an "amateur", but they can still scrape by with tv work or low budget games.
>>64179081
>OP please follow my cult instead of this guys OTHER cult
Music theory for dummies and a 49 key kids toy keyboard
Maybe a copy of ableton live if u wanna go crazy but my boy made sone shit beat with fruity loops and people bump it in the club.
I. Taught myself music with that book and some youtube tutorials about a year ago and now im fronting a touring band in California. If anyone asks just say youve been playing since you were a baby (in your head) but leave the last bit out.
This shit is good to start with as an intro:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZr5k1_9Dds
>>64179382
>Music theory for dummies
I can confirm this is a very good book and does what it says on the cover pretty well.
