About a hobby of mine...

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Yogurticecream wrote on 2010-05-25 22:29

I was wondering if I could do something more about this...or if I should keep it as a hobby thing and leave everything chucked away in my secret corner.

I have music (piano) classes, but so far none of it has to do with composing. My sight-reading is still not that great so I have yet to pick up the courage to ask my music teacher anything to do with composing. Also, with previous experiences with music teachers, they tend to shun any of the composing elements in theory and tell me to pick another section, which leaves me really disappointed after that.

For years I have this habit of something recording random melodies off my head on my phone and sometimes converting them to midi files.

None of my family and (few if any of my) friends know about this. I always have this feeling that the songs are odd and I have this sense of embarassment about them...however I enjoy it enough to keep all the files that I've created since 6-7 years ago. I have some personal pride in them, yet I'm kind of sad as to how I can't find required guidance to improve and the right people, even if I have a lot of new ideas.

Why do I say the right people? Most people who I know are musicians but not composers. For all the other local composers works that I've heard, their style is really different. I can learn from them, but that's about it. It's difficult for me to share my ideas. I uploaded my files once to the internet for feedback...it received few replies, only remembered one saying that there are strong music ideas in it and nothing else much of help. Safe to say that all of them are gone by now because I cannot find the thread in the forum that I posted it to - maybe they did a forum wipe. The one other place that one of my old files was still at...had 400 views but no ratings and replies. Mostly the people who I show these lack interest in it. The sole exception was technically a stranger in Mabi (most of my songs can be converted to MML) who was amazed somehow..though he did say a lot of the songs seem incomplete.

I'm sleepy, so that's all for now.
Osayidan wrote on 2010-05-25 22:40

To me music knowledge is like nexon doing a proper maintenance, so can't really help with that stuff. All I can say is to never let anyone stop you from doing things you enjoy. If there's no one to properly help you then try to on your own more seriously than you already have been. Maybe you can come up with your own style, i'm sure that's how a lot of today's common styles began to develop in their earlier days.
Sleeperdial wrote on 2010-05-25 23:18

Post a few of the songs here and you can get a clear cut opinion about them don't worry we've ALL heard worse before.
Skye wrote on 2010-05-25 23:47

Quote from Sleeperdial;44139:
Post a few of the songs here and you can get a clear cut opinion about them don't worry we've ALL heard worse before.

Yeah yeah! :D
I always like hearing what others come up with. It's very interesting. :) Plus, even if you can't get much help on what to do to better your compositions, most of us here will have some kind of input on how to improve them a little bit (if they need it). :3
Chillax wrote on 2010-05-26 02:34

I don't know why you'd be embarassed about your compositions. There's no right or wrong way to write them, unless you were going for a particular style or feeling.
Yogurticecream wrote on 2010-05-26 05:35

4shared.com - online file sharing and storage - download stupidsong_1_1_edit_final.mid

4shared.com - online file sharing and storage - download randomsong1_13_02_2010.mid

4shared.com - online file sharing and storage - download randomsong_22-06-2009_1.mid

All of these don't have proper names.

/digs a hole and buries head in it
Kazuni wrote on 2010-05-26 05:41

^ I couldn't listen because my dad would yell at me for "staying up late" .. like 11pm :srsly?:

But yeah.

I take theory and I finished history last month (finally), and I'm almost done harmony, getting started with counterpoint. I must admit, I suck. But I also get random tunes in my head sometimes. I never write them down, though, I'm not that kind of person. My theory teacher loves old music. He won't teach anything remotely relevant to today when it comes to theory. My piano teacher is more down to earth, but she was going to start teaching me improvising etc when I finished grade 10 piano, which is coming up in two weeks, but also, she's moving to the USA permanently because she got married last summer. Now I have to find a new teacher and hope that they're as good as my current one. :gloom2:
Cucurbita wrote on 2010-05-26 05:47

Its an excellent hobby, and quite possibly a skill which would be highly sought out by many people.
You probably couldn't make a job out of it unless you went ALL out, but your knowledge and experience will make you wanted by many.

My experience in the field is very shallow too, but I AM interested in it and I've looked into it a few times.

Buy a simple Music Theory book and you'll probably learn the essentials for composition. What really helps is to set a theme in your head, imagine a character or setting. Come up with as many details as possible while you create your music.

I listened to your songs.

They're actually not bad at all. You've got talent for this. Pursue it further.
Are you in a School band? I really think you should look into additional instrumentals. Percussion, Brass, Wind, Strings.
Kazuni wrote on 2010-05-26 05:48

Quote from ~~~<@;44521:
Its an excellent hobby, and quite possibly a skill which would be highly sought out by many people.
You probably couldn't make a job out of it unless you went ALL out, but your knowledge and experience will make you wanted by many.

My experience in the field is very shallow too, but I AM interested in it and I've looked into it a few times.

Buy a simple Music Theory book and you'll probably learn the essentials for composition. What really helps is to set a theme in your head, imagine a character or setting. Come up with as many details as possible while you create your music.

I listened to your songs.

They're actually not bad at all. You've got talent for this. Pursue it further.
Are you in a School band? I really think you should look into additional instrumentals. Percussion, Brass, Wind, Strings.

Ahh now you made me curious.

*impatiently waits through the 20 second delays*

*edit. Ooh I just listened to the first one. It's really good! :spit:

Kay now you made me jealous.
*buys blank music score book*

.. I'll be finished in a couple weeks.
Cucurbita wrote on 2010-05-26 05:56

I usually rewrite songs or remix them for practice.

I'm no good with original.
Yogurticecream wrote on 2010-05-26 06:27

Thanks.

I'm not in school now. Should be in next month if everything goes to plan.
I intend to join music club over there.

So about Percussion, Brass, Wind, Strings...is there a place online where I can learn more about these?
I will google it as a last resort. I have a basic theory book but it leans more towards the piano side.
Cucurbita wrote on 2010-05-26 07:01

Quote from Yogurticecream;44555:
Thanks.

I'm not in school now. Should be in next month if everything goes to plan.
I intend to join music club over there.

So about Percussion, Brass, Wind, Strings...is there a place online where I can learn more about these?
I will google it as a last resort. I have a basic theory book but it leans more towards the piano side.

Listening is the best place to learn.

Also, get headphones. Good ones (earbuds). You'll really be able to pick up many instrumentals you would have never noticed with regular quality speakers.

And while I don't want to have to do this, try listening to arranges from the IaMP track.

Zun has some amazing percussion and brass going on in this song.

Brass at 0:30~0:40 and 1:45~2:02
Awesome Violin solo at 3:16~3:31

[video=youtube;eE1n3_EuwxI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE1n3_EuwxI[/video]

One instrument + percussion in this one.

[video=youtube;yaglS2ZNElM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaglS2ZNElM[/video]

Amazing String.

[video=youtube;Q86blJspXmE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q86blJspXmE[/video]

Yeah, I'm big on contemporary and classical music literature, but recently I've been on the edge with Zun's compositions.

Also, my favorite instrument ever is the Bassoon.

It plays at 2:26~2:52 accompanying the flute. Its awesome.

[video=youtube;NJ9ytDXXPkk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ9ytDXXPkk[/video]

Its clearly not an instrument made primarily for melody, but provides spectacular background tones for support.

[video=youtube;CZ1Nz3UOOas]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ1Nz3UOOas[/video]

[video=youtube;2gXh83hNnWw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gXh83hNnWw[/video]

/shameless bassoon promotion.

I used to play Saxophone. I got pretty good at it but I don't have any recordings of when I actually became decent.
While I was still learning I recorded this.

[video=youtube;06ji7kPHGyw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06ji7kPHGyw[/video]
Virtue wrote on 2010-05-26 10:56

At what level do you want to compose and how old are you? One of my best friends is going into the professional composer circuit.

How is your current music theory level?

If you have questions, I'll pass them through to him.
Yogurticecream wrote on 2010-05-26 17:58

Well... I'm still at the stage of deciding and learning.
Even though I have up to grade 5 ABRSM theory I'm really rusty at it by now. I need to brush up on skills.
I'll PM you anything if there's something I need to ask, thanks.

@kitae: I'll listen to those some time later.