Strays Dave

I'm watching a YouTube tutorial on copyrighting songs, uploading the file , etc. The guy says NOT to use Chrome , but this video is from 2015. So I Googled and couldn't find a definitive (or even a vague) answer. Anyone know ? The video

I'm one of those common animals - a rookie recorder. I'm looking to avoid some of those common errors and possibly implement some recommended tips. I've been working on doing some songwriting for a few months. Now, the next step. I puttered with doing some recording on my MBP and Focusrite yesterday. I searched for Craig's inSync article but didn't find it. I'll start my own thread soon with some specific questions. It's nice to have the expertise in this forum available for the asking. Cheers

I identify as a musical omnivore. My musical holy trinity is (in no particular order) Ellingtonia (approx 1940-1970) / The Beatles / and Keith Jarrett's 1970's quartets (both American and European). I play (and sing) blues and rock. I consider much of my favorite rock music as just blues dressed up in a suit. I play/sing some of the Great American Songbook (examples: Old Man River, Stardust, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes) - using harmonic voice leading in classic jazz harmony fashion. But I also sight read thru a variety of Bach's preludes and fugues (Well Tempered Clavier) - slowly and without all the trills and ornaments. I also enjoy playing many Beatles songs. "Helter Skelter" and "Everybody Has Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey" for example. Yesterday on a walk I listened to some (Hendrix) Electric Ladyland followed by some Carl Perkins Sun Studio recordings. I'm puzzled by how or why some people wall themselves in stylistically. Of course for some, maybe there's a cultural identity component that outweighs the actual components that make the music. Possibly. I'm not necessarily bound to trying to recreate a carbon copy of whatever I'm playing. Duke Ellington and his band played many of his popular songs many times over and over thru the years. But they changed and rearranged them. Duke changed his music and said he viewed his music as in a state of "becoming" - never settling on a final version. Also listening to Beatles rehearsals, they tried different ideas. I've only been writing/composing consistently for the last couple of years. But I try to write music that I hope is catchy but not cliche sounding. Lyrically though, it often takes shape through a distillation process. My current song (in progress) started with trying to concoct a specific number of syllables to fit a bluesy melodic phrase. I ended up with "A cuppa hot fresh coffee with cream and sugar". Often for me it's a matter of trying to match a number of syllables with a melody - or I may have to modify the melody. Very often the theme or point of the lyrics takes shape from some random phase like the "coffee" line. Some song attempts never take off. The Beatles are my biggest source of inspiration. But not necessarily trying to sound like them - more taking inspiration from their creative process. Also another source of inspiration were words by Igor Stravinsky. In Poetics of Music he said (as I recall - paraphrased) "A composer improvises aimlessly at the piano the way an animal grubs in the dirt for roots. They both yield to a temptation to seek things out". He also said something about recognizing "accidents" and making note of them for future reference. This was the musical mind that gave us "Rites of Spring" around 1913. John Lennon and Billy Preston fleshing out "I Want You (She's So Heavy". [video:youtube]

I have an iPad Pro 11 inch 256 GB and an Apple Pencil 2. Just a year old. Just a couple of weeks ago I (carefully) applied a screen "film" called Paperlike. Using an app called Goodnotes 5, I'm now (very happily) able to notate music on the iPad as a paper substitute. No MIDI. But with the benefits of copying and pasting (also easily making erasures and rewrites) - not having to recopy music by hand. A high tech solution to my low tech need. The only other thing I'm currently using the iPad Pro for at the moment is to listen to YouTube videos in bed before getting sleepy and dropping off. I'm more of a Windows user although I bought a used MBP recently to use for recording.

Well. I've recorded the 6 songs as mp3's. And converted them to mono. The 6 songs are around 9 minutes. The mono mp3 file is 8,748 KB and the PDF of the notated sheet music is 10,140 KB. I will watch the tutorial a couple of times before attempting the online submission. Thanks for the tips and advice. After this my next efforts will be toward recording with arrangements and such. I will start a thread with that topic - and of course questions.

I nervously installed a sheet of Paperlike on my iPad Pro today. I'm hoping this makes the iPad a decent paper-substitute. But, regarding the Copyrighting process. I'm getting myself motivated to record the 6 songs for the application submission . I'll record them in the same sequence as the scanned sheet music of course. But as for recording them for (what I figure is only) illustration purposes, I'll only need to run thru from beginning to end...no consideration for an arrangement with repeated sections right ?

Thanks MBKeys for your information. I just now purchased Ashampoo PDF Pro 2, and successfully deleted the extra page. In my searching and researching based on your advice, I also learned there is a "Paperlike" screen protector for the iPad. I'm going to order one and give another try to editing PDF files for music notation purposes. Possibly the Goodnotes app may have some promise. Thanks again.

My question at this point: 1) do I have to completely rescan my music documents to correct an extra page scanned ? I'll be recording the songs to an mp3 audio file in the same sequence as the PDF. I'm sure I'll have another question or three as I make progress. My recent experiences... I'm in the process of getting my submitted scanned PDF prepared to submit for copyright. I have 6 songs which I recopied (by hand on music score paper) with pages per song. I notated every song, most with specific chord voicings and melodic rhythm notated. A couple with only a lyric, melody (notated) and chord symbols. While scanning one of the songs, I mistakenly scanned page 2 first - but then scanned page 1 and 2 correctly. This leaves an extra page in the PDF file. I'll be recording one continuous mp3 audio file - playing the piano and singing the songs. I still wish there were graphics-only software for notating music WITHOUT all the MIDI capabilities. This would allow me (or anyone else) to create and later edit these simple scores without recopying everything by hand - but without running into dead ends from violating notation rules and laws. Sometimes the notations are similar to cue cards. Sometimes only a simile melody, lyrics and chord names are needed. But sometimes a specific "hook" has been designed/composed - and would benefit from complete (bass and treble staff) notation with rhythm. I feel that there should be apps to accommodate both situations in the same notated score. I may make a mock-up of what I'd like to see. Anyway..... For anyone interested, a YT about copyrighting: As always, thanks for insights and info David

A lot to chew on. First I'll mention I'm not against electric instruments. Probably more against volume for the sake of volume. I have Electric Ladyland on my phone and listen sometimes on walks. But in my living room with a jazz guitar player who's just grown accustomed to playing loudly - to me at least. Anyhoo... My real concern in my immediate musical project life is to do whatever heavy lifting is needed to achieve copyrights on songs. I'm thinking a new thread is called for like Craig said. So all I'll say is that from your (Kuru's) comment about a single mp3 audio file in mono is best AND that a single document (maybe a PDF?) would mean to me: 1) record all of my songs (I think 7) in succession and the Wave file converted and saved to a mono mp3. The file may end up being 12-15 minutes long. So maybe record as an mp3 ? 2) All of the lyrics scanned (my printer doubles as a scanner) as one continuous PDF file. I think maybe I should start 2 new threads. 1) Copyrighting the songs, and 2) doing a homemade album . I think in the near term I should begin efforts to record the homemade album on my own - without my projected scheme. It'll be a good while before someone will be coming into my house. I can work on getting ideas for grooves/arrangements for specific songs. And recording some of the ideas. And I can ask for advice from the knowledge hive here on this forum. And if I'm thinking of these things, others are others thinking of some of these things ? Ponderings. Thanks for advice. Kuru and Craig. And PinkKramer.

It sounds like we are on similar tracks. I'm more of an acoustic oriented animal. I love and play plenty of R&R and blues, but on piano. But in the last 4-5 years my left hand has become a fairly competent bass player. So my idea for an album is the piano any my voice on 2 tracks - blended together (I realize they'll be glued together) and played and recorded together in real time - a cajon (with a bass port on the bottom - a Meinl) and maybe a pair of bongos (on a stand). No sticks - brushes or conga thingies (see my photo below). And then.....my idea is to record in my living room. A human playing basic percussion. For drums/percussion I figure I only need a good back beat with some "flams" (whatever percussion term) on the 2's and 4's. I have a variety of brush things and so on. So - record in real time - me and a pared-down drummer. Then take those 3 or 4 tracks and later on play with and add parts as I see fit. Experiment with arrangement details. Try to apply what I've listened to from my Beatles brethren over several decades of my life. Now....I live in Orlando. So there are some Full Sail dudes here and there. There's also a much cheaper program at the local Valencia State College - a competing public education options with a great audio program. So I figure I might get a guy who works at Sam Ash or Guitar Center to come record in my living room. All practiced and rehearsed up with the drummer. Record in maybe 3-4 hours. I've actually written some songs in the last couple years. My theory is that if I'm playing a restaurant/bar gig in the future (I'm currently playing 8 "dates" per month at old folks homes - before the plague hit) and someone has several drinks and asks "do you have a CD for sale" - I wanna have one. Or 2 (Kuru). Now I realize the CD's are obsolete. The players have disappeared from cars. And after CD's have been wiped out, they'll eventually be cool again. And the more difficult they are to actually play (due to the wipe out of CD players) the cooler. And people will start saying that you can hear details blah blah blah. Oh and while I'm at it Kuru. What's the deal on copyrighting ? Maybe another different thread. I'm afraid to make anything public and get screwed over. I understand that the snowball's chance in hell that anyone notices anything I do, but I have a politically topical song for instance. I wanna put it on YouTube but I'm afraid to before I've protected myself. I know I can Google this - but it's for me about the same as reading income tax instructions - pure drudgery. So do I need to submit a lead sheet or simply a recording and some lyrics. This is directed to Kuru and I know I've strayed from the point of the thread. Moderator please move it if called for. A photo of my percussion stuff https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3ui9JUkGl5FWENDcmx2bktucEZGXzZZUDllZkR2WXpkZGs4

Thanks for the encouragement Kuru and PinkFloydCramer. I may have some questions to post when I'm further along. My recordings are all acoustic - recorded with mics. I don't want to use loops or virtual instruments. My piano is a Yamaha F01 (high end Clavinova maybe 8 model years old - I bought new 4 years ago) that sounds authentically acoustic to my ears. With GarageBand I record it with a Rode NT4 (with 2 capsules configured X/Y). I've been able to record my voice and the piano together when positioning the mic in a good spot. I could go on about my situation, but don't want to pollute this thread with extraneous stuff. I'll probably post a question or two later, relating to my specific situation. My current goal is to do an "album". I know , what else is new ?

Thanks Joe, for your advice. I don't think I'd have stumbled on this without your specifics. I was able on my MBP to drag specific ripped songs to the iCloud and then "pick" the files (songs) to load onto the iPad Pro. It will be interesting to discover whether the Apple cable that Apple support is sending works also. But yes, your method works. Thanks.

Thanks for the suggestions - each of you (Kuru - I'm going to have to try that transferring app) . I purchased an iPad app (iOS app ?) called AnyTune Pro. It's for slowing down music for listening - I'm thinking possibly for listening to John Coltrane in his last years, or maybe some Keith Jarrett quartet playing in the 70's. Things that go by too fast to discern specifics. I was told by Apple support I'd have to transfer my ripped mp3's via a cable. When I go into the AnyTune Pro app, I'm unable to find a way to access music in my iCloud. The problem has been that when I get the to the appropriate screen (with USB to USB-C cable connecting the MBP and iPad) and and go the Sync the two (attempting to click and drag the ripped CD) the iPad disappears from the MBP Finder screen. I went thru several tech support people and got escalated up to a higher person. The last tech support guy I spoke with said this is the first time someone has had this problem. Since I only have this one USB to USB-C cable, he said he's sending me a cable. My MBP is from mid-2015. I have no idea if the cable will fix the problem. I'm new to the Mac/Apple ecosystem (still have an Android phone and Windows computers). But I'm impressed with the customer support efforts. I purchased this refurb from Mac-Of-All-Trades and bought the 2 year warranty. I'm wondering if this has entitled me to such support efforts.

I want/need to transfer a few CD's I ripped - from my MacBook Pro via cable to my iPad Pro. I couldn't do it, so called Apple support. They were very nice, polite and patient. But I probably spent almost 3 hours and 3 different support techs. At the end, the guy said he needed to put me on hold for a minute...then I got that dial tone of death and lost the call. I guess this is maybe a Catelina related thing. I guess I should call them tomorrow morning with the case#. But I hate this sort of drudgery.

I have recently gone to the Apple side with a MacBook Pro and a Focusrite 2i4 (IIRC). I just fool around and need to learn a whole lot more. I don't even know how to edit the wave things. I'm pretty non-tech but Garageband seems pretty friendly. I just need to use it more often. My pleasure is sitting at the piano, playing , singing sometimes, writing/notating music sometimes. I'm just not drawn to practicing with the DAW. But I have to change my ways.

I'm a huge Beatles fan also. I've even started a "religion" I've named Beatlianism. And I'm a Beatlian. My religion is sonically based. One practices it by simply engaging in focused listening to Beatles recordings (sorry, no Wings). The focused, critical listening can be to Paul's inventive bass lines, their always wonderful vocal harmonies, a counter-melody line George is playing. In other words - details in the recordings. I figure all religions were invented by someone and figure if the recordings aren't destroyed , this religion can continue if the word spreads over time. And by the way, my religion was invented before the recent movie, "Yesterday". I have the Hal Leonard published "Beatles Fake Book" and play thru Beatles songs when the spirit moves me. Sometimes I like to use what I think of as the "jazz ethos" and put my personal spin on the arrangement. I was doing this yesterday with "It Won't Be Long". As practice using GarageBand I may add some other parts. It Won't Be Long https://drive.google.com/open?id=14b1jZVO4CJDqEu3jH7Vz--6R_p30d3Xp

I was successful following your advice on "Export to Disk". I tried exporting to my external Samsung T5 SSD - but then I couldn't find the mp3 file on the Samsung - but that's a different problem. When I used my iCloud drive , I was able to easily find the converted mp3 file to share via an email. Thanks for the input(s) and advice from everyone.

Well I made some progress today. I've not been fooling with Garageband for a week or two. But today I recorded something to play around with (a reggaeish Here Comes The Sun). So then I did a bit of Googling and YouTubing to get some hints. I'm new to the Mac world. But I was able from my Google Drive to see my Garageband files. But when I upload a file to the Google drive it shows as a ****whatever name***band.zip So I'm guessing I'm uploading a whole project and maybe need to figure out how to convert to just an mp3. Thanks for the input. I'm used to the Google drive and will probably subscribe for the $2 per month. I'll cancel the Apple drive.

Thanks for the tip Kuru. I'm also going to have to do some experimenting with the Mac ant Google. I'm so accustomed to the Windows world.

I was under an impression that I'd have extra difficulty using my Google Drive in the Apple ecosystem. My 15 GB Google Drive is 85% full and I didn't want to have two subscriptions. And I like using it to share things. Often demo recordings and photos of lyrics I'm writing. I don't really care about iCloud for photos and such. So can I use my MacBook and iPad with my Google drive easily ? Pardon my ignorance.

2 things I wanted to use the iCloud for: 1) I ripped 3 CD's onto my MacBook pro. Then I purchased an app to "slow down" music - for analytical listening. Then I subscribed to the 50 GB iCloud. I wanted to upload the ripped CD's into my iCloud to access from my iPad Pro and listen with headphones. 2) I also wanted to be able to share (with friends) a link to an mp3 file I recorded. I've done this for several years with my Google drive. I called Apple support and (after she checked with her supervisor) was told that I will have to connect my iPad to my MacBook via a cable and move the ripped CD's onto the iPad. Regarding sharing the music I recorded via an mp3 file, I have to buy another app. So if I can't use the iCloud for my musical needs, why again is the Apple cloud so advantageous for musicians ? I'm hoping to begin recording some songs I've been writing - in the future using Garageband. This makes me wonder what other issues are in store.

One in studio concert that I stumbled on a year or two ago is "The Homewood Sessions" . Recorded in an L.A. TV studio over a period of several hours. I love the 1970 hippie vibe. And someone named Sweet Emily who was a fixture in a Tulsa music scene (I think she was making a pie during the filming). This was when I was a big fan of Leon's piano playing. The Homewood Sessions (Leon Russell) A documentary on Chet Baker, cool jazz trumpeter and vocal crooner. Let's Get Lost (Chet Baker)

Some of my freethinker friends and I often attend a local open mic night - which of course was cancelled. One of us dreamed up an open mic FacTime withing our little clic. So we did it last night. Four of us played for the others, one at a time. The audio quality was bad, but it was a social connection. We enjoyed it. This coming Sunday we have a monthly coffee meetup that's going to be done on Zoom this coming Sunday. As for my normal Saturday morning chess meetup with my friend. I suggested we meet at a local wooded park (Mead Gardens Winter Park FL) with portable chairs and sit a suitable distance and have a chat. My normal gigs are playing for old folks in ALFs. Fortunately for me I'm retired and it's extra income. Another guy I know is 68 and makes very little Soc Sec income from his lifetime of gigging. The ALFs are a huge part of his living.

I have a friend who told me that after his recent iPhone update, about 200 songs have disappeared from his phone. When I asked him about progress with the problem he said he's so upset about it that he's dragging his feet in resolving it. He said he has the songs in his iCloud. I have about 130 of my ripped CD's on my Android phone. I think I'd be livid if an update deleted them.

Stretching notes was sort of a core stylistic thing that Johnny Hodges (with Duke Ellington) used. I love his style. And watching this "Sunny Side of the Street" I enjoyed Ellington's fills on the piano. Great style. Now that I think about it I guess stretching notes is a horn thing in general. I still love the way Johnny Hodges does it. [video:youtube]