Starting out in MIDI composition

[1coyote]

Aaarrrggghhh! This field is overwhelming for a newcomer, what with the plethora of hardware/software selections, not to mention the infinite possiblities as to what to do with just a few of them. I'm fascinated wtih the creative possibilities of digital music, but find the choices rather overwhelming as to where I should start. Any good overview books, videos, online introductions to the fascinating field? Tons of piano, guitar stuff, but haven't run across anything which takes it to the next digital level of keyboards/synthesisers/sound generators/sequencers. I have a keyboard (Yamaha PSR-540) and sequencer (XG-Works) but would like some guidance in starting. HELP!!

[Dave Bryce]

Okay, first of all, breathe...in through the nose, out through the mouth... http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif

 

The first thing that you need to do is tell us a little bit more about what you want to do specifically...let's start with what kind of music you want to make. Do you like to record old blues tunes? Do dance remixes? Orchestral composition?

 

Next, once we know what you want to do, we may suggest some equipment changes...having the right tools is a major key, and that PSR may not do what you want.

 

If you want reading materials, there are lots of books on lots of subjects - can you be more specific on what it is that you want to learn? Theory? Use of synths? Recording production skills and techniques? MIDI basics?

 

I believe that one of the best ways to learn is to get the right toys, turn 'em on and start playing with them. Ask the questions as you go...it's kind of like getting a big fat intimidating instruction manual - you can read it end to end and be overwhelmed by the endless possibilities all at once, or you can just try and use the equipment and use the book as a reference manual when you get stuck. I prefer the latter - your mileage may vary.

 

dB

[1coyote]

Breathing. Ah, hadn't thot about that. Feels better already.

 

My musical interest could probably be described as new age orchestral, maybe something like Enya without the words.

 

And what I would like to study is more along the lines of technique and what/how-to rather than theory. First, what belongs on the basic palette (types of tracks?), then how to use the software (sequencer?) to layer them up.

 

And maybe if there's a collection of compositions out there that could be reverse engineered to find out how they got there. Of course, a guide would help here.

 

And as you say, having the right (but not too expensive) toys is a good start to play! I was thinking of using my PSR keyboard for the time being, maybe in conjuction with some hot-shot MIDI sound card doubling as inboard tone generator for openers.

 

Your comments thus far sound very sensible. Thanks!

[Dave Bryce]

My musical interest could probably be described as new age orchestral, maybe something like Enya without the words.

 

As you play through the sounds in your Yamaha, do you feel that it has the timbral palette that you need to do that? Trust your gut - what does it think?

 

And what I would like to study is more along the lines of technique and what/how-to rather than theory. First, what belongs on the basic palette (types of tracks?), then how to use the software (sequencer?) to layer them up.

 

Unfortunately, although instruction on the mechanics of each of the available software sequencers is available, I'm not really aware of any specific how-to's for the sort of compositional methodology that you seek...everyone has their own method(s).

 

One way is to lay down a scratch piano track and then dress it up, maybe even taking the piano track out when you're done with it. Another common method is to lay down a drum groove, then a bass line, then go wherever the tune takes you. Or, find a patch that inspires you to play a lick, then write around that.

 

There's lots of ways. None is right. That's what I meant in the last post about experience being the best teacher. Play with the stuff - experiment...don't worry about doing the wrong thing...as long as you don't offend your own ears, you should be fine.

 

Feel free to start a thread soliciting forum members compositional tips and tricks...that's why we're here.

 

And maybe if there's a collection of compositions out there that could be reverse engineered to find out how they got there. Of course, a guide would help here.

 

There's tons. Pick a band, go to a search engine and type in that bands name and MIDIs (e.g. Genesis and MIDIs). You'll probably get a bunch of links that will take you to sites where you can download bunches of General MIDI files that you cabn disassemble. Some are good, many suck, most are pretty mechanical, but it'll still help.

 

And as you say, having the right (but not too expensive) toys is a good start to play! I was thinking of using my PSR keyboard for the time being, maybe in conjuction with some hot-shot MIDI sound card doubling as inboard tone generator for openers.

 

See my first response.

 

Hope that helps.

 

dB

[dansouth]

Before you look for a pot of gold at the end of the MIDI rainbow, consider whether you need to brush up on music theory. Do you understand different types of scales: major, natural minor, harmonic minor, melodic minor, chromatic? Do you understand chord structures: major, minor, 7th, minor 7th, major 7th, diminished, half-diminished, augmented? Do you understand rhythms, beats, measures, subdivisions of beats, accents? Do you understand trypical harmonic cadences, such as ii-V-I, IV-V-I, IV-I (a-men)?

 

Regardless of whether you compose music on a computer, on paper, on an instrument, or in any combination, you are going to use the same set of MUSICAL tools. You don't have to learn all of them all at once, just as you don't need to learn everything about MIDI, synthesizers, recording, and signal processing all at once to write and record a song. But you need to make it a point to figure some of this stuff out if you want to make something other than a bunch of noise.

 

Here's something for you to try. Find a soft string or pad sound and play these chords slowly (two slow counts each, four for the last chord) on your keyboard and think about how it sounds. If you don't know what notes compose each chord, try to figure it out. It will be a good exercise. If you get stumped, I'll help you out. Ready? Here it comes:

 

Am F C G

Am F Em C

Am F C G

F Em Am (hold the last chord a little longer)

 

Try to figure out why it sounds the way it does. How would it sound if you changed the sequence? changed the key? changed one or more of the chords? play it in different octaves? Can you come up with something similar that's not quite the same? These are the puzzles that a composer grapples with, and MIDI won't solve them. Only your ear and your knowledge of the inner workings of music will.

[Steve44]

Dan,

 

Funny... when I think about playing New-Age style stuff on pads I tend to play Major Sevenths and Lydian chords in slightly bi-tonal contexts.. When I saw your post I thought, oh yeah.. I can do those silly chords.. but would I want to? Then I played them and realized it still sounded pretty good. I guess when you use a Tangerine Dream-style pad patch like I was it doesn't mattter so much... both tonal progressions and extended tonal progressions have their place...

[Jim Aikin]

Originally posted by 1coyote:

What I would like to study is more along the lines of technique and what/how-to rather than theory. First, what belongs on the basic palette (types of tracks?), then how to use the software (sequencer?) to layer them up.

 

You can go a long, long way using a very simple method:

 

Begin. Then continue.

 

I'm not being facetious. While there are certainly lots of tried and true techniques in orchestration (see if you can scare up a copy of the December issue of Keyboard), there are no rules. Record a track, layer it with something else, decide if you like it, layer a third thing, and so on. By the time you've recorded a couple of dozen tunes this way, you should have some rough ideas about what works for your musical taste.

 

The next step is, perhaps, to listen to some records you like and try to duplicate the arrangements. Get analytical: What is the bass line doing? How are the chords voiced? What is the structure of the tune? What kinds of percussion sounds are you hearing?

 

By definition, if you can't hear it on the CD, it isn't important. If you can hear it, you can dissect it and learn from it.

 

--Jim Aikin

[dansouth]

Steve,

 

Sometimes simple is best. I've been listening to a lot of Latin music in recent years, and it's all triads, even on the dominant. Yet it sounds really full and complex when you get all of the rhythms and accents going.

 

The chords that I listed are from a song that Coyote will recognize. I just want to give him/her a chance to play it and try to recognize the source before I get specific. Jim's advice is great - get started and don't stop.