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Negoba View Drop Down
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Points: 5210 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Programs for a Novice Writer
    Posted: January 30 2009 at 10:18
It depends what you mean by writing music frankly. Do you play an instrument? Do you sing?
 
the simplest is just using a microrecorder. you can go from very simple to very complex.
 
BTW, I don't think it's snobbery to say that using important tools makes the job easier. I can dig a hole with my hands, but a shovel makes the job alot easier. But that's been discussed ad nauseum here and is a frequent subject on songwriting sites.
 
BTW, try the songwriting site the Muse's Muse, they're very welcoming to beginners there. I used to be a regular.
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Points: 7 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 29 2009 at 17:00
The only stuff I actually 'write' down are lyrics - everything else goes in a pocket digi recorder or into my PC via Sonar.
 
If you're after software recommendations, Garage Band gets alot of mentions (although I've never used it myself) and then of course there are the usual suspects - ProTools, Cubase, Sonar and the Mac one (can't remember what it's called).
 
I don't read music and don't believe you need to to write interesting songs. I've found that typically the music that 'learned folk' write is almost mathematical...often noting on songwriting forums "I just can't get out of my usual I-V-VI-V chord progression".
 
There are a million ways to write just one song - just crack on with it and have fun. If you enjoy the process it doesn't matter whether it's sh*te or awesome...it's the journey not the destination that counts.
 
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Points: 21 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 29 2009 at 09:07
I'll give a 4th vote for Guitar pro and using it needn't exclude you from learning music theory. In fact if you actually play guitar it can help you make sense of music theory when you're playing the guitar. If this makes sense I hope it helps.
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Points: 2551 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 22 2009 at 19:00
Originally posted by p0mt3 p0mt3 wrote:

^ Exactly. So there you have it: two votes for guitar pro.



Make that 3 votes. I've been playing guitar/drums for 2 in a half years now and can't write or read music so I find GP very useful specially for reminding my self things that I play or have in my mind.


Edited by burritounit - January 22 2009 at 19:03
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Points: 32566 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 22 2009 at 18:38
Originally posted by Trademark Trademark wrote:

The lengths people will go to to avoid learning music notation are often far more work than just taking a class or two at the local community college would ever be.   I want to be a brain surgeon.  Are there any short cut computer programs I can use to avoid going to medical school?  

The print notation that comes out of programs like guitar pro is crap, but you wouldn't know that because you haven't learned anything by using the software.

You will never, ever be sorry if you actually learn something about the music you love.  If you want to do music, learn it.  If you don't have the desire to learn it, do something else, like watching TV.  it's much easier.


No offense, really, (and this is by no means directed at you) but I never cared for the "I can read music" snobbery.  I was subjected to it far too long.  I sometimes use guitar pro, but never their standard notation.  I can read melodies, but it wasn't always that way.

I know so many creative and inventive musicians who can't read music, but make some of the most amazing.  If you can play by ear, that's generally good enough for most business (but again, reading music is a valuable tool).  Still, I know people who can play nothing but what is written in front of them.
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Points: 29630 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 22 2009 at 10:18
I suspect if do have a lot of interesting music and lyrics floating around in your head that any program is  probably going to turn out boring and take a lot of work before you can crank out anything useful.  I dabbled a little with some formal music learning here and there and just got bored.

For me the most fun with creating music I have is just getting alone (where I can't embarrass myself) with an instrument and just improvising.  Of course this hasn't lead to any coherent songs, but it's a hell of a lot of fun. 

Then there's always those guitar hero type programs.  I really don't "get" those.  
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Points: 1009 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 22 2009 at 08:49
The lengths people will go to to avoid learning music notation are often far more work than just taking a class or two at the local community college would ever be.   I want to be a brain surgeon.  Are there any short cut computer programs I can use to avoid going to medical school?  

The print notation that comes out of programs like guitar pro is crap, but you wouldn't know that because you haven't learned anything by using the software.

You will never, ever be sorry if you actually learn something about the music you love.  If you want to do music, learn it.  If you don't have the desire to learn it, do something else, like watching TV.  it's much easier.


Edited by Trademark - January 22 2009 at 08:51
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JLocke View Drop Down
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Points: 4900 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 20 2009 at 17:46
^ Exactly. So there you have it: two votes for guitar pro.
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Points: 32566 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 20 2009 at 17:42
When I was a young, young fellow who had recently picked up a guitar, I found this program extremely helpful, and sometimes still do:

http://www.guitar-pro.com/en/index.php
https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays
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Points: 4900 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 20 2009 at 17:37
For someone like me who is 98% self-taught, music theory and all of that jazz doesn't help me. Do you play any instruments? See, the way I write music involves me finding all the notes on my guitar, then using writing software on my computer such as Guitar Pro to then flesh the song out and give it structure. You can then either print of the composition as sheet music and find people who are willing to play the song for you, or record yourself playing it. Either way, at least a basic knowledge of playing an instrument would be invaluable. Otherwise you're gonna have to learn music theory.
 
My opinion.
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Points: 37575 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 17 2009 at 08:01

Not sure how much of a novice you are, or how much you know of music notation, so I don't fully understand what you are looking for, but here are a couple of older threads on the subject:

How Do You Compose

Writing Music

 
 
What?
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Points: 4335 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 17 2009 at 01:20
Have all kinds of lyrics and songs stuck in my head but I have absolutely no knowledge when it comes to writing the actual music down.  Wasn't sure if this is where i should post this but I figured someone here would know if there are any good computer programs out there that guide you through the writing process.  Need to be able to find the notes to match what's going on in my head.  Short of splitting my head open and splashing my brains about a blank page of sheet music what can I do? Confused


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