The struggle of Gps learning music and sheetmusic

[Gps]

Progress. But prob no reggae drum-rolls yet.

I made a few transitions. A few extra hits in de piano roll.
I am not using the beat and bassline editor in this track, which seems easier.

[Gps]

I added two toms, so now I have three.This seems to be the direction, to reggae like drum mini rolls ( and transitions)
At the start, of johhny be good, I noticed the drummer, go from left to right over his drumset.

Not having a clue, on how to do that in lmms, while going through the presets, noticed the three tom sounds, hi low and one more.
They reminded of that intro.

Now I struggle to find the "right" combinations, for nice transitions, and for variation in the drum pattern.
It was hard enough when I tried this with one drum, but now I start to see why that did not sound very good.

[Gps]

It seems I have at least one fan.
She asked for an mp3 of my reggae "song"

That already the second track she liked.

[Eino]

It seems I have at least one fan.
She asked for an mp3 of my reggae "song"

That already the second track she liked.

I like it too. I have been away too long.

[Gps]

Thank you

[Gps]

The moment we all have been waiting for is here.

Its popcorn time. After my first horrible failed attempt, I think I have learned enough to get it right this time.

I have already started and I am very happy, it already sounds right. (just the first few seconds)

I have started over from scratch, I am not gonna attempt to fix any of the previous versions.

A midi file I studied, and a synthesia tutorial, agree on the key the piece is in.

So I decided to go for that same key, B major scale.

[Gps]

If other are reading this, and also want to make a popcorn cover be careful.

Already found youtube vids who are not played in the same key.

I am having issues finding a scale in lmms that fits. Dorian comes very close but there are few notes that are not in that scale. ( 95% is though)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sgp1a1ZweIo

I am starting to see, what went wrong the first time.
The bassline starts at count 1 but the melody does not.

I am trying to put in the notes by ear, and that does work reasonable. ( although I have a mid file imported which I use to check if I am doing it right)

This is not an easy piece although it sounds so easy, lol

Very happy I can use my ears, but I still have to come to the part which gave me the biggest headache the last time. 1.21 m. into the vid.

( I also still have a demo made by music bear, so I can use that too if I get stuck)

[Gps]

More popcorn.

Still a bit confused there does not seem to be a scale in lmms that fits 100%.
But I decided, that s long as my ears don't complain, I can live with it.

Further more if I add notes, I make sure they are in the Dorian scale, which fits the midi file for 98%.

I think I am gonna change that bassline a bit. It goes up and down in places were the melody does not.
After studying it, I finally found a pattern in it, but I do not like how it sounds compared to the melody in certain places.

In my bassline I lowered the note volume of every other note. This already makes it much better and less monotone.

But most important, I am having fun.
I can now see all the mistakes I made earlier.
Different tracks not starting at the same note.(scale)
Bassline not in sync with melody.

What also is fun for me, I really notice how much I have improved. (learned)
I am not even halfway, but this popcorn already sounds so much better then every popcorn I did before.

I have not, as I did before when making covers, imported an mp3. Unless you can get the mp3 100% in sync, it only makes thing more complicated.
And thats also something I learned, the changes of getting an mp3 really in sync for more then 20 - 30 seconds, are minimal.
There was only one track that I realy got in sync. A hip hop track. I suspect that also to be made on a pc, and that being the reason why it was not problem to get it in sync.

Bit worried about some choir track I will have to add.
That is gonna be a real challenge, because I will have to use my ears, unless I do what I consider cheating, and use the midi file.

I have lowered the speed of the midi file to around 90 bpm. at that speed I can hear what is going on.
( right click on the tempo window, and remove automation, then save)
Midi file was at 132bpm, and maybe other can still hear at that speed what is going on, but I can't.

[Gps]

Somebody pinch me, I want to be sure I am not dreaming.

I just started on adding a string to my cover.

Just tried something. The midi file I use as example does something I do not like.
Its also quite different from the strings in my first popcorn cover attempt. And although I failed to stay in tune on that one, I liked those strings.
So I had a quick look at an older project, and tried something like that.

I still cant believe it, t sounded right. Something that first cover never did.

Could this be ? I am finally starting to understand the relation between tracks ?

Somebody is very happy, and wants to thank you guys for schooling me.

[brandystarbrite]

Yay!
Keep at it and you'll do just fine Mr. Gps.
Always remember, it takes more than just practice, to understand music, or get good at making music!