The struggle of Gps learning music and sheetmusic

[Gps]

An online friend, send me a link.

Its funny that I was somewhat doing this in some songs, without realizing it.
I need to pay more attention to this:

http://www.residentadvisor.net/feature.aspx?1513



Site also shows some chord progression.
Although there is not really something new for me on that page, those pics of somebody doing in a program like us, makes a lot of difference to me.

[Gps]

Because the site in my last post claims those chords are used the most, I wondering which song I would know, who use these chords.

After totally not thinking about these chords anymore, I downloaded two midi files. Rubettes - Sugarbay love and Jukebox jive.

Jukebox jive, bingo those 4 chord LOL.

Rubettes something I still have on vynil.

Most younger lmms users might not know them so:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQNSXFdyLSQ

I do learn a lot from looking at midi files from songs I like.
I am starting to see patterns, how tracks relate to each other. Another small step forward

[Leche]

Wow. I wish you luck with them Gps.
And what you said about those chords are the most used, I actually sometimes don't follow that. I follow it when samples sound way different when they're much higher, or much lower. I myself don't use to many outside plugins, considering they're not really built for LMMS.

Anyway I wish you luck on your journey through these sites

[Gps]

Well the way I see it, you gotta understand some basics about music when composing.

If you understand it, you know when you can ignore it

And I noticed some people starting with lmms doing much better then me. But all of them as far as I know, play at least one instrument, which I never did.

From the first time I started with LMMS, my biggest issue was, how to get a melody in my head into lmms.
Same with sheet music. But this is changing slowly

[Eino]

I'm just a hobby composer and I'm not very original either.

I'd say form is definitely important to me. My writing usually revolves around a melodic theme and its development. Classical forms like sonata, fugue and invention are pretty good vehicles for this purpose.

That said, the form should be a skeleton that helps you to freely flesh out the idea rather than a straight-jacket that constrains what you can do. The classical forms are exemplary and offer a number of devices that help me to work through a musical idea, but if an idea pops up that isn't prescribed by the form then you shouldn't be reluctant to add that. After all you're making music, not an piece of furniture.

The underlying ideas of musical forms, like starting with an exposition section, contrasting the initial theme with a counter theme, gradually transforming themes in a developmental section, and finishing of with a conclusion or recapitulation are more important than the exact method you use to do that.

Developmental sections are definitely a good place to let phrases expand and flow freely (as your heart tells you), however, such development is usually more effective if it is preceded by an exposition that clearly and compactly states the idea in a form that is easily remembered and recognized.

With that in mind I don't really know what to make of the advice to "plan important chord progressions ahead". Perhaps that suggestion makes more sense if your theme is harmonic rather than melodic.

Finally, I think none of the strict form thinking is required if you have a clear vision of your piece ahead. But without a strict form, it seems many compositions rapidly start suffering from an over-abundance of themes, losing all coherence, or worse, a constant repetition. Form helps me balance these two competing elements.

[Gps]

I agree, you should not plan too much, it will kill all originality.
I did not read much of the page though, but I was very happy finally seeing an example which does include using a daw.
Only the pics helped me more then all the text around them.

Because I got stuck with those 4 chords, I started to listen to the kind of music I want to make this time. (Trance)

My melody was prob way to much melodic, when I made it more simple and repetitive, it instantly started to sound more trance like.
It also started to become to repetitive for me though. LOL

I for now refuse to give up the major scale, although all or most trance is in minor.

[Leche]

Nice Dude! (I hope this is an example, and not a template to copy )

[musikbear]

i have a project i just called 'trance'
I have one instrument of each of the common type in trance.
Then i 'record' and just play some notes in the lead-instrument. if i find them disgusting, i delete and try again :p
I aim for at least 8 bar.
Sometimes they kind of 'work', but not really.
Then i start moving, size-change and experiment with velocity of notes.
I can then start to set notes for lead, that will 'fit' the loop.
Then i save, and close the sketch-project.
Only next day i try to listen again, because quite often i find that 'enthusiasm' can be replaced with reality :p a day later..
But in that way i have a sketch collection of reasonable loops, where perhaps one out of 10, then actually is used as a real project.
I dont regard this as 'writing music', it is much more t&e, that simply relies on great lmms features, and most important, music theory that i have gulped up on the net (we had no music in dk. school), most important was this page: http://www.8notes.com/

[Gps]

lmao at enthusiasm.

I have often exact that problem. Listening to something I made, thinking omg I did it. Then the next day, I am like hmmm, its not that great after all.

I have an online friend a woman who plays keyboard. (and maybe some more)

She is telling me for months, listen to the type of music you want to make.
One problem with her advise, only since a few weeks, I am starting to see a picture in my mind, how a track I am listening to, will look in a LMMS.

Ty for that link, great site.

[Leche]

Well I will leave you to that. I can't share the tiny bit of talent I have XD. I can only give advice, and it seems like that with all these replies, you have a lot of advice already. So this strategy you are going for is something that I have to leave you to do it by yourself.

Stay enthusiastic Gps!