Filius Dextrae

I've finally gotten a decent recording of the song, using a bowed psaltery and hammered dulcimer for accompaniment. I also wrote a bass line, which I think sounds pretty neat. Here's a link to the MP3 if you're interested in hearing it. Thanks for the comments! P.S. Could someone move this thread to a more appropriate category? I see "other" has been removed from the title.

I've tried various free programs for musical notation, and I finally decided that I ought to put down some money for one if I'm going to keep composing. I really like LilyPond; it's just that it's hard to get it to do what I want it to, and I would rather have a graphical interface. There are two features that I would like to have in a program, were I to buy one: Ability to use shape notes Ability to output to PDF Are there any programs out there that include these features? Let me know if you have any recommendations. Thanks!

It's not meant to be experimental; I stuck it in this category as "other". And anyway, it's the first song I ever wrote. Arranging is what I really need to work on. I could make up melodies all day long but I still need to work on composing accompaniment. :toothygrin: I plan to record the vocals for this song pretty soon. I appreciate the feedback!

Certainly! That's a really neat idea; I would like to hear how someone else would write it. I would appreciate it if you would post a MIDI file or something else to this thread when you come up with something. Just yesterday I wrote another verse (with the same melody), so the song is in A form: In silva canunt aves multae Carmines arborum et caeli Dum cogito et ausculto Vocibus tacitis veterum. Your translation of the first verse is mostly right; rudus is "ruins", and veteres means "the ancients". I'm pretty sure that my all Latin is correct, but I'm still a beginner. The original poem can be found on my blog. Does anyone have any comments on my melody? Any tips on how I could arrange it? Thanks.

This was my first composition, and although I once considered adding verses, I later decided to leave it as it is. As implied in the title, the lyrics are in Latin, being the refrain of a poem I wrote a while back. They are as follows: Voces tacitas in silva audio Inter folia rudusque vetus; Nemo adest, sed audio ego Veterum illas voces tacitas. I haven't recorded this song yet, but when I do I'm thinking of a simple instrumental intro (possibly on bowed psaltery) followed by the melody sung twice. Please let me know what y'all think about this, my first song. It's meant to be slow and solemn, though not sad, and (in case you can't read Latin) is about one's thoughts about people gone before, while looking at stone ruins in a forest. Anyway, I hope it sounds good and I look forward to getting some feedback! Thanks. Voces Tacitae 2.mid

This post may be in the wrong forum, so please move it if that's the case. I'm new here and just getting started. Anyway, I have just recently begun composing, and now I'm working on my third piece. I have a melody, and next what I'd like to do with it is make a solo piano arrangement with it, the right hand playing the melody, and then the left hand playing something else. I have attached two MIDI files, one is just the melody, and the other is the melody plus the other part I came up with. In my opinion it doesn't sound very good, and I'd just like some pointers on how to improve it, or whether I should just start over. This is the first time I've tried doing this, so I would appreciate any tips. In case you're curious, here are the lyrics (first verse and chorus): Mist rises from the mountainside; Great columns as of smoke arise. A road winds through the forest green Crossing every roaring stream. Chorus: Across the Appalachians, Green mountains rising high. Deep in the misty forest lofty trees stretch to the sky. Right through the Smoky Mountains, The gateway to the west: Reaching the highest crest! Across the Appalachians (melody only).mid Across the Appalachians.mid