Daniel Sterling

So Im still relatively new to composing orchestral pieces with sound libraries on my computer, Iv started a few pieces, but they are unfinished as of right now. I would like to be able to use different instruments to have counter melodies going on with my main melody, but my attempts almost never come out right or sounding any good. I guess I am looking for help, on how to compose good or even decent sounding counter melodies. Any advice, or even articles online/books to direct me to, would be very helpful as I have always learned best by self help books or studying.

I have recently started trying to make orchestral music, on my laptop. And I was wondering if anyone could help me to better understand, how to make successful (and decent) sounding counter melodies. My attempts so far have not been very successful...so if anyone has any advice for me, it's greatly appreciated.

I just want to be able to use my new midi keyboard...Im not getting anywhere with it, not even after reading the manual...I could have sworn at one point I assigned a midi channel successfully, but after having that channel selected in my instrument software, still nothing...I dont know what Im doing wrong...all of this is alot to take in, and a bit complicated...but I dont want to give up, not to mention I paid 150 for the midi keyboard that I dont want to consider wasted money

Ok, so Iv used my digital piano before as it also functions as a midi keyboard...but it was very basic. Somehow, I was able to get it working with my East West Symphonic Orchestra software. It did what I wanted, I got my pc to play the instrument I selected, when I hit the keys on the digital piano/midi keyboard. But it was basicly luck, as I didn understand too much. I still dont, I dont know much about anything relating to midi or how it works. Now, I have recently bought a M-Audio Keystation Pro 88...thinking I could figure it out. But Im completely stuck, Iv messed with the functions and all for about an hour or so, and I cant figure out how to make my instruments make noise on the computer, when I use the keyboard. I am more then willing to learn, I just need some help figuring out how an where. If anyone can point me to some resources that might be helpful, or can help me on here it would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks all

Im looking for a self help book, that can provide me with more information on constructing melodies, can anyone recommend me one? I would greatly appreciate it. I can write music, I know about time signatures, key signatures, scales, its not a matter of not being able to write down what I play. Its just I find that Im having trouble coming up with anything good, I dont think its just a rough spot Im in. I feel like Im missing something, like I dont know enough about melodies, the rules or techniques that people follow or use. Im sure theres atleast some basic guidelines to start, or things to know about composing melodies.

I will be making a trip to barnes and noble this wednesday, and am going to be looking at their books on music. Was just wondering if anyone knew of any good books, reference/self help books on music composition, or chord progressions, or help with creating/writing melodies. Probly will be getting more then one book, so if you have multiple suggestions, pls share them all with me Thanks

Thanks, whatever the issue I had it seems to have gone away. I think I was just feeling discouraged, bc to me...the idea of playing/creating a melody based on using different scales seemed it would be difficult. But, now that I have messed around on my piano a bit, and tried creating something by playing around with different scales...I actually am optimistic. I do understand what you mentioned a bit, I have alot of music theory/composition books that I been studying, reading. But I havnt studied chords too much, so Im still learning about chords/ chord progressions.

Im sorry if I caused any confusion about what I was asking... Im still kinda new to the whole writing down/composing music thing. I just started learning how to write down what I play, only at the end of last year. Im still trying to figure out what sounds good, and the rules for composing and all that So like, if I started to create a melody using notes/chords in certain scale...how would I know where to take the melody, if I wanted to use a different scale? What sounds good, compared to the scale I was using? Is it just trial and error, when creating a melody? You just play around with the notes of differnent scales? Or are there rules for changing to a differnet scale?

One day I asked my piano teacher a question. I asked him, when writing piano music...how do you know what scales to go to next, when writing in specific scale/key? He told me, one good way to know what sounds good is to look at the circle of fifths, and to look at the relative minor key if using a major scale/key But I was wondering...what if your song consists of all minor? If your using all minor scales or keys...how do u know what scale to jump to? The reason I ask this, is bc from what Iv learned from my self help books and lessons, knowing what key or scale ur using wil help to determin which chords to use If anyone could help me to understand this, that would be great...as I really want to make the most out of using scales...I just dont know which scale should follow a previous scale