nikolas

I handwrite everything before going to the computer (unless there's a specific reason to NOT do that). Examples: www.nikolas-sideris.com/AGS/picture%20464.jpg www.nikolas-sideris.com/AGS/picture%20465.jpg

Fair enough. As I said I see your point.But as far as I'm concerned, and for studying purposes it's easier (especially with 4 instruments above the piano, there's little chance of missing who is what and what now...). You don't need a horizontal five line staff to connect you to the instrument that's playing! As a performer, in this case you would either be getting your own parts, perfectly logically set up (no cutaway on parts, no reason to), and if you're the pianist you should be looking to what's going on above. This is the ideal situation of course and I do understand that missing the staves for the piano is not a stellar idea on many accounts, but still... But as I said your opinion is well taken and understandable! Thanks

If you hate something with a firey passion it already means that you're SO biased that your opinion isn't really THAT important. Still this post serves a purpose: If I am to ever send you a score (which you would have to buy of course) I would make sure that it's a normal full score.BTW, the purpose of a cutaway score is NEVER to reduce the ink on a page (since printers do NOT charge by the ink, but by the page). The idea is to show clearly the intentions of the composer in a much more visible way (and to help offer cues all round). Finally, I know that this is an expression of sorts, or something similar, but if you think for a second that the above score is like that because "I'm lazy" you're hugely mistaken! Yes, already covered that, but just one little thing: It's not "correctly", but "how I prefer them". Better this way!- Politcially police out tuohey: Thanks. I'll see if I can find it and have a look. I know other scores that have these features, I'm not alone at this, of course, or unique, and this style is not my idea. I can't take any credit for that.

thanks tuohey! These are exactly my thoughts. For performance, the performers will be getting their parts (normal parts), so there's no issue there, but the pianist, who most likely will use this score, will have severe issues: When not playing, his staves are taking away, which means that instead of counting 8 bars of rests, he has to be very careful to what's going on in order to get back when it's his time to play. _____________________ Both Sibelius and Finale have this option! In sibelius7, since you've asked, you do the following: Home -> Instrument change (I have it assigned to "i") -> others (expand) -> No instrument (hidden). You decide if you want the other options mentioned or not and then (or before hand) you chose the staff you want this to happen. If you try it, you'll figure out the little details.

Again for full orchestral scores, if the 'cues' are namber, I think it works. However conductors seem to think differently... :( So I'm forced to go the other way, or both ways perhaps! I'll see...

Composition is ALSO about aesthetics (which can be taught). I would have a VERY hard time being taught by Zimmer (for example). It's simply not my style and I'm not sure he can get away from an academic point of view (though I find his music in the latest films to be simply stunning, don't get me wrong). So one to one lessons are valuable in music and even more so in composition! It's worth every penny!

Hi all, I'm getting ready to print yet another bunch of scores. And I'm very keen on using the idea of cutaway scores, as seen in the images bellow: http://www.nikolas-s...MF/sparrow1.jpg http://www.nikolas-s...MF/sparrow2.jpg http://www.nikolas-s...F/sparrows3.jpg But the score, as it currently stands is problematic for use in performance. The cutaway features get in the way of most performers and most performers do NOT enjoy that. So I've decided to use a full, normal, score for performances (along with the parts of course). Analysing and composition is another matter however. As a composer (and an engraver and a publisher) I very much find that the above score depicts in every detail the ideas of the composer and should be easier for composers to study it. So I would still like to use this type of a score for a study score (smaller size, etc). How do YOU (as composers) feel about this, please?

I think that any critisism might include something useful to take: Even the 'gently caress you Nikolas your music sucks' means that the person posting this doesn't like me one bit and this extends to my music. So it's not about my music, but about myself and since we are social beings and we are public figures, through our music it's worth looking into the reason for that quote... PS. that quote is actually real! :D

The ability to hear inside your head what's going on without the aid of an instrument, or the computer is something that can be gained little by little with effort and experience... That said, the piano/instrument/computer are all tools that help you hear what you're composing. They are not there to compose instead of you! If you have problems composing this is not because of the tools you're using but because of how your mind works right now. You need to build some confidence. Try something out and then post it here (for example). People will offer valuable feedback and you can take what you feel is worth taking... Then try again, and again. You can't fly before you learn how to run and you can't run before you learn how to walk, and you can't walk before you learn how to crawl and you can't really crawl if you don't know how to breathe...

I was born in 1977, so it's 34 years and counting... When I'm really really good I think I'll bump the thread. I'll be back (in 2024 or something...)

Written in the summer of 2011... Published by EMF. I do hope to be able and produce more scores like this, with more elements than just the music (though I do think that score making is an art on its own).

Yes, I agree with Phil... I mean I don't think I've written anything in the past six months, since I've been preoccupied with EMF, but I certainly have lots of stuff to share and so do other composers in EMF (and out of EMF as well... :P).

Thanks.We do realize that selling stuff of the internet, needs some special care and promotion techniques. At the same time, I do hope you realize that we cannot just offer everything out and hope some kind hearts will buy the scores... Some things need to be kept for the paying customers... And, yes, we are also working to put stuff to vimeo, but as with everything it takes time. (if you have any other suggestions on where to host videos (recordings are hosted to our own website at www.musica-ferrum.com), then by all means share!)

As I said... subscribing model won't help to preview stuff (especially since it's not readily available...). You're talking about preview possibilities, which is right there in the website, in youtube, etc... And as I said there's a lot more going on, but it's simply too early to show/tell! Get it? ;) Well, let me break it down a little further:a. Right now EMF sells 29 works and has secured another 20 works for 2012 for now. Could be more, could be slightly less... It's VERY difficult at this point, and with 3 days of running time to actually predict anything for the future in order to offer any promise of 'getting new stuff each month'. b. Offering digital format straight away is like putting your head on the mouth of the lion right now, sadly. I'd love to go all digital (it would certainly save us money), but the very fact that P2P services would love it as well is a draw back, don't you think? Again... you're mixing things:Distribution of info/preview material? Or distribution of services? Or distribution of media? I don't like DRM, so a PDF file would be completely unsecure over the net and I certainly don't think any of us in EMF would like that. Distribution of info/preview material is already there and happening. You're mostly talking about marketing which is all and swell. (BTW, IMSLP wouldn't touch EMF since all EMF scores are from living composers and copyrighted). In other words. There's a website, there's recording for more than 50% of the works and counting. There's youtube, you can preview pages from the scores and for those scores which are on youtube you can get the full score streaming through there. There's me talking about the works (and actively so), there's every composer who is living and breathing, thus you could have access to them as well! What more do you want? Cause from my point of view and from everybody in EMF this is already A LOT! This is quite interesting. As I said above there's every possible information, but the full score available RIGHT NOW. FOR FREE! On the web, as far as EMF is concerned. Don't you dare tell me that these composers do not have access to these information cause it's right down silly. Give me their info and I'll personally make sure each and everyone gets an e-mail from EMF about everything that is available (full recordings, preview of pages, info from the composers themselves, etc). Or is this not enough? You better tell me that it's a matter of cost/effectiveness which should be something we could very well talk about, or plain greed!

I'll tell you what: If you can offer your stuff on CC license you can do whatever you please. a 5 year license won't do you much harm and either way in the end you CAN do what you please with your music, despite the current copyright laws, right? ;) so complain all you want, but as far as YOUR music is concerned you can do as you please. Apart from your assumptions and your decline to address how we work in EMF, and apart from the fact that I told you about the existence of recordings and so on... what else is missing?Let's be honest here, I won't offer a free business setup to anyone nor will I give an economic analysis of the world of publishing, etc. Your idea about subscription + printed scores (which should be the last thing to talk about in order not to claim that I 'haven't address anything') is not too bad, but there are a few drawbacks... For example: a. All subscription based models work either on digital means (itunes, amazon, etc), or if there are physical objects it's VERY clear on what you will be getting (12 copies, once every month of Time magazine...). Naxos has a subscription based model but... it's digital. It's not going out and sending CDs to customers, are they? They are still selling their CDs (correct me if I'm wrong... I'm not subscribed to anything). b. All fair and square but since EMF just launched, don't you think it's too difficult to establish such a trust so as to offer subscriptions? I mean really... would you subscribe? You didn't even take a closer look before talking (otherwise you would've noticed that more than half the works have recordings attached (or excerpts) and every work has preview pages of the score)... If you haven't had a look and you posted about it, would you... give your money on any kind of promise I'd do (for future comings of works)? don't get me wrong it's not unreasonable to think about a subscription model but right now it's insane to even consider it business wise. c. Digital scores do exist but do not sell for many reasons, which I won't quote right now. There IS a reason that no serious publishing house has gone into the PDF option (or other format). Plus I loath DRM (believe it or not...). And btw, I totally dislike the current copyright laws as well! ;) Anyhow I AM glad to be doing this discussion with you! Really... And I'm not 100% negative on a subscription model, but it's certainly not the right time! :)