ulrichburke

Dear Anyone. I'm disabled so I have to use a notation package, can't play a keyboard. And I'm trying to use Kontakt as a plug-in for it. Anyway. Got a Gigabyte mobo (that's the firm that makes it!) with a gig of RAM and pentium 4-style processor. And an M-Audio Audiophile 2496 soundcard. Software: Sion Quick Score Elite notation package and Kontakt 3 with the libraries that come with it. It's legal. QSE has two main folders, one housing the program and one called VST Plug-ins. It supports Rewire. Installed Kontakt into the Plug-ins folder and got a MIDI feedback loop going that threatened to shatter the soundcard. Uninstalled Kontakt, reinstalled the soundcard, MIDI loop stopped. So. I've never tried to install a VST before in my life. I know it stands for Virtual Studio Technology, that's all I know. How, from scratch, do I add it to the VST Plug-ins library so there's no MIDI feedback loop? I want to start up QSE, put the instruments I'm using into Kontakt and hear the notes I put into the sequencer with the mouse played back on the Kontakt sounds. If there's a tutorial on this somewhere, tell me! But be warned - my knowledge is SO basic, tutorials usually start where my brain ends. They're telling me how to do loads of wonderful things and I still can't find the ON switch! I CAN read music fluently, use the notation sequencer and that's about it - I've been using Windows sounds up till now. If it comes to this, I know there's a program called MIDI Yoke which is like a universal Reason Rewire, but I don't know how to use that properly either (can't make Kontakt see it.) Anyone who can help with either of these 2 ideas - would prefer the plug-in solution if poss - please help! Yours harmoniously ulrichburke

Dear Everyone. Here's links to a couple more recent pieces of mine. I've read the rules and know what I'm supposed to say now. Techniques used: Mouse, Music Write Maestro notation software and a lot of thinking. It takes me a day or two to write a piece - too slow, I know - and then about 5 hours to mix the (censored). Structure. They're New Age. 'Structure' and 'New Age' comprise an oxymoron. Obstacles when composing - the ruddy music software. How anyone can design software for writing music that ASSUMES you can't read notes irritates me totally beyond belief. Yet none of it nowadays - except Cubase, and THAT'S limited - seems to have heard of blobs on sticks. I'm struggling with everything but Bob the Sane says he'll help me out, which is darned good of him. Summary of overall pieces? I wrote one for a disabled girl who lives in America - she was having boyfriend probs and I wanted to cheer her up! The second one's for a lady who wanted something that sounded like Richard Clayderman. Now he's just playing pieces composed for him by a couple of pet French composers he has in tow - but I like them! So, pastiche time. Well, here's the links! Hope someone listens to these. Box.net - Free Online File Storage, Internet File Sharing, RSS Sharing, Access Documents & Files Anywhere, Backup Data, Share Files That's the one for Sarah. Box.net - Free Online File Storage, Internet File Sharing, RSS Sharing, Access Documents & Files Anywhere, Backup Data, Share Files And that's the one for the lady in hospital. Yeah, the Sarah one sounds far better mixed than the other one. That's because I wrote it on my OLD equipment which I actually UNDERSTOOD. Everyone told me what new stuff to get, so I did, and it's been tapdancing all over me ever since. Can't even get CLOSE to getting the hang of it - when I do, the stuff will sound better again. I hope someone likes them! Chris.

Dear Sir Dotdotdot. Loved it! I write New Age too, and this is definitely orchestral New Age (in other words taking its inspirations free-form and not shoehorning itself into any one particular genre). Great melody, great use of flute for the wind in the background - I can even hear the snowflakes. Do think, however, it gets a bit suddenly loud about halfway through. I know you're building up for the climax, but I'd like to have the first half a little louder just so there isn't so sudden a jump. And if I was being hypercritical, I'd say you need an extra 40 seconds 'comedown' after that excellent climax. Loved the Japanese Koto, I've used one of those before. What package was that written in? Garritan? Ummm.... if you feel like listening to mine, it's 2 threads down from yours and nobody's listened to it yet. You could be a trendsetter....!! I know you're not supposed to spam up your own pieces in replies, already! Yours harmoniously Chris (ulrichburke on site).

Hi! What do I use to listen to .mus files, like yours? I've tried the Windows File Name Search and it came up blank. Love to hear your piece Chris (ulrichburke on site)

When I read the other reviews, I thought I was going to be in for a Harrison Birtwhistle Special. (Heard a piece by him and John Cage once. Thinking of it still gives me nightmares...) It's a lovely, whimsical piece of great fun. I think some of the other reviewers here take themselves far too seriously. You obviously had a whale of a time composing this, it shows all the way through. I'm no expert, but I can't hear any extraneous elements. It's just a great piece of energetic enjoyment. I'd love to see it used with a Keystone Cops short - it would be ideal. Yours with a smile, Chris.

Dear Anyone. I'll hold my hands up here. I DO have a vested interest in this forum idea, I've got 3 samples packages and none of them want to do anything I tell them, or anyone else tells them. Bob the Sane says he can help me use my notation package with Kontakt, if he manages to tell me how to do that he'll have a friend for life, the afterlife and the life after that!! But seriously, I can't be the only one being held back because of not understanding composing software (especially as none of it seems to have heard of notes. As in blobs on sticks.) And is working on C19 Piano Roll technology - I thought we'd left that behind in the Victoria and Albert Museum. How about a forum where people can post technical probs they're having with samples packages and hopefully other users can point out what they're doing wrong. I know you get dedicated forums across the Web, but as samples packages are so much a part of life now, maybe a forum where people could post probs with ANY samples/software package and get help would be an idea. Yours with hope Chris.

It's like a kaleidoscope! All those neoclassical fragments, being turned and falling together into new patterns, always interesting. The Sun King as viewed through an everchanging stained-glass prism! One of my faves on here, of all the ones I've heard so far. Thanks. Yours with respect Chris.

I'm a great believer in honesty, that's why I wear armour for the rotten eggs to bounce off. Build-up, great. Everyone here's better at that than me - I'm learning a lot. Needs a better melody - sorry. Once I got over loving the technical side, the melody seemed a tad trite. Orchestration - great. Was it done on a samples package, like Garritan or one of those? I'm having a horrible time getting the hang of those things. Over-all - this is where I get the rotten eggs thrown at me - it sounded like someone who'd half-remembered a lot of different pieces of film music and had put the memories together well, rather than an entirely original piece. I've learned a lot from it though. Chris. (ulrichburke on site.)

I don't know where I belong, as I just write New Age music of various lengths, some of it pretty orchestral. I loved Lamentation and learned a lot from listening to it - how to use climaxes, how to do better build-ups (New Age doesn't tend to go in for build-ups much, unless your name's Yanni or John Tesh! Or Vangelis.) The only criticism I have of it really, and I don't know if I know enough to make this, is the buildup seemed a tad contrived, forced on the piece a little as opposed to evolving out of the piece. Congratulations on getting it played by a real orchestra, that's one heck of an achievement and you rightly should be proud of yourself. Bring on the symphony! Yours with great respect Chris (ulrichburke on site).

Well, like I have a right to say anything after just posting my first ever posted piece here! But - and this is a gripe I have with modern classical music as a whole, not with yours in particular - why no tune? Everything nowadays seems to have shades of Harrison Birtwhistle and Bartok going through it. Very clever, very dramatic. Makes me think of old black-and-white detective movies when there's a rooftop night chase going on. But it wouldn't know a melody if it had one given to it giftwrapped. All film-noir drama, no tune! You CAN blend the two, you know - listen to Michael Nyman. He's a bit of a one-trick pony, I know that, but then so are many composers (including Bach just to be scandalous - and I can prove that if asked!) But his tight-tune loops build up atmosphere rather well. And can easily be reproduced via Fruity Loops! So overall, do I like it? I would do in a movie, it would fit the action excellently. As a standalone piece - no - I'm a New Age Melody lover. Sorry. Now feel free to have a go at mine!!! Yours with respect Chris (ulrichburke on site).

Dear Anyone. I've never posted my music anywhere before, so if I'm doing this wrong please tell me. I'm posting here a link which will take you straight to the music. You won't have to download it, you can listen to it on the site. I don't know how to post the score. I have Music Write, which exports in MIDI format. The file I'm leading you to is a full-on soundfile, made using a Yamaha MU-80. I do have REASON now but I don't know what the heck's going on with it - if anyone out there is willing to answer a one-off batch of dumbass questions please tell me, so I can get to USE the thing! They're all the sort that are too basic for the manual. Anyway. Do I post the score as a PDF? If so, how do I convert a MIDI notation file to a PDF file? Major? It's just under 13 minutes long. If that's not major enough for this page then feel free to move me to another part of the forum. And I'd love to hear feedback! It's the longest thing I've ever done by miles - it took me 3 days to get it written, another 4 or so to get it sounding right. RapidShare: 1-Click Webhosting That's the link. Just choose RUN instead of SAVE to hear it without downloading it. It will play on Windows Media Player fine. Criticism is the water of growth! Yours with fingers crossed Chris (ulrichburke on forum.)

It all depends how you want to combine them. If they're both MIDI files, and you can read music (that's not meant to be patronising, reading music seems to be a rapidly dying art these days, big name progs like Reason don't even HANDLE scores!) then you should be able to open two instances of any MIDI notation package, copy-and-paste the files together and save the new file under a new name. You won't be able to hear the finished results, in all probability, until you've closed both packages and reopened a single instance of the package. This is because they'll both have conflicted over the sound settings and neither will be able to find the speakers. Depending on what package you're using, you might have to restart the comp. But the copy-and-pasted file will work as one file - assuming they were both true MIDI files to begin with! (Make sure the endings are .MID in both.) Ask if you need any more help, that's what I'm here for! Do you know anyone who understands Reason? Please!!??!! Chris (ulrichburke on site).