JustinW

I just heard that a few days ago and I was about to suggest it. Very cool piece.

Since we're on the subject, Mr Marius, how important would you say it is to have the tools to compose VS creative skill? We discussed in another thread hardware, and the steep price one might pay for it. So how important is it that you have all that stuff? I have software and talent to write out scores all day, but the concept of self-producing everything is still a bit far away.

Hell yeah, Marius, that's what I'm lookin' for. I have a similar setup at this time, if you add two keyboards... I wish I could say I'm surrounded by keyboards 'cause I need them all, but I really don't have anywhere else to put them, hahaha. That EWQL stuff looks mighty impressive, the only major roadblock is that my computer is likely not rockin' enough to run it. Hmmph. Thanks for all the replies! This has been quite helpful.

I guess I should mention that I've used Sibelius, so I know what it does... I was really asking about the package that comes with Sibelius 6 in particular, and if that sound library is of a high grade. So, now... What's a DAW? What's a good sound library? What's a good controller setup? What do you recommend? What is your composing workstation?

Hahah, so basically the guy that I was speaking with was talking out of his donkey... they do that a lot there, I'm finding out. The more I look at this Symphonic Orchestra stuff, the more I want it, and also the more depressed I get thinking about A: the cost of hardware upgrades, and B: the cost of the package itself. Silver seems fine, but if I know me I'd find something lacking of it within a few compositions. Hmm.

So, I visited Long and McQuade (music store, for those not in the know), and fellow there told me that with GigaStudio biting the dust, Sibelius and/or Finale are front-runners for the sort of software that composers use to get their compositions sounding like the real thing. So I'm trying to figure out how true this is? Can I just buy Sib6, or is there going to be a sample library to purchase in the near future? Basically... I see a lot of topics about various things, like Gold Orchestra Pro or whatever you call it, and I'm wondering what software/hardware it is that runs these things, because it's hard to find that information. Like, an idiot's guide. Thanks in advance.

Tenor sax. If you ask me, it's harder to make a melodic instrument sound like garbage (assuming you're playing it properly), and sax is certainly one of the easiest. I suppose it would depend on what you count as "playing", piano is certainly easy to get noise out of in the same way a drum kit is, but at what point are you actually playing it?

An instructor of mine once said, if you're stuck on something, play the scraggy out of it until you're done with it. You'll eventually find yourself twisting it into something new, or discovering something about it that wasn't apparent initially. We were discussing improv at the time, but I think it applies to composing in general.

Anyone can play Saxophone. It's pie.

I'd hate to admit this, but looking back through my library of compositions, many of the best melodies I've written come with strong chord progressions. An awesome chord progression can suggest really great melodies, if you're happy going that route. I should say, relying on the chord progression alone never really works... it's really half and half, one or the other would be meh, but together it's cash.

Maybe because I can't sight-read well on piano, I end up memorizing piano pieces by the time I can actually play them. it comes very easily, even early on though. It's a different story on saxophone, though; I can sight-read very well, but I have a really terrible time memorizing tunes on sax, even if I really like them. Maybe it's because I can look at my hands while playing piano? but even then, I don't have to stare at my hands to play a piano piece... huh... But either way, if you ask me, serious performances should be memorized. Maybe this is my rock roots showing, but sheet music on stage is lame. Well, I forgive you orchestra guys, that would suck to memorize all that stuff.