Seeing/Hearing/Fixing my mistakes.

In my band class, we've recently taken on a project where we have to compose music for the instruments in our class. Well, albeit a pretty darn good sight-reader, for the love of me I can't seem to get some of the rhythms down. Of course I'll have them in my head but putting them on paper poses a problem, and I would hate to go to my band teacher and ask him to read what it is I've written every time I write something.

Is there a software, online program, or anything, where you can I don't know..

some how put in a rhythm and it plays it back to let you hear what it sounds like?

And not just that, any techniques, other than composing more music, that will strengthen my composing skills as a whole?

Most notation software packages will allow you do compose entire pieces of music and then hear it back. The most popular packages are Finale and Sibelius.

I had a similar problem when notating rhythm and so my teacher showed me an old technique where you copy out a piece of music (for your chosen instrument) and then listen to a recording of the piece whilst following your hand written version of it. I found tis highly useful for familiarising myself with which rhythms produce which sounds but i suppose its each to their own... there are many far more advanced musicians on this forum than myself who will undoubtedly have far better advice to give!

You'll be severely hampered in your pursuit until you can recognize and internalize rhythms, pitches, etc. without relying on playback.

I learned to recognise and internalise rhythms, pitches, etc. through relying on Noteworthy Composer's playback. You should see my music BEFORE I learned about notation programmes. Basically, the number of beams/flags didn't matter, I thought rhythm was determined by how far apart the notes were... :laugh: But then I learned to connect written patterns to what I heard through computer playback, and now I know how to read rhythms and can sight read as well as anyone else. So... a notation programme CAN teach you this, in my personal experience flint, so it's not always necessary to discourage this kind of reliance. The person in question will learn with practice until he knows what rhythms sound like withOUT playback.

Oh, it's true, but personally I think it's much slower that way.

Thanks a lot Ferret and Enigmus. I'm not familiar with notation programs if, by chance, you're referring to what Ferret recommended, which is Sibelius and Finale.

But also I understand where you're coming from Lint, at least a bit. See, I honestly DON'T want to have to rely on music programs like that but I really don't see any other way in getting better. I have been listening to more classical pieces, because in all honesty, I technically don't. At least not music of the complexity as the ol' skool Bach, Mozart, and all the other great composers that I hear about. But anyway, I'm trying to broaden my repertoire of music as far as how advanced it is and reading the scores to get an idea of different rhythmic patterns. I'm doing it with music that composers have posted on this site as well.

So I mean.. I don't want to have to rely on programs but I feel like I should. Kind of like I'll get better faster but you do have a good point. It's kind of like a crutch in a way and I don't want crutches.

Yeah.. I hope that made sense. I typed it as I thought it. ;D

Old composers had nothing but their brain

software may be very useful but,

I wonder if that will cause a descent in the ability of future composers....you know, like "calculator" in mathematics...

Yeah that's a good point.

See!

Saying that makes me want to use programs even less.

And it also makes me wonder..

If, just maybe, one of our world's well known composers wrote a rhythm expecting it to sound one way and unexpectedly found out that it was NOT the right rhythm but thought it sounded quite AWESOME, so decided to stick with it.

A genuine mistake..

Bah, if only.

Well, I don't know, but for many people, rhythm (and even pitch!) are the "easy" parts. Stuff like timbre is harder to imagine. I doubt that any of the so-called "old masters" wrote any rhythms without knowing what they sound like.

I wonder if that will cause a descent in the ability of future composers....you know, like "calculator" in mathematics...

Ummm...since the calculator was invented, mathematicians have only gotten better.

Also, never understimate the simple power and clarity of using a metronome.

since the calculator was invented, mathematicians have only gotten better.

Yes, and that's the purpose of the modern invents, and works as an enhancement for some people, but for others...makes them weaker

Well, yeah, for those who use it as a crutch.

Also, never understimate the simple power and clarity of using a metronome.

+1

For rhythms, it's a matter of counting. sit with a metronome and play to it. Write down what you think it is. Play what you write. Correct as needed.

Timbres are a matter of memorization -- I'm still working on this, but I think i've got a basic idea.

Melodies are simply practice. I've gotten much better with simply writing and hearing and writing and hearing.

K.. What exactly is a timbre?

I may just look it up to be honest, so no need to answer.

When you try to figure out the ryhthm, think subdivisions. If you can't figure it out counting quarters, half the tempo and count eighths. If you still can't get it, quarter the tempo and count sixteenths. I don't usually use a metronome, but it could definitely help for complex rhythms.

And timbre is just the sound quality of a particular note - the reason an oboe sounds different from a clarinet.

I think your original question was:

Is there a software, online program, or anything, where you can ........

.......some how put in a rhythm and it plays it back to let you hear what it sounds like?

Notation Composer - Free software downloads and reviews - CNET Download.com

This link is NOT piracy, because is "Shareware", is perfectly legal to download it.

I haven't tested this software and I think is not very good, but if you really need something quickly, it could help you...it will sound using your Sound Card MIDI Synthesizer, so don't expect great timbres.

You may also search for more freeware or shareware software in that site Free Software Downloads and Reviews - Download.com, but I suggest you get Sibelius or Finale.