Lessons with Heckel!

OMG!!! It's TOTALLY time to get some choral work done.

SOO, here's what I want you to do. Tell me EXACTLY what you're background in music is, as detailed you can. And, tell me what you want to learn in total...

And, finally, WHAT do you want to start with?

-Morivou.

OMG!!! It's TOTALLY time to get some choral work done.

SOO, here's what I want you to do. Tell me EXACTLY what you're background in music is, as detailed you can. And, tell me what you want to learn in total...

And, finally, WHAT do you want to start with?

-Morivou.

Okay Morivou! Musical background: Long one! Well, on both sides of my family, there have been many musicians, practically all of them were/are. My father and I are the only ones to compose music (though my mother did learn at one point how to write) I started at three, and taught myself orchestration at 6 by copying out the whole Sibelius 4th symphony. I did this in, oh, I'd say about 1 1/2 months. Then, about 4-5 months after the Sibelius copy out, I started developing my own taste of music, and thus composing started.

And after I learned to orchestrate, it was like, BOOM! Big stuff- in. Little stuff- out. :( I have never written much for choral, I usually just use it as an "add-on" to some of my pieces, for color. But I wanted to know how to compose for something different than 9999999999 instruments, for just the choir. After hearing some of your stuff, Morivou, I was like, "hey, I want to write stuff like that!"

What to start with.... hm.... well, I don't need to know orchestration, just how to write for the choir, so, perhaps we could start with a small lesson about writing for choir?

http://www.youngcomposers.com/forum/lessons-impresario-21214.html

Look here... I want you to DO THE FIRST PAGE. Do all the assignments. Have fun.

What have you learned that you didn't already know?

What do you LIKE about the voice?

What questions do you want ME to answer about the biology or anything covered in the article?

Any general comments before we move on?

I learned all about the larynx, to name one thing.

The voice has such an interesting color and sound, and I never really used the voice for a main instrument, and I would like to do that.

I was wondering how people first discovered the human voice.

Nope, but interesting article! :)

1. Please stand up

2. Exhale and Inhale 5 times in a set and notice what sound your voice makes.

3. NOW, force the breathe out (Ex. and In. 5 times) and see how your throat naturally contracts.. it's making this sound because it is making something vibrate and catching along the throat and vocal folds on the way down.

4. Next, (Ex. and In. 5 times) breathe without making ANY noticeable sound... Try and let the air go through as silently and as slowly as possible. As you get better at this, you can increase the speed silently. HOW does one breathe with no noise? Well, it comes from the term "Breathing from your diaphragm". If the air comes from the bottom of your body (not really, just if you think of it that way it comes more naturally and easier), you will be able to experience a very cool (pun...) effect. The air should seem colder (which it is because there is almost no air friction creating heat, which is cool, right? lolz sorry... bad pun). You should have no vibration (almost... cause it's impossible in physics to have anything move without friction of SOME sort) and it should be SILENT.

Very interesting, Morivou!

Now, tell me... (this is just a reinforcement question), which one is going to get you the most air? And, which one is going to be the best for singing? (They could be the same... hint hint)

I think this means they are all the same, no?

I think I will do lesson 2 later today, all right, Morivou?

SO, now that you know these ranges and the clefs, I want you to do the following for me:

1. Take this lyric: "Set me under the New, Young Moon. I am waiting to be ascended."

2. Set it to 4 different melody lines. ONE Melody for each voice part and put it in the middle of each range. BUT, make the climax at the higher end of the range. So essentially you are going to make an arc! Please make each melody in a different key signature and at a different tempo. Try thinking about ALL the ways this line could be interpreted. It IS a supernatural lyrics... say a werewolf was singing it in a fantasy opera, idk. It's a pretty self-explanatory lyric. Not really deep or anything, just try and interpret it four different ways. (This is also working on your ability to look at one line is many different ways.)

3. Try, when doing this, to try and evoke a different emotion, and how you would do that with the voice. So for instance: If he was aggravated, WHERE would you put that line in the voice so it SOUNDS aggravated?

4. The lyric is very uneven so that you cannot fall into complacency when setting this. It should make you think.

5. On your score, make each part on ONE line (one staff only), but change the clef and tempo marking at each section. Put text up there that shows me what voice part and what emotion you are trying to evoke

Got one question, Morivou. So, does this mean we are supposed to do a different emotion for each line? And can I use the same rhythm? Thanks, enjoying the lessons!

SO, now that you know these ranges and the clefs, I want you to do the following for me:

1. Take this lyric: "Set me under the New, Young Moon. I am waiting to be ascended."

2. Set it to 4 different melody lines. ONE Melody for each voice part and put it in the middle of each range. BUT, make the climax at the higher end of the range. So essentially you are going to make an arc! Please make each melody in a different key signature and at a different tempo. Try thinking about ALL the ways this line could be interpreted. It IS a supernatural lyrics... say a werewolf was singing it in a fantasy opera, idk. It's a pretty self-explanatory lyric. Not really deep or anything, just try and interpret it four different ways. (This is also working on your ability to look at one line is many different ways.)

3. Try, when doing this, to try and evoke a different emotion, and how you would do that with the voice. So for instance: If he was aggravated, WHERE would you put that line in the voice so it SOUNDS aggravated?

4. The lyric is very uneven so that you cannot fall into complacency when setting this. It should make you think.

5. On your score, make each part on ONE line (one staff only), but change the clef and tempo marking at each section. Put text up there that shows me what voice part and what emotion you are trying to evoke

Got one question, Morivou. So, does this mean we are supposed to do a different emotion for each line? And can I use the same rhythm? Thanks, enjoying the lessons!

Got one question, Morivou. So, does this mean we are supposed to do a different emotion for each line? And can I use the same rhythm? Thanks, enjoying the lessons!

Well. I suppose similar rhythm would be fine. As long as you can CLEARLY see what emotion you want to evoke, then I am fine with whatever.

Well. I suppose similar rhythm would be fine. As long as you can CLEARLY see what emotion you want to evoke, then I am fine with whatever.

Good good! Glad, I'll do the lessons in just a sec :)

I will check on them tomorrow.

I will check on them tomorrow.

Okay then! I hope you are well!

Hmmm... It won't upload :( :sadtears: I'll have to try again later today.

Okay, I tried again, no working. :(:sadtears: Is there any other way I could get this to you?

upload the files to:

Box.net | Simple Online Collaboration: Online File Storage, FTP Replacement, Team Workspaces ~ Free Version

and give me the links.

Zhat is zwhat I vas using. :P It worked this time, yay! Here you go: SMUTNYM.mid - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

I want a pdf. ;)

Well, this isn't really a pdf, but here ya go: SMUTNYM.mdi - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

S: Happy

A: Hopeful

T: Desperate

B: Sad

There you, Morivou :)

Wonderful! You captured each emotion VERY well. One suggestion: Put SAD in a minor key. The Bass could have been in a minor key and would have sounded much more unhappy. I felt your mood and tempo for each one was fine.

But, from now on, I NEED you to try and get the PDF to work. Otherwise, I am gonna have to reboot Sibelius.

Do you have Sib 5?

Wonderful! You captured each emotion VERY well. One suggestion: Put SAD in a minor key. The Bass could have been in a minor key and would have sounded much more unhappy. I felt your mood and tempo for each one was fine.

But, from now on, I NEED you to try and get the PDF to work. Otherwise, I am gonna have to reboot Sibelius.

Do you have Sib 5?

Okay Morivou! That little minor thing was a sort of mistake, kinda sorta. I had meant to change the notes but I forgot. LOL, at least you liked it :P

The only reason pdf didn't work is because I am in Cali and using the laptop :P When I get home pdfs can work

Yes

:) This is fun! What next?

NEXT... I want you to do this:

Create two 4 measure melodies on any solo instrument. It must be monophonic and have a musical "arc". Please do this so that it SOUNDS pretty. Meaning: No HUGE skips. No intervals of a tritone. etc...

One melody in a Major key.

One melody in its Relative minor.

You may NOT use C Major/A Minor.

Accidentals are allowed. (let's see if you can use them SMARTLY)

NEXT... I want you to do this:

Create two 4 measure melodies on any solo instrument. It must be monophonic and have a musical "arc". Please do this so that it SOUNDS pretty. Meaning: No HUGE skips. No intervals of a tritone. etc...

One melody in a Major key.

One melody in its Relative minor.

You may NOT use C Major/A Minor.

Accidentals are allowed. (let's see if you can use them SMARTLY)

So... on just, like an instrument? Not a voice?

Eh... go ahead and limit it to voice. But, you choose the Part.

Eh... go ahead and limit it to voice. But, you choose the Part.

Oh I see :P

Being me, if I hadn't of known, you'd have ended up with a heckelphone piece :P

HAHA. True.