[Calypso]

Ummmm...ok

Plays Flute (doing grade 6) and I can sing fairly well

I'm 13 and i'm in school

Access to gear: Ask Loiren:D

Agrees that celtic/folk would be best

[HippieChick]

i agree as well that celtic/folk would be best but will someone explain whats going on... i would be delighted =]

[Hattie]

I have to admite that I'm not very up on celtic/folk could anyone give me a link to a site where I could hear some, please? I play the cello(G7), piano(G6) & sing(G7) and I compose as well-I've tried medival-modern pieces before, but I've never tried celtic/folk before, I'd be interested to have a go, once I've heard some, though....Thanks, LOL Hattie

[Draoi]

We are attempting to put together some bardic music. Currently we are each listing our music related experience, and noting what style we think the music should be in so that we are all on the same page for composition. So far we seem to be leaning towards celtic or folk music - a description: fluctuating, gentle, nostalgic, impressionistic.

So far the list of talent goes like so:


Rhee plays cello and piano
xElednorx plays jazz sax
Calypso is a flutist and (has access to sound gear?)
Hattie is a seasoned muso playing cello piano and voice and has some composition experience



I have been thinking about logistics of recording lines seperately... I do not think it will result in the best product. What do you all think about just doing the COMPOSITION part together, then recording with a live ensemble in one location rather than pasting bits together? Hattie, or I could possibly write a "skeleton score" (basic bassline plus melody) and post up the notation and/or a sound clip for everyone to listen to. From there we could each add our own "touch" with additional harmonys, ornamentation, verses, a counter melody in your own instrument etc etc. We could compose it as if it were really for US to play as an ensemble (ie for the instruments we actually have here), or not, as we chose.

Thoughts?

[Ree123]

sounds good, I could do with a bit of a project.

[Loiren]

Hi!
I play the clarinet (doing Grade 8) and also play in my county band, so have experience playing in large groups
I play the keyboard/piano to a simple level and also the tin whistle if we have need of one :D
I could also play the flute, though not as well as Calypso (and only if she'll lend me her flute :p) My triangle playing is first class!!!
At the moment, I have more exams than there are days in the week, so I wondered if this was something (for me) best left until the holidays, when I could attempt to compose something...
As for style, I did have an idea...I thought that the bards probably would play in some form of celtic-folk cross, which would be better suited to the poems etc. that Alison has written, but I also thought it would be nice if people could compose music (with or without lyrics) that show their impressions of what is happening in different parts of the books, like film music (Lord of the Rings is the best example of this I can think of). This would give us a wider range of instruments, songs and composers to aim at...what do you think???
If there is anyone who likes lyric writing or CD cover designing then their help is just as much appreciated!!! Please contribute your opinions, even if you are not musical!!!
Draoi, are you suggesting that we all meet up and play the piece(s):confused: We all live in different countries!!!
The idea I had along these lines was that the full score could be e-mailed along with everyone's individual part so that we can see what is happening in the rest of the music and can ad lib a bit (providing the composer agrees). What d'ya reckon?
Oh yeah, I forgot to say access to gear? Really zero, unless a trip to a recording studio is made. Sorry!
If we are going to do this (and I don't see why not) then do we need a name? I thought maybe something relating to the books like Bards of Annar / of the Seven Kingdoms or something (how little imagination I have :p) Anyone got any better suggestions?
It's all very well saying what grades we have done / are doing etc. but would it be better if we gave an idea of our comfortable playing ranges? That way composers don't have to look up different music for different instruments to find out exactly what we can play..just a suggestion.
I also thought of PM-ing the people who created the music thread who appear to have had a similar idea - if they joined we'd have more players and composers etc. :D
Yeah, I can be project manager if you like (any objections) though really everyone will input (and no Draoi, we don't mind if you have good ideas you want to share...:p)
Do you play an instrument Sirkana? That reminds me, other people said they'd join the band on the lyre thread...will PM them too :D
I think that's all... I'll post again if not :D :p :D

[Draoi]

Allright! Sounds like we got us a band! :D

I dont think i explained my suggestion too well. Sorry. I will try again.

I think that it will be near impossible to record US actually playing and paste it all together. Thus, i suggest that we work on the composition together, but that when we are all happy with the notated score, ONE PERSON record it all at once with an ensemble from wherever they live. I am happy to volunteer for this as I have a band and recording studio on hand.

I have been composing a basic "skeleton score" type thing in sibelius. Its very simple, just strings, piano, panpipes/flute, and vibraphone. No real melody for the voice yet. I was wondering what everyone thought? I've done a few more in other styles/tempos/instrumentation all very basic without real melodies - so far "Owen's theme" (for on the water) and a kinda medetaranian theme for "Turbansk's theme". If anyone wants to, id be happy for you to use the midi file (link below) to take it into a note proccessor and add and change bits. Its hard to hear the emotion with midi cos its all digital but imagin real musicians playing it and a beautiful young male voice for a melody over the top.

Anyway... heres the link to Cai's theme "Cai of Pellinor".

http://s28.quicksharing.com/v/2760823/Cai_of_Pellinor.mid.html

Click on "download file" top left, midi file not best sound sythesis but playable in media player so noone should have problems. I meant it to go rather a lot faster... but computer didnt want to do it. :p I'm afraid I compose in a very 'film score' way... Ya anyway.. id be interested to hear what you all think, and see if it has potential to be developed by someone else here.

PS... im cool if you dont like it - constructive critism is fine.

[alison]

Draoi, that is a really beautiful piece! I'm knocked out. And you guys continually surprise me. What a talented bunch!

Draoi just asked me to put my 2c worth in on the music. As far as I'm concerned, I don't have any particular take on it. I just write the words. :D I think you should go for it, with whatever feels right to you. I don't think there is any "correct" way. In the books, I've taken literary inspiration from all over the place - if you look at the poetry, it's stealing from Persian ghazals, Japanese haiku, Anglo-Saxon alliteration, Romantic poetry, old English ballads, Russian folk songs, the Kalevala, even American blues! So I think you ought to feel equally free to borrow from whatever influences inspire you. What counts - and is very gratifying and interesting to me personally - is your own imaginative responses.

[Dawnstorm]

I have been composing a basic "skeleton score" type thing in sibelius. Its very simple, just strings, piano, panpipes/flute, and vibraphone. No real melody for the voice yet. I was wondering what everyone thought?

Ooh, that's pretty. It made me install an old midi-program just to look at the notes. Great texture (when all the instruments play together, I feel that a few high notes wouldn't hurt, nothing obtrusive, ocarinas perhaps or piccolos? Perhaps that wouldn't really work. You shouldn't overload it.)

Its hard to hear the emotion with midi cos its all digital but imagin real musicians playing it and a beautiful young male voice for a melody over the top.

Midi has the advantage that it's not a big file, so even I can download it. It's also got the advantage that - if you're not good with any instrument (moi) - you can still compose.

I hope you all make something of this. It's so beautiful!


I meant it to go rather a lot faster... but computer didnt want to do it. :p

That's because your midifile has a tempo-change in the second bar. No matter what tempo you set, it will switch to ~65 beats/minute. There are quite a lot of tempo changes in the piece. Does Sibelius have a "humanising feature" (where you enter notes via mouse and tell the computer to pretend it's been played on a keyboard)? That could have caused the tempo changes (they're usually at a place where you play the chord as quick arpeggios instead of block chords, so that would make sense.)

How fast did you want it to be? At 119 (which is the tempo of the first [silent] bar) it's too fast, I think. Just delete the tempo changes, and then set the main tempo to whatever you want to be. If you don't have access to the midi-events, I could do it for you, but you'd have to tell me the speed. (I think around 80 should work.)

Or everyone can do it for themselves. Or imagine it quicker. Or - :D - play it quicker.

It's a great piece! Keep at it.

[HippieChick]

I dont play any instruments so i cannot be any help in that area lol .....but i do like what you guys are thinking of the sample = really good

um lorien asked for ne one who may have band names or good at CD desgin i think i can help there if needed i am pretty creative and i konw many of you are fabulous artists so we can totally work that make it all together

uhm i like the lines of where you are going with names (Lorien) something Seven Kingdoms could be really cool cause it definnentl has a double meaning of course the book and then we are all basically from liek bunches of different countres so ya i like that. there is always Pellinorions of the Seven Kingdoms although i know we can do better than that!!! ya so PM me if you want im totally good at listning to instructions and would love to help!!!

also for lyrics a good idea if we are aloud (cause i figured you guys were more interested in composed musical pieces no lyrics? idk) any way maybe using some of Allisons poems? or the songs in the books? putting some of them to music could be really cool (of course if we are allowed and thats cool with everyone)

anyway thats my feedback PM me!:D :D