|
Post by arcterious on Jan 18, 2009 20:01:35 GMT -6
I have looked at all the descriptions of the forums here and none of them are labeled, help or FAQ. So, I need help starting on MPC. I would really like to learn how to make songs on here with/out a music sheet. Just in general know how to use the damn thing.
|
|
|
Post by JohnFreeman on Jan 18, 2009 20:05:38 GMT -6
|
|
|
Post by arcterious on Jan 18, 2009 20:33:21 GMT -6
I know most of that stuff so it really doesn't help. In fact, I don't really see that helping anyone in the actual making of a song. It basically just says how to use it and that's all... Which I did say, but I suppose I don't need to know how to use it. Just how to use it properly to make a song. Also, I hate HCBailly but he might have a good tut so it is possible I will check it out. More than likely though, he is going to say to download some sheet music and copy it.
|
|
|
Post by blueheat127 on Jan 18, 2009 20:34:45 GMT -6
Also, I hate HCBailly but he might have a good tut so it is possible I will check it out. More than likely though, he is going to say to download some sheet music and copy it. I suggest you don't get picky. John here is doing you a big favor.
|
|
|
Post by _ on Jan 18, 2009 20:35:23 GMT -6
If you're aiming to do things by ear, you should do NES themes first. If you're still having trouble then you can slow an MP3 of the song down in an audio editor so you get more of a chance to hear the notes.
|
|
|
Post by arcterious on Jan 18, 2009 20:49:31 GMT -6
If you're aiming to do things by ear, you should do NES themes first. If you're still having trouble then you can slow an MP3 of the song down in an audio editor so you get more of a chance to hear the notes. Might be a good idea. I can't really get this down either way I do it, so maybe I need to start more simple.
|
|
|
Post by _ on Jan 18, 2009 20:52:27 GMT -6
If you're aiming to do things by ear, you should do NES themes first. If you're still having trouble then you can slow an MP3 of the song down in an audio editor so you get more of a chance to hear the notes. Might be a good idea. I can't really get this down either way I do it, so maybe I need to start more simple. 8-bit is generally the easiest thing to do on Mario Paint as it rarely goes past the 5 note limit and it's easier to transcribe.
|
|
|
Post by JohnFreeman on Jan 18, 2009 21:06:12 GMT -6
If you're aiming to do things by ear, you should do NES themes first. If you're still having trouble then you can slow an MP3 of the song down in an audio editor so you get more of a chance to hear the notes. Might be a good idea. I can't really get this down either way I do it, so maybe I need to start more simple. I have a request for you! Try to do the Balloon Fight theme. It's a fun, easy and popular song, and no one has done it yet. Why not give it a shot? If you're wary about trying NES music, you can always try GameBoy music. It has only a few sound channels, and most songs are pretty simple. It's about the best place for a person to start if they're not very confident yet.
|
|
|
Post by arcterious on Jan 18, 2009 21:08:00 GMT -6
Might be a good idea. I can't really get this down either way I do it, so maybe I need to start more simple. I have a request for you! Try to do the Balloon Fight theme. It's a fun, easy and popular song, and no one has done it yet. Why not give it a shot? If you're wary about trying NES music, you can always try GameBoy music. It has only a few sound channels, and most songs are pretty simple. It's about the best place for a person to start if they're not very confident yet. Good idea to consider. I don't think I will have time tonight although. Also, I plan to use the newer soundfont and not the older one.
|
|
|
Post by Banjo on Jan 18, 2009 22:42:03 GMT -6
If you don't want to use sheet music, you can talk to theEvilGrimace or me, we do everything by ear. If you need somewhere to start, my strategy is targeting one instrument at a time. Then (I know this sounds painfully slow, which it is, but it works) what i do is play the song on youtube and really quickly press play and pause, so just one or two notes play. That's how i've done every one of my songs, that or just singing the notes and holding them out til i find the right one.
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Jan 18, 2009 23:51:00 GMT -6
Hi, and welcome to the Mario Paint Hangout. Unfortunately, there is no magic way for you to learn how to arrange songs by pitch recognition ('doing it by ear'). It is a skill that takes a good ear and some dedication to get right.
However, the above suggestions have it right. Do an NES song. Those were the first I did. I didn't even bother with anything as complex as the SNES, and I had no illusions about my ability to do real music until a few months into my work.
Take it slow. Working by ear is like any other musical pursuit; you don't learn to play guitar well overnight.
|
|
|
Post by brianLED on Jan 19, 2009 9:21:27 GMT -6
Agreed with the above posts, and may I add that there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing a piece by sheet music or from a MIDI transcription. There are plenty of quality MIDIs out there, and having the notes in front of you allows you to pay attention to detail in your arrangements.
That said, a lot of MIDIs are abundant with wrong notes or otherwise don't have as good of quality as one would like. So be wary, and when in doubt go by the actual piece not the MIDI.
|
|
|
Post by eataninja on Jan 19, 2009 10:34:41 GMT -6
I'll give you the same adivce as everyone else here. However, I do nothing by ear, so I really can't help you as much as everyone else. I will say this, tough. Do something that you're familiar with first, because a) you already know the song, so you know how it sounds and whether you did anything wrong and b) it's a good way to get you motivated. After that do easy 8-bit songs, and gradually work your way up to harder and harder stuff. You should get quite proficient after a few songs.
|
|
|
Post by arcterious on Jan 19, 2009 23:56:33 GMT -6
My question is, would I be able to do NES songs with the newer sounds? Also, the reason I don't want to use MIDI files is 1. They never sound the same as the real deal and 2. I would much rather make something on my own rather than "cheat" per say, with using sheet music. Maybe cheat isn't the best word. I just don't find it genuine to do that. I never, or at least try not to, re-record my videos and not use FAQs as to take away the genuity of the video. I like having everything be real instead of faking all my videos like some people I see on Youtube... People may get pissed at me for this, HCBailly being one of them. That's one of the reasons I dislike him. I may go more into that if someone is interested.
|
|
|
Post by RehdBlob on Jan 20, 2009 0:28:48 GMT -6
Yes, you can definitely do NES songs with the newer sounds. Again, there is nothing wrong with using the MIDI (you can use it just listen to it, if you like, for easier by ear compositions, as Midi is usually less cluttered than the real piece. But use the real piece as a guide more than MIDI if you're in doubt.).
|
|