Western MIDI

[Vel]

I made this midi file to test a tutorial for the ezine. Tell me what you think.

[xenogia]

Good for a first try, but try using different patches, the frequencies between the two sounds is ear grating, also the underlying melody is out of key with most of the melody.  but good first try

[Flippy_D]

Maaaan. Dull, no offence intended.

Okay, some tips:

1) Controllers (effects)- If you're going to have a sustained repeated single note like that, use some kind of effect! Pan, Volume, Modulation, Pedal effect, whatever, but don't be that monotonous. I didn't really see why having such a long section of just one note was really necessary anyway. Surely if you were going for a western feel it would be a more lively piece?

2) Instruments and Instrumentals - Use a range of instruments. They don't have to have especially full parts, but think of it as the threads that make up the fabric of the composed piece. You may have a simple Timpani part (I should know, I play 'em, and most of it is retuning or waiting!) to reinforce the bass line, you could have a couple of strings at one point just to highlight a certain point in the music. Instrumentals are lines written for specific instruments. You are NOT going to sound especially impressive or imposing with a recorder or, um, a harpsichord or something. You want trumpets for that, or organs or a well-orchestrated string ensemble. But equally you're not going to sound soulful or enchanting with a bloody great trombone.

3) Structure - It wasn't a bad structure, just nothing inspiring. Drop the temerity of having such long periods of nothingness followed by loud blasts of music - you'd have to bring in some skilled use of controllers and other musical devices to pull that off.

Not that I'm saying you're a hopeless musician. My first piece was a rather poor imitation of Greased Lightning. I still keep it on disk to remind me of just how crap I was to start. Keep going, keep experimenting, keep composing. If you have a microphone, use it to record ideas that you have in a burst of inspiration. Most of all, listen to music from the genre you're trying to compose for. I can't stress that enough.

Happy composing.